"What Ports Are Closed to Cruise Ships Right Now?" -- yikes???

[earthpoet]

I just read this article by Aaron Saunders in the CruiseCritic daily email. Every single port on my 2/14 Silhouette cruise is listed as either turning away ships with even one COVID-19 case or not allowing cruise ships at all, period. According to the article, Grand Cayman's plans to reopen were scrapped on 12/28/21. Aruba/Bonaire/Curacao and Cartagena will refuse ships with any Covid cases. So, potentially we could have all of the ports on our cruise canceled. 

 

Not sure why Celebrity would even allow us to schedule excursions for Grand Cayman when it is closed? I asked them by chat (weeks ago before the chat icon disappeared from the website) whether our ports were being canceled, and all they would tell me is that as of today they are not canceled. All of this uncertainty is disheartening. I'm wondering if I should just cancel and get a future cruise credit. Already ordered our pre-cruise Covid test kit.

 

Anyone else in the same boat (no pun intended)? Can anyone confirm this info?

 

Thanks,

 

Lisa

[keifernny]

On Constellation now with positive Covid cases that are in quarantine on the ship and we haven’t been turned away from Curaçao or Bonaire so far.  Had lovely days there. Aruba is scheduled for tomorrow, so I can’t speak for that. We have had a few of our shore excursions cancelled for various reasons by the tour operator, and had to rebook other options via SE desk. For this reason, I wouldn’t get your heart set on any particular excursion. 
 

[earthpoet]

14 minutes ago, keifernny said:

On Constellation now with positive Covid cases that are in quarantine on the ship and we haven’t been turned away from Curaçao or Bonaire so far.  Had lovely days there. Aruba is scheduled for tomorrow, so I can’t speak for that. We have had a few of our shore excursions cancelled for various reasons by the tour operator, and had to rebook other options via SE desk. For this reason, I wouldn’t get your heart set on any particular excursion. 
 

Thank you. I was hoping someone currently on a ship would reply! Hope the rest of your ports will be open, also!

[ohiojohn]

The celebrity app has removed San Juan from our Apex 15 sailing.  So day 3 is now a sea day.  This leaves just St Thomas and St Kitts but we pick Up Nassau added as day 7, which was a sea day.

Edited January 10, 2022 by ohiojohn

[jelayne]

If you are set on visiting any particular ports then cancelling  might  be the best thing for you.  Nassau turned away a X ship recently while other ships were in port that day.  Grand Cayman has issued some 5 requirements for ship to dock whether those will remain or whether the ships can or will meet them remains to be seen. 
We plan to go ahead with our B2B in February with the expectation they could be cruises to nowhere.  If we make some ports it will be a plus.

[alcpa1]

We were on the Equinox from 12/22/21 to 1/3/22. We missed half of our ports including St. Kitts and Nassau (a substitute port stop) which were mentioned above.

It was fluid with some announcements made as late as 9 p.m. the evening before arrivals.

Just be prepared for itinerary changes and sea days.

 

[trabeler]

On the Connie now and we are docked at Aruba, so we made it to all the ABC islands. FYI that Bonaire had officials on the dock yesterday that wanted to see our original vaccination cards. 
 

We continue to have positive cases, so that hasn’t impacted our ports. Captain announced another three passengers plus ‘some’ crew yesterday. Also our CD has gone MIA… she didn’t host the theatre show on Saturday due to ‘not feeling well’ and hasn’t been seen since. 

[TourDeCruise]

1 hour ago, trabeler said:

On the Connie now and we are docked at Aruba, so we made it to all the ABC islands. FYI that Bonaire had officials on the dock yesterday that wanted to see our original vaccination cards. 
 

We continue to have positive cases, so that hasn’t impacted our ports. Captain announced another three passengers plus ‘some’ crew yesterday. Also our CD has gone MIA… she didn’t host the theatre show on Saturday due to ‘not feeling well’ and hasn’t been seen since. 

 

Good to know because we are supposed to go to ABCs on our Equinox January 21st cruise. 

 

How many positive Covid cases with guests (and crew if known) have been reported so far on the Connie? 

[miaminative0853]

On Edge now. As has been widely reported, first stop, San Juan cancelled and replaced by Nassau on the way back. Tortola and St. Martin still a go.

[trabeler]

5 minutes ago, TourDeCruise said:

 

How many positive Covid cases with guests (and crew if known) have been reported so far on the Connie? 

The Captain hasn’t been specific on crew cases. Words like ‘some’ and ‘a few’ have been used. For passengers, I recall at least three separate announcements, each time with 2 or 3 passengers mentioned. So that would mean maybe 6 or 7 passengers so far?

[phoenix_dream]

10 hours ago, ohiojohn said:

The celebrity app has removed San Juan from our Apex 15 sailing.  So day 3 is now a sea day.  This leaves just St Thomas and St Kitts but we pick Up Nassau added as day 7, which was a sea day.

And yet we sail Friday and it still shows on our schedule.  Not sure what is going on as we can't dock unless they loosen their rules

[granddutchess]

We are on the Silhouette 1/24 sailing.  Very concerned about the ABC islands not letting passengers on their islands.  I book my cruises for the itineraries.  Seriously, thinking might rebook later in the year.  Hopefully, things will get back to normal.  Whatever the new NORMAL will be.  We have friends who ordered the testing kits through Celebrity and got them within three days.  Expiration date is November 2022.  

[phoenix_dream]

I saw that article and also very concerned.  All ships will likely have at least one case onboard.  I don't sail for the ports generally in the Caribbean,  but I have an upcoming B2B for 21 days and want to set foot on dry land now and then!  One of our stops is an overnight in Cartagena, one of our favorites. Looks like that may be skipped.  We're also supposed to go to San Juan,  st. Kitts, st. Thomas. Those all look very iffy right now.  Very frustrating,  if understandable. 

[JamieLogical]

That article is clearly incorrect. I have been watching the port schedules for the ABCs and comparing them to ships physically docked on Maritime Traffic and things seem to be running smoothly for all three ports these last few days. No ships turned away, though I am certain all of them have at least SOME cases onboard.

[Beachin2]

Also on the 2/14 Silhouette sailing.  Less concerned with losing ports (that we have visited numerous times) more concerned with being confined to the bowels of the ship because of the sniffles.

 

Still at the 50-50 go/no go stage.  Fortunately, driving to the port.

[TeeRick]

There are several questions here really.

1) what countries/ports are actually closed to all cruise ships? 

2) what ports might close to your specific ship based on the number of cases reported on board?

3) what ports are open or closed based upon the vaccination status of the ship?

 

For any cruise right now these questions should be asked and answers might change daily.

[earthpoet]

1 hour ago, granddutchess said:

We are on the Silhouette 1/24 sailing.  Very concerned about the ABC islands not letting passengers on their islands.  I book my cruises for the itineraries.  Seriously, thinking might rebook later in the year.  Hopefully, things will get back to normal.  Whatever the new NORMAL will be.  We have friends who ordered the testing kits through Celebrity and got them within three days.  Expiration date is November 2022.  

Good to know the current expiration date on the kit is almost to the end of the year! Thanks. 

[earthpoet]

33 minutes ago, Beachin2 said:

Also on the 2/14 Silhouette sailing.  Less concerned with losing ports (that we have visited numerous times) more concerned with being confined to the bowels of the ship because of the sniffles.

 

Still at the 50-50 go/no go stage.  Fortunately, driving to the port.

Yes, confinement would not be pleasant, for sure. We are in AquaClass, and I'm wondering if it's even worth it now--they may not have the steam rooms/sauna rooms open, etc. due to the masking. Uggh...what to do.

[earthpoet]

47 minutes ago, JamieLogical said:

That article is clearly incorrect. I have been watching the port schedules for the ABCs and comparing them to ships physically docked on Maritime Traffic and things seem to be running smoothly for all three ports these last few days. No ships turned away, though I am certain all of them have at least SOME cases onboard.

What a relief. Thank you. 

[earthpoet]

59 minutes ago, phoenix_dream said:

I saw that article and also very concerned.  All ships will likely have at least one case onboard.  I don't sail for the ports generally in the Caribbean,  but I have an upcoming B2B for 21 days and want to set foot on dry land now and then!  One of our stops is an overnight in Cartagena, one of our favorites. Looks like that may be skipped.  We're also supposed to go to San Juan,  st. Kitts, st. Thomas. Those all look very iffy right now.  Very frustrating,  if understandable. 

Oh boy. Cartagena is also on my itinerary, and the one we are most looking forward to, since we are coffee enthusiasts. Depressing. My 15th anniversary cruise isn't looking so good. The Covid cruise news is like a rollercoaster...

[hrhdhd]

16 minutes ago, earthpoet said:

Oh boy. Cartagena is also on my itinerary, and the one we are most looking forward to, since we are coffee enthusiasts. Depressing. My 15th anniversary cruise isn't looking so good. The Covid cruise news is like a rollercoaster...

We stopped in Cartegena (overnight) in December on the Constellation, with active COVID cases.

[JamieLogical]

41 minutes ago, earthpoet said:

What a relief. Thank you. 

 

Both the Constellation and the Regal Princess are have visited the ABCs over the weekend. Connie made all of its scheduled stops. Regal Princess is in Curacao now and stopped in Aruba yesterday. They are set to stop in Bonaire tomorrow.

[Calton]

We are due on a B2B in February, sailing on The Edge.

I'm worried because I have read, San Juan, Grand Cayman and Nassau will possibly be missed.

I'm worried that are cruise will just be 2 weeks at sea 🙄

[Ckirtz3]

12 hours ago, ohiojohn said:

The celebrity app has removed San Juan from our Apex 15 sailing.  So day 3 is now a sea day.  This leaves just St Thomas and St Kitts but we pick Up Nassau added as day 7, which was a sea day.

I just spoke to customer service manager about that change and they have no information. Their system  still states we are going to San Juan. Beginning to get a bit frustrated. I will probably cancel but was hoping they would first. 🙂 

[Calton]

It's who blinks first scenario. We have cancelled 3 cruise and my wife is determined to go 😂