Celebrity will be restarting cruising out of St. Maarten on June 5th with Millennium

[ipeeinthepool]

This looks really bad for my October 27 Panama Canal cruise on the Millennium out of San Diego.    I doubt they will sail the Millennium back to San Diego, so I can sail east bound through the canal.  I wonder when they will cancel.

[Chocolate martini fan]

I was interested until I read about the unvaccinated kids being allowed on board.  I'm going to pass on this.

[Sweetnspicy]

Just now, Chocolate martini fan said:

I was interested until I read about the unvaccinated kids being allowed on board.  I'm going to pass on this.

I was wondering how many people would actually bring their kids. 

[Oceangoer2]

40 minutes ago, MarkWiltonM said:

I assume most people will need to book hotels on St. Maarten / St. Martin for flights arriving prior to embarkation day. Perhaps after the cruise as well. The airport on a small island must have a limited number of flights per day. I wonder what kind of lodging options there will be? Maybe this is why Celebrity is starting with a smaller ship, so the sudden influx of cruisers can be accommodated by hotels, restaurants, taxis, etc. 

Very good question.  It would be in our best interest to book hotel day prior and maybe a few days afterward.

[mahdnc]

I don't know if this has been posted, but here is a list of the Millennium sailings: link

 

Edited March 19, 2021 by mahdnc

[jelayne]

The antigen tests are being accepted for entry by plane. We have a AI booked at a resort in Mexico and the resort covers the cost of the antigen test for your return flight.  

[tlund]

19 minutes ago, paulh84 said:

 

Someone else posted on the RCL board that mask details, etc. will be announced prior to sailings being open for booking.

 

 

I listened to the recording again and yes, she did say they would have the mask details before opening the sailings for bookings.

 

[bikerunner]

1 hour ago, Tipsy252 said:

Had my first vaccine yesterday and when you receive the vaccine they give you a card with the type of vaccine (AZ or Pfizer), batch number and the date administered. This is your proof of vaccine. However it is NOT a vaccine passport, as the UK government have not agreed to provide this. So for travel either this vaccination card or a more formal "passport" is likely to be required.

The vaccine card is not going to be proof for US people.  I cant see it being that.  Its a piece of paper with a checked box initials.  Nothing official.  I have access to 1000's of these cards, work in Healthcare and I can give them away to anyone. I actually have 2 of them because when I got my second one I forgot my card so they just gave me another.  The proof is going to have to come from medical records or something official,  to the governments comes up with a universal document, and good luck with that with any governments agreeing on that.  Will wait and see what they require.  

[mahdnc]

11 minutes ago, bikerunner said:

The vaccine card is not going to be proof for US people.  I cant see it being that.  Its a piece of paper with a checked box initials.  Nothing official.  I have access to 1000's of these cards, work in Healthcare and I can give them away to anyone. I actually have 2 of them because when I got my second one I forgot my card so they just gave me another.  The proof is going to have to come from medical records or something official,  to the governments comes up with a universal document, and good luck with that with any governments agreeing on that.  Will wait and see what they require.  

 

I agree.  One day (probably my grandkids) we will all get chipped like our dogs to carry information like this.  Might make embarkation easier, too, now that I think about it.....

Edited March 19, 2021 by mahdnc

[ECCruise]

1 hour ago, Fouremco said:

The yellow building is the official cruise terminal, but would possibly require some restructuring to meet Celebrity's needs. IIRC, there are commercial outlets on the first level that might need to be displaced.

 

 

They will likely use some sort of semi-permanent tent type structures.  These have been used in Civitavecchia (and in the past, Norfolk). 

[terrydtx]

27 minutes ago, Chocolate martini fan said:

I was interested until I read about the unvaccinated kids being allowed on board.  I'm going to pass on this.

That's  your choice stay home and enjoy the view from the beach.

[MarkWiltonM]

11 minutes ago, bikerunner said:

The proof is going to have to come from medical records or something official,  to the governments comes up with a universal document, and good luck with that with any governments agreeing on that. 

 

Our state has a central registry of all vaccinations, including Covid, called Florida Shots. Healthcare providers and pharmacists are supposed to enter your vaccinations into the database when you have them. When you need to know if or when you had a vaccine, your doctor or pharmacist can look it up and print a copy for you. It's not available to the general public to review on the website, https://www.flshotsusers.com/. I'm not sure if this would be considered official enough for travel. In my own case, I have had vaccinations in the past for pneumonia that my physician did not enter into the database so my records are spotty. I haven't been back to the doctor since I had my Covid vaccinations but I assume those will be listed. If all states don't have a system like this I imagine they will, for Covid at least.  

[terrydtx]

32 minutes ago, ipeeinthepool said:

This looks really bad for my October 27 Panama Canal cruise on the Millennium out of San Diego.    I doubt they will sail the Millennium back to San Diego, so I can sail east bound through the canal.  I wonder when they will cancel.

The Millenium will have to go somewhere after the summer season, maybe add a cruise to San Diego from St Marteen and back, if the CDC doesn't open up US ports.

[hcat]

11 minutes ago, MarkWiltonM said:

 

Our state has a central registry of all vaccinations, including Covid, called Florida Shots. Healthcare providers and pharmacists are supposed to enter your vaccinations into the database when you have them. When you need to know if or when you had a vaccine, your doctor or pharmacist can look it up and print a copy for you. It's not available to the general public to review on the website, https://www.flshotsusers.com/. I'm not sure if this would be considered official enough for travel. In my own case, I have had vaccinations in the past for pneumonia that my physician did not enter into the database so my records are spotty. I haven't been back to the doctor since I had my Covid vaccinations but I assume those will be listed. If all states don't have a system like this I imagine they will, for Covid at least.  

We received our shots at a Florida County sponsored event at a local hospital clinic. That program closed down in favor of a Statewide Registration process and shot process.

 

  How can we find out if they are participating in records filing....call the hospital? Call the County Health Dept,? All we have are our vaccination cards.

 

Not jumping into this yet but St Maarten can sure use the boost to the

 economy and  some of the itins are not too bad!  

 

Timing of testing  can be tricky...went through  this from Fla to NY recently...flight was cancelled so our  pre flight test was old,  Did not seem to matter as long as NY  post arrival test was okay.  ( tests  no longer req in NY for  vaccinated travelers)

[HskrCrsr]

 

55 minutes ago, ipeeinthepool said:

This looks really bad for my October 27 Panama Canal cruise on the Millennium out of San Diego.    I doubt they will sail the Millennium back to San Diego, so I can sail east bound through the canal.  I wonder when they will cancel.

19 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

The Millenium will have to go somewhere after the summer season, maybe add a cruise to San Diego from St Marteen and back, if the CDC doesn't open up US ports.

 

There is already a scheduled Millennium westbound Panama Canal cruise for Oct 12, so the Oct 27 cruise may still be safe. Of course it can all change.

[ipeeinthepool]

2 minutes ago, HskrCrsr said:

 

 

There is already a scheduled Millennium westbound Panama Canal cruise for Oct 12, so the Oct 27 cruise may still be safe. Of course it can all change.

 

Ok, thanks.  I can see it now.  We're good for now.

[doneall50]

3 hours ago, jelayne said:

To my knowledge there is no national database.  We were given a document from the Department of Health with the dates and doses of our vaccination.  

Not the same as the card that my family in another state received.

Mine is simply two entries in the clinic’s online portal. Paperless! I saved a screen shot in my photos in case I can’t access the online portal but I wonder what the ship will accept as proof?

[hcat]

3 hours ago, terrydtx said:

I was told that they were keeping records online for non customers.  We are CVS customers so I am not worried. The real problem is, our county health department is a provider and they are keeping no records of vaccinations other than a card you get from them. This was why we waited until CVS was offering vaccinations. CVS was also much more organized as our City and county were offering public vaccinating at the Alamo Dome with hundreds of people waiting in lines hours to get their shots. 

How can  non customers sign up? ... we are CVS customers generally for Rx  purchases but received our shots elsewhere?

[K.T.B.]

3 hours ago, CaroleSS said:

I didn't see anything about masks. If the crew and all passengers are vaccinated, will masks be required onboard?

 

CDC still recommends wearing masks while in public spaces even after being vaccinated.

[TeaBag]

3 hours ago, terrydtx said:

My understanding is the second shot has to be administered  28 to 35 days between the first to be fully effective, if this is the case a 4 month wait does no good anyway.

Well that's the present rule in Canada.  It may change because it looks like we are now getting a decent amount of vaccine.  Someone dropped the ball early on and there wasn't enough to go around so they decided to lengthen the interval between doses and that would enable more people to get the first dose.

[Lady Arwen]

For those of you interested in staying in a hotel prior to your cruise, I have two suggestions.......stayed at both.  First is Holland House Boutique Hotel right on the beach in Phillipsberg, and just around the corner, a short walk, from the yellow building that will be the terminal. Nice hotel close to everything you could want.  The restaurant is lovely and looks out onto the beach.  Room was quite nice.  Was not all inclusive property.  The other is Maho beach Sonesta Resort.  All inclusive property on the beach, and right beside the airport runway....really.  Short cab ride into Phillipsberg.  Food was good at all the on-site restaurants and a small casino and shopping right across the street.  Both would be great choices, depending on what you’re needs are.

[CaroleSS]

20 minutes ago, K.T.B. said:

 

CDC still recommends wearing masks while in public spaces even after being vaccinated.

It was my understanding that once vaccinated, you could go maskless when around other vaccinated people.

 

According to the new guidance, people who are at least 2 weeks out from their last dose can:

• Visit with other fully vaccinated people indoors without wearing masks or physical distancing.
• Visit with unvaccinated people from a single household who are at low risk for severe COVID-19 disease indoors without wearing masks or physical distancing
• Avoid quarantine and testing following exposure to someone if they remain asymptomatic.

Edited March 19, 2021 by CaroleSS

[mahdnc]

A sample of current ORD-SXM-ORD airfare to catch the 1st sailing--flying in the day before the cruise and flying out on the day the sailing ends.  I wish I could buy options on this.....

 

Edited March 19, 2021 by mahdnc

[Host Jazzbeau]

I had been looking at flights from NYC or Miami to a few Caribbean islands where small-ship cruises homeport, and I was surprised at how few flights are available and how high the prices are.  So I was glad to read that Celebrity has already thought of this and reserved lots of seats for their new homeport in St. Martin.

[paulh84]

11 minutes ago, mahdnc said:

A sample of current ORD-SXM-ORD airfare to catch the 1st sailing--flying in the day before the cruise and flying out on the day the sailing ends.  I wish I could buy options on this.....

 

 

Pay the $50 to make it fully refundable...