seapals2

Yes .. took a while to get it all sorted.  Insurance company have now confirmed that we have full world wide cover whilst onboard.  Reducing to UK cover once back on land.  
The domestic cruises initially got round the FO advice on travel abroad but bought with them the added problems of insurance cover.  A lot of passengers decided to get single trip cover on top of the annual premiums. 
Seemed a bit over the top .. thankfully reason prevailed.  

3 hours ago, Scriv said:

Hi Mike.. sorry, I haven't as I am with Nationwide. I think you have to go onto their website or phone them to ask for the link. Sorry I can't be more helpful. This is what I read about HSBC : 

They’ve confirmed that the policy meets or exceeds the requirements for P&O.

If you have an account with them that qualifies, call them. They’ll send you a link to an on line form. Complete this and they’ll send you a certificate of insurance to show on departure. Simple and quick.

 

 

 

Reply 

I had the same information when I went on to the Aviva website for travel proof.  What I actually received was a pdf download of the policy booklet I already have.  They then referred me back to M&S who act as a broker like other banks and are underwritten by Aviva.   The endorsement has to come from the broker ..in our case M&S.  I think Barclays .. Nationwide and HSBC use Aviva to underwrite their travel insurance.  

 

 

 

On 5/2/2021 at 2:16 PM, davemorton said:

Im not quite sure where you are getting the cost of £25 for a lateral flow test, but that seems to be wildly inflated.  I can buy a box of them for £7 each, so imagine the discount I could get if buying millions of them. 

Our local pharmacy offered us a couple of boxes when I called in to collect prescription.  FREE 

1 hour ago, Scriv said:

 

Excellent! But will Nationwide take the hint? 

I think there is really no reason they won’t follow Barclays  and M&S banks.  
Aviva gave me this number 0800 051 6670 keypad option 2 then 4 to be passed on to M&S so they could speak directly with the underwriter.  
Didn’t need to in the end as they had already made the decision.  It makes total sense that once you step onboard and sail you are no longer in the UK. even if you remain in coastal waters.  It’s not like being in a UK hotel where you could just call an ambulance.  Yet it’s taken weeks to arrive at this point.  Many will have already opted to buy alternative insurance to just cover the short time on the ship.  It has been a new concept and something not tried before, hence the confusion.  

... and finally .. today after receiving mail from Aviva who underwrite the M&S bank annual travel for premium club members which basically said go back to the broker (M&S) its their responsibility to provide the endorsement to the policy as its written.  Aviva only deal with customers who take out their travel policy direct.   they gave me the number for M&S to use to contact Aviva and consult with the underwriters themselves.  

However after ringing M&S the problem has finally been fully clarified.  We will receive the full £10 million cover whilst onboard the ship to cover medical and repatriation costs but once back on land in the UK we would be transferred to a NHS hospital and cover will be reduced back to £10K.  They have confirmed this in an email to take alongside our policy booklet. 

I hope for anybody else who has cover through their bank or building society the answer will be the same.  

10 hours ago, chengkp75 said:

With only 30% of the US vaccinated, I find it difficult to understand how/why we are voluntarily bringing foreigners here to be vaccinated for a non-essential industry.

From my understanding the US have reached the point where take up of the vaccine has dropped to the point where they can offer it to any adult wanting to get vaccinated. 

Probably after May 17th when presumably we will be permitted to travel abroad ... the ship can sail into international waters for a short time .. problem solved .. technically we have all gone abroad.   The cruise lines initially were just getting round the steps out of lockdown so they could announce and take bookings before May 17th. By classing the cruises as domestic waters only they could be included with UK hospitality.  Don’t think they could ever have foreseen the problems this would pose to travel insurance policies.  The £2 million cover would be their normal requirements to cover repatriation costs etc on all cruises. 
Even with the worst scenario £10 K would cover all holiday costs up to the date of sailing.  Even the top suite for a week couldn’t cost more than this.  
Afraid those booked on the first sailing are going to be the test cases.  I’d be very surprised if there were any more checks done than normal after you have entered details on the cruise personaliser.  They will be stretched to check all the proofs of vaccination.  I’m sure if like us you have put Aviva down as your 24 hour emergency service it would have flagged up on their systems as being inadequate for a UK sailing.  

I am pleased to see crew being vaccinated if this means a billion dollar industry and jobs will be enabled to resume.  Of course we all want India to receive vaccines but I doubt a few thousand spent on crew will significantly change the outcome for 1.2 billion population.  
I hope the UK includes people living and working here temporarily in its vaccine programme.  

4 hours ago, delgirl said:

Filled in form for barclays travel proof. Received confirmation but wording says 10million outside of UK. Phoned up, they said we are definately covered as they changed their policy on 23rd april to include these staycations. She is going to investigate as she doesn't know why it doesn't mention the cruise cover. Said it will probably be next week before I hear anything as it is the weekend. She did try and find out but couldn't. Hopefully I will hear soon. They just need to change the wording as it is word for word what is in travel pack document.

You were lucky to speak to a person.  I tried several different options of selection but always ended up with send us an email.  😬.   I think as soon as you step onboard .. they consider you to be abroad. 😎😎.  Even if we only go a few miles off the coast.  

15 hours ago, Orianababes said:

Apologies if this has been covered earlier. The Barclays Bank Travel Pack has a telephone number which may put your mind at ease re “does it cover cruises and P&O minimum requirements ?”

 

If you dial 0800 158 2690 there is a message confirming both points.

 

For when you cruise you can log in to www.aviva.co.uk/Barclays travel proof and fill in a form and you will be emailed certificate and details of cover

 

hope that helps - apologies again if I’m repeating what has gone before

Our M&S premium club travel insurance is underwritten by Aviva too.  Have gone online and requested travel proof.  Awaiting a reply but assume if they are under writers for other banks we will be covered as if it was Europe despite the ship not leaving domestic waters. 
interestingly when I did a comparison quote from holiday extras when I selected UK  cruise I had to go back and check the box for Europe too. 

I know this years seacations are something new but surely this has cropped up before with cruises that only sailed around the UK .  
 

Definitely.. a lot will be riding on the success of these cruises for future sailings.  
Think that is why the majority of the lines offering the summer seacations have insisted on fully vaccinated passengers.  Far less likely to have a case onboard.  News headlines will jump on any new cases occurring at sea.  
Although we are excited to be getting back to sea we are not looking forward to the tight restrictions that will almost certainly be imposed.  

On 4/25/2021 at 6:24 PM, Denarius said:

The general guidence on cruising does not appear to have been updated since January.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/cruise-ship-travel

Originally the rules relating to cruises were all sailings ... now domestic cruises have been separated to allow them under the steps out of lockdown alongside other hospitality accommodations from May 17th.  

By outside England I assume this means .. Scotland and Wales 

19 minutes ago, Gettingwarmer said:

If you read the definition of Domestic Cruises it does mention going outside of uk water. 

Yes .. agreed but not calling at any port.  Guess that it to cover  straying further from shore I search of the sun.  😎😎

2 hours ago, Denarius said:

The following guidance was issued by the UK government on 23 April 2021 and will be of interest to those contemplating such cruises. It had been posted on this page before but has mysteriously vanished!

 

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-cruise-ship-travel

This should help to clarify the situation with regard to travel insurance for the summer seacation cruises.  It’s taken a while to get it in print but finally they have distinguished between a domestic cruise that stays within coastal waters ( in effect a floating UK hotel)  and those that visit international ports.  
 

Our uptake on vaccination has been over 90% and now reached the over 40’s.  It’s been a huge success with cases and deaths falling dramatically.  A huge success but it makes us forget that globally this virus is still increasing.  We need to look at the global vaccination programme as while it’s spreading it is also mutating and our vaccines will have to be constantly being adapted to suit the changes.  Already talk of us needing a third booster vaccination towards autumn.  I see it being like the flu shot .. a regular annual jab.  

On 4/17/2021 at 3:17 PM, Dermotsgirl said:

I was talking globally, not locally.

 

Some countries may be doing ok at the moment, but that’s clearly not the situation for every country. There’s still a long way to go yet.

 

Pandemics end eventually, we know that from history, 

 

Those expecting it to end soon, may end up being disappointed. 

Agree .. and whilst we are doing exceptionally well here in the UK globally cases and deaths are still rising.  If we don’t remain vigilant to arrivals from other countries we will soon be up against new variants that possibly will not respond to our vaccines.  Last Friday India went on the red list with arrivals having to go into hotel quarantine but with the surge of passengers wanting to travel here airlines put on an extra 8 flights in the preceding week.  Those passengers would have gone home to quarantine mixing with family members who would have still gone to work and school.  Just a recipe for a new wave of cases.  Hard to believe it’s been allowed to happen.  
At least we can assume that P&O will have acted responsibly and tested and quarantined crew arriving to join ships for the summer seacation cruises.  However if this new variant does prove not to respond to present vaccines it could pose a serious threat to the start up of cruises.  

5 minutes ago, Chrisdriving said:

Its terrible whats happening in India right now, hopefully they will get the crew levels they require.

 

As all passengers need both Jabs to sail(to protect the crew not other passengers) things should be OK for the restart.

Yes .. however India have a new highly transmissible variant that as yet we are unsure how effective our vaccines will be against it.  As a country we have to remain vigilant against all arrivals particularly those from countries on the red list which India has now joined.  To avoid the hotel quarantine airlines even put on an extra 8 flights before Friday some of those arriving will have gone to homes to quarantine with other members still going out to work and schools.  Ludicrous that this was allowed to happen.  At least we can hope all crew have gone straight into quarantine on the ships.  

12 hours ago, MX-Drew said:

Latest news.

Link

obviously cause for concern in the current climate of outbreak in India.  The flights should have been put on the red list as soon as it was announced not given 4 days to fly without hotel quarantine.  At least any crew will have been taken straight to the ship and not gone home to mix with multi generational families and possibly school children.  Will be watching closely for any new outbreak centred round Southampton.  

With passengers all required to be fully vaccinated I wondered what the situation was with P&O crew.  Particularly those arriving from countries like India where currently they are experiencing very high cases of a new variant of Covid.  We know that from Friday anyone arriving by plane will need to be quarantined but wondered if there had been a rush to get crew here in the preceding days this week.  No one knows if our vaccines are effective against this new variant.  Let’s hope P&O are acting responsibly and ensuring all crew are tested and quarantined onboard.   NCL have said they plan to vaccinate crew onboard that have not been able to get the vaccine in their home country.  Here in the UK priority levels have not permitted younger people to receive the vaccination yet so it’s unlikely that P&O can guarantee this.   There is still several weeks before the first sailing and time to establish the crew is clear providing they get no outbreaks. 
 

Just a summer break at sea.  Our 4 nights goes nowhere sailing from and back to Southampton on Sky Princess.  
Hotels have really hiked up prices this year with less people travelling abroad.  We thought the all inclusive cruise price compared well and includes entertainment and a wide choice of bars and restaurants.  
We have treated ourselves to a suite to celebrate husbands 70th.  Just need to book some sunny days and calm seas now and enjoy the best sea view from any holiday accommodation.  .  

Right now we know Covid-19 infections are still present in the community.  I have been vaccinated to protect myself from getting infected.  The next best thing I can do is be in a community that has also been vaccinated. A ship is probably one of the best places to guarantee this.  However presently no one knows how many of the crew are vaccinated so 100% vaccinated community is unlikely.  This means there will have to be some degree of testing.  I can accept a simple daily temperature scan and the continued use of masks in public areas .. however if I am also requested to use daily flow test kits I will find this unacceptable unless I was showing symptoms.  
 

We are sailing in August on Sky Princess.  Fully vaccinated passengers but probably not all crew.  If there is an outbreak of Covid onboard among crew this will be the ideal testing ground for the vaccines.  Scientists will be watching closely and comparing vaccines as to their efficacy in a controlled environment.  If a vaccine is 85 to 90% efficient does that mean 10 to 15 people in a hundred are likely to get infected.  Would they show symptoms.  Would we all have to be tested.  Guessing the CDC will be closely monitoring these summer sailings.  

Here in the UK Princess are doing several summer cruises on Regal and Sky.  These cruises are for fully vaccinated UK only passengers only so effectively making them adult only.  The short 3/4 night sailings have no port stops and just one or two stops in the full week itineraries.  Sadly these aren’t free test cruises!  We are paying for the privilege of being the guinea pigs.  😄.  I’m guessing there will be very strict adherence to all the health requirements, Princess will not want to risk any cases causing news headlines.  Despite the port stops being in the UK passengers will still have to go ashore as part of an excursion group.  
 

Filling in the breakfast menu last thing at night and hanging it on the cabin door.  This might be a thing of the past with the medallion.  A real treat to enjoy on the balcony to start the day.  Just coffee, juice and croissants watching the ocean.