Oceania Protocols announced 7/28/2021

[jonthomas]

Does anyone have information about mixed vaccines? Is O still not allowing those with mixed vax?

[LHT28]

17 minutes ago, jonthomas said:

Does anyone have information about mixed vaccines? Is O still not allowing those with mixed vax?

Best to call Oceania  to get the correct answer

[Brentwood Bay]

We have been in regular contact with our TA for the latest Oceania protocols relating to mixed vaccinations.  For vessels leaving from US ports mixed vaccines (in our case Pfizer/Moderna) are not considered acceptable.  Sadly we are about to pull the plug on a family cruise (3 brothers/partners and sister) scheduled to leave from Florida in March 2022.  

The irony is that Florida now has suffered twice the number of Covid-19 cases that Canada has.  Go figure.

 

[mybagsarepacked]

On 8/6/2021 at 6:03 PM, libert1 said:

I'm on the Nov 19 TA.  Most of it will be in international waters.  I have no problem wearing a mask in public before the ship and on the ship in territorial waters.  Like Rrehfe4969, I too wear a mask a lot right now.  I have to at work.  I just hope we don't have to wear them in the middle of the Atlantic.  If so I will gain so much weight with the CONSTANT eating and drinking.  🥩🍺

 

Is this on the Riviera? We are also on that TA. I also wear a mask as does my DH. If we have days when it becomes too much, we can hang out on our balcony and read.  I re-read the guidelines this morning on Oceania, and it says "Masks are encouraged on board" it does not say they are required. So, as all things, we may see these policies change several times between now and when we board in Istanbul on Oct 18...

[mybagsarepacked]

On 8/20/2021 at 11:39 AM, Rrehfe4969@aol.com said:

Thanks as I just read it 20 minutes ago and skipped right over that last sentence. This is very informative as we were leaving 4 days early and we were not planning on testing  but now I see no other choice as we do not want to be out all of our money if we test positive before boarding ship.  Thinking about getting booster shot early September just to be on safe side as it has been 7 months since last shot. Hopefully Walgreens want check status and we can receive booster as we will be in Europe when eligibility kicks in for us.  
richard and Kim rehfeldt

madison Mississippi 

We are definitely getting a booster shot, and as soon as we can. We leave for Italy on October 2. We'll spend a few weeks at our home in Castelmauro, then we will fly to Istanbul to get on the Riviera. We just returned from Italy last weekend so we know at least where to go in the Rome airport to get tested.

Stacy

[nikless]

3 minutes ago, mybagsarepacked said:

We are definitely getting a booster shot, and as soon as we can. We leave for Italy on October 2. We'll spend a few weeks at our home in Castelmauro, then we will fly to Istanbul to get on the Riviera. We just returned from Italy last weekend so we know at least where to go in the Rome airport to get tested.

Stacy

Castelmauro?  No way...my grandfather was born there, we visited there back in 2014. 

[jonthomas]

1 hour ago, Brentwood Bay said:

We have been in regular contact with our TA for the latest Oceania protocols relating to mixed vaccinations.  For vessels leaving from US ports mixed vaccines (in our case Pfizer/Moderna) are not considered acceptable.  Sadly we are about to pull the plug on a family cruise (3 brothers/partners and sister) scheduled to leave from Florida in March 2022.  

The irony is that Florida now has suffered twice the number of Covid-19 cases that Canada has.  Go figure.

 

 we will be in the same position....awful...

[mybagsarepacked]

39 minutes ago, nikless said:

Castelmauro?  No way...my grandfather was born there, we visited there back in 2014. 

 

Yes! We just bought a Palazzo there, Corso Italia 54. We just spent a week there, getting settled in, getting our Italian phone, and we go back in early October to continue moving in, and getting our Internet etc taken care of. What was your grandfather's name? You should TOTALLY come visit!

 

[nikless]

2 minutes ago, mybagsarepacked said:

 

Yes! We just bought a Palazzo there, Corso Italia 54. We just spent a week there, getting settled in, getting our Italian phone, and we go back in early October to continue moving in, and getting our Internet etc taken care of. What was your grandfather's name? You should TOTALLY come visit!

 

contact me luvndelbocavista at gmail

[mybagsarepacked]

9 minutes ago, nikless said:

contact me luvndelbocavista at gmail

Done! my email is stacyallen5 at gmail. in case it goes in your spam

 

[jonthomas]

So are all those of you with mixed vax giving up on cruising?

[Brentwood Bay]

As mixed vaccination recipients we are able to board an Oceania vessel in Europe (though not in the US).  We are partial to Oceania (7 cruises/193 days) so would like to remain with them.  It looks like it will be cruising from Europe in the present environment.  We just hope that Europe continues to accept us.

[mauibabes]

Perhaps another question will be would the Moderna or Pfizer booster “trump” the fact that you had mixed vaccinations?  I am sure no one has that answer yet. We were fortunate to have two Moderna initially and are scheduled to get the Moderna booster soon. 
Mauibabes

[IWantToLiveOverTheSea]

On 7/29/2021 at 11:11 AM, Hlitner said:

We are seeing that as a trend with other lines.  For example, we will soon be off to Greece for a Seabourn cruise (and some post cruise island hopping).  Both Greece and Seabourn require us to be fully vaccinated and both require us to show proof (the CDC Vaccination Cards are adequate).  However, Seabourn will also do a pre-embarkation test at the port (done in a tent) and do further testing during our cruise.  We will also need to get an Antigen test before we can fly back to the USA.  Requirements in other places are even tougher.  For example, we have a cruise in the Fall that embarks from Barbados.   Barbados mandates a standard PCR test within 3 days prior to the trip.  They further mandate another PCR test upon arrival on the island.  The cruise line mandates vaccinations and also does testing onboard.  And, of course, we will need an antigen test to return to the USA.  

 

So as you can see, the world seems to be adopting various protocols requiring both vaccinations and testing.  For those not vaccinated there are many additional requirements (assuming they can even travel) such as quarantines, additional testing, etc.

 

As to "O" we can live with their protocols but would like to know if our December cruise will even happen.  The Marina is still scheduled to do cruises involving quite a few South American countries that have very bad COVID problems.  While several other cruise lines have canceled their SA itineraries, "O" continues to be mute on the subject.

 

Hank

Between what a country may require and what a cruise line may require, things have gotten complicated.  I just cruised on Viking in Iceland.  Iceland (and the airline that transported us there) required negative Covid test no earlier than 72 hours pre-travel.  Viking required vaccination proof.  We were PCR tested regularly while on board the ship, and a good amount of masking, distancing, and capacity controls were in evidence. Iceland seemed like such a good idea at first, as they were getting people vaccinated rapidly, and since there was only one country which could affect our travel progress.  But then the delta variant started surging and things changed.  Iceland stepped in and started requiring quarantines in situations where the CDC and Viking both felt it was not needed.  It's a rapidly evolving world, and you have to take some risks if you're traveling now.  We had no problems on our cruise, and had a wonderful time, but other people on other sailings were not as lucky and had their cruise interrupted.  

 

I would absolutely love to go to South America, but not for another year at this point.  

[Harters]

14 hours ago, IWantToLiveOverTheSea said:

Between what a country may require and what a cruise line may require, things have gotten complicated

And, of course, a cruise may visit a number of different countries which may well have different requirements for entry.  For example, I can currently enter Spain more easily than I can return to the UK. The former will accept proof that I'm doubly vaccinated and does not therefore need me to test.. On my return, the UK government cares nothing for my vaccination status but does require me to have a negative antigen or PCR result before boarding my flight  and to have a PCR test on Day 2 after my arrival home. 

[GeorgesGal]

Hmmm.  I cancelled an O cruise last week when informed through O that all cruise pax within EU countries will be required to wear masks ONBOARD except while eating, drinking, swimming, sunning or in their stateroom.  Unfortunately every port was within the EU.  This was the Marina 8-29-21 in the Baltic.  I hated doing it - canceling - but wearing masks for almost the entire time I was to be within EU jurisdiction was my deal breaker.  

Donna