Excursion on first day in Bermuda?

[MsTabbyKats]

2 minutes ago, Red-Sol said:

I was originally booked on the Sept. 26th Breakaway cruise to Bermuda but ended up cancelling. I didn't cancel due to any fears about contacting Covid really as I am fully vaccinated (and I also applaud and was very comfortable with NCL on being 100% vaccinated) My specific problem came from what the testing procedures might become and how they would be handled in reality...I didn't want to become a guinea pig along with others for an untested processs...so decided to say No Thanks...and as much as I really want to cruise again...I'll wait this out longer and hope for a better experience later next year possibly.

I said this a few weeks ago...but I just don't see the ship actually ending up in Bermuda.  I had said "Canada"...but they don't want us yet.  I'm thinking Bahamas.  It's just too much red tape...and all those people arriving at the pier "clueless" about the requirements.

 

DH and I were thinking of booking this trip as an inexpensive getaway....but it became way too complicated.  

[BermudaBound2014]

2 minutes ago, MsTabbyKats said:

 I'm thinking Bahamas. 

 

Doesn't the Bahamas require a special travel visa and insurance right now? If I'm understanding the requirements correctly, I don't think the Bahamas is a feasible option for a last minute change. I'm thinking Florida.

[SwimmingDragon]

30 minutes ago, craig01020 said:

Not me. I want to go somewhere!

LOL! I hear ya. Honestly, I just want to go on a cruise with my family so I don’t have to cook, clean and take care of everything every damn day. I want a break, I need a break. As long as I can sit back and relax with a cocktail in hand smelling the ocean air… I’d rather be there than at at a local venue, cause at least you all are vaccinated! 😄 

[SwimmingDragon]

6 minutes ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

 

Doesn't the Bahamas require a special travel visa and insurance right now? If I'm understanding the requirements correctly, I don't think the Bahamas is a feasible option for a last minute change. I'm thinking Florida.

Don’t know if they need them for Nassau. I was just thinking of NCLs private island is all. I know everyone has to be vaccinated to go. 

 

Oh and Florida is Covid-19 Central right now. I can’t imagine wanting to go there. Things are bad across the states, but it is one of the seriously dangerous zones to be right now. There’s barely any hospitals that could take someone in if there was an emergency. People with emergency issues have been turned away because the ICU beds are not there. I have a lot of feels for the people down there. I wouldn’t want to burden their system right now.

 

Edited August 31, 2021 by SwimmingDragon

[Laszlo]

23 minutes ago, Red-Sol said:

I was originally booked on the Sept. 26th Breakaway cruise to Bermuda but ended up cancelling. I didn't cancel due to any fears about contacting Covid really as I am fully vaccinated (and I also applaud and was very comfortable with NCL on being 100% vaccinated) My specific problem came from what the testing procedures might become and how they would be handled in reality...I didn't want to become a guinea pig along with others for an untested processs...so decided to say No Thanks...and as much as I really want to cruise again...I'll wait this out longer and hope for a better experience later next year possibly.

I hear you, my wife and I just cancelled out Oceania cruise for January. Will just wait to see how things pan out. I'm not risking $$$$. We have a 12 day booked on the Getaway January 8th 2023. Love the itinerary, not going to cancel that one

[BermudaBound2014]

11 minutes ago, SwimmingDragon said:

Don’t know if they need them for Nassau. I was just thinking of NCLs private island is all. I know everyone has to be vaccinated to go. 

 

 

As of last week cruise, my understanding is that cruise lines still needed to follow Bahamas protocol even for private islands. Currently vaccinated travelers need 3 things to enter the Bahamas:
1) A negative covid test within 72 hours

2) A Bahamas health visa ($$)

3) A Covid 19 health insurance plan that covers Bahamas.

 

Florida might have high covid numbers right now but it will be the easiest place to enter. A bit like current Alaska sailings. Although this brings up another point about stopping in a foreign port.

 

What a mess.

 

https://www.bahamas.com/travelupdates

 

 

 

Edited August 31, 2021 by BermudaBound2014

[Laszlo]

15 minutes ago, SwimmingDragon said:

LOL! I hear ya. Honestly, I just want to go on a cruise with my family so I don’t have to cook, clean and take care of everything every damn day. I want a break, I need a break. As long as I can sit back and relax with a cocktail in hand smelling the ocean air… I’d rather be there than at at a local venue, cause at least you all are vaccinated! 😄 

Leaving Friday for two weeks in the Outer Banks! We have an ocean front home in Nags Head so I'll pretend I'm on the ships balcony sitting on the deck Lol

Edited August 31, 2021 by Laszlo

[SwimmingDragon]

7 minutes ago, Laszlo said:

Leaving Friday for two weeks in the Outer Banks! We have an ocean front home in Nags Head so I'll pretend I'm on the ships balcony sitting on the deck Lol

OH! Lucky You! Have a great time! 

[Red-Sol]

43 minutes ago, Laszlo said:

I hear you, my wife and I just cancelled out Oceania cruise for January. Will just wait to see how things pan out. I'm not risking $$$$. We have a 12 day booked on the Getaway January 8th 2023. Love the itinerary, not going to cancel that one

The day WILL come when we can get back to cruising...just taking longer than everyone thought it might. Going to take a look at the 12 day Getaway cruise...out of Miami?

 

Edited to add I just looked it up and it's out of NYC....YAY!!!! Think we will book that at least as a placeholder if nothing else.

Edited August 31, 2021 by Red-Sol

[MsTabbyKats]

1 hour ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

 

As of last week cruise, my understanding is that cruise lines still needed to follow Bahamas protocol even for private islands. Currently vaccinated travelers need 3 things to enter the Bahamas:
1) A negative covid test within 72 hours

2) A Bahamas health visa ($$)

3) A Covid 19 health insurance plan that covers Bahamas.

 

Florida might have high covid numbers right now but it will be the easiest place to enter. A bit like current Alaska sailings. Although this brings up another point about stopping in a foreign port.

 

What a mess.

 

https://www.bahamas.com/travelupdates

 

 

 

Correct me if I'm wrong...but #2 and #3 are waived for cruise passengers.  As I said...I could be wrong.  But, I did read it on the internet!  (I've been searching for my source....will post if I find it).

[BermudaBound2014]

11 minutes ago, MsTabbyKats said:

Correct me if I'm wrong...but #2 and #3 are waived for cruise passengers.  As I said...I could be wrong.  But, I did read it on the internet!  (I've been searching for my source....will post if I find it).

 

 I could be wrong too. I know that the initial cruise passengers on Adventure of the seas needed all 3, but things do change and that could have been because Bahamas was the embarkation port.  If cruises can make a last minute adjustment to the Bahamas that does clean things up for the foreign port requirement. I'm having a hard time keeping up with all the rules and changes.

 

Edited to add this:

Seems there was relaxation of requreiments in July. Not sure if the change is still in place since the Bahamas tightened up their restrictions August 7th, but this is from a news article:

 

D’Aguilar told reporters: “Cruises that initiate out of Florida, the government has loosened its restrictions somewhat.  “All of those passengers that commence or embark in Florida, they will not require a health visa.”

https://ewnews.com/free-pass-some-cruise-passengers-not-required-to-obtain-health-travel-visa

 

Not sure if departing from NYC would make a difference.

 

 

Edited August 31, 2021 by BermudaBound2014

[MsTabbyKats]

I'm rarely wrong (just ask my husband), but I'm wrong (things must have changed since my research).

It's complicate:  you need to upload your passport, proof of vaccination, proof of a neg covid test and your intinerary....5 days before travel

 

Here's the website:

travel.gov.bs

 

As my people say...oy vey

 

Adding...I went right to the source for this...Bahamian consulate

Edited August 31, 2021 by MsTabbyKats

[njhorseman]

2 hours ago, SwimmingDragon said:

I'd be fine if they chose to just do a cruise at sea

They can't. The ship has to call at a foreign port. Cruises to nowhere were discontinued a few years ago when DHS ruled that if a ship doesn't make a foreign port call the crew is considered to be working in the US the entire time, which would require their having an entirely different visa than most crew hold.

[BermudaBound2014]

16 minutes ago, MsTabbyKats said:

I'm rarely wrong (just ask my husband), but I'm wrong (things must have changed since my research).

It's complicate:  you need to upload your passport, proof of vaccination, proof of a neg covid test and your intinerary....5 days before travel

 

Here's the website:

travel.gov.bs

 

As my people say...oy vey

 

Adding...I went right to the source for this...Bahamian consulate

 

This made me giggle:

travel.gov.bs

[SwimmingDragon]

1 hour ago, njhorseman said:

They can't. The ship has to call at a foreign port. Cruises to nowhere were discontinued a few years ago when DHS ruled that if a ship doesn't make a foreign port call the crew is considered to be working in the US the entire time, which would require their having an entirely different visa than most crew hold.

Huh, didn’t know that. I always love learning something new, thanks! So either way we have to go somewhere outside the US. 

[craig01020]

5 minutes ago, SwimmingDragon said:

we have to go somewhere outside the US. 

That's setting the bar pretty low for a "Bermuda" cruise.