Megabear2

Unfortunately this testing throws a spanner in the works for close contacts as well. The one positive tested lady last year led to 7 other single travellers who shared a table with her being quarantined. No idea what the quarantine arrangements for close contacts currently are but as there's still no insurance cover without a positive PCR test it's very tricky if any country starts to want people offloaded ashore. I assume P&O are aware of that and will be on the ball.

Surprised St Vincent can still afford to do this. Last year there was a very good band who were ex Aurora who entertained guests in the port area. Interestingly the only positive case of covid was picked up there when a passenger took a test to join their tour. I note any required tests are complimentary this year.

I've just been emailed the requirements for my 16 December Caribbean Christmas cruise. No longer need a PCR but an observed lateral flow apparently: Quote However, some holidays, including yours, have enhanced testing requirements due to the length of cruise, ports of call and the ship’s onward destination. All guests sailing on these more complex itineraries will be required to have an observed or in-person lateral flow/antigen test and provide a fit-to-travel certificate before departure. Testing requirements for your holiday For your holiday, it is a requirement that you organise and pay for an observed or in-person COVID-19 lateral flow/antigen test for all guests aged five years and over to be taken in the two days before – or on the day of – departure from the UK. This test must be medically observed via a mobile device or conducted in person by a government-approved testing provider. Please note, testing facilities will not be available at the airport or cruise terminal. To help, we’ve listed a few suppliers below (subject to availability): Prenetics: www.projectscreen.co.uk/fit-to-fly/teleheath-lateral-flow-antigen-test/ Express Test: www.expresstest.co.uk/book-a-test/ The Regenerative Clinic: www.theregenerativeclinic.co.uk Accepted pre-cruise observed tests Guests must either organise an in-person test or use a medically observed self-test that provides real-time supervision remotely through an audio and video connection. The telehealth provider must confirm the person’s identity, observe the specimen collection and testing procedures, confirm the test result and issue a report that meets the requirements of acceptable proof of a negative COVID-19 test. Click here and see 'Accepted pre-cruise observed tests' for further details. All guests aged five years and over will need to present their negative test certificate (fit-to-fly/travel certificate) at the cruise terminal. Additional measures, such as complimentary mandatory testing on board, may be introduced during your sailing as we continue to work with our experts and government bodies across all the destinations we call at. Rest assured, our focus is always to protect the health and well-being of our guests, crew and the communities we visit. Vaccination requirements for your holiday We require all guests aged 12 years and over to be fully vaccinated* with an approved COVID-19 vaccine a minimum of 14 days before travelling. For guests aged 18 years and over, if more than 270 days (calculated from the last day of the cruise) have passed since the full completion of a vaccination course, a booster vaccine will be needed and must be administered a minimum of seven days prior to travel. If a further 270 days have passed since your booster vaccine, a second booster vaccination is not required at this time. Guests under 12 years of age do not need to be vaccinated but please note the testing requirements above. Guests aged four years and under remain exempt from all pre-travel vaccination and testing requirements. *The definition of ‘fully vaccinated’ is having completed either a two-dose vaccination course approved by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), the European Medicines Agency (EMA) or the World Health Organization’s Emergency Use Listing (WHO EUL), or the approved single-dose Janssen COVID‑19 vaccine (plus a booster, if applicable). Guests who are unable to provide proof of their vaccination status and a valid negative COVID-19 test certificate, as required, will be denied boarding. Before you travel Before you travel, we ask that you visit our website to see the latest well-being measures and requirements you can expect before and during your cruise. These protocols continue to be subject to change, and may do so prior to your sailing as we work with experts and governing bodies in all the destinations we visit to ensure our practices are in line with the latest advice. If you, or any guests on your booking, have any questions about the updated policy, please contact your travel agent, or call us on 0345 357 4444 (local call charges apply) if you booked directly with us.

Lots of people in UK currently being take it or leave it over the changes to FCC and also ability to move a cruise if unable to travel. My BIL has one such Cunard cruise and told he has no recourse as the t&cs state just that, ie change of contract is quite legal.

Great. Thanks for the info. I'm looking at Anthem t/a 1 May to Southampton so good to know. Would prefer from FLL though so thought Celebrity might be worth a look. No problem with Britannia t/a but I want to visit the States to see a friend in Palm Beach.

Unless you drink quite a lot be it alcohol or speciality coffees the drinks package on P&O is really expensive in my opinion. I really miss the cards for soft drinks and tea/coffee as I thought they were a reasonable price and very handy. Did you have the RC one included or just looked at it? I haven't travelled with them for a while as I usually use them out of FLL and because of the pandemic haven't so far been stateside since 2019. I have been looking at them for March/April next year and have been comparing with Celebrity for a transatlantic. The alcohol side apart from the odd g&t or cocktail really hangs on my ritual of a bottle of beer with my lunch - gasps of horror from some are now heard. I do however spend a lot on iced coffees which Celebrity offered in their package and to which many were adding shots of things. We also couldn't spend £1,100 on drinks. When I travel alone I doubt I even hit £110 let alone five times that. How did you find Anthem compared to Silhouette as a matter of interest?

Fanta is mainly sugar free since the sugar tax landed with us and is very much on sale still all over Europe and the USA. Anyway that side, maybe the person involved actually likes that type of drink or it was for a child or non drinker. I have a friend who takes full sugar coca cola to bed with her in the same way I take a glass of water.

Booking date is apparently superceded by the new T&Cs in the UK. There is as far as I am aware at least one P &O future passenger who has taken legal advice on this issue.

You are correct. Close contact within 10 days will not pay out. To get insurance pay out you must test positive on a PCR.

This is a very tricky situation with UK insurance and Cunard. They and their stablemate P&O are fully aware there is no insurance policy on sale in the UK (including their recommended insurer Holiday Extras) which covers quarantine or offloading of anyone who does not have a positive covid PCR test. This was debated and discussed with Carnival House and the CEO of Holiday Extras earlier this year. Unless there has been a very major change by UK insurance providers close contacts affected in anyway will not be able to claim on travel insurance as no policies cover it. Moreover the insurers state a confirmatory PCR test is required to claim on covid cover and these are virtually impossible to source in the UK once you have taken a lateral flow test with a positive result. My understanding is you would only be able to use a purchased postal PCR for confirmation as neither the NHS or private clinics will undertake an in person PCR test if you have symptoms. There has been a huge amount of debate on this issue on the P&O board with no real answer from Carnival House forthcoming, in fact my last correspondence on the issue remains outstanding with the CEO office telling me their legal department would be in touch shortly.

Where did that go in the end? It's disappeared.

I beg to differ! Since June when arriving by air I've been stamped in and out of Rome four times, Majorca, Barcelona, Kefalonia, Salzburg and Munich. I'm very familiar with some staff at the latter and we shared a joke I'd need a bigger passport at this rate. Currently in Italy and stamped into Verona on Sunday evening on arrival. All of my cruises this year to date have been fly cruises and my entry to Europe has certainly included physical passport stamping on arrival to a country, but not when visiting ports from the ship which assumedly was electronic.

Last year our Gatwick flight was only a third full over Christmas and there were only two of them. This year there are four flights from Gatwick. Must admit no delay of any kind in queues either. Just been through Gatwick for my 9th time since June 15th and still not seen any of the long queues at check in or security. In fact all flights pretty uneventful on my Heinz variety of airlines (orchestras excepted) which have included BA, Vuehling, Iberia, Easyjet and TUI. Hopefully this means that Gatwick at least is working better. Also not had to date any problems entering or leaving European airports in Rome, Barcelona, Palma Majorca, Kefalonia or Verona. Fingers crossed for my next one out of Venice on Saturday.

As we've wandered off course a bit just to tell the OP latest from P&O yesterday was seat booker can't open as the planes still aren't allocated by TUI. Nothing to do with P&O and I've been told to check every day. Bit harsh for early to bed passengers as it could be months of midnight checks on the website!

I think you can take a third bag. Certainly on normal TUI flights that is allowed and you can split your luggage by family group too.

From their website but no clue how much is offered, just cant weigh more than 23kg per bag: Caribbean flight upgrades On our charter flights we are pleased to be able to offer flight upgrades for an additional supplement. The benefits of upgrading vary by airline, but include the following: Increased baggage allowance~ Increased seat pitch Priority check-in and fast-track through security at the UK airport Complimentary drinks (excluding Champagne and sparkling wine) Amenity kit on the outbound flight

Which I assume means couples not paying for the seats are far more likely to be split up. Did I dream it or was there an extra kilo or two of luggage at one point advertised for these premium seats?

Stupid question time I'm afraid. Just checked my P&O and note booking the premium seats has moved me from the 10.15 to 11.20 flight on 16 December. I note from Gatwick that apart from these two flights there are 2 others operated by TUI in the afternoon. I assume these are also P&O flights. Never having booked these before apart from the smaller cabin and bigger seats are there any other perks attached that I should be aware of please? I assume as nothing shows on my P&O account that this move to a different flight means that when seat selections open the system automatically shows me that cabin, am i correct in this belief? Also do i have to pay extra to select my seat on top if my £399 each?

Broke the habit of a lifetime today and booked the last two premium economy seats on our Christmas flight. Nothing to do with cruising but amusingly we flew to Verona on BA yesterday. Unfortunately BA had unbeknown to anyone booked a 40 piece orchestra plus their instruments on the flight which led to a mass stand down of passengers and very limited cabin space onboard. Having twisted arms to get on we travelled legs asunder with our own and fellow passengers' luggage on our laps and under seats while, cellos, violins and cornets luxuriated in gently reclined seats and stewards offered them great love and attention. As we are visiting Italy to see Andrea Bocelli in concert I kept very quiet just in case they were playing with him on Wednesday! Quite an experience but I decided I'd like my next flight to be a bit more refined. Hopefully TUI will not be boarding the P&O orchestra and dance band from Gatwick on 16 December ...

Sounds very expensive to me. Look in the saver and see if there's an option to choose area, ie midship.

Not just me then. Doubt they'll miss us!

See post #34 Chrisdriving. Apparently he has booked as unvaccinated. He said previously he sailed Princess this year and had 2 P&O booked. He does not say elsewhere if this new one is P&O and seems mainly to have been active on Princess. Strangely old posts are all about wanting a vaccine! Make of it what you can.

Well they're certainly still relocating passengers on upcoming cruises to free quarantine cabins. I also wonder what would happen with the non vaccinated if they moved a port at last minute. For instance we just had Agadir added to one cruise and Morocco still require a full three vaccinations to enter. Assumedly once the unvaccinated are onboard if such a move was required either the port would be lost, the passengers couldn't get off or they'd have to undertake testing onboard as per Morocco's requirements.

Thanks for the information. The amount of the saving isn't so important but if there is one I won't say no! More importantly as its work related we require an invoice and purchasing in advance generally generates one.

More than I did then!