Celebrity Millennium Cancels Tortola on June 12th Sailing

[sail2day]

Passengers who boarded the Celebrity Millennium yesterday in St. Maarten were greeted with a letter in their cabin canceling the stop in Tortola. The letter states that this was done due to issues pertaining to the health and safety of the passengers.

 

Is there an issue with Tortola?

 

I am booked on the July 3rd sailing of the Star Breeze out of St. Maarten. Will this also happen to us?

 

[themutis]

From the Celebrity Itinerary Change Page HERE, it seems for the June 12 Sailing that St Lucia has been replaced with St Kitts & Nevis and that Tortola and Barbados have just had their days changed.  Off course anything could change at any moment.

 

Specific to your future Celebrity Millennium sailing, our visit to Castries, St. Lucia will be replaced with Basseterre, St. Kitts & Nevis. Additionally, our port order will be adjusted to call on Bridgetown, Barbados on Monday and Tortola, British Virgin Islands on Thursday. For your convenience, we’ve included your revised itinerary below.

[minidonuts85]

There isn’t an issue in Tortola or the BVI from the standpoint of an outbreak of Covid. However, from what I’ve been told  by a friend that works at the BVI port authority is they are still ironing out protocols and the port agreement. Friends that also run tour companies in the BVI have been given very little info on how tours should be handled (e.g. for beach days, how do they keep people from roaming away from the tour). 

[minidonuts85]

This is the letter they were given yesterday 

[sail2day]

[sail2day]

9 minutes ago, minidonuts85 said:

There isn’t an issue in Tortola or the BVI from the standpoint of an outbreak of Covid. However, from what I’ve been told  by a friend that works at the BVI port authority is they are still ironing out protocols and the port agreement. Friends that also run tour companies in the BVI have been given very little info on how tours should be handled (e.g. for beach days, how do they keep people from roaming away from the tour). 

Maybe since the protocols haven't been ironed out or agreed upon by the authority and the cruise lines Celebrity decided to cancel the scheduled stop there at least for this cruise. 

[minidonuts85]

5 minutes ago, sail2day said:

Maybe since the protocols haven't been ironed out or agreed upon by the authority and the cruise lines Celebrity decided to cancel the scheduled stop there at least for this cruise. 

That is my thought. Also, seems the BVI requires ship tours even for Celebrity (see far bottom right). I know it’s not much consolation but it would at least point to the BVI likely being the requirement. 

Edited June 13, 2021 by minidonuts85

[Redtravel]

Even before pandemic, cruise have had itinerary changes for numerous reasons….weather, unrest, docking safety, rough seas, tides, etc.  add local port restrictions due to covid, there may be more changes.  Accept that changes may happen. Relax and enjoy being on the ship.  

[O2B@Cagain]

The BVI hasn't been allowing day trips from St Thomas, so they don't seem to have protocols for  ship day trippers, either.

[minidonuts85]

@sail2day this is likely a contributor for the celebrity change as well. I see St Kitts on their itinerary. 
 

http://www.virginislandsnewsonline.com/en/news/st-kitts-nevis-on-14-day-covid-19-lockdown

 

[sail2day]

6 hours ago, minidonuts85 said:

@sail2day this is likely a contributor for the celebrity change as well. I see St Kitts on their itinerary. 
 

http://www.virginislandsnewsonline.com/en/news/st-kitts-nevis-on-14-day-covid-19-lockdown

 

You are probably right. 

[sail2day]

6 hours ago, O2B@Cagain said:

The BVI hasn't been allowing day trips from St Thomas, so they don't seem to have protocols for  ship day trippers, either.

This is not good. It might impact my cruise that basically spends 70% of the port calls in the BVI's. I hope this all gets straightened out before my cruise on July 3rd.