Authorisation for Bermuda

[Charles4515]

2 hours ago, LGW59 said:

From another Bermuda post:  Couple of our friends boarded Oceania ship yesterday, they were required to complete the form for Bermuda and pay $40 fee. But no one checked and asked for the form during the boarding process. And...after all that, yesterday afternoon passengers were notified they were no longer going to Bermuda, instead replaced by Bahamas. Huh! Interesting!  The form is downloaded from the Bermuda Gov't website.  Same applies to Celebrity

 

The Oceania cruise was a transatlantic with Bermuda on the itinerary not a Bermuda cruise. Bermuda on a transatlantic often gets skipped. It is off season for Bermuda. All the passengers were given a $50 credit.

Edited March 19, 2022 by Charles4515

[Charles4515]

1 hour ago, orville99 said:

And, as I have stated repeatedly, RCL will inform its passengers of the requirement and the process for executing it well before the 30 day clock starts for any cruise sailing to Bermuda. It is really quite simple to understand, presuming you are willing to read rather than jump to conclusions.

 

The proccess is easy to understand and carry out but RCL has not been informing passengers. That has caused a lot of confusion. 

[LGW59]

2 minutes ago, Charles4515 said:

 

The Oceania cruise was a transatlantic with Bermuda on the itinerary not a Bermuda cruise. Bermuda on a transatlantic often gets skipped. It is off season for Bermuda. all the passengers were given a $50 credit.

Thanks, I realize that now from the poster who has friends on board.  This was though in response to completing the Bermuda required entry form, who does it and who pays, both fall on the passenger.  My thinking is the $50 OBC is to compensate for not stopping in Bermuda, a nice gesture on the part of Oceania

[orville99]

1 hour ago, Biker19 said:

Didn’t happen for Europe. 

Didn’t go into effect until 10 days ago.

[Charles4515]

I don't think the Bermuda Travel Authorization is a hard process or that confusing but I don't blame people for not booking Bermuda or canceling plans  because of it. Royal and sister Celebrity have not helped with their lack of information.  Also Bermuda could have had the cruise line verify vaccination status instead of setting up and additional bureaucracy so that could be a strike against. 

[orville99]

13 minutes ago, Charles4515 said:

 

The proccess is easy to understand and carry out but RCL has not been informing passengers. That has caused a lot of confusion. 

The requirement only went into effect on March 7, 2022. A bit difficult to implement a solution before the problem exists.

Edited March 19, 2022 by orville99

[Charles4515]

2 minutes ago, orville99 said:

The requirement only went into effect on March 7, 2022. A bit difficult to implement a solution before the problem exists.

 

The requirement was in effect since 2021. There were changes on March 7,. Fewer requirements and a lower fee.  Those were announced prior to March 7.  The only solution to implement is to inform their passengers. Which they have yet to do.

[orville99]

3 minutes ago, Charles4515 said:

 

The requirement was in effect since 2021. There were changes on March 7,. Fewer requirements and a lower fee.  Those were announced prior to March 7.  The only solution to implement is to inform their passengers. Which they have yet to do.

There are no cruises to Bermuda from a U.S. home port until 4/30, so your point is premature. BTW, no one was sailing anywhere in 2021.

[LGW59]

1 minute ago, orville99 said:

There are no cruises to Bermuda from a U.S. home port until 4/30, so your point is premature. BTW, no one was sailing anywhere in 2021.

BTW, no one was sailing anywhere in 2021. Don't tell this to all of the folks who cruised in 2021

[Charles4515]

6 minutes ago, orville99 said:

There are no cruises to Bermuda from a U.S. home port until 4/30, so your point is premature. BTW, no one was sailing anywhere in 2021.

 

You are wrong on both counts. There are cruises from US homeports before April 30 and there were cruises in 2021. Some of those were cruises to Bermuda. The Bermuda cruises required the Travel Authorization.  Plus there has been air travel which requires the Travel Authorization.

Edited March 19, 2022 by Charles4515

[Midway7934]

The Silhouette (Celebrity) sails from Florida and arrives early in April to Bermuda. Celebrity says they are working it out with Bermuda and will take care of it. I sail on the Summit in June. I have been in touch with my TA and have had a phone call from a Celebrity manager (a friend  of my TA). The manager said they have had meetings to work out these requirements. My suggestion is don’t get ahead of yourself.  It will be worked out. See what happens with the first cruise. Royal will most likely follow. I go again on Royal in September.

[orville99]

2 hours ago, Charles4515 said:

 

You are wrong on both counts. There are cruises from US homeports before April 30 and there were cruises in 2021. Some of those were cruises to Bermuda. The Bermuda cruises required the Travel Authorization.  Plus there has been air travel which requires the Travel Authorization.

First RCL cruise to Bermuda in 2022 is a 5 night out of NY. Royal’s restart in 2021 was out of Nassau, and they were very good at explaining the pre-cruise requirements mandated by the Bahamas. They will do the same when they start cruising to Bermuda this April. Other cruise lines (regardless of parentage) are irrelevant to a discussion.of how RCL will handle this brand. 

[orville99]

3 hours ago, Charles4515 said:

Plus there has been air travel which requires the Travel Authorization.

pigs may fly, but cruise ships don’t. As soon as they figure that little trick out, we will be booked.

[shof515]

4 hours ago, LGW59 said:

BTW, no one was sailing anywhere in 2021. Don't tell this to all of the folks who cruised in 2021

in 2021 i sailed on the Norwegian Breakaway and Norwegian Gem both of which went to Bermuda in 2021. Breakaway was in October 2021 and the Gem was in December 2021

[Oceansaway17]

10 hours ago, breezer said:

Glad I stumbled upon this thread.    I was seriously looking to book a Royal Bermuda cruise and didn't know it would require an authorization form with an additional cost.  I'll be looking for something else to book.  Thanks for the info.

YUP once I read this and researched on Yahoo, I changed my cruise from NJ on Adv OTS to Allure out of Miami and I get 7 days instead of 5.

 

I mean I have been to Bermuda twice, once in 80's and once in 2016.  OMG what a lot of changes and not for the better.  Too many cars and Hamilton was looking a bit run down.  I did like the newer port though.

So going out of Miami to the Caribbean for me never gets old and that is why I did change.

Bermuda created this TA because of covid, but I bet they keep in forever.  Next year sometime all USA folks need an ESTA to get into Europe and so Bermuda will say okay us too then. I mean talk about nickel and diming us.  Passports should be the standard and accepted without  addl. forms and payment.

[Jcol5786]

Will payment be required if you don't get off the ship in Bermuda? We have a stop there in May on Adventure. 

[shof515]

18 minutes ago, Jcol5786 said:

Will payment be required if you don't get off the ship in Bermuda? We have a stop there in May on Adventure. 

everyone will be required to submitted a authorized even if you dont get off the ship. you will need the authorization to board the ship. When i cruised on NCL last year to bermuda, that document was required during the checkin process

[Oceansaway17]

9 hours ago, shof515 said:

everyone will be required to submitted a authorized even if you dont get off the ship. you will need the authorization to board the ship. When i cruised on NCL last year to bermuda, that document was required during the checkin process

which is why I do not understand why they need more money since the ship pays docking fee.

If someone doesn't want to get off, no money I say.   just sounds like a racket.  I mean the ship already tests and asks for vaccine proof.  

[egurbi]

I grappled with this same issue last year on NCL when the fee was $75 per person.  Ultimately, I paid it because I wanted to cruise and I justified it in my own mind as an "enhanced" port fee.  YMMV.

[Charles4515]

On 3/19/2022 at 9:54 PM, Oceansaway17 said:

I mean I have been to Bermuda twice, once in 80's and once in 2016.  OMG what a lot of changes and not for the better.  Too many cars and Hamilton was looking a bit run down.  I did like the newer port though.

So going out of Miami to the Caribbean for me never gets old and that is why I did change.

Bermuda created this TA because of covid, but I bet they keep in forever.  Next year sometime all USA folks need an ESTA to get into Europe and so Bermuda will say okay us too then. I mean talk about nickel and diming us.  Passports should be the standard and accepted without  addl. forms and payment.

 

I prefer docking at Hamilton and St.George which are authentic to the Dockyard which is for tourists and mega ships.To me the Caribbean has gotten old and Bermuda has not. 

 

The US created ESTA and now we will have to do something the same  because of tit for tat. If visitors to the US have to do it they are going to make us do it. The BTA is not an ESTA. It is all about Covid. I don't think it is forever. It is not only for visitors. Returning Bermuda residents have to do it and pay the $40. Do you think Bermudians are happy about that? Many travel. A lot of shopping trips. So there will be local pressure. Destinations are reducing testing requirements and vacination requirements. Bermuda will follow. Might slow in lifting requirements but I can't see them maintaining the TA.

Edited March 21, 2022 by Charles4515

[Oceansaway17]

10 hours ago, Charles4515 said:

 

 The BTA is not an ESTA. It is all about Covid. I don't think it is forever. It is not only for visitors. Returning Bermuda residents have to do it and pay the $40. Do you think Bermudians are happy about that? Many travel. A lot of shopping trips. So there will be local pressure. Destinations are reducing testing requirements and vacination requirements. Bermuda will follow. Might slow in lifting requirements but I can't see them maintaining the TA.

Ah I did not realize their citizens have to pay the $40.

[LGW59]

10 minutes ago, Oceansaway17 said:

Ah I did not realize their citizens have to pay the $40.

A lot of shopping trips, now that is ROTFL funny!  They are the 4th richest per capita income in the world.  $40 bucks ain’t gonna break their bank or ours.

[Oceansaway17]

2 minutes ago, LGW59 said:

A lot of shopping trips, now that is ROTFL funny!  They are the 4th richest per capita income in the world.  $40 bucks ain’t gonna break their bank or ours.

Ya but to pay to get back into your own country instead of just a COVID test.

I am liking Bermuda less and less

[LGW59]

9 minutes ago, Oceansaway17 said:

Ya but to pay to get back into your own country instead of just a COVID test.

I am liking Bermuda less and less

Been there 3 times, twice because my grandmother took me, and the third for my honeymoon, many years ago.  IMO a pretty boring place, not much to see, never need to go back.  

[Charles4515]

1 hour ago, LGW59 said:

Been there 3 times, twice because my grandmother took me, and the third for my honeymoon, many years ago.  IMO a pretty boring place, not much to see, never need to go back.  

 

I have been there  over 15 times. Not boring at all. Plenty to see and do. Also  a World Heritage Site in St. George and many beautiful pink sand beaches. Pretty good snorkeling and great for water sports. May be you find it boring because it is safe?