Bermuda new protection edict!

[Marygracie C.]

I just read and printed new "rules"to enter Bermuda.I understand it is a small island and they want to keep their citizens safe but oh my.

Go to Bermuda goverment page and read.To enter Bermuda a long covid test must be taken four days before entry to the island.Also a very long form filled out and $75.00 sent to Bermuda with proof of negative Covid test,filled out health form and the money.Wonder when

NCL will notify it's cruisers?

[keep on cruisin]

Was discussing this yesterday.  It appears to be new for cruisers, but it was already in place for traveling to Bermuda by air.

 

It will be interesting to see how NCL handles this.  If they are going to test us at the pier to get on the ship in the first place, are they going to try to work with Bermuda to accept that since they are sailing at 100% vaccinated unlike other lines.

 

That being said I don't have an issue being tested.  Insurance will cover it so that part is not an issue.  I of course would prefer to keep my $75 per person.

 

I will be surprised if more ports don't initiate this type of thing.  Florida may be preventing a requirement to show proof of vaccination but the ports don't have to abide by that.  An  I do understand the injunction allowing NCL to require.

[Karaboudjan]

2 minutes ago, keep on cruisin said:

Was discussing this yesterday.  It appears to be new for cruisers, but it was already in place for traveling to Bermuda by air.

 

It will be interesting to see how NCL handles this.  If they are going to test us at the pier to get on the ship in the first place, are they going to try to work with Bermuda to accept that since they are sailing at 100% vaccinated unlike other lines.

 

That being said I don't have an issue being tested.  Insurance will cover it so that part is not an issue.  I of course would prefer to keep my $75 per person.

 

I will be surprised if more ports don't initiate this type of thing.  Florida may be preventing a requirement to show proof of vaccination but the ports don't have to abide by that.  An  I do understand the injunction allowing NCL to require.

NCL is doing antigen tests at the pier.  That will not cut it for Bermuda.  I think the only question is if NCL might accept your PCR test in lieu of the test at the pier.

[keep on cruisin]

9 minutes ago, Karaboudjan said:

NCL is doing antigen tests at the pier.  That will not cut it for Bermuda.  I think the only question is if NCL might accept your PCR test in lieu of the test at the pier.

That would speed up the check in process especially if they have a way to upload the result or accept the Bermuda travel agreement 

[BermudaBound2014]

14 minutes ago, Karaboudjan said:

 I think the only question is if NCL might…..

Exchange Bermuda with another option. 

[Marygracie C.]

I agree with all above comments.Just hate not knowing what is going to happen and I better get over feeling this way.I really just want to cruise!

[Russiamomm]

I’m on the 10/10 to Bermuda.  I’ve done this trip twice before.  I’ll jump through the hoops but honestly I’d be just as happy having a seven day cruise to nowhere.  Refund the port fees and I’ll use it for a spa treatment.  Or give it to the casino.  LOL

[shof515]

if i am reading this right, you will be tested at least 3 or 4 times? that is alot of test in a short amount of time. One test a few days before sail date, the test at the terminal and then a test once the ships gets to the island. and then depending on where you are flying, you will need another test to debark the ship after the cruise is over

[dolphin1313]

4 minutes ago, shof515 said:

if i am reading this right, you will be tested at least 3 or 4 times? that is alot of test in a short amount of time. One test a few days before sail date, the test at the terminal and then a test once the ships gets to the island. and then depending on where you are flying, you will need another test to debark the ship after the cruise is over

You're correct, you will be tested 3 or 4 times based on Bermuda's current requirements.

[bluesea777]

1 hour ago, Karaboudjan said:

NCL is doing antigen tests at the pier. Yes. That will not cut it for Bermuda. True.  I think the only question is if NCL might accept your PCR test in lieu of the test at the pier. Answer = No.

 

Yes, NCL will do the antigen at the pier at embarkation but you need to do a PCR test no more than 4 days prior to embarkation and upload the negative test results to Bermuda Travel Authorization to receive green light before you can travel to port to embark. When the ship arrives in Bermuda you'll be subjected to an arrival PCR test by Bermuda Government, not by NCL.

 

You are vulnerable when travelling to Bermuda after your negative pre-travel PCR test (for BTA). Airports and domestic planes have unvaccinated people and the D variant is another s**t that has already hit the fan.

 

So mask up well during your travel to the port to embark, and thence to Bermuda.

 

 

Edited August 13, 2021 by bluesea777

[HowardK]

This is interesting- there is a 8 night out of NYC that actually spends 6 1/2 hours in Bermuda as one of the ports (I am looking at going, guess I would just go to the museum or fun golf), but I wonder if all of that would be needed for just the short time.

[JamieLogical]

We are booked on a B2B beginning 9/26. My concerns are mostly around the logistics of the test that needs to be performed before getting off the ship in Bermuda and whether not we will be required to complete separate travel authorizations for each week of the B2B.

 

For our arrival test... we are scheduled to arrive in Bermuda at 8:00am Wednesday morning. If we test then, we should be able to use the results of THAT test for our travel authorization form for the second week. If they have us get to Bermuda early and test so that we can actually get off the ship at 8:00 Wednesday, then we will have to get a different PCR test on the island somewhere in order to be able to complete the authorization for the second week.

Edited August 14, 2021 by JamieLogical

[Karaboudjan]

17 minutes ago, JamieLogical said:

We are booked on a B2B beginning 9/26. My concerns are mostly around the logistics of the test that needs to be performed before getting off the ship in Bermuda and whether not we will be required to complete separate travel authorizations for each week of the B2B.

 

For our arrival test... we are scheduled to arrive in Bermuda at 8:00am Wednesday morning. If we test then, we should be able to use the results of THAT test for our travel authorization form for the second week. If they have us get to Bermuda early and test so that we can actually get off the ship at 8:00 Wednesday, then we will have to get a different PCR test on the island somewhere in order to be able to complete the authorization for the second week.

Wasn't there a mention a while back about no excursions being available for the first morning?  If that is correct then it seems like they are anticipating everybody spending that time waiting for their test results, which probably means testing around 8am.

[EllieinNJ]

I have an excursion booked for 1:30pm the first day through NCL. That's cutting it pretty close.

[psac]

12 hours ago, HowardK said:

This is interesting- there is a 8 night out of NYC that actually spends 6 1/2 hours in Bermuda as one of the ports (I am looking at going, guess I would just go to the museum or fun golf), but I wonder if all of that would be needed for just the short time.

I can imagine that cruise rerouting to not go through all that for 6-1/2 hours, when someone said Bermuda has been taking 2-4 hours to turnaround their tests.  (Which is actually fast for PCR tests if that’s true.)

[HowardK]

9 minutes ago, psac said:

I can imagine that cruise rerouting to not go through all that for 6-1/2 hours, when someone said Bermuda has been taking 2-4 hours to turnaround their tests.  (Which is actually fast for PCR tests if that’s true.)

Thats what I am thinking- this is a unique March 2023 8 night booking that looks different in the sense it has GSC and Port Canaveral- yet skips Nassau and adds Norfolk and Bermuda,.

With Bermuda such a short stop, it seems impossible to do anything outside of the Dockyard area, 

[keep on cruisin]

9 minutes ago, HowardK said:

Thats what I am thinking- this is a unique March 2023 8 night booking that looks different in the sense it has GSC and Port Canaveral- yet skips Nassau and adds Norfolk and Bermuda,.

With Bermuda such a short stop, it seems impossible to do anything outside of the Dockyard area, 

I certainly hope by 2023 all the madness is behind us.  Not saying it isnt warranted now.  But hopefully will not be neccessary in 2023

[SwimmingDragon]

So with all of this said. If we paid for excursions and decide to cancel, will be be refunded or will NCL only give us ship credit? My daughter is Neurodivergent, and I can’t imagine her going through that many tests. Then again, she has surprised me before. But PCR test are pretty intense with getting that nasal swab way up there. 

[keep on cruisin]

52 minutes ago, SwimmingDragon said:

So with all of this said. If we paid for excursions and decide to cancel, will be be refunded or will NCL only give us ship credit? My daughter is Neurodivergent, and I can’t imagine her going through that many tests. Then again, she has surprised me before. But PCR test are pretty intense with getting that nasal swab way up there. 

I perform both rapid antigen and the pcr that go to Quest.  The directions for swabbing are the same for the test kits we have had in my office.(basically it should gonup the nasal passage about the distance as between your eye and the front of your ear).  But in alot of places they have the patient do the swab themselves for the rapid and only direct them to go in as far as the size if the tip of the swab.  The difference is the rapid sawb tip is narrower than the pcr so many do find the pcr more uncomfortable.

[Hadacareer]

Our last stop (before Miami) is Bermuda..if this is still going on in December, can we just stay on the ship and forgo all this test8ng crap?

[MsTabbyKats]

4 hours ago, Hadacareer said:

Our last stop (before Miami) is Bermuda..if this is still going on in December, can we just stay on the ship and forgo all this test8ng crap?

Anyone's guess is just as good as anyone else's....but if Bermuda has rules, it doesn't matter how long you're staying there...just that you're covid free upon arrival. 

 

So, my guess is that they spend the day at sea. (Note:  I dom't know how long your cruise is, but the stop being the last day would not be "good timing" for the PCR test.)

 

Anyone else want to guess? 

[drbeamer]

I’m booked on the first Boston Bermuda cruise in 2022. Done the trip many times since we can drive to port and avoid air travel. I wouldn’t mind just staying  on the ship for the whole week, and not disembarking at any time. Do you think I could avoid all the Bermuda requirements? I’m vaccinated and would just do the NCL required testing. 

[Red-Sol]

12 minutes ago, MsTabbyKats said:

Anyone's guess is just as good as anyone else's....but if Bermuda has rules, it doesn't matter how long you're staying there...just that you're covid free upon arrival. 

 

So, my guess is that they spend the day at sea. (Note:  I dom't know how long your cruise is, but the stop being the last day would not be "good timing" for the PCR test.)

 

Anyone else want to guess? 

As inconvenient as Bermuda's rules might become for cruisers they are the right thing to do for the island itself and they should be commended for trying to keep their people safe. It certainly helps me be convinced that booking anything anywhere before the 2nd quarter of 2022 is very risky as to what the outcome of the cruise might be.

[Karaboudjan]

11 minutes ago, drbeamer said:

I’m booked on the first Boston Bermuda cruise in 2022. Done the trip many times since we can drive to port and avoid air travel. I wouldn’t mind just staying  on the ship for the whole week, and not disembarking at any time. Do you think I could avoid all the Bermuda requirements? I’m vaccinated and would just do the NCL required testing. 

I think that question came up on another topic and someone stated that the answer was No.  What if someone skipped the testing but then had to be evacuated off the ship in Bermuda?  The travel authorization form says 'persons arriving to, and landing in, Bermuda by sea' so that seems to include someone not planning to go ashore.

[drbeamer]

12 minutes ago, Karaboudjan said:

I think that question came up on another topic and someone stated that the answer was No.  What if someone skipped the testing but then had to be evacuated off the ship in Bermuda?  The travel authorization form says 'persons arriving to, and landing in, Bermuda by sea' so that seems to include someone not planning to go ashore.

Yes, that makes sense. I didn’t think about a medical emergency etc. I have a feeling we will cancel.