Do you need to test onboard the Joy before being allowed to enter Bermuda?

[MsTabbyKats]

3 hours ago, The P said:

It was me, and this is correct. The head of the Cruise Next desk told me at the Latitude party. He knew I'd already purchased some Future Cruise certs.

Sharon....

When the employee said "they were allowing everyone".....did he clarify what "allowing everyone" meant?  I would interpret that as "anyone who applied" unless he specifically referred to capacity.

Anyway ....since "an employee said it"....they're often misinformed.

 

[pcakes122]

6 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

Where Bermuda is not the first port of call, or if the ship takes longer than 5 days to arrive in Bermuda, all guests, regardless of vaccination status, will be required to take an additional antigen test onboard no more than 2 days prior to disembarking in Bermuda. This test will be paid for and administered by our onboard medical team.

WRONG. The ONLY guests required to test again onboard are those who disembarked in Virginia.

 

(I'm on the Joy now.)

[The P]

1 minute ago, MsTabbyKats said:

Sharon....

When the employee said "they were allowing everyone".....did he clarify what "allowing everyone" meant?  I would interpret that as "anyone who applied" unless he specifically referred to capacity.

Anyway ....since "an employee said it"....they're often misinformed.

 

Hi, Bonnie. He meant no more percentage levels. If an NCL ship can book to it's 100%, it will. As you say, he could  be wrong, but cruise lines have lost so much money I can see they'd want to start filling up if possible before the CDC starts any trouble for them and/or some people are afraid to book. We have to look at Covid as an endemic and get on with living. Anyone getting a negative antigen test and then boarding a cruise ship two days later, and thinking the cruise will remain Covid-free will always hear post debarkation about the cruisers who got it. Luck of the draw. I wore my mask only the two times I was in the theater and when I got off the ship in Bermuda and NYC.

[njhorseman]

17 minutes ago, pcakes122 said:

WRONG. The ONLY guests required to test again onboard are those who disembarked in Virginia.

 

(I'm on the Joy now.)

You're wrong. You have it backwards. Last week Bermuda eliminated the requirement for passengers making  a port call prior to arriving in Bermuda to be retested but kept the requirement for retesting if the ship is arriving in Bermuda more than four days after embarkation. If someone on the Joy is telling you otherwise they need to be reeducated. Here are the rules:

https://www.gov.bm/cruise-travel-authorisation

 

You'll see that there's no longer a mention of retesting if the ship makes a prior port call but there still is the "more than 4 days" rule:

Cruise voyages that take more than 4 days to get to Bermuda from the embarkation port:

All passengers regardless of vaccination status must undergo a further supervised antigen or COVID-19 NAAT on-board, by the ships medical team, no more than 2 days before passengers are to come ashore in Bermuda. 

 

 

 

Edited May 28, 2022 by njhorseman

[pcakes122]

1 minute ago, njhorseman said:

You're wrong. You have it backwards. Last week Bermuda eliminated the requirement for passengers making  a port call prior to arriving in Bermuda to be retested but kept the requirement for retesting if the ship is arriving in Bermuda more than four days after embarkation. Here are the rules:

https://www.gov.bm/cruise-travel-authorisation

 

 

 

I think you missed the part where I said I am on the Joy right now, so no. 

[njhorseman]

Just now, pcakes122 said:

I think you missed the part where I said I am on the Joy right now, so no. 

I didn't miss where you said that.

 The new rules took effect on May 21. 

[pcakes122]

2 minutes ago, njhorseman said:

I didn't miss where you said that.

 The new rules took effect on May 21. 

We arrived in Bermuda on May 25th, so there's that.  NCL didn't state it was a Bermuda requirement, but we definitely had to retest.

 

[njhorseman]

1 minute ago, pcakes122 said:

We arrived in Bermuda on May 25th, so there's that.  NCL didn't state it was a Bermuda requirement, but we definitely had to retest.

 

Since your embarkation was on May 22, one day after the rule change I suspect what happened is that NCL's corporate office did not notify the cruise ship staff that the rules had changed so they conducted unnecessary testing since they did not know about the change.

[njhorseman]

7 minutes ago, pcakes122 said:

We arrived in Bermuda on May 25th, so there's that.  NCL didn't state it was a Bermuda requirement, but we definitely had to retest.

 

BTW, I just checked NCL's website and it still has the old instructions about needing a test if Bermuda is not the first port of call so someone at corporate isn't on the ball. That doesn't surprise me since for the longest time NCL was instructing its passengers to not fill out the Travel Authorization application until they had their test results, which was contrary to what Bermuda wanted and contributed mightily to the delays in getting approvals because Bermuda's authorities would get swamped with applications in the two days prior to sailing.

[pcakes122]

6 minutes ago, njhorseman said:

Since your embarkation was on May 22, one day after the rule change I suspect what happened is that NCL's corporate office did not notify the cruise ship staff that the rules had changed so they conducted unnecessary testing since they did not know about the change.

Yes. The captain probably didn't buy the internet package.  He really needs to start staying in touch!

[MsTabbyKats]

23 minutes ago, pcakes122 said:

Yes. The captain probably didn't buy the internet package.  He really needs to start staying in touch!

Lol.....

Things change.   If they reverted back, as you indicate, I'm not surprised at all.  To me this means "no Norfolk" as I don't want to spend my time in Bermuda on my balcony.

 

NCL may prefer to re-test passengers although not necessary for Bermuda to keep outbreaks on the ship as low as possible.

[pcakes122]

24 minutes ago, MsTabbyKats said:

NCL may prefer to re-test passengers although not necessary for Bermuda to keep outbreaks on the ship as low as possible.

This was exactly my thought since it seems that there has been a lot of Covid on the Joy this month! 😳  I've been masking the whole time and have been hiding out in the Haven. I have not gone near the buffet, Atrium, theater or other crowded venues. Well, except the casino LOL. But even there I was the crazy lady wiping down every machine I used with disinfectant wipes. 😂 The Gem was fine in December, but with heightened cases in NYC and on this ship, I'm being super cautious. (Been there, done that already having Covid on a cruise ship!)

[mking8288]

@pcakes122 - almost home, tracking the Joy inbound but still out of radar reporting range on Marinetraffic, appeared to be a pre-dawn arrival before sunrise.  Was a bit bumpy earlier but nothing like what we ran into 2 weeks ago getting there.  Did they restore ship's livecam view on Ch.12 yet ... someone sailing this Sunday should ask at the M&G or slip them a note ahead, to ask what's been going on in their IT Dept 🤣 

 

@The P - Sharon, no news is excellent new for you post-cruise.  Next up is Bonnie's turn and appeared she's fully prepared - maybe they've still straightening out the cruise terminal's embarkation mess, and fingers crossed.  Our CC friends from Bayside are sailing after MsTabbyKats and I'm feeding them "intel" 

 

Just got a fresh supply of free home testing kits this week, and more on the way soon - should probably pack extras to take on a cruise in the coming months, whether it's Bermuda or somewhere else - just for peace of mind ourselves.  Royal and I believe also, Carnival, extending their current protocol thru Sept 30th ... 

 

Happy Memorial Weekend to all 😷

[pcakes122]

32 minutes ago, mking8288 said:

@pcakes122 - almost home, tracking the Joy inbound but still out of radar reporting range on Marinetraffic, appeared to be a pre-dawn arrival before sunrise.  Was a bit bumpy earlier but nothing like what we ran into 2 weeks ago getting there.  Did they restore ship's livecam view on Ch.12 yet ... someone sailing this Sunday should ask at the M&G or slip them a note ahead, to ask what's been going on in their IT Dept 🤣 

 @mking8288No channel 12  - but almost home is right!  It's 10PM and we are 133 miles from New York (doing 19 knots.)   If they would drop me off at the Jersey shore I could sleep in my own bed tonight 😂  Have a great weekend!

[lx200gps]

We're on the Joy starting June 12, and here's the text of a message dated 29 May that just arrived via Email:

 

May 29, 2022
Dear Valued Guests and Travel Partners:
On behalf of Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), we thank you for your loyalty and for making us your vacation of choice. We have
important information regarding cruises sailing to Bermuda. Travel partners should share the below information with guests
who may be affected.
As you prepare for your upcoming sailing, we want to ensure that your embarkation process runs smoothly. As such, please
be aware of the following important requirements for your cruise.
All guests must complete the Bermuda Travel Authorization (TA) form within 30 days of sailing. The cost of the Travel
Authorization is $40 per guest. The form is available at www.gov.bm/cruise-travel-authorisation.
• Once approved, a travel authorization number will be provided to you.
• If you have any issues with the process, please contact Bermuda Tourism Authority:
o Via phone at 1.833.570.2594 (toll-free) or via email at TAapprovals@gov.bm.
All vaccinated guests:
• Travel authorization requirements include that you upload your vaccination card , and proof of a negative antigen test
administered by a verified third party or via medically supervised home test. The vaccination card can be uploaded
separately up to 30 days before sailing. The negative test result must be uploaded within two days of embarkation. If
you upload your vaccination card early, you will receive an email reminder to upload the test result closer to your sailing
date.
• If you have started your Travel Authorization application by uploading your vaccination card but have not uploaded a
negative test result before the cruise departure date, you will be issued a ‘provisional waiver’ which will allow you to
embark on the cruise. Once correct and completed documentation has been uploaded, reviewed and approved, a
travel authorization will be issued, allowing you to disembark in Bermuda.
All unvaccinated guests (only applicable to guests under the age of twelve):
• Travel authorization requirements include that you provide proof of a negative PCR test administered by a verified
third party or via medically supervised home test within three days of embarkation.
• All unvaccinated guests will also be required to take an additional antigen test at embarkation. This test will be paid
for and administered by Norwegian Cruise Line.
Where Bermuda is not the first port of call, or if the ship takes longer than four days to arrive in Bermuda, all guests,
regardless of vaccination status, will be required to take an additional antigen or PCR test onboard no more than two days
prior to disembarking in Bermuda. This test will be paid for and administered by our onboard medical team.
As a reminder, all guests are responsible for checking on travel restrictions and complying with all requirements. NCL
recommends for all guests to follow, and where possible, sign up for notifications from their local government on international
travel regulations that may prevent, restrict, or require additional documentation when traveling to another country for
embarkation or during their cruise.
Failure to comply with the above requirements will unfortunately result in denial of embarkation. Guests who are denied
embarkation or reboarding for failure to comply with Norwegian Cruise Line’s COVID -19 Policies and Procedures shall not be
entitled to a refund or compensation of any kind. For more information, please click here.
As government regulations evolve, our health and safety protocols will evolve as needed to ensure compliance. This may
mean different protocols from ship-to-ship based on local state or port requirements or in an abundance of caution to keep our
guests and crew as safe as possible.
We encourage you to learn more about the efforts we are making , and how to prepare for your upcoming voyage by visiting
www.ncl.com/prepare-for-your-cruise/2021 and www.ncl.com/travel-requirements-by-country.
Thank you for your attention, and we look forward to welcoming you aboard!
Sincerely,
Katty Byrd
Senior Vice President, Guest Services

[njhorseman]

25 minutes ago, lx200gps said:

We're on the Joy starting June 12, and here's the text of a message dated 29 May that just arrived via Email:

 

May 29, 2022
Dear Valued Guests and Travel Partners:
On behalf of Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), we thank you for your loyalty and for making us your vacation of choice. We have
important information regarding cruises sailing to Bermuda. Travel partners should share the below information with guests
who may be affected.
As you prepare for your upcoming sailing, we want to ensure that your embarkation process runs smoothly. As such, please
be aware of the following important requirements for your cruise.
All guests must complete the Bermuda Travel Authorization (TA) form within 30 days of sailing. The cost of the Travel
Authorization is $40 per guest. The form is available at www.gov.bm/cruise-travel-authorisation.
• Once approved, a travel authorization number will be provided to you.
• If you have any issues with the process, please contact Bermuda Tourism Authority:
o Via phone at 1.833.570.2594 (toll-free) or via email at TAapprovals@gov.bm.
All vaccinated guests:
• Travel authorization requirements include that you upload your vaccination card , and proof of a negative antigen test
administered by a verified third party or via medically supervised home test. The vaccination card can be uploaded
separately up to 30 days before sailing. The negative test result must be uploaded within two days of embarkation. If
you upload your vaccination card early, you will receive an email reminder to upload the test result closer to your sailing
date.
• If you have started your Travel Authorization application by uploading your vaccination card but have not uploaded a
negative test result before the cruise departure date, you will be issued a ‘provisional waiver’ which will allow you to
embark on the cruise. Once correct and completed documentation has been uploaded, reviewed and approved, a
travel authorization will be issued, allowing you to disembark in Bermuda.
All unvaccinated guests (only applicable to guests under the age of twelve):
• Travel authorization requirements include that you provide proof of a negative PCR test administered by a verified
third party or via medically supervised home test within three days of embarkation.
• All unvaccinated guests will also be required to take an additional antigen test at embarkation. This test will be paid
for and administered by Norwegian Cruise Line.
Where Bermuda is not the first port of call, or if the ship takes longer than four days to arrive in Bermuda, all guests,
regardless of vaccination status, will be required to take an additional antigen or PCR test onboard no more than two days
prior to disembarking in Bermuda. This test will be paid for and administered by our onboard medical team.
As a reminder, all guests are responsible for checking on travel restrictions and complying with all requirements. NCL
recommends for all guests to follow, and where possible, sign up for notifications from their local government on international
travel regulations that may prevent, restrict, or require additional documentation when traveling to another country for
embarkation or during their cruise.
Failure to comply with the above requirements will unfortunately result in denial of embarkation. Guests who are denied
embarkation or reboarding for failure to comply with Norwegian Cruise Line’s COVID -19 Policies and Procedures shall not be
entitled to a refund or compensation of any kind. For more information, please click here.
As government regulations evolve, our health and safety protocols will evolve as needed to ensure compliance. This may
mean different protocols from ship-to-ship based on local state or port requirements or in an abundance of caution to keep our
guests and crew as safe as possible.
We encourage you to learn more about the efforts we are making , and how to prepare for your upcoming voyage by visiting
www.ncl.com/prepare-for-your-cruise/2021 and www.ncl.com/travel-requirements-by-country.
Thank you for your attention, and we look forward to welcoming you aboard!
Sincerely,
Katty Byrd
Senior Vice President, Guest Services

And of course what you got is wrong. Bermuda no longer even wants you to upload the negative test results.  You just bring it to the pier for verification at check in. The instructions are printed in big red letters on Bermuda's website .

It never cease to amaze me how NCL has such difficulty getting simple things right.

[lx200gps]

10 minutes ago, njhorseman said:

And of course what you got is wrong. Bermuda no longer even wants you to upload the negative test results.  You just bring it to the pier for verification at check in. The instructions are printed in big red letters on Bermuda's website .

It never cease to amaze me how NCL has such difficulty getting simple things right.

That was my thinking as well. Problem is, what if this signifies a change BACK to what it was before the last update, and they are doubling back down on testing after the recent upsurge in cases on the Joy

[njhorseman]

1 minute ago, lx200gps said:

That was my thinking as well. Problem is, what if this signifies a change BACK to what it was before the last update, and they are doubling back down on testing after the recent upsurge in cases on the Joy

Additional testing is a different issue .

This is just an example of NCL'S inability to properly relay Bermuda's requirements to its passengers. 

 

[MsTabbyKats]

52 minutes ago, lx200gps said:

That was my thinking as well. Problem is, what if this signifies a change BACK to what it was before the last update, and they are doubling back down on testing after the recent upsurge in cases on the Joy

I'm on the ship 6/5.  I just got my "official approved waiver" back this morning.  It says to bring proof of a negative test to the pier along with the certificate.  That's all.  Uploading the negative test is a waste of our time and their time.

[CruisinMaterial]

8 hours ago, MsTabbyKats said:

I'm on the ship 6/5.  I just got my "official approved waiver" back this morning.  It says to bring proof of a negative test to the pier along with the certificate.  That's all.  Uploading the negative test is a waste of our time and their time.

When did you apply for yours?

[MsTabbyKats]

1 hour ago, CruisinMaterial said:

When did you apply for yours?

I applied 5/7.  Got the acknowledgement in about 2 minutes.  Then the approval this morning.

[LongIsland-Cruiser]

22 hours ago, MsTabbyKats said:

I applied 5/7.  Got the acknowledgement in about 2 minutes.  Then the approval this morning.

I applied 5/11 for three people.  Mine came in on the 24th.  The other two are not processed yet.  I called the toll free number and was on hold for only 49 minutes.   I was told “you have 8 days till your sailing, you’ll get approved in time.  Have a nice day.”    I got the feeling that they were tired of talking to Americans that day.