Bermuda Vaccination Policy,, possible change on cruise

[newtocruisingcdn]

we have a transatlantic cruise stopping in Bermuda,, with their current vaccination requirements ,, has anyone heard if Celebrity is changing the stop in Bermuda to some other location

[jelayne]

No change at this point.

[GarCat88]

I’m hoping that there’s a change this would help alleviate the hassle of getting tested. We’re on a TA in October.  Fingers crossed!

[canderson]

4 hours ago, newtocruisingcdn said:

we have a transatlantic cruise stopping in Bermuda,, with their current vaccination requirements ,, has anyone heard if Celebrity is changing the stop in Bermuda to some other location

Your signature doesn't contain your plan, just history, so don't know which TA you're on.

 

The earliest folks to know will likely be those on the first TA currently scheduled with a Bermuda stop, 12 October on Beyond.  Recommend you watch their roll call for any news.

 

 

Edited August 19, 2022 by canderson

[tonyinoc]

I am hoping that Celebrity sends out some emails for people who are on the Beyond Transatlantic as i am in that ship.

 

Bermuda Travel Authorization (TA)  you must have one to get on the ship and can buy 30 days before sail date. at $40 per person plus have a proctored or supervised test up to 4 days prior to boarding

 

and also have one 2 days prior to arriving . (that would have to be on the ship ) as we will be at sea 

I can only see one option of doing that is that Celebrity will have to test the entire ship. 

if they make us get the internet self proctored one like they sell in the Optum Store for $40 you cant trust the internet to stay connected for 20 minutes  min and you would have to have the high streaming package.. 

I can see this adding about $400 - $500 for a family of 4 

for two people $80 for a certificate probably another $80 for supervised test before boarding. 

And what ever celebrity charges to do it on the ship 

 

what i fear most is we pay for the certificate , we pay for the supervised test in Barcelona and then 3 days before we get there they decide to sail by and make it a sea day

 

so we are in Limbo till celebrity gives us specific details of there plans 

 

[canderson]

10 minutes ago, tonyinoc said:

I am hoping that Celebrity sends out some emails for people who are on the Beyond Transatlantic as i am in that ship.

 

I think your assessment is spot on, Tony, though I would discount the idea that they'd attempt to have 100% of pax attempt 3rd party WiFi proctoring to satisfy the 2-day-prior-to-arrival requirement for Bermuda.

 

Since your 12 October cruise will be the first 'test case' for the four TAs that follow with Bermuda stops, please keep us posted on whatever communications you receive from Celebrity regarding this issue.

[jelayne]

Passing out proctored tests would be a bigger mess than testing whole ship in 2 day.  Too many people trying to get on the internet, those not tech savvy enough or willing do a proctored, those that don’t have a smart phone, tablet or computer with them.  
 

I think it would be doable ( not easy)  for the ship to test, if they got an exemption for the crew.  

We are also on this cruise and  I’m hoping they cancel  the Bermuda stop. 

[tonyinoc]

15 minutes ago, jelayne said:

Passing out proctored tests would be a bigger mess than testing whole ship in 2 day.  Too many people trying to get on the internet, those not tech savvy enough or willing do a proctored, those that don’t have a smart phone, tablet or computer with them.  
 

I think it would be doable ( not easy)  for the ship to test, if they got an exemption for the crew.  

We are also on this cruise and  I’m hoping they cancel  the Bermuda stop. 

They can test the whole ship. When I was on the Apex last September they tested the whole ship 2 days before we docked in Athens. they did us in groups and that was a day where where porting in Santorini on a sea day it would be much easier 

[Denny01]

The Celebrity website pertaining to Bermuda has a selection titled ‘More Details…..’ which gives even more discription on testing prior to arriving in Bermuda:

 

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. 

 

This means the ship med team will be testing All of us ‘no more than 2 days prior’…no online monitored testing by individuals. 

 

Should be fun! 

 

Den

[TeaBag]

What if people elected to stay on the ship?

[Charles4515]

6 minutes ago, Denny01 said:

The Celebrity website pertaining to Bermuda has a selection titled ‘More Details…..’ which gives even more discription on testing prior to arriving in Bermuda:

 

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. 

 

This means the ship med team will be testing All of us ‘no more than 2 days prior’…no online monitored testing by individuals. 

 

 

Reading the above I think you all need to take Celebrity at their word. There will be no change. Also in my experience if they do change you will get a letter at embarkation even if they know a month in advance.......

[Charles4515]

4 minutes ago, TeaBag said:

What if people elected to stay on the ship?

 

No one will force you to get off but you will still have to do the Travel Authorization and fee to embark. If you don't take the test or fail the test you won't be able to disembark.

[tonyinoc]

22 hours ago, newtocruisingcdn said:

we have a transatlantic cruise stopping in Bermuda,, with their current vaccination requirements ,, has anyone heard if Celebrity is changing the stop in Bermuda to some other location

What other locations would be possible ? our last stop is the Azures before Bermuda . i mean if we where heading to Florida maybe but from Barcelona to New York not sure if there is a possible stop 

[jmdlv1]

31 minutes ago, Denny01 said:

The Celebrity website pertaining to Bermuda has a selection titled ‘More Details…..’ which gives even more discription on testing prior to arriving in Bermuda:

 

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. 

 

This means the ship med team will be testing All of us ‘no more than 2 days prior’…no online monitored testing by individuals. 

 

Should be fun! 

 

Den

That sounds very interesting.

The medical team on the ship is going to be required to test 3000+ passengers with a test that takes 15 minutes to confirm.

I just cannot see that working.

[tonyinoc]

5 minutes ago, jmdlv1 said:

That sounds very interesting.

The medical team on the ship is going to be required to test 3000+ passengers with a test that takes 15 minutes to confirm.

I just cannot see that working.

they have 2 days to do it .. you don't have to hang around to get the results . on the Apex i took the test and later that day when i was on Santorini the Celebrity app told me I was negative 

[amevola]

23 minutes ago, tonyinoc said:

What other locations would be possible ? our last stop is the Azures before Bermuda . i mean if we where heading to Florida maybe but from Barcelona to New York not sure if there is a possible stop 

 

Maybe Charleston, SC?  That would be nice.

[IZZYDAD]

How about a stop earlier in the cruise perhaps Gibraltar, and then just sail past Bermuda.

[canderson]

42 minutes ago, jmdlv1 said:

That sounds very interesting.

The medical team on the ship is going to be required to test 3000+ passengers with a test that takes 15 minutes to confirm.

I just cannot see that working.

The pax don't have to wait for results, but assuming they're able to get pax to test from 8am to 8pm for two days, that means administering a test every 30 seconds if 3,000 tested, and if crew has to be tested as well ... yikes!  Yes, ships like Apex staffed up medical to do this for a partially filled ship, but it was necessary for multiple stops on the itinerary.  The testing for these TAs would be for a single port stop.  MUCH different return on investment. 

 

As for alternate stops, the WB Celebrity TAs that aren't stopping in Bermuda are stopping in Nassau.  But if they haven't already made that call, it's a bit late to be hoping for a berth there.

Edited August 20, 2022 by canderson

[canderson]

9 minutes ago, IZZYDAD said:

How about a stop earlier in the cruise perhaps Gibraltar, and then just sail past Bermuda.

Would really like that!  Somehow, we've not ever made the Gibraltar stop on any of our WB TAs.  But again, coming up with a berth this late could be a problem.

[jelayne]

3 hours ago, TeaBag said:

What if people elected to stay on the ship?

 It doesn’t matter.  Everyone must have completed the Bermuda Travel Authorization, paid the $40 fee and passed a proctored Covid test before embarking.  Then all must be tested 2 days before the ship arrives in Bermuda.

[jelayne]

2 hours ago, canderson said:

The pax don't have to wait for results, but assuming they're able to get pax to test from 8am to 8pm for two days, that means administering a test every 30 seconds if 3,000 tested, and if crew has to be tested as well ... yikes!  Yes, ships like Apex staffed up medical to do this for a partially filled ship, but it was necessary for multiple stops on the itinerary.  The testing for these TAs would be for a single port stop.  MUCH different return on investment. 

 

As for alternate stops, the WB Celebrity TAs that aren't stopping in Bermuda are stopping in Nassau.  But if they haven't already made that call, it's a bit late to be hoping for a berth there.

When we were tested for a B2B they had 3 people administering the test, which took less than a minute each .  So if they had 3 doing tests at a rate of 40 per hour (7 am to 8 pm) They could do 1560 a day, Add a 4th person on the 1st day and and they could have 2/3 done on the first day.  Administering the test doesn’t require any medical training.

 

The Beyond TA ends in Cape Liberty so going farther south to Bermuda is unlikely.

 

[abbydancer2003]

We're on the Silhouette leaving on 10/20, and are in the same situation.  I don't want to pay 80.00 for two authorizations, and then find out we didn't need them.  

 

On our roll call, it's a big topic, but we're all doing "wait and see".

 

 

[canderson]

43 minutes ago, jelayne said:

When we were tested for a B2B they had 3 people administering the test, which took less than a minute each .  So if they had 3 doing tests at a rate of 40 per hour (7 am to 8 pm) They could do 1560 a day, Add a 4th person on the 1st day and and they could have 2/3 done on the first day.  Administering the test doesn’t require any medical training.

 

The Beyond TA ends in Cape Liberty so going farther south to Bermuda is unlikely.

 

Guessing you meant Nassua, and yeah, that's a stretch for the Cape Liberty run!  Others end in Florida.  We've done the B2B testing, too.  But that goes quickly, and doesn't tie up medical crew for two days.

 

Wonder how many positives they would find in 3000?  The "positivity" rates you see published for the U.S. don't mean much since they're not a random sample.

[jelayne]

31 minutes ago, canderson said:

Guessing you meant Nassua, and yeah, that's a stretch for the Cape Liberty run!  Others end in Florida.  We've done the B2B testing, too.  But that goes quickly, and doesn't tie up medical crew for two days.

 

Wonder how many positives they would find in 3000?  The "positivity" rates you see published for the U.S. don't mean much since they're not a random sample.

 You are correct I meant to say father south than Bermuda.  They can test without using all the medical crew, if we all can give ourselves the test then they certainly can train 5-7 crew to give the test.

I hope that they just canx Bermuda for our sailing.

[canderson]

43 minutes ago, jelayne said:

 You are correct I meant to say father south than Bermuda.  They can test without using all the medical crew, if we all can give ourselves the test then they certainly can train 5-7 crew to give the test.

Good idea, but no.

Per our friends in Bermuda:

 

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. 

 

Perhaps a few cooks could be 'deputized' by the medical staff? 😉