Taking tours on your own vs ship tour now because of covid in to Caribbean beaches

[chucknmarilyn]

2 minutes ago, Ipeeinthepools said:

 

There have been a couple reports, perhaps someone better than me with the search function can find them.

Of people not being able to continue on their second leg of B2B even when testing negative?

[lv2cruisgrl]

5 minutes ago, chucknmarilyn said:

Of people not being able to continue on their second leg of B2B even when testing negative?

Not sure about that. I have not read or heard of that happening.

[Guppy99]

1 hour ago, debant said:

Thank you for giving me your opinion and response. That’s all I wanted by making this post. I obviously know what my own comfort level is. I don’t understand why so many others responded with confrontational responses. 

I know right? What's even worse, is when someone ventures an opinion they also demand you agree with it! Perhaps a bit less on the Covid issue.....but don't ask for opinions on dress in the dining room!!!! Or tipping...that's a good one too.

[davekathy]

I've read on at least one other thread on this forum that Celebrity wasn't following their own guidance for their ship sponsored excursion(s). Full mini buses, no empty seats, no assigned seating for the purpose of social distancing. 

 

 

[chucknmarilyn]

20 minutes ago, lovrccl said:

Not sure about that. I have not read or heard of that happening.

I hadn't either. That's why I was questioning the person that mentioned it. 

[Guppy99]

Probably the best person to ask is the shore excursions desk when onboard.  Unless your cruise is the next week, then everything is subject to change anyway. Pointless, in my opinion, to worry about excursions for a cruise that is a month or more away.

[Bejay219]

We were on a B2B2B on Celebrity this fall.  And yes, it was our understanding thatif you are contact traced to someone who was positive, you are tested, quarantined until 2nd negative.  You are allowed to continue the rest of your sailing, but for the next leg of your cruise you can't answer the question on the Health Questionnaire, have you been exposed to anyone in the last two weeks that were positive for covid. So we stayed on the ship, as didn't want to take a chance on not being able to continue. 

That was our experience, but I am sure others can say what they experienced. 

[Ipeeinthepools]

Just now, Bejay219 said:

We were on a B2B2B on Celebrity this fall.  And yes, it was our understanding thatif you are contact traced to someone who was positive, you are tested, quarantined until 2nd negative.  You are allowed to continue the rest of your sailing, but for the next leg of your cruise you can't answer the question on the Health Questionnaire, have you been exposed to anyone in the last two weeks that were positive for covid. So we stayed on the ship, as didn't want to take a chance on not being able to continue. 

That was our experience, but I am sure others can say what they experienced. 

 

Thanks.  Do you have to fill out the health questionnaire between legs of the B2B?

[DaKahuna]

2 minutes ago, Ipeeinthepools said:

 

Thanks.  Do you have to fill out the health questionnaire between legs of the B2B?

Yes, the health questionnaire was required for our second leg.  Our Suite Concierge did that for us.  Apparently accessing the form via the ship WiFi is problematic. 

[Ipeeinthepools]

23 minutes ago, DaKahuna said:

Yes, the health questionnaire was required for our second leg.  Our Suite Concierge did that for us.  Apparently accessing the form via the ship WiFi is problematic. 

So this is where you would run into a problem with exposure on a shore excursion.  You need to answer yes to the question if you have been in close contact with anyone that tested positive.

[c-leg5]

Just now, Ipeeinthepools said:

So this is where you would run into a problem with exposure on a shore excursion.  You need to answer yes to the question if you have been in close contact with anyone that tested positive.

Wouldn’t the cruise line already know and red flag you anyway?

[c-leg5]

27 minutes ago, DaKahuna said:

Yes, the health questionnaire was required for our second leg.  Our Suite Concierge did that for us.  Apparently accessing the form via the ship WiFi is problematic. 

Do you mean the concierge provided you with a paper form?

[Turtles06]

1 hour ago, davekathy said:

I've read on at least one other thread on this forum that Celebrity wasn't following their own guidance for their ship sponsored excursion(s). Full mini buses, no empty seats, no assigned seating for the purpose of social distancing. 

 

 

Having just disembarked from ten days on the Silhouette, I can confirm that was our experience. We did have one mini-bus with a few empty seats, but on our other excursions, the mini-buses were full. Masks were required. 

[DaKahuna]

9 minutes ago, Ipeeinthepools said:

So this is where you would run into a problem with exposure on a shore excursion.  You need to answer yes to the question if you have been in close contact with anyone that tested positive.

yes, if you were contract traced the ship would notify you.

 

5 minutes ago, c-leg5 said:

Do you mean the concierge provided you with a paper form?

No, they filled it out on a tablet and then we signed using our finger.  No paper form at all. 
 

They also had the record of our negative test from on board testing. All we needed were our current Sea Pass cards and Passport.  Nothing else was needed.

 

[davekathy]

1 minute ago, Turtles06 said:

Having just disembarked from ten days on the Silhouette, I can confirm that was our experience. We did have one mini-bus with a few empty seats, but on our other excursions, the mini-buses were full. Masks were required. 

Judith, one of your post is where I read that. 

[Ipeeinthepools]

37 minutes ago, c-leg5 said:

Wouldn’t the cruise line already know and red flag you anyway?

 

I suspect that they would know about Celebrity sponsored shore excursions but there's also the possibility you were in close contact to someone else that tested positive for Covid.  

[phoenix_dream]

I think taking a tour on your own is probably safer than going on a Celebrity tour.  Most Celebrity tours jam people into big buses, and from what I have heard they are pretty lax about making people mask up onboard.  And if someone on that bus tests positive, you all need to quarantine until you get a negative test result (a day or so).  And even worse, if you have a B2B even if you test negative they will not let you board the next cruise.  Grabbing a taxi you have the option to wear your mask, and leave the windows open while riding in the car.  

[Bluewake]

This is a difficult question.  Of course, no one wants to be quarantined because they were exposed to someone with Covid. While exposure doesn't automatically mean contracting Covid, isn't some degree of social isolation the prudent thing to do on a ship filled with many older and potentially vulnerable passengers?   is there an acceptable alternative of "let's wait to see what might happen" and in the meantime "just go out there, gather with your tablemates in the dining room, sit next to someone at the bar or slots, plop down next to them in the hot tub, or touch elbows with someone in the theater seats"?   As for whether to take a cruise line excursion, for our August 2021 cruise, we booked all Celebrity excursions.  On three of those, we found ourselves  in small densely packed vans...there were no open seats nor was there any sort of social distancing. Several passengers periodically lowered their masks below their noses and/or mouths and there was at least one person on each van who was sniffling or coughing.  While I know everyone had tested negative before boarding and almost all were vaccinated, we all know there are no absolutes  - - so when I hear a cough these days, I find myself a bit concerned.   We still plan to cruise but will do what we can to preserve our health.   For our next Celebrity cruise, we are looking primarily at excursions that do not involve small vans or buses and we will consider taking a short taxi ride by ourselves when ports allow.  While we cannot be certain about the status of the driver, (nor he/she about us) with open windows and masking, we feel that we can mitigate the risks. Of course, everyone has to reach their own conclusions.

 

Edited December 13, 2021 by Bluewake

[Guppy99]

Has anyone learned if the "government approved" taxi drivers have been fully vaccinated? I don't know, but I would suspect they are. In which case, that would likely be the better solution. (Although I do not feel at all embarrassed about spraying down the seat with my travel lysol spray.  

Then it's all about keep socially distance where you go.

 

Just curious if anyone knows as it hasn't been mentioned.

[debant]

4 hours ago, phoenix_dream said:

I think taking a tour on your own is probably safer than going on a Celebrity tour.  Most Celebrity tours jam people into big buses, and from what I have heard they are pretty lax about making people mask up onboard.  And if someone on that bus tests positive, you all need to quarantine until you get a negative test result (a day or so).  And even worse, if you have a B2B even if you test negative they will not let you board the next cruise.  Grabbing a taxi you have the option to wear your mask, and leave the windows open while riding in the car.  

 

[debant]

Thank you for this info. I am going to take your advice and only take taxis if they are available, I had a feeling celebrity had to use vans or busies. 

[D C]

On 12/12/2021 at 11:12 PM, ljk76 said:

An example would be if you planned to get there via taxi. We want to take an excursion out of red hook in St. Thomas. Fine with the captain, her guests, the unknown would be the cab driver. 

There is probably a bigger risk of being identified as a 'close contact' should one of the people in the Celebrity tour bus test positive.