njhorseman

The Saudis bought over 8% of CCL in April 2020 and at least at the time became their third largest shareholder as a result, so it's not at all surprising that Carnival would turn to them to buy Seabourn.

That would be an empty threat because NCL has no other place to go in the Northeast where its extensive year round operations can be accommodated. NCL can stomp its corporate feet and have a temper tantrum but really doesn't have much leverage. In any event the current situation is a product of problems directly attributable to the pandemic and should eventually resolve itself. I'm sure that the shoreside services contractor has had problems filling job openings just as many other businesses have. These are per diem employees and I'm reasonably sure a substantial percentage of experienced employees did not come back to work after the lengthy pandemic shutdown. There's additional workload caused by the COVID protocols...checking the vaccination and COVID test documentation. For Bermuda cruises the process was even more cumbersome because of their travel authorization process that still had to be completed for numerous passengers who had not received approval prior to arriving at the pier. That should ease somewhat now that Bermuda is permitting test results to be verified at check in similar to how it's done for other itineraries, but the passenger's possession of a travel authorization from Bermuda will still have to be checked. The bottom line is that right now you have fewer employees who have less job experience being required to do more work, which creates the mess everyone has seen at MCT. Since NCL doesn't own or operate the terminal what authority do they have? How much power does it have under its contract with the PA? Can Greyhound insist that its bus passengers wear a mask while inside Port Authority Bus Terminal? Can United Airlines require its passengers to wear a mask while inside Newark Airport ? Doesn't that authority rest with the Port Authority, not the common carriers who use the facilities?

NCL's recommended Inspire Diagnostics test isn't required. Any source of comparable tests is fine.

I agree that day passes don't make much sense in Bermuda. We've bought them in Mexico and on some Caribbean islands but have never spent so much as a minute thinking about buying day passes in Bermuda.

I haven't been to Bermuda this year so I can't say with certainty but at one time they were sold at the Dockyard but they haven't been for a few years.

This is the NCL board. If you have a Celebrity question you should post it on the Celebrity board. In any case you're wrong about Bermuda not requiring tests. You still have to get tested, you just don't have to upload the test results as part of the Travel Authorization form process. You now just bring the test results to the pier and they'll be verified at check in.

Elbow Beach is closed and there's no indication they will be reopening in the foreseeable future.

All the years I've been going to Bermuda and I had no idea that they had a day pass.😯

Assuming you're arriving at a typical early morning time, yes. BTW...you said you were renting a car to drive to the port. Where are you returning the rental car and how are you getting from there to the port?

Uber

No. Cruise ship passengers entering the US do not have to be tested. Testing is only a requirement for those entering the US by air.

I suspect because the OP used the phrase "allowing cruise ships to dock" they're asking about whether Tonga and the Cook Islands are open to cruise ships, not which islands require tendering. Holland America's itineraries identify which ports require tendering, so it's likely the OP knows those details already.

Yes, if you read my subsequent post responding to @bluesea777 you'll see I did not dismiss the possibility of an older ship homeporting in Norfolk. IMO homeporting a Prima class ship in Norfolk doesn't make a lot of sense.

No

If NCL were to homeport in Norfolk I'd guess they would put an older, smaller ship there, not one of their large fancy new builds. NCL has huge homeport operations in NY and FL where there's always a market demand for bright, shiny new toys and competition amongst the cruise lines as to who has the newest and most tricked out ship. A secondary homeport like Norfolk is where you're going to find passengers who will cruise for the convenience of not having to travel to NY or Florida and where you won't be competing with other cruise lines' newest hardware.

Under the rule changes effective May 21 you no longer have to upload your test results . Just bring them to the port and they'll be verified at check in. You've already satisfied the other requirements by submitting the application, uploading your vaccination record and paying the $40 fee. Please see post #22, the post immediately prior to yours, where I've quoted Bermuda's new procedures and requirements.

The poster said a Prima class ship, not Prima, and Prima at present has no Norfolk homeport cruises on its schedule. The poster also said it was "hearsay'" from a crew member, which usually means there's a 99.99% chance that's it's nothing but a BS rumor.

Except it's more complicated than you suggest given all the layers of quasi-governmental agencies and private contractors involved. You have the Port Authority of NY/NJ at the top of the food chain, then NYCEDC manages the MCT for the PA, NYCEDC contracts with Ports America to actually operate MCT, and Ports America hires the shoreside services contractor to do the check in work .

The problem is that they want you to know that they are performing a job on behalf of NCL, even though they are not employed by NCL. The hope is that if you have a good experience checking in at the pier it's a positive first impression of NCL. Unfortunately right now just the opposite is happening. I'm quite sure that NCL isn't pleased with what's going on at MCT and I'm sure they have had more than one conversation with the port operations people about it, but it's not a situation NCL can exert a lot of control over.

They shouldn't allow you on the ship unless you've complied with Bermuda's protocols. What you're seeing on Celebrity's website about being allowed to board but not disembark in Bermuda appears to be misinformation.

With the rule changes adopted this past weekend you no longer have to upload your COVID test results, you merely have to bring them to the pier to be examined at check in. See #4 below. https://www.gov.bm/cruise-travel-authorisation Cruise Passenger Travel Authorisation Effective 21 May 2022: 1. All passengers MUST have an approved Bermuda Travel Authorisation (TA) before arriving at the terminal. 2. Failing to apply for and receive an approved TA at least 2 weeks prior to travel will result in delayed boarding for you and your party. 3. All you need to do is fill in the application, upload your vaccination card and pay $40 by credit card. You will receive your approved document by email. 4. You must show your approved Travel Authorisation at embarkation, along with your negative COVID-19 test result.

How much control can NCL exert over a contractor that they didn't hire? The port operator contracted for the service, not NCL.

As I've said on other threads, NCL isn't in control of the people who do the screening and check in at the port. They are employees of a shoreside services contractor...last I checked it was Intercruises... that is hired by the port. About all that NCL can do is what they said they were doing...passing your comments along to the port agency .

You'll probably get something about 4 days before your embarkation date. They process the applications in embarkation date order.

Am I correct that you're on the Celebrity Summit ? If so, you'll be docked at the Royal Naval Dockyard and Oleander Cycles has an office right there. https://www.oleandercycles.bm/ (I'm assuming you want to rent a motor scooter)