MSC Italy & Spain Restrictions for UK Passengers

[heathstockton4]

Hi

 

Apologies if has been discussed elsewhere, tried to search but couldn't find anything.

 

We are thinking of booking MSC Grandiosa from Rome on 6th October, we are UK passengers and double jabbed.

 

From what i can see, as it stands at the moment we would need to quarantine for 5 days from arrival in Italy and this is to be reviewed next week, so unless this changes it won't really work for us. However Spain does not have the 5 day ruling so i am wondering if we started the cruise in Barcelona does that then mean we would NOT be able to get off the ship in the 3 Italian ports?

 

Thanks

Richard

 

[stuart2468]

That's a great question and one i will be watching closely for some answers. I too have a similar issue.

 

Sailing 22/09 for 5 nights Virtuosa. 

 

Much like yourself if italy doesnt revoke the 5 day quaranteed then we will have to cancel/reschedule

 

But if it does go ahead, we'll be calling at Cassablanca, and that is reported to be going red. Then comes a question if we dont get off the ship there, are we still classed as visiting morrocco? do we then become subject to the red protocol once we get back to the UK? Even though we end at lisbon and fly back from portugal. 

 

Absolute minefield. 

[Beamafar]

Until August 31st MSC is not allowing non-Schengen citizens onboard, regardless of embarkation port.  That means Ireland and UK are excluded for now. 
 

We’re booked for October and have made the final payment in the hope that this restriction will be lifted by then.  There’ll be an update in 9 days time;  you may be better to wait til then to see what the situation may be. 

[Tinkerbellsparkle]

Thinking of booking 26/9/21 but having same worries.

I will follow this thread.

[heathstockton4]

53 minutes ago, stuart2468 said:

That's a great question and one i will be watching closely for some answers. I too have a similar issue.

 

Sailing 22/09 for 5 nights Virtuosa. 

 

Much like yourself if italy doesnt revoke the 5 day quaranteed then we will have to cancel/reschedule

 

But if it does go ahead, we'll be calling at Cassablanca, and that is reported to be going red. Then comes a question if we dont get off the ship there, are we still classed as visiting morrocco? do we then become subject to the red protocol once we get back to the UK? Even though we end at lisbon and fly back from portugal. 

 

Absolute minefield. 

even more complicated that ours, i suppose the more countries on the itinerary the more complex it is as each country will have their own rules which of course can change aswell 😏

[Number34]

We are scheduled to sail on Seashore from Marseille on 25/9. We are doing what Beamafar advises and waiting for the update at the end of the month. 

[ziggyuk]

2 hours ago, heathstockton4 said:

Hi

 

Apologies if has been discussed elsewhere, tried to search but couldn't find anything.

 

We are thinking of booking MSC Grandiosa from Rome on 6th October, we are UK passengers and double jabbed.

 

From what i can see, as it stands at the moment we would need to quarantine for 5 days from arrival in Italy and this is to be reviewed next week, so unless this changes it won't really work for us. However Spain does not have the 5 day ruling so i am wondering if we started the cruise in Barcelona does that then mean we would NOT be able to get off the ship in the 3 Italian ports?

 

Thanks

Richard

 

 

As said above MSC is not currently allowing non-Schengen passengers, however, for other cruise lines that are allowing non-Schengen passengers it does mean you can't leave the ship in Italy if you board in Spain.
The only way around this would be to spend 14 outside the UK before arriving in Italy. I believe you also have to avoid transiting through the UK, if for instance you were flying in from the US.

[HappyInVan]

Exactly, that's why I cancelled my Mediterranean cruise for October, before FP. No way that the itinerary will survive all the border closures/changes.

 

BTW, Italy is currently doing well, in terms of infections.

Edited August 23, 2021 by HappyInVan

[DCGuy64]

5 minutes ago, ziggyuk said:

 

As said above MSC is not currently allowing non-Schengen passengers, however, for other cruise lines that are allowing non-Schengen passengers it does mean you can't leave the ship in Italy if you board in Spain.
The only way around this would be to spend 14 outside the UK before arriving in Italy. I believe you also have to avoid transiting through the UK, if for instance you were flying in from the US.

They ARE allowing US citizens, at least they'd better be since I just got a final email from MSC this morning and we're sailing from Trieste on Saturday! 😉 BTW MSC now says we can board with EITHER proof of a negative Covid test dated within 48 hours, OR proof of vaccination. They do also accept proof of recovery within the past 6 months. (and they welcome non-Schengen guests from Cyprus, Croatia, Romania and Bulgaria, FYI...)

[soloadventurer]

2 hours ago, Beamafar said:

Until August 31st MSC is not allowing non-Schengen citizens onboard, regardless of embarkation port.  That means Ireland and UK are excluded for now. 
 

We’re booked for October and have made the final payment in the hope that this restriction will be lifted by then.  There’ll be an update in 9 days time;  you may be better to wait til then to see what the situation may be. 

 

Not quite straightforward as my previous thread enlightened me - when you read this you automatically think we’re barred but as someone pointed out if you read out loud and pause at Serbia - UK and Monaco are included in the Schengen area.

 

But with regards Italy if restrictions don’t change it maybe that we’re not allowed off the ship in Italian ports.

 

 

[ziggyuk]

12 minutes ago, DCGuy64 said:

They ARE allowing US citizens, at least they'd better be since I just got a final email from MSC this morning and we're sailing from Trieste on Saturday! 😉 BTW MSC now says we can board with EITHER proof of a negative Covid test dated within 48 hours, OR proof of vaccination. They do also accept proof of recovery within the past 6 months. (and they welcome non-Schengen guests from Cyprus, Croatia, Romania and Bulgaria, FYI...)

 

I was following on from the previous post, they are not currently allowing non-Schengen passengers until after August 31st.

My reply was more about the quarantine period for UK passengers.

Sorry I probably made it more confusing.

[DCGuy64]

1 minute ago, ziggyuk said:

 

I was following on from the previous post, they are not currently allowing non-Schengen passengers until after August 31st.

My reply was more about the quarantine period for UK passengers.

Sorry I probably made it more confusing.

Maybe I misunderstood you, it sounded like you were saying MSC only allows Schengen area residents until August 31. That's not correct, we are from the US and our sailing is on August 28 which is before the 31st. And we're not in the Schengen area, either. But you are correct about UK passengers.

[doublebzz]

2 hours ago, DCGuy64 said:

They ARE allowing US citizens, at least they'd better be since I just got a final email from MSC this morning and we're sailing from Trieste on Saturday! 😉 BTW MSC now says we can board with EITHER proof of a negative Covid test dated within 48 hours, OR proof of vaccination. They do also accept proof of recovery within the past 6 months. (and they welcome non-Schengen guests from Cyprus, Croatia, Romania and Bulgaria, FYI...)

I read on one of these posts that all guests, whether vaccinated or not, are required to have a negative Covid test within 712 hours of embarkation.  Please advise us of your boarding experience on Saturday in this regard also what insurance requirements they are accepting.  Thanks in advance.

[DCGuy64]

2 minutes ago, doublebzz said:

I read on one of these posts that all guests, whether vaccinated or not, are required to have a negative Covid test within 712 hours of embarkation.  Please advise us of your boarding experience on Saturday in this regard also what insurance requirements they are accepting.  Thanks in advance.

Thanks, I assume you meant 72 hours and not 712 (I wish!). 😉 We're planning to get tested Wednesday just as a precaution, but the rules seem to keep changing. I had thought the same as you, but the email MSC sent today doesn't mention vaccinated people being required to get tested at all, let alone at the port. What they *did* mention is that some excursions in Italy require participants to have the Italian Green Pass (and presumably not its equivalent from another country), but that people can opt to get a free Covid test onboard and be issued a Green Pass or choose to book a different excursion. For our cruise in the Mediterranean, we were told we had to purchase insurance through MSC, which we did. It seems they've lowered that requirement for US sailings to 'recommended,' but so far not for Europe. We'll just be happy if we get onboard! 😂

[doublebzz]

4 minutes ago, DCGuy64 said:

Thanks, I assume you meant 72 hours and not 712 (I wish!). 😉 We're planning to get tested Wednesday just as a precaution, but the rules seem to keep changing. I had thought the same as you, but the email MSC sent today doesn't mention vaccinated people being required to get tested at all, let alone at the port. What they *did* mention is that some excursions in Italy require participants to have the Italian Green Pass (and presumably not its equivalent from another country), but that people can opt to get a free Covid test onboard and be issued a Green Pass or choose to book a different excursion. For our cruise in the Mediterranean, we were told we had to purchase insurance through MSC, which we did. It seems they've lowered that requirement for US sailings to 'recommended,' but so far not for Europe. We'll just be happy if we get onboard! 😂

Yes, 72 hours.  I did a dummy application for the Italian Green Pass.  It asks for embarkation and debarkation ports among other things.  However, the only debarkation ports you can enter are Italian ports so it doesn't appear possible to get one unless you are departing from Italy.  I guess you could enter the intermediate stops at Italian ports and get multiple Green passes that way.  I also read somewhere, contrary to your understanding, that a health pass from any EU country is acceptable through the EU excepting UK and Ireland, I believe.  It is beyond confusing so your experience will be invaluable.

[Beamafar]

1 minute ago, doublebzz said:

 I also read somewhere, contrary to your understanding, that a health pass from any EU country is acceptable through the EU excepting UK and Ireland, I believe.  It is beyond confusing so your experience will be invaluable.

Ireland, as an EU member, issues the EUDCC (Digital Covid Certificate) or Green Pass.  We’re just not in the Schengen zone. 

[kremerlorraine]

The good news is that the Italian government accepts the UK and US vaccination certificates as equivalent to their own "green" pass. I don't know whether you have to download their app and insert the QR code from your home certificate. I'll give it a try before our 19/9 cruise on Costa!

[DCGuy64]

14 minutes ago, kremerlorraine said:

The good news is that the Italian government accepts the UK and US vaccination certificates as equivalent to their own "green" pass. I don't know whether you have to download their app and insert the QR code from your home certificate. I'll give it a try before our 19/9 cruise on Costa!

 

30 minutes ago, doublebzz said:

Yes, 72 hours.  I did a dummy application for the Italian Green Pass.  It asks for embarkation and debarkation ports among other things.  However, the only debarkation ports you can enter are Italian ports so it doesn't appear possible to get one unless you are departing from Italy.  I guess you could enter the intermediate stops at Italian ports and get multiple Green passes that way.  I also read somewhere, contrary to your understanding, that a health pass from any EU country is acceptable through the EU excepting UK and Ireland, I believe.  It is beyond confusing so your experience will be invaluable.

I think we're talking about two different, although related, subjects. It is correct that Italy, the country, recognizes other countries' equivalents to the Italian Green Pass. So my wife and I shouldn't have any trouble (he said, crossing his fingers 🤞) using our CDC-issued vaccination cards to get into sites in Italy. But I'm talking about what MSC requires in order to go on its excursions. If a particular tour operator says "No Green Pass, no go," I can scream at the top of my lungs that they must take my CDC card, but it's up to the company, not me. Not all of the MSC excursions have this Green Pass requirement, BTW. We'll find out when we go, and report back. We haven't seen much in the way of Splendida reports by US citizens, so I don't know for now. I wrote to our pre-cruise hotel to ask about getting into restaurants and bars and they said we "should" be able to get inside seating using just our CDC vaccination certificates. But after 25 trips to Italy, I can tell you Italians aren't 100% consistent about obeying the rules. 😄😉

Unlike France, which in some cases will allow foreign travelers to get a QR code for their health pass by going to a pharmacy, I haven't so far seen evidence of this being done in Italy.

[doublebzz]

8 minutes ago, DCGuy64 said:

 

  Not all of the MSC excursions have this Green Pass requirement, BTW. We'll find out when we go, and report back.

Thanks, this will be very helpful.  I am planning to pre-order 3 Italian excursions on my cruise departing September 18th; one would think MSC would indicate if a Green Pass is required.  On a related subject, we are flying to Barcelona with a change of planes at Heathrow.  From what I'm reading from the GOVUK Covid web site, transiting passengers are not required to take any Covid tests if you don't leave the airport.  Can anyone confirm this?

[heathstockton4]

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/italy-eliminate-covid-19-quarantine-vaccinated-negative-uk-travellers-2021-08-28/

 

sounds promising but still need to see if MSC will take UK passengers on a cruise with Italians ports on the itinerary?

 

 

[drsel]

https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/news/eu-to-reimpose-entry-ban-on-travellers-from-us-5-other-third-countries-on-monday-sources-say/

 

[drsel]

7 hours ago, heathstockton4 said:

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/italy-eliminate-covid-19-quarantine-vaccinated-negative-uk-travellers-2021-08-28/

sounds promising but still need to see if MSC will take UK passengers on a cruise with Italians ports on the itinerary?

I was wondering if passengers who are not in the green list of Italy can sail on MSC Cruises and remain onboard during the calls at ports in Italy?.

 

Or will MSC deny them boarding, because when MSC docks at ports in Italy, they will be in Italian waters

[soloadventurer]

12 hours ago, heathstockton4 said:

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/italy-eliminate-covid-19-quarantine-vaccinated-negative-uk-travellers-2021-08-28/

 

sounds promising but still need to see if MSC will take UK passengers on a cruise with Italians ports on the itinerary?

 

 

Sounds promising 

[soloadventurer]

5 hours ago, drsel said:

I was wondering if passengers who are not in the green list of Italy can sail on MSC Cruises and remain onboard during the calls at ports in Italy?.

 

Or will MSC deny them boarding, because when MSC docks at ports in Italy, they will be in Italian waters

 

NCL are doing exactly that - UK passengers aren’t allowed off. 

[heathstockton4]

On 8/29/2021 at 12:11 PM, soloadventurer said:

 

NCL are doing exactly that - UK passengers aren’t allowed off. 

presume this will change from 1st September though as UK visitors to Italy no longer have to do the 5 day quarantine ?