Bermuda...B... When are people applying for the TAs?

[CrazyTrain2]

I am holding out hope that Bermuda will drop its silliness soon, but we are traveling to that anomalous rock in late October.  I'm approaching the 30 day window, but delaying submitting in hope that more sane heads prevail.  How late is it safe to submit the Vaccine paperwork?

 

1 Week before sailing?

2 Weeks?

Send it in with the Covid Tests 2 days prior?  Tempting but probably not.

 

I'm coordinating a group of 6 travelers so this is a real JOY.

 

Come On Bermuda - The Queen is dead, you can join the rest of the world in welcoming tourists.  Well except for Canada, eh.

[Hopes4]

I would apply for the authorization about 2 weeks prior.  They do them in order of sailing, and it seems like no one gets anything back until about 10 days out not matter when they applied.

That's my plan anyway.

[cruiseny4life]

27 minutes ago, CrazyTrain2 said:

I am holding out hope that Bermuda will drop its silliness soon, but we are traveling to that anomalous rock in late October.  I'm approaching the 30 day window, but delaying submitting in hope that more sane heads prevail.  How late is it safe to submit the Vaccine paperwork?

 

1 Week before sailing?

2 Weeks?

Send it in with the Covid Tests 2 days prior?  Tempting but probably not.

 

I'm coordinating a group of 6 travelers so this is a real JOY.

 

Come On Bermuda - The Queen is dead, you can join the rest of the world in welcoming tourists.  Well except for Canada, eh.

Are you solely going to Bermuda? Is it just a stop on a Trans-Atlantic?

 

If Bermuda is part of the purpose of the cruise, then I think you should hold out little hope. Ye of little faith, eh? Here's what the Bermuda government said back in May. I do know news can certainly change between then and now, so maybe you can have a little hope.

 

Arianna Hodgson, junior health and finance minister, told the Upper House getting rid of the $40 payment before its planned end date of March next year would mean cutting services, raising taxes and borrowing money.

 

Source: https://www.royalgazette.com/health/news/article/20220525/government-cannot-afford-to-drop-ta-form-senate-told/

 

On my last cruise (Sept. 3rd embarkation date), I do know a few folks who filled out the Travel Authorization three to five days prior to our cruise. They received their Travel Authorization back within a few hours. So, maybe you can drag your feet and wait it out until the last moment. 

 

Enjoy that beautiful little string of rocks in the middle of the Atlantic! 

[JGmf]

There's about 500 pages on this topic, but in short:

 

Bermuda has this $40 fee (and thus the process) baked-into their current year budget. It's here to stay in 2022.  Next calendar year, maybe, they'll amend it or get rid of it.  Sorry.

 

As for applying, you can apply 30 days prior to your sailing.  You'll see your ship/itinerary listed when you go to the Bermuda website.

 

You'll need to upload your vax card and provide other personal information.  Thereafter, you get your official authorization number from Bermuda about a week prior to your cruise.

 

As for the antigen test, you do that 2 days prior.  That isn't shared or uploaded to the Bermuda government (it used to be).  Instead, NCL will marry your Bermuda number with your negative test result; and you are clear to embark.

[CrazyTrain2]

11 minutes ago, JGmf said:

There's about 500 pages on this topic, but in short:

 

Bermuda has this $40 fee (and thus the process) baked-into their current year budget. It's here to stay in 2022.  Next calendar year, maybe, they'll amend it or get rid of it.  Sorry.

 

As for applying, you can apply 30 days prior to your sailing.  You'll see your ship/itinerary listed when you go to the Bermuda website.

 

You'll need to upload your vax card and provide other personal information.  Thereafter, you get your official authorization number from Bermuda about a week prior to your cruise.

 

As for the antigen test, you do that 2 days prior.  That isn't shared or uploaded to the Bermuda government (it used to be).  Instead, NCL will marry your Bermuda number with your negative test result; and you are clear to embark.

Oh, the crushing sound of my hopes and dreams. 

 

Thanks for the info on the proctored Covid tests, I did not realize that NCL did the heavy lifting of marrying up the Covid test results to the TA record number.  For some reason I was under the impression that I needed to upload test results to Bermuda to get the Thumbs Up.

[UKstages]

5 hours ago, CrazyTrain2 said:

I did not realize that NCL did the heavy lifting of marrying up the Covid test results to the TA record number.

 

i'm not really sure they're actually doing that. in fact, i'm pretty sure they're not.

 

i think it's more likely that they simply verify and attest to bermuda that all passengers showed valid and timely negative test results before boarding... in the aggregate... i doubt they upload anything or tie anything to a specific travel authorization record.

Edited September 20, 2022 by UKstages

[BirdTravels]

10 minutes ago, UKstages said:

 

i'm not really sure they're actually doing that. in fact, i'm pretty sure they're not.

 

i think it's more likely that they simply verify and attest to bermuda that all passengers showed valid and timely negative test results before boarding... in the aggregate... i doubt they upload anything or tie anything to a specific travel authorization record.

When you create your travel request, Bermuda asks you for your NCL reservation number so that they can tie back to your embarkation documentation. They no longer ask you to upload your test results for NCL and RCCL cruises. 

 

We applied for ours 30 days prior to departure. 

[Blossom73]

I'm leaving on the Getaway for Bermuda this Thursday.

 

I applied for the travel authorization for my husband and I on 8/21. Got an email with the approvals 9/12. 

 

So it appears to be taking about three weeks for processing. 

[UKstages]

1 hour ago, BirdTravels said:

When you create your travel request, Bermuda asks you for your NCL reservation number so that they can tie back to your embarkation documentation.

 

that is true. on the bermuda side. we don't actually know whether bermuda is cross referencing anything with NCL. they might if NCL says they have 2900 passengers, but bernuda says they issued 3000 TAs. or to resolve some other discrepancy.

 

but the check-in agents only take a cursory look at your bermuda TA and your negative test result. no record is kept of either and i seriously doubt that any data is being transmitted to bermuda other than the number of passengers who checked in and the number of passengers who had proper TAs and negative test results. after all, if bermuda asked to see a particular passenger's test results, NCL would be unable to comply, so what would be the point? all bermuda is interested in is whether everybody who boarded had a proper TA and a negative test result.

 

46 minutes ago, Blossom73 said:

So it appears to be taking about three weeks for processing. 

 

most people report receiving their TA  7 - 10 days before their cruise, regardless of when they submitted their request. people who submitted the same week as the cruise often report 24 hour service, particularly if they called or emailed.

Edited September 20, 2022 by UKstages