Celebrity Travel Advisory Important update

[az_tchr]

Important that everyone looks at the Celebrity website often.

  Today they changed their travel advisory to include Veneto (Venice) and Lombardy Italy and South Korea.

 Thus if you have been to or been near anyone from those areas within 14 days of your cruise you will be denied boarding.

[CruiserMickey]

Wow...this is an interesting development considering our final payment for our Med cruise out of Venice is due in a week. 😳

[CruiseCrew123]

There is nothing on the UK website 

Edited February 24, 2020 by CruiseCrew123

[Georgia_Peaches]

I didn't see it right away.  It's located in top left corner of the screen.  Was expecting it to be front and center...

[Georgia_Peaches]

49 minutes ago, CruiserMickey said:

Wow...this is an interesting development considering our final payment for our Med cruise out of Venice is due in a week. 😳

Yes, I think we will start to see swift changes to itineraries/sailings in and around this area of the world.  I'm guessing many people are in your situation...facing final payment for a cruise in the Med. this summer.   

[Fouremco]

43 minutes ago, CruiseCrew123 said:

There is nothing on the UK website 

It's on the UK site, I just checked.

[az_tchr]

43 minutes ago, CruiseCrew123 said:

There is nothing on the UK website 

Here is a cut and paste sorry not very neat. Trying on my phone

 

 

TRAVEL ALERT

Here’s where you’ll find the latest Celebrity Cruises travel alerts and advisories.

 

CORONAVIRUS HEALTH PROTOCOLS

 

Monday, February 24, 2020

We are closely monitoring global developments regarding the coronavirus, and we are fully focused on protecting the health and safety of our guests and crew.

To comply with guidance from CDC, WHO and other public health authorities around the world, we are implementing several global measures to protect guests and crew. These measures are intentionally conservative and apply to anyone boarding our ships, guests and crew alike. We apologize for the inconvenience created by these precautionary measures. 

Until further notice, all ships in the Royal Caribbean
Cruises Ltd. fleet will adopt these health screening protocols:

1. Regardless of nationality, we will deny boarding to:

• Any guest who has travelled from, to or through mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, Iran, South Korea, and the Italian regions of Lombardy and Veneto in the past 15 days.
• Any guest who has come in contact with anyone with 15-day prior travel to mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, Iran, South Korea, and the Italian regions of Lombardy and Veneto. The CDC characterizes contact with an individual as coming within six feet (2M) of a 

[d9704011]

Guess thar means that pretty much anything that involves Venice is out for the time being.

[jelayne]

The update was posted on the website this morning and I just received an email with the same info that requires and acknowledge of receipt.  We are booked on the Edge TA and have post cruise plans to go to Milan - probably cancelling those plans .  Now to start the search for new flights home.

[Cat4158]

4 minutes ago, d9704011 said:

Guess thar means that pretty much anything that involves Venice is out for the time being.

It would seem that way...but we’re booked on 4th June and it’s still on sale on the UK website! Currently trying to work out how we can get to the ship without setting foot in Veneto! Any ideas? 

[d9704011]

4 minutes ago, Cat4158 said:

It would seem that way...but we’re booked on 4th June and it’s still on sale on the UK website! Currently trying to work out how we can get to the ship without setting foot in Veneto! Any ideas? 

I don’t think there is any practical way around that.  Just have to give things time to see how the situation develops.  No doubt RCCL will be avoiding Venice for the time being; maybe more activity out of Naples, Rome and Genoa if they’re determined to stay in Italy  over the next while.

[villauk]

5 minutes ago, Cat4158 said:

It would seem that way...but we’re booked on 4th June and it’s still on sale on the UK website! Currently trying to work out how we can get to the ship without setting foot in Veneto! Any ideas? 

 

 

Let’s see if the ships end up coming over. I think the next few weeks will be crucial to the cruise lines and their decisions regarding this side of the pond. Italy may have to close its ports - no one knows at this stage. 

[Jim_Iain]

For our March 15 Cruise in Caribbean just received an e-mail requesting confirmation -

 

 

Dear Guest,

We look forward to welcoming you aboard for your upcoming Celebrity Cruises vacation.  Before you embark on this exciting journey, we would like to provide some new and updated information regarding your upcoming travel plans. 

As we monitor global developments related to the coronavirus, our priority remains the health and safety of our guests and crew, as well as providing you an amazing vacation experience. After further consultation with public health authorities and medical experts, we have decided that any guest, or crewmember, who has traveled to, from, or through China, Hong Kong, Macau, Iran, South Korea, or the Italian regions of Lombardy and Veneto within 15 days of departure will be unable to board our ships. As well as coming in to contact with people who reside in these areas – this includes guests who had connecting flights in China, Hong Kong, Macau, Iran, South Korea, or the Italian regions of Lombardy and Veneto. The CDC characterizes contact with an individual as coming within six feet (2M) of a person.  Additionally, anyone that feels unwell or demonstrates flu-like symptoms will not be permitted to sail.

As a result, it is imperative that you check your air travel itinerary closely to ensure you do not transit through any gateway in China, Hong Kong, Macau, Iran, South Korea, or the Italian regions of Lombardy and Veneto. Guests who have air travel booked through Flights by Celebrity will be re-accommodated on alternate routes and receive new flight information automatically. Guests with independent air travel arrangements need to contact their air carriers directly to make all required adjustments and changes to their air travel.

We have elected to take this precautionary step due to the recent increase in coronavirus cases around the world, to help avoid the spread of the virus and to ensure the continued safety of our guests and crew. While vacations are our passion, our primary responsibility is to maintain a safe and healthy environment onboard our ships, as well as in the ports we visit.

We have also increased secondary health screening requirements. The following guests will need to undergo extra screenings at the cruise terminal:

 

• Any guest who has travelled to, from, or through Japan, Singapore, Thailand or Italy (all regions other than Lombardy and Veneto) in the past 15 days.

• Guests who are uncertain about contact with individuals who have traveled to, from, or through mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, Iran, South Korea, Japan, Singapore, Thailand or Italy, in the past 15 days.

Guests presenting with fever or low blood oximetry in the specialized health screenings will be denied boarding.

We’ve also taken numerous proactive steps to maintain high health standards onboard our ships:

 

• Thoroughly sanitizing the cruise ship terminal before and after every sailing.
• Special sanitizing of high traffic areas onboard multiple times a day.

• Adding extra medical staff on each sailing.

• Providing complimentary consultations with medical experts for all guests and crew. 

• Plus, the Captain will make daily announcements during your cruise reminding everyone of how to stay healthy onboard.

 

Finally, you can contribute to a healthy onboard environment by taking a few simple steps that will help prevent colds, flus and stomach viruses – both onboard and on land. 

• Make sure to wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds after using the restroom and before any meal or snack.

• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue (or with your upper sleeve) if you happen to sneeze. Avoid sneezing or coughing into your hands or without covering your nose and mouth.

• Use hand sanitizer as often as possible. Rub the gel thoroughly, and in-between your fingers, until your hands are dry.

If you don’t feel well while onboard, it’s imperative that you visit our onboard medical facility immediately for a complimentary checkup. Our onboard doctors and nurses are always available and ready to assist.

If you or someone in your stateroom has traveled to, from, or through, mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, Iran, South Korea, or the Italian regions of Lombardy and Veneto please contact your Travel Advisor immediately or contact us at 1-844-418-6824 in North America or (316) 554-5961 worldwide. You can also visit www.celebritycruises.com/contact-us  for a complete list of global contact information.

We look forward to welcoming you aboard for a truly incredible vacation.

 

Sincerely,

Celebrity Cruises

[TrulyBlonde]

I think it is wonderful that Celebrity is being so proactive on this. Good Job Celebrity!

[CruiserMickey]

@Jim_Iain In reading your letter, it says that if you book with Flights by Celebrity they will automatically change your flights. Do you think that means with or without a change fee?

 

We have final payment due next week for our b2b out of Venice and I am struggling with what to do. Cancel and use our NRD on another cruise, or carry on and hope there aren’t too many change fees if we are rerouted?

[jelayne]

I think it would be without change fees, put I would call Flights By Celebrity and ask.  

[clskinsfan]

I posted this in the corona virus thread as well but there is no way they can enforce the "in contact" rule with people from those countries. If you flew to your destination from an international airport you can almost guarantee you came in contact with someone from those countries.

[az_tchr]

3 minutes ago, CruiserMickey said:

@Jim_Iain In reading your letter, it says that if you book with Flights by Celebrity they will automatically change your flights. Do you think that means with or without a change fee?

 

We have final payment due next week for our b2b out of Venice and I am struggling with what to do. Cancel and use our NRD on another cruise, or carry on and hope there aren’t too many change fees if we are rerouted?

Your cruise will likely be cancelled. If with Celebrity Air they will handle changes. The situation is changing quickly. Until final payment is due - hang tight. They likely will offer refund and future cruise credit 

[clskinsfan]

If you paid off your cruise early and cancel before the final payment date do you get your money back or future cruise credit. I want to pay off an October cruise this week.

[Fouremco]

4 minutes ago, clskinsfan said:

If you paid off your cruise early and cancel before the final payment date do you get your money back or future cruise credit. I want to pay off an October cruise this week.

Money back. Final payment date is the key, not the date you made the payment.

[villauk]

13 minutes ago, clskinsfan said:

I posted this in the corona virus thread as well but there is no way they can enforce the "in contact" rule with people from those countries. If you flew to your destination from an international airport you can almost guarantee you came in contact with someone from those countries.

 

 

Yes, so are they saying that would accept someone from Rome who had possibly sat next to at the airport, or travelled with, someone from one of those regions? How would they know?

[39august]

No problem paying early. The real due date is what counts. Bur don't take my word for it. Call X and verify. 

[villauk]

23 minutes ago, CruiserMickey said:

@Jim_Iain In reading your letter, it says that if you book with Flights by Celebrity they will automatically change your flights. Do you think that means with or without a change fee?

 

We have final payment due next week for our b2b out of Venice and I am struggling with what to do. Cancel and use our NRD on another cruise, or carry on and hope there aren’t too many change fees if we are rerouted?

 

 

I think it’s more an issue of do you possibly want to be stranded in another country not being able to return home, as opposed to I’m okay because I’m covered with the cost of the flights. At this stage, we don’t even know if itineraries would be the same if other countries start refusing cruise ships in their ports over this side of the pond. Does the itinerary matter to you is another pertinent question. Could you cancel and then decide nearer the time? Much to consider.

[clskinsfan]

7 minutes ago, villauk said:

 

 

Yes, so are they saying that would accept someone from Rome who had possibly sat next to at the airport, or travelled with, someone from one of those regions? How would they know?

Exactly. No way they would know. Seems like a CYA to me.

[CruiserMickey]

45 minutes ago, az_tchr said:

Your cruise will likely be cancelled. If with Celebrity Air they will handle changes. The situation is changing quickly. Until final payment is due - hang tight. They likely will offer refund and future cruise credit 

 

The crazy part is that our cruise has been cancelled so many times already it feels like the universe is conspiring against us (not really, but still...) and really doesn’t want us to go to Italy. First booked a Med cruise for our 25th anniversary and had to cancel because my dad and MIL both got sick with cancer and needed support. Booked now for our 30th anniversary and Celebrity has canceled our cruise twice (charter and redeployment of Apex). Now this. *sigh*