Change In Travel Authorization Procedures...At Least For NCL Passengers

[njhorseman]

This was posted on the NCL board.

 

NCL has sent an email to passengers advising them that they can upload all their Travel Authorization application information except COVID test results up to 30 days prior to embarkation. This is a long overdue modification of NCL's recommendations.

 

In return Bermuda will now issue a waiver permitting passengers who have filed for the authorization to embark even if they have not yet uploaded their COVID test results or have not yet received final approval from Bermuda after uploading the test results. However passengers will not be able to disembark in Bermuda until they have received approval from Bermuda.

 

I don't know if the same procedures will be used for passengers of other cruise lines, but I imagine they will as they make sense for all parties to the process.

[Charles4515]

I would guess this change is because Bermuda is having difficulty approving the TA's before the ship sails and the lines reported in the cruise terminal. NCL likely lobbied for changes. 

[shipgeeks]

It was my impression that NCL mistakenly advised pax not to begin their forms until within two days of sailing, when in fact they can be done any time within 30 days before, apart from the test results.

[Charles4515]

8 minutes ago, shipgeeks said:

It was my impression that NCL mistakenly advised pax not to begin their forms until within two days of sailing, when in fact they can be done any time within 30 days before, apart from the test results.

 

I thinkI read they told them 10 days. But that would certainly contribute to back ups. 

[njhorseman]

51 minutes ago, Charles4515 said:

I would guess this change is because Bermuda is having difficulty approving the TA's before the ship sails and the lines reported in the cruise terminal. NCL likely lobbied for changes. 

 

36 minutes ago, shipgeeks said:

It was my impression that NCL mistakenly advised pax not to begin their forms until within two days of sailing, when in fact they can be done any time within 30 days before, apart from the test results.

 

26 minutes ago, Charles4515 said:

 

I thinkI read they told them 10 days. But that would certainly contribute to back ups. 

NCL's explicit instructions on NCL.com were to not apply until you had your negative test result to upload. This meant that passengers following NCL's instructions were not submitting applications any earlier than two days before embarkation because NCL required its own test to be taken no more than two days prior to embarkation and the same test is used for both purposes.

 

I think this was a two way negotiation because Bermuda undoubtedly found out about NCL was giving bad advice to their passengers and asked them to change it and NCL wanted to reduce the long lines on embarkation day so Bermuda offered to issue the waiver that permitted passengers to board without having received full approval from Bermuda.

 

IMO NCL was the more problematic of the two parties because their instructions forced Bermuda to process the applications at the last minute rather than spreading at least part of the work over the 30 days that Bermuda permits application submission.

[marnie2005]

Could you please direct me to where I can see this change on the NCL site, many thanks 😎

[lx200gps]

1 hour ago, marnie2005 said:

Could you please direct me to where I can see this change on the NCL site, many thanks 😎

This is a link to another CC thread, over on the NCL forum. The first post contains an embedded PDF file which shows a letter from NCL explaining the new rules.

 

 

[joyandjerry]

Well, that seems to make more sense of a ridiculous situation. We are to sail to Bermuda 22 May on the Carnival Legend, and have still heard nothing form Carnival yet. Our travel agent said they are aware of the situation and will be in touch soon. The only email I received recently is noting where one can purchase COVID tests for embarkation.

[Charles4515]

15 minutes ago, joyandjerry said:

Well, that seems to make more sense of a ridiculous situation. We are to sail to Bermuda 22 May on the Carnival Legend, and have still heard nothing form Carnival yet. Our travel agent said they are aware of the situation and will be in touch soon. The only email I received recently is noting where one can purchase COVID tests for embarkation.

 

I hope that does not mean you are waiting before doing your application. Your sailing is listed on the Bermuda Travel Authorization website. You can fill your application out now. 

Edited April 29, 2022 by Charles4515

[joyandjerry]

59 minutes ago, Charles4515 said:

 

I hope that does not mean you are waiting before doing your application. Your sailing is listed on the Bermuda Travel Authorization website. You can fill your application out now. 

Thanks, Charles, I will do it soon. I'm not a last minute person. We still have 3 weeks My TA said her Carnival rep feels they might change the itinerary from Bermuda to other ports.

[Charles4515]

14 minutes ago, joyandjerry said:

Thanks, Charles, I will do it soon. I'm not a last minute person. We still have 3 weeks My TA said her Carnival rep feels they might change the itinerary from Bermuda to other ports.

Well good luck with that. Six day sailing. What port could they change it too? I guess something in the Bahamas. 

Edited April 30, 2022 by Charles4515

[molly361]

Well I hope this change carries over to the other cruise lines.  It sure seems better than Bermuda having to review and approve thousands of applications within a 2 day window.  Royal doesn't seem to know anything about it.  Figures

[shipgeeks]

We received an email from RC several weeks ago, with the Bermuda information re our June 2 cruise.  I will start our applications when the 30-day window opens.

[molly361]

Well I emailed and asked about getting a provisional okay and here is the response

Good day,

 

Provisional Travel Authorizations are only given if your test result that is uploaded is missing information such as date of birth or lab information.

 

COVID-19 Response Team Government of Bermuda | Department of Health

[joyandjerry]

CCL just posted updated info on their website yesterday that mentions the Bermuda TA, and we sail 22 May. Still no communication directly from CCL to us or our travel agent.

[joyandjerry]

On 4/30/2022 at 1:09 PM, molly361 said:

Well I hope this change carries over to the other cruise lines.  It sure seems better than Bermuda having to review and approve thousands of applications within a 2 day window.  Royal doesn't seem to know anything about it.  Figures

 

See my above post - CCL was clueless, also. What a mess!  It would seem to me that they still are getting thousands of applications daily, as cruise ships that are more and more filled to capacity are listed are able to apply 30 days out. The tourist season is just starting. It's hard to believe that they would have the employee time to go over each application with a fine tooth comb. I wonder if for the initial application, as long as one fills out the necessary fields, uploads a card (and pays) the application will be approved. Of course this is pending test results. But I find it hard to believe that they will be checking the applicants date of birth against the vax card, etc.

 

It is unfortunate the cruise lines could not at least refuse to allow the uploading of test results being mandatory, as we all must have negative tests to board.

[Charles4515]

1 hour ago, joyandjerry said:

It's hard to believe that they would have the employee time to go over each application with a fine tooth comb

 

They have outsourced it to a local Bermuda company. With 25 million revenue in the Bermuda  budget from the TA's they have an incentive to get it done. 

[Charles4515]

2 hours ago, joyandjerry said:

CCL just posted updated info on their website yesterday that mentions the Bermuda TA, and we sail 22 May. Still no communication directly from CCL to us or our travel agent.

 

Sounds like you need a new travel agent. 

 

You have had plenty of time and still have plenty of time left to fill out the Bermuda TA. Your sailing has been listed on the Bermuda website for almost two weeks. 

[joyandjerry]

Charles, I did our forms yesterday. I did see it was on Bermuda website, but was waiting until CCL mentioned it. It isn't the agent's fault if CCL isn't keeping her informed. I pity her, as she will have to get vax cards, fees, etc. from a few dozen older people who can't do it on their own. She actually retired and had this one last trip.

[Charles4515]

2 hours ago, joyandjerry said:

Charles, I did our forms yesterday. I did see it was on Bermuda website, but was waiting until CCL mentioned it. It isn't the agent's fault if CCL isn't keeping her informed. I pity her, as she will have to get vax cards, fees, etc. from a few dozen older people who can't do it on their own. She actually retired and had this one last trip.

 

None of the cruise lines have done well in  keeping their Bermuda passengers informed.  Glad you have yours done. The whole situation is unfortunate. No one needs this kind of stress for a vacation. The Bermuda government is creating a lot of ill will. 

Edited May 5, 2022 by Charles4515