Required Ship's Tours in Caribbean ports

[cathylene]

We are scheduled to cruise to the Southern Caribbean in January. We just learned that most of our ports require us to buy ship's tours in order to get off the ship. These are very expensive tours and we are really not interested in them. Has anyone else experienced this situation?

Cathy

[Cg52]

What cruise are you on and how did you find out?

[Fouremco]

This is very common these days, which is why Celebrity updates this page on a frequent basis. I suggest that you bookmark it and check back regularly. 

 

https://www.celebritycruises.com/ca/healthy-at-sea/us-travel-requirements

[Alakegirl]

Nearly everyone who has cruised since the restart has experienced the same situation. Also you will find that ports open and close, that itineraries are rearranged, you just can’t count on anything right now

Edited November 1, 2021 by Alakegirl

[lv2cruisgrl]

38 minutes ago, cathylene said:

We are scheduled to cruise to the Southern Caribbean in January. We just learned that most of our ports require us to buy ship's tours in order to get off the ship. These are very expensive tours and we are really not interested in them. Has anyone else experienced this situation?

Cathy

Since Covid this is the way it is. It can change daily. Ever port is different.

[DCPIV]

Yes, many of us have dealt with it. We had that situation in Barbados. None of the offered tips really interested us (there weren't many in the first place), so we were content to have a lovely, relaxing day on board. 

[susiesan]

When ports that were previously restricted open up and allow independent touring, Celebrity is very very slow to amend their restricted list. Antigua announced Oct. 22 that pax can go ashore without a ship tour but Celebrity still shows Antigua as restricted. 

[Ken the cruiser]

As a side note, just remember Celebrity is one of the few cruise lines that do not require passengers to where a face mask anywhere while onboard their ships, inside or outside. These “bubble” excursions IMHO are one of the main reasons they can still offer that option.

Edited November 1, 2021 by Ken the cruiser

[kelib]

5 minutes ago, Ken the cruiser said:

As a side note, just remember Celebrity is one of the few cruise lines that do not require passengers to where a face mask anywhere while onboard their ships, inside or outside. These “bubble” excursions IMHO are one of the main reasons they can still offer that option.

Started to write the same thing. 

[miched]

Being required does that mean they are forcing you to take those tours?

 

That doesn’t seem right as we rarely  take tours and then being forced to take one would want me to cancel the cruise

 

If it means that I can’t get off the ship in those ports that is fine by me as I been to those ports many times and most time chose to stay on board taking advantage of everything I paid for, drinks, food and etc.

 

Happy cruising🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅

Edited November 1, 2021 by miched

[Ken the cruiser]

1 minute ago, miched said:

Being required does that mean they are forcing you to take those tours?

 

That doesn’t seem right as we rarely  take tours and then being forced to take one would want me to cancel the cruise

 

Happy cruising🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅

No, they are not forcing you to book any of their excursions. That’s your decision and, as others have noted on various threads, it all depends on the port and the COVID conditions being experienced at that time.
 

I remember on our B3B in August, where we went to Nassau on each leg, that was definitely the case. On all 3 visits, the only way passengers were allowed off the Edge was if they had booked a Celebrity excursion. At the same time on our second leg we were docked next to a Carnival ship and on the third leg we were docked next to a RCCL ship, which both allowed their passengers to roam freely around Nassau with no restrictions. But then as soon as they got back on the ship, their face masks went back on.

[Guest]

As a Brit, I’m surprised to see St Kitts and St Lucia on the non-Independent list. We are on a P&O cruise in the Caribbean over Christmas and we are allowed to go ashore independently in these ports. 
 

We’ve recently switched from a P&O to a Celebrity for Feb 22 as we were fed up with the lack of customer service and information provided by P&O- (and we were missing the food and service on X!) 

 

As it stands with P&O, even if you have to go on a ship tour, you are still allowed to go to the secure port area. Is this the case with Celebrity? If so that’s ok- we like the port area in St Kitts so would only have to book excursions for St Lucia and Barbados. 
 

Thanks! 

[kwokpot]

[Gatordad1967]

We bailed on Celebrity back in Sept for that very reason.

 

[canderson]

As reported here by those who have been there, it's actually a mix of X excursions and government approved tour/transport operators at the pier in St. Kitts.  We'll be there in about 12 days and will report.  Not sure if even now X is being forthright about the options until shortly before port.  One recent blogger here reported they were informed very late, by which time it was too late to cancel St. Kitts X shorex without penalty.

[jelayne]

1 hour ago, kwokpot said:

Things do change frequently.  We were on the Edge mid October  and Roatan had recently been opened to dyi after being a ship excursion only port previously.     Now  it looks to have reverted back.  When we were there Roatan asked that  the passengers  wear a mask while ashore and security did not let you off until you put a mask on.   We didn't leave the ship but noticed that many of  those disembarking took the mask off as they  walked away from the ship.   Maybe that had something to do with the change.