P&O to allow independent exploration in ports from 25th

[gandalf1]

MEGABEAR,

Brilliant thanks for that (really useful) looks like 3 Forced excursions with 1 to be advised and only MADEIRA & ST LUCIA that you are able to explore on your own but this is subject to change weekly, oh well glad I have booked some of them now and see how things pan out.

Edited September 30, 2021 by gandalf1

[Son of Anarchy]

1 hour ago, Megabear2 said:

This is a helpful country by country document you can find on P&O's website this afternoon.

A-Z-destination-entry-requirements-30-September.pdf 727.75 kB · 10 downloads

Just had a quick look at this.  Looks useful.  P&O say they will be updating this document weekly.

 

Thanks for posting.

[mollymoo12]

On 9/16/2021 at 12:07 PM, LdnJon said:

I've just ordered some of the government antigen (lateral flow) tests from here -https://www.gov.uk/order-coronavirus-rapid-lateral-flow-tests 

 

Might be worth taking along (or they might force you to buy their ones).

 

EDIT - they are free to order

 

The NHS Lateral Flow Tests are not valid for travellers re-entering the UK.

[jeanlyon]

Interesting email from P&O that they require all passengers including children to be vaccinated for the Caribbean.  Doesn't affect us, but will affect many others.

[watsonbeau]

Looking at the P&O document, and then comparing their entry requirements to those for the same country on the FCO entry requirements list, things don't agree.  I haven't checked them all but for instance St Kitts & Nevis and Saint Lucia both say no test on entry required on the P&O list, whereas the FCO info say both require PCR prior to arrival.

 

So do they have special arrangements as a cruise line with these countries  ?  Or do they know something that the FCO don't ?  It's a total minefield out there.

[jeanlyon]

Good question.

[Megabear2]

10 hours ago, watsonbeau said:

Looking at the P&O document, and then comparing their entry requirements to those for the same country on the FCO entry requirements list, things don't agree.  I haven't checked them all but for instance St Kitts & Nevis and Saint Lucia both say no test on entry required on the P&O list, whereas the FCO info say both require PCR prior to arrival.

 

So do they have special arrangements as a cruise line with these countries  ?  Or do they know something that the FCO don't ?  It's a total minefield out there.

This has always been the question I spent months trying to get answered.  All cruising (in any part of the world) has clearly been operating under specific rules for cruises depending on where the vessel is operating.  These ships have quite obviously not been under the same rules as air carriers at any point.  Even our own government have allowed the cruise companies to run the staycations as "a test" and it would appear are happy to allow sailings only on these terms.

 

Any individual country will of course be free to assess the risks associated with cruises and as a result put into place their own arrangements accordingly.  This is why the companies assumedly did not want to jeopardise their talks on this matter - and I have been one of the main protagonists in chasing them for information.  Clearly they are on a knife edge with these Government authorities and now they have provided this list it is time to give them a break.  I imagine there are still many ongoing talks which is why some destinations state to be advised.

 

My main gripe with P&O remains that they could and should have moved the final payment dates for passengers until these protocols had been sorted. The relationship with their customers has been and remains under huge strain as a result.

[Bgees]

Always handy though when the company say 'To be advised' on the rules.

[Megabear2]

10 minutes ago, Bgees said:

Always handy though when the company say 'To be advised' on the rules.

Indeed!

[Billish]

1 hour ago, Bgees said:

Always handy though when the company say 'To be advised' on the rules.

But what can they say, if they are not the ones making the rules ?

[mondas42]

We are going to the Caribbean in January 2022, after looking at p&o’ port rules document, a number of the islands we are visiting now require us to be on a p&o organised tour to visit. I’m wondering if because of this p&o will reduce the price as I’ve always found ship arranged tours to be very expensive but in these cases we have literally no choice if we wish to get off the ship (I’m thinking they won’t, but one lives in hope)

[P&O SUE]

21 hours ago, mollymoo12 said:

The NHS Lateral Flow Tests are not valid for travellers re-entering the UK.

Yes we just use them for our own peace of mind. We get them free from our local chemist.

[P&O SUE]

On 9/30/2021 at 5:25 PM, Megabear2 said:

This is a helpful country by country document you can find on P&O's website this afternoon.

A-Z-destination-entry-requirements-30-September.pdf 727.75 kB · 46 downloads

Thanks for this although the first country I looked at had ‘to be advised’ on all three points !