Bermuda from NYC on Joy

[Quencups]

I'm sure this has been answered but I'm confused.....NCL is saying PCR test should be done on Friday to sail on Sunday, but you also need to upload a test to Bermuda for the travel authorization....can you upload the BTA test on Friday night or Saturday?...is that enough time....

 

Thanks, I appreciate hearing from any of you who have done this.... 🙂

[Quencups]

Bird...if you are out there I need you...lol!!!...I know you know all this stuff....some people say they are getting rapid tests and some say they are getting PCRs....what is required by NCL?...I know PCR is required by Bermuda...

[deweytrader]

Yes, the sooner the better.  The have a very fast turnaround time.  I had to go through this process last Sept as well, after they received the Bermuda Travel Authorization form from me it was approved within 2 hours.

[deweytrader]

Passenger Category	Cruise voyage where Bermuda is the first port of call	Cruise voyage where Bermuda is not the first port of call or ship takes longer than 4 days to arrive to Bermuda from embarkation port
Fully Vaccinated Cruise Ship Passengers	Travel Authorisation required. Application fee $40. COVID-19 NAAT test (PCR, LAMP or TMA) up to 4 days before embarkation  OR Supervised antigen up to 2 days before embarkation	Travel Authorisation required. Application fee $40. COVID-19 NAAT test up to 4 days before embarkation  OR Supervised antigen up to 2 days before embarkation AND COVID-19 NAAT or supervised antigen test up to 2 days before disembarking in Bermuda

[deweytrader]

5 minutes ago, Quencups said:

Bird...if you are out there I need you...lol!!!...I know you know all this stuff....some people say they are getting rapid tests and some say they are getting PCRs....what is required by NCL?...I know PCR is required by Bermuda...

I have a proctored rapid test scheduled for Friday 4/29 for my cruise on Sunday 5/1.

Edited April 22, 2022 by deweytrader
added

[njhorseman]

53 minutes ago, Quencups said:

Bird...if you are out there I need you...lol!!!...I know you know all this stuff....some people say they are getting rapid tests and some say they are getting PCRs....what is required by NCL?...I know PCR is required by Bermuda...

No...either a PCR or an antigen test is required for NCL and Bermuda. Bermuda's rules are in the information that was posted by @deweytraderin post #4. However, it's almost impossible to use a PCR test and meet NCL's requirements because of timing. While Bermuda allows a PCR test taken up to four days prior to embarkation, NCL requires that either a PCR or an antigen test be taken no more than 2 days prior to embarkation. It's next to impossible in many areas of the country to get a PCR test result within that short a time frame so an antigen test is preferable. Here's the NCL rule:

https://www.ncl.com/sail-safe

Unless otherwise stipulated by local regulations (Cruise Travel Requirements by Country) that would supersede our policy, at time of check-in, all guests will be required to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 antigen or NAAT test (I.e. PCR) result administered by a verified third party or via medically supervised home test within two days prior to embarkation date for cruises originating in a U.S. or Canadian port and within three days prior for voyages departing from a non-U.S. port. Guests must bring digital or printed proof of negative test results.

Edited April 22, 2022 by njhorseman

[smokeykat]

Supervised antigen up to 2 days before embarkation. This is the rapid antigen test. Bermuda and NCL accepts this. We are leaving on Tuesday so we need to test on Sunday. Most urgent care facilities will do this for you for travel. Takes 15 minutes to get the results and they can upload the results to an app on your phone and also will give you a printout. 

CVS seems to have stopped doing testing now. 

[maggieq]

Do you have to test again during the cruise?

[shof515]

8 minutes ago, maggieq said:

Do you have to test again during the cruise?

only if you get off at norfolk

[BirdTravels]

7 hours ago, Quencups said:

Bird...if you are out there I need you...lol!!!...I know you know all this stuff....some people say they are getting rapid tests and some say they are getting PCRs....what is required by NCL?...I know PCR is required by Bermuda...

Unfortunately, The Bird can only tell you what is on the NCL website. The Bird doesn't sail to Bermuda until later this year. 

 

As always, the specific information sent to you from the cruise line for your specific cruise is the best information there is. A recent Joy cruise was delayed by 1/2 a day because process of Bermuda TAs were not complete in time for scheduled departure. 

[lx200gps]

9 hours ago, shof515 said:

only if you get off at norfolk

Are you able to point me to the reference on the NCL web site confirming this? This would simplify our trip in mid-June as we'd simply stay on the ship, no need to get off in Norfolk.  AFAIK, the fact that someone chooses not to disembark in Norfolk would be immaterial; the SHIP docked at a port before departing for Bermuda so according to the Bermuda gvt rule shown in post #4 above, it shouldn't matter whether someone chose to stay on board, they still have to be tested in Norfolk. 

[deweytrader]

9 hours ago, shof515 said:

only if you get off at norfolk

Where Bermuda is not the first port of call, or if the ship takes longer than four days to arrive in Bermuda, all guests, regardless of vaccination status, will be required to take an additional antigen or PCR test onboard no more than two days prior to disembarking in Bermuda. This test will be paid for and administered by our onboard medical team.

[shof515]

34 minutes ago, deweytrader said:

Where Bermuda is not the first port of call, or if the ship takes longer than four days to arrive in Bermuda, all guests, regardless of vaccination status, will be required to take an additional antigen or PCR test onboard no more than two days prior to disembarking in Bermuda. This test will be paid for and administered by our onboard medical team.

if you read a few past live threads from people who sailed to Bermuda a few weeks ago, not everyone was tested. It seems there is a big difference between what the policy says and what really happens.

 

If you do not get off the ship at the first port of call there is no additional testing
 

 

[Quencups]

Thank you all for your quick replies!! I really appreciate it! 

[Quencups]

12 hours ago, smokeykat said:

Supervised antigen up to 2 days before embarkation. This is the rapid antigen test. Bermuda and NCL accepts this. We are leaving on Tuesday so we need to test on Sunday. Most urgent care facilities will do this for you for travel. Takes 15 minutes to get the results and they can upload the results to an app on your phone and also will give you a printout. 

CVS seems to have stopped doing testing now. 

So if leaving on Sunday I can get the antigen test at an urgent care on Friday and upload to both BTA and Ncl? 

[smokeykat]

Yes that is what I intend to do 🙂 Call around to different local urgent care facilities. Some take a co pay and some do not.  

[Figmentlover78]

If we get tested on the ship after visiting Norfolk, would that then have to be reuploaded to the BTA application or does Norwegian take care of that?

[Quencups]

23 hours ago, smokeykat said:

Yes that is what I intend to do 🙂 Call around to different local urgent care facilities. Some take a co pay and some do not.  

Thanks so much. 😊 Are you on the 5/15 cruise by any chance?

[smokeykat]

We are leaving on Tuesday. Just did the covid test at urgent care. No copay either! Uploaded result to Bermuda and now we wait for the authorization 😊

[JGmf]

After using Inspire, uploaded to Bermuda this morning (Sunday) at 9am for our Tuesday cruise. 

 

Same thing: now we wait.

[Quencups]

1 hour ago, smokeykat said:

We are leaving on Tuesday. Just did the covid test at urgent care. No copay either! Uploaded result to Bermuda and now we wait for the authorization 😊

That’s great!! Have a wonderful cruise!!!

[Quencups]

1 hour ago, smokeykat said:

We are leaving on Tuesday. Just did the covid test at urgent care. No copay either! Uploaded result to Bermuda and now we wait for the authorization 😊

You did the antigen test?

[NYFirstTimeCruiser]

Used emed (binax) this morning and uploaded to Bermuda for Tuesday departure. The waiting games begin

[smokeykat]

16 hours ago, Quencups said:

You did the antigen test?

Yes it is the rapid antigen test at CityMD. Now the wait for the authorization to arrive. 

[JGmf]

5 hours ago, smokeykat said:

Now the wait for the authorization to arrive.

 

Smokeykat - see you on the Joy tomorrow.  My group will be hanging out on the Waterfront outside bar.  Regarding BTA, I uploaded my test results with them at 9am yesterday (Sunday); and got tired of waiting for it around 3pm, so I called the 800 number and waited for about an hour for someone to almost instantaneously approve and email me the authorization.

 

If you're antsy about it, just call.

 

That said, I'm assuming they'll have personnel at the pier tomorrow to handle the boatload (pun intended) of people who either didn't get their BTA on time OR didn't do anything in advance....but who wants to stand forever on that line.....