No Bermuda Travel Authorisation

[chaching]

Interesting information here. Thank you. We had applied and did not know that they don't require the upload of your negative test any more. They just want the $40. That's it.

 

ChaChing

[njhorseman]

25 minutes ago, chaching said:

Interesting information here. Thank you. We had applied and did not know that they don't require the upload of your negative test any more. They just want the $40. That's it.

 

ChaChing

They still want and require the negative test, they just rely on the cruise line to verify it. 

The change was made to eliminate the bottleneck created by requiring the test to be uploaded. When it had to be uploaded all the applications had to be processed in the couple of days immediately preceeding each cruise, which proved to be next to impossible. 

[RMLincoln]

Thank you all for sharing this. We are waiting!  But now that I know more this helps me be more patient. We sail out of Baltimore 28 August so I apparently have another 10-12 days before I see their email - I’ve been checking twice a day at least, Junk files too!  
 

Sailing with 3 “adult” grandchildren, one who I believe hasn’t put in her application yet!!  I’ll remind her today!  
 

If the 800 number on the Bermuda TA website isn’t the one to call, can someone please post what number worked?  Thank you all!  Maureen  

[sandancer]

1 minute ago, RMLincoln said:

Thank you all for sharing this. We are waiting!  But now that I know more this helps me be more patient. We sail out of Baltimore 28 August so I apparently have another 10-12 days before I see their email - I’ve been checking twice a day at least, Junk files too!  
 

Sailing with 3 “adult” grandchildren, one who I believe hasn’t put in her application yet!!  I’ll remind her today!  
 

If the 800 number on the Bermuda TA website isn’t the one to call, can someone please post what number worked?  Thank you all!  Maureen  

Hope it works out for you Maureen. We received our TA 5 days ago. All a waste of time though. We board today and Cunard have just emailed to say that they are cancelling our call at Bermuda. Apparently the onboard covid testing has proved a test too far. Especially as everyone was tested 2 days ago 

[moposh]

24 minutes ago, RMLincoln said:

Thank you all for sharing this. We are waiting!  But now that I know more this helps me be more patient. We sail out of Baltimore 28 August so I apparently have another 10-12 days before I see their email - I’ve been checking twice a day at least, Junk files too!  
 

Sailing with 3 “adult” grandchildren, one who I believe hasn’t put in her application yet!!  I’ll remind her today!  
 

If the 800 number on the Bermuda TA website isn’t the one to call, can someone please post what number worked?  Thank you all!  Maureen  

I sail before you and am still waiting on my TA.  

[moposh]

18 minutes ago, sandancer said:

Hope it works out for you Maureen. We received our TA 5 days ago. All a waste of time though. We board today and Cunard have just emailed to say that they are cancelling our call at Bermuda. Apparently the onboard covid testing has proved a test too far. Especially as everyone was tested 2 days ago 

And I'm sure Bermuda will not refund the $40.  ☹️

[sandancer]

No they won’t. However, Cunard are giving everyone $40 OBC if they have obtained the TA which given the cruise departs today should be everyone. 

[RMLincoln]

1 hour ago, sandancer said:

Hope it works out for you Maureen. We received our TA 5 days ago. All a waste of time though. We board today and Cunard have just emailed to say that they are cancelling our call at Bermuda. Apparently the onboard covid testing has proved a test too far. Especially as everyone was tested 2 days ago 

Oh Sandancer!  I am so sorry to hear of your change!  Stuff happens. Enjoy your cruise and let go the disappointments. So much good in our lives!  Thanks for your sharing here!  m—

[sandancer]

Many worse things could have happened than missing Bermuda. We just count our blessings. Thanks for your kind thoughts. 

[moposh]

1 hour ago, sandancer said:

No they won’t. However, Cunard are giving everyone $40 OBC if they have obtained the TA which given the cruise departs today should be everyone. 

That's nice.

[Charles4515]

1 hour ago, sandancer said:

No they won’t. However, Cunard are giving everyone $40 OBC if they have obtained the TA which given the cruise departs today should be everyone. 

Glad to hear that Cunard is doing the right thing by giving everyone a $40 credit. 

[molly361]

2 hours ago, moposh said:

And I'm sure Bermuda will not refund the $40.  ☹️

You can try to dispute it with your CC company

[njhorseman]

7 minutes ago, molly361 said:

You can try to dispute it with your CC company

That would  be a fraudulent claim because when you submit the application and make payment you agree to the following terms and conditions: "The Travel Authorisation fee is non-refundable".

[molly361]

5 minutes ago, njhorseman said:

That would  be a fraudulent claim because when you submit the application and make payment you agree to the following terms and conditions: "The Travel Authorisation fee is non-refundable".

 Could not travel due to covid.  Emailed them and requested a refund no response.  Successfully disputed it with my cc company  Non refundable because you cancel I understand but I was not allowed to cruise or visit their island.  It was not my choice but their's

Edited August 9, 2022 by molly361

[Turtles06]

20 hours ago, molly361 said:

You can try to dispute it with your CC company

 

20 hours ago, njhorseman said:

That would  be a fraudulent claim because when you submit the application and make payment you agree to the following terms and conditions: "The Travel Authorisation fee is non-refundable".

 

19 hours ago, molly361 said:

 Could not travel due to covid.  Emailed them and requested a refund no response.  Successfully disputed it with my cc company  Non refundable because you cancel I understand but I was not allowed to cruise or visit their island.  It was not my choice but their's

 

I am really surprised that the credit card company accepted this "dispute."   The authorization to cruise to Bermuda is contingent upon two things: an approved Travel Authorization form, and the traveler having "a negative COVID-19 test result to show at the embarkation terminal, along with their APPROVED Travel Authorization."   Here, the traveler obtained the Travel Authorization form, and got what she paid for  -- the Travel Authorization form, one of the two necessary things to cruise to Bermuda.   

 

Credit card disputes are for when the consumer did not get what she paid for (or there was a fraudulent charge).  But the consumer did in this instance get what she paid for -- the approved Travel Authorization form.  She was unable to fulfill the second requirement for entry into Bermuda, a requirement that was stated up front in connection with the Travel Authorization application.

 

I am truly surprised by the credit card company, and wonder if they really understood the facts. (And that's apart from the application fee being non-refundable.  You apply for the Travel Authorization form, and you take your chances on whether or not you will subsequently test positive.  Bermuda could not make that more clear.) 

[Charles4515]

1 hour ago, Turtles06 said:

 

I am really surprised that the credit card company accepted this "dispute."   The authorization to cruise to Bermuda is contingent upon two things: an approved Travel Authorization form, and the traveler having "a negative COVID-19 test result to show at the embarkation terminal, along w second requirement for entry into Bermuda, a requirement that was stated up front in connection with the Travel Authorization application.

 

 

I believe they have to accept any dispute within 60 days of a charge. Then they have 90 days to resolve. The charge is removed provisionally. I am not sure that the dispute could be resolved final this fast. I had to wait 90 days on a dispute to be final because the merchant did not respond so I won the dispute $5000, by default. 

Edited August 10, 2022 by Charles4515

[Turtles06]

41 minutes ago, Charles4515 said:

I believe they have to accept any dispute within 60 days of a charge. Then they have 90 days to resolve. The charge is removed provisionally. I am not sure that the dispute could be resolved final this fast. I had to wait 90 days on a dispute to be final because the merchant did not respond so I won the dispute $5000, by default. 

 

Thanks.  I was responding to the poster's language that she had "successfully disputed" the charge.    (Of course, it's entirely possible that Bermuda did not respond over $40 either.)   I'd love to know the explanation that the poster gave for disputing the charge, given the facts. 

[Charles4515]

3 hours ago, Turtles06 said:

 

Thanks.  I was responding to the poster's language that she had "successfully disputed" the charge.    (Of course, it's entirely possible that Bermuda did not respond over $40 either.)   I'd love to know the explanation that the poster gave for disputing the charge, given the facts. 

Bermuda would have 90 days to respond. It does not seem like Bermuda would have responded that fast for the charge to already be successfully disputed. The card issuer will do a chargeback right away when a dispute is made but that does not mean the user won't be charged eventually if the merchant responds. I know someone who handled credit card disputes for Amtrak and they always responded and won most of the disputes.

Edited August 10, 2022 by Charles4515

[Mira28]

So, if your cruise gets canceled by the cruise line, or the cruise line changes itineraries and does not stop at Bermuda, you are still out the $40? It’s not a big deal, but I’m curious. Seems like more of a money grab than anything. 

[njhorseman]

50 minutes ago, Mira28 said:

So, if your cruise gets canceled by the cruise line, or the cruise line changes itineraries and does not stop at Bermuda, you are still out the $40? It’s not a big deal, but I’m curious. Seems like more of a money grab than anything. 

The fee is nonrefundable . You agree to those terms when you submit the application. It's not Bermuda's fault if your cruise line cancels. They still have to pay the people who process the applications and incur any associated data processing costs. Bermuda fulfilled its contractual obligations to you by processing your application.

[CGinMTL]

On 8/9/2022 at 9:35 AM, sandancer said:

Hope it works out for you Maureen. We received our TA 5 days ago. All a waste of time though. We board today and Cunard have just emailed to say that they are cancelling our call at Bermuda. Apparently the onboard covid testing has proved a test too far. Especially as everyone was tested 2 days ago 

We were on June 4 th . RCI adventure of seas. We could not go to Bermuda because of a storm RCI requested a refund for all pax. And it was granted. Have Cunard do the same.

Good luck 

 

[Mira28]

29 minutes ago, njhorseman said:

The fee is nonrefundable . You agree to those terms when you submit the application. It's not Bermuda's fault if your cruise line cancels. They still have to pay the people who process the applications and incur any associated data processing costs. Bermuda fulfilled its contractual obligations to you by processing your application.

Yes, I understand that. I’m familiar with contracts and the requirements inherent in them. I was questioning whether in such circumstances (as described in the subsequent post) a refund might be granted. Which apparently it was. 

It’s not the money. It’s the concern about applying and hearing nothing until a few days before boarding. Or having to call and track down the approval. I’d prefer Bermuda just charge the $40 per cruise passenger, give you a receipt and leave it at that. Let the cruise line sort out the rest. 
 

Edited August 12, 2022 by Mira28

[sbrown5816]

FYI folks.  I have been trying to get our TAs for our 8/29 sailing out of NYC.  Emailed BTA last week, nothing.  Called a few numbers today, put in a que at caller #18, then the call disconnected (tried this several times).  Called NCL and they gave me 2 numbers - this is the one that worked ...833-570-2594.  I was put in the que at caller #6 and within 5 minutes my call was answered, I gave my app #, app was approved and I had the email with the link to the TA document before I finished the call.  Hope this info helps others who are still waiting....so glad that stress is over with.

[margretha]

Thank you so much sbrown5816! 

We are doing a back to back (Boston to Bermuda to Boston to Bermuda to Boston) Nov 4-11 and 11-15.

We know we have to each file 2 TAs - one for each trip out of Boston to Bermuda. How do we deal with the need for a 2nd test? Has anyone had to deal with this type of situation?

Gratefully,

margretha

[KATHYMAC68]

7 hours ago, margretha said:

Thank you so much sbrown5816! 

We are doing a back to back (Boston to Bermuda to Boston to Bermuda to Boston) Nov 4-11 and 11-15.

We know we have to each file 2 TAs - one for each trip out of Boston to Bermuda. How do we deal with the need for a 2nd test? Has anyone had to deal with this type of situation?

Gratefully,

margretha

I’m on a b2b for the first time also 10/8 on Royal. From what everyone is telling me on cruise critic is that Royal will test you on the ship for the second leg.