Going ashore in Portugal & Spain

[majortom10]

Returned this morning from a Canary Island and mainland Spain/Portugal on QE. We visited La Coruna and Cadiz as well as Canary Islands and Lisbon and Madeira and was allowed off the ship independently without booking an excursion or having any tests except for Spain who ask the cruise company to take temperature check whilst in Spanish waters when entering MDR and when leaving the ship at port. Everywhere we went masks were mandatory in all shops and many locals also wore masks in the street. We were also advised to take our vaccination proof certificate with us in case you wanted to use a restaurant  and they might ask for proof before entering.

[wowzz]

3 minutes ago, majortom10 said:

except for Spain who ask the cruise company to take temperature check whilst in Spanish waters when entering MDR and when leaving the ship at port

That certainly wasn't our experience on Princess two weeks ago.  Are you sure that the Spanish government made the request,  as most other lines do not seem to have implemented this procedure ? 

Given that surface thermometers are notoriously inaccurate, and that in any case a high temperature is not indicative of Covid, the whole procedure seems pretty pointless

" The use of temperature screening products is not recommended by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, as there is little scientific evidence to support temperature screening as a reliable method for detection of COVID-19, particularly for asymptomatic cases."

[majortom10]

3 hours ago, wowzz said:

That certainly wasn't our experience on Princess two weeks ago.  Are you sure that the Spanish government made the request,  as most other lines do not seem to have implemented this procedure ? 

Given that surface thermometers are notoriously inaccurate, and that in any case a high temperature is not indicative of Covid, the whole procedure seems pretty pointless

" The use of temperature screening products is not recommended by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, as there is little scientific evidence to support temperature screening as a reliable method for detection of COVID-19, particularly for asymptomatic cases."

Was only done when the ship was in Spanish ports and waters and was not done when in Portugal either mainland or Madeira and was put in the daily programme that it was a request of Spanish government.

[tring]

2 hours ago, majortom10 said:

Was only done when the ship was in Spanish ports and waters and was not done when in Portugal either mainland or Madeira and was put in the daily programme that it was a request of Spanish government.

 

Ports can ask whatever they want.  I remember when MSC Virtuosa had covid cases on board, everyone was tested for Covid.  Passengers at the time reported the ship had tested them at the request of Liverpool as that was the next port and they had said they wanted everyone tested before they allowed the ship to dock.

 

 I have seen a comment on the ports if call section saying that various med ports had restrictions which had been arranged between the cruise line they were sailing on (Seaborne) and the port concerned.  So no one can really tell ahead of time what will, or will not be required on any particular cruise.  There may be official Government requirements which will be adhered to most of the time, but cruises have different requirements to flying into a country and always have done.  Nothing means a port will not put additional requirements on if it wants to though.

 

Hence no point fretting about it, just do what is asked when it is asked.

 

Edited November 15, 2021 by tring

[downsmead]

Quite, we did a Canary Islands cruise late October and could only do ships excursions for the islands but could do our own thing in Vigo and Cadiz!