Important vaccine requirements for ALL European cruise ports if arriving from eg. USA

[KeithJenner]

Timone, you may want to blank out some of the info on that last post. I can immediately think of a specific risk, but it does give some info regarding your doctors that is probably best kept to yourself.

Edited April 4, 2022 by KeithJenner

[BklynBorn47]

1 hour ago, reeinaz said:

The Reddit poster deleted their post.

I saw that.  She was getting a lot of comments pointing out her inaccuracies, that the situation was actually her own fault and wondering why in this climate she didn't have travel insurance.

After all, thousands were able to board the ship without any problem.  

[BermudaBound2014]

2 minutes ago, BklynBorn47 said:

 

After all, thousands were able to board the ship without any problem.  

 

Thousands? Are you sure? 

[BklynBorn47]

Just now, BermudaBound2014 said:

 

Thousands? Are you sure? 

Just repeating one of the Reddit comments, but given the size of the ship, if only 70-100 were impacted (OP's numbers in original deleted post), yeah thousands.  Oops, I guess some of them could have been onboard already (B2B people)

 

[BermudaBound2014]

1 minute ago, BklynBorn47 said:

Just repeating one of the Reddit comments, but given the size of the ship, if only 70-100 were impacted (OP's numbers in original deleted post), yeah thousands.  Oops, I guess some of them could have been onboard already (B2B people)

 

 

Interesting. That surprises me, but I suppose it is possible. Perhaps someone who made the Star sailing can confirm the number of passengers onboard.

[BklynBorn47]

27 minutes ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

 

Interesting. That surprises me, but I suppose it is possible. Perhaps someone who made the Star sailing can confirm the number of passengers onboard.

Beyond the numbers I'm interested in what separated those allowed to board from those who weren't.  It must have been the lack of a booster if more than 270 days from 2nd shot.

I'm following this since we are booked on the Star out of Barcelona on May 13th, assuming we get to sail to Europe on the Escape on April 25th.  That's a whole other thread.

We're thinking about contingency plans B, C, D...

[BermudaBound2014]

5 minutes ago, BklynBorn47 said:

 

I'm following this since we are booked on the Star out of Barcelona on May 13th, assuming we get to sail to Europe on the Escape on April 25th….

We're thinking about contingency plans B, C, D...

Oh boy..::having plans B, C, D (and perhaps e) is smart. Best to you!

[KeithJenner]

13 minutes ago, BklynBorn47 said:

Beyond the numbers I'm interested in what separated those allowed to board from those who weren't.  It must have been the lack of a booster if more than 270 days from 2nd shot.

I'm following this since we are booked on the Star out of Barcelona on May 13th, assuming we get to sail to Europe on the Escape on April 25th.  That's a whole other thread.

We're thinking about contingency plans B, C, D...

Yes, it was the lack of a booster. If you have had a booster, however long ago, then you are fine.

 

That may change at some point, but in your timescales it is extremely unlikely that you would have any problem with your vaccinations if you have had a booster.

 

if you haven’t had a booster then yes, get plans b-z sorted.

[KeithJenner]

48 minutes ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

 

Interesting. That surprises me, but I suppose it is possible. Perhaps someone who made the Star sailing can confirm the number of passengers onboard.

Given the size of the Star and occupancy rates as I understand them at the moment, I suspect there are less than 1,000 passengers onboard. There probably wouldn’t have been 1,000 if everyone got onboard.

[BklynBorn47]

1 minute ago, KeithJenner said:

Yes, it was the lack of a booster. If you have had a booster, however long ago, then you are fine.

 

That may change at some point, but in your timescales it is extremely unlikely that you would have any problem with your vaccinations if you have had a booster.

 

if you haven’t had a booster then yes, get plans b-z sorted.

We got our booster in November before our December cruise which will be good for April and we will get a 2nd one in July before back to Europe Sept-Oct.  

Now we're just watching how the Escape is doing.  We could always just fly to Barcelona to get the Star on May 13th, but we were really looking forward to a TA.  Thus, plan B. C, D

 

 

 

[CptBoatface]

Not sure this hobby will be worth a third shot

[GeezerCouple]

6 hours ago, BklynBorn47 said:

I think the issue as NCL has always stated is that it is the passenger's responsibility to keep up with changes in the ports/countries they will be visiting.  The booster requirement has been in the news for some time now.  

 

The responses to the thread she posted cover a lot of this. 
There is also a thread here on CC about the situation.

All that said, it is a sad situation for those affected.  As for how much help NCL can or cannot be and costs involved, that's why we need insurance.  You just never know.  

 

I wonder about whether/when travel insurance would help with this.

(To put my comment in perspective, we *always* get strong travel insurance policies and we've had quite a few claims including some large ones, so we aren't at all "anti-insurance!)

 

But I'm not sure that (some/all?) travel insurance will cover expenses that are due to the traveler not doing things properly/not following directions/etc.  That is, if it was under the control of the traveler, then what circumstances would be covered IF the traveler could have avoided the loss because the requirements were known for some time?

 

I wouldn't want to need to try to make an insurance claim based upon something like, "I didn't read/see the current vaccination requirements, so we were denied boarding".  But maybe given how much in flux everything is these days, that would be covered?  (Obviously, if the requirements had *just* changed, that would be covered, if one didn't have time to comply with the new rules?)

But with all of the different cruise line- and country-specific requirements, it's more than a little tricky these days.

 

GC

 

 

[bdl729]

7 hours ago, TheGinBoy said:

As I had it explained to me on the phone by NCL:

 

You need to get your own rapid-antigen/LFT or PCR test with certificate done within 72 hours of sailing, before you arrive to the port. But then they'll test you again at the port at no cost to you. Both tests are needed to proceed. 

 

It seems very complicated and over the top. 

I thought if you were unable to test before you could have it done at the embarkation port.

[KeithJenner]

5 hours ago, bdl729 said:

I thought if you were unable to test before you could have it done at the embarkation port.

That is correct, and they will charge you for that test. I have a feeling it’s about $99 each for the tests at the port.

[mpschaff]

Anyone know if children under age 12 will be exempt from having to test? Our almost 10 year old is not yet eligible for a booster, but is considered fully vaccinated at this time. 

[KeithJenner]

51 minutes ago, mpschaff said:

Anyone know if children under age 12 will be exempt from having to test? Our almost 10 year old is not yet eligible for a booster, but is considered fully vaccinated at this time. 

Nobody is exempt from having to test.

 

If an under 12 is vaccinated then they are treated the same as adults, which means they still need the test within 2 or 3 days of boarding.

Edited April 5, 2022 by KeithJenner

[KeithJenner]

13 hours ago, susiesan said:

No, I am referring to the new EU rule to be covid tested 24 hours before boarding a ship in Europe. NCL's pre cruise covid test policy is now different than the current regs. I want to be prepared in case NCL is not doing pier side tests. I know they just did them in Barcelona because the new regulation just went into effect and caught everyone by surprise. How far into the future will they be doing the pier side tests/ If this is to be the case then we don't need to get a test 72 hours before boarding in Europe.

Where are you getting this information about testing people 24 hours before boarding?

[KeithJenner]

15 hours ago, TheGinBoy said:

As I had it explained to me on the phone by NCL:

 

You need to get your own rapid-antigen/LFT or PCR test with certificate done within 72 hours of sailing, before you arrive to the port. But then they'll test you again at the port at no cost to you. Both tests are needed to proceed. 

 

It seems very complicated and over the top. 

My initial reaction, as I stated earlier, was that you were given incorrect information.

 

However having seen susiesan’s posts about the requirement for 24 hour testing, maybe something has changed. Hopefully they can confirm where they got the information from, as I’ve not seen anything anywhere else about this.

 

We are sailing from Athens, I think at the same time as you are onboard, and all the info I have from NCL, and on their website, is still saying that we need to test 3 days out, nothing else.

[steamboats]

Just to clarify:

 

You don´t have to worry when you got your booster 300 days after your second shot or any time after the 270 days. That´s fine! You only have a problem when you don´t have a booster at all and your second shot is older than 270 days.

 

steamboats

[KeithJenner]

7 minutes ago, ChC said:

 

That is my reading as well. Can't find any reference on MSC nor NCL site regarding 24 hours testing. 

 

I will be heading to Athens on 24th April. Hopefully I will get a definitive answer before then.

I’m planning on posting from the Jade on the 17th April cruise, so hopefully you will be able to read about our experience.

[TrumpyNor]

30 minutes ago, ChC said:

 

I believe what you said is correct. That is my reading as well. The policy wording was very clear,  only had primary shots -- within 270 days. With booster, no requirement on 270 days rule. But some lines or countries may require it must be 14 days before travel.

As this is the case for the regular covid vaccines in EU - that they are valid after 14 days, it is very likely that the same requirement goes for the booster dose as well in many of the EU countries. So my advice to anyone who are planning to cruise in European waters and who hasn't taken their booster dose yet (and if getting close to or already passed the 270 days mark of original vaccine) - to make certain to take their boosterdose at least 14 days before travel....

Edited April 5, 2022 by TrumpyNor

[TheGinBoy]

2 hours ago, KeithJenner said:

My initial reaction, as I stated earlier, was that you were given incorrect information.

 

However having seen susiesan’s posts about the requirement for 24 hour testing, maybe something has changed. Hopefully they can confirm where they got the information from, as I’ve not seen anything anywhere else about this.

 

We are sailing from Athens, I think at the same time as you are onboard, and all the info I have from NCL, and on their website, is still saying that we need to test 3 days out, nothing else.

 

As you say, the NCL website says testing 3 days out for non-US ports is still required.

 

But when you check in for your cruise, you are *required* to go to the EuroFins (their shoreside testing provider) and register with them, with all your travel and flight details and agree to testing by NCL before boarding. 

 

They're doing two tests. I don't know why. But they are.

[KeithJenner]

13 minutes ago, TheGinBoy said:

 

As you say, the NCL website says testing 3 days out for non-US ports is still required.

 

But when you check in for your cruise, you are *required* to go to the EuroFins (their shoreside testing provider) and register with them, with all your travel and flight details and agree to testing by NCL before boarding. 

 

They're doing two tests. I don't know why. But they are.

If this is all based on the Eurofins thing then that is a red herring.

 

Up until the start of March you had to do a test at the port. As part of the check in process you had to register for a test.

 

The requirement to take the test at port disappeared about a month ago, but NCL haven’t updated the check in process. You don’t actually need to register, and for the last month people have been ignoring that step at check in and just arriving at the port with their self test result. There has been no problem with this and nothing has changed from the situation as it has been for the past few weeks when people haven’t been tested at the port.

 

There may be a requirement to test at the port, but that check in element doesn’t tell us anything.

Edited April 5, 2022 by KeithJenner

[TheGinBoy]

3 minutes ago, KeithJenner said:

If this is all based on the Eurofins thing then that is a red herring.

 

I hope that's the case, I really do!

 

But I've spoken to several NCL call centre staff who've said they are doing testing at the pier, and you can't continue check-in until you've signed up and picked a date & time for testing.

[KeithJenner]

5 minutes ago, TheGinBoy said:

 

I hope that's the case, I really do!

 

But I've spoken to several NCL call centre staff who've said they are doing testing at the pier, and you can't continue check-in until you've signed up and picked a date & time for testing.

Well I am fully checked in and don’t have any registration with Eurofins.

 

Having said that, I am sailing from Greece, where things don’t seem as strict. It could be that they are doing it differently in Barcelona to Athens, or it could be that they have changed the rules in the last couple of days, but my point is that the Eurofins thing on the check in isn’t an indication of a very recent change because it has been there for weeks.