Being turned away at the port

[bex7583]

If all the test cruise passengers were vaccinated, then there would be no need for testing and no one gets turned away.

I think they should test ALL passengers regardless of vaccination. I have had 2 close family members fully vaccinated test positive recently and one of them was extremely unwell still despite fully vaccinated.

 

[beebsnation79]

Shore Side Concierge called me about our up coming cruise. I was informed that my fishing trip was canceled at the request of the vendor. They wanted to know if I wanted to schedule something else. While I had them on the phone, I asked them to check and make sure I had everything needed so as not to be turned away at the port. A quick check and all was good. I was told the reason most people were turned away was due to not having the PCR test before arriving at the port. So please before you leave home, call and check to ensure you have completed all the steps. Here in South Carolina, the rapid PCR tests are still free and I have seen several places where you wait for your results. Let's have this first cruise be our learning cruise and move forward from there.

This is my worst fear. We have 4 cruises booked… December through December… being turned away at the port would be the worst

 

[kuppusamy]

We are waiting to disembark from the first dream cruise The covid protocols were so confusing - and I work in the legal field. They were poorly worded leading to lots of confusion.

The safe passage website listed her under my name. It did have us clear to sail despite her not having her test. In my profession there are no second chances and you follow the rules - she was tested via inspire and uploaded.

I was talking to the DCL staff as we were waiting for the bus at the airport. She told me that her grandson came with her (they got back Sunday) and was 17 months. He had to be tested and CVS wouldn’t test on infants. They took him to urgent care who tested and the test came back inconclusive. So, her daughter had to take him somewhere else (she didn’t know where) to be tested again. My point is be prepared for the worst withyoung kids.

she also told us that if one person on the ship tests positive for covid the whole ship turns around immediately. She said they will never be stuck at see for 14 days again. That was my constant worry.

 

[TheBigErn]

And from the updates available on another site, it sounds like those who were turned away due to not having the correct pre-embarkation day tests were both fully refunded for this cruise and given a complimentary cruise to use in the future.

I question that. Refund, maybe. Free cruise, no way. I'd show up and intentionally not have my correct test for a refund and free cruise.

 

[TheBigErn]

I can see the refund as good PR, even if the parents were at fault for not reading the rules closely. But a complimentary cruise on top of it? That....doesn't sound right.

So I can book a cruise right now, not do PCR tests for my kids, show up, get turned away, get my money back and get a free cruise for my trouble? Sign me up.*

* - before anyone gets up in arms, that's tongue-in-cheek. I know Disney wouldn't let people get away with that.

exactly

 

[TheBigErn]

I think they should test ALL passengers regardless of vaccination. I have had 2 close family members fully vaccinated test positive recently and one of them was extremely unwell still despite fully vaccinated.

glad you're not in charge.

 

[seasalt81]

she also told us that if one person on the ship tests positive for covid the whole ship turns around immediately.

I was also told this while on the phone with concierge services this week.

 

[Marrila]

I was also told this while on the phone with concierge services this week.

I understand it's what you were told. It's not what the cruise industry in general is doing. (One positive and the ship turns around.) I guess we'll have to see how they handle positives if or when they happen.

 

[pascalspal]

I understand it's what you were told. It's not what the cruise industry in general is doing. (One positive and the ship turns around.) I guess we'll have to see how they handle positives if or when they happen.

Does anyone know - if this happens do you get money back for the days you are missing (pro-rated?) or is this just a risk people are taking when going on DCL right now?

 

[seasalt81]

I understand it's what you were told. It's not what the cruise industry in general is doing.

Oh, I know that. Which is why I was really surprised, especially when someone else said they'd been told the same thing.

I was told that compensation would be offered from for missed cruise time but obviously not for other accommodations / flight changes etc.

 

[DenverDis]

Oh, I know that. Which is why I was really surprised, especially when someone else said they'd been told the same thing.

I was told that compensation would be offered from for missed cruise time but obviously not for other accommodations / flight changes etc.

Yikes. One positive test and they turn around? That’s kind of a game changer. I have no interest in being caught in an outbreak but a zero case standard may prove difficult to manage. Practical question: how would that even work on a 3-day? You barely leave PC, blink, and the cruise is over. You’re sitting at Serenity Bay at Castaway Cay on Day 2 and they round everyone up and steam for home?

 

[vrneuroh]

Yikes. One positive test and they turn around? That’s kind of a game changer. I have no interest in being caught in an outbreak but a zero case standard may prove difficult to manage. Practical question: how would that even work on a 3-day? You barely leave PC, blink, and the cruise is over. You’re sitting at Serenity Bay at Castaway Cay on Day 2 and they round everyone up and steam for home?

I honestly cannot imagine this is actually the case. The DCL website states "If a threshold of COVID-19 is detected on board the cruise ship during a voyage, the voyage will be ended immediately and the ship will return to the U.S. port of embarkation, and your subsequent travel, including your return home, may be restricted or delayed." We may not know the "threshold", but Carnival had 26 crew members test positive on the Vista recently and they were still sailing. If they would turn the ship around after just one case, why would they require unvaccinated passengers 12 and older to have travel insurance to cover COVID-related charges? If the ship turns around and goes back to port, once you are off the ship it would be up to the individual to find their way home, so travel insurance would be a non-issue for the most part. There is not one cruise line with a "turn around for a single COVID case" policy. If DCL is honestly going to turn every ship around each time someone tests positive, they should just shut down now. There is absolutely no way they can keep COVID off the ships and DCL has even put in their policy how they are prepared to handle the situation if/when passengers/crew test positive. Nowhere does it mention they will immediately turn the ship around after one case. If this was true, I am sure it would be included in their policy online, plus they would have massive cancellations because nobody would want to risk having to turn around on day 2 of a 7 day cruise. DCL would have a PR nightmare with having to arrange flight changes, transportation, hotel accommodations. I would also envision if DCL had the turn around policy for a single case, they would require 100% of the passengers to carry travel insurance. I wonder if the insurance would cover a situation such as this?

 

[bex7583]

glad you're not in charge.

I also think they should let passengers board regardless of vaccine status and stick to testing.

Even if percent passenger were vaccinated somebody could easily carry and spread it onboard if testing is not carried out.

Our first pandemic cruise ( non Disney) is not for another few week people can sail regardless of Vax but everybody must test 2 days before and at check in

 

[BlueRibbon]

I honestly cannot imagine this is actually the case. The DCL website states "If a threshold of COVID-19 is detected on board the cruise ship during a voyage, the voyage will be ended immediately and the ship will return to the U.S. port of embarkation, and your subsequent travel, including your return home, may be restricted or delayed." We may not know the "threshold", but Carnival had 26 crew members test positive on the Vista recently and they were still sailing. If they would turn the ship around after just one case, why would they require unvaccinated passengers 12 and older to have travel insurance to cover COVID-related charges? If the ship turns around and goes back to port, once you are off the ship it would be up to the individual to find their way home, so travel insurance would be a non-issue for the most part. There is not one cruise line with a "turn around for a single COVID case" policy. If DCL is honestly going to turn every ship around each time someone tests positive, they should just shut down now. There is absolutely no way they can keep COVID off the ships and DCL has even put in their policy how they are prepared to handle the situation if/when passengers/crew test positive. Nowhere does it mention they will immediately turn the ship around after one case. If this was true, I am sure it would be included in their policy online, plus they would have massive cancellations because nobody would want to risk having to turn around on day 2 of a 7 day cruise. DCL would have a PR nightmare with having to arrange flight changes, transportation, hotel accommodations. I would also envision if DCL had the turn around policy for a single case, they would require 100% of the passengers to carry travel insurance. I wonder if the insurance would cover a situation such as this?

Not to dismiss what people heard from cast members, but I agree it'd be lunacy to turn around if there's only one case on-board. It'd be like walking out the door while raining and thinking "If one drop of rain hits me, I'm going back inside."

 

[squirk]

 

[Mango7100]

Yikes. One positive test and they turn around? That’s kind of a game changer. I have no interest in being caught in an outbreak but a zero case standard may prove difficult to manage. Practical question: how would that even work on a 3-day? You barely leave PC, blink, and the cruise is over. You’re sitting at Serenity Bay at Castaway Cay on Day 2 and they round everyone up and steam for home?

I agree. One positive out of 1600 passengers plus crew is pretty darn likely in the current environment. It’s a pretty big gamble to take even if they refund the cruise since you still have hassle of getting home, using up paid time off, etc

 

[bex7583]

Not to dismiss what people heard from cast members, but I agree it'd be lunacy to turn around if there's only one case on-board. It'd be like walking out the door while raining and thinking "If one drop of rain hits me, I'm going back inside."

It does seem insane. I think other lines are doing cabin quarantine, I believe the whole party booked in the cabin have to quarantine though not just the individual.

The cruise we have booked on .you pay and do your own test 2 days prior. Then tested at check in ( no charge , provided by cruise line) then everybody is tested on day 2 and day 6 ( again no charge rapid lateral tests) . It did say it will terminate if the number of positive cases on board gets above a certain number but it was more than 1.

 

[Marrila]

It does seem insane. I think other lines are doing cabin quarantine, I believe the whole party booked in the cabin have to quarantine though not just the individual.

The cruise we have booked on .you pay and do your own test 2 days prior. Then tested at check in ( no charge , provided by cruise line) then everybody is tested on day 2 and day 6 ( again no charge rapid lateral tests) . It did say it will terminate if the number of positive cases on board gets above a certain number but it was more than 1.

Some lines are doing quarantine, others have removed sick passengers from the ship.

 

[bex7583]

Some lines are doing quarantine, others have removed sick passengers from the ship.

Oh really, I wasn't aware . Does the removal of passengers depend on ship location etc and how easy it is for evac or are they removed at next port etc

 

[vrneuroh]

Oh really, I wasn't aware . Does the removal of passengers depend on ship location etc and how easy it is for evac or are they removed at next port etc

RCL had positive passengers debark at Freeport and then RCL paid for a private plane and transportation home. This is before they started the travel insurance mandate.