Celebrity website inaccuracies about St. Maarten

[jg51]

This insanity is one of the reasons that we (who are LONGING to cruise) have NOT booked a cruise during the past fourteen months.  Since we have been vaccinated, we refuse to book a cruise until there is no longer any requirement for pre-cruise virus testing.  (Our first Celebrity cruise took place in 2008, and very many have followed.)

 

Well, we might make an exception -- regarding testing -- if Celebrity or Royal Caribbean International would have the wisdom and class to do what we seem to recall was done in Europe by TUI Cruises [Mein Schiff] -- a line that is 50% owned by Royal Caribbean Group. 

 

If we are not mistaken, TUI did this:

(1) built the [bulk-discounted] cost of a test into each cruise fare ...

(2) contracted with at least one European provider [owner(s) of many laboratories throughout the continent] to perform tests on all guests, a few days before a sailing ...

(3) relied on that/those provider(s) to ...

___ [a] quickly notify guests of the test results, so that they would know if they should stay home or not ... and ...

___ [b] notify TUI of the test results, so that they would have them before Embarkation Day, making for quick check-ins (relieving guests of having to show a proof of having been tested).

 

If the above is an accurate memory of what was done in Europe, then it ought to be done in North America too, in our opinion.  If it were to be done, we would book a cruise.  If not, then we will wait until testing is no longer required at all -- even if that takes another year or two.

.

[Oldsweets]

I just spoke with a very nice lady at Celebrity in Guest Services as we have been unable to Check In for our 5 June Cruise from St Marten.  She told me system isn’t yet operational and to keep checking back.  I shared with her my frustrations with Celebrity’s failure to communicate with booked guest even the simplest of information/updates like failing to notify us of the system being unable top allow check in.  I also added the failure and confusion about 3 vs 5 day PCR Testing.  She told me that today the Celebrity site says 3 days.   She assured me that she would forward these concerns on.  In talking with her about the 3 vs 5 day PCR Testing confusion she told me she was going to log into Cruise Critic and read the messages as she wanted to fully understand the issue.  I was impressed by the attitude and skills of this Guest Services Agent,  Wonder the value of Cruise Critic Boards?  Here is your answer.

[wrk2cruise]

Wouldn't it be nice if Celebrity had an email technology which would allow them to send a notification to the guests on any particular sailing to notify them of significant changes and verify if the customer actually received them.

 

Oh wait.  They do.  I have received these types of emails multiple times when there have been last minute boarding changes.   Receive an email with a link to click to confirm I had seen it.  I assume they tried other forms of communication with the small segment of passengers who didn't acknowledge receiving the notification.

 

[ipeeinthepool]

8 minutes ago, Oldsweets said:

....

  Wonder the value of Cruise Critic Boards?  Here is your answer.

 

Priceless.  Who wouldn't value the opinions from all of the CC experts?

[DallasGuy75219]

10 minutes ago, Oldsweets said:

I just spoke with a very nice lady at Celebrity in Guest Services as we have been unable to Check In for our 5 June Cruise from St Marten.

The sheer incompetence on the part of Celebrity is stunning. I was able to check in yesterday for my July 24 Millie sailing.

[Oldsweets]

Not sure of the tone of your post but I don’t consider myself an expert about anything.  I am though confused by Celebrity and I contacted Celebrity Guest Services because I understand that CC Boards don’t make the rules but rather the cruise lines themselves do.  In sharing a late post on this topic about a new 5 day requirement the Guest Services Agent said that the name mentioned was a VP at Celebrity.  So as far as I am concerned CC Boards had some real value because it helped move the needle on an information void created by Celebrity even though the info came from what you call (CC EXPERTS).  As an update Celebrity Check in now at least temporarily seems to be working.  

[AstoriaPreppy]

15 hours ago, lhsail said:

I was told that for each sailing the final requirements would appear on our documents when we complete the online check in. 

I checked in on my phone (scanned passports, took pics) but I still need to finalize everything by taking a "health survey" 24 hours before boarding. No testing requirements have shown up anywhere in the app or in my account online. Hopefully I don't get finalized testing requirements when I'm lounging at a resort pool in St. Maarten on Friday afternoon the day before boarding.

Also, if you have an Xpress Pass, do you even get traditional cruise documents anymore? 

 

[lhsail]

30 minutes ago, AstoriaPreppy said:

I checked in on my phone (scanned passports, took pics) but I still need to finalize everything by taking a "health survey" 24 hours before boarding. No testing requirements have shown up anywhere in the app or in my account online. Hopefully I don't get finalized testing requirements when I'm lounging at a resort pool in St. Maarten on Friday afternoon the day before boarding.

Also, if you have an Xpress Pass, do you even get traditional cruise documents anymore? 

 

Think that is the fear many of us have, that we think we’re good to go and something will change at the last minute and not be communicated. And, yes, I used the term “documents” in the broadest terms and probably old fashioned terms.  
 

[AstoriaPreppy]

16 minutes ago, lhsail said:

Think that is the fear many of us have, that we think we’re good to go and something will change at the last minute and not be communicated. And, yes, I used the term “documents” in the broadest terms and probably old fashioned terms.  
 

Same!

To be honest, I just want clear directions with enough time to implement. In NYC we have a plethora of testing options, including free 24 hr PCR tests... so I'm not really worried about finding options. It's going to be much harder for people in other parts of the country where testing may be $$$ or nonexistent, with slow turnaround times for lab results.

 

I hope Celebrity understands that a week of lead time isn't going to be reasonable for most cruisers if the rules are constantly evolving.  

 

[Arzeena]

We got a call from Celebrity today: I had emailed about the mass confusion on testing requirements and was called back to "clear" the confusion.

 

I gave the dates of arrival and departure to the rep and was told (read to) that I would require:
 

1. PCR test to get into St Martin per St Marten's travel /entry requirement. And uploading results and filling out their form. (Flying in on June 30)

 

2. PCR test done in St Marten to show Celebrity at pier check in, since I was flying in earlier (Done within 3 days before boarding ship)
Day 1 June 30 to July 1

Day 2 July 1 to July 2

Day 3 july 2 to July 3

 

3. Antigen test done by Celebrity upon boarding

 

and towards the end of the cruise

4. Antigen test done by celebrity before disembarkation day.

 

It is seeming less like a vacation and more like a science experiment at this point.
 

We are fully vaccinated and have no problems masking and distancing on a vacay, but adding a battery of tests and trying to make deadlines makes me think twice about cancelling.

 

 

[sofietucker]

48 minutes ago, Arzeena said:

We got a call from Celebrity today: I had emailed about the mass confusion on testing requirements and was called back to "clear" the confusion.

 

I gave the dates of arrival and departure to the rep and was told (read to) that I would require:
 

1. PCR test to get into St Martin per St Marten's travel /entry requirement. And uploading results and filling out their form. (Flying in on June 30)

 

2. PCR test done in St Marten to show Celebrity at pier check in, since I was flying in earlier (Done within 3 days before boarding ship)
Day 1 June 30 to July 1

Day 2 July 1 to July 2

Day 3 july 2 to July 3

 

3. Antigen test done by Celebrity upon boarding

 

and towards the end of the cruise

4. Antigen test done by celebrity before disembarkation day.

 

It is seeming less like a vacation and more like a science experiment at this point.
 

We are fully vaccinated and have no problems masking and distancing on a vacay, but adding a battery of tests and trying to make deadlines makes me think twice about cancelling.

 

 

And Celebrity still doesn't seem to know what it's doing: for some time now, St Maarten ITSELF doesn't require the rt-PCR-test-or-nothing: they allow the antigen test if done no later than 48 hours before entry to the country.

On their EHAS (Health Dept) website  https://stmaartenehas.com/travel-requirements/  

This is a copy/paste from the Covid-19 section of the page (scroll down). Bolding theirs. Read the "Alternatively..." section.

1. A rt-PCR test for the SARS-COV-2 virus obtained from a naso-pharyngeal swab performed in the country of origin and within 72 hours prior to departure to Sint Maarten (last leg in case of connecting flights) is required for all travelers originating from a country that is categorized as high risk. Antibody tests and tests performed outside of the 72 hours period will not be accepted. Results from home covid-19 collection test kits will also not be accepted. Airlines might require you to show a negative lab test result. For travelers from the USA, US territories and Canada the time frame remains 120 hrs. prior to departure. This will remain in effect as long as the national health authorities of the USA and Canada do not require differently for their traveling citizens.
2. Alternatively, travelers originating from the USA and Canada can do an antigen test for the SARS-COV-2 virus obtained from a naso-pharyngeal swab performed within 48 hours prior to departure to Sint Maarten. All FDA approved antigen tests including those with Emergency Use Authorization only (EUA) are accepted. Tests performed outside of the 48 hours period and home tests will not be accepted.

[Arzeena]

4 minutes ago, sofietucker said:

And Celebrity still doesn't seem to know what it's doing: for some time now, St Maarten ITSELF doesn't require the rt-PCR-test-or-nothing: they allow the antigen test if done no later than 48 hours before entry to the country.

On their EHAS (Health Dept) website  https://stmaartenehas.com/travel-requirements/  

This is a copy/paste from the Covid-19 section of the page (scroll down). Bolding theirs. Read the "Alternatively..." section.

1. A rt-PCR test for the SARS-COV-2 virus obtained from a naso-pharyngeal swab performed in the country of origin and within 72 hours prior to departure to Sint Maarten (last leg in case of connecting flights) is required for all travelers originating from a country that is categorized as high risk. Antibody tests and tests performed outside of the 72 hours period will not be accepted. Results from home covid-19 collection test kits will also not be accepted. Airlines might require you to show a negative lab test result. For travelers from the USA, US territories and Canada the time frame remains 120 hrs. prior to departure. This will remain in effect as long as the national health authorities of the USA and Canada do not require differently for their traveling citizens.
2. Alternatively, travelers originating from the USA and Canada can do an antigen test for the SARS-COV-2 virus obtained from a naso-pharyngeal swab performed within 48 hours prior to departure to Sint Maarten. All FDA approved antigen tests including those with Emergency Use Authorization only (EUA) are accepted. Tests performed outside of the 48 hours period and home tests will not be accepted.

Yeah I know. I agree Celebrity does not know what they are doing! And like some poster mentioned above I do not want to be informed at the nth hour and have no time to do a test or fulfill a requirement right on boarding day.

[Jeremiah1212]

12 minutes ago, sofietucker said:

And Celebrity still doesn't seem to know what it's doing: for some time now, St Maarten ITSELF doesn't require the rt-PCR-test-or-nothing: they allow the antigen test if done no later than 48 hours before entry to the country.

On their EHAS (Health Dept) website  https://stmaartenehas.com/travel-requirements/  

This is a copy/paste from the Covid-19 section of the page (scroll down). Bolding theirs. Read the "Alternatively..." section.

1. A rt-PCR test for the SARS-COV-2 virus obtained from a naso-pharyngeal swab performed in the country of origin and within 72 hours prior to departure to Sint Maarten (last leg in case of connecting flights) is required for all travelers originating from a country that is categorized as high risk. Antibody tests and tests performed outside of the 72 hours period will not be accepted. Results from home covid-19 collection test kits will also not be accepted. Airlines might require you to show a negative lab test result. For travelers from the USA, US territories and Canada the time frame remains 120 hrs. prior to departure. This will remain in effect as long as the national health authorities of the USA and Canada do not require differently for their traveling citizens.
2. Alternatively, travelers originating from the USA and Canada can do an antigen test for the SARS-COV-2 virus obtained from a naso-pharyngeal swab performed within 48 hours prior to departure to Sint Maarten. All FDA approved antigen tests including those with Emergency Use Authorization only (EUA) are accepted. Tests performed outside of the 48 hours period and home tests will not be accepted.

 

Give Celebrity a little more time to get things communicated correctly. Things are changing daily. They have been fairly transparent in the fact that it's a struggle.

 

Celebrity is requiring the PCR test for everyone even though SXM has other options. The 5 day window has not been widely communicated yet but it was distributed to TA's earlier this week.

Policy_Cheat_Sheets.pdf

Edited May 13, 2021 by Jeremiah1212

[Arzeena]

22 minutes ago, Jeremiah1212 said:

 

Give Celebrity a little more time to get things communicated correctly. Things are changing daily. They have been fairly transparent in the fact that it's a struggle.

 

Celebrity is requiring the PCR test for everyone even though SXM has other options. The 5 day window has not been widely communicated yet but it was distributed to TA's earlier this week.

Policy_Cheat_Sheets.pdf 976.38 kB · 2 downloads

Thank you.

The policy cheat sheets...are they given to only TAs to inform their clients? I understand those.....very well explained. But the reps and their website is giving different info especially about the 5 day or the 3 day window.  I hope that Celebrity can clarify that, so we can look for a different flight into St Marten to satisfy the 3 day window or look for a place in St Marten that will do the PCR that is required for boarding the cruise.

 

 

[lhsail]

5 hours ago, AstoriaPreppy said:

 

 

[lhsail]

Couldn’t figure out how to delete the above post. 
 

Truly appreciate everyone sharing information as they get it. I was really wound up about this yesterday, but so far today we have learned that a neighbor had a miscarriage, a good friend from church lost his battle with cancer and a family member is having some complications following surgery. This cruise stuff doesn’t seem so important now. 

[AstoriaPreppy]

59 minutes ago, Jeremiah1212 said:

The 5 day window has not been widely communicated yet but it was distributed to TA's earlier this week.

 

As guests, we can only go by what the line says publicly.

Every single interaction with Celebrity (both online and via phone), has made it clear that they revised their guidelines on 11 May, and have decided that every passenger boarding in St Maarten will need a negative rt-PCR test within three days of boarding. I know the TA deck said something different, but this is an outlier. 

Until a different PCR test window for boarding is posted on their public website, or communicated in a way to the public, we have to plan for what the line is telling passengers, not what they're telling travel agents. 

 

[FlyerTalker]

1 hour ago, Jeremiah1212 said:

Give Celebrity a little more time to get things communicated correctly. Things are changing daily. They have been fairly transparent in the fact that it's a struggle.

 

Nothing from outside the company is changing....it's their own decision-making that changes.

 

Reminds me of a Millennium cruise out of Shanghai about five years ago.  Onboard management was nothing but a continuing sequence of changing explanations and customer avoidance.

 

Not a great way to welcome back cruisers.

[LGW59]

3 minutes ago, FlyerTalker said:

 

Nothing from outside the company is changing....it's their own decision-making that changes.

 

Reminds me of a Millennium cruise out of Shanghai about five years ago.  Onboard management was nothing but a continuing sequence of changing explanations and customer avoidance.

 

Not a great way to welcome back cruisers.

Cut some slack already, been shut down for 14 months.  What does 5 years ago have to do with this current situation???  It is going to take a few cruises to iron it all out.  🙄

Edited May 13, 2021 by LGW59

[FlyerTalker]

Nope.  You want to be in business and get our travel dollars.  Fine - you'd better have your ducks in a row BEFORE you open the doors.

 

Let's see...they can't get something this simple straight.  Will they have proper provisioning in place?  Hey, why worry - it's gonna take a few cruises to iron it all out.  How about enough fuel for the ship?  So what -- cut us slack.

 

 

[Jeremiah1212]

44 minutes ago, AstoriaPreppy said:

 

As guests, we can only go by what the line says publicly.

Every single interaction with Celebrity (both online and via phone), has made it clear that they revised their guidelines on 11 May, and have decided that every passenger boarding in St Maarten will need a negative rt-PCR test within three days of boarding. I know the TA deck said something different, but this is an outlier. 

Until a different PCR test window for boarding is posted on their public website, or communicated in a way to the public, we have to plan for what the line is telling passengers, not what they're telling travel agents. 

 

 

 

So get your test 3 days before. If it turns out you really had 5 days, you're still good to go!

[rsail203]

3 days before would probably keep us from getting St. Maarten permission for a Thursday flight.

[AstoriaPreppy]

9 minutes ago, Jeremiah1212 said:

 

 

So get your test 3 days before. If it turns out you really had 5 days, you're still good to go!

 

As I noted in our roll cal for the 12th, the timing on a Wednesday PCR test is dicey for a Thursday flight... since we all need pre-approval from the St. Maarten EAHS to even board the plane to St. Maarten. 

Essentially what I'd need to do is schedule a PCR test for 1 pm on Wednesday afternoon, hope the lab turns it around in a few hours so I can submit that negative test to St. Maarten, get their approval docs in a few hours, print all of that out, and then go to the airport for our flight Thursday morning. The risk there is way too anxiety-producing (and I am not in any way an anxiety-prone person). 

If the three day PCR test requirement remains, I think we'll probably do a 15 minute antigen test on Monday afternoon and use those to submit to the St Maarten EAHS system (48 hour window), and then do a separate PCR test on Wednesday afternoon for Celebrity's 72 hour window before boarding requirement.

 

At least that way I'll know we're okay to at least get on the plane to the island, and then print out our PCR test results when they arrive once we're at our hotel. 
 

Edited May 13, 2021 by AstoriaPreppy

[sofietucker]

12 minutes ago, Jeremiah1212 said:

 

 

So get your test 3 days before. If it turns out you really had 5 days, you're still good to go!

But... Here, the PCR test takes" a few days" to get results back. So let's say we gamble and take it 3 days before departure, and thankfully, it gets back before we fly. And we are flying in 2 days early. So that's 5 days, boarding on Day 6. And so that test will have expired by the day we board. So therefore we have to get another PCR test in St Maarten, which costs $75 or 70, depending on which lab (also one that is $125). https://stmaartenupdates.com/testing-on-island/ I guess we'll have to make the appointment for the test before we leave, and possibly coordinate it with our arrival, since the results will take 24 hours. And take a taxi from our hotel to get tested...

[lazydayz]

17 minutes ago, sofietucker said:

But... Here, the PCR test takes" a few days" to get results back. So let's say we gamble and take it 3 days before departure, and thankfully, it gets back before we fly. And we are flying in 2 days early. So that's 5 days, boarding on Day 6. And so that test will have expired by the day we board. So therefore we have to get another PCR test in St Maarten, which costs $75 or 70, depending on which lab (also one that is $125). https://stmaartenupdates.com/testing-on-island/ I guess we'll have to make the appointment for the test before we leave, and possibly coordinate it with our arrival, since the results will take 24 hours. And take a taxi from our hotel to get tested...

 

I agree, this is turning into lunacy.  Celebrity should not be requiring fully vaccinated people to take a test three days before boarding, then give us another one at the port.  I have a feeling this will change (again) and if it does not, I might punt and just go to the Bahamas.