Ponant has suddenly changed the vaccination requirement.

[Emilady]

We leave on this Thursday for Buenos Aires and our cruise to Antarctica. The final paperwork lcame this morning and let us know that we are not considered vaccinated as we did not receive one of the Mrna vaccines and they no longer accept JnJ only  We submitted the medical paperwork a month ago and were told we were good to go. Now it is too late to get a booster.  Can't reach Poignant today as it is a Sunday.  It seems that they changed the requirements on December 2. I have spoken to them so many times and nothing was mentioned. 

[AussieBoyTX]

😱 Ugh.

 

We've been discussing the changes, including this one in the thread below. It appears that a booster is a requirement for all cruises departing after December 15 and you're correct, there wasn't much notice. We found out last Wednesday for a cruise departing this Thursday. Fortunately, we already had the booster.

 

The one thing that you should clarify when you call Ponant first thing Monday (as well as your personal physicians) is this: You're fully vaccinated after one dose of J&J and you don't actually have to wait 14 days for the booster to be effective -- you just have to get one, which should be easy if you're in the US. Confirm this with Ponant and get your appointment at CVS or whatever later tomorrow.

 

Or just get it today, so you have the proof in hand when you call.

 

 

 

 

Edited December 12, 2021 by AussieBoyTX

[AussieBoyTX]

I'm still thinking about this and went to get the full policy. Assuming that you're leaving on L'Austral this coming Sunday, if you got an mRNA vaccine TODAY (Sunday), you would meet Ponant's seven day requirement stated below. If it were me, that's what I'd do.

 

https://fr.calameo.com/read/000132423668d4bed7572 

 

[schnapperin]

Get a booster today and then get in touch with Ponant on Monday.

 

with the current studies of less antibodies after 5-6 months the move of Ponant to require a booster shot is something positive in my eye as it’s adding a layer of safety.

 

travel in COVID times sadly result in last minute changes of requirements 

Edited December 12, 2021 by schnapperin

[Emilady]

It seems that Argentina has changed their protocol and no longer accepts JnJ.  Ponant was forced to comply.  Ponant has offered us a full refund. 

[AussieBoyTX]

9 minutes ago, Emilady said:

It seems that Argentina has changed their protocol and no longer accepts JnJ.  Ponant was forced to comply.  Ponant has offered us a full refund. 

Wow, I wasn't expecting that. I'm sorry.

[schnapperin]

43 minutes ago, Emilady said:

It seems that Argentina has changed their protocol and no longer accepts JnJ.  Ponant was forced to comply.  Ponant has offered us a full refund. 

So sorry to read that 

 

surprisingly I can‘t find anything about J&J no longer be accepted- unless your origin country doesn‘t count J&J as fully vaccinated anymore or the marine requirements has changed 

 

edit; Found it - French law is changing from Dec 15th and J&J is only valid to count as fully vaccinated for 4 weeks after the dose, then you need a Pfizer or Moderna dose to be fully vaccinated again 

Edited December 13, 2021 by schnapperin

[AussieBoyTX]

It this fixable? Like, is it even possible to be mRNA vaccinated and go on a January cruise (if your personal situation allows) after getting J&J?

[schnapperin]

6 hours ago, AussieBoyTX said:

It this fixable? Like, is it even possible to be mRNA vaccinated and go on a January cruise (if your personal situation allows) after getting J&J?

Of course as a third shot is only required  6 months after the second shot 

Getting a second mRNA dose after J&J is common around Europe since late summer aswell 

Edited December 14, 2021 by schnapperin

[AussieBoyTX]

2 hours ago, schnapperin said:

Of course as a third shot is only required  6 months after the second shot 

Getting a second mRNA dose after J&J is common around Europe since late summer aswell 

 

If Argentina doesn't recognize J&J at all, that would require two mRNA vaccinations within two weeks, to make their requirements, wouldn't it? I don't think that's an approved combination in the US.

[schnapperin]

9 minutes ago, AussieBoyTX said:

 

If Argentina doesn't recognize J&J at all, that would require two mRNA vaccinations within two weeks, to make their requirements, wouldn't it? I don't think that's an approved combination in the US.

It’s not Argentina but French law that doesn’t recognize J&J without a second dose

 

i did check the travel requirements on the German /UK and US foreign offices and no site mention that J&J isn‘t possible. 
the German site mention that fully vaccinated is in line with the local (for example US or German) definition.

Edited December 14, 2021 by schnapperin

[jonikal]

It is getting to be increasingly confusing and frustrating with constant changes in additional requirements for travel by multiple countries, cruise companies etc. compounded by lack of timely communications between them and passengers.  And I foolishly thought it would be smoother sailing by now!

 

[schnapperin]

Have to admit that before every international trip I constantly checked the requirements in case of last minute changes - it’s sort of normal when traveling during a Pandemic and with two new waves (Delta / Omicron) 

[Sitti]

15 hours ago, Emilady said:

It seems that Argentina has changed their protocol and no longer accepts JnJ.  Ponant was forced to comply.  Ponant has offered us a full refund. 

Oh no😟, I'm so sorry to hear that. But I'm glad you've got your refund without any trouble. My antarctica cruise is coming up in 60 days. I'm really worried about similar thing could happen to me.  I had 2 AZ. Got second dose in Oct. That should be OK with current requirement. Hope they won't all of sudden require boostershot. Here in thailand, I still can't just walk in and get any shot that I want. I have to wait 6 month from my second dose for booster.

Edited December 14, 2021 by Sitti

[Aplmac]

This is typical of global Covid travel-parameters that change weekly

if not daily!

 

ALL travel is dodgy, until we get thru this

in about another two years time (we're only halfway thru this, people!).

____________________________________________

Have you seen the Scottish variant? lol

[Catlover54]

By the time our Ponant cruise comes up in April, I will likely be required to have a fourth shot (my last of 3, all Moderna, was in September), and at this rate, a fifth one before Seabourn in the fall. I am hesitant to keep calling this a 'vaccine', and think of it more as a regular periodic maintenance treatment to help prevent us who are at high risk from going toes  up.

I go for cancer maintenance treatments, and rheumatologic/autoimmune disease  maintenance treatments, and now I will have Covid maintenance treatments (complete with the short-term side effects for all of these treatments) . 

I may have to add pulmonologist maintenance treatments to deal with the wheezing that prolonged masking triggers in me through a variety of mechanisms.

So far, no psychiatric maintenance treatments, though many who have locked themselves down instead of cruising are needing those too! 😳

[Sitti]

Only a few days before I depart for my cruise on Charcot - The Ross Sea, my TA just informed me that Ponant has changed the rule again. They now require a booster after 4 months instead of 6 months. I had my booster last month, I should be OK with the new rule.

 

Please make sure to get a booster before your next Ponant cruise if you haven't

Edited February 11, 2022 by Sitti