still Forcing MSC excusions

[BHBillH]

we have vaccine plus booster and we meet criteria for every port of now. 

since we cruise 3/26/2022 we cannot leave the ship without MSC excusion

MSC lifts this in April 2022

no other cruise line is requiring this anymore but MSC still is

We feel like it's a money making thing more than safety at this point. 

I bought three excusions since there are stories of MSC refusing to allow people off or back on the ship without excursion 

[BHBillH]

I'm a bit tired of MSC already
Booked last year Aurea
They downgraded the easy drink refused to add the current offered easy drink plus, we had to pay.

No free excursion

Had to buy additional insurance current policy not good enough

Tried to charge reticking fee after paying for upgrades 

Answers are hard to come by when I call and wait long cues 

 

This my first and may be last time. 

Edited March 12, 2022 by BHBillH

[psmarkle]

Can you post a link to where MSC says you can't leave the ship unless on their excursion?  We sail April 9th, so interested in this topic!

[BHBillH]

you can leave starting April

 

based on health and safety MSC 

choose where your sailing 

 

https://www.msccruisesusa.com/health-and-safety-measures

 

[amygutman]

1 hour ago, psmarkle said:

Can you post a link to where MSC says you can't leave the ship unless on their excursion?  We sail April 9th, so interested in this topic!

Not sure about all islands, but I confirmed yesterday with a lovely woman from the Jamaica Tourist Board that for Jamaica, most cruise lines (she listed NCL, RCCL and MSC) have approved non-ship-sponsored excursions for VACCINATED guests. 

 

Unvaccinated guests at this time are not able to com ashore- but she "needs to confirm that information is up-to-date". She did say Jamaican citizens on cruise ships who are not vaccinated can visit any Jamaican port ("right-of-return") with a negative covid test within 72 hours of leaving the embarkation port. 

 

She noted that a negative covid test within 72 hours of visiting was required for all visitors and that unfortunately, for most of the ships' crews, they cannot come ashore unless for medical necessity. 

 

She said to "check back official tourism websites often", as regulations were constantly changing. 

 

Hope this is helpful - Amy

[BHBillH]

give it time if no varients pop up this will go back to some new normal without masks or testing 

for the vaxed

 

Edited March 12, 2022 by BHBillH

[Gatrcruzer]

5 hours ago, psmarkle said:

Can you post a link to where MSC says you can't leave the ship unless on their excursion?  We sail April 9th, so interested in this topic!

Hi psmarkle, my understanding is that there are some ports which only allow unvaccinated travelers to disembark if they are on a ship tour, and there might be some countries out there who, even with vaccination won't let you ashore unless you are on a tour. This is a rule from the country, not from MSC,  and the rules varies by country. If you are vaccinated, you should not have a problem going off the ship on your own if you are sailing in the Caribbean, but it might be different in other parts of the world.

[psmarkle]

I think this is the one time I book our family excursions thru the ship just to have peace of mind.

[cruzeluver]

It is simply not true that all cruises on all itineraries with MSC are requiring vaccinated guests to book excursions through the ship in order to go ashore. Those determinations are made by the individual  ports and can change frequently. There are plenty of reviews on here from cruisers touring independently.

[HappyInVan]

Their country, their rules. BTW Jamaica has only vax 22% of the population. You should check all other ports on the itinerary..

 

 

https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/region/jamaica

 

[BHBillH]

5 hours ago, cruzeluver said:

It is simply not true that all cruises on all itineraries with MSC are requiring vaccinated guests to book excursions through the ship in order to go ashore. Those determinations are made by the individual  ports and can change frequently. There are plenty of reviews on here from cruisers touring independently.

it says quote

"SHORE EXCURSIONS:
 

• If you wish to go ashore during your cruise, you will be required to participate in an MSC shore excursion to ensure the same high standards of health and safety ashore as on board. Select excursions will require an official COVID-19 certificate to access certain venues (i.e.. museums, churches, etc.) or to participate in an event. Please read all the details of the excursion, when making a reservation for a shore excursion.
• From April 2022, guests who are fully vaccinated may be allowed to ashore independently and will need to follow the requirements of going ashore according to the countries they will visit."

from MSC health and safety copy paste 3/13/2022

 

this is true for all Mediterranean cruises, I wish it wasn't 

 

 

Edited March 13, 2022 by BHBillH

[TheGuv316]

Im sailing on 2nd April in the Med looks like myself and my wife will be able to go shoreside freely (we are all boostered)  but not sure how they will treat our 3 year old, she is still too young for vax 

[defbref]

9 minutes ago, TheGuv316 said:

Im sailing on 2nd April in the Med looks like myself and my wife will be able to go shoreside freely (we are all boostered)  but not sure how they will treat our 3 year old, she is still too young for vax 

 

You got a source for that ? I am also sailing in the med from 2nd April and all I can see is that you MIGHT be able to go ashore freely, not seen a confirmation anywhere from MSC.

[Longimanus]

The MSC website originally stated that individual excursions in the Med would be possible starting Marchi 1st, but this was postponed to April 1st. I believe it has to do with the fact that Italy still prohibits individual excursions. 

 

It's a bit weird that MSC still requires ship-organised excursions for the whole Med-region (and only for the Med-region), while only Italy as a country prohibits individual excursions. Possibly just easier (and financially better) for them to do it this way. We also hope this changes starting in April since we're booked on Virtuosa from April 19th.

 

Covid state of emergency in Italy should end March 31st, so hoping that will also change some cruise ship rules. Also hoping on the removal of obligatory masks indoors. This is possible since a lot of countries in Europe no longer require them in other indoor spaces, only on public transport. But not counting on it for April, probably only by June i fear.

[TheGuv316]

well thats me f*cked im doing an Italian Cruise only one stop in spain 

[Longimanus]

16 minutes ago, TheGuv316 said:

well thats me f*cked im doing an Italian Cruise only one stop in spain 

I wouldn't sweat about the excursions in April, I hope (and believe) that will be ok. Only insecurity is that Italy seems to have shifted focus to the Ukraine-war and doesn't communicate about their Covid-exit strategies any more over the past week or so. Hope for the best, prepare for the worst I guess

 

Re the topic of your vaccination status. On MSC's Belgium & Netherlands website I can see that children under 2 don't have to vaccinated. Once you have an older unvaccinated child (+2 years) in your travel party, you will all be considered unvaccinated and will (probaly still) be required to take an MSC-excursion.

Edited March 14, 2022 by Longimanus

[mscdivina2016]

On 3/12/2022 at 7:29 PM, Gatrcruzer said:

Hi psmarkle, my understanding is that there are some ports which only allow unvaccinated travelers to disembark if they are on a ship tour, and there might be some countries out there who, even with vaccination won't let you ashore unless you are on a tour. This is a rule from the country, not from MSC,  and the rules varies by country. If you are vaccinated, you should not have a problem going off the ship on your own if you are sailing in the Caribbean, but it might be different in other parts of the world.

On Seaview right now.

Barbados tomorrow is a bubble stop. Ship excursion or taxi to approved places.

[Gatrcruzer]

22 hours ago, mscdivina2016 said:

On Seaview right now.

Barbados tomorrow is a bubble stop. Ship excursion or taxi to approved places.

I stand corrected: *most* ports in the Caribbean allow you to disembark without doing a ship's excursion. However, the main point is that the rules come from the country and port, and not so much MSC. How is your cruise going so far, mscdivina2016? Have they thrown you out of the Yacht Club yet for refusing your tracker and butler? Hope you are having a good trip. 

[mscdivina2016]

4 minutes ago, Gatrcruzer said:

 Have they thrown you out of the Yacht Club yet for refusing your tracker and butler? Hope you are having a good trip. 

Nope trackers on Seaview are actually only for opening the door. I do have a 500lb strength fishing magnet with me in case I needed to kill tje tracker.

 Since $1800 issue is fixed I am off that soap box issue about the butler. I have posted I have only seen him twice. He has never spoken to us for more that a few seconds on those two occasions.

Cruise is ok, was not aware it was a French cruise.

[deniseatnycs]

On 3/14/2022 at 2:28 PM, Longimanus said:

The MSC website originally stated that individual excursions in the Med would be possible starting Marchi 1st, but this was postponed to April 1st. I believe it has to do with the fact that Italy still prohibits individual excursions. 

 

It's a bit weird that MSC still requires ship-organised excursions for the whole Med-region (and only for the Med-region), while only Italy as a country prohibits individual excursions. Possibly just easier (and financially better) for them to do it this way. We also hope this changes starting in April since we're booked on Virtuosa from April 19th.

 

Covid state of emergency in Italy should end March 31st, so hoping that will also change some cruise ship rules. Also hoping on the removal of obligatory masks indoors. This is possible since a lot of countries in Europe no longer require them in other indoor spaces, only on public transport. But not counting on it for April, probably only by June i fear.

We are on the Fastasia 1st week of April 2022.  Email arrived today from MSC stating cruise excursions only.   This is also to include the whole of Spain (we are Spanish Residents).   For us its not a problem as we booked in December under these conditions but for others it could be a deal breaker.  The U.K website says possibly April but not April 1st for independent excursions but its not looking to be the case unless its late in the month.