covid testing in athens

[iloveglee]

Does anyone have any up to date information about the covid tests required at piraeus.  The ncl website is pretty clear, test required within 3 days of embarkation.  The link then to country specific requirements doesn't show anything extra for greece.  I know that greece has suspended all of its covid regulations for entry, no tests, not even evidence of vaccination.  

 

I am reading various posts on a different platform that ncl are still requiring a covid test to be done at the port, and that greece is requiring a test the day before embarkation.  I can't find anything official online about this at all.  If there is anyone who has sailed in the past week or so from piraeus, is this happening.  It seems to make no sense to me to do a test 2 or 3 days before and then have to do another one at the port.  Up to a couple of weeks ago, the ncl website did link to specific requirements for piraeus, which was a test at the port.  That has now disappeared from their website.  

 

We have already booked our test for the friday as we sail on the sunday, we are flying to athens on the saturday.  If this is the case, I am wondering whether to cancel this, and wait until we arrive in athens and do one at the airport.  The more I read about all this, the more confused I become

 

 

[Ken the cruiser]

Here’s what I found at the following NCL link today. For us, we’re going to take the eMed test 3 days prior to arrival before we board the flight from the US. That way we at least get on the flight with an approved negative test just in case Greece later removes their current 24 hour requirement and NCL falls back to the “default” 3 day negative test requirement.

 

Europe Cruise Protocols

Country Requirements

 

Travel requirements may vary from country to country in Europe.

Embarkation Requirements

 

• For cruises embarking in Greece, all guests ages 12 years and older must have negative NAAT (PCR) or Antigen test 24 hours prior to embarkation. If guest does not show proof of a valid test conducted within 24 hours prior to embarkation, an antigen test will be administered at the terminal covered by Norwegian.

http://ncl-drupal6.ncl.com:9050/travel-requirements-by-country
 

 

 

[iloveglee]

I can't keep up with this.  When we booked our cruise, via a cruise consultant, we asked what the testing requirements were.  She told us a test within 3 days of embarkation for europe.  I asked if that was it, and she said it was.  Fair enough, as far as ncl are concerned it is.  Then from various sources I discovered that greek ports required a test at the port.  Which made me wonder why bother with the one 3 days before.  We don't need it to actually get into Greece.

 

Then, having taken another look at the ncl website, as I do pretty much weekly now, I discovered that the link to specific requirements for different countries, greece did indeed require a test at the port.  Then greece scrapped all requirements, at least for entry into the country, and that specific country rule disappeared from the ncl website.  Not immediately, after a week or so.  Up to the latest update, when greece now apparently want a test within 24 hours prior to embarkation.  Which again, makes me wonder why bothering with (and paying for), the one within 3 days.

 

Fortunately for us, we are not cruising just yet, so I am hoping that things will change, for the better before then.  I imagine all cruise lines will want to see a negative test at some stage before embarkation but I just wish greece could make its mind up what it does want and stick to it for more than a couple of weeks!!

 

I imagine, though that ncl's requirement no more than 3 days before embarkation means that one taken 1 day before would do.  Which, fortunately for us, we could do as we don't leave the UK until 8pm the night before we sail.  Cancellations and delays excepted of course, but that's another issue............

[Trimone]

I agree completely, we are going to do our own Antigen tests the Saturday evening before we fly on Sunday, if they don’t accept them they can test us? Also I will take a few antigen tests to take before leaving ship to return home, the U.K. doesn’t require negative tests to fly from Athens to Birmingham.

[purplecow15]

We just disembarked from the Jade in Athens. We embarked on June 5. We had taken an antigen test before leaving the US within the 72 hours. When we arrived at the port they didn’t even look at them . We were tested at port by NCL.  We did notice when we disembarked that they were setting up for testing those coming in so I assume it’s still going on. 
 

On a different topic while in all Greek ports or in Greek waters only folks with drinks package were served . They were not selling alcohol to those without the package. There were signs at each bar. 

[HuliHuli]

1 hour ago, purplecow15 said:

On a different topic while in all Greek ports or in Greek waters only folks with drinks package were served . They were not selling alcohol to those without the package. There were signs at each bar. 

That is a very interesting observation @purplecow15.  Did you have the package, or did you not have the package and were denied service?  I cannot imagine NCL not selling drinks unless it was a Greek legal issue.

[purplecow15]

We were told it was a new Greek issue. They want folks to spend money in ports. We did have the package so had no problems. We were able to use the package as usual. There was a sign at each bar explaining but I don’t believe NCL had informed anyone previous to boarding. Some days we were in ports till late evening so I’m sure some were impacted. We would not have been happy eating in specialty dining venues with no wine. 

[iloveglee]

I was under the impression that the drinks thing related to the gem due to a licence issue that hadn’t been sorted. But is now all ok. So many different interpretations of all this. 
 

between that and this total dogs breakfast of testing I really wish we hadn’t booked. Our cruise consultant said the only test we needed to do was the 3 days before one. Had I known that greece had a much stricter policy in place I’d have thought twice. 
 

too late now and all I can do is hope for the best. Covid is so rife its possible a significant number trying to board  get denied. 

[purplecow15]

As far as I can tell all you need is the

28 minutes ago, iloveglee said:

I was under the impression that the drinks thing related to the gem due to a licence issue that hadn’t been sorted. But is now all ok. So many different interpretations of all this. 
 

between that and this total dogs breakfast of testing I really wish we hadn’t booked. Our cruise consultant said the only test we needed to do was the 3 days before one. Had I known that greece had a much stricter policy in place I’d have thought twice. 
 

too late now and all I can do is hope for the best. Covid is so rife its possible a significant number trying to board  get denied. 

As far as I can tell Greece has dropped its tests for entry into country. They do require a 24 hour test before embarkation but it was super easy. We were through the dropping off bags, testing, and results passport check and security in less than 1/2 hour at port. Our arrival time was 11 am and we were on ship by 11:30am. That should be the only test you'll encounter. Believe me we had many worries about our cruises and none of them came to anything. We heard through the grapevine, so who knows if its true, that 7 people out of the approximate 1200 tested positive. 

[iloveglee]

Yes I imagine it’s easy and straightforward unless you are one of the unfortunate ones now in an isolation hotel at their own expense. 
 

I’ve been communicating with one of these people and am told the hotel is 250 euros per night. No choice of hotel, just transported to the one where ncl have allocated rooms. I can’t imagine anything worse and having to find upwards of €1000 for the privilege. At least if you test positive before you leave home you can stay there.