New Bahamas Travel Protocols effective 12/27/21

[Sunshine3601]

7 minutes ago, Mapleleafforever said:

I don't know man, it looks pretty clear on the Bahamas travel website. Anyone travelling from outside the Bahamas has to have a PCR test within 72 hours. Cruisers come from other Countries, therefore need a negative PCR test within 72 hours. Of course I could be wrong, I have been many times. If I'm not though this is a game changer for cruises. 

They have had different rules for cruise ships vs. travelers flying in for several months now.    

I suspect the Bahamian authorities have been in communication with the cruise lines.   

 

Maybe they will still allow ships to visit their private islands and temporarily stop visits to Nassau.

We all assuming at this time and will just have to wait and see what Royal announces.   

 

Suspect will see other islands reset their guidelines too!

[molly361]

1 hour ago, not-enough-cruising said:

These aren’t cruise passenger protocols 

Doesn't all persons entering the Bahamas apply to cruise passengers?

[molly361]

1 hour ago, alyssamma said:

Correct...this is for air travel...

Show me where it states air travel please  Thanks

[alyssamma]

19 minutes ago, molly361 said:

Show me where it states air travel please  Thanks

It doesn't explicitly state that...however, a) in the past this is how it has been and b) if it did apply to cruises it would effectively stop cruises from coming there (which they should just say outright if that was the case) and c) most importantly, there is a section for cruises and it details there what needs to happen.

 

Also, since most cruises stop there, everyone would be flooded with itinerary changes...which has not happened.

 

This is no different than the US saying test 1 day prior to entering the country. Now it has been clarified to mean only air travel, but the initial stuff put out did not specify that. This caused confusion just like the Bahamas announcement is.

 

But given the past history of these announcements, I am confident this is for air travel.

 

New cruise restrictions, if any, will be posted under the section that says  CRUISE.

 

 

[smplybcause]

25 minutes ago, molly361 said:

Doesn't all persons entering the Bahamas apply to cruise passengers?

 

Cruise passengers aren't legally considered entering the countries. If they were every passenger would need a passport as you need a passport to legally enter another county. 

[alyssamma]

1 hour ago, Mapleleafforever said:

Might want to confirm that.....

What makes you think it's wrong?

 

Any cruise lines so far canceled ports there?

[alyssamma]

3 minutes ago, smplybcause said:

 

Cruise passengers aren't legally considered entering the countries. If they were every passenger would need a passport as you need a passport to legally enter another county. 

Not 100% sure if this is correct, but don't want the thread to move to a debate about immigration 😀

 

Suffice it to say there are usually different rules applied to air travel vs land travel vs sea travel. In the US this is the case where driving into the country has one set of rules, flying another, abd cruising yet another.

29 minutes ago, molly361 said:

Doesn't all persons entering the Bahamas apply to cruise passengers?

Taken out of context like that, yes. But I don't beleive that is the intent.

[mein18]

Let's all try and sit back, enjoy the holidays and wait for official updates rather than projecting our opinions or perceived facts here. I am sure as soon as any protocols are announced that effect any one of our upcoming cruises, the lines will be adjusting accordingly as best they can.

[Mapleleafforever]

12 minutes ago, alyssamma said:

What makes you think it's wrong?

 

Any cruise lines so far canceled ports there?

Not yet. 

[alyssamma]

4 minutes ago, Mapleleafforever said:

Not yet. 

Exactly 😀

[not-enough-cruising]

1 hour ago, molly361 said:

Doesn't all persons entering the Bahamas apply to cruise passengers?

 

1 hour ago, molly361 said:

Show me where it states air travel please  Thanks

If all visitors followed the same rules, there wouldn’t be a separate tab on the tourism website exclusively for cruise passengers 

[Mapleleafforever]

9 minutes ago, not-enough-cruising said:

 

If all visitors followed the same rules, there wouldn’t be a separate tab on the tourism website exclusively for cruise passengers 

That only pertains to cruises that depart from Bahamas. And those passengers all need to get to Bahamas so PCR test now needed. 

[smplybcause]

1 hour ago, alyssamma said:

Not 100% sure if this is correct, but don't want the thread to move to a debate about immigration 😀

 

Suffice it to say there are usually different rules applied to air travel vs land travel vs sea travel. In the US this is the case where driving into the country has one set of rules, flying another, abd cruising yet another.

Taken out of context like that, yes. But I don't beleive that is the intent.

 

I might not be using 100% correct information, but there's a reason why passports aren't required for a cruise. Why you don't go through customs/ immigration at every new port. Why you can just decide to end your cruise at whatever stop you want. 

 

The difference was obvious when I cruised with the Bahamas paradise cruise line where some passengers stay at a hotel on the island for a few days - they all had to go through customs & immigration. Everyone getting back on the boat just walked through another line not doing that. 

[alyssamma]

15 minutes ago, smplybcause said:

 

I might not be using 100% correct information, but there's a reason why passports aren't required for a cruise. Why you don't go through customs/ immigration at every new port. Why you can just decide to end your cruise at whatever stop you want. 

 

The difference was obvious when I cruised with the Bahamas paradise cruise line where some passengers stay at a hotel on the island for a few days - they all had to go through customs & immigration. Everyone getting back on the boat just walked through another line not doing that. 

Again, don't want to argue with you  my point was to stop EXACTLY what is starting now...a discussion about immigration. The focus is new reqs to cruise to the Bahamas...we both agree on that 😀

[Ocean Boy]

3 hours ago, Jimbo said:

"Were"*

Unless you can provide itinerary changes to back up your comment why imply something that doesn't exist.... at least not yet?

[alyssamma]

From an RCCL thread...

 

I’m currently on Jewel and we just left Nassau and were docked next to Allure. Pier was quite busy.

 

So...seems like the Bahamas is still open to cruises...

 

AND...the Jewel has covid cases reported on it.

 

[wolfcathorse]

I'm on the Jan 7 sailing of Indy. I sure hope the new rules that start Jan 7 is just for airline passengers. There's no way I can get a PCR test within 3 days of arrival. That means I have to test on Thursday, the day we leave home for our flight. We board the ship the next day (Friday) and Sunday is the port call at Nassau. I can't be assured of getting a PCR test on Thursday and have the results before  I check in at the pier for boarding the next day. All the places offering tests don't guarantee results in 1-2 days, up here the average is 3-7 days. I don't have a CVS near me, Meijer doesn't test on Thursdays, Walgreen's says 1-2 days but not guaranteed for travel. So I'm hoping we get a clarification Monday that the Bahama's new regulations are for air traffic and not cruise passengers. We do have a Royal Caribbean excursion booked so we'd be in a "bubble" anyway.

[cocomango]

  Is HMC private? 

 

I'd be fine trading our Nassau stop for Half Moon Cay.

[minicruz]

With the cruise lines bleeding money over the past couple years I not passing judgement about how they are operating but they are certainly lacking in transparency with their passengers. I am booked on 12/30 sailing of the Allure and they didn’t announce the initial itinerary changes until the day after the final payment date. Coincidence, maybe?  And even if they are aware of further itinerary changes they probably won’t be informing passengers until they board.  Of course some changes are due to weather or COVID issues at the last minute, can’t do anything about.  Uncertain times to be sailing.

[RGEDad]

21 hours ago, alyssamma said:

From an RCCL thread...

 

I’m currently on Jewel and we just left Nassau and were docked next to Allure. Pier was quite busy.

 

So...seems like the Bahamas is still open to cruises...

 

AND...the Jewel has covid cases reported on it.

Per the Bahamas Site: https://www.bahamas.com/pressroom/bahamas-ministry-of-tourism-investments--aviation-statement-on-updated-testing-protocols

this change is not in effect until Monday the 27th:

 

Effective Monday, December 27, 2021, the following protocols will take effect:

So what is happening today (Saturday December 25th)  is not really relevant...

Other than - you know - the explosion of Omicron...

[alyssamma]

6 hours ago, RGEDad said:

Per the Bahamas Site: https://www.bahamas.com/pressroom/bahamas-ministry-of-tourism-investments--aviation-statement-on-updated-testing-protocols

this change is not in effect until Monday the 27th:

 

Effective Monday, December 27, 2021, the following protocols will take effect:

So what is happening today (Saturday December 25th)  is not really relevant...

Other than - you know - the explosion of Omicron...

I think you are missing the overall point. Cruise ships haven't changed itineraries. I'm about to board the Legend tomorrow and cruise to the Bahamas. This would not be possible if the above applied to cruises.

 

If however it applied to air travel then it makes sense.

 

I'm willing to bet you a beer we dock in the Bahamas.

[Mapleleafforever]

9 hours ago, alyssamma said:

I think you are missing the overall point. Cruise ships haven't changed itineraries. I'm about to board the Legend tomorrow and cruise to the Bahamas. This would not be possible if the above applied to cruises.

 

If however it applied to air travel then it makes sense.

 

I'm willing to bet you a beer we dock in the Bahamas.

I'm more curious about what happens after Jan 7 when it's just PCR tests that will be accepted. From now until then rapid antigen tests are accepted which the ships have plenty of. 

 

[GEORGIEGIRL]

On 12/24/2021 at 1:58 PM, molly361 said:

Doesn't that requirement basically make it impossible for the weekend cruises to go there?  PCR instead of rapid?

Not necessarily. For example. Lets say the cruise leaves out of Port Canaveral (could be another Florida port as well) on either Thursday or Friday. Usually then you end up in either Nassau or CoCo Cay the next day. If you got your test on either Wednesday or Thursday (depending on when your cruise leaves) you would still have 72 hrs./3 days to visit the Bahamas. Sometimes they would also have a day at sea and that could be scheduled for the last day and not affect your "weekend" cruise at all.

 

If i have missed something please let me know.

[Ocean Boy]

1 hour ago, GEORGIEGIRL said:

Not necessarily. For example. Lets say the cruise leaves out of Port Canaveral (could be another Florida port as well) on either Thursday or Friday. Usually then you end up in either Nassau or CoCo Cay the next day. If you got your test on either Wednesday or Thursday (depending on when your cruise leaves) you would still have 72 hrs./3 days to visit the Bahamas. Sometimes they would also have a day at sea and that could be scheduled for the last day and not affect your "weekend" cruise at all.

 

If i have missed something please let me know.

RCI requires a negative test within 2 days of sailing. That is pretty hard to accomplish with a PCR. So you would have to do a PCR three days before sailing (and hope the results are not delayed) and a rapid 1-2 days before sailing. Then there is the question if whether RCI will let you board if you don't have everything in place to enter the Bahamas because if they don't have all if the documentation in place they could be at risk of the Bahamas denying the ship entry. 

 

It all sounds like a stressful weekend get a way to me.

[GEORGIEGIRL]

6 hours ago, Ocean Boy said:

RCI requires a negative test within 2 days of sailing. That is pretty hard to accomplish with a PCR. So you would have to do a PCR three days before sailing (and hope the results are not delayed) and a rapid 1-2 days before sailing. Then there is the question if whether RCI will let you board if you don't have everything in place to enter the Bahamas because if they don't have all if the documentation in place they could be at risk of the Bahamas denying the ship entry. 

 

It all sounds like a stressful weekend get a way to me.

I agree it will not be as easy as before. However, I was only responding to the original posters question as to whether it will impact weekend cruising and I don't think that it will. You have your opinion and I have mine. That's the great thing about personal opinions, there are no wrong ones. However, once we actually get some facts that will be a different story.

 

PS. it might be a sound like a "stressful weekend get a way" to you. Others might not let it bother them.