ST Marten reopens to US citizens

[mo&fran]

https://www.traveloffpath.com/st-maarten-removes-usa-travel-ban-says-american-tourists-ok-again/https://www.traveloffpath.com/st-maarten-removes-usa-travel-ban-says-american-tourists-ok-again/

[livingonthebeach]

1 minute ago, mo&fran said:

https://www.traveloffpath.com/st-maarten-removes-usa-travel-ban-says-american-tourists-ok-again/https://www.traveloffpath.com/st-maarten-removes-usa-travel-ban-says-american-tourists-ok-again/

 

Thanks for this.  Only problem is one of the requirements is "Bring a negative PCR test, taken with results delivered no later than 72 hours from arrival".  72 hours from taking the test or 72 hours from receiving the result?   If it's 72 from taking the test not sure they will have any  Americans anytime soon.  Getting testing results in my area is taking far more time.  Would hate to arrive there and be turned away.  How are things in Palm Beach Gardens?  We are getting some outer bands from Hurricane Isaias at the moment - looks like it's headed your way.  Stay safe. 

[mo&fran]

A quick look showed a Jetblue from NY , AA from Charlotte, and Spirit from FLL.

Jet blue is in the air, I would guess somebody is on the flight.

[livingonthebeach]

6 minutes ago, mo&fran said:

A quick look showed a Jetblue from NY , AA from Charlotte, and Spirit from FLL.

Jet blue is in the air, I would guess somebody is on the flight.

 

Nice.  Hope the passengers all have their 72 hour covid results and beach goers on Maho beach are back to being blown away. Lovely island I plan to go again one day!

[mo&fran]

Well, we need to start somewhere.  Baby steps.

[NO_Member_Name]

PBG is fine. It's sunny and breezy with passing drizzle. Nobody seems all that worried about the storm. I saw one or two people buying water at Publix this morning. Me, I needed pancake mix.

 

With some of the really bad storms we've had to deal with recently (that ended up missing us) a Cat 1 seems like much to do about nothing. Buildings and infrastructure should make it through just fine, even if we end up taking a direct hit. But, it'll probably stay a ways off the coast.

Edited August 1, 2020 by NO_Member_Name

[mo&fran]

Haven't seen any sign of Cantore yet,  it must not be bad.

[islandwannabee]

I would love to go again, but tests in my area are taking 10-14 days for results. 

[livingonthebeach]

26 minutes ago, NO_Member_Name said:

PBG is fine. It's sunny and breezy with passing drizzle. Nobody seems all that worried about the storm. I saw one or two people buying water at Publix this morning. Me, I needed pancake mix.

 

With some of the really bad storms we've had to deal with recently (that ended up missing us) a Cat 1 seems like much to do about nothing. Buildings and infrastructure should make it through just fine, even if we end up taking a direct hit. But, it'll probably stay a ways off the coast.

 

Thanks for the update — hope you get through this okay.  The Bahamas are feeling it now and soon S. Fl let’s hope it stays off the coast. Enjoy the pancakes.  

[ZoeyVictoria]

37 minutes ago, NO_Member_Name said:

PBG is fine. It's sunny and breezy with passing drizzle. Nobody seems all that worried about the storm. I saw one or two people buying water at Publix this morning. Me, I needed pancake mix.

 

Wal Mart, Sam’s, and Publix in Ocala are crazier than usual (especially the gas pumps), but I saw few people with cases of water.  I think the COVID hoarders still have plenty of water on hand.

[livingonthebeach]

10 minutes ago, ZoeyVictoria said:

Wal Mart, Sam’s, and Publix in Ocala are crazier than usual (especially the gas pumps), but I saw few people with cases of water.  I think the COVID hoarders still have plenty of water on hand.

 

Things got crazy here as well...when Hurricane and Pandemic collide.  Let’s hope for the best and pray it stays offshore. 

Edited August 1, 2020 by livingonthebeach

[lovemylab]

33 minutes ago, islandwannabee said:

I would love to go again, but tests in my area are taking 10-14 days for results. 

 

That is nuts.  So basically by the time you get back the results you could be recovered.

 

In my area (Atlantic Canada) we get the results back within 24 hours.

[molly361]

And if on a cruise ship it will have to be your second day stop

[BND]

1 hour ago, lovemylab said:

 

That is nuts.  So basically by the time you get back the results you could be recovered.

 

In my area (Atlantic Canada) we get the results back within 24 hours.

My daughter in law was tested last week and got her results in less than 48 hours.  She had an appointment at a test center at 4pm on Tuesday and had her results by 1 pm on Thursday.  She's negative, but had a fever last week for a couple of days and since she's an RN in a Dr's office she was tested.  My son had been in CA the week before also (work - essential) so that's another reason they tested her.  And, we had seen them on Sunday at our house and we had just gotten back from a week at the beach (OCMD).  Lots of moving pieces, but most around here in No VA are getting results back within 72 hours.

 

I don't think this announcement about St Maarten is going to make any difference to cruise lines as it's impossible to meet the standards.  It's one thing to fly in, and another to cruise there and meet the timeframes that are being required.

Edited August 1, 2020 by BND

[Sunshine3601]

2 hours ago, islandwannabee said:

I would love to go again, but tests in my area are taking 10-14 days for results. 

Omg that is crazy it's taking that long.  Here in Pa they are running 1 to 2 days for results.  Although I had a friend that was traveling and he had to get test results before flight and whatever reason he didnt get results for 7 days. 

[S.A.M.J.R.]

3 hours ago, livingonthebeach said:

 

Thanks for this.  Only problem is one of the requirements is "Bring a negative PCR test, taken with results delivered no later than 72 hours from arrival".  72 hours from taking the test or 72 hours from receiving the result?   If it's 72 from taking the test not sure they will have any  Americans anytime soon.  Getting testing results in my area is taking far more time.  Would hate to arrive there and be turned away.  How are things in Palm Beach Gardens?  We are getting some outer bands from Hurricane Isaias at the moment - looks like it's headed your way.  Stay safe. 

Seems pretty plain to me... "no later than 72 hours from arrival."  Arrival on the island.  So if you're going to arrive at Noon on a Monday, your negative result needs to show it's from Noon on the previous Friday or later (Saturday or Sunday).   

 

It will be kind of difficult if you don't know how long your test results will take to show up.

[livingonthebeach]

1 minute ago, S.A.M.J.R. said:

Seems pretty plain to me... "no later than 72 hours from arrival."  Arrival on the island.  So if you're going to arrive at Noon on a Monday, your negative result needs to show it's from Noon on the previous Friday or later (Saturday or Sunday).   

 

It will be kind of difficult if you don't know how long your test results will take to show up.

 

If you got your results 10-14 days after you took the test then showing them a result you got 72 hours from arrival doesn’t mean a thing.  A lot can happen from a delay that long.  Until testing is more available and there are quicker turn around times, I don’t think there will be much traveling going on - hope I’m wrong. 

[Wine-O]

Hawaii is requiring the same thing after 1 September.  It's pretty hard making flight arrangements this far in advance with the hopes you can get a test and results within 3 days of flying out.  🍷

[sjb317]

35 minutes ago, Sunshine3601 said:

Omg that is crazy it's taking that long.  Here in Pa they are running 1 to 2 days for results.  Although I had a friend that was traveling and he had to get test results before flight and whatever reason he didnt get results for 7 days. 

It is ridiculous they are taking this long to get results back in Florida.  By the time a friend got her positive results back, she was no longer having any symptoms.  It was getting close to 2 weeks before she had results.  And, she was told someone from the department of health would call her to do contact tracing, she never received a call.
 

Sherri🙂

[zekekelso]

Just being curious... anyone know if this covers the whole island, or just the Dutch part?

[A&L_Ont]

I was reading the French side of the island is not allowing US citizens entrance. 

[livingonthebeach]

No US tourists need apply to the French side...

"U.S. tourist will not be allowed to cross the border from Dutch Sint Maarten to French Saint Martin from August 1, according to The Daily Herald, a Philipsburg, Sint Maarten newspaper. The report says the announcement is until further notice.

https://www.travelagentcentral.com/caribbean/st-martin-bans-u-s-travelers-from-crossing-french-dutch-border

"The only people who can cross onto the French side are those with authorizations based on professional or medical reasons." 

 

My hopes are dashed...

Edited August 1, 2020 by livingonthebeach

[BND]

55 minutes ago, livingonthebeach said:

No US tourists need apply to the French side...

"U.S. tourist will not be allowed to cross the border from Dutch Sint Maarten to French Saint Martin from August 1, according to The Daily Herald, a Philipsburg, Sint Maarten newspaper. The report says the announcement is until further notice.

https://www.travelagentcentral.com/caribbean/st-martin-bans-u-s-travelers-from-crossing-french-dutch-border

"The only people who can cross onto the French side are those with authorizations based on professional or medical reasons." 

 

My hopes are dashed...

Ha.  We don't like the French side.  But, of course, the dutch and french citizens going back and forth couldn't possibly carry it across the imaginary line.  There are people who live on one side and work on the other, not to mention those that go back and forth for family, deliveries, and as mentioned medical reasons, etc.  It doesn't have to be a US citizen going across the line.  They don't even normally have anyone monitoring those going back and forth.  There's no fence or anything so I'm sure this'll work well.

Edited August 1, 2020 by BND

[cruisequeen4ever]

I’d love to close my eyes and dream of flying to St. Maarten today! Unfortunately, I feel it’s far too risky to fly right now, and we’d have 3 long flights to reach the island. Plus, I foresee Americans spreading the virus there as incoming tourists have done here in AK. 

[BND]

1 hour ago, cruisequeen4ever said:

I’d love to close my eyes and dream of flying to St. Maarten today! Unfortunately, I feel it’s far too risky to fly right now, and we’d have 3 long flights to reach the island. Plus, I foresee Americans spreading the virus there as incoming tourists have done here in AK. 

My son returned from 5 days in CA (Los Angeles) 15 days ago for work.  He had to stay home for the last two weeks (work requires it and pays him).  He said it wasn't that bad, just different.  Both ways the plane was 1/2 full and by order of his work, they weren't allowed to eat in restaurants.  They could order out/do delivery and ate meals catered for them at work.  He picked up snacks and water for his hotel room.  No one who traveled got sick and there were several as well as those at the facility he was working at which was fully staffed too.  Everyone wore masks and was careful. Airports weren't that busy either so easy to keep distances.  We just got back 6 days ago from a week at the beach.  We drove, but stopped for bathrooms once. We ate outside at several restaurants, inside at two and ordered out several times as well as eating at the hotel grill out on their patio a couple of times.  I just think the whole idea of letting some people travel to an island but not others thinking that will keep the virus away is ignorance at it's best.  Testing is all well and good, but someone whose been exposed could have a negative test one day and be positive the next.  Having worn a mask in the humidity last week, it wouldn't be that fun on a tropical island

 

BTW,  Americans are far from the only ones that have the virus.  Even countries with lower counts can still spread it.  Geez.

Edited August 1, 2020 by BND