Grand Turk vaccine process

[Bostwick girl]

5 hours ago, habitatnal said:

So when you checked in for the cruise did they ask for your vaccination cards?

No, never looked at anything except passport and boarding pass. I had all the cards with me, but they didn’t ask. It’s not required anymore.  By the way, one in our group tested positive when he got home today! Had been feeling a little like he had a cold, a bit of a cough so checked when home. Yes, he’s fully vaxed and boosted and in good health for an 80 year old! Hope none of the rest of us get it!

 

[Moviela]

On 10/27/2022 at 4:55 AM, crewsweeper said:

Curious if you heard of or from anyone on your cruise who was not able to get off the ship because of no vaccination?

No. I know of no one who was made to stay aboard, and I did not hear an announcement about it. There was a not on the app to have your Vac cards with you. As I said no one asked for anything except sign and sail card to return to the ship.

[VIFP1987]

We were in GT last week and my husband was not able to get off the ship. When we booked the cruise many months ago, all of the Covid protocols were still in place. I filled out his required health questionnaire stating that he was not vaccinated and also sent in the form requesting an exemption so that he could go on the cruise. The night before we arrived in GT, Carnival sent a letter to our stateroom stating he would not be able to get off the ship due to him not being vaccinated. Not a big deal, we knew going into it that he most likely wouldn’t be able to get off the ship. I suspect that it will be easier for unvaccinated guest to get of the ship in GT going forward as long as their booking is made after the protocols went away and there isn’t a record of them not being vaccinated. 

[dolphinsfan246]

We were on the Mardi Gras last week and as we were returning to the ship for lunch, we witnessed security informing a lady that she could not get off because it flagged her sail and sign when they scanned it. She made a big skeptical shouting about it. “SO YOUR TELLING ME MY HUSBAND CAN GET OFF BUT I CANT WHAT IS THIS?” To which the workers responded “Um yes mam because he is vaccinated and it says you are not”. She was being a real delight. 

[runnersuzy]

14 hours ago, habitatnal said:

So when you checked in for the cruise did they ask for your vaccination cards?

No. Had filled out health assessment prior to cruise. My celebration cruise in January no longer has it. Was also on magic and never showed card to anyone and never asked in Grand Turk 

[habitatnal]

2 hours ago, runnersuzy said:

No. Had filled out health assessment prior to cruise. My celebration cruise in January no longer has it. Was also on magic and never showed card to anyone and never asked in Grand Turk 

Before dropping all protocols, they would ask for your vaccination card at check-in.  Now what you are saying is that they just ask you online if you are vaccinated.  Am I correct?  It makes no sense to just ask someone online if they are vaccinated because they could lie about it.  I’m surprised that Grand Turk is ok with Carnival not asking for proof of vaccination.  

[nascartim]

We were on the Magic also, and I have the same experience as others. They never asked me for my vax card, I offered it, but she didn't need it. They didn't ask for it either when getting off in GT. But, I was wondering since I have already been on a few cruises this past year, if they just have my vax card on file, and that's why they didn't need to see it? Oh, and we starting getting sick on our last day. Both me & my wife took a covid test and both were negative. Just got a cold probably. 

[kctwinmommy]

3 hours ago, habitatnal said:

Before dropping all protocols, they would ask for your vaccination card at check-in.  Now what you are saying is that they just ask you online if you are vaccinated.  Am I correct?  It makes no sense to just ask someone online if they are vaccinated because they could lie about it.  I’m surprised that Grand Turk is ok with Carnival not asking for proof of vaccination.  

Seems like that's what they're doing. I had to do the health assessment when we booked this 7 months ago. Then, they slowly started dropping things. And now, I know people don't have to do those even. But, having said that, I have just assumed that because we did the attestation form months ago, that's why we're not having to show proof. They even said that Verifly thing is no longer needed. So, yes, it's very possible that someone will lie about their status. However, it's also possible that Carnival then will do random checks. Or on future cruises, or people who have been booking since they dropped the requirement, must have proof for Grand Turk. In other words, if someone booked our cruise as a last minute deal like 3 weeks before we left, they may be asked to show proof there.

[cruisequeen4ever]

I can’t believe Grand Turk is still requiring vaccination with how everywhere else has dropped the requirement. 

[Island Dog]

18 minutes ago, cruisequeen4ever said:

I can’t believe Grand Turk is still requiring vaccination with how everywhere else has dropped the requirement. 

They were one of the last Caribbean ports to open, so it's not that surprising to me. We had our stop last fall on Freedom switched from GT to San Juan because they kept delaying the opening of the Cruise Center.

[d-train]

We went to Grand Turk on MG in July, no one asked for our  Vacc cards when we disembarked.

Actually no one asked in any of the ports we went to this summer.

Had to show the cards only when we checked in at Port Canaveral.

 

Enjoy your trip!

Wish we were going again!

 

A

[AtSeaWithChris]

Carnival is not responsible for checking vaccination status for Grand Turk. The port authority at Grand Turk is responsible. Now whether or not they stop and ask you for proof of vaccinations is irrelevant. If you are stopped and do not have proof then you won’t be allowed in the port. 

Edited November 14, 2022 by AtSeaWithChris

[adventuredancer]

i was there last friday. i had filled out my paperwork iwth carnival stating i was vax. no one at GT asked me. but a family in front of me getting off was turned away from getting off the ship by carnival. because the parents weren't vax. i filled out the health thing stating i had a vax but was never asked me about it. so most likely you would be fine. but still a risk.

[crewsweeper]

3 hours ago, adventuredancer said:

i was there last friday. i had filled out my paperwork iwth carnival stating i was vax. no one at GT asked me. but a family in front of me getting off was turned away from getting off the ship by carnival. because the parents weren't vax. i filled out the health thing stating i had a vax but was never asked me about it. so most likely you would be fine. but still a risk.

So appears that Carnival somehow records your vaccine status in the data on your S&S and thus controls who can or cannot leave the ship at a port that requires visitors to be vaccinated.  That explains why some people are getting off the ship and no one is requesting any additional proof.  Also explains why you may or may not be asked for vaccination record on original embarkation, but does leave open the possibility of people "fudging: their health assessments.

[LPGA Golfer Gal]

On 10/28/2022 at 2:56 PM, adventuredancer said:

we go to grand turk in a week. we were told to bring the cards and that it would be checked when we were getting off. i'll try to remember to check back here and let you know.

Can you confirm if there were any scuba excursions listed on your cruise?  We go in December and cannot see any scuba listed at all.  Thanks in advance

[crewsweeper]

2 minutes ago, LPGA Golfer Gal said:

Can you confirm if there were any scuba excursions listed on your cruise?  We go in December and cannot see any scuba listed at all.  Thanks in advance

I know at one time Blue Water Divers, the outfit that did scuba for cruise ships, wasn't operating.  That was during all the restrictions but their website is down.  Try these folks, they are very good independent divers.

Snorkel and Diving Excursions - Grand Turk Diving Co, Ltd. (gtdiving.com)

[LPGA Golfer Gal]

7 minutes ago, crewsweeper said:

I know at one time Blue Water Divers, the outfit that did scuba for cruise ships, wasn't operating.  That was during all the restrictions but their website is down.  Try these folks, they are very good independent divers.

Snorkel and Diving Excursions - Grand Turk Diving Co, Ltd. (gtdiving.com)

Thank you!

[PrincessArlena'sDad]

58 minutes ago, LPGA Golfer Gal said:

Can you confirm if there were any scuba excursions listed on your cruise?  We go in December and cannot see any scuba listed at all.  Thanks in advance

Carnival scuba excursions are apparently missing from most ports. They was a thread about this a few weeks ago. 

[Salem615]

We were in Grand Turk at the end of October and had no issues getting on or off the ship. Nobody asked us any questions about vaccines. (We are fully vaccinated so maybe when you use your sail and sign card to get of the ship they know?)

[ProgRockCruiser]

On 11/14/2022 at 6:18 AM, runnersuzy said:

No. Had filled out health assessment prior to cruise. My celebration cruise in January no longer has it. Was also on magic and never showed card to anyone and never asked in Grand Turk 

 

On 11/14/2022 at 8:24 AM, habitatnal said:

Before dropping all protocols, they would ask for your vaccination card at check-in.  Now what you are saying is that they just ask you online if you are vaccinated.  Am I correct?  It makes no sense to just ask someone online if they are vaccinated because they could lie about it.  I’m surprised that Grand Turk is ok with Carnival not asking for proof of vaccination.  

The ability to cruise non-vaxxed without any testing req'ts was dropped relatively recently, and probably after final payment for these recent cruises.  (It was around end of Sept/early Oct, IIRC.)  Most people filled out the Health Assessment long before that, so Carnival still had their database of info regarding vax status. 

 

We're in that twilight period of the cruise line not requiring it but some ports do require it, and some lingering vax status data still exists.

 

I suspect eventually Carnival and/or the GT port people will have to check status manually/individually if they intend to enforce it, after the current crop of (now obsolete) Health Assessment data peters out.

[NCMtnBoys]

We were at GT last week. At check-in in Port Canaveral the agent asked if we were vaccinated (we are) but said she didn't need to see the card, she just had to ask. She never asked one single other health question, like whether we'd been sick recently, whether we'd been around anyone sick, etc. Nothing. I was really surprised. Then onboard, there was nothing to indicate that you couldn't get off in GT if you weren't vaccinated. No announcement, nothing on the app.   

[jwright727]

Husband and I (both unvaxxed) were at Grand Turk last week. The night before, we got letters in our stateroom indicating we would not be allowed to leave the ship. I cannot remember if I indicated vax status during check-in or embarkation, but we had cruised in October, and I do remember indicating status for that cruise. Day of GT, the cruise director announced several times that passengers would need to bring vax cards (physical or digital) to disembark. We didn't attempt to get off (we'd been to GT twice before) so we just enjoyed the lighter traffic on Serenity and no lines for food that day.

[1kaper]

On 11/22/2022 at 3:44 PM, ProgRockCruiser said:

 

The ability to cruise non-vaxxed without any testing req'ts was dropped relatively recently, and probably after final payment for these recent cruises.  (It was around end of Sept/early Oct, IIRC.)  Most people filled out the Health Assessment long before that, so Carnival still had their database of info regarding vax status. 

 

We're in that twilight period of the cruise line not requiring it but some ports do require it, and some lingering vax status data still exists.

 

I suspect eventually Carnival and/or the GT port people will have to check status manually/individually if they intend to enforce it, after the current crop of (now obsolete) Health Assessment data peters out.

 

Yes. We booked a ways out and filled out the health assessment but it was dropped before our cruise. It disappeared from our cruise manager but I assume Carnival still knew. 
 

They made multiple announcements prior to debarkation stating to have your proof with you but no one ever asked us. There last week. 
 

On 11/14/2022 at 2:38 PM, AtSeaWithChris said:

Carnival is not responsible for checking vaccination status for Grand Turk. The port authority at Grand Turk is responsible. Now whether or not they stop and ask you for proof of vaccinations is irrelevant. If you are stopped and do not have proof then you won’t be allowed in the port. 

I expect this is exactly what the process is once Carnival gets past that group of people who voluntarily put in their vax status. 

[mz-s]

I wonder why Grand Turk is one of the last remaining holdouts against freedom?