Norwegian Epic from Barcelona and Rome (Civitavecchia) from September 5, 2021 to October 24, 2021 - NEW SPANISH RULES

[podgeandrodge]

Apologies if already posted.  Norwegian Epic’s 7-day Western Mediterranean sailings from Barcelona and Rome (Civitavecchia) from September 5, 2021 to October 24, 2021 - Spain requiring antigen test prior to returning to Barcelona, so itinerary changes...All these changes are beginning to make we wish I hadn't bothered booking 😞

 

Dear Valued Guests and Travel Partners:
Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) has important information regarding Norwegian Epic’s 7-day Western Mediterranean sailings from
Barcelona and Rome (Civitavecchia) with sail dates from September 5, 2021 through and including October 24, 2021. Travel
partners should share the below information with guests who may be affected .
In order to comply with requirements of the Spanish government which state that all guests must receive a disembarkation
COVID-19 antigen test prior to arriving back in Barcelona, the abovementioned itinerary has been changed. Please note, guests
who are embarking and disembarking in Rome (Civitavecchia) will not be required to take a disembarkation test, however, due to
this requirement for guests embarking and disembarking in Barcelona, all itineraries have been impacted. We are confident that we
will be able to administer disembarkation tests for all guests in an efficient and timely manner. The revised itineraries are as
follows
N. Epic 7-day Western Mediterranean round-trip from Barcelona:

EXISTING

Day Port Name Country Arrival Depart

Sun Barcelona Spain 6:00 pm Mon At Sea Tue Livorno Italy 6:00 am 7:00 pm Wed Civitavecchia (Rome) Italy 6:00 am 7:00 pm Thu Naples Italy 6:00 am 5:00 pm Fri Cagliari, Sardinia Italy 9:00 am 4:00 pm Sat Palma de Mallorca Spain 11:00 am 8:00 pm Sun Barcelona Spain 5:00 am

 

NEW

Day Port Name Country Arrival Depart

Sun 6:00 pm Mon 7:00 am 4:00 pm Tue 11:00 am 6:00 pm Wed 8:00 am 8:00 pm Thu 6:30 am 5:00 pm Fri 10:00 am 11:00 pm Sat Sun 5:00 am

Barcelona Spain Palma de Mallorca Spain Cagliari, Sardinia Italy Civitavecchia (Rome) Italy Naples Italy Livorno Italy At Sea
Barcelona Spain

N. Epic 7-day Western Mediterranean round-trip from Rome (Civitavecchia):

EXISTING

Day Port Name Country Arrival Depart

Wed Civitavecchia (Rome) Italy 7:00 pm Thu 6:00 am 5:00 pm Fri 9:00 am 4:00 pm Sat 11:00 am 8:00 pm Sun 5:00 am 6:00 pm Mon Tue 6:00 am 7:00 pm Wed Civitavecchia (Rome) Italy 6:00 am

Naples Italy Cagliari, Sardinia Italy Palma de Mallorca Spain Barcelona Spain At Sea
Livorno Italy

NEW

Day Port Name Country Arrival Depart

Wed Civitavecchia (Rome) Italy 8:00 pm Thu 6:30 am 5:00 pm Fri 10:00 am 11:00 pm Sat Sun 5:00 am 6:00 pm Mon 7:00 am 4:00 pm Tue 11:00 am 6:00 pm Wed 8:00 am

Naples Italy Livorno Italy At Sea
Barcelona Spain Palma de Mallorca Spain Cagliari, Sardinia Italy Civitavecchia Italy

[zdcatc12]

Yeah, since we are getting on in Italy, it appears that we can get off in Spain without a test since we are coming back on the ship. At least that is the way I read it. If so, that makes no sense whatsoever. Also, you left out the part that all ship booked excursions EXCEPT for Naples are cancelled.

[Linda011]

I understand the change of itinerary having Saturday the sea day, so all passengers departing in Barcelona can get tested that day. But why cancel all tours already booked, why not just change them tore the day we are there. I dont see naples hop on hop off anymore 😞 maybe they are revamping tours?

[elbarney]

Just to tell you that this are not new Spanish rules, have been in effect since the restart of cruising from Spain at the end of June.

What I don't understand is why they need a sea day for this. There was plenty of time for doing it on palma day, its an antigen test that takes 10' tops. 

I suppose they want to have a full sea day to manage the flow, but I think 07-11am and 20pm to midnight was more than enough.

 

[elbarney]

And by the way, Spanish legislation also requires a test mid cruise, at the 3rd or 4th day, as I understand the legislation is required, but I have done 2 cruises this summer with MSC, on the first we received it the 4th day, and on the second one they didn't make it(but I haven't seen any updated legislation not requiring it).

https://www.mitma.gob.es/recursos_mfom/paginabasica/recursos/medidas_sanitarias_para_el_restablecimiento_de_cruceros_internacionales.pdf

Page 7, in Spanish:

"2. Se realizará una RT-PCR o prueba de antígenos válida (https://ec.europa.eu/health/sites/default/files/preparedness_response/do cs/covid-19_rat_common-list_en.pdf) para SARS-CoV-2 el tercer o cuarto día del crucero a todos los pasajeros."

This means that you need to test every passenger on the 3rd or 4th day. In my experience this has been interpreted as every passenger boarding in Spain. Those boarding in Rome for example have different requisites. 

 

Later it says:

"Todos los pasajeros que desembarquen en puerto español procedentes del extranjero deberán cumplir con la normativa vigente en ese momento para su entrada."

It says that you have to comply with the local legislation to be allowed to disembark. I'm not a lawyer, but I think right now with a green pass you shouldn't need to be tested...... But I was tested anyway last week in MSC, so I don't really know....

 

[podgeandrodge]

It's beginning to feel like too much hassle to me at the moment, if I hadn't already booked I think I would be reconsidering.