Celebrity have released new guidelines for transatlantic cruises.

[MamaFej]

At LEAST 24 hours before is a ridiculous standard. I could submit a test I took in April of 2021. I'm guessing it was a translation error. I imagine the original Spanish read "por lo más," not "por lo menos."

[rM3panno]

12 minutes ago, MamaFej said:

At LEAST 24 hours before is a ridiculous standard. I could submit a test I took in April of 2021. I'm guessing it was a translation error. I imagine the original Spanish read "por lo más," not "por lo menos."

Exactly! 72 hours meets the definition of at least 24 hours…also I don’t how this is applicable to Italy at all. Honestly, I would rather scrap our Spain stop than have to deal with this ridiculous requirement 

[Megabear2]

Here's a pdf version from a friend on the P&O boards

Health_Measures_for_the_restoration_of_Cruise_Ship_Activities_in_Spain.pdf

[bremenkat]

You only need to take a test before entering Spain if you are arriving from a high risk country and have not been vaccinated. Currently there are no countries on their high risk list. 

[rM3panno]

Just now, bremenkat said:

You only need to take a test before entering Spain if you are arriving from a high risk country and have not been vaccinated. Currently there are no countries on their high risk list. 

I know, I really think Celebrity has misapplied the requirements here. However, there is the document specifically addressing cruising but it isn’t linked on their website. I spoke with the shoreside concierge for our Reflection TA and she said it is not clear. Spent 15 minutes on hold while she spoke with her supervisor who also didn’t find it clear (especially related to my unvaccinated 3 year old). They are reaching out to management to get clarification. Hopefully, the wheels are in motion for X to at least realize they need to provide more information 

[ncgolferette]

The testing requirement seems to apply to those entering the country on a cruise. Vaccinated folks can walk, fly or drive to  Spain and no test is required.  It appears the guidelines are different for cruisers.  The timing  of the test is unclear.

[bremenkat]

The wording on the RCCL website is a bit clearer.  I would have thought Celebrity would be the same. 
 

Required Testing for Guests Sailing on Transatlantic Cruises departing from the U.S.

Required Pre-Cruise Testing   

Before arriving on boarding day, all guests on transatlantic sailings departing from the U.S. need to take a COVID-19 test on your own, at your own expense, to meet boarding requirements.

Most transatlantic guests must show a negative result for a PCR or antigen test taken no more than 1 day before boarding day. This is due to a requirement from the government of Spain for ships that visit the country. Guests on the May 2 Anthem of the Seas sailing to the U.K. will have 2 days to complete this test.  

International guests flying into the U.S. must complete a PCR test taken within 1 day of flying. If timed properly, this same PCR test result could satisfy Royal Caribbean’s boarding day requirement, except on sailings that touch Spain. Learn more about this requirement.   

Have questions about which tests are accepted?  

READ OUR DETAILED FAQ ON ACCEPTED TESTS.  

 

Additional Testing  

In addition to the pre-cruise test, guests whose vaccination status is not up to date will require additional testing to be completed onboard during the course of the sailing. For details on vaccination requirements to be considered up to date, please visit our Vaccine Requirement FAQ.  

During the Cruise 

• For cruises visiting or ending in Spain  
  Guests whose vaccination status is not up to date will be required to take an antigen test onboard every 4 days for the duration of the sailing, beginning on the 4th day following boarding day. 

• For cruises visiting or ending in the Netherlands 
  Guests whose vaccination status is not up to date will be required to take an antigen test onboard every 4 days for the duration of the sailing, beginning on the 4th day following boarding day. 

• For cruises visiting or ending in Italy, France, Portugal and Belgium 
  Guests whose vaccination status is not up to date will be required to take a COVID-19 test onboard. The test may be a PCR test taken 48 hours after embarking or an HRS test taken 24 hours after embarking. Guests who are not vaccinated with an European Medicines Agency (EMA) authorized vaccine (as well as CoviShield in Belgium) will be considered unvaccinated and will need to complete additional testing before going ashore.  

Prior to Disembarking  

• Spain, Italy, and the Netherlands  
  Guests whose vaccination status is not up to date will be required to take an antigen test onboard 24 hours prior to disembarking in Barcelona, Amsterdam, or Rome. 

The U.K. does not currently require additional testing on transatlantic cruises departing the U.S. and visiting or ending in the U.K. 

 

 

so if you are up to date with your vaccinations no test should be needed to go into Spain. You will just need to complete the health form for individuals which can be found under the arriving by ferry on the Spanish site. 

[Bo1953]

59 minutes ago, rM3panno said:

I know, I really think Celebrity has misapplied the requirements here. However, there is the document specifically addressing cruising but it isn’t linked on their website. I spoke with the shoreside concierge for our Reflection TA and she said it is not clear. Spent 15 minutes on hold while she spoke with her supervisor who also didn’t find it clear (especially related to my unvaccinated 3 year old). They are reaching out to management to get clarification. Hopefully, the wheels are in motion for X to at least realize they need to provide more information 

Is there not a Spanish Government website which will have 'specific' information on what is required for entry via cruise ship? This will be the final arbiter of your requirements, which X will follow.

 

Just a question, I Am not sailing to/from there in the near future.

 

In health and bon voyage

[BEAV]

6 hours ago, the penguins said:

Thanks. If that really applies I can all sorts of logistically problems in testing every passenger every day. 

 

The link says daily temperature checks, not daily testing.

 

i was on Crystal Symphony in September during the Delta surge. They performed temperature checks when you would enter any restaurant for dinner.

[Arizona Wildcat]

20 minutes ago, Bo1953 said:

Is there not a Spanish Government website which will have 'specific' information on what is required for entry via cruise ship? This will be the final arbiter of your requirements, which X will follow.

 

Just a question, I Am not sailing to/from there in the near future.

 

In health and bon voyage

There are three sites from Euro News to Department of Health for Spain.  All said children under 12 (or 5 on one site) travelling with parents do not require vaccinations or testing.

What is important is the rules are a tiny bit different in wording for each province in Spain AND have changed several times.  If an area has an outbreak, the rules could literally change overnight.

[cangelmd]

I was looking at the official Netherlands website because we fly into the Netherlands in May and then sail. It seemed pretty clear to me that "up to date" includes a date, you have to be less than 270 days from your second dose OR you have to have had a booster. Yet the RCL link says nothing about 270 days or boosters.?

[torontojoe8]

On 3/31/2022 at 4:45 AM, Airbalancer said:

Major pain ,

 now need to be test a day before getting on the ship heading to Amsterdam 

I was hoping getting testing tested 2 days before would cover our flight to the USA and getting on the ship 

Completely agree, now we have to pay to get test for flight to US and then in Tampa on day prior to cruise, which is Easter Sunday, should be a nightmare. I am calling Celebrity and ask them what the plan is

 

[torontojoe8]

On 3/31/2022 at 10:23 PM, BEAV said:

 

Thanks for catching, pointing that out.

 

Unfortunately, the wording in the Celebrity app for the Edge April 22 sailing reads “all guests must show a negative result not taken more than 1 day prior to boarding day”. 

 

Agreed, none of it makes practical sense as we don’t hit Spain until day 11.  

I guess they’re going to rely on the daily temperature checks to be the gauge whether anyone becomes infected en route to Spain. 🤷‍♂️

For those of us on Celebrity Constellation, the 24 hours before our cruise falls on Easter Sunday, think it will be easy to find a rapid test for 2000 people in Tampa on a Holiday. This is crazy, why does 48 hours prior versus 24 hours make a difference, we will be on the ship for 10 days before Spain, this is once again senseless Government overreach. EVERYTHING IS CLOSED ON EASTER SUNDAY IN SPAIN SO THEY SHOULD KNOW

[rM3panno]

13 minutes ago, torontojoe8 said:

Completely agree, now we have to pay to get test for flight to US and then in Tampa on day prior to cruise, which is Easter Sunday, should be a nightmare. I am calling Celebrity and ask them what the plan is

 

Better than what I am dealing with, new e-mail out tonight backs up my phone calls with X today that “ALL passengers” be vaccinated for Transatlantics from the US regardless of age. My wife, 2 sons, myself, and 4 grandparents are scrambling. My 3 year old isn’t vaccinated since an approved vaccine doesn’t exist for children under 5 in any country. There is no definitive data or document that is publicly available supporting this policy. Furthermore, the e-mail we received asserts that the 1 day testing requirement is related solely to the stop in Spain. My vote if we end up getting to go is forgo the Spanish territory stop and go back to the regular testing timeframes. The world has gone mad!

Edited April 2, 2022 by rM3panno

[drarill]

16 hours ago, Bo1953 said:

Is there not a Spanish Government website which will have 'specific' information on what is required for entry via cruise ship? This will be the final arbiter of your requirements, which X will follow.

 

Just a question, I Am not sailing to/from there in the near future.

 

In health and bon voyage

Spain's official link is this one, but doesn't give an option for those entering the country on a cruise:  https://www.spth.gob.es

you are given two options to enter Spain; plane or ferry.  This is a link, for those traveling to Spain by ferry https://spthm.puertos.es

Found some information here,  the website  is really friendly.  https://travelsafe.spain.info/en/

I used the US as the country of origin to check the requirements.  At the end I found a note for people  traveling on a cruise, with a link to the required form.  https://www.healthygateways.eu 

No form there, but my best guess is that this is the form that will be required,  https://app.euplf.eu/#/ though this is a PLF used in some European countries. Spain is not listed there.

Hope this helps.

[T^2]

I have completed but not submitted the form at https://app.euplf.eu/#/.  The first item is: what country is final destination.  So, if going to Italy, this form would be for there.

The website https://spthm.puertos.es/ allows you to register early but can't complete the form until 2 days before arrival in Spain.

[SHIP TRAVELER]

We can debate this and call it crazy.  We can contact Celebrity and get five different verbal answers from everyone we talk to about the new test requirements.  The bottom line is how much of a risk is it to show up at the Pier and be turned away by an officious clerk because you did not follow the written instruction.  To me missing my cruise is a huge risk and I will jump through all the hoops I can to meet the written requirements. We are also sailing from FFL the Monday after Easter and flying in from Texas on Easter and hoping that we will pass a last minute test.

[terrydtx]

13 minutes ago, SHIP TRAVELER said:

We can debate this and call it crazy.  We can contact Celebrity and get five different verbal answers from everyone we talk to about the new test requirements.  The bottom line is how much of a risk is it to show up at the Pier and be turned away by an officious clerk because you did not follow the written instruction.  To me missing my cruise is a huge risk and I will jump through all the hoops I can to meet the written requirements. We are also sailing from FFL the Monday after Easter and flying in from Texas on Easter and hoping that we will pass a last minute test.

You should do the home proctored test and do it the night before from your hotel where you have a good internet connection for the proctor  monitored part. Very easy and can be done from anywhere with internet in less than 30 minutes, Celebrity even sells the test kits. The chances of being denied boarding without the required testing is almost 100%, why risk it. 

Edited April 3, 2022 by terrydtx

[lexmiller]

On 4/2/2022 at 2:52 PM, T^2 said:

I have completed but not submitted the form at https://app.euplf.eu/#/.  The first item is: what country is final destination.  So, if going to Italy, this form would be for there.

The website https://spthm.puertos.es/ allows you to register early but can't complete the form until 2 days before arrival in Spain.

We are on the Edge TA and will be in Funchal, Madeira 2 days before our first port in Spain.......so all of the passengers will be looking for good wifi in Madeira that day - how joyous!  🙄  Just how we wanted to spend some of the little time we have there.  We also like you have registered early but yup, can't complete until 2 days before our first port.  One can only hope that Celebrity and the Spanish government will work something out to streamline this process.  

[Ommadawn]

Can you get off the ship before Spain and just fly there or fly to Rome, completely avoiding Spain? Would that work?

[MamaFej]

Yikes! We are supposed to leave the USA on April 18 (the day the TSA mask requirements are currently scheduled to expire/or to be  reevaluated) for a 62 day trip to Europe. 

 

Up? Down? Left? Right?

Do the Hokey Pokey and turm ourselves around? 

 

Maybe...

 

We also have a 57 day trip planned (including Northern Europe)  for late July through September. 

 

It's like 3 dimensional chess in a maelstrom. 

 

Alrighty, then...

[Bo1953]

On 4/3/2022 at 9:29 AM, SHIP TRAVELER said:

We can debate this and call it crazy.  We can contact Celebrity and get five different verbal answers from everyone we talk to about the new test requirements.  The bottom line is how much of a risk is it to show up at the Pier and be turned away by an officious clerk because you did not follow the written instruction.  To me missing my cruise is a huge risk and I will jump through all the hoops I can to meet the written requirements. We are also sailing from FFL the Monday after Easter and flying in from Texas on Easter and hoping that we will pass a last minute test.

Good luck...

 

In health and bon voyage

[pieter&sharon]

On 4/2/2022 at 2:13 AM, torontojoe8 said:

Completely agree, now we have to pay to get test for flight to US and then in Tampa on day prior to cruise, which is Easter Sunday, should be a nightmare. I am calling Celebrity and ask them what the plan is

 

Keep us advised about Celebrity's "plan".

[Cruising89143]

I’m really beginning to wonder what’s going on. Part of me is wondering if both X and RCI might be questioning the number of ships being sent across the pond. I don’t think bookings are strong. Our Edge sailing in late May is wide open according to a site that I check weekly. At this point I won’t be surprised at anything that they decide to do at the last minute. 

[RichYak]

9 minutes ago, cruisingator2 said:

I’m really beginning to wonder what’s going on. Part of me is wondering if both X and RCI might be questioning the number of ships being sent across the pond. I don’t think bookings are strong. 

I think that question was already answered when Celebrity cancelled all of Infinity's Med sailings for 2022. There is very little demand.