Italy shore excursions are restricted to cruise guided excursions.

[Host Jazzbeau]

On 9/24/2021 at 6:17 PM, steamboats said:

Yes, it is a regulation by the Italian government and it´s up since cruising restarted in Italy last year in August. And no, it´s no rule of a single port or the cruise line.

 

There are long discussions on the RCI and NCL boards (Harmony of the Seas and Norwegian Epic). Both ships start in Barcelona and both ships call Palma de Mallorca where all vaccinated pax are free to roam around on their own. All other ports are Italian and you have to book a bubble shore tour with the cruise line.

 

It´s the same for MSC, Costa, TUI Cruises, AIDA... and all others calling an Italian port. I just returned from the MSC Seashore and I couldn´t go ashore on my own in Marseille/France or Genova/Italy. We decided to stay onboard anyway as we only had 3 nights to explore the ship.

 

BTW, you can´t go ashore on your own in Valletta/Malta either. Also a governmental regulation.

 

steamboats

 

@steamboats is exactly right.

 

I am just back from a cruise with 12 days in Italy [Elba, Sardinia, Naples, and a circumnavigation of Sicily].  Italy continues to control cruise ship excursions very tightly – we were only allowed on ship excursions and we were not allowed any free time.  This seems to have come from the Italian central government, but amazingly it was being enforced uniformly in every port.

 

Thankfully we were on Noble Caledonia, which includes all shore excursions in the fare [and they are small-group and very comprehensive – rather like the excursions on a good river cruise – so we still had a very good experience].  On the turnaround day in Naples they had to organize a special shore excursion for the B2B guests.  We know that the Cruise Director was in constant communication with the authorities to try to get us a little more freedom ashore, but the Italian authorities weren't budging.

 

And yes, anyone who was staying at a hotel in Italy had no restrictions.  I don't know which is crazier:  the dichotomy between cruise passengers and hotel guests, or the fact that Italy is actually enforcing a law!

[tring]

On 10/5/2021 at 11:20 AM, Host Jazzbeau said:

 

@steamboats is exactly right.

 

I am just back from a cruise with 12 days in Italy [Elba, Sardinia, Naples, and a circumnavigation of Sicily].  Italy continues to control cruise ship excursions very tightly – we were only allowed on ship excursions and we were not allowed any free time.  This seems to have come from the Italian central government, but amazingly it was being enforced uniformly in every port.

 

Thankfully we were on Noble Caledonia, which includes all shore excursions in the fare [and they are small-group and very comprehensive – rather like the excursions on a good river cruise – so we still had a very good experience].  On the turnaround day in Naples they had to organize a special shore excursion for the B2B guests.  We know that the Cruise Director was in constant communication with the authorities to try to get us a little more freedom ashore, but the Italian authorities weren't budging.

 

And yes, anyone who was staying at a hotel in Italy had no restrictions.  I don't know which is crazier:  the dichotomy between cruise passengers and hotel guests, or the fact that Italy is actually enforcing a law!

 

Thanks for that information.  I can add to the thread that P&O's Brittania (sailing from the UK) was refused docking in Italy both for a previous cruise and one taking place now.  The company said at one stage that Italy would not take ships which were not home ported there, but that obviously does not bear out.  The company have not clearly said what the problem was for the current cruise, though apparently there are unvaccinated children on board, which may be the problem, as other ships seem to be insisting on fully vaccinated passengers only from what I understand.

 

We are on a Princess cruise sailing from the UK later this month which includes three Italian ports, so are wondering what will happen, though unvaccinated children are not allowed on Princess, so are slightly hopeful.  At this stage we have been told it will be ship's tours only in Italy.

 

We were on a Spanish cruise Sept/Oct and were allowed ashore independently in all those Spanish ports.  We were told on our UK ship that Spain makes a decision every Thursday on whether independent exploration would be allowed, and the tours people on our ship said there is data for the whole of Europe regards that and that they access it from the CDC we site - so sounds like an international source of data, but I have not been able to find that myself.

 

I would be interested in any further detail on this and will update this thread on anything I can add.

Edited October 13, 2021 by tring

[tring]

As an update to my post above.  We have just had notification that the three Italian ports have been cancelled from our Sky Princess cruise sailing on 22nd October and have been replaced with Ajaccio, Palma and Cartagena where we hope to be able to go ashore independently, though can of course change.

 

The reason for the change given by the cruise line was, "Due to recent guidance on temporary entry requirements for cruise ships from Italian Authorities, we have been advised we will be unable to visit Italy during this voyage".

 

As I had said previously our ship is sailing out of the UK, which may well be the difference as was suggested by another Carnival line (P&O), a week or so ago, regards their ship which was refused permission to dock at the time.  I am not be sure if that is the reason though.

 

[cruisemom42]

1 hour ago, tring said:

As an update to my post above.  We have just had notification that the three Italian ports have been cancelled from our Sky Princess cruise sailing on 22nd October and have been replaced with Ajaccio, Palma and Cartagena where we hope to be able to go ashore independently, though can of course change.

 

The reason for the change given by the cruise line was, "Due to recent guidance on temporary entry requirements for cruise ships from Italian Authorities, we have been advised we will be unable to visit Italy during this voyage".

 

As I had said previously our ship is sailing out of the UK, which may well be the difference as was suggested by another Carnival line (P&O), a week or so ago, regards their ship which was refused permission to dock at the time.  I am not be sure if that is the reason though.

 

 

Thank you for posting this new information -- Italy seems quite reluctant to open to regular cruising again. 

 

Is Sky Princess sailing with fully vaccinated passengers?

 

 

[tring]

1 hour ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

Thank you for posting this new information -- Italy seems quite reluctant to open to regular cruising again. 

 

Is Sky Princess sailing with fully vaccinated passengers?

 

 

 

Yes, they cancelled off passengers with children who were not vaccinated a month or two back, making the requirements stricter, with fully vaccinated passengers only. There are still some US passengers I think, though the majority of them have cancelled off previously, due to the uncertainty of travel between the UK and US along with the need to have flights booked ahead of the cruise.

 

The other ship I mentioned, Britannia, will have likely just had UK passengers on board, though as I said, some non vaccinated children.  If we had still been on the EU these decisions could well have been different as there are less restrictions within the EU for travel purposes.  Not that we personally wanted to leave.

 

The majority of passengers are quite happy with the replacements, especially as we are likely to be allowed off the ship independently and not have to pay excessive amounts to be herded round.  Livorno and Civitavechia are somewhat overdone on the UK cruises imo as it is better to visit Rome and Florence on Land holidays, though we do like Livorno, which is very pleasant in it's own right, though the regular Med cruises are not normally what DH and I are interested in.  Perhaps the problems travelling further afield for a while wil entice us into European land hols in the next year or two.

[steamboats]

I don´t think that this is a decision by the Italian government regarding the Sky Princess. I think it´s more that Princess doesn´t want to cope with the Italian regulations and wants to allow independent shore tours which are possible in the "replacement" ports.

 

steamboats

[VMax1700]

Can someone point me to the regulation that calls for Mandatory Antigen testing for ALL pax arriving on a cruise ship to an Italian port?

We are EU citizens currently on Eurodam and have been told that we must have testing before disembarking in Trieste on Sunday.  As far as I am concerned the Italian regulations for entering Italy by EU citizens do NOT require testing provided the person has a EU certificate of vaccination. American, Canadian and British pax do need to have a valid test result, but not EU citizens with cert.

Someone please point me to the regulation!

[cruisemom42]

4 hours ago, VMax1700 said:

Someone please point me to the regulation!

 

As you are from Ireland, you would fall under "List C" of the Italian government with regard to entry requirements. 

 

It appears (to me) that if you've been on a cruise and traveled to other countries that are on List D or E, you still require a test, see wording below. (I provide the link to the full requirements at bottom):

 

 

Limitations on entry
Free movement is allowed to and from these countries for any reason, therefore also for tourism, as long as you have not stayed in or passed through one of the countries on List D and/or E in the 14 days prior to entering Italy.

 

But if you have NOT traveled through or spent time in countries on the D or E list, you should only have to provide ONE of the following:  

• Proof of FULL vaccination
• Proof of recovery from COVID within the previous 180 days OR
• A negative PCR or antigen test within 48 hrs prior to entry

https://www.salute.gov.it/portale/nuovocoronavirus/dettaglioContenutiNuovoCoronavirus.jsp?lingua=english&id=5412&area=nuovoCoronavirus&menu=vuoto&tab=3

 

I think your trip left from Venice (or rather Trieste), correct?  So it does appear that you would not need a test. Unless a cruise port that you visited is on List D or E?  

 

 

Edited:  Misread info initially.

 

Edited October 15, 2021 by cruisemom42

[Oceangoer2]

16 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

As you are from Ireland, you would fall under "List C" of the Italian government with regard to entry requirements. 

 

It appears (to me) that if you've been on a cruise and traveled to other countries that are on List D or E, you still require a test, see wording below. (I provide the link to the full requirements at bottom):

 

 

Limitations on entry
Free movement is allowed to and from these countries for any reason, therefore also for tourism, as long as you have not stayed in or passed through one of the countries on List D and/or E in the 14 days prior to entering Italy.

 

But if you have NOT traveled through or spent time in countries on the D or E list, you should only have to provide ONE of the following:  

• Proof of FULL vaccination
• Proof of recovery from COVID within the previous 180 days OR
• A negative PCR or antigen test within 48 hrs prior to entry

https://www.salute.gov.it/portale/nuovocoronavirus/dettaglioContenutiNuovoCoronavirus.jsp?lingua=english&id=5412&area=nuovoCoronavirus&menu=vuoto&tab=3

 

I think your trip left from Venice (or rather Trieste), correct?  So it does appear that you would not need a test. Unless a cruise port that you visited is on List D or E?  

 

 

Edited:  Misread info initially.

 

Thanks for the very helpful info.  I was questioning the ports policy as well.  Also, the embarkation test requirement.......if we test on Wed., hopefully results same day or may be Thurs AM;  flying out late Thurs, arrive Fri (time difference)...cruise leaves on Sat.  Is that 2 days, 3 days or is it 4?  Some are now saying we have to have tests 2 days before cruise not 3?  How does anyone handle this international travel within that time frame?  Hopefully by our next cruise date in June '22, the 2 day testing won't be a required

[cruisemom42]

42 minutes ago, Oceangoer2 said:

Thanks for the very helpful info.  I was questioning the ports policy as well.  Also, the embarkation test requirement.......if we test on Wed., hopefully results same day or may be Thurs AM;  flying out late Thurs, arrive Fri (time difference)...cruise leaves on Sat.  Is that 2 days, 3 days or is it 4?  Some are now saying we have to have tests 2 days before cruise not 3?  How does anyone handle this international travel within that time frame?  Hopefully by our next cruise date in June '22, the 2 day testing won't be a required

 

If you're asking about your June cruise, it's too early to tell what the requirements will be then. But if your cruise leaves from Civitavecchia (as scheduled, I think?) and you are coming from Canada, the two points where you would be likely to need a negative test would be (1) entering Italy and (2) boarding the ship.

 

Entering Italy

If you do not want to undergo the mandatory quarantine period on arrival, the requirements for travelers from US and Canada for entering Italy currently are as follows:

• Results of a negative PCR or antigen test taken within 72 hours prior to your ENTRY into Italy (not your departure time) AND
• Proof of completed COVID vaccination (the equivalent of the US CDC card) OR proof of having had COVID within the previous 180 days 

There is NO entry without the first point (the PCR or antigen test). However, if you do not have the second one, you will be allowed to enter but are required to undergo a 5-day isolation/quarantine period in Italy.

 

Don't forget that you would also (as of now anyway) need to fill out the required Passenger Locator Form:   https://app.euplf.eu/#/

 

Your schedule above would work for the current requirement of 72 hours prior to entering Italy. And of course, this is subject to change.

 

Boarding the Ship

In Europe, most if not all of the cruise lines operating thus far have been doing testing at the pier prior to boarding. If that continues, you should be fine. Or by June it could be that testing is not required if you are fully vaccinated.....

 

 

Here is the link to the actual page detailing the requirements for entry into Italy or US and Canadian travelers:

 

https://www.salute.gov.it/portale/nuovocoronavirus/dettaglioContenutiNuovoCoronavirus.jsp?lingua=english&id=5412&area=nuovoCoronavirus&menu=vuoto&tab=6

Edited October 15, 2021 by cruisemom42
mistake

[VMax1700]

1 hour ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

As you are from Ireland, you would fall under "List C" of the Italian government with regard to entry requirements. 

 

It appears (to me) that if you've been on a cruise and traveled to other countries that are on List D or E, you still require a test, see wording below. (I provide the link to the full requirements at bottom):

 

 

Limitations on entry
Free movement is allowed to and from these countries for any reason, therefore also for tourism, as long as you have not stayed in or passed through one of the countries on List D and/or E in the 14 days prior to entering Italy.

 

But if you have NOT traveled through or spent time in countries on the D or E list, you should only have to provide ONE of the following:  

• Proof of FULL vaccination
• Proof of recovery from COVID within the previous 180 days OR
• A negative PCR or antigen test within 48 hrs prior to entry

https://www.salute.gov.it/portale/nuovocoronavirus/dettaglioContenutiNuovoCoronavirus.jsp?lingua=english&id=5412&area=nuovoCoronavirus&menu=vuoto&tab=3

 

I think your trip left from Venice (or rather Trieste), correct?  So it does appear that you would not need a test. Unless a cruise port that you visited is on List D or E?  

 

 

Edited:  Misread info initially.

 

Thank you for your reply.  

You are correct that we left from Trieste and have only visited Greece until today when we are in Croatia.  Our last two ports are in Croatia and Slovenia, so we have not left the EU nor visited a country on List D or E.  Indeed we are on a ship registered in Rotterdam, which continues to charge Italian VAT, as we have not exited the EU.

I have posted the note that we received.  I have asked questions at the Guest Services desk, but the replies are non sensical.  

I have asked: Who requires the Mandatory Routine test to be carried out?  Who is the 'Ministry of Health' mentioned in the note and which country do they represent?

I have shown the various pages including Italian Government official websites which state that EU citizens do not need to take an antigen test if they have the EU Vax certificate.  But the only reply received are that the tests are mandatory and everyone must take them.

I am not trying to be an absolute idiot and I am not doing this just to insist on my 'rights', but my wife is a cancer survivor, who was diagnosed with breast cancer during the pandemic and today just happens to be the anniversary of her mastectomy.  During the pandemic and lockdowns she has been treated with chemo and radiation and was required to take numerous Covid tests during that time.  They were all a major discomfort and the thought of more tests simply makes her (and me) very uncomfortable.  I know many will say, the antigen test is nothing, a few seconds and it is over, but it is the associations with the test that concern us.

I think we know we are fighting a losing battle, but we will fight it until the end.

 

 

Edited October 15, 2021 by VMax1700
forgot to post image!

[Oceangoer2]

4 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

Results of a negative PCR or antigen test taken within 72 hours prior to your ENTRY into Italy (not your departure time)

That was my question....the rest I understand and consulted with the X health protocol site.  The 72 hrs requirement might not fit into the schedule we've set.  Also, they quote a 2 day requirement now.  However, June is a long way off and perhaps many things will change by then.

Edited October 15, 2021 by Oceangoer2

[cruisemom42]

9 minutes ago, VMax1700 said:

I think we know we are fighting a losing battle, but we will fight it until the end.

 

I wish you well. There have been small discrepancies for years between what is required for entry based on arrival by cruise ship versus via airplane and these seem to be exacerbated during COVID, probably as a result of the early uncontrolled infections on cruise ships. Just as with the requirement for contained shore excursions, the mandate seems to exist but one is not able to locate it online, which is frustrating....

 

My sister also recently completed radiation/chemo for breast cancer; best of luck to your wife. Perhaps together you can transition your thinking from associating the tests with her cancer to associating them with something more pleasant: the ability to travel again.  

[VMax1700]

2 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

I wish you well. There have been small discrepancies for years between what is required for entry based on arrival by cruise ship versus via airplane and these seem to be exacerbated during COVID, probably as a result of the early uncontrolled infections on cruise ships. Just as with the requirement for contained shore excursions, the mandate seems to exist but one is not able to locate it online, which is frustrating....

 

My sister also recently completed radiation/chemo for breast cancer; best of luck to your wife. Perhaps together you can transition your thinking from associating the tests with her cancer to associating them with something more pleasant: the ability to travel again.  

grazie mille.

Positive thoughts will always conquer negative thoughts, so thank you for reminding us.

Sincere best wishes to your sister.

[Sfboi]

We are currently on the Holland America Eurodam. We are US citizens, for reference. Unfortunately, I'm left to believe that this cruise's itinerary was very misleading from the start and they were aware of the Italian authorities positions prior to embarkation. We are currently onboard from October 6- 30... initially traveling from Venice, Italy to Barcelona, Spain. After reading several forum conversations and conducting research, it seems that the cruise line was fully aware of the handicaps with Italian ports. After traveling to Venice to board the ship, we were re-routed to Trieste, Italy, which is approximately 2.5 hrs away. It seems that the issues with the Venice port were already known dating back to August and September, without any flexibility. Nonetheless, we went with it, because the cruise was supposed to return to Venice in the 18th. We were very excited to just get away for a while. 

 

Today, October 16th, we were just informed that Italian authorities are not allowing any solo tours throughout any Italy ports. We have 5 Italy ports lined up. Those 5 ports are now sea days, because we aren't allowed to go ashore unless we book an excursion. Again, I conducted research and it is easy to assume that the cruise line was fully aware of this issue before finalizing the itinerary. I would probably just go with the document delivered to our stateroom if they had provided the official document from the Italian authorities vs the letter from guests services. The letter from guest services was very forward with the attempt to market the shore excursions for these ports. 

 

Someone introduced the idea that this is an attempt to recoup funding from the previous 18 months of Covids fiscal impact. I believe this to be true with Holland America Eurodam. I, also, believe that safety and health is important. 

 

This is my first time on Holland America Eurodam. Unfortunately, it may be the last. The communication has been very lackluster or last minute. We haven't arrived to most of our ports on time, nor have we departed on time. The ship is nice, but the entertainment is not at a level it should be. You feel like you are on a carnival line with current offers to buy this and that when you step out of your stateroom. The servers have implemented their own self-service dining throughout the Lido and Pool areas...meaning, if you want something to drink, you'll have it faster if you get up yourself. Guest Services on this ship has some very smooth talkers. They say one thing and mean another. Everything must go through cooperate, even when it's their mistake. For instance, we paid for an unobstructed balcony upgrade. When we arrived, we were placed in a partially obstructed room. Naturally, we went to have a discussion with guests services. We had to pay an additional fee for the upgrade we initially paid for, but that only covers the first leg of the cruise. That part wasn't explained to us that way. 2 people can't possibly come to same conclusion when working one on one with guest services. Still working on this correction.

 

You know what, I have a laundry list of flaws here. Also, there is no Tennis Court and no laundry room. Someone is working on updating that on the website. 

 

So these new sea days are not going to be very exciting. 

 

Also, if you plan on defending Holland America Eurodam. Please keep scrolling. You have to be present for the experience we are currently experiencing. 

 

 

[cruisemom42]

As most of your issues have to do with Holland America rather than with Italy per se, I would suggest posting this on their forum here on Cruise Critic. It may interest you to know that there are several other regular posters also on this cruise and they seem to be enjoying themselves although not without a few issues.

 

HAL forum: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/103-holland-america-line/

 

Then again, IMO anyone choosing to cruise at this time has to go with the mindset that things are simply not normal right now and changes are to be anticipated. If one is inflexible or easily fazed by such changes, perhaps better to wait until things normalize a bit.

 

Out of curiosity -- I am pretty sure no cruise ship has a tennis court, and self-serve laundromats are certainly something not available on every ship. If something like that was important to me, I think I'd check it ahead of time rather than being disappointed once on board.

 

[ECCruise]

45 minutes ago, Sfboi said:

Someone introduced the idea that this is an attempt to recoup funding from the previous 18 months of Covids fiscal impact. I believe this to be true with Holland America Eurodam. I, also, believe that safety and health is important. 

 

Would not question any of your other complaints since we are not there and sharing your experience, but you are wrong on this one.

 

If that were the case, why is EVERY cruise line currently sailing in Italy, of which there are about a dozen or so, has enacted exactly the same restrictions.  It is by no means only the Eurodam that is following them.  My sources in Italy tell me that it is definitely a rule that has been enacted by the Italian authorities, through at least October 31st. 

[VMax1700]

We are currently on Eurodam and have had a few problems, but the staff have gone above and beyond in Lido, MDR etc.  

There has never been a laundry room on Eurodam and I have certainly never seen any mention of a laundry room on HAL's website.  Nor has there ever been a Tennis Court nor mention of one on HAL's website.  I cannot pass comment on other TA websites who may publish incomplete or incorrect information.

As to being late into ports, we have had poor weather conditions in Trieste meaning that our first call to Katakalon was cancelled, but we arrived to Piraeus on time and we were 40 minutes late arriving to one port as we sailed into a very strong head wind.

 

The cruise has not been perfect, menus repeat too often and choices are limited, but many shoreside restaurants are also suffering due to the current supply chain problems.

As to entertainment, I would venture to suggest that it is at the level of pre covid HAL cruises.  It may not be what you want or expect, but it is what HAL delivered and still is delivering.

The cruise has not been perfect, but it is the hell of a lot better than the cruises I have been on for the last 18 months (NONE!)

I also understand your upset and even anger as we have been there, but it is what it is and many would give an arm and a leg to be onboard with us.

[Vineyard View]

I just read on the Azamara boards that Italy is now requiring a second Covid test to disembark in ports. This itinerary started in Trieste, where everyone tested prior to boarding. They now need to have a second test prior to disembarking in Taormina or Rome. 
There was also no disembarking on the Turn around B2B in Trieste. 
There were substantial anti-vax  protestors at the port with the new Italian vaccination requirements that involved both dock workers as well as citizens. 
 

[roothy123]

On 10/13/2021 at 8:01 AM, tring said:

 

Thanks for that information.  I can add to the thread that P&O's Brittania (sailing from the UK) was refused docking in Italy both for a previous cruise and one taking place now.  The company said at one stage that Italy would not take ships which were not home ported there, but that obviously does not bear out.  The company have not clearly said what the problem was for the current cruise, though apparently there are unvaccinated children on board, which may be the problem, as other ships seem to be insisting on fully vaccinated passengers only from what I understand.

 

 

Viking Ocean visited Venice (well, docked in Fusina) a few weeks ago, but the passengers had to stay in Viking excursion bubbles there, with no independent touring - and apparently no time for shopping of any kind, which upset some people.  

[roothy123]

I would love to read the actual language of the Italian law that requires cruise passengers to (only) use ship excursions for touring.  I tried to pull up the law and waded through some of it, but couldn't get to the pertinent part, or if I did, it was in Italian and I couldn't get it to translate. 

 

What exactly is Italy requiring?  

 

Also, does anyone know of any law/ruling/policy of Greece which specifies that if a cruise ship has stopped in Turkish ports other than Istanbul or Kusadasi, they will not be allowed to visit Greek ports?  Someone on Facebook has posted that Viking received that information from Greece and had to bypass a Turkish port that was on a recent itinerary.  

[Host Jazzbeau]

2 hours ago, roothy123 said:

I would love to read the actual language of the Italian law that requires cruise passengers to (only) use ship excursions for touring.  I tried to pull up the law and waded through some of it, but couldn't get to the pertinent part, or if I did, it was in Italian and I couldn't get it to translate. 

 

What exactly is Italy requiring?  

 

Also, does anyone know of any law/ruling/policy of Greece which specifies that if a cruise ship has stopped in Turkish ports other than Istanbul or Kusadasi, they will not be allowed to visit Greek ports?  Someone on Facebook has posted that Viking received that information from Greece and had to bypass a Turkish port that was on a recent itinerary.  

If you are unable to verify the text of these laws, do you plan to demand the right to go on shore independently?  The cruise lines are not in some vast conspiracy to sell more excursions – these regulations are real.  And they are being enforced very strictly.  Just go with the flow.

[steamboats]

3 hours ago, roothy123 said:

I would love to read the actual language of the Italian law that requires cruise passengers to (only) use ship excursions for touring.  I tried to pull up the law and waded through some of it, but couldn't get to the pertinent part, or if I did, it was in Italian and I couldn't get it to translate. 

 

What exactly is Italy requiring?  

 

Also, does anyone know of any law/ruling/policy of Greece which specifies that if a cruise ship has stopped in Turkish ports other than Istanbul or Kusadasi, they will not be allowed to visit Greek ports?  Someone on Facebook has posted that Viking received that information from Greece and had to bypass a Turkish port that was on a recent itinerary.  

 

Basically in Italy all cruise pax have to stay in a bubble on guided shore tours organized by the ship.

 

Never heard of that rule in Greece. Actually the Norwegian Jade is doing a technical stop in Turkey (ship does not dock and pax can´t go ashore) and neither in Kusadasi nor Istanbul.

 

steamboats

[roothy123]

10 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

If you are unable to verify the text of these laws, do you plan to demand the right to go on shore independently?  The cruise lines are not in some vast conspiracy to sell more excursions – these regulations are real.  And they are being enforced very strictly.  Just go with the flow.

I'm not planning anything, and I know there are restrictions in various places, and I do (and did) go with the flow.  There was a lot of anxiety on a Facebook group over what Iceland was doing in July and August.  What's a little difficult for me is that even if you research as much as I normally do, you can't find any actual rules that are applied to cruises/cruisers/particular ports.  Maybe a country has some internal documents, but many people want to know things in advance, and get upset if they pay a lot of money for a cruise and then can't see what they want to see.  My spouse and I decided it didn't matter what happened, even if we ended up quarantined in our room for most of the cruise.  We cruised in Iceland 8 days and everything was perfect.  But I DO like a lot of information, so I AM curious about the basis for a country's decisions.  

 

[cruisemom42]

2 hours ago, roothy123 said:

I'm not planning anything, and I know there are restrictions in various places, and I do (and did) go with the flow.  There was a lot of anxiety on a Facebook group over what Iceland was doing in July and August.  What's a little difficult for me is that even if you research as much as I normally do, you can't find any actual rules that are applied to cruises/cruisers/particular ports.  Maybe a country has some internal documents, but many people want to know things in advance, and get upset if they pay a lot of money for a cruise and then can't see what they want to see.  My spouse and I decided it didn't matter what happened, even if we ended up quarantined in our room for most of the cruise.  We cruised in Iceland 8 days and everything was perfect.  But I DO like a lot of information, so I AM curious about the basis for a country's decisions.  

 

 

I don't blame you. I also like to have information rather than just take it on hearsay.

 

I think @euro cruiser may have located the original Italian version -- perhaps she can remember how to access it.