Travel Requirement email from NCL today

[Homosassa]

2 hours ago, Asawi said:

Without knowing for sure I'd be VERY surprised if NCL (or any other travel provider) didn't have an "entry requirement change"-disclaimer in the paperwork you sign when booking.

And what if for example testing returns as an requirement (which I doubt very much now that Covid is more or less a "regular" flu - could be wrong though)? Well, let's get tested! If we "fail", too bad, but we really shouldn't be onboard! Sorry to be harsh, but that's how I feel!

 

I guess you didn't read my post(right above yours) or the link to the Ticket Contract that covers Covid and other diseases.

[DCGuy64]

On 9/9/2023 at 10:16 PM, NW Pacific said:

I don't need hand holding (UFF da)  think my original intention of posting has gone a little off.  I purchased this cruise under the Terms and Conditions listed I agreed to..  I researched entry requirements into Canada thoroughly.  after receiving the email, my impression was a little warning if "health requirements change" if you cannot get them, (testing, vaccinations) ,you will be denied boarding and no compensation.  If entry requirements change, which hopefully will not, yes, then I feel the Terms and Conditions of my purchase are no longer the same, thus NCL does have an obligation to accommodate for requirements or refund.   NCL has a responsibility to ensure anyone booking with them is provided up to date accurate information about terms and conditions of their itinerary before accepting their money,  if terms of sailing change it should be their obligation to accommodate and notify passengers.    I am "worrying" in advance, but like I have said previously, never received this email in 25 plus cruises.  Just made me wonder .  all I have to say! 

Regardless of what you "feel" the Terms and Conditions are, the fact remains that you, and only you, are responsible for making sure you have met the requirements. Cruise Critic has many posts of a similar nature detailing what the author "thinks" the rules should be. And maybe you *do* have a point in terms of what they should be, but that doesn't change what they are. It does seem odd that given you claim you've sailed with NCL 25 times, you've never encountered this type of email, yet others have. We've only been on 2 NCL cruises and got this type of email both times. If I were you, I'd consider writing NCL and telling them you think the company ought to do a better job of informing passengers of any changes. That's really all you can do. Best of luck and I hope you enjoy your cruise.

[BirdTravels]

On 9/6/2023 at 10:45 PM, NW Pacific said:

Cruise is Oct 15,2023, got this email, outlining  it is passengers responsibility to keep updated about any changes to countries on itinerary that may change health requirement to enter country . i.e. covid as I interpret it?  Will be denied boarding with no compensation if you do not have required documentation needed.  .  then went on abut visa requirements also being passenger responsibility.  Direct you to their Safe Sail page, which I don't think has been updated in over a year.  Only country listed was Australia with covid restrictions.  Don't know if this is just a standard email going out or if it is due to the uptick in Covid and there may be upcoming restrictions again.  thought it was pretty unfriendly about your responsibility and no compensation.  just my opinion

The email has been sent out to every passenger since the pandemic restart. It advises that you need to consult the NCL website for requirements for your cruise. It is up to you to check now and periodically to understand if there are any restrictions. Yes, at the moment, Australia is the only place that there are requirements. NCL will not require anything other than what is on their website.

 

People here on Cruise Critic like to go off and quote anything and everything they read on the internet. All totally irrelevant. You need to comply with the NCL requirements to get on your ship. 

[PatJim]

On 9/7/2023 at 8:10 PM, NW Pacific said:

OP answering back.  The visa issue for countries was mentioned in email only after the Health Requirement Advisory.  Doing an Alaska Cruise. which stops in Canada for 4 hours.  On NCL website under safe and sail page, only Country listed was Australia still requiring vaccinations and testing.   Have cruised with NCL at least 25 times, most recently March this year, have never received an email like this.  My concern is if Canada reinstates their Covid testing requirement to enter Country (yes even on a cruise and you don't set foot in the Country, as was the case last year)  meeting that requirement could pose a problem.  I bought the cruise under the conditions no restrictions applied, if that changes, I feel a return of compensation is only fair.  This would apply to other countries in the next few months.  I have researched Canada's entry requirements thoroughly before purchasing cruise.  But if things change on a dime, I feel my purchase from NCL should be returned if unable to meet any change within a short time of departure.  Posted to see if others with cruises going wherever else have received same email.  Posting not about visa requirements, I don't think they change with the crazy covid possible epidemic again,  urggh

In the unlikely event Canada reinstates COVID-related documentation, it’s easy to apply online and get them within minutes.  It happened to us last September, when our Bermuda cruise was rerouted to Canada/New England because of weather.  We found out about the itinerary change 8 pm night before embarkation.  Applied and received Canadian permission that night.  Met a woman in line at passenger terminal next morning who didn’t know about Canadian requirements, and she was able to obtain document before boarding.

[NW Pacific]

last September (2022) our Alaska Cruise, which stopped in Canada required testing upon boarding 48 hours prior to boarding ( a negative).    Don't think that would be possible hours before boarding.   In your case I think NCL did accommodate passengers, somehow bypassed the Canadian restrictions for testing negative for COVID  48 hours before boarding.  Good for them. that is what I am referring to, when last minute changes come up! Your Canada Pass online was easy, getting tested at last minute or even DAYS before is not. 

[sanger727]

On 9/9/2023 at 10:16 PM, NW Pacific said:

I don't need hand holding (UFF da)  think my original intention of posting has gone a little off.  I purchased this cruise under the Terms and Conditions listed I agreed to..  I researched entry requirements into Canada thoroughly.  after receiving the email, my impression was a little warning if "health requirements change" if you cannot get them, (testing, vaccinations) ,you will be denied boarding and no compensation.  If entry requirements change, which hopefully will not, yes, then I feel the Terms and Conditions of my purchase are no longer the same, thus NCL does have an obligation to accommodate for requirements or refund.   NCL has a responsibility to ensure anyone booking with them is provided up to date accurate information about terms and conditions of their itinerary before accepting their money,  if terms of sailing change it should be their obligation to accommodate and notify passengers.    I am "worrying" in advance, but like I have said previously, never received this email in 25 plus cruises.  Just made me wonder .  all I have to say! 

 

Nowhere in the NCL terms and conditions does it cover government restrictions due to covid. Since covid started that has always been the passenger's responsibility to research and meet. Also, since covid started requirements come and go. I booked a trip in October of 2021 to Peru and Ecuador. The restrictions changed at least 3 times between when I booked and when I traveled. There's no way a travel company will take responsibility for that. 

[Homosassa]

18 hours ago, sanger727 said:

 

Nowhere in the NCL terms and conditions does it cover government restrictions due to covid. 

Read Post #26 above for  link to NCL Covid and other diseases policy in Ticket Contract.

[sanger727]

2 hours ago, Homosassa said:

Read Post #26 above for  link to NCL Covid and other diseases policy in Ticket Contract.

 

Ok. You are right. But it says that NCL isn't responsible for government requirement changes.

 

"Carrier’s COVID-19 Policies and Procedures are subject to guidance and directives of established health authorities in the U.S. and other destinations where the Vessel visits, including the CDC and other international, national and local health agencies when the Vessel is within those agencies’ jurisdiction. Guest acknowledges that these directives may change from time to time and that Carrier’s COVID-19 Policies and Procedures may therefore change."

 

"Notwithstanding any other provision contained herein or in Carrier’s refund policy, any noncompliance by Guest or members of Guest’s travelling party with Carrier’s COVID-19 Policies and Procedures, local port/country regulations, or this Contract shall be grounds for refusal to board, refusal to re-board after going ashore, quarantine onboard the Vessel, disembarkation, reporting to governmental or health authorities, or other steps deemed necessary in Carrier’s sole discretion under the circumstances to protect the health and wellbeing of others. Under these circumstances, Guest shall not be entitled to a refund or compensation of any kind."

[DCGuy64]

2 minutes ago, sanger727 said:

 

Ok. You are right. But it says that NCL isn't responsible for government requirement changes.

 

"Carrier’s COVID-19 Policies and Procedures are subject to guidance and directives of established health authorities in the U.S. and other destinations where the Vessel visits, including the CDC and other international, national and local health agencies when the Vessel is within those agencies’ jurisdiction. Guest acknowledges that these directives may change from time to time and that Carrier’s COVID-19 Policies and Procedures may therefore change."

 

"Notwithstanding any other provision contained herein or in Carrier’s refund policy, any noncompliance by Guest or members of Guest’s travelling party with Carrier’s COVID-19 Policies and Procedures, local port/country regulations, or this Contract shall be grounds for refusal to board, refusal to re-board after going ashore, quarantine onboard the Vessel, disembarkation, reporting to governmental or health authorities, or other steps deemed necessary in Carrier’s sole discretion under the circumstances to protect the health and wellbeing of others. Under these circumstances, Guest shall not be entitled to a refund or compensation of any kind."

I hope the OP @NW Pacific reads this and understands what it means.

[Homosassa]

For those of us who understand the concept of public health and fulfilled our responsibility of receiving our vaccinations and boosters, the reinstating of controls and requirements should not cause us any problems.

[cruiseny4life]

13 hours ago, Homosassa said:

For those of us who understand the concept of public health and fulfilled our responsibility of receiving our vaccinations and boosters, the reinstating of controls and requirements should not cause us any problems.

Let's not make this a values-based conversation...probably too late for that, but worth a shot.

[sanger727]

54 minutes ago, cruiseny4life said:

Let's not make this a values-based conversation...probably too late for that, but worth a shot.

 

The OP was a contractual argument so that is really what the conversation should be. The simple fact is that nowhere does NCL contractually guarantee that you won't have to take covid tests or show vaccination proof. So if that becomes a requirement, NCL isn't violating their terms and conditions. 

 

It's possible to be responsible in terms of public health and also prefer to not take a trip if a covid test is required. That just increases the chance of a last minute cancellation or getting stuck somewhere. 

Edited September 14, 2023 by sanger727

[Ellis1138]

I finally got my inundation of travel safety video emails! 😄

[eileeshb]

On 9/9/2023 at 12:31 PM, ontheweb said:

Just as I would expect an accountant to keep up with changes to the tax code, I would expect a TA to keep up with changes for travel requirements. And that of course does not absolve one of his or her personal responsibility of knowing what is required for their own travel.

Even TAs dealing with corporate travel don’t keep up with visa requirements or health requirements, there are dedicated companies that they will reference for you to check with yourself. NCL even has a link to one such on one of their website pages. NCL can’t assume that everyone that books with them is as USA citizen or resident, yes the majority of their guests are but there’s plenty of others from elsewhere. 
The link they (NCL) sent out for Canada’s visa requirements site is one of the first such sites I’ve seen that actually gives an option to specify arriving by sea rather than air as their (Canada’s) requirements change in that scenario. 
It’s up to the traveller to check the entry requirements for the countries they’ll be visiting and to check health guidance. Vaccines have been a requirement or recommendation for many countries, e.g. if going to Australia for an extended time you have to provide a chest x-ray or proof of TB vaccine but that isn’t a requirement for a general leisure visitor.