Vaccine required to get off ship in Grand Turk???

[missholly24]

Hello!!

Does anyone have first hand knowledge of disembarking without the vaccine???

The actual Turks and Caicos government website says "Anyone over 18 must be fully vaccinated to visit"

Holland told me directly you do not need it "according to their records" and also a travel agent emailed 

me "The vaccine requirement was dropped". So confusing. Thank you!

[Melly4Tea]

Following... I wondered the same thing, missholly! Conflicting information out there.

[missholly24]

On 10/12/2022 at 2:46 PM, Melly4Tea said:

Following... I wondered the same thing, missholly! Conflicting information out there.

Yes so weird. Spoke with Holland TODAY and they said if you have a negative test you can disembark (which is weird because you don’t need that even for the cruise. Lol). I emailed Turks and Caicos tourism HQ and they said false you must be fully vaccinated. 

[crewsweeper]

Since there have been at least 3 Carnival ships in Grand Turk over the past couple of days,  maybe we'll see some reviews that will let us know how things went.

[PACD_JG]

I've been checking the Turks and Caicos website since I have a Thanksgiving cruise.  Would like to know one way or the other to see if I want to invite unvaxxed family (it wouldn't be worth booking the cruise if they couldn't disembark in port).

 

https://www.gov.tc/moh/coronavirus/travel

[crewsweeper]

2 passengers on the Mardi Gras last week said they did NOT have to show any evidence of a vaccination or negative test to get off the ship in Grand Turk.  That information could have been passed to customs/port officials via the ship's manifest list based on check in.  But no one was stopping unvaxed passengers on the pier. 

[crewsweeper]

17 hours ago, crewsweeper said:

2 passengers on the Mardi Gras last week said they did NOT have to show any evidence of a vaccination or negative test to get off the ship in Grand Turk.  That information could have been passed to customs/port officials via the ship's manifest list based on check in.  But no one was stopping unvaxed passengers on the pier. 

Sorry, I may be in error here.   Being told that unvaxed passengers weren't allowed off the ship and Carnival had their names or gave them to GT port. Not sure how that worked out though.

 

Best to get vaccinated if you want to debark in GT.

[PRINCESS Sweet Pea]

I pulled up a Princess cruise and the notice at the top, which should show any restrictions, said ALL are welcome on this sailing.  Princess has no requirements or protocols in place.  So,  who is checking?  Very confusing.

[crewsweeper]

16 hours ago, PRINCESS Sweet Pea said:

I pulled up a Princess cruise and the notice at the top, which should show any restrictions, said ALL are welcome on this sailing.  Princess has no requirements or protocols in place.  So,  who is checking?  Very confusing.

Not familiar with Princess' requirements.   When boarding, do they ask for vaccine status or testing if not vaccinated?  If so, then the ship has the information and they will share that with GT officials.

[Junonia]

On 10/18/2022 at 8:46 AM, crewsweeper said:

 

 

Best to get vaccinated if you want to debark in GT.

No offense, but a day in a port would be a very poor reason for someone to get jabbed if they have held off this long. 

[crewsweeper]

11 hours ago, Junonia said:

No offense, but a day in a port would be a very poor reason for someone to get jabbed if they have held off this long. 

None taken.  Vaccines are personal decisions and may not be needed by everyone. Especially younger children.   It's just that there are still hoops to go through to cruise unvaccinated.  Willing to go that route?  More power to you.

[ActuallyOrange]

Following. Anyone have any updates on this?

[crewsweeper]

15 hours ago, ActuallyOrange said:

Following. Anyone have any updates on this?

See post #6.

 

Vaccinated ok.  Non Vaccinated Not allowed off ship, if a Carnival ship.

[ActuallyOrange]

I spoke with my travel agent today, and she said that it depends on the cruise line/contracts in place. For some cruise lines, all passengers are allowed to disembark whereas others are still requiring vaccination. So check with your cruise line to be sure.

[missholly24]

On 10/25/2022 at 2:54 PM, ActuallyOrange said:

I spoke with my travel agent today, and she said that it depends on the cruise line/contracts in place. For some cruise lines, all passengers are allowed to disembark whereas others are still requiring vaccination. So check with your cruise line to be sure.

I'm not looking for travel agent statements. They are incorrect here I believe. The actual government of the island replied to me in an online chat that  "NO ONE is allowed on the island that is unvaccinated". I'm curious as to why some agents and cruiselines (Holland) are straight up lying. Its weird. I am looking for FIRST HAND knowledge of anyone getting off the ship unvaccinated in GT. 

Edited November 1, 2022 by missholly24

[kctwinmommy]

On 11/1/2022 at 8:06 AM, missholly24 said:

I'm not looking for travel agent statements. They are incorrect here I believe. The actual government of the island replied to me in an online chat that  "NO ONE is allowed on the island that is unvaccinated". I'm curious as to why some agents and cruiselines (Holland) are straight up lying. Its weird. I am looking for FIRST HAND knowledge of anyone getting off the ship unvaccinated in GT. 

We just went to GT last Wednesday. In the morning announcements, they told people to have their cards (or pics of it I think they said too, which is what we had). We walked off the ship with Carnival scanning or S&S cards. That was it... Nobody asked to see the cards/pics, nobody checked it, nothing.

 

Now, the weird part, when we were getting back on board, they scanned the S&S cards of 2 women in front of us. Both of them it flagged and they were asked to show proof of vaccine. They both made a bit of a stink about it too. I mean, I get it, it was weird to ask coming BACK on board, there would be no point. But either way, who cares.

 

So yes, I would still have the proof of it, as you never know what ONE person might ask for. But no, not a single person we saw or knew of was asked to show it when we got off the ship.

[crewsweeper]

Heard a similar story last week.  Hubbie was vaxed but wife wasn't and it was flagged in S&S card.  She wasn't allowed off.   But appears these rules and requirements are in flux so best to have vax card or don't plan on getting off the ship if unvaxed.

[tallyho8]

Two of my friends who were docked at Grand Turk Tuesday on HAL just called me and said they saw no one, anywhere, checking vac cards. Everyone just got off and on the ship the normal way. 

[Banana15]

On 11/17/2022 at 7:23 PM, tallyho8 said:

Two of my friends who were docked at Grand Turk Tuesday on HAL just called me and said they saw no one, anywhere, checking vac cards. Everyone just got off and on the ship the normal way. 

From what I am gathering, the health questions you answer before boarding ask if you have been vaccinated. If you haven’t, it would trigger a warning as you’re getting off the ship using your sea pass. So they’re not actually asking for the proof of vaccine, but if you answered that question honestly, you’d be stopped getting off the ship. That’s how I’m interpreting it, anyway. 

[ericrz]

We were in Grand Turk last week on the Mardi Gras.  Carried our vax cards per instructions from Carnival, but no one ever asked for them (we did not leave the cruise terminal / Margaritaville area).

 

As others have said, I think vaccination status is coded onto the S&S cards, and the idea is they stop unvaxed guests at the gangway.  Maybe even with notification beforehand, per this anecdote from TxTeach79's outstanding live report from last week:

 

For what it’s worth, I just got out of the Tides pool after chatting with a nice couple from Florida, and they said they got a letter in their cabin yesterday reminding them they couldn’t get off in GT today because of their vaccination status. Nothing was checked by any GT official period (even coming back through to the pier), so it makes me assume that it’s coded on your sail & sign card. 

 

Edited November 27, 2022 by ericrz

[ericrz]

On 10/19/2022 at 3:58 PM, PRINCESS Sweet Pea said:

I pulled up a Princess cruise and the notice at the top, which should show any restrictions, said ALL are welcome on this sailing.  Princess has no requirements or protocols in place.  So,  who is checking?  Very confusing.

 

But, "welcome on this sailing" does not automatically mean "allowed in every port."  Some countries (Turks and Caicos seemingly being one) still require vaccination for 18+ visitors.

[Derbie]

On 10/11/2022 at 11:08 AM, missholly24 said:

Hello!!

Does anyone have first hand knowledge of disembarking without the vaccine???

The actual Turks and Caicos government website says "Anyone over 18 must be fully vaccinated to visit"

Holland told me directly you do not need it "according to their records" and also a travel agent emailed 

me "The vaccine requirement was dropped". So confusing. Thank you!

I just got off the HAL Statendam yesterday.  I can tell you that I was not allowed off the ship. I received a letter in the room that stated I was not allowed to leave the ship, since I was not vaccinated.  I stayed onboard, and my husband went over alone. I had been there before, so it was not a disappointment for me.  Just wanted to share the information.

[ActuallyOrange]

It seems that the best approach is to be flexible for that port day. If able to disembark, great. If not, have a lovely day onboard a less crowded ship! 🙂

[missholly24]

16 hours ago, Derbie said:

I just got off the HAL Statendam yesterday.  I can tell you that I was not allowed off the ship. I received a letter in the room that stated I was not allowed to leave the ship, since I was not vaccinated.  I stayed onboard, and my husband went over alone. I had been there before, so it was not a disappointment for me.  Just wanted to share the information.

Thank you so much for the info! I will just avoid this itinerary. Bummer because HMC is my favorite place on earth and they are somewhat connected. 

[Derbie]

8 hours ago, missholly24 said:

Thank you so much for the info! I will just avoid this itinerary. Bummer because HMC is my favorite place on earth and they are somewhat connected. 

It is disheartening when a favorite place cannot be entered. I hate sharing this information, but I thought it was important.  Maybe, we will see this lifted soon.