Updated Vaccation Policy

[Selbourne]

3 minutes ago, zap99 said:

The emails seem to be aimed at covering a certain part of their anatomy. If they make things too difficult, many folk won't bother with cruises.

 

Written from Lanzarote, no tests ,minimal forms to fill in. Judgement day approaches. Pay the balances, or go on another type of foreign, or UK holiday.

I think you are probably spot on with that. Hope that you’ve had a good holiday. One of our daughters is in Majorca at present. Like you, zero hassle. 

[pmd98052]

Heh we just did the math on our 14 year olds 2nd vax date. He had 2nd on Jan 26th 2022. So guess what 270 days is Oct 23rd 2022. Our cruise is Oct 22nd. So we can't go.

[jeanlyon]

20 minutes ago, zap99 said:

The emails seem to be aimed at covering a certain part of their anatomy. If they make things too difficult, many folk won't bother with cruises.

 

Written from Lanzarote, no tests ,minimal forms to fill in. Judgement day approaches. Pay the balances, or go on another type of foreign, or UK holiday.

Yes, just the way I am feeling.  If we wave the deposit of £198 goodbye, we save £750 on travel insurance, £500 on putting the dog with the dog sitter, and we don't pay the final balance.  We also do away with the hassle and we go somewhere to enjoy ourselves and take the dog with us.

 

 

[yorkshirephil]

8 minutes ago, pmd98052 said:

Heh we just did the math on our 14 year olds 2nd vax date. He had 2nd on Jan 26th 2022. So guess what 270 days is Oct 23rd 2022. Our cruise is Oct 22nd. So we can't go.

Maybe by the time you are due to pay the balance your son will get a booster or P&O will reconsider testing when families start cancelling their cruises especially as they seem to be aiming their cruises on the bigger ships towards families, or not as the case may be.

[wowzz]

1 hour ago, Eglesbrech said:

Have they indicated what they will be charging at the terminal Wozz?

Not seen anything yet !

[bee-ess]

2 hours ago, terrierjohn said:

Moley has said that testing at the port for those unable to do the home test will be available, but that prenetics will be reducing the testing facilities at the port, presumablyib line with how successful the take up of home testing goes.

What determines not being able to take a home test, if it is not having a smart phone, we could all say that and get a free test. Just saying.

[paulatsea]

The email I got did not mention testing at all - just vaccination status . It’s on Arcadia December Christmas cruise this year 2022 from Southampton.

? 

Edited April 13, 2022 by paulatsea

[Eglesbrech]

Just now, bee-ess said:

What determines not being able to take a home test, if it is not having a smart phone, we could all say that and get a free test. Just saying.

I don’t think they will be free, in fact probably more costly if Princess is anything to go by.

[terrierjohn]

34 minutes ago, zap99 said:

The emails seem to be aimed at covering a certain part of their anatomy. If they make things too difficult, many folk won't bother with cruises.

 

Written from Lanzarote, no tests ,minimal forms to fill in. Judgement day approaches. Pay the balances, or go on another type of foreign, or UK holiday.

That's fine for those who can fly, but a problem for those who rely on cruising for their foreign holidays. I just hope P&O extend the testing period to allow passengers to do the test 2 days before embarkation for those passengers intending to travel down the day before, that would avoid the huge disappointment of travelling down then failing the test at the overnight hotel.

[bee-ess]

1 hour ago, purplesea said:

Have now seen the testing requirements, but as I am concentrating on my cruise is two weeks, didn't give it a lot of attention when I realised it was for January 2023. 

First things first!

Yes, it would help if they put the date of the cruise on the email rather than the 6 character reference number.

[Megabear2]

It appears all the cruise lines are adhering to these 24 and 48 hour tests.  It seems to be linked to European/Spanish regulations with a hint of CDC.

 

My communications from Celebrity indicate any European sailing EXCEPT from UK are 24 hours.  They are stating within 48 hours for UK sailings.  NCL are a blanket 24 hour I've nothing from Cunard yet.

 

I'm currently shopping in Rome for my Celebrity cruise, a most interesting experience as their proctored tests are for US passengers only! Incidentally any test carried out by Celebrity is $45 within Europe. NCL is $50.  It appears to depend on which testing company they are using.

 

Based on all this I'm pretty certain if you are sailing on Saturday a test on Friday is what P&O expects.  The Marella, Celebrity and RCI  websites very helpfully have a table of voyages where it tells you how many tests, which type and on what day.  Perhaps P&O might go along with this although there is mayhem on all the CC boards for all the companies I'm sailing with this year so they are in no way unique.

 

It might have been better to only email these details to passengers booked through to end of 2022, rather than for every single booking.

[terrierjohn]

16 minutes ago, bee-ess said:

What determines not being able to take a home test, if it is not having a smart phone, we could all say that and get a free test. Just saying.

It wont be free, Princess will charge you $60, so P&O wont be far behind, it might just push some regular cruisers to take the plunge and buy a smart phone.

[pmd98052]

24 minutes ago, yorkshirephil said:

Maybe by the time you are due to pay the balance your son will get a booster or P&O will reconsider testing when families start cancelling their cruises especially as they seem to be aiming their cruises on the bigger ships towards families, or not as the case may be.

 

I think the problem is its based on what places like Portugal require.

[terrierjohn]

17 minutes ago, paulatsea said:

The email I got did not mention testing at all - just vaccination status . It’s on Arcadia December Christmas cruise this year 2022 from Southampton.

? 

It does, but you need to press on the italicsised text to take you onto the website, and then delve about to find all the data 

[paulatsea]

5 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

It does, but you need to press on the italicsised text to take you onto the website, and then delve about to find all the data 

Thanks - what a pain.

[paulatsea]

2 hours ago, wowzz said:

In essence, all this means is that whereas before, everyone got tested foc at the terminal, you now have to pay for your own test, either the day before, or at the terminal on the day of departure.

Wowzz where does it mention testing at the terminal available ? Sorry I didn’t see that anywhere ? Only for unvaccinated children ?

Edited April 13, 2022 by paulatsea

[Edith1950]

When I started this thread I was concerned about unvaccinated passengers on board and as the day progressed with emails from P&O which clarified the vaccination policy but then threw up the new testing policy. I'm grateful to all of you for your contributions and giving me tips of organising the tests. I decided this morning to phone my local Boots and Lloyds pharamacies, Boots don't do it but Lloyds said I could only book it online. I don't know why I asked the question would they be open on the 3 June to which the reply was NO as it was a Bank holiday. Now I don't know what to think as what is supposed to be a relaxing time away has given me stress.

[zap99]

24 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

That's fine for those who can fly, but a problem for those who rely on cruising for their foreign holidays. I just hope P&O extend the testing period to allow passengers to do the test 2 days before embarkation for those passengers intending to travel down the day before, that would avoid the huge disappointment of travelling down then failing the test at the overnight hotel.

I do believe they are making things unnecessarily difficult for folk. I'm sure I have missinterpreted, but it seems that if we get a ferry to Northern Spain, spend a few days and then sail back. No tests. If that ferry is a cruise ship, new rules.🤔

[jeanlyon]

I just realized that if we were on the cruise this April that we moved to next year, we would have sailed on Easter Sunday.  So no hopes of getting a chemist test for our friend on either Good Friday or easter Saturday.  She doesn't have a smartphone, so would either have to get someone else to do it for her or wait until she gets there. 

[jeanlyon]

It does seem to be a lot easier to go on either a fly holiday or a european trip.  Friends of our have just been to Antigua and everything was simple.  No problems over there and no problems before they went.  It's just cruises.

[wowzz]

42 minutes ago, paulatsea said:

Wowzz where does it mention testing at the terminal available ? Sorry I didn’t see that anywhere ? Only for unvaccinated children ?

Sorry - I jumped the gun. I was assuming/hoping that P&O would follow the Princess example, and set up a testing centre at the terminal.

[paulatsea]

5 minutes ago, wowzz said:

Sorry - I jumped the gun. I was assuming/hoping that P&O would follow the Princess example, and set up a testing centre at the terminal.

Thanks wowzz - I wish they would - I am beginning to hope my p&o Arcadia Christmas cruise is cancelled(again) - and then I’ll go with someone decent instead.

Edited April 13, 2022 by paulatsea

[wowzz]

2 minutes ago, paulatsea said:

Thanks wowzz - I wish they would - I am beginning to hope my p&o Arcadia Christmas cruise is cancelled(again) - and then I’ll go with someone decent instead.

Strange that the sister company to P&O,  Princess, have got their testing act together much more than P&O.  Princess are now offering free testing at European ports,  I presume because of the logistical problems for those flying in from the US. 

[Wiseyowl]

We I suspect like many opted for a Southampton cruise to avoid the stresses of testing and awaiting results beforehand with time pressures. I know for some it’s not a hassle but for many it is an unwanted stress when it may be stressful travelling for the first time again. This has changed how we feel about out week away in July, and although fully paid am hopeful we can just cancel as they have changed the requirements and it’s not what we signed up for.

[terrierjohn]

1 hour ago, zap99 said:

I do believe they are making things unnecessarily difficult for folk. I'm sure I have missinterpreted, but it seems that if we get a ferry to Northern Spain, spend a few days and then sail back. No tests. If that ferry is a cruise ship, new rules.🤔

I agree it does appear odd, however a ferry sailing is rarely longer than 2 or 3 days, often only a day. So you can see that they have a far lower risk of an outbreak onboard.