Marina Athens Embarkation

[maxy1234]

I read on Seatrade-cruise.com that the Greek government has lifted the requirement of a covid test pre embarkation . I haven't been able to verify this but has anyone heard anything from O ? It would be a relief.

[Flatbush Flyer]

48 minutes ago, maxy1234 said:

I read on Seatrade-cruise.com that the Greek government has lifted the requirement of a covid test pre embarkation . I haven't been able to verify this but has anyone heard anything from O ? It would be a relief.

There are multiple Marina threads spanning  the segments that start tomorrow (10/18) through December 4 which have Athens in the mix. One of the others said that s/he contacted O and was told that the ship requirement is still in place pending review. S/he found that “outrageous.” Here below is a copy of my reply (We’re on Marina until December and, obviously, we don’t want infected persons joining unchecked along the way.).

What is “outrageous” is the removal of required pier-side testing and masks for both crew and passengers. Required vaccination and boosters is not enough, particularly with the newest Omicron variants. 

Sadly, I am betting that O will continue to see numerous onboard Covid cases including a winter surge of cases not unlike last January when they first loosened some of their Covid restrictions.

 

What many people are erroneously doing is not looking at the building evidence of the long term impact of Covid. Not getting “too sick” because your eventual infection was offset by vaccination doesn’t stop the potential for long term consequences. 
Follow the science.

[njhorseman]

12 hours ago, maxy1234 said:

I read on Seatrade-cruise.com that the Greek government has lifted the requirement of a covid test pre embarkation . I haven't been able to verify this but has anyone heard anything from O ? It would be a relief.

O's corporate sibling NCL has already updated its Sail Safe protocols to reflect this change so I suspect that O will follow suit very soon. 

[prasmu1]

As of 10/17/22 Oceania confirmed with our travel agent that a negative medically supervised COVID test (PCR or Antigen) was required within 48 hours (they said two days) of embarkation.

[Redtravel]

I had to do lots of precruise stuff for my last 2 cruises.  In June,  we stopped in Bermuda.  Getting all the required things done to get a Bermuda travel authorization was a hassle.  In September,  flew into Canada to embark.  At that time, ArrivCan was in force.  Getting all of Canada requirements completed was a challenge. While I hated the inconvenience, I admired the safety regulations.   Luckily, those programs have mostly expired.  While you may be inconvenienced having to get tested, it gives you some reassurance that people with Covid will not embark.  Of course, between time of test and embarkation, somebody may get infected.  Testing helps identify problems for travelers.Even though Oceania doesn’t require testing to embark,  I plan to test at home before I go to my next cruise.  If positive, stay home.  Hopefully your cruise will be safe.  

[njhorseman]

1 hour ago, prasmu1 said:

As of 10/17/22 Oceania confirmed with our travel agent that a negative medically supervised COVID test (PCR or Antigen) was required within 48 hours (they said two days) of embarkation.

That's only because Oceania hasn't yet gotten around to updating their protocols . The Oceania employees you or your TA speak to don't know anything more than what they're told. They read from a script. I fully expect O will soon update their protocols for Greece to reflect the latest requirements.  Bermuda and Canada recently changed their protocols and O updated theirs in response, but it took some time to do it. O's corporate sibling NCL usually updates their protocols a bit more quickly than O does.

[maxy1234]

I have just received an email from O stating passengers boarding Marina on 1st Nov in Athens must have a negative test no older than 48 hours. Go figure 

 

[Flatbush Flyer]

10 minutes ago, maxy1234 said:

I have just received an email from O stating passengers boarding Marina on 1st Nov in Athens must have a negative test no older than 48 hours. Go figure 

 

Nothing to “figure.” Hopefully, O has come to its senses about the wrong decision to loosen their own testing restrictions. When they did that at the beginning of 2022, they, soon after, had a surge in onboard cases.

[LHT28]

21 minutes ago, maxy1234 said:

I have just received an email from O stating passengers boarding Marina on 1st Nov in Athens must have a negative test no older than 48 hours. Go figure 

 

maybe they are just trying to make sure  those boarding  at least at that time  do not have covid  ...they may have it but not known on boarding day

[maxy1234]

Well the Greek Govt doesn't require it and nor does O embarking Rome or Barcelona a week or two later. maybe it's the water!

[daleandrews]

I've been watching this issue closely since we also board in Athens on November 1.  I'm not unsympathetic to Flatbush Flyer's point, but this is still a little strange.  Oceania currently has a blanket statement that pre-boarding tests are no longer required except where required by local regulations, and the web page detailing such local regulation exceptions includes Greece.  But Greece has now rescinded the pre-boarding testing requirement, which SHOULD put Greek embarkations outside of the local exceptions.  When we received Oceania's email about boarding instructions yesterday evening I sort of expected it would remove pre-testing for the November 1 Athens embarkation but (of course) it didn't -- it just re-stated the requirement.  I get the point that the over-all decision as to whether to require pre-testing or not require it any more is a difficult one entailing a cost benefit analysis the outcome of which individuals may or may not agree with.  But what I don't get is making the decision to abandon pre-testing and then continuing it for one port in a manner inconsistent with the overall approach of the company.  

[Ride-The-Waves]

16 hours ago, maxy1234 said:

I have just received an email from O stating passengers boarding Marina on 1st Nov in Athens must have a negative test no older than 48 hours. Go figure 

 

This appears to be a Greek government requirement which all ships embarking passenger in Greece must follow.  We are embarking Marina in Civitavecchia and the email stipulates 

 

·         Fully Vaccinated travelers embarking from ports within the European Union and Turkey who meetthe European Union definition of Fully Vaccinated aged 12 and older will not need to test to embark. Boosters are required to qualify as Fully Vaccinated.

·         Un-vaccinated travelers and those not meeting the European Union definition of Fully Vaccinated will need to present a negative, medically administered covid-19 test. Antigen and PCR testresults may not be more than 72 hours old at the time of boarding.

·         Travelers aged 11 and under are not subject to cruise line vaccination requirements or testingprotocols.

·         An official Covid-19 recovery certificate may suffice in lieu of a booster.

 

Hopefully everyone embarking Marina for the TA is fully vaccinated.

Edited October 21, 2022 by Ride-The-Waves

[daleandrews]

30 minutes ago, Ride-The-Waves said:

This appears to be a Greek government requirement which all ships embarking passenger in Greece must follow.  We are embarking Marina in Civitavecchia and the email stipulates 

 

·  

 

That was the case, but a week or two back the Greek government removed the pre-cruise testing requirement.  

 

https://www.seatrade-cruise.com/environmental-health/greece-lifts-cruise-related-covid-19-testing-updated

 

It's the failure of Oceania to reflect this in their policy that has some of us scratching our heads.

[LHT28]

18 minutes ago, daleandrews said:

 

That was the case, but a week or two back the Greek government removed the pre-cruise testing requirement.  

 

https://www.seatrade-cruise.com/environmental-health/greece-lifts-cruise-related-covid-19-testing-updated

 

It's the failure of Oceania to reflect this in their policy that has some of us scratching our heads.

Celestyal is continuing to require testing so maybe Oceania is doing the same ??

 

[njhorseman]

28 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

Celestyal is continuing to require testing so maybe Oceania is doing the same ??

 

Oceania's published protocols worldwide do not require testing of fully vaccinated passengers unless destinations require it. Since Greece eliminated its testing requirements there's no reason for O to continue the requirement as it would be contrary to their published protocol for every other country not requiring testing.

As I've said twice already on this thread O just appears to be late in reacting to the Greek government's changes and I would expect O to revise its protocols for Greece shortly. 

[LHT28]

4 minutes ago, njhorseman said:

Oceania's published protocols worldwide do not require testing of fully vaccinated passengers unless destinations require it. Since Greece eliminated its testing requirements there's no reason for O to continue the requirement as it would be contrary to their published protocol for every other country not requiring testing.

As I've said twice already on this thread O just appears to be late in reacting to the Greek government's changes and I would expect O to revise its protocols for Greece shortly. 

My point was  that maybe O is  going to still require  the test for their own reasons

 If you do not want to test don't  as the Greece government no longer requires it 

 

[PaulMCO]

Received this today...  So if boarding in Athens -- must be Vaxed and likely boosted and tested.

 

MARINA, ATHENS TO ROME, NOVEMBER 1, 2022 Embarking From Greece:   ·         All travelers must be Fully Vaccinated. ·         The definition of Fully Vaccinated for voyages embarking in Greece is as follows: All travelers over the age of 18, whose primary COVID-19 vaccination will be beyond 270 days at the time of disembarkation from their voyage, must have a COVID-19 booster prior to embarkation. In lieu of a booster 270 days after the primary series, travelers may present a government recognized or official medical Certificate of Recovery. ·         All travelers must present a negative, medically administered covid-19 test. PCR and Antigen test results may not be older than 48 hours at the time of boarding. ·         Booster mandates are in effect and strictly enforced – see above.

[njhorseman]

3 hours ago, LHT28 said:

My point was  that maybe O is  going to still require  the test for their own reasons

 If you do not want to test don't  as the Greece government no longer requires it 

 

If they're doing it for their own reasons then they need to change their published Sail Safe protocol that states fully vaccinated passengers will not need to test to embark. The only stated exceptions to that general protocol are for countries requiring testing.

I still believe Oceania is just late in adjusting its protocol for embarkation in Greece. 

[maxy1234]

At last. No testing required  for fully Vaccinated guests ! Hallelujah

[cannongate]

Just in time for those embarking Marina next week. One less thing on our to do list. 

[daleandrews]

Just in case some have not received or did not read the email sent out by Oceania today, October 24, it provides as follows:

 

Embarking From Greece – Updated October 24, 2022

 

·         Fully Vaccinated and Unvaccinated travelers may embark.

·         The definition of Fully Vaccinated for voyages embarking in Greece is as follows: All travelers over the age of 18, whose primary COVID-19 vaccination will be beyond 270 days at the time of disembarkation from their voyage, must have a COVID-19 booster prior to embarkation. In lieu of a booster 270 days after the primary series, travelers may present a government recognized or official medical Certificate of Recovery.

·         Fully Vaccinated travelers do not need to test prior to embarkation.

·         Travelers that cannot meet the definition of Fully Vaccinated must present a negative, medically administered covid-19 test. PCR and Antigen test results may not be older than 72 or 48 hours respectively at the time of boarding.

·         Booster mandates are in effect and strictly enforced to meet the definition of Fully Vaccinated – see above.