Important vaccine requirements for ALL European cruise ports if arriving from eg. USA

[TrumpyNor]

1 minute ago, TheGinBoy said:

It does seem bizarre that you need to pay for your own testing two days ahead of cruise (or three days, non-US) just for NCL to test you at embarkation port too. 

 

But hey.

I thought NCL stopped doing their own testing at embarkation a few weeks ago....? I may have misunderstood something though, but I think I read it somewhere here on CruiseCritic...

 

Edited April 4, 2022 by TrumpyNor

[susiesan]

59 minutes ago, jamadeliz said:

How about getting back into the US?  We are doing the Greek Isles this summer.  I have 3 doses and will get a 4th before this cruise but I am concerned about having to test before getting back into the US?  Help please.  

At the moment, you have to get a covid test 24 hours before boarding your flight home to the US. The airlines and travel industry are lobbying the Biden admin to end this requirement ASAP as it it holding back international travel. You may have to get a test in Greece after you disembark the cruise or you will not be allowed on the plane.

[TheGinBoy]

2 minutes ago, TrumpyNor said:

I thought NCL stopped doing their own testing at embarkation a few weeks ago....? I may have misunderstood something though, but I think I read it somewhere here on CruiseCritic...

 

 

That's what I thought. But during check in we've had to register with EuroFins and choose a time slot. So I guess not? 🤷‍♂️

[TrumpyNor]

3 minutes ago, TheGinBoy said:

 

That's what I thought. But during check in we've had to register with EuroFins and choose a time slot. So I guess not? 🤷‍♂️

Strange - and that is not only if you don't have a recent covid test already before arriving at the pier??? When reading thison ncl.com, it seems like they require a test done pre-cruise within three days prior for voyages departing from a non-U.S. port - but not necessary at embarkation (as long as you have done one within the last 72 hours "whereever")...? 

https://www.ncl.com/fr/en/sail-safe?intcmp=pdt_sl_SAILSAFEVAC

[susiesan]

Can someone point out to me the requirements for boarding a ship in Sweden as regards precruise testing? I sail on Dawn Aug. 16 from Stockholm. I was going to get a covid test at home before flying to ARN and would meet the current 72 hour precruise covid test requirement for boarding NCL ships in Europe. If that has now changed to 24 hours for all EU embarking cruises I will have to spend boarding day trying to get a covid test in Stockholm.

[TheGinBoy]

3 minutes ago, TrumpyNor said:

Strange - and that is not only if you don't have a recent covid test already before arriving at the pier??? When reading thison ncl.com, it seems like they require a test done pre-cruise within three days prior for voyages departing from a non-U.S. port - but not necessary at embarkation (as long as you have done one within the last 72 hours "whereever")...? 

https://www.ncl.com/fr/en/sail-safe?intcmp=pdt_sl_SAILSAFEVAC

As I had it explained to me on the phone by NCL:

 

You need to get your own rapid-antigen/LFT or PCR test with certificate done within 72 hours of sailing, before you arrive to the port. But then they'll test you again at the port at no cost to you. Both tests are needed to proceed. 

 

It seems very complicated and over the top. 

[TrumpyNor]

2 minutes ago, susiesan said:

Can someone point out to me the requirements for boarding a ship in Sweden as regards precruise testing? I sail on Dawn Aug. 16 from Stockholm. I was going to get a covid test at home before flying to ARN and would meet the current 72 hour precruise covid test requirement for boarding NCL ships in Europe. If that has now changed to 24 hours for all EU embarking cruises I will have to spend boarding day trying to get a covid test in Stockholm.

I believe the 24 hours rule you are referring to is for when flying back to the US after your European cruise? As far as I understand it, there is no need of any vaccination or test to enter Sweden. But NCL require one done 72 hours pre-cruise when the cruise starts at a non-US port (like you are referring to yourself).

[TrumpyNor]

2 minutes ago, TheGinBoy said:

 

 

It seems very complicated and over the top. 

I agree with you 100% on that - especially since EU will be reducing the test requirements in most EU countries by the end of May 2022 (if not before). Only the vaccination requirement will remain in most countries with a few exceptions where there is no requirements at all...

[susiesan]

13 minutes ago, TrumpyNor said:

I believe the 24 hours rule you are referring to is for when flying back to the US after your European cruise? As far as I understand it, there is no need of any vaccination or test to enter Sweden. But NCL require one done 72 hours pre-cruise when the cruise starts at a non-US port (like you are referring to yourself).

No, I am referring to the new EU rule to be covid tested 24 hours before boarding a ship in Europe. NCL's pre cruise covid test policy is now different than the current regs. I want to be prepared in case NCL is not doing pier side tests. I know they just did them in Barcelona because the new regulation just went into effect and caught everyone by surprise. How far into the future will they be doing the pier side tests/ If this is to be the case then we don't need to get a test 72 hours before boarding in Europe.

[TheGinBoy]

I don't think anyone can answer that last question.

 

Even NCL doesn't seem to know what NCL is doing at the moment. You can only go off what you're told for your individual cruise as it approaches.

[pc_load_letter]

This issue is getting crazy. The lady on Reddit who was denied boarding can't seem to explain why she was denied boarding and I really can't understand how 70-100 Americans were denied boarding. The thread is crazy...

 

https://www.reddit.com/r/Cruise/comments/tvmg92/norwegian_cruise_lines_leaves_70100_stranded/

[yogini06]

17 minutes ago, pc_load_letter said:

This issue is getting crazy. The lady on Reddit who was denied boarding can't seem to explain why she was denied boarding and I really can't understand how 70-100 Americans were denied boarding. The thread is crazy...

 

https://www.reddit.com/r/Cruise/comments/tvmg92/norwegian_cruise_lines_leaves_70100_stranded/

I believe it is a rule for traveling within the EU.  But shame on the cruise lines for not informing passengers

 

Last year, the European Commission adopted rules for travel within the EU, determining its Digital COVID Certificate would be valid for 270 days (about 9 months) after the final shot of someone's initial vaccine series. Following that, travelers will have to get a booster shot. While currently, Americans who were vaccinated in the United States are not eligible to obtain an EU Digital COVID Certificate, several countries have started requiring the booster shot using the 270-day metric.

[BklynBorn47]

24 minutes ago, pc_load_letter said:

This issue is getting crazy. The lady on Reddit who was denied boarding can't seem to explain why she was denied boarding and I really can't understand how 70-100 Americans were denied boarding. The thread is crazy...

 

https://www.reddit.com/r/Cruise/comments/tvmg92/norwegian_cruise_lines_leaves_70100_stranded/

I think the issue as NCL has always stated is that it is the passenger's responsibility to keep up with changes in the ports/countries they will be visiting.  The booster requirement has been in the news for some time now.  

 

The responses to the thread she posted cover a lot of this. 
There is also a thread here on CC about the situation.

All that said, it is a sad situation for those affected.  As for how much help NCL can or cannot be and costs involved, that's why we need insurance.  You just never know.  

[pc_load_letter]

3 minutes ago, BklynBorn47 said:

I think the issue as NCL has always stated is that it is the passenger's responsibility to keep up with changes in the ports/countries they will be visiting.  The booster requirement has been in the news for some time now.  

 

The responses to the thread she posted cover a lot of this. 
There is also a thread here on CC about the situation.

All that said, it is a sad situation for those affected.  As for how much help NCL can or cannot be and costs involved, that's why we need insurance.  You just never know.  

 

Sure, I completely agree that people should know the who, what, when, where of any travel abroad. I do not know all the details but from a 10,000 foot view, it would seem that if 70 to 100 people were denied boarding, there may be a problem.

 

We cruised for the first time last month and I can't tell you how paranoid I was that we addressed all the required steps before boarding. I have no desire to cruise abroad right now.

[julig22]

35 minutes ago, pc_load_letter said:

This issue is getting crazy. The lady on Reddit who was denied boarding can't seem to explain why she was denied boarding and I really can't understand how 70-100 Americans were denied boarding. The thread is crazy...

 

https://www.reddit.com/r/Cruise/comments/tvmg92/norwegian_cruise_lines_leaves_70100_stranded/

There are some missing pieces in that story. Boosters weren't even available 270 days ago, so something else is amiss.  Currently there is no expiration on the boosters.

 

She keeps stating:

You are consider approve to travel if you meet the following criteria

1. vaccination + booster (within 270 days) -OR-

2. standard vaccination + proof of recovery certificate. -OR-

3. standard vaccination + negative test within 72 hours.

But Spain regulations, per the Re-open EU site are:

 

Proof of full vaccination.
Validity: between 14 and 270 days after the last scheduled dose of the primary vaccination series was administered. After 270 days, vaccination certificates must include a booster dose.

[TrumpyNor]

2 minutes ago, julig22 said:

 

But Spain regulations, per the Re-open EU site are:

 

Proof of full vaccination.
Validity: between 14 and 270 days after the last scheduled dose of the primary vaccination series was administered. After 270 days, vaccination certificates must include a booster dose.

 Not only for Spain but for the majority of EU countries, ref something I posted previously in a different thread:

Then NCL is clearly misunderstanding something in that regard. Here is a quote from the EU page specifically mentioning the J&J vaccine:

Member States must accept vaccination certificates for a period of 9 months following the administration of the last dose of the primary vaccination. For the Johnson&Johnson vaccine this means 270 days from the first and only shot. For a two-dose vaccine it means 270 days from the second shot, or, in line with the vaccination strategy of the Member State of vaccination, the first and only shot after having recovered from the virus.

 

https://ec.europa.eu/info/live-work-travel-eu/coronavirus-response/safe-covid-19-vaccines-europeans/eu-digital-covid-certificate_en

 

[BklynBorn47]

4 minutes ago, pc_load_letter said:

 

Sure, I completely agree that people should know the who, what, when, where of any travel abroad. I do not know all the details but from a 10,000 foot view, it would seem that if 70 to 100 people were denied boarding, there may be a problem.

 

We cruised for the first time last month and I can't tell you how paranoid I was that we addressed all the required steps before boarding. I have no desire to cruise abroad right now.

From what I understand the problem is having a booster. 
I always expected the definition of fully vaccinated would change.  

We cruised in December and really want to keep on doing it especially in Europe and in the Pacific.    My concern is becoming Covid positive and not being able to do so. Insurance will take care of money lost.  

[reeinaz]

4 hours ago, jamadeliz said:

How about getting back into the US?  We are doing the Greek Isles this summer.  I have 3 doses and will get a 4th before this cruise but I am concerned about having to test before getting back into the US?  Help please.  

NCL will handle testing requirements to go back to the US. Antigen testing is free but they will charge for a PCR test

[KeithJenner]

3 hours ago, TheGinBoy said:

 

That's what I thought. But during check in we've had to register with EuroFins and choose a time slot. So I guess not? 🤷‍♂️

You just ignore that when checking in. It is a left over from when they were requiring it.

 

You don't actually need to register for Eurofins. If you click the link it opens the registration in a new tab. Just close that down and proceed.

[Trimone]

I’m immune deficient and having my 3rd booster this Saturday….it’s called spring booster 

[KeithJenner]

I keep on reading that NCL have not mentioned the issue with vaccines expiring and that it is not on their website (or the details have only just been updated).

 

This is taken directly from the email I received in mid March for my cruise in two weeks time:

 

"It is important to note that many countries, especially in Europe, are now requiring guests who have been fully vaccinated more than a certain number of months to also be ‘boosted’ in order to visit ."

 

This is the wording that was on the document posted by the person who was at Barcelona yesterday. They stated that the information had just been updated, but it was on the website at around the time I received that email (I think it had been there before).

 

It could well be that the people on this cruise didn't get the same email as me., but it has certainly been on the website for a while, and I would be surprised if it wasn't on the details you see when checking in. They really should have been keeping an eye on the website as well.

 

That change certainly didn't happen when they were in the air this weekend.

 

I'm not saying that NCL haven't done anything wrong, and they really should help people out more, but it does see that some claims being made don't stack up with the evidence I see.

[jamadeliz]

Trimone, good luck with the next dose.  I am waiting for a bit for the 2nd booster.  I am also immunocompromised but I had a 3rd full dose in October.  I think I will wait until May/June for the next dose.  

[KeithJenner]

3 hours ago, TheGinBoy said:

As I had it explained to me on the phone by NCL:

 

You need to get your own rapid-antigen/LFT or PCR test with certificate done within 72 hours of sailing, before you arrive to the port. But then they'll test you again at the port at no cost to you. Both tests are needed to proceed. 

 

It seems very complicated and over the top. 

I think you were given duff information. That isn't unusual with NCL phone staff.

Edited April 4, 2022 by KeithJenner

[reeinaz]

The Reddit poster deleted their post.

[Trimone]

6 minutes ago, jamadeliz said:

Trimone, good luck with the next dose.  I am waiting for a bit for the 2nd booster.  I am also immunocompromised but I had a 3rd full dose in October.  I think I will wait until May/June for the next dose.  

My last booster was January 2022 and before that September 2021 for the first booster, bringing me up to five doses altogether.