How Get Returning Negative Test on SD?

[JES4845]

Assuming summer/fall Med voyages are a go - and we all hope so for sure - does anyone have information from SeaDream or otherwise on how US citizens (and others with return testing requirements for re-entry) will be able to obtain the required tests within 72 hours of departure for home?  Right now we have an October voyage booked (and I might even think about one sooner), but now realize when we booked the October flights we didn’t factor in staying several days at the disembarkation city (Venice) to get the tests done (assuming they can do them on land, especially on a weekend).  Perhaps SD has this covered?  They did have testing equipment once, for the Barbados voyages this past winter that were cancelled.  I’m not up on the different Covid tests, but think the US TSA requirement is for the antigen test.  Any and all advice, information, etc. would be welcome and appreciated.

[DWhit]

I have no idea what SeaDream is planning, but I would think you should be OK.  I would hope by October even more common sense would rule and the USA would accept fully vaccinated citizens to return with no test at all, or at the most a rapid results test.  We are booked on an RCI cruise leaving from the Bahamas in June and their Prime Minister (who is evidently an MD) has said no test required for fully vaccinated travelers.  RCI will be providing testing for return to USA if it is still required.

[JES4845]

On 4/24/2021 at 8:35 PM, DWhit said:

I have no idea what SeaDream is planning, but I would think you should be OK.  I would hope by October even more common sense would rule and the USA would accept fully vaccinated citizens to return with no test at all, or at the most a rapid results test.  We are booked on an RCI cruise leaving from the Bahamas in June and their Prime Minister (who is evidently an MD) has said no test required for fully vaccinated travelers.  RCI will be providing testing for return to USA if it is still required.

 

Thanks for the reply.  Hope you are correct, but as the old saying goes, hope is not a strategy!  To put a finer point on it all, the alternative to the SD voyage for our big anniversary this October is an excellent adults only resort on Aruba where we stayed about ten years ago.  The resort stresses they will handle any return testing on site at the resort so you don’t miss a beat of vacation time!

[Jim Avery]

JES I see the same at all the Mexican resorts too.  SD will have to provide the test or it becomes difficult (more difficult?) to sail.  As long as we traveling public put up with this bureaucratic nonsense I fear it will stick around and probably get more complex.  Countries need to get a grip on the idea that allowing fully vaxed travelers in rather normally to spend money in their countries is in their best interests.  The vax, herd immunity, and your own immune system is as good as it gets.  Time to get on with life..

[TrapperZimmy]

The killer for the cruise industry is Florida's prohibition on companies requiring proof of vaccination.  Miami is the largest cruise port in the world, and none of the companies will sail out of Florida if they can't require vaccination.  Big article in yesterday's New York Times on the future of cruising.  I hope this all get resolved before our New Year's cruise.  We are scheduled to disembark in Palm Beach.  First time in my knowledge that SD is sailing into and out of US.  I hope our reservation at Mar a Lago is cancellable.

[BeignetBoy]

And adding more the confusion, is what will SeaDream require for boarding passengers?  Will they accept a vaccine, or will they require some type of a test also?  I hope that a vaccine would be required and sufficient, as we can see what happened on their first attempt at a voyage in the Caribbean earlier where someone apparently got infected between the testing and embarkation -- causing a problem on the entire voyage.   Also, not to mention the logistic challenges of getting a test prior to leaving the US to satisfy the 72 hour limitation as was previously required.

 

It seems to me that they owe this information to potential and current customers given that their first scheduled voyage is less that 60 days out.  And their "Ultimate Booking Assurance" program offers nothing for those loyal customers who might have booked a cruise prior to July 22, 2020.  

 

We are booked on a cruise in November and have acquired our air, and may consider something sooner, but we need this information before we do.  

Edited April 27, 2021 by BeignetBoy

[Jim Avery]

2 hours ago, TrapperZimmy said:

The killer for the cruise industry is Florida's prohibition on companies requiring proof of vaccination.  Miami is the largest cruise port in the world, and none of the companies will sail out of Florida if they can't require vaccination.  Big article in yesterday's New York Times on the future of cruising.  I hope this all get resolved before our New Year's cruise.  We are scheduled to disembark in Palm Beach.  First time in my knowledge that SD is sailing into and out of US.  I hope our reservation at Mar a Lago is cancellable.

Hi Trapper,

A number of years back SD had a couple of r/t Miami cruises.  We were booked on one but they were cancelled.  For a charter was the tale at the time.  I think they will work well.  We were supposed to hit a few places in the keys including the Dry Tortugas and Fort Jefferson then a Bermuda stop or two then back to MIA.  I would still do this.  We are looking at r/t Palm Beach but won't pull the trigger till some of the crazy abates.🍸

[JES4845]

Thanks to those of you who replied in recent days/hours.

 

As a Florida resident, the incongruity (to be polite here) from our Governor is impossible to square - on the one hand he brags about Florida being open for business and bashes the CDC for not getting cruises going (with some justification due to CDC foot dragging), yet he strongly opposes requiring a vaccine (while telling us to get vaccinated).  Huh?

 

In theory totally agree those who have been vaccinated should be allowed to travel without further testing on arrival and upon return.  I gather a major sticking point is how to make the vaccination proof secure to avoid counterfeit forms and also make it electronic for ease of use.  That is being worked on but how quickly will it be resolved?

 

SeaDream is in a tough spot as a friend who works on these issues for the airlines has explained.  Like the airlines, SeaDream is dependent on decisions by governments that haven’t been made yet.  One would hope and indeed expect flexibility by SeaDream for those of us with 2021 bookings, especially in the Med.  This would include how to handle cancellations after the 120 day and 90 day windows have started if ports are closed and rules remain unclear.  Absent that flexibility from SeaDream, no doubt we and others just won’t make the final payment and instead will seek an immediate refund rather than take the risk of heavy penalties within those windows close to departure.

 

[TrapperZimmy]

When taking a vacation is more of a hassle than working, you know something is wrong.  I have enjoyed working from home for the past year, not having to deal with the anxiety of whether my flight will get me where I have to be, or get me home.  No worries about weather, mechanical issues, or anything else that is beyond my control.  Grateful that top tier airline and hotel status have rolled over to next January, but not looking forward to being at the bottom of the pecking order again.  I am going back to business travel soon, with mixed feelings.

[BeignetBoy]

19 hours ago, JES4845 said:

 

SeaDream is in a tough spot ---  Like the airlines, SeaDream is dependent on decisions by governments that haven’t been made yet.  One would hope and indeed expect flexibility by SeaDream for those of us with 2021 bookings, especially in the Med.  This would include how to handle cancellations after the 120 day and 90 day windows have started if ports are closed and rules remain unclear.  Absent that flexibility from SeaDream, no doubt we and others just won’t make the final payment and instead will seek an immediate refund rather than take the risk of heavy penalties within those windows close to departure.

 

Jes, I agree with  your above statements.  They are in a tough spot here.  But I don't see how final payments can be made without some consideration to their passengers.  We booked our November cruise several years ago, and don't want to cancel it, but the 120 date is approaching in a few months   At a minimum, they should not penalize loyal customers who make the final payment, but then are forced to cancel because of testing requirements not announced until shortly before the cruise.  As I said earlier, I don't see how they can expect someone to book a cruise with less that 60 days to go without stating what their testing requirements will be. 

 

They don't control the countries, but do control their own policies.  And several major cruise lines have already stated that they will require vaccines for all prior to boarding. 

[laurelguy]

Talk about STRESS indeed. Big lovers of SD and have August in the Med booked. Final due next week and we just don't know if France and Italy will be open to cruisers. We're vaxxed of course but yikes!