Norway and Covid Restrictions for entry

[Wendy The Wanderer]

I see that just a couple of weeks ago Norway eased restrictions for entry by many EU citizens.  But not for North Americans, Canadians or U.S. Citizens.

 

We have a fjords and Baltic itinerary booked for next July.  We can all live in hope that this thing will be behind us by then, but is anyone else worried about this?  Especially since final payment comes up for many of these cruises around February. I'm thinking that Norway has a strong incentive to open up further for the summer '22 season.

 

Do you think this recent easing is the start of a broader one, or should I be worried?  

[CruiserBruce]

There has been some discussion about next summer just down the board. But next summer is a long ways from now in Covid time.

 

We are sailing out of Copenhagen next July as well. Just have to watch for now. We have booked our airfare...its totally refundable. 

[2BACRUISER]

We are looking at Baltic cruises for next year too and hope that restrictions will have eased considerably by then. My father who is 80 is currently in Riga Latvia has been for a month seeing family and the rules have slackened since he went out there, hes due home to the UK tomorrow. Hes told us there is still covid in Latvia but theres no movement restrictions or face mask protocols and they're all jabbed with the Janssen vaccine. So I'm fingers crossed that the the rest of the Baltic region is on the same trajectory. 🤞🤞

[hallasm]

7 minutes ago, 2BACRUISER said:

So I'm fingers crossed that the the rest of the Baltic region is on the same trajectory.

Should not be a problem within EU - but if restrictions for visit to St. Petersburg will be possible might be the question. 
I’ll not be concerned by Norway restrictions either.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

11 hours ago, CruiserBruce said:

We are sailing out of Copenhagen next July as well. Just have to watch for now. We have booked our airfare...its totally refundable. 

Yes, everything we have booked is totally refundable.  But not after the beginning of February, which is a big issue for us, and now a little more than 3 months away.

 

4 hours ago, hallasm said:

Should not be a problem within EU - but if restrictions for visit to St. Petersburg will be possible might be the question. 
I’ll not be concerned by Norway restrictions either.

Norway may not be a problem for EU citizens, but I'm talking about North Americans and their ability to enter this and other countries.  As for St. Petersburg, yes, an issue too, although we visit there after Norway, near the end of our cruise, and frankly as wonderful as St. Petersburg is supposed to be, it's Norway and the other Baltic countries that we're really looking forward to.

[kaisatsu]

Will residents of Norway be allowed to enter the US by then?

 

We have been planning a cruise with my family but have had to cancel it twice so far, since Norwegian residents still aren’t allowed into the US without first spending two weeks in someplace like Mexico.

[dfish]

On 10/14/2021 at 4:05 PM, kaisatsu said:

Will residents of Norway be allowed to enter the US by then?

 

We have been planning a cruise with my family but have had to cancel it twice so far, since Norwegian residents still aren’t allowed into the US without first spending two weeks in someplace like Mexico.

As of November 8th, yes if you are vaccinated.

[kitkat343]

Is it too late to get insurance that will let you cancel if covid restrictions or illness affects your trip Wendy?  I usually get cancel for any reason insurance because I'm traveling with 3 small kids, and know I need to get that within 24 hours of my first deposit.  But I don't know what the rules are for covid insurance and hopefully someone else can help you.  I hope you are able to travel - norway is a really special cruise.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

12 hours ago, kitkat343 said:

Is it too late to get insurance that will let you cancel if covid restrictions or illness affects your trip Wendy?  I usually get cancel for any reason insurance because I'm traveling with 3 small kids, and know I need to get that within 24 hours of my first deposit.  But I don't know what the rules are for covid insurance and hopefully someone else can help you.  I hope you are able to travel - norway is a really special cruise.

Thanks, I'm not sure.  Those policies are usurously expensive, even if available.  The rules are different here in Canada.  I know I can get pre-existing coverage up to final payment for this trip, not sure about "any reason", and I'll have to inquire about covid restriction coverage. 

 

Since the U.S. is opening up to Norwegians, I have hopes that this will be reciprocated, although I don't believe Norwegians are banned from Canada right now, so not sure that will help Canadians.

[Torquer]

We too are booked on a Norway cruise in May 2022 on HAL.  Since the majority of passengers on HAL are from the US and Canada, I'm not really worried about having to cancel.  If Norway is not letting in folks from the US and Canada into the country they most likely would not run the cruise; there simply wouldn't be enough passengers to make it worthwhile for them, and they would have to give refunds to people that could not be on board due to government regulations.  On the other hand if you are on a cruise line that caters to Europeans like MSC it could be a problem.

 

I suppose HAL could completely change the itinerary and go somewhere else instead of Norway.  So far, they have been good about giving refunds/FCC for cruises that they had to make major itinerary changes.

 

But I really hope we can go to Norway...we have never been to Norway and it will be our first cruise since Covid.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

16 hours ago, Torquer said:

But I really hope we can go to Norway...we have never been to Norway and it will be our first cruise since Covid.

My sentiments exactly.  I have been to Norway once, a long time ago, and have wanted to see it from the sea for decades, and when we chose this cruise, we were intent on finding something immediately "post covid", as soon after we get back from our winter in Florida as possible. Fingers crossed!

[clojacks]

We have a cruise scheduled to Norway, and then a back to back that does Scotland on Azamara this coming July. As others have said, it is a long ways off, but not really that much... We traditionally like to book our flights about 7 months out at the latest, and we are not that far from that. In looking at Norway protocols today, even fully vaccinated US citizens can't enter, because we wouldn't have the Digital COVID vaccine documents that the EU has. It explicitly says "no paper COVID vaccine confirmations". And, with the onset of seasonal flu impacts, and most likely COVID spikes comparable to last winter, it is going to take quite a turn around, in my opinion, for Norway to decide to ease restriction. 

[milolii]

Check your state, more and more states are developing apps to give you the ability to track and display your vaccine through an app.   

[clojacks]

1 hour ago, milolii said:

Check your state, more and more states are developing apps to give you the ability to track and display your vaccine through an app.   

That has nothing to do with the Norwegian government accepting them though. Currently, only the approved EU digital app is the only accepted, I believe....

[CruiserBruce]

1 hour ago, clojacks said:

That has nothing to do with the Norwegian government accepting them though. Currently, only the approved EU digital app is the only accepted, I believe....

Other EU countries have implemented various work arounds, including accepting the physical CDC card. All of this could change well before the summer tourist season. Too soon to cancel any plans for next summer. 

[milolii]

1 hour ago, clojacks said:

That has nothing to do with the Norwegian government accepting them though. Currently, only the approved EU digital app is the only accepted, I believe....

Your post quoted “no paper CoVID vaccine confirmations”  My post was intended to help you with that part of your concern.  I can’t predict or claim to know what the Norwegian government will demand. 

[kaisatsu]

On 11/8/2021 at 10:15 PM, clojacks said:

We have a cruise scheduled to Norway, and then a back to back that does Scotland on Azamara this coming July. As others have said, it is a long ways off, but not really that much... We traditionally like to book our flights about 7 months out at the latest, and we are not that far from that. In looking at Norway protocols today, even fully vaccinated US citizens can't enter, because we wouldn't have the Digital COVID vaccine documents that the EU has. It explicitly says "no paper COVID vaccine confirmations". And, with the onset of seasonal flu impacts, and most likely COVID spikes comparable to last winter, it is going to take quite a turn around, in my opinion, for Norway to decide to ease restriction. 

July is a long way away, so who knows what options will be available and what the rules will be. This past summer American relatives have visited by stopping off overnight in France and having a pharmacy digitize their paper vaccination cards. Whether there will be better options in future remains to be seen.

[phabric]

I have a Sky Princess May 28-June 4 - Scandinavia cruise with 2 Norway ports and 2 Denmark ports embarkment in Southampton.

 

Following my May 28-June 4 cruise, I have a Sky Princess June 4-June 11 -Norwegian Fjords cruise with 4 Norway ports.

 

I have EzAir for my flights with no payment until final payment February.

 

I will not booked excursions until after final payment. 
 

As Canadian, I only have a paper vaccination proof.

Hoping the cruises go, if not, that Princess gives us plenty of notice.

🇨🇦

Edited November 12, 2021 by phabric

[trtog7]

On 11/12/2021 at 11:27 AM, phabric said:

I have a Sky Princess May 28-June 4 - Scandinavia cruise with 2 Norway ports and 2 Denmark ports embarkment in Southampton.

 

Following my May 28-June 4 cruise, I have a Sky Princess June 4-June 11 -Norwegian Fjords cruise with 4 Norway ports.

 

I have EzAir for my flights with no payment until final payment February.

 

I will not booked excursions until after final payment. 
 

As Canadian, I only have a paper vaccination proof.

Hoping the cruises go, if not, that Princess gives us plenty of notice.

🇨🇦

Being from Ontario and where I presume you got your vaccinations. you can download a QR code for your proof of vaccinations

[adventurenerd]

Hello,

 

We are booked on a Trans Atlantic cruise from Florida to Northampton then onto Norway in June on Island Princess.  Our final payment is due in January.  We hope Princess cruise line will extend cancellation fee waver by our final payment date if Norway was not open by then....

 

We hope world's Covid case will improve soon and keep improving.

 

[phabric]

45 minutes ago, trtog7 said:

Being from Ontario and where I presume you got your vaccinations. you can download a QR code for your proof of vaccinations

I thought our Ontario QR code was good only in Ontario for proof of vaccination?

 

My sister in Quebec is able to download an International QR code.

[ilove2read]

I was researching this topic last night and the issue that Canadian and US citizens will face is not a QR code or lack there of on their proof of vaccination. The main problem is that Norway only recognizes Covid certificates that are recognized by the EU. Canada and the US are still in negotiations with the EU to have their respective Covid certificates recognized. I am hopeful that this matter will be resolved in the coming months and we will be able to travel to Norway. Fingers crossed!

 

[trtog7]

4 hours ago, phabric said:

I thought our Ontario QR code was good only in Ontario for proof of vaccination?

 

My sister in Quebec is able to download an International QR code.

Is not an Ontario QR Code accepted for entry into the United States?

[gnome12]

7 hours ago, trtog7 said:

Is not an Ontario QR Code accepted for entry into the United States?

The Ontario QR code (which is now a Canadian QR code; see the Canada logo on the top) is a Smart QR code, and should be verifiable anywhere in Canada (almost; not every province is there yet) and in many US states. The document itself also has all the information to prove your vaccination status; it will get you into the US, and it should be enough to get you an EU QR code, although you may have to jump through some hoops to get it. It should also be accepted anywhere that a US CDC card is accepted.

[clojacks]

16 hours ago, phabric said:

I thought our Ontario QR code was good only in Ontario for proof of vaccination?

 

My sister in Quebec is able to download an International QR code.

Norway's COVID protocol says specifically, the EU approved COVID digital code, showing Vaccination by the EU approved vaccines...