How will Bermuda be handled on the 10/31 Reflection TA?

[Charles4515]

13 minutes ago, Turtles06 said:

Celebrity’s choices are obvious, that’s not the issue.  Some folks are certainly concerned about possibly testing positive in the middle of a TA and having to go into isolation for the rest of the cruise, just because of a port call to Bermuda (and especially the ones that are pretty short).

If they have that concern they should cancel. I don't see anyway of knowing now. Celebrity changed the port order of  several Bermuda itineraries on short notice to avoid testing onboard. That indicates they don't want to test onboard. They have a habit though of waiting to the last minute. If I were in charge of Celebrity since the cruises are TA cruises not Bermuda cruises I would skip that short port stop but I am not in charge. 

Edited June 26, 2022 by Charles4515

[Jim_Iain]

 

Full requirements  from Bermuda Government Site -

https://www.gov.bm/cruise-travel-authorisation

 

Edited June 26, 2022 by Jim_Iain

[Cruising is my passion]

Lots of discussion to be had, for sure. Our FP is due in July and I am sure we will not have an answer by then. I do not believe Celebrity wants to have 2800+ guests tested at Celebrity's expense with a strong possibility of guests testing positive and needing to isolate that they did not expect. Thank you all, however, for supporting what I had interpreted.

[gold1953]

2 hours ago, Charles4515 said:

There really should not be a concern. If the rule does not change either Celebrity will do testing onboard or Celebrity will skip Bermuda. 

yes it is a concern , Celebrity will do it onboard for $55 US a person and then need cabins to isolate a lot of people. Now we are up to $95 US a person which adds up especially since many of us are Canadian. I would rather they take us to another port. I am on one of these crossings

 

[Turtles06]

4 minutes ago, gold1953 said:

yes it is a concern , Celebrity will do it onboard for $55 US a person and then need cabins to isolate a lot of people.

I hope the following is a help. According to Celebrity’s web site, only guests who are not “Up to Date” in terms of vaxxed status would be charged for mid-cruise testing.  
 

Mid-Cruise/Port of Call

Testing varies depending on vaccination status of guest and itinerary. Unvaccinated and/or Vaccinated guests who are not Up to Date* will need to cover any cost for mid-cruise or port-required testing. These tests cost $55 per test, per person.

 

*European definition of Up to Date: vaccinated within 9 months (270 days) of final dose in primary series OR at least 1 booster shot. The 270 days must extend to the final day of the cruise. The last primary dose must have been administered at least 14 days prior to embarkation.

 

https://www.celebritycruises.com/healthy-at-sea/southampton-travel-requirements

 

 

[canderson]

1 hour ago, Cruising is my passion said:

Lots of discussion to be had, for sure. Our FP is due in July and I am sure we will not have an answer by then.

3 August, actually.

I'm sure that X knows that this cruise will be an "edge case".  They've been getting around it on other itineraries by scheduling Bermuda early.  Easy enough when Bermuda only appears on itineraries starting in Florida.  Westbound TAs are a new can of worms for both X and Bermuda.

[gold1953]

9 hours ago, Turtles06 said:

I hope the following is a help. According to Celebrity’s web site, only guests who are not “Up to Date” in terms of vaxxed status would be charged for mid-cruise testing.  
 

Mid-Cruise/Port of Call

Testing varies depending on vaccination status of guest and itinerary. Unvaccinated and/or Vaccinated guests who are not Up to Date* will need to cover any cost for mid-cruise or port-required testing. These tests cost $55 per test, per person.

 

*European definition of Up to Date: vaccinated within 9 months (270 days) of final dose in primary series OR at least 1 booster shot. The 270 days must extend to the final day of the cruise. The last primary dose must have been administered at least 14 days prior to embarkation.

 

https://www.celebritycruises.com/healthy-at-sea/southampton-travel-requirements

 

 

Thanks . Not sure how I missed this info. I am usually up to date on facts. I am sure that Celebrity's actual 'cost' in minimal for testing . Now the waiting game!

[Rustyman]

We’re on the Sihouette TA in October and are pretty unhappy about the Bermuda position. The $40/person os clearly a cash cow for their government and this coupled with the need for a test 2 days prior to arrival should be enough for Celebrity to pull the plug on this stop. If the stop goes ahead I’ll be pretty miffed about paying $80 for the right to stay aboard the ship in port.

As others have said, a number of +ve tests, should this be a requirement, will be so detrimental to Celebrity, that to proceed would be at the least financial shortsightedness.

I know we are still a few months away but am hoping this stop is cancelled or replaced unless Bermuda become welcoming rather than unaccommodating.

[Turtles06]

2 hours ago, gold1953 said:

Thanks . Not sure how I missed this info. I am usually up to date on facts. I am sure that Celebrity's actual 'cost' in minimal for testing . Now the waiting game!

 

Glad it was helpful.  I wasn't sure what the situation is with boosters in Canada.

[gold1953]

32 minutes ago, Turtles06 said:

 

Glad it was helpful.  I wasn't sure what the situation is with boosters in Canada.

In Canada boosters are available to all but in Nova Scotia you must be 70 to get a 2nd booster. Over all vaccination rates are much higher in Canada than in the US. 

 

I would still rather have another port in Europe and maybe a beach day ..Labadee>> and skip Bermuda

Edited June 27, 2022 by gold1953

[sgmn]

15 hours ago, FlorenceItaly said:

I read where Bermuda has the excess funds in their budget through 2023.  The $40 is not going away.

Wonder why they don't just add it into their port fees . What does their form ask for that Celebrity's own form doesn't?

 

Would think cruise lines will start dropping Bermuda from their cruises if this continues 

Edited June 27, 2022 by sgmn

[Charles4515]

2 minutes ago, sgmn said:

Wonder why they don't just add it into their port fees . What does their form ask for that the Celebrity's own form doesn't?

The TA and $40 fee is required of everyone coming to Bermuda by any means not just on cruise ships. That includes returning residents. 

[Turtles06]

Just fwiw, the fee for the Bermuda Travel Authorization was $75 until not that long ago. It’s what everyone paid who traveled to Bermuda last fall, for example, when cruises to Bermuda resumed.  Also, a negative PCR test was required within four days of embarkation (no option then for an antigen test), so all told it was pretty pricey. 
 

We were on an NCL cruise to Bermuda in October, scheduled to be in port for three days. However, extremely high winds and wind gusts made it impossible to dock for the first two days. We wound up with just that third (abbreviated) day. So it was a lot of hassle and expense to have gotten the Bermuda TA for just that day.  Fortunately, the cruise was still great fun (it was our first since the restart), and NCL gave everyone OBC and FCCs because of the lost port days. They weren’t obligated to, and it was a terrific gesture of goodwill. 

[banjineer]

pushing this back to the top and hoping for an answer from Celebrity with final payment coming up in a couple of weeks.    Bermuda is still requiring a 2nd negative covid test if embarkation day to Bermuda is 4 days or longer (it's 10 days on the 10/31 TA).    As others have mentioned above, it seems unlikely that Celebrity would want to retest all the passengers after 10 days on the ship.   There are several transatlantic cruises in October and wondering how this will be handled.  Maybe Bermuda will change it's rules if and when it looks like the cruise lines take the passengers to other ports?

[Denny01]

I agree that Celebrity may very well change the TA itineraries, but I just hope it isn’t the obvious Nassau addition for those going to FLL. One reason i picked the Edge TA was Bermuda. So will just wait it out.

 

I find it a bit curious that some are concerned with being tested 2 days prior to Bermuda because they might test positive and be isolated. This infers they aren’t concerned with having COVID and spreading/infecting others, but of being ‘caught’ and isolated. Interesting. And I realize this will open up the whole “I’ll not tell them if I’m sick because how terrible they would treat us” posts. Better to infect others than hazard the chance of being isolated. 

 

den 

Edited July 17, 2022 by Denny01

[Arizona Wildcat]

How is Celebrity supposed to know what the requirements will be for Bermuda in in a couple months?  They don't know if Bermuda will change its requirements for next week!

If one is uncomfortable with the requirement for this fall change to a different cruise - many TAs do not stop in Bermuda - or cancel.

As to the $40 charge from Bermuda, it applies to a travel authority and as such those traveling must complete and pay just like a visa.  Wish it was not there but it is.  $40 is insignificant compared to the total cost of a cruise.

Agree with Denny the don't tell attitude is a bit unfortunate.

Edited July 17, 2022 by Arizona Wildcat

[canderson]

33 minutes ago, banjineer said:

pushing this back to the top and hoping for an answer from Celebrity with final payment coming up in a couple of weeks.    Bermuda is still requiring a 2nd negative covid test if embarkation day to Bermuda is 4 days or longer (it's 10 days on the 10/31 TA).    As others have mentioned above, it seems unlikely that Celebrity would want to retest all the passengers after 10 days on the ship.   There are several transatlantic cruises in October and wondering how this will be handled.  Maybe Bermuda will change it's rules if and when it looks like the cruise lines take the passengers to other ports?

I think a lot of people are misreading the Bermuda site information.

https://www.gov.bm/cruise-travel-authorisation

Note specifically that X cruises are in the "Fully Vaccinated" classification, and that we will be boarding more than 4 days ahead of arrival in Bermuda.

 

Standard NAAT testing in Barcelona up to 4 days ahead of boarding is all that is necessary, not testing 4 days prior to arrival in Bermuda.

 

 

 

 

[verizon]

On 6/26/2022 at 9:47 AM, Turtles06 said:

It’s still June. The TAs are months away. Much can change between now and then. What would you have Celebrity do now, based on pure speculation?   
 

 

Thats funny thinking.

Would you not to pick up the $40.00 bills that is laying on the floor if you see it?

 

Edited July 17, 2022 by verizon

[Charles4515]

57 minutes ago, canderson said:

I think a lot of people are misreading the Bermuda site information.

https://www.gov.bm/cruise-travel-authorisation

Note specifically that X cruises are in the "Fully Vaccinated" classification, and that we will be boarding more than 4 days ahead of arrival in Bermuda.

 

Standard NAAT testing in Barcelona up to 4 days ahead of boarding is all that is necessary, not testing 4 days prior to arrival in Bermuda.

 

 

You missed this on the website........

 

Cruise voyages that take more than 4 days to get to Bermuda from the embarkation port:

All passengers regardless of vaccination status must undergo a further supervised antigen or COVID-19 NAAT on-board, by the ships medical team, no more than 2 days before passengers are to come ashore in Bermuda. 

Edited July 17, 2022 by Charles4515

[Charles4515]

1 hour ago, banjineer said:

pushing this back to the top and hoping for an answer from Celebrity with final payment coming up in a couple of weeks.    Bermuda is still requiring a 2nd negative covid test if embarkation day to Bermuda is 4 days or longer (it's 10 days on the 10/31 TA).    As others have mentioned above, it seems unlikely that Celebrity would want to retest all the passengers after 10 days on the ship.   There are several transatlantic cruises in October and wondering how this will be handled.  Maybe Bermuda will change it's rules if and when it looks like the cruise lines take the passengers to other ports?

 

I don't think it is in Celebrity's DNA to give an answer. 

 

Sure Celebrity does not want to do a test onboard but that does not mean they won't do it or will skip Bermuda. As for Bermuda changing the rules they have done so fairly often, just last week again but they did not change that one. Since they don't take applications until 30 days out there is plenty of time for more changes before the sailing. 

[canderson]

14 minutes ago, Charles4515 said:

 

You missed this on the website........

 

Cruise voyages that take more than 4 days to get to Bermuda from the embarkation port:

All passengers regardless of vaccination status must undergo a further supervised antigen or COVID-19 NAAT on-board, by the ships medical team, no more than 2 days before passengers are to come ashore in Bermuda. 

 

Hmm... looks like there may be some conflicting info on the page.  My initial reading of the chart says that it is only necessary to test 2 days before arrival in Bermuda under Option 2, in which case yes, it is necessary to test within 2 days before arrival.

 

Option 1:

 

Travel Authorisation required. Application fee $40.

COVID-19 NAAT test up to 4 days before embarkation

 

OR

 

Option 2:

Supervised antigen up to 2 days before embarkation

AND

COVID-19 NAAT or supervised antigen test up to 2 days before disembarking in Bermuda

 

Confusing!

 

Edited July 17, 2022 by canderson

[canderson]

Guess what I should say is that if the text later on is true, Option 1 isn't even an option, and only Option 2 is possible.

[canderson]

Ah, wait.  I may have a logic failure here with parsing their AND and OR statements (somebody needs to teach them to use braces in their equations!)

 

Could it be

 

 

(

Option 1:

Travel Authorisation required. Application fee $40.

COVID-19 NAAT test up to 4 days before embarkation

 OR

Option 2:

Supervised antigen up to 2 days before embarkation

)

 

AND

COVID-19 NAAT or supervised antigen test up to 2 days before disembarking in Bermuda

 

That would at least make sense based upon the text that follows later.

 

[Redtravel]

In June, we were on Summit. Itinerary was changed to make Bermuda our first port.  It was a hassle getting everything done. Fortunately, we didn’t have to send our negative Covid test results to Bermuda before we could be sent the  travel authorization. We had to present negative test results at embarkation. Everyone assumes that the change was to avoid testing on the ship. That’s only one part of the problem.  If they test on the ship and somebody tests positive, Bermuda can stop the ship from docking. Cruise doesn’t want to chance that happening.  I have respect for Bermuda insisting travelers are not infected.  It protects everyone.

Edited July 17, 2022 by Redtravel
Additional important

[canderson]

49 minutes ago, Redtravel said:

I have respect for Bermuda insisting travelers are not infected.  It protects everyone.

Should all countries revert to this protocol, do you think?