Confusing vacc requirements in various ports

[steamboats]

5 hours ago, notamermaid said:

Tricky bit: you cannot enter from a country with a travel ban and not even transit through Germany, I wonder if in the current situation this means you cannot enter Germany via Heathrow?

 

Usually transit doesn´t count. But it might be different with the virus variant countries. I traveled back to Germany with connections in Madrid and Amsterdam during the last month. Both times both cities were still regarded as risk area. But as I only was in transit I did not have to fill in the digital Einreiseanmeldung as my starting point was no risk area. As I was flying I had a test anyway.

 

steamboats

[PRNole47]

FYIFor those who may be interested. Received this from the Hungarian State Police, Budapest Hqtrs:

I'm terribly sorry, but we can't accept vaccinanation certificate from the USA, as our countries don't have any agreements according that yet.

We can't lift the quarantine - it is possible just with 2 PCR tests -, the first from the USA maximum 5 days before entering Hungary, the second most be done in Hungary, with at least 48 hours difference. If you have the negative results, you upload it to www.police.hu website, afterwards police will lift quarantine in 24 hours. (Regulation 408/2020. 4. §) 

 

Until your planned arrival date August 23. a lot of things can change.

 

Best Regards,
Pol. WO Zsuberáts Ders

 

Budapesti Rendőr-főkapitányság

XVIII. ker. Rendőrkapitányság

 

Telefonszám/Phone number: +36 (1) 292-9200/58-176

Email: beutazas.18rk@budapest.police.hu

Postacím/Postal address: Budapest Postafiók 43 1675

Edited July 3, 2021 by PRNole47

[Roz]

@PRNole47, thanks for posting.  Wow, makes it difficult to plan, doesn't it?  

[notamermaid]

@PRNole47, that is not good. But you can get into and around Hungary with the testing regime, can't you? As the official suggested, things can change till your cruise date. I hope they do.

 

notamermaid

 

[PRNole47]

39 minutes ago, notamermaid said:

@PRNole47, that is not good. But you can get into and around Hungary with the testing regime, can't you? As the official suggested, things can change till your cruise date. I hope they do.

 

notamermaid

 

Yes, though cumbersome and requires some planning, the testing regime you refer to does seem to allow a non-Hungarian citizen to enter, so long as all testing requirements are met.

[steamboats]

I wouldn´t bother with the regulations of each country a river cruise is to visit. I would take care of the regulations of the country I fly to. Everything else is up to the river cruise company. They have to take care that their guests do fulfill the local regulations - otherwise the ship can´t go. Regarding those regulations you won´t get a definite answer by any authority as there might be special regulations for river cruise passengers which are not widely known. So leave it up to the river cruise company to take care of this!

 

steamboats

[loriva]

As a follow-on to steamboats, this is what Crystal said in a press release on 02 July 2021:  "Plans are well underway to resume river cruising in August thanks to recent positive news from the European Union allowing entry for vaccinated passengers with all countries on Crystal River Cruises’ itineraries now open for river cruising."  Since most of their Danube cruises start or end in Budapest, it would appear Crystal has reached some agreement with the Hungarian Government on entry to passengers (many of whom would be flying into or out of Budapest).  Or hope to do so--Crystal's river cruises are not slated to begin until 29 August.  While Hungary is a member of the EU, states are allowed to make independent policies on entry.  Only time will tell.

[steamboats]

AMAWaterways is doing the same as Crystal.

 

Although you as a passenger are resposible to have the proper documentation for entry into a foreign country it´s still the river cruise lines which have to check whether they can go or not. They do know what nationality their customers have. So you are responsible to have everything you need to fly - let´s say to Munich. The cruise line will tell you their conditions of sailing - let´s say you have to be fully vaccinated. If you fulfil all this you should be o.k. for traveling. Otherwise the cruise line will tell you... you need this or that paper or online registration for entering - let´s say  Hungary. So please make sure you did this before you leave the US.

 

steamboats

[PRNole47]

12 hours ago, steamboats said:

I wouldn´t bother with the regulations of each country a river cruise is to visit. I would take care of the regulations of the country I fly to. Everything else is up to the river cruise company. They have to take care that their guests do fulfill the local regulations - otherwise the ship can´t go. Regarding those regulations you won´t get a definite answer by any authority as there might be special regulations for river cruise passengers which are not widely known. So leave it up to the river cruise company to take care of this!

 

steamboats

Agreed. That makes all the sense in the world, doesn't it? So, yeah, the only country I was concerned about being able to enter was Hungary, since that was where I was to fly to embark on a river cruise. In this case, I called the cruise line before I had to make the full payment for the cruise just to get that info, to see if entry into Hungary by US citizens would be allowed for the purpose of embarking on a cruise. The TA told me my sail date was on their "guaranteed" sail date, which meant the cruise would go on as scheduled. When I told him I had used their cruise line's own web tool that searches for and lists out the entry requirements into specific countries and found that US citizens were still prohibited, cruise or not, from entry into Hungary with no end in sight for  ending the prohibition, he seemed surprised and went off line to consult his supervisors. He then came back on the phone and agreed that Hungary and my sail date could not be on the "guaranteed" sail date list. He then delayed my full payment date by a week and told me to check back with him before the next full payment date to see if the prohibition by Hungary was still in effect, hinting he would push the full payment date again if no change had occurred.  

Edited July 4, 2021 by PRNole47

[notamermaid]

@PRNole47 That is quite a story. One thinks it is easy, it should be, everything is straightforward. But then it is not. To be honest, I have become quite skeptical. I experienced this kind of thing a long time ago when there was still an iron curtain. Everything sorted but then it was not, trying to get into Czechoslovakia. And it happened in East Berlin as well. No harm done, but it taught me a lesson.

 

Quite recently: everything straightforward, river cruise from Koblenz ready to go, press release confirmed it and all that, I posted it here. But then the rules in Rhineland-Palatinate where not changed which I found out only a few days later. So while other cruises sailed through the state without stopping this one could not have its passengers embark in the state on the scheduled day. I do not know the details but I later read that the tourism industry was not happy...

 

notamermaid

 

[PRNole47]

21 hours ago, loriva said:

 Since most of their Danube cruises start or end in Budapest, it would appear Crystal has reached some agreement with the Hungarian Government on entry to passengers (many of whom would be flying into or out of Budapest).  Or hope to do so--Crystal's river cruises are not slated to begin until 29 August.  While Hungary is a member of the EU, states are allowed to make independent policies on entry.  Only time will tell.

I don't know. The response from Hungary's Border Control Police cited the reason for not allowing US citizens to enter Hungary was because "our countries don't have any agreements according that yet," referring to accepting CDC vaccine for entry.  This suggested the agreements were between governments and not between individual cruise companies and the Hungarian govt. The entry requirement is accepting the CDC vaccine card with the proper info on it, which all US citizens would need to have regardless of what cruise line they use. They didn't even ask what cruise line was I using so they could tell me whether or not that particular company had been approved.

[loriva]

5 minutes ago, PRNole47 said:

I don't know. The response from Hungary's Border Control Police cited the reason for not allowing US citizens to enter Hungary was because "our countries don't have any agreements according that yet," referring to accepting CDC vaccine for entry.  This suggested the agreements were between governments and not between individual cruise companies and the Hungarian govt. The entry requirement is accepting the CDC vaccine card with the proper info on it, which all US citizens would need to have regardless of what cruise line they use. They didn't even ask what cruise line was I using so they could tell me whether or not that particular company had been approved.

 

None of us know right now--us, the cruise lines, even the governments involved.  As I said only time will tell.  All we can do is what you are doing--checking and double checking.  It is bizarre that the Hungarian Government is not accepting a proof of vaccination (the CDC card) that the EU is--but each member state is allowed to set their own entry rules.  Let's hope things get settled down in the next few months before we are scheduled to sail.

[PhD-iva]

On 7/3/2021 at 7:44 AM, PRNole47 said:

FYIFor those who may be interested. Received this from the Hungarian State Police, Budapest Hqtrs:

I'm terribly sorry, but we can't accept vaccinanation certificate from the USA, as our countries don't have any agreements according that yet.

We can't lift the quarantine - it is possible just with 2 PCR tests -, the first from the USA maximum 5 days before entering Hungary, the second most be done in Hungary, with at least 48 hours difference. If you have the negative results, you upload it to www.police.hu website, afterwards police will lift quarantine in 24 hours. (Regulation 408/2020. 4. §) 

 

Until your planned arrival date August 23. a lot of things can change.

 

Best Regards,
Pol. WO Zsuberáts Ders

 

Budapesti Rendőr-főkapitányság

XVIII. ker. Rendőrkapitányság

 

Telefonszám/Phone number: +36 (1) 292-9200/58-176

Email: beutazas.18rk@budapest.police.hu

Postacím/Postal address: Budapest Postafiók 43 1675

Thanks for posting!
I fly to Budapest on Monday 9 August, transiting thru Heathrow and arrive Tuesday the 10th to embark same day on Uniworld’s River Duchess’ 10-day cruise “Highlights of Eastern Europe.”

I’m v concerned about Hungary’s entry requirements and timing of my covid test. Its all very confusing. I have my covid vacc card (what if it gets lost?) but since I arrive Tuesday morning to my destination, a 72-hour window  limit to take the covid test is very tight. Sunday consumes 24 of the 72 hour window. I’ve read UK’s requirements (and Hungary’s) but I’m confused whether the 72-hour window is from when I depart on my overnight flight or when I arrive/transit Heathrow, or arrive Budapest. That Sunday is killing me!

Yipes!

Uniworld screwed up my air arrangements big time and my TA spent about 10 hours to fix the issue, so I don’t want to disturb her holiday weekend. I check back w her tomorrow, Tuesday.

Any links to sources to elucidate me is appreciated!

[PRNole47]

1 hour ago, loriva said:

 

It is bizarre that the Hungarian Government is not accepting a proof of vaccination (the CDC card) that the EU is--but each member state is allowed to set their own entry rules.  

Not only refusing entry to US citizens but also refusing citizens from 213 other countries, as listed in the attached file. 

List of countries from which citizens are restricted from entering Hungary.docx

[gnome12]

I would also look into whether transitting through Heathrow could be an issue. 

[Coral]

3 minutes ago, gnome12 said:

I would also look into whether transitting through Heathrow could be an issue. 

I booked a flight through Heathrow for April and there were a lot of danger warnings about going through Heathrow (I was not stopping, just transferring flights). COVID test requirements, etc...

[PRNole47]

59 minutes ago, PhD-iva said:

Thanks for posting!
I fly to Budapest on Monday 9 August, transiting thru Heathrow and arrive Tuesday the 10th to embark same day on Uniworld’s River Duchess’ 10-day cruise “Highlights of Eastern Europe.”

I’m v concerned about Hungary’s entry requirements and timing of my covid test.

All I can suggest is that you stay in close contact with your cruise line and keep checking on your cruise date, as I am doing. I’m trying to prolong or extend the date by which full payment is due until the cruise line has a definite answer as to whether they’re sailing or not on the scheduled date. This way, if they end up deciding  by a certain date to cancel entirely, offer a refund option, and I haven’t paid the full payment by then, I’d only have to chase them for the deposit  refund and not for the remaining full payment for 4 people, 2 cabins, and round-trip air. 

 

I’ve posted links to the Hungarian State Police, Border Control Section, that maintains the website informing the public about the country’s current Covid entry requirements. Scroll down and check the paragraph “Border crossing of non-Hungarian citizens.” It was last updated 1 Jul 2021.

 

The email link is to the Border Control Section from which they answered my request to “simplify” the answer as to whether or not a fully vaccinated US citizen would be allowed to enter Budapest and transit for a scheduled river cruise.

 

My guess is that the cruise line will eventually cancel your cruise by a date certain if they haven’t had clearance for US citizens landing at BUD to transfer to a cruise ship. Then they will probably offer the holy trinity of transferring payments to another cruise, giving you FCC, or offer a full refund.

 

Information on general rules of border crossing | A Magyar Rendőrség hivatalos honlapja (police.hu)

 

beutazas.18rk@budapest.police.hu

 

[notamermaid]

I can only encourage double-checking as unfortunately you are right about countries implementing EU suggestions or not. Most countries will stick to most recommendations by the EU but better be safe than sorry. Especially Hungary as they have had a bit more their own thoughts lately about EU ideas than the other 26.

 

But if anyone trusts their river cruise company to take care of everything after you have landed and think they know about everything, just make sure you get every answer you have asked in writing and be careful to read any small print in documents you receive.

 

notamermaid

 

 

[steamboats]

@PhD-iva the 72 hours should be your scheduled arrival in Budapest. So if you´re connection is delayed as an example you still should be fine. It´s not your transit in Heathrow (this is of no interest for the Hungarian authorities regarding the test).

 

Usually transit doesn´t matter - right now a transit in Heathrow might matter because of the Delta variant. But this won´t be relavant for August - hopefully - anymore.

 

I´ve transited two times through risk areas (German definition) while my starting airport was in a non risk area. The regulations for a risk area did not appy to me because I was in transit only not leaving the airport. So usually unless the transit airport is regarded as any kind of extreme high risk by the final destination country you should be o.k..

 

steamboats

[PhD-iva]

32 minutes ago, steamboats said:

@PhD-iva the 72 hours should be your scheduled arrival in Budapest. So if you´re connection is delayed as an example you still should be fine. It´s not your transit in Heathrow (this is of no interest for the Hungarian authorities regarding the test).

 

Usually transit doesn´t matter - right now a transit in Heathrow might matter because of the Delta variant. But this won´t be relavant for August - hopefully - anymore.

 

I´ve transited two times through risk areas (German definition) while my starting airport was in a non risk area. The regulations for a risk area did not appy to me because I was in transit only not leaving the airport. So usually unless the transit airport is regarded as any kind of extreme high risk by the final destination country you should be o.k..

 

steamboats

Danke schön!

[Spud & Andy]

I think Hungary and a couple of other EU countries are waiting to see if the US opens to their vaccinated citizens before opening for US vaccinated.  

[J80crew]

There is still apparently a problem with Hungary. We are on Crystal Ravel from Budapest to Vilshofen on September 5, and as of now Hungary requires travelers from the US to quarantine for 10 days, or show two negatives tests taken at least 48 hours apart, one of which must be in administered in Hungary (and takes 24 hours for results).  I expect this will have a big impact on cruises out of Budapest. 

[PhD-iva]

Another post elsewhere reports that if Uniworld decides to cancel our 10 August sailing out of Budapest, they have stated they would give pax 2 weeks notice. So, fingers crossed until 27 July……

[J80crew]

It occurs to me that a way the cruise lines might salvage these cruises is to change embarkation to Vienna, since Austria is admitting US citizens with proof of vaccination. I don’t know what Uniworld’s itinerary is, but on our cruise, Vienna is the first port after we leave Budapest. If they just reverse those days, we could board in Vienna and then make Budapest the first port stop. We might have to go ashore only on cruise excursions, but it would at least allow us to see the city. I realize that travel arrangements would have to be changed, but I’d rather do that than lose the whole cruise. 

[Canal archive]

Does anyone know? How can these companies keep up with these demands. These companies should get there acte sorted if they want the business.