Covid testing - Cruises visiting Greece

[Ken the cruiser]

2 hours ago, carpese said:

I am cruising Oct. 5 on Celebrity, leaving from Rome, but visiting Greece.  As of now, we must test prior to boarding.  My question: what does “Guests who are required to test . . . “ mean?  What guests would be required to test vs guests who AREN’T required to test?
 

 

From looking at the information provided on the X website, it appears the statement is referring to the passengers on "sailings 10 nights or longer" from Italy and those that are just "Fully Vaccinated** and Unvaccinated Guests" when it comes to the phrase "including self-tests".

 

Sailing Testing Requirements:

 

• Up-to-Date* Guests: 
  • For all sailings 9 nights or shorter, no pre-boarding testing is required. 
  • For all sailings 10 nights or longer, guests ages 12 and older must present a negative COVID-19 test result from a test taken within 3 days prior to boarding. Test results from any commercially available Rapid Antigen Test (RAT), including self-tests, will be accepted. Tests do not have to be supervised or proctored. Test results may be presented as a printout, screenshot or photo of the test result or the actual test. Antibody tests are not accepted.
  •  
• Fully Vaccinated** and Unvaccinated Guests: 
  • All guests ages 12 and older must present a negative COVID-19 test result from a test taken within 3 days prior to boarding. Test results from any commercially available Rapid Antigen Test (RAT), including self-tests, will be accepted. Tests do not have to be supervised or proctored. Test results may be presented as a printout, screenshot or photo of the test result or the actual test. Antibody tests are not accepted.
  •  

PLEASE NOTE:

• For all sailings visiting Greece, self-tests will not be accepted. Guests who are required to test must complete a supervised COVID-19 test from either an antigen test result taken within 2 days prior to boarding or a negative PCR test result taken within 3 days prior to boarding. The test must be supervised by a health professional, such as a doctor, pharmacy technician, public health worker, or telehealth representative. We are pleased to make supervised test kits available for order pre-cruise below. Fully-Vaccinated** Guests and Unvaccinated Guests may be subject to additional mid-cruise testing.

 

Travel Requirements for Italy Cruises | Celebrity Cruises

 

 

Edited September 18, 2022 by Ken the cruiser

[Ken the cruiser]

This was just posted on the Celebrity forum. Viking seems to provide a more detailed "who is behind the requirement" explanation than others. 

 

NOTE: The port authority in Greece requires pre-embarkation test results for travelers boarding a cruise ship, in accordance with EU cruise ship travel guidelines. The country of Greece does not list these requirements on their official travel site (listed below), as the pre-embarkation test requirement is separate from any requirements for entry to the country of Greece. Without proof of a laboratory-certified negative COVID-19 test, you may be unable to embark the ship and begin your journey.

 

14-PreCruiseRequirement-All-US_CAN_UK_AU_NZ.pdf (vikingcruises.com)

 

[Native Floridian 26]

5 minutes ago, Ken the cruiser said:

This was just posted on the Celebrity forum. Viking seems to provide a more detailed "who is behind the requirement" explanation than others. 

 

NOTE: The port authority in Greece requires pre-embarkation test results for travelers boarding a cruise ship, in accordance with EU cruise ship travel guidelines. The country of Greece does not list these requirements on their official travel site (listed below), as the pre-embarkation test requirement is separate from any requirements for entry to the country of Greece. Without proof of a laboratory-certified negative COVID-19 test, you may be unable to embark the ship and begin your journey.

 

14-PreCruiseRequirement-All-US_CAN_UK_AU_NZ.pdf (vikingcruises.com)

 

Yes, I had found that also while researching the elusive Greek requirements.  They say "embarking", not visiting.  Also NCL's protocols require the testing for vaxed pax only for EMBARKATIONS in Greece.

[Ken the cruiser]

8 minutes ago, Native Floridian 26 said:

Yes, I had found that also while researching the elusive Greek requirements.  They say "embarking", not visiting.  Also NCL's protocols require the testing for vaxed pax only for EMBARKATIONS in Greece.

I'm not quite sure why you said that as NCL's current requirement associated with the "COVID-19 Recovery Certificate*" exemption applies to both vaccinated and unvaccinated passengers; otherwise everyone needs to show proof of a negative test prior to embarkation. If I might ask, where did you read something different?

 

Travel Requirements by Port & Country (ncl.com)

 

[Native Floridian 26]

5 hours ago, Ken the cruiser said:

I'm not quite sure why you said that as NCL's current requirement associated with the "COVID-19 Recovery Certificate*" exemption applies to both vaccinated and unvaccinated passengers; otherwise everyone needs to show proof of a negative test prior to embarkation. If I might ask, where did you read something different?

 

Travel Requirements by Port & Country (ncl.com)

 

I didn't say anything about anything about a recovery statement.

[Ken the cruiser]

34 minutes ago, Native Floridian 26 said:

I didn't say anything about anything about a recovery statement.

That’s fine. So what did you mean by this statement?

 

“Also NCL's protocols require the testing for vaxed pax only for EMBARKATIONS in Greece.”

[Native Floridian 26]

1 hour ago, Ken the cruiser said:

That’s fine. So what did you mean by this statement?

 

“Also NCL's protocols require the testing for vaxed pax only for EMBARKATIONS in Greece.”

For cruises originating from a Greece port (i.e. Piraeus and Crete)

Look below that and see the requirements for vaxed pax for the different age groups in the left column.  Testing required for adults.  So that means if you're vaxed and only visiting Greece on a port call, no test.  If you look at the unvaccinated requirements in the right hand column, there it makes a distinction and states requirement for all visits to Greece. 

 

This may not be what they are mandating, but that's what it says on their website.

 

  

Edited September 19, 2022 by Native Floridian 26

[Ken the cruiser]

24 minutes ago, Native Floridian 26 said:

For cruises originating from a Greece port (i.e. Piraeus and Crete)

Look below that and see the requirements for vaxed pax for the different age groups in the left column.  Testing required for adults.  So that means if you're vaxed and only visiting Greece on a port call, no test.  If you look at the unvaccinated requirements in the right hand column, there it makes a distinction and states requirement for all visits to Greece. 

 

This may not be what they are mandating, but that's what it says on their website.

 

I gotcha. For some reason I was interpreting your statement as to say if you were unvaxxed, you didn't have to test when embarking the ship in Athens. My mistake. 🙂

[Native Floridian 26]

2 hours ago, Ken the cruiser said:

I gotcha. For some reason I was interpreting your statement as to say if you were unvaxxed, you didn't have to test when embarking the ship in Athens. My mistake. 🙂

It didn't help I misstated a bit too. What you think and what you type isn't always the same thing.

[Ken the cruiser]

Here's what I discovered today regarding the pre-cruise antigen testing requirements associated with boarding the Jade in Athens.

 

But first let me say always verify what you read on CC if it seems important information to you.

 

I usually check the NCL website daily for any positive changes being posted since the last time I checked. Today I saw this added phrase at the top of the Greece section on the NCL website: 

 

   Country Requirements

   Testing must be administered by a verified third party.

   For cruises originating from a Greece port (i.e. Piraeus and Crete)

 

Travel Requirements by Port & Country (ncl.com)

 

I immediately started a Chat with an NCL rep on their website to confirm what I was reading was hopefully correct, and here is the text of that discussion:

 

Kiore A (9/21/2022, 12:08:11 PM): Hello Kenneth. Thank you for chatting with Norwegian Cruise Line. My name is Kiore A. I would be happy to assist you today. 
Kiore A (9/21/2022, 12:08:19 PM): Hi Kenneth. I am more than happy to assist you with your request today. How can I help? 
Kenneth (9/21/2022, 12:08:58 PM): https://www.ncl.com/travel-requirements-by-country#greece I noticed this new addition today -  Country Requirements Testing must be administered by a verified third party. 
Kenneth (9/21/2022, 12:09:58 PM): Does this mean the eMed online proctored antigen test is now accepted when boarding the Jade in Athens? 
Kiore A (9/21/2022, 12:10:01 PM): These testing companies are still accepted at this time:
EMed- https://www.emed.com/?gclid=CjwKCAjw6MKXBhA5EiwANWLODCGqWiVotIusH5unj6uyMPBntXAIXNIqmaoZF5FCKM7fRHKp-b4aoBoC4KYQAvD_BwE

Inspired-https://inspirediagnostics.com/ncl/

Scarlet BioReference Lab-https://www.bioreference.com/

Searching for Local testing Centers- https://testfortravel.com/
Kenneth (9/21/2022, 12:11:06 PM): That is great news that the eMed test is accepted when we board the Jade in Nov 2022. Yay!!! 
Kiore A (9/21/2022, 12:11:22 PM): Correct!  Is there anything else I can assist you with? 
Kenneth (9/21/2022, 12:11:44 PM): No. Thank you so much!!!!! 
Kiore A (9/21/2022, 12:11:47 PM): You are welcome. Please ensure to visit our travel requirements by country page at: http://www.ncl.com/travel-requirements-by-country for the most up to date protocols for your itinerary. If there is nothing else I can assist you with at this time, but you think of something later, you are more than welcome to reach back out to us. Thank you for using Norwegian Cruise Line Live Chat. Have a great day! 

[blobby113]

Apparently testing finished last night (from Azamara Journey roll call for 24th September). It will be interesting to see how long it takes for the news to percolate through.

[Ken the cruiser]

2 hours ago, blobby113 said:

Apparently testing finished last night (from Azamara Journey roll call for 24th September). It will be interesting to see how long it takes for the news to percolate through.

Thank you for this "hopeful" update! Definitely a huge "positive" for all of us scheduled to embark in Athens any time soon! However, as you mentioned (with fingers crossed), it will be interesting to see how long this news takes to percolate! Afterall, this this type of wonderful information falls in the category of "trust but verify". 😀

 

For those interested, here's the referenced link with the information noted at post 247.

 

Azamara Journey 12-Night Greece Intensive Voyage September 24, 2022 - Page 10 - Azamara Journey Roll Calls - Cruise Critic Community

 

Edited September 24, 2022 by Ken the cruiser

[cruisemom42]

I depart in a week for a 10-day Celebrity cruise that visits Athens. Their website still says testing is required for cruises 10 days or more and that it must be a proctored (not self) test if the ship stops in Greece. This is for "up-to-date" passengers.

 

They have not updated or changed this since late August -- I am ready with my eMed test. I doubt X will change both conditions in the coming week....

[Host Jazzbeau]

4 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

I depart in a week for a 10-day Celebrity cruise that visits Athens. Their website still says testing is required for cruises 10 days or more and that it must be a proctored (not self) test if the ship stops in Greece. This is for "up-to-date" passengers.

 

They have not updated or changed this since late August -- I am ready with my eMed test. I doubt X will change both conditions in the coming week....

It has never been a government requirement that passengers on ships visiting Greece or disembarking in Greece had to be tested.  It was only for passengers embarking at Piraeus.  And now according to Azamara even that is gone.  But Celebrity may have their own stricter requirements of course [and they definitely have problems keeping their website up to date 😉]

[zitsky]

9 minutes ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

It has never been a government requirement that passengers on ships visiting Greece or disembarking in Greece had to be tested.  It was only for passengers embarking at Piraeus.  And now according to Azamara even that is gone.  But Celebrity may have their own stricter requirements of course [and they definitely have problems keeping their website up to date 😉]

I’m sure you’re right.  Maybe you could talk to X about their website?

[Host Jazzbeau]

1 hour ago, zitsky said:

I’m sure you’re right.  Maybe you could talk to X about their website?

The one that was down all day yesterday?  I think they have bigger problems!

[zitsky]

16 minutes ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

The one that was down all day yesterday?  I think they have bigger problems!

I crashed it because I was trying to get a refund because of Covid.  They only programmed the website to handle one at a time and I was #2.

[blobby113]

Confirmed. No testing needed any more - see main Azamara board.

[Ken the cruiser]

26 minutes ago, blobby113 said:

Confirmed. No testing needed any more - see main Azamara board.

I just looked on the Azamara board and didn’t see any titles that reflect the change. Would you please post the link to the thread you’re referring to?

[Native Floridian 26]

As a point of reference about the Greek exclusions, MSC has updated their protocols for many countries (not USA residents yet), but they are requiring the testing only for cruises EMBARKING in Greece, not port stops.

[Ken the cruiser]

8 minutes ago, Native Floridian 26 said:

As a point of reference about the Greek exclusions, MSC has updated their protocols for many countries (not USA residents yet), but they are requiring the testing only for cruises EMBARKING in Greece, not port stops.

We were on a Princess B3B in July on the Regal where we initially embarked the ship in Barcelona. On our 3rd leg which was Athens back to Barcelona, we were not required to take an antigen in order to continue on our cruise. 

[Native Floridian 26]

4 minutes ago, Ken the cruiser said:

We were on a Princess B3B in July on the Regal where we initially embarked the ship in Barcelona. On our 3rd leg which was Athens back to Barcelona, we were not required to take an antigen in order to continue on our cruise. 

Yes, cruise lines are all over the place with how they handle Greece.

[zitsky]

A lot of us are wondering when Celebrity will update their protocols.

[Native Floridian 26]

8 minutes ago, zitsky said:

A lot of us are wondering when Celebrity will update their protocols.

I'm sweating MSC right now.  They've updated at least 30 countries' websites, but not US.  No more Vax and testing only if non-vaxed.  Hoping they update the US requirements because of my Med cruise at the end of October.   I hate the hurdle of the test requirement 2 days before.

Edited September 24, 2022 by Native Floridian 26

[blobby113]

41 minutes ago, Ken the cruiser said:

I just looked on the Azamara board and didn’t see any titles that reflect the change. Would you please post the link to the thread you’re referring to?

I’ve been watching the roll calls for all recent embarkations from Piraeus.

Edited September 24, 2022 by blobby113
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