Boarding denied for Europeans also

[Miaminice]

We just received this - for a cruise in New Zealand. 
 

Not only will elderly be denied boarding without the medical clearance but also Europeans and people travelling through Europe. 
 

 

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 important information regarding your 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.  To comply with guidance from CDC, WHO, public health authorities around the world, and the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), we are enhancing our temporary travel restrictions, as well as global boarding and screening measures, to protect our guests and crew.  These safety precautions will remain in place for a projected period of 30 days and will be reviewed daily.  

Today, it is apparent that COVID-19 presents the most serious health risks to older individuals, the immunocompromised, and those with serious, underlying medical conditions.  Therefore, effective Monday, March 16^th, boarding will be denied to any person age 70 or older, at the time of embarkation, unless the guest provides written verification from a qualified treating physician that certifies the person has no severe, chronic medical condition and is fit to travel. You may utilize the fit to travel letter on the Travel Advisory page of our website for presentation to your physician.  https://www.celebritycruises.com/travel-alert

Boarding will be denied to any person with a severe, chronic medical condition, including those specified by the CDC. Guests of all ages will be screened prior to boarding, regarding underlying health issues that may prevent them from sailing. 

Additionally, mandatory, temperature screenings using digital, non-touch scanners will be conducted with guests, crewmembers, and visitors on embarkation day prior to boarding any vessel. If temperature registers about 100.4°F (38°C), the person and his/her travel companions will be referred to a secondary health screening. Secondary health screenings will be performed by medical professionals who will check for flu-like symptoms and pulse oximetry readings.  

Until further notice, any person, regardless of nationality, who has travelled from, visited or transited via airports through mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, Europe (not including the United Kingdom,) Iran, or South Korea, 15 days prior to embarkation, will be unable to board our ships. This includes coming in to contact with people who have travelled from, visited or transited via airports through these same countries. The CDC characterizes contact with an individual as coming within six feet (2M) of a person.  A full list of restricted European countries may be found at the following link https://presscenter.rclcorporate.com/press-release/80/schengen-area-countries/

As a result, it is imperative that you review your air travel itinerary closely to ensure you do not transit through any gateway in mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, Europe, Iran, or South Korea. 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.

Boarding will also be denied for any person who within 15 days prior to embarkation, has had contact with, or helped care for, anyone suspected or diagnosed as having COVID-19, or who are currently subject to health monitoring for possible exposure to COVID-19.

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

• Any person who reports feeling unwell or displays flu-like symptoms. 

• Any person who has traveled to, from, or through Japan or Thailand in the 15 days prior to embarkation.

• Any person who is uncertain about contact with individuals who have traveled in the 15 days prior to embarkation to, from, or through mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, Europe, Iran, Japan, South Korea, or Thailand.

In some cases, guests presenting certain symptoms in the specialized health screenings may be denied boarding.  All guests who are denied boarding due to these restrictions will receive full refunds in the form of a Future Cruise Credit. Additional restrictions may be imposed based on local circumstances. For example, certain countries may deny visas or prohibit entry based on travel history or nationality.

We have rigorous medical protocols in place to help passengers and crew members who feel unwell while sailing. Our protocols include:

• Professional medical treatment

• Isolation of unwell individuals from the general ship population

• Intensified ship cleaning, air filtration, and sanitization procedures

We are assessing developments constantly and will update these measures as needed.

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, Europe, Iran, or South Korea, 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 have elected to take these precautionary steps 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 look forward to welcoming you aboard for a truly incredible vacation.

Sincerely,

Celebrity Cruises

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Edinburghgirl1]

Wonder why the UK is ok when we have more cases than most other European countries other than Italy!

[dutchclogs]

1 minute ago, Edinburghgirl1 said:

Wonder why the UK is ok when we have more cases than most other European countries other than Italy!

As discussed elsewhere because the 'Europe' ban referred to is the Schengen zone of countries. The UK and Ireland have never been part of this.  Schengen countries do not have border control. There is border control for the UK,  even if EU nationals for now require only an ID card or passport to enter.

[dutchclogs]

I wonder what impact this will have on the TAs scheduled just a few days after the projected 30 day travel restriction.  

Anyone any idea of the numbers of  "European'  (Schengen zone) cruise passengers on board Celebrity this time of year? 

I know that we have met very few fellow 'cloggies' on our summer NE Canada and Southern Caribbean cruises. 

 

Edited March 13, 2020 by dutchclogs

[busymumofthree]

1 hour ago, Edinburghgirl1 said:

Wonder why the UK is ok when we have more cases than most other European countries other than Italy!

We don't actually - as well as Italy, France, Germany, Spain, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Switzerland, all have more cases than the UK.....

[little britain]

Seems to be different guidelines depending where boarding is.
It’s now 21 days for Caribbean which pretty much excludes all Europeans from Caribbean cruises.

 

 

[zanderblue]

3 hours ago, Edinburghgirl1 said:

Wonder why the UK is ok when we have more cases than most other European countries other than Italy!

 

 Think we need to be careful how we analyse the data here. Some countries may be reporting more because they are testing more.

As of yesterday, UK had tested just over 30k people, to arrive at ~560 positives. I’ll leave you to do the comparisons for other countries.

[Saab4444]

So far the travel ban for Europeans is for Caribbean cruises only. However, all cruises will stop soon anyway....

[dutchclogs]

4 minutes ago, Saab4444 said:

So far the travel ban for Europeans is for Caribbean cruises only. However, all cruises will stop soon anyway....

 

?! OP post relates to New Zealand cruise!

[Saab4444]

2 minutes ago, dutchclogs said:

 

?! OP post relates to New Zealand cruise!

Sorry, this develops too fast. Yesterday it was only for Caribbean....

[GastroGnome]

2 hours ago, farawayatsea said:

 At St Patrick's day reception in the White House POTUS seems to think that Ireland is within the UK!!!

 

Actually part of it is.  The Northern part of the Island is within the UK, the Southern part is not. 

[hcat]

I followed the link in  post #1 but cannot locate the Celebrity " fit to travel form."

Can someone please post it or a better link.  I want to show it to my dr for possible  future cruise requirements.

Thanks...

[hcat]

Found it on another thread..  ..There are now too many similar threads which makes it  difficult to follow...esp if only interested in gen updates!

 

Edited March 13, 2020 by hcat

[farawayatsea]

1 hour ago, GastroGnome said:

 

Actually part of it is.  The Northern part of the Island is within the UK, the Southern part is not. 

He was meeting  the Prime Minister of the Southern Part when he said that.

[JBare]

4 hours ago, Edinburghgirl1 said:

Wonder why the UK is ok when we have more cases than most other European countries other than Italy!

 

This web site might help you with your statistics, slightly behind but very informative. The important major transport hubs of Spain, Italy, France and Germany have more than four times as many cases as the UK.

 

https://www.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/bda7594740fd40299423467b48e9ecf6

[Miaminice]

3 hours ago, Saab4444 said:

So far the travel ban for Europeans is for Caribbean cruises only. However, all cruises will stop soon anyway....

Incorrect! We received this email for our New Zealand cruise.

[lostchild]

It is not just Europeans right?  It seems like if anyone (from any country) travel thru Europe (except UK) in the last 15 days, you can't board.   Did they cancel all the European cruises?   Maybe this note is only to people who booked cruises outside of Europe?

[dutchclogs]

14 minutes ago, lostchild said:

It is not just Europeans right?  It seems like if anyone (from any country) travel thru Europe (except UK) in the last 15 days, you can't board.   Did they cancel all the European cruises?   Maybe this note is only to people who booked cruises outside of Europe?

 

Yes, anyone travelling through or living in the Schengen zone (most of mainland Europe)in the last 15 days will be denied boarding in the next 30 days starting on Monday 16th March.  

No, all the  European cruises are still bookable (at least at time of writing this post!)

In theory,  this applies to all cruises. It remains to be seen how the TAs and subsequent Europe cruises will be impacted.

 

[abritinva]

Deliberately or by mistake this letter does not define  the excluded ‘Europeans’ in quite the same way as the US Government announcement yesterday. I suspect this announcement was targeted at the Schengen countries, but it does not explicitly state that unless I missed it? Therefor people from the Republic of Ireland would be excluded. I suspect a mistake in these fast moving times.

[JBare]

31 minutes ago, abritinva said:

Deliberately or by mistake this letter does not define  the excluded ‘Europeans’ in quite the same way as the US Government announcement yesterday. I suspect this announcement was targeted at the Schengen countries, but it does not explicitly state that unless I missed it? Therefor people from the Republic of Ireland would be excluded. I suspect a mistake in these fast moving times.

 

List of excluded European countries on the mentioned RCL web site.

 

Until further notice, any person, regardless of nationality, who has travelled from, visited or transited via airports through mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, Europe (not including the United Kingdom,) Iran, or South Korea, 15 days prior to embarkation, will be unable to board our ships. This includes coming in to contact with people who have travelled from, visited or transited via airports through these same countries. The CDC characterizes contact with an individual as coming within six feet (2M) of a person.  A full list of restricted European countries may be found at the following link https://presscenter.rclcorporate.com/press-release/80/schengen-area-countries/

[az_tchr]

6 hours ago, zanderblue said:

 

 Think we need to be careful how we analyse the data here. Some countries may be reporting more because they are testing more.

As of yesterday, UK had tested just over 30k people, to arrive at ~560 positives. I’ll leave you to do the comparisons for other countries.

 You can argue the numbers but the rules are pretty simple. Starting Monday 16 March anyone who has been in the countries listed including Schengen countries within 14 days will be denied boarding. Those rules came out from CLIA and Celebrity is putting them into effect.

Ireland and the UK are not included.

It does not matter if the Celebrity cruise begins in Florida, New Zealand or any other port.

Same on the over 70 doctors note.

[downsmead]

The notification for our Caribbean cruise states 21 days!!

[Miaminice]

Now this is curious...

 

Celebrity sent us the email above. Our sailing is April 14th.
It states effective for a projected period of 30 days starting Monday March 16th.

Now I spoke to Celebrity Germany and they are asking me to cancel with the Cruise with Confidence program.
 

I told them that I have no interest in cancelling and that it´s them telling me I will be denied boarding.

FYI: According to German laws that makes a difference in regards of flight cancellations etc.

Then they told me that they will make a statement today until 7pm regarding all cruises until April 13th and made it sound like we could sail on April 14th. Funny - 30 days starting from Monday is April 15th...

I wrote to them and gave them 14 days to either cancel my cruise or tell me I can go.
 

Edited March 13, 2020 by Miaminice

[az_tchr]

10 minutes ago, Miaminice said:

Now this is curious...

 

Celebrity sent us the email above. Our sailing is April 14th.
It states effective for a projected period of 30 days starting Monday March 16th.

Now I spoke to Celebrity Germany and they are asking me to cancel with the Cruise with Confidence program.
 

I told them that I have no interest in cancelling and that it´s them telling me I will be denied boarding.

FYI: According to German laws that makes a difference in regards of flight cancellations etc.

Then they told me that they will make a statement today until 7pm regarding all cruises until April 13th and made it sound like we could sail on April 14th. Funny - 30 days starting from Monday is April 15th...

I wrote to them and gave them 14 days to either cancel my cruise or tell me I can go.
 

Great idea but they have the right to deny boarding. They policy goes until AT LEAST 15 April. You will be denied boarding.  And they may cancel your cruise.

[GRBlizz]

13 minutes ago, Miaminice said:

Then they told me that they will make a statement today until 7pm regarding all cruises until April 13th and made it sound like we could sail on April 14th. 
 

 

That confirms what I had seen on the Apex Facebook page about an announcement today at 2pm. 2pm DST is 7pm in Germany, no?