Japan to reopen to cruise ships!

[Hlitner]

This report speaks for itself.

 

 

[Hlitner]

And here is a more detailed report:

 

Japan to accept int'l cruises after 2-yr ban due to pandemic (kyodonews.net)

 

Hank

[BruceMuzz]

This is a nice surprise !

Announced on Japanese television last night.

Still no solid details on exactly when this will start, but nearly certain it will be in place by February / March, when the cruise season begins again.

[tango223]

I have the hotel information for the fast track...but it asks for postal code, prefecture,

I have the following information

Tokyo Hilton

6-6-2 Nishi-Shinjuku  

Shinjuku-ku 13 160-0023 JP

Is the 160-0023 the postal code?  Prefecture is TOKYO TO?  Any help is much appreciated.

[BruceMuzz]

You almost have it correct.

Tokyo To  (東京都) is Tokyo City

Prefecture is Tokyo (東京）

160-0023 is indeed the postal code.

You will find that when you insert the postal code, most of the other required information populates automatically.

On some websites, the hyphen in the postal code is not needed.

 

Edited November 19, 2022 by BruceMuzz

[Bobbiegentry]

16 hours ago, tango223 said:

I have the hotel information for the fast track...

Please forgive my ignorance. 

What is “the fast track”?

[tango223]

5 hours ago, Bobbiegentry said:

Please forgive my ignorance. 

What is “the fast track”?

Since Nov 1st Japan has started a program to allow visitors to pre-register passport and COVID vaccination data in advance of arrival to get through quarantine, customs and immigration faster.

 

To Anyone Entering/Returning to Japan (mhlw.go.jp)

 

[Bobbiegentry]

Excellent!! 
Many thanks. 

[BruceMuzz]

Today’s Yomiuri Shimbun had a follow-up article about the resumption of foreign cruise ship visits to Japan.

Nippon Maru will be the first cruise ship to depart Japan on an international cruise, on 15 December, 2022

Thus far there are a few scheduled cruise ship visits to Japan in February 2023 and many more in March.

 

The precautions and regulations are still a bit unclear.

Passengers are required to have a minimum 2 COVID Vaccines; Crew are required to have a minimum of 3 COVID Vaccines.

No word yet on any testing required.

Each ship will be required to have a number of cabins empty for isolation of positive cases.

Positive cases MUST be quarantined onboard the ship.

No word yet on positive cases staying in Japan - or leaving Japan.

Each Japanese Port is developing it’s own set of rules about foreign visitors coming from Cruise Ships.

Japan will require any ship with 10% or more infected to leave Japan immediately.

[bennybear]

On 11/24/2022 at 5:42 PM, BruceMuzz said:

Today’s Yomiuri Shimbun had a follow-up article about the resumption of foreign cruise ship visits to Japan.

Nippon Maru will be the first cruise ship to depart Japan on an international cruise, on 15 December, 2022

Thus far there are a few scheduled cruise ship visits to Japan in February 2023 and many more in March.

 

The precautions and regulations are still a bit unclear.

Passengers are required to have a minimum 2 COVID Vaccines; Crew are required to have a minimum of 3 COVID Vaccines.

No word yet on any testing required.

Each ship will be required to have a number of cabins empty for isolation of positive cases.

Positive cases MUST be quarantined onboard the ship.

No word yet on positive cases staying in Japan - or leaving Japan.

Each Japanese Port is developing it’s own set of rules about foreign visitors coming from Cruise Ships.

Japan will require any ship with 10% or more infected to leave Japan immediately.

Thanks you for sharing.  A bit concerning if each port will have different rules and the requirements for ships to leave.   

[koolforkatz]

18 hours ago, bennybear said:

Thanks you for sharing.  A bit concerning if each port will have different rules and the requirements for ships to leave.   

 

We will be coming over on the first Transpacific with Celebrity in 4 years in fall 2023. I am happy to be going back but a bit concerned about all the sea days and what could happen. A 10 % requirement isn't that many people, crew and passengers combined. Hopefully Covid is farther behind us by then.

Edited November 28, 2022 by koolforkatz

[source]

On 11/28/2022 at 10:45 AM, koolforkatz said:

 

We will be coming over on the first Transpacific with Celebrity in 4 years in fall 2023. I am happy to be going back but a bit concerned about all the sea days and what could happen. A 10 % requirement isn't that many people, crew and passengers combined. Hopefully Covid is farther behind us by then.

Good Afternoon, we are also considering NCL's Transpacific Alaska to Tokyo in October 2023.  Could you please explain what 10% requirement?  Thanks.  Also what Celebrity ship & dates

[Y21]

3 hours ago, source said:

Could you please explain what 10% requirement?

In order for international cruises to be reopened in Japan, Japan International Cruise Committee established a set guideline regarding Covid-19. In the guideline it mentions that when infected cases reach 10% of crew and passengers, the sailing may be terminated.
However, Japan's government recently announced that it is going to downgrade the severity classification of Covid-19 likely in April. In that case, said guideline will most likely be revised or even eliminated. Just my guess.

[source]

Thanks for the clarification.  We just got off Royal Caribbean's Odyssey of the Seas for New Years and on the 6 day of 10 my DH tested positive for Covid.  We are both fully vaccinated and booster due to comprimised immune system,  I guess it could have been worse. I tested negative and they didn't even separate us!  3 weeks later and both tested positive, Zpack, Amoxicillian Medrol pack and still trying recoup from the severe respiratory infections.

 

Im sure this ship which holds approx 8000 had 80 test positive.  I think cruiselines should at least require testing prior to cruising to protect crew and other passengers. 

[les37b]

On 1/26/2023 at 2:16 AM, source said:

Thanks for the clarification.  We just got off Royal Caribbean's Odyssey of the Seas for New Years and on the 6 day of 10 my DH tested positive for Covid.  We are both fully vaccinated and booster due to comprimised immune system,  I guess it could have been worse. I tested negative and they didn't even separate us!  3 weeks later and both tested positive, Zpack, Amoxicillian Medrol pack and still trying recoup from the severe respiratory infections.

 

Im sure this ship which holds approx 8000 had 80 test positive.  I think cruiselines should at least require testing prior to cruising to protect crew and other passengers. 

That’s disgraceful that you weren’t separated. You were kept in a Covid incubator!

 

Meanwhile on my sailing out of Osaka on April 26, we’ve just learned (Via CC… still no official notification, but it is now shown within the website) that in order to board Siler Muse, we need a negative Covid test. No test to enter Japan, just to board.

 

This immediately rings alarm bells.

 

So you test positive and denied boarding…

 

You will be instructed to claim from your insurance. If you’ve boarded, the CL will look after you, including getting you home and any quarantine requirements on land should they be needed.

 

So, you can’t board, you are responsible for quarantine and flights home (my cruise ends in Seward, so no good to get home from Osaka).

 

You will lose your cruise. If you’d boarded, no doubt you would get a part refund for being locked up. Now that won’t happen and the CL removed from that scenario. If you booked using a FCC (which I suspect a large number of guests will have), your insurance company is likely to disregard that as it’s stipulated there is no monetary value. So cruise lost and no refund.

 

I suspect this is also implemented because of the less than 10% infections or cruise cancelled policy in Japan.

 

I can’t see anywhere that Japan insist on a pre board test, so this appears to be an RCI mandate. I can’t see this mentioned on any other board either, though it’s early days I guess.

 

Am I being cynical here and unduly concerned by this new instruction brought in yesterday?

 

What makes it worse is that there is no clarity on what is a valid test with the suggestion s home kit is valid with a photo and time stamp.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 27, 2023 by les37b

[Hlitner]

Pre embarkation testing is not just a SS or RCI issue.  HAL has also imposed a similar rule that cruisers must be tested within the 3 days prior to embarkation.

 

Hank

[source]

On 1/27/2023 at 3:44 AM, les37b said:

That’s disgraceful that you weren’t separated. You were kept in a Covid incubator!

 

Meanwhile on my sailing out of Osaka on April 26, we’ve just learned (Via CC… still no official notification, but it is now shown within the website) that in order to board Siler Muse, we need a negative Covid test. No test to enter Japan, just to board.

 

This immediately rings alarm bells.

 

So you test positive and denied boarding…

 

You will be instructed to claim from your insurance. If you’ve boarded, the CL will look after you, including getting you home and any quarantine requirements on land should they be needed.

 

So, you can’t board, you are responsible for quarantine and flights home (my cruise ends in Seward, so no good to get home from Osaka).

 

You will lose your cruise. If you’d boarded, no doubt you would get a part refund for being locked up. Now that won’t happen and the CL removed from that scenario. If you booked using a FCC (which I suspect a large number of guests will have), your insurance company is likely to disregard that as it’s stipulated there is no monetary value. So cruise lost and no refund.

 

I suspect this is also implemented because of the less than 10% infections or cruise cancelled policy in Japan.

 

I can’t see anywhere that Japan insist on a pre board test, so this appears to be an RCI mandate. I can’t see this mentioned on any other board either, though it’s early days I guess.

 

Am I being cynical here and unduly concerned by this new instruction brought in yesterday?

 

What makes it worse is that there is no clarity on what is a valid test with the suggestion s home kit is valid with a photo and time stamp.

 

 

 

 

 

We still have COVID testing sites through our State that offer PCR as well as Antigen with reults in less than 24 hours.  We haven't tried to present home tests.  We now always buy travel insurance.  Once ships started sailing again we thoroughly checked the fine print in the Insurance policies we considered.  Some covered COVID others did not.  Allianz did not at the time.  The cruise lines policy was not much better.  We are cruising again in May onboard RCCL Harmony of the Seas and we used AARDY.com for Travel Insurance.  Very reasonable rates.   We are considering the October 3, 2023 NCL Jewel Seattle to Tokyo and staying a few days in Tokyo.  Are you aware if tourists must tour only in group tours still? Can we tour on our own?  Any info would be appreciated.

[source]

2 hours ago, Hlitner said:

Pre embarkation testing is not just a SS or RCI issue.  HAL has also imposed a similar rule that cruisers must be tested within the 3 days prior to embarkation.

 

Hank

There was No testing required of any passengers, nor vaccination requirements on the RCI 12/30/22 sailing.  RCL lifted all testing 11/30/22.  Are you referring to cruises leaving from other than the USA?

[Hlitner]

28 minutes ago, source said:

There was No testing required of any passengers, nor vaccination requirements on the RCI 12/30/22 sailing.  RCL lifted all testing 11/30/22.  Are you referring to cruises leaving from other than the USA?

You may not have noticed this is on a "Japan" thread :).  The specific  issue has to do with cruises involving Japan where there is a government edict that would oust cruise ships with more than 10% of souls having COVID, Apparently, multiple cruise lines are requiring testing to lessen the odds of having too many COVID cases,

 

Hank

[les37b]

31 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

You may not have noticed this is on a "Japan" thread :).  The specific  issue has to do with cruises involving Japan where there is a government edict that would oust cruise ships with more than 10% of souls having COVID, Apparently, multiple cruise lines are requiring testing to lessen the odds of having too many COVID cases,

 

Hank

Thanks for clarifying. I did think that was what you meant and also suggested on the SS board it was because of the 10% threshold driving it. Still not seen it mentioned on other boards, but don’t doubt at all what you’ve said. 
 

Having been on a cruise one year ago with Covid (well wife got it, not me) I even joked I’d get it for Japan. (She was in Q for 10 days and we got a partial refund for our troubles.)   Seemed a fair compromise suggestion at the time… but not if we don’t get to board! 
 

 

 

 

[Hlitner]

42 minutes ago, les37b said:

Thanks for clarifying. I did think that was what you meant and also suggested on the SS board it was because of the 10% threshold driving it. Still not seen it mentioned on other boards, but don’t doubt at all what you’ve said. 
 

Having been on a cruise one year ago with Covid (well wife got it, not me) I even joked I’d get it for Japan. (She was in Q for 10 days and we got a partial refund for our troubles.)   Seemed a fair compromise suggestion at the time… but not if we don’t get to board! 
 

 

 

 

We are headed over to Japan in a couple of months and will spend some time doing our own thing.  But eventually we are to board a HAL cruise (which is why I know their requirement for testing).  What is interesting about HAL is that they are allowing the use of self-testing (with no independent monitor) which is then to be captured in a phone photo and used for embarkation.  While not a perfect solution, and could be fudged, the cruise line seems to have taken a reasonable approach to a sticky situation with this 10% rule.  We have no indication if there will be further testing at the port of onboard.  Another issue about Japan is that wearing masks is still the norm in that country, so that is another hassle that seems to continue forever.

 

Hank

[les37b]

17 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

We are headed over to Japan in a couple or months and will spend some time doing our own thing.  But eventually we are to board a HAL cruise (which is why I know their requirement for testing).  What is interesting about HAL is that they are allowing the use of self-testing (with no independent monitor) which is then to be captured in a phone photo and used for embarkation.  While not a perfect solution, and could be fudged, the cruise line seems to have taken a reasonable approach to a sticky situation with this 10% rule.  We have no indication if there will be further testing at the port of onboard.  Another issue about Japan is that wearing masks is still the norm in that country, so that is another hassle that seems to continue forever.

 

Hank

 

Interestingly Silversea have said the same regarding the test, though its unclear because further in their instructions it mentions the need for a certificate and not just a photo with your name and date on it - which as you say, is kinda pointless given how easy it is to by pass it.... This is a test I took a week ago before I got the positive... That'll do... add date and name... take photo before leaving home even.... sorted! But as you say, that ruling does mean these cruises are on a knifes edge from the get go.

 

This is our instructions:

 

Fully Vaccinated Guest Embarkation Testing Requirements

All embarking fully vaccinated or up-to-date guests must hold proof of a valid PCR negative test result performed within 72 hours of embarkation OR a valid Antigen negative test result performed within 48 hours of embarkation.

• The PCR test must be administered by a laboratory.
• The Antigen test can either be performed by a third party, i.e. laboratory, pharmacy, telehealth advisor OR guests can perform a self-test at home where they must take a photograph of the negative result with a time stamp.

 

And now the confusion:

 

Pre-Arrival Testing Option

• The Antigen test may be administered by a verified third party, either a laboratory or pharmacy OR a self-test at home, verified by a third party (telehealth provider, pharmacy or laboratory). The Certificate must contain the guest’s name (as shown on the cruise ticket), as well as date of test, and result. You must provide a digital or printed proof upon embarkation.
• Whilst approved self-test kits are now readily available at pharmacies and drugstore chains, Silversea is pleased to make them available for order pre-cruise. We suggest that you order them at least one full week in advance of your sailing. These tests allow you to complete your pre-cruise test at home, or in any place of your choosing, with the help of live video supervision by a Certified Testing Guide.

 

Luckily I've managed to source some cheap test kits done via an app which should negate any issue as there will be a lab certificate. Not video needed - so again, seemingly easy to fudge with a little thought if you are minded to do so.

 

 

Don't forget to make sure you fill in the forms for a quicker transit through immigration before leaving home:  https://vjw-lp.digital.go.jp/en/    Could take a while to leave the airport without this filled out (and I expect in my case for connecting flight - miss it!)

 

 

[USN59-79]

We will  be staying in Yokohama a few days before boarding our ship for a 42 day cruise that will end in Seattle.  I will take some antigen self-tests with us.  My concern is that if either of us tests positive would we be able to stay in our hotel for a week or ten days until we tested negative?  Not sure if any Japanese health laws would come into effect in that case.  Or, would a hotel allow a guest to stay if they knew he had covid?

[Shiraz49]

12 hours ago, Hlitner said:

Another issue about Japan is that wearing masks is still the norm in that country, so that is another hassle that seems to continue forever.

Hank

Strange but true, "mask wearing"  in Japan is not new ..... even pre covid most Japanese would wear masks both at home or when overseas .... we then used to comment on their mask wearing obsession ...... little did we know that covid would stake and we've all been wearing them.

 

[Shiraz49]

Latest Travel advisory info (Aust. Gov) for travel to Japan. Cruise lines of course will have their own embarking rules. Good thing for me is that they have withdrawn the visa requirement for Australian travelling there. Again the important thing will be to register via the visit Japan website.