Are excursion buses/vans full?

[paulajj]

Curious if someone who’s been on a ship excursion in the Caribbean can answer if people are spread out on the transports? Are the vans or busses etc full like normal or are they reducing capacity?

Thanks! 

[LGW59]

14 minutes ago, paulajj said:

Curious if someone who’s been on a ship excursion in the Caribbean can answer if people are spread out on the transports? Are the vans or busses etc full like normal or are they reducing capacity?

Thanks! 

Several folks that have and/or are currently cruising have posted that there really is not a lot of social distancing on the excursions.

[Turtles06]

13 minutes ago, LGW59 said:

Several folks that have and/or are currently cruising have posted that there really is not a lot of social distancing on the excursions.

I’ve read the same thing on several threads. One person reported complaining on board about this, and was told the vehicles were operating at reduced capacity. Yes, but they are using smaller vehicles, and reportedly filling them. 

[paulajj]

27 minutes ago, LGW59 said:

Several folks that have and/or are currently cruising have posted that there really is not a lot of social distancing on the excursions.

 

10 minutes ago, Turtles06 said:

I’ve read the same thing on several threads. One person reported complaining on board about this, and was told the vehicles were operating at reduced capacity. Yes, but they are using smaller vehicles, and reportedly filling them. 

Ya that’s what I was afraid of. I just watched a video of an Alaska excursion and they were jammed in a tiny bus. I was hoping that was because they are in the US and it might be different outside of there. 
Thanks for your replies ❤️

[DCPIV]

There was plenty of room to spread out on the bus we had in Curacao.  However, the ship was only at 25%, and it wasn't a beach excursion.  The room could just as easily have been from reduced sales as from reduced capacity.

 

You'll also notice that there's little in the way of social distancing onboard (although, with reduced capacities, folks are spreading out a bit on their own.

 

The good news is that, with the vaccination and testing requirements, the social distancing is not as critical as it was.  

[paulajj]

11 minutes ago, DCPIV said:

There was plenty of room to spread out on the bus we had in Curacao.  However, the ship was only at 25%, and it wasn't a beach excursion.  The room could just as easily have been from reduced sales as from reduced capacity.

 

You'll also notice that there's little in the way of social distancing onboard (although, with reduced capacities, folks are spreading out a bit on their own.

 

The good news is that, with the vaccination and testing requirements, the social distancing is not as critical as it was.  

Thanks for the reply! 
At least on the ship I can control where I’m going. If I don’t feel comfortable going into a crowded area I won’t. If I book an excursion and the bus is packed I’m stuck. 

Also, no matter what your thoughts are on the efficacy of the vaccine and delta, if someone sitting behind me on that bus has COVID I’m going to get quarantined…

[Ken the cruiser]

1 minute ago, paulajj said:

Also, no matter what your thoughts are on the efficacy of the vaccine and delta, if someone sitting behind me on that bus has COVID I’m going to get quarantined…

Sit in the back like we do and you won’t have to worry about that. 😎

[DaKahuna]

Just now, Ken the cruiser said:

Sit in the back like we do and you won’t have to worry about that. 😎

Good suggestion.  Then you only have to worry about the people sitting in front of you, not front and back. 

[paulajj]

2 minutes ago, Ken the cruiser said:

Sit in the back like we do and you won’t have to worry about that. 😎

Lol great suggestion! I’ll just tell the health people that I let the virus know not to hang out in the back with the cool kids! 😉 

[Ken the cruiser]

4 minutes ago, paulajj said:

Lol great suggestion! I’ll just tell the health people that I let the virus know not to hang out in the back with the cool kids! 😉 

BTW what are the odds there would even be someone on the bus with COVID if everyone from the ship is vaccinated and has tested negative prior to boarding the ship and only a small fraction of those people are on your tour?

Edited September 18, 2021 by Ken the cruiser

[paulajj]

1 minute ago, Ken the cruiser said:

BTW what are the odds there would even be someone on the bus if everyone from the ship is vaccinated and has tested negative prior to boarding the ship?

Not sure. There’s been COVID cases on quite a few cruises. And I’m not a betting kind of girl. But you do you and I won’t judge!
 

[Ken the cruiser]

2 minutes ago, paulajj said:

Not sure. There’s been COVID cases on quite a few cruises. And I’m not a betting kind of girl. But you do you and I won’t judge!
 

Have you been on a Celebrity cruise yet since it started back up?

Edited September 18, 2021 by Ken the cruiser

[paulajj]

Just now, Ken the cruiser said:

Have you been on a Celebrity cruise yet since it started back up?

Nope. That’s why I’m asking questions. 

[Susanb10567]

On our bus to the beach in St Thomas our open air bus was quite full..no distancing at all….you do have to wear masks..but I was not thrilled when the person in front of me started coughing 

[paulajj]

1 minute ago, Susanb10567 said:

On our bus to the beach in St Thomas our open air bus was quite full..no distancing at all….you do have to wear masks..but I was not thrilled when the person in front of me started coughing 

I’d definitely feel better about the open air bus then and enclosed one but ya, that would be annoying. Gotta feel sorry for those who have a chronic cough though eh lol. Everyone giving them the stink eye! 
 

Thanks for your info!

[Ken the cruiser]

You’ll be fine. We have been on 3 Edge cruises in August, did ship excursions at every port and felt very safe. But I will say we do not socialize with anyone except for the crew when we’re on a cruise. 

[kearney]

Out of curiosity, I wonder how many Celebrity passengers have developed Covid and of those how many were on a crowded excursion

[elaineb]

We booked Celebrity excursions because they are supposed to be following Covid protocols - using masks & cleaning the vehicles.  I am going to wear a cloth mask with a filter on the buses.  When we get to the beach, mask off.

[Ken the cruiser]

4 minutes ago, kearney said:

Out of curiosity, I wonder how many Celebrity passengers have developed Covid and of those how many were on a crowded excursion

What's even more interesting is once you actually go on a cruise, you will see Celebrity is working very hard to keep you safe and these type of statistics really don't matter. But at the same time, it's also up to YOU to use common sense while you're on the cruise, like when it comes to hanging out at the Martini Bar or getting into an elevator with unmasked folks you don't know, or going on an excursion and finding those back of the bus seats. 

[paulajj]

9 minutes ago, Ken the cruiser said:

What's even more interesting is once you actually go on a cruise, you will see Celebrity is working very hard to keep you safe and these type of statistics really don't matter. But at the same time, it's also up to YOU to use common sense while you're on the cruise, like when it comes to hanging out at the Martini Bar or getting into an elevator with unmasked folks you don't know, or going on an excursion and finding those back of the bus seats. 

And hopefully one of those that are hanging out in the martini bar are not sitting close to you…

 

You’ve convinced me to hold off on booking excursions until I’m on the ship and perhaps can get more information. While I am immune suppressed and will have my third shot by then, I feel that if I’m going to take the extra precautions of wearing my mask whenever I can and being really careful I don’t want to blow it all on a bus trip. Especially if no one else seems concerned at all. 
 

 

[Solon]

We had 5 Americans in suites who contracted covid during our cruise two weeks ago.

Can’t tell you how they got it whether on a tour or not.

[Ken the cruiser]

Just now, Solon said:

We had 5 Americans in suites who contracted covid during our cruise two weeks ago.

Can’t tell you how they got it whether on a tour or not.

On the Equinox?

[Solon]

Apex

[Ken the cruiser]

9 minutes ago, Solon said:

Apex

I'm sure everyone was vaccinated. But did everyone also have to produce negative PCR or antigen tests taken no later than 3 days prior to boarding the Apex in Athens.

Edited September 18, 2021 by Ken the cruiser

[Solon]

Greece did not require any tests to enter the country provided you are fully vaccinated.

Celebrity provided an antigen test before you could board the ship.  We experienced a wait of 20 minutes for a negative result.

Tours were on a normal sized bus seating approximately 60 passengers, and were half full.  This was a Greek requirement.

Our cruise had about 900 passengers.

Edited September 18, 2021 by Solon