It looks like Celebrity is now requiring negative COVID test before boarding

[jcpc]

Hi,

 

I just minutes ago received the following email from Celebrity (see the sentence I marked in Bold):

 

ABOUT YOUR UPCOMING TRAVELS

Dear Guest, We look forward to welcoming you aboard Celebrity Edge® for your 7-Night Caribbean sailing from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Before we depart, we have some important information to share regarding our Health and Safety Protocols. Celebrity Cruises has been working closely with health and government authorities, in each country we sail from, to outline a clear path for cruising with new health and safety measures. As we return to service, we are continuously evaluating all requirements from local government and health officials. Out of an abundance of caution, Celebrity Cruises will be enhancing COVID-19 testing requirements for both vaccinated and unvaccinated guests.   All guests over the age two, regardless of vaccination status, will now be required to present a negative COVID-19 test result at the time of embarkation. This test may be taken as either a PCR test or an Antigen test, conducted within 72 hours of embarkation. Each guest is responsible for making their own arrangements with an accredited testing provider as well as all associated costs.   Unvaccinated guests and children, under 12 years of age, will be required to take an additional antigen test at the terminal prior to embarkation, mid-cruise and on the day before disembarkation. A registration link for required testing will be sent separately. Should a guest be unable to complete the testing requirements, a 100% refund or Future Cruise Credit will be offered. Additional testing and protocols will be confirmed closer to your sailing departure date in line with the most up to date recommendations from local government and health officials as well as our Healthy Sail Panel. These measures, including vaccination and testing requirements, will evolve along with public health standards. Celebrity Edge will sail with a vaccinated crew, and at least 95% of guests fully vaccinated. Guests 12 years and older must be fully vaccinated with all COVID-19 vaccine doses administered at least 14 days prior to sailing.  Guests who decline or are unable to show proof of vaccination at boarding will be treated as unvaccinated and subject to additional protocols, restrictions, and costs for COVID-19 testing. For details on our current health and safety protocols please visit  https://www.healthyatsea.com. We’re sailing with fewer guests for more space – and more luxury with even more activities to avoid large gatherings in public spaces. We apologize for any inconvenience these changes may cause. We're confident they will deliver a more satisfying vacation experience. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Celebrity Cruises at 1-844-418-6824 in North America or (316) 554-5961 worldwide.

[DCPIV]

And so it goes . . . .

[bikerunner]

Not surprising at all with everything going on.  

[PTC DAWG]

I’m sailing Sunday, when does this start?

[Babr]

It should not come as a surprise.  Royal has already announced a similar plan.

 

Neither should it be a surprise that it is necessary. Cases are increasing at an alarming rate, and news of people testing positive on cruise ships is reported almost daily.

 

[C-Dragons]

13 minutes ago, jcpc said:

Hi,

 

I just minutes ago received the following email from Celebrity (see the sentence I marked in Bold):

 

ABOUT YOUR UPCOMING TRAVELS

Dear Guest, We look forward to welcoming you aboard Celebrity Edge® for your 7-Night Caribbean sailing from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Before we depart, we have some important information to share regarding our Health and Safety Protocols. Celebrity Cruises has been working closely with health and government authorities, in each country we sail from, to outline a clear path for cruising with new health and safety measures. As we return to service, we are continuously evaluating all requirements from local government and health officials. Out of an abundance of caution, Celebrity Cruises will be enhancing COVID-19 testing requirements for both vaccinated and unvaccinated guests.   All guests over the age two, regardless of vaccination status, will now be required to present a negative COVID-19 test result at the time of embarkation. This test may be taken as either a PCR test or an Antigen test, conducted within 72 hours of embarkation. Each guest is responsible for making their own arrangements with an accredited testing provider as well as all associated costs.   Unvaccinated guests and children, under 12 years of age, will be required to take an additional antigen test at the terminal prior to embarkation, mid-cruise and on the day before disembarkation. A registration link for required testing will be sent separately. Should a guest be unable to complete the testing requirements, a 100% refund or Future Cruise Credit will be offered. Additional testing and protocols will be confirmed closer to your sailing departure date in line with the most up to date recommendations from local government and health officials as well as our Healthy Sail Panel. These measures, including vaccination and testing requirements, will evolve along with public health standards. Celebrity Edge will sail with a vaccinated crew, and at least 95% of guests fully vaccinated. Guests 12 years and older must be fully vaccinated with all COVID-19 vaccine doses administered at least 14 days prior to sailing.  Guests who decline or are unable to show proof of vaccination at boarding will be treated as unvaccinated and subject to additional protocols, restrictions, and costs for COVID-19 testing. For details on our current health and safety protocols please visit  https://www.healthyatsea.com. We’re sailing with fewer guests for more space – and more luxury with even more activities to avoid large gatherings in public spaces. We apologize for any inconvenience these changes may cause. We're confident they will deliver a more satisfying vacation experience. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Celebrity Cruises at 1-844-418-6824 in North America or (316) 554-5961 worldwide.

What is your departure date?

[vkb2751]

We also received the email. Our sailing date is 8/7

[jcpc]

1 minute ago, C-Dragons said:

What is your departure date?

I don't sail until September.

 

[jcpc]

13 minutes ago, PTC DAWG said:

I’m sailing Sunday, when does this start?

Email did not specify effective date, but I would presume this starts "effective immediately".  You can probably go to a local CVS (or that type of store) and get test done today.

[LuvCruzn4Evr]

Just got it too and we fly out tomorrow morning at 7:30am for our Sunday cruise.  So Celebrity, how in the hell are we supposed to get this accomplished????? I am beyond pissed off!!!!

 

[OT-Miami]

We also received the same email for our Edge 09/04/2021 sailing...

[PTC DAWG]

1 minute ago, LuvCruzn4Evr said:

Just got it too and we fly out tomorrow morning at 7:30am for our Sunday cruise.  So Celebrity, how in the hell are we supposed to get this accomplished????? I am beyond pissed off!!!!

 

They couldn't spring it on us this weekend could they?  At this late date?  Testing at port, possibly?  

Edited July 30, 2021 by PTC DAWG

[HMK8273]

We received it too - sailing Edge July 31 and Aug. 7 B2B.  Check the reply email address, check the final closing of the email - that seems to be spam to me - email says it is from Celebrity but the link to confirm receipt is NOT a Celebrity address.  We are currently on hold with Celebrity trying to get a response to the email but the website still reads as of July 26, 2021 requirements and does NOT say testing required for vaccinated travelers.  I wouldn't click on that link to confirm receipt - I think we are being phished - but I can't prove it.

[PTC DAWG]

2 minutes ago, HMK8273 said:

We received it too - sailing Edge July 31 and Aug. 7 B2B.  Check the reply email address, check the final closing of the email - that seems to be spam to me - email says it is from Celebrity but the link to confirm receipt is NOT a Celebrity address.  We are currently on hold with Celebrity trying to get a response to the email but the website still reads as of July 26, 2021 requirements and does NOT say testing required for vaccinated travelers.  I wouldn't click on that link to confirm receipt - I think we are being phished - but I can't prove it.

Please update here when you get off phone with them...Sailing AUG 1 

Edited July 30, 2021 by PTC DAWG

[mayleeman]

4 minutes ago, LuvCruzn4Evr said:

Just got it too and we fly out tomorrow morning at 7:30am for our Sunday cruise.  So Celebrity, how in the hell are we supposed to get this accomplished????? I am beyond pissed off!!!!

 

 

Why? They are trying to keep your cruise safe!  Quick, get the test done and you will get the results online to show on Sunday.

[Jeremiah1212]

5 minutes ago, HMK8273 said:

We received it too - sailing Edge July 31 and Aug. 7 B2B.  Check the reply email address, check the final closing of the email - that seems to be spam to me - email says it is from Celebrity but the link to confirm receipt is NOT a Celebrity address.  We are currently on hold with Celebrity trying to get a response to the email but the website still reads as of July 26, 2021 requirements and does NOT say testing required for vaccinated travelers.  I wouldn't click on that link to confirm receipt - I think we are being phished - but I can't prove it.

 

Everbridge? it's not Phishing. 

[LUVTRAVEL6]

We are sailing on the Edge on July 31st, and we have not received this email.  

 

Just the email reminder this morning to complete our online health screening...

 

The email only shows the same information as before, testing only required for unvaccinated.  Maybe it's for later sailings?  I don't know how they could accomplish this for tomorrow's sailing?

[HMK8273]

1 minute ago, Jeremiah1212 said:

 

Everbridge? it's not Phishing. 

Then you click on the link and tell us what you get.  That's not something Celebrity has used before.  There are too many things in that email that make it odd to us - hence the phone call - still on hold.

[CajunHeavyCruiser]

We sail Sunday and haven’t received an email like this.

[jcpc]

7 minutes ago, HMK8273 said:

We received it too - sailing Edge July 31 and Aug. 7 B2B.  Check the reply email address, check the final closing of the email - that seems to be spam to me - email says it is from Celebrity but the link to confirm receipt is NOT a Celebrity address.  We are currently on hold with Celebrity trying to get a response to the email but the website still reads as of July 26, 2021 requirements and does NOT say testing required for vaccinated travelers.  I wouldn't click on that link to confirm receipt - I think we are being phished - but I can't prove it.

Email was sent by everbridge.net.  Everbridge is a service that provides "mass email communicaitons" (for lack of a better term).  Celebrity outsources this type of email to Everbridge (Celebrity's servers probably couldn't handle the bandwidth needed for this type of communication).

[Silkroad]

8 minutes ago, LuvCruzn4Evr said:

Just got it too and we fly out tomorrow morning at 7:30am for our Sunday cruise.  So Celebrity, how in the hell are we supposed to get this accomplished????? I am beyond pissed off!!!!

 

I don’t blame you! You’re supposed to run around trying to get tested  the afternoon before your early flight? Or hope you can get tested Saturday in FL with hopes you’ll get the results before Sunday? Good luck.

[jcpc]

2 minutes ago, HMK8273 said:

Then you click on the link and tell us what you get.  That's not something Celebrity has used before.  There are too many things in that email that make it odd to us - hence the phone call - still on hold.

Celebrity has definitely used this service in the past.  I have one saved on my computer from this exact same service dated 3/24/20......announcing the global suspension of cruising.

 

It's not phishing.

[Corgidawgga]

I sail out tomorrow on the Edge.   I went to Walgreens at noon and got the Abbot test since I am vaxed.    I got my negative result by email 30 minutes after test.
 

The hardest part is finding an opening time.     Good luck!     Celebrity will handle if we need before boarding, I am sure.   And probably at no charge if you are vaxed.

[helen haywood]

This is the exact same notification Royal issued yesterday; I’m not surprised.  For people sailing this weekend this is most unfortunate!!  Contact CVS and Walgreens etc and see about getting an appointment for a drive through test with rapid results.

[LuvCruzn4Evr]

8 minutes ago, mayleeman said:

 

Why? They are trying to keep your cruise safe!  Quick, get the test done and you will get the results online to show on Sunday.

Great in theory BUT no appts available today at this late notice in our 'small' area. Thank you!