Urbee

On 11/3/2021 at 8:27 PM, intr3pid said:

Technically, only the locals and some exempted categories (diplomats, etc.) can enter unvaccinated - but even if they can, they need an institutional quarantine for 5 days first. 

 

The rules are changing so rapidly that I wouldn't risk relying on third-party assurances at a point in time.  When you check in for your first flight, the boarding agent will look at the flying rules (on a service such as Sherpa) and allow or deny travel.  

 

BTW, the restrictions on kids isn't just in Saudi Arabia.  Many countries with an eye to COVID controls have some rules in place for incoming kids under 12 - such as:

https://travel.gc.ca/travel-covid/travel-restrictions/covid-vaccinated-travellers-entering-canada#children

For all asking yourself the same question as we - we happily arrived to Jeddah with no big issues but we were nervous untill the last minute. Cant guarantee if this is luck or no but judging by the experience we had it seems its a bit unclear still but more weighing to the side that child under 12 can enter unvaccinated.

Dont take my word though, we could be an exception.

56 minutes ago, intr3pid said:

The current rules state that you can't enter the country as a tourist if you aren't vaccinated.  No exemption for kids.  Any deal that MSC can strike with the Saudi government won't help with your entry into the country. 

 

We are on the Red Sea sailing in December, but our teens are double jabbed.  Most of our questions were answered by the Saudi tourism folks.  Email them at 'ask@visitsaudi.com' - they respond within a few hours!

 

Sherpa is providing up-to-date / objectively laid-out travel entry information for flights.  Check them out:

https://apply.joinsherpa.com

Thats what we got answered from them. However Qatar states we can travel, embassy in Vienna for Saudi says we can travel, honorary consul states we can travel. So which is it?

Thats why i am confused.

1 hour ago, perakcruiser said:

Very difficult. MSC will not be able to tell you anything, they have their own arrangements with Saudi-Arabia. And whatever the embassy would tell you, that has no value anyway. Which airline you are flying, at least Emirates? 

Qatar.

We are actually booked on Belissimas red sea cruise and i can tell you nobody knows whats going on.

Our initial embarkation was 30.10 which got canceled and they offered 6.11 instead which we confirmed.

The problem is Saudi requirements are having full vaccination for all on entry. What about kids? Nobody vaccinates kids. We have two under 8 and still unsure if we will be able to enter the country.

We called embassy and they said they dont know ?? and to ask the airline, since they are the one in the position to take us back if we are unable to enter. We called the airline who said they only took the rules from the embassy. Called again and told the embassy this but they said no again, the airline. After pushing for the answer they said contact the local visa agency (commercial). Visa agency said to ask the embassy. MSC the same - does not have detailed info on entry, just embarkation.

So we are in a limbo where nobody knows and we will try our luck to enter. I have checked on 10 places (different airlines, consulates, embassy, even called airport, police, etc etc) and from my understanding really nobody knows and we will be more or less on the mercy or luck of the customs agent on arrival.

We have tourist visas and paid 550 eur for 4 but that itself does not guarantee entry ofcourse. 

If anyone has some answers id be happy to hear.

Does anyone have an idea what might msc do with the canceled grand voyagesy eg the bellissima dubai to tokyo? 

I know its too early to say but i am wondering if they will move the ship to asia with the crew or leave it in dubai and do the cruise after this covid calms down...

What ship are you on?

5 hours ago, Beardface said:

 

BINGO.  This is pretty much exactly what I was getting at earlier when I said that MSC is always going to have lower scores than others, especially when you look at historical numbers.  Americans expect any ship that they sail on, especially out of the US, to cater toward the American culture.  The whole "the customer is always right" mindset is something this crowd lives and breathes by, and when they experience other cultures that tells them to piss off when they're demanding far too much, well they turn into a bunch of angry Yelp! reviewers.  And no, not all of us are like this, but there are enough of us out there that we know its a problem.  Its likely that every one of us has experienced a situation where we've seen an American not get their way and immediately demand to speak with a manager.

 

 

There's also the problem that, with the price point that MSC sets, these American crowds expect to come on and have the same atmosphere of a Carnival, Royal, or NCL ship where the staff is encouraging 'party party party' from the minute you step foot on the ship to the minute you disembark.  And when Sally Sue doesn't get her 53rd rendition of 'We are the World' sung in broken English by the wait staff at dinner after waving towels around their head, oh boy is she personally insulted.  And heaven forbid the MDR food only be of Olive Garden standards when everyone knows that the American pallet demands Applebee's.  And god help you if the intercom announcements come in multiple languages to accommodate all the passengers on the ship.

 

Of course, when these people also sail in the Mediterranean, these standards they would still demand all these same standards to be met, because they're all special snowflakes and everyone knows that this vacation is really only about them.  Don't you know, they saved up to get their $600 per person room, and you better believe they're not going to be paying gratuities, because... reasons.

 

 

I think you're giving them too much credit.  Would not be surprised if they just pulled average review scores over the past 12 months and ran the story off those numbers.  Expecting them to deep dive into the numbers they found and find any patterns or intricacies is probably way too much time and effort for the money they were being paid to spit this one out.

🤣🤣rofl🍾

How about cruise line paying their staff fair wages and not being dependant on the mercy of the cruisers? 🙂

Im shocked that anyone today would earn their salary or most of it through the good will of the customer.

Tips should be fully an extra and a bonus to the working people. Not an essential part. 

You go to a store and buy a carton of milk. Does the cash register girl expect a tip?

You order a package on amazon. Does the guy packing the package get gratitudes?

Someone paves a road. Does he live out of the mercy of the drivers?

Cruise lines, stop with the nonse of the gratitudes, compulsory or not. Its a marketing scam. If people live out lf it, include it in the base price. If not, everyone should stop sh*** about it.

Some people tip a good service, some expect that paying for the service itself covers the service. Good or bad. Dont force people into tipping if they dont feel like it or it isnt in their custom.