Bermuda Escape Cruises - insights, information, and more just on Bermuda

[IamAlyce]

On 5/13/2021 at 6:07 PM, IamAlyce said:

We flew on an airplane first time in over a year last weekend, was packed!

 

Edited May 17, 2021 by IamAlyce

[MRGACRUZR]

Anyone on the Delta BDA -ATL flight on June 22 interested in an upgrade, some Delta Comfort + seats opened up today. It was a sellout before today. The ATL-BDA is still packed.

Edited May 18, 2021 by MRGACRUZR
Additional information

[Azulann]

https://www.royalgazette.com/health/news/article/20210518/live-updates-covid-19-press-conference-at-5-30pm-3/

 In the article,l the Health  Minister says they have heard  about the  hardship for pre Covid  test going  to  3 days on June 6 for those coming to Bermuda. 

 If I read the article right, they have decided to  keep it as it is now. 

At least that is how I read the article and point made midway through the  article. 

[What was that?]

Yet another "Huh?" moment!

"Ms Wilson said government had listened to concerns about the planned change of the pre-arrival test for travellers from five days to three on June 6. As a result, she said the pre-arrival test would not have to be taken within four days prior to departure from June 6."

 

All I can say is that it is Viking's ox that is being gored, so let them duke it out with Bermuda! I have quit worrying about it - I'll go, or not.

Edited May 18, 2021 by What was that?
Addition

[Ragnar Danneskjold]

Since I’m a big fat guinea pig...  uhhh, wait a minute, since I’m a tall handsome guinea pig on the 6/15 cruise I have compiled a list of questions to send to tellus in a day or two.  Anyone want to add a question?  Or have comments on my current questions?

 

 

Questions for Viking

 

Is there any restriction on arriving on Bermuda a few days before embarkation day?  We booked our flights to come in three days early to avoid the possible testing issues associated with trying to get same-day PCR tests on a weekend.  Anyone flying from the west coast will need to get same-day tests to meet the timing Bermuda requires (unless flying to hubs on red-eye flights).

 

What happens if our pre-arrival test results are delayed, or Bermuda takes longer than 24 hours to approve our Travel Authorization request?  What will Viking do in either case if this causes us to miss embarkation day?  What will the Viking Trip Insurance do in the case of increased airfare due to last minute flight changes due to these issues?

 

When and how will we provide our vaccination documents to Viking?  Will we take photos/scans and upload them?  Will we have to travel with our original record card?  Or will photo copies be ok?

 

What time should we arrive at the ship dock in order to board at 11am sharp?  Since our 6/15 cruise is the first Bermuda cruise, is there any possibility of boarding before 11am?

 

When will written documentation of the special testing and TA waivers negotiated by Viking with Bermuda be available?  Will the airlines accept these waivers, or will they check for the Travel Authorization and tests anyway?

 

Will these waivers apply to pax arriving on Bermuda before embarkation day?

 

As it stands now, since we will be arriving early, Bermuda requires us to get tested on our Day 4 and our Day 8.  They will provide appointments at approved testing sites on the island, when we take our arrival test at the airport.  Will Viking shipboard tests be provided on our Day 4 and Day 8?  Will the results be transmitted to Bermuda, and will Bermuda accept these on-board test in lieu of the testing appointments Bermuda will provide us?  If not, will we be allowed to leave the ship to get our pre-scheduled, approved tests in town?

 

Will more shore excursions be made available for booking before the 14 day cut-off for canceling our cruise?  We were not able to get some excursions, as the website was very erratic when we tried to book excursions the first day.  Also, will other times be offered.  Most of the times we got are inconvenient.  Will more spa appointments be added, especially on sea days?  Will any “couples massages” be offered?  We could have only booked sequential appointments, which we don’t want.

 

What are the chances Viking will drop the “bubble excursion” requirement and let passengers come and go freely.  Bermuda places no restrictions on vaccinated visitors after they have received negative results from their arrival test at the airport.  Visitors just have to follow the same rules as residents.

 

Will snorkeling equipment be provided on shore excursions where snorkeling opportunities are mentioned?  How about on the “Catamaran Rally” excursion from Kings Wharf on the last full day of the cruise?  The description only mentions swimming and sun bathing.

 

Which day of the cruise will tests for return travel to the US be administered?  Will we have a choice of day?

 

Will there be taxis available at the dock upon disembarkation?  We’d prefer not to wait around for vans or busses to fill for transfers.

 

 

[MRGACRUZR]

8 minutes ago, Ragnar Danneskjold said:

Since I’m a big fat guinea pig...  uhhh, wait a minute, since I’m a tall handsome guinea pig on the 6/15 cruise I have compiled a list of questions to send to tellus in a day or two.  Anyone want to add a question?  Or have comments on my current questions?

 

 

Questions for Viking

 

Is there any restriction on arriving on Bermuda a few days before embarkation day?  We booked our flights to come in three days early to avoid the possible testing issues associated with trying to get same-day PCR tests on a weekend.  Anyone flying from the west coast will need to get same-day tests to meet the timing Bermuda requires (unless flying to hubs on red-eye flights).

 

What happens if our pre-arrival test results are delayed, or Bermuda takes longer than 24 hours to approve our Travel Authorization request?  What will Viking do in either case if this causes us to miss embarkation day?  What will the Viking Trip Insurance do in the case of increased airfare due to last minute flight changes due to these issues?

 

When and how will we provide our vaccination documents to Viking?  Will we take photos/scans and upload them?  Will we have to travel with our original record card?  Or will photo copies be ok?

 

What time should we arrive at the ship dock in order to board at 11am sharp?  Since our 6/15 cruise is the first Bermuda cruise, is there any possibility of boarding before 11am?

 

When will written documentation of the special testing and TA waivers negotiated by Viking with Bermuda be available?  Will the airlines accept these waivers, or will they check for the Travel Authorization and tests anyway?

 

Will these waivers apply to pax arriving on Bermuda before embarkation day?

 

As it stands now, since we will be arriving early, Bermuda requires us to get tested on our Day 4 and our Day 8.  They will provide appointments at approved testing sites on the island, when we take our arrival test at the airport.  Will Viking shipboard tests be provided on our Day 4 and Day 8?  Will the results be transmitted to Bermuda, and will Bermuda accept these on-board test in lieu of the testing appointments Bermuda will provide us?  If not, will we be allowed to leave the ship to get our pre-scheduled, approved tests in town?

 

Will more shore excursions be made available for booking before the 14 day cut-off for canceling our cruise?  We were not able to get some excursions, as the website was very erratic when we tried to book excursions the first day.  Also, will other times be offered.  Most of the times we got are inconvenient.  Will more spa appointments be added, especially on sea days?  Will any “couples massages” be offered?  We could have only booked sequential appointments, which we don’t want.

 

What are the chances Viking will drop the “bubble excursion” requirement and let passengers come and go freely.  Bermuda places no restrictions on vaccinated visitors after they have received negative results from their arrival test at the airport.  Visitors just have to follow the same rules as residents.

 

Will snorkeling equipment be provided on shore excursions where snorkeling opportunities are mentioned?  How about on the “Catamaran Rally” excursion from Kings Wharf on the last full day of the cruise?  The description only mentions swimming and sun bathing.

 

Which day of the cruise will tests for return travel to the US be administered?  Will we have a choice of day?

 

Will there be taxis available at the dock upon disembarkation?  We’d prefer not to wait around for vans or busses to fill for transfers.

 

 

I hope you sent this to:

Customerrelations@vikingcruises.com.

I sent one in today with only one question: when will they communicate with us regarding the nearly unattainable Bermuda entry requirements? If I can get past that, I can cope.

 

So far, no response.

[Ragnar Danneskjold]

I’ll send it in a couple of days, to tellus and the address you provided.  I’m waiting a couple of days to think of more questions.

[R,D,W]

1 hour ago, Ragnar Danneskjold said:

Since I’m a big fat guinea pig...  uhhh, wait a minute, since I’m a tall handsome guinea pig on the 6/15 cruise I have compiled a list of questions to send to tellus in a day or two.  Anyone want to add a question?  Or have comments on my current questions?

 

 

Questions for Viking

 

Is there any restriction on arriving on Bermuda a few days before embarkation day?  We booked our flights to come in three days early to avoid the possible testing issues associated with trying to get same-day PCR tests on a weekend.  Anyone flying from the west coast will need to get same-day tests to meet the timing Bermuda requires (unless flying to hubs on red-eye flights).

 

What happens if our pre-arrival test results are delayed, or Bermuda takes longer than 24 hours to approve our Travel Authorization request?  What will Viking do in either case if this causes us to miss embarkation day?  What will the Viking Trip Insurance do in the case of increased airfare due to last minute flight changes due to these issues?

 

When and how will we provide our vaccination documents to Viking?  Will we take photos/scans and upload them?  Will we have to travel with our original record card?  Or will photo copies be ok?

 

What time should we arrive at the ship dock in order to board at 11am sharp?  Since our 6/15 cruise is the first Bermuda cruise, is there any possibility of boarding before 11am?

 

When will written documentation of the special testing and TA waivers negotiated by Viking with Bermuda be available?  Will the airlines accept these waivers, or will they check for the Travel Authorization and tests anyway?

 

Will these waivers apply to pax arriving on Bermuda before embarkation day?

 

As it stands now, since we will be arriving early, Bermuda requires us to get tested on our Day 4 and our Day 8.  They will provide appointments at approved testing sites on the island, when we take our arrival test at the airport.  Will Viking shipboard tests be provided on our Day 4 and Day 8?  Will the results be transmitted to Bermuda, and will Bermuda accept these on-board test in lieu of the testing appointments Bermuda will provide us?  If not, will we be allowed to leave the ship to get our pre-scheduled, approved tests in town?

 

Will more shore excursions be made available for booking before the 14 day cut-off for canceling our cruise?  We were not able to get some excursions, as the website was very erratic when we tried to book excursions the first day.  Also, will other times be offered.  Most of the times we got are inconvenient.  Will more spa appointments be added, especially on sea days?  Will any “couples massages” be offered?  We could have only booked sequential appointments, which we don’t want.

 

What are the chances Viking will drop the “bubble excursion” requirement and let passengers come and go freely.  Bermuda places no restrictions on vaccinated visitors after they have received negative results from their arrival test at the airport.  Visitors just have to follow the same rules as residents.

 

Will snorkeling equipment be provided on shore excursions where snorkeling opportunities are mentioned?  How about on the “Catamaran Rally” excursion from Kings Wharf on the last full day of the cruise?  The description only mentions swimming and sun bathing.

 

Which day of the cruise will tests for return travel to the US be administered?  Will we have a choice of day?

 

Will there be taxis available at the dock upon disembarkation?  We’d prefer not to wait around for vans or busses to fill for transfers.

 

 

Great List !

Since you asked for suggestions....What happens if our already time constrained pre test is a false positive ?  

[Stempy]

If you get to be buddy/buddy:

Torstein Hagen

[Heidi13]

1 hour ago, MRGACRUZR said:

I hope you sent this to:

Customerrelations@vikingcruises.com.

I sent one in today with only one question: when will they communicate with us regarding the nearly unattainable Bermuda entry requirements? If I can get past that, I can cope.

 

So far, no response.

 

Many of us find we get much more timely responses when sending questions to tellus@vikingcruises.com

 

One recent evening, I sent a note to them, receiving a call from them at 09:00 the next morning.

[Stempy]

One more question to add:

When will Viking release passenger directives on exactly what we need or don’t need for the June15th cruise?

We have been left in the dark way too long.

[Ragnar Danneskjold]

4 minutes ago, Heidi13 said:

 

Many of us find we get much more timely responses when sending questions to tellus@vikingcruises.com

 

One recent evening, I sent a note to them, receiving a call from them at 09:00 the next morning.

Yes, I’ll start with just tellus.  Will only escalate if necessary.

[Ragnar Danneskjold]

5 minutes ago, Stempy said:

One more question to add:

When will Viking release passenger directives on exactly what we need or don’t need for the June15th cruise?

We have been left in the dark way too long.

I have that question, sort of.

[Ragnar Danneskjold]

44 minutes ago, R,D,W said:

Great List !

Since you asked for suggestions....What happens if our already time constrained pre test is a false positive ?  

Viking and airlines will refund if you present a positive PCR test from an accredited lab.

[Jim Avery]

Excellent Ragnar.🍺🍺😎

[Ragnar Danneskjold]

I’m especially concerned about the couples massage thing (I hope they don’t have them), DW wants me to do the cranberry scrub massage with her 🤢  But I’ve been forced to ask.

 

Ol’ Ragnar has never been in a spa, and hopes to continue that record...

[MRGACRUZR]

8 hours ago, Ragnar Danneskjold said:

I’m especially concerned about the couples massage thing (I hope they don’t have them), DW wants me to do the cranberry scrub massage with her 🤢  But I’ve been forced to ask.

 

Ol’ Ragnar has never been in a spa, and hopes to continue that record...

Unless they've changed, they don't have facilities for a couples massage. We usually do one massage on each cruise and neither Viking nor Windstar had couples massages. Windstar has recently stretched their ships and included New spa facilities. They may have them, now.

[R,D,W]

13 hours ago, Ragnar Danneskjold said:

Viking and airlines will refund if you present a positive PCR test from an accredited lab.

Thanks but I am not interested in a refund.  I know false positives do happen.  Since  the test would be a false positive  there would not be enough time to retest .  I would (understandably) not be permitted to proceed with travel .  Receiving a false positive result with no time to retest is another "wrinkle" in the plan.  

 

[Hockeyump]

This may be a stupid question so apologies in advance but how will you know it's a false positive?

[What was that?]

50 minutes ago, R,D,W said:

Thanks but I am not interested in a refund.  I know false positives do happen.  Since  the test would be a false positive  there would not be enough time to retest .  I would (understandably) not be permitted to proceed with travel .  Receiving a false positive result with no time to retest is another "wrinkle" in the plan. 

I agree. While we are continuing to plan to board Orion on 20 July, unless something drastic* happens, we will be forced to cancel.

 

* Either Bermuda increases the pre-test time to 5 days (or accepts an "instant" test), or Viking convinces Bermuda that pre-tests are not required and that Viking will perform all on-island testing.

[bafinegan]

36 minutes ago, What was that? said:

I agree. While we are continuing to plan to board Orion on 20 July, unless something drastic* happens, we will be forced to cancel.

 

* Either Bermuda increases the pre-test time to 5 days (or accepts an "instant" test), or Viking convinces Bermuda that pre-tests are not required and that Viking will perform all on-island testing.

Bermuda changed ( yesterday) the requirement to 4 days for the pre-arrival PCR test.
 

[Triptkr]

15 minutes ago, bafinegan said:

Bermuda changed ( yesterday) the requirement to 4 days for the pre-arrival PCR test.
 

Which website do we go with?

 

https://www.gov.bm/coronavirus-travellers

 

https://www.gotobermuda.com/covid-19-travel-protocols

[Triptkr]

16 hours ago, Ragnar Danneskjold said:

Since I’m a big fat guinea pig...  uhhh, wait a minute, since I’m a tall handsome guinea pig on the 6/15 cruise I have compiled a list of questions to send to tellus in a day or two.  Anyone want to add a question?  Or have comments on my current questions?

 

 

Questions for Viking

 

Is there any restriction on arriving on Bermuda a few days before embarkation day?  We booked our flights to come in three days early to avoid the possible testing issues associated with trying to get same-day PCR tests on a weekend.  Anyone flying from the west coast will need to get same-day tests to meet the timing Bermuda requires (unless flying to hubs on red-eye flights).

 

What happens if our pre-arrival test results are delayed, or Bermuda takes longer than 24 hours to approve our Travel Authorization request?  What will Viking do in either case if this causes us to miss embarkation day?  What will the Viking Trip Insurance do in the case of increased airfare due to last minute flight changes due to these issues?

 

When and how will we provide our vaccination documents to Viking?  Will we take photos/scans and upload them?  Will we have to travel with our original record card?  Or will photo copies be ok?

 

What time should we arrive at the ship dock in order to board at 11am sharp?  Since our 6/15 cruise is the first Bermuda cruise, is there any possibility of boarding before 11am?

 

When will written documentation of the special testing and TA waivers negotiated by Viking with Bermuda be available?  Will the airlines accept these waivers, or will they check for the Travel Authorization and tests anyway?

 

Will these waivers apply to pax arriving on Bermuda before embarkation day?

 

As it stands now, since we will be arriving early, Bermuda requires us to get tested on our Day 4 and our Day 8.  They will provide appointments at approved testing sites on the island, when we take our arrival test at the airport.  Will Viking shipboard tests be provided on our Day 4 and Day 8?  Will the results be transmitted to Bermuda, and will Bermuda accept these on-board test in lieu of the testing appointments Bermuda will provide us?  If not, will we be allowed to leave the ship to get our pre-scheduled, approved tests in town?

 

Will more shore excursions be made available for booking before the 14 day cut-off for canceling our cruise?  We were not able to get some excursions, as the website was very erratic when we tried to book excursions the first day.  Also, will other times be offered.  Most of the times we got are inconvenient.  Will more spa appointments be added, especially on sea days?  Will any “couples massages” be offered?  We could have only booked sequential appointments, which we don’t want.

 

What are the chances Viking will drop the “bubble excursion” requirement and let passengers come and go freely.  Bermuda places no restrictions on vaccinated visitors after they have received negative results from their arrival test at the airport.  Visitors just have to follow the same rules as residents.

 

Will snorkeling equipment be provided on shore excursions where snorkeling opportunities are mentioned?  How about on the “Catamaran Rally” excursion from Kings Wharf on the last full day of the cruise?  The description only mentions swimming and sun bathing.

 

Which day of the cruise will tests for return travel to the US be administered?  Will we have a choice of day?

 

Will there be taxis available at the dock upon disembarkation?  We’d prefer not to wait around for vans or busses to fill for transfers.

 

 

 

For those of us who will be arriving the day of the cruise through Viking Air...what are we supposed to do while we are waiting for our arrival-to-Bermuda test results to come back?  This is what I found on one of the websites:

ON-ISLAND, IMMUNISED TRAVELLERS MUST:

• Immunised visitors should head directly to their pre-booked accommodation after completing arrival testing at L.F. Wade International Airport. Immunised residents should head directly to their residence. No other stops are permitted.

Bermuda doesn't want us to wait at the airport but I don't know that Viking will pick us up at the airport until we have our arrival results back.  If that's true, then where are we supposed to wait?

 

 

Thanks!!!

[What was that?]

5 minutes ago, Triptkr said:

Which website do we go with?

 

https://www.gov.bm/coronavirus-travellers

 

https://www.gotobermuda.com/covid-19-travel-protocols

That is yet another aspect of the problem, and that is why Viking must step in.

[Ragnar Danneskjold]

I will go with the four day requirement, that is easier to meet than the three day.  seems a good compromise.  I don’t blame Bermuda for wanting to reduce the window from 5 days, they were getting cases coming in on airliners.

 

Four days should be easy to meet for east coasters, and not too tough for us westies.  I will still get the pricy same-day PCR test, but at least we now have an extra day to deal with snafus.