Latest update on Covid test requirements after speaking with another Tauck representative. The Covid test that we MAY be given at the Reykjavik airport upon arrival would suffice for the Ponant 72 hour test result requirement. That would be great, but Tauck has no guarantee that the tests upon arrival will continue. That means we have to schedule our own test within the 72 hour window just in case.
I asked the Tauck representative if she could request that the requirements being dispensed to travelers could be written from the travelers perspective and how all the requirements overlap and impact the traveler, as opposed to separate requirements from each entities perspective. For example, add into the requirements that since the Covid test upon arrival isn't guaranteed to happen upon your arrival that the traveler should arrange for their own test before leaving for Iceland (or in Iceland as long as you can get the test and results within Ponant's 72 hour window. She agreed and said that she would pass this on to the powers that be.
So as a precaution, in case Iceland's arrival test goes away before we get there, we will be scheduling our own test before we depart for Iceland. Not willing to make a $30,000 wager that the Iceland test will still be there. So we may be tested before leaving for Iceland, upon arrival in Iceland, and prior to heading back to the US.
I know this trip will be worth it, but boy do I ever want things to get back to normal (pre-pandemic).
Sam, I am on your same June 30 cruise and share the same frustrations about the variety of responses fro Tauck on COVID testing. I arrive Monday morning, the 28th, and am hoping I can get a test in the airport or in Rejkjavik. Thank you for hunting down this information.
Nancy_Auensen - I arrive Monday morning, the 28th, and am hoping I can get a test in the airport or in Rejkjavik.
You may get that test, but there is no guarantee. If you don't get that test and you haven't gotten one before you left home then you could be stranded in Reykjavik because you won't have a test result to provide to Ponant when it is time to board the ship.
That is what I referred to in my previous post about not willing to make a $30,000 wager (the rough cost for the three people in our party). If I don't get tested before leaving, and they aren't doing the test upon arrival, then I'd be out of luck to meet Ponant's requirement. I hope it works out for you if you take that risk. Personally, I want to have something scheduled that meets the requirement.
We arrive the morning of the 29th (leave Seattle on the afternoon of the 28th). You arrive one day before us in Reykjavik, so the timing of getting a Covid test might be even more problematic for you. Perhaps you can find somewhere in Reykjavik that you can actually schedule a place/time/day for a Covid test early on the 28th. You likely could get the results in time to meet Ponant's requirement. If you get tested at the airport on arrival, then you could cancel the test you scheduled. This way you would have a little bit more peace of mind. Just a thought.
If in theory, you arrive in Iceland without a test, are you able to leave the airport? Are you able to leave the hotel to find somewhere to get a test?
Just got an email from a friend whose family of 4 had a Hawaii vacation planned this week. Their CVS test results weren't back in time but the gate agent on the outgoing flight said they'd only have to quarantine as long as it took to get their results. Flew to Hawaii and found out no, it didn't matter if the results came and were fine they still had a 10 day quarantine. Flew home the next day and heading to FL. Thankfully her husband is United pilot so I assume they aren't out as much as the rest of us would be, but not a real positive for Hawaii tourism long term. I note that 4July Hawaii is making an exception for vaccinated tourists and the Tauck tours there will only accept vaccinated travelers.
British - In theory if Iceland stops testing at the airport it’s because they are OK with accepting fully vaccinated people without an additional test. If they do that, then you’d still have to get a test somewhere for the Ponant requirement.
Claudia -- I'm booked on a trip to Hawaii in August, so I'm paying close attention to their requirements. The e-mail that I got today from "GoUSHawaii" said that Hawaii will remove its restrictions for trans-Pacific tourists who have been vaccinated in the US when the percentage of vaccinated residents of Hawaii reaches 60%. (Tauck's earlier e-mail had anticipated that that restriction would be removed by July 4.). My daughter just told me that the percentage of Hawaii residents who have been vaccinated is now 52%.
My STEP Notification just sent me a level three warning for Iceland, I can’t open anything up right now because my server is playing up, to see the details. If I had her chance, I’d go to Iceland right now, this is just getting crazy.
Unless they have done some amazing things to the Reykjavik airport you will be landing in Keflavik. Reykjavik has a runway but it is very short. The main airport is Keflavik which in the past was a U.S. Naval Base/Airfield. It is about thirty miles from Reykjavik.
Sealord - I believe the references in the posts above were to the city in general (Reykjavik) not the airport. You are correct about the airport we will be landing at (Keflavik). I think the Reykjavik airport is a local, much smaller airport and I think it was built by the British long ago vs the US Navy building Keflavik as you stated.
At one point in my naval career, Keflavik was one of the most career enhancing assignments you could get. I was aiming for it or Wales for my second duty station but instead ended up in Japan.
You will enjoy your trip. It is a great small ship - we had the pleasure of sailing Le Dumont dUrville on a maiden voyage for Tauck on the Baltic circuit right after it left the shipyard.
Just found this document on the Ponant website: https://fr.calameo.com/read/000132423668d4bed7572 As I understand it, the 72 hour requirement for PCR testing is waived -- PCR testing upon arrival in Iceland is the new requirement!
Happy Texan - Lots of ever changing, misleading/confusing information is available. We plan to take the safe approach with respect to these requirements, meaning we will attempt to meet all of the requirements as we've interpreted them at this point in time. It's likely that we will have done some things we didn't need to do, done some things that get repeated, etc. We feel it is better to have done too much or repeated things as opposed to not doing something and find out it's mandatory and could cause a no go for boarding or access.
Tauck told me, for what that's worth that the PCR testing upon arrival in Iceland could stop at any time at the discretion of the Iceland government. The travel documents for our June 30th tour that Tauck provided this week via email still shows the Ponant 72 hour test requirement. Of course any of the Covid information provided could be out of date 5 minutes after you receive/read it.
It certainly will be nice when all of the pandemic testing/precautions are behind us. That's likely not until 2022 or 2023.
judyosborn - thanks for the update. This is the world we're in right now.
Trying to get all countries/states/organizations in-synch with respect to the requirements, in the near term, is impossible. Which makes trying to plan, such that you satisfy all requirements, very difficult. I've chosen to take a somewhat conservative approach and over-satisfy the requirements. It's kind of like getting trip insurance. One need and not having the insurance, for me, outweighs the cost savings (I know BKMD you'll pay for several additional tours from your insurance savings). Same thing goes for doing everything I can to satisfy Covid requirements, even if when the time comes, I've somewhat overdone it.
I don't mind so much the hassle of getting a test or expense but worry about the timing (when does the 72 hours start) or the chance the results aren't back in time as happened to my friends going to Hawaii. Am hoping by the end of Aug this is all clearer.
The latest communique form Tauck reads in part:
"Ponant requires all travelers to bring proof of a negative PCR test result from within 3 days of embarkation. Until 1 July, all travelers must undergo a COVID-19 test upon arrival in Iceland, and quarantine until results are available (up to one day). Please note that you cannot rely on this Icelandic airport COVID-19 test to satisfy Ponant's test requirement in the previous bullet, you must bring a separate test result."
We found it difficult to get a place to get the test and results the same day. We finally found one with a lab onsite that will get us results within a couple of hours rather than days.
Oh my goodness, this is making my head spin.
I have had two Covid tests, one was prior to surgery last year, so the hospital arranged it, I went at the appointed time, I was the only one there, the nurse gave me the swab stick and I had to put it up and swirl it round my nostrils myself.
The second time was when my husband was displaying some Covid symptoms, we went to our local Urgent care, No appointment. He was examined more thoroughly than me, he had a headache, they did not think his fever was high enough, did the test. With me, I just got the test. Our results came back negative but mine took twelve hours longer to get the result. My husband was better by then. So when I see that some people are having difficulty finding a test, that is why I am confused, isn’t it the same everywhere? Can others enlighten me? I believe our local CVS does tests without an appointment now. I’m assuming it must be easier now that so many people have had the vaccine, the demand for testing must have gone way down.
I thought it was the timing for getting the test result was the biggest issue as I would want paper evidence myself as well as on my phone. Ever since my husband was with a colleague on a business trip years ago and the guy had a dead phone when he tried to show his boarding pass, we don’t totally rely on our phones and always get paper backup.
I think Sam’s approach is best, get a test before you go, just in case. To not be able to get on the boat would be awful.
Judy, The lab is in Toledo, Ohio. We checked with Walgreens, a major hospital, and an urgent care clinic...same story...two or three day turn-a-round, at best. Then a friend told us about this place they used for a family member in a true medical emergency. We have appointments on Monday morning, leave from Detroit Monday afternoon, and board Wednesday afternoon.
If Ponant doesn't trust the airport test, it would have been nice if they would have suggested a location in Reykjavik that would be acceptable. Well, back to packing for that 40-50 degree weather
The difference, connorlaker, is the type of test. Through June the Reykjavik airport is administering a rapid COVID test, which returns results within a few hours but isn't as reliable as a PCR test. Ponant requires a PCR test, and those results can take up to 48 to process, but the outcome is considered more reliable. I agree scheduling a PCR is difficult due to timing. I don't know what time we board the ship, but if it's as late as 6 pm Wednesday, then that's 1 pm Central Time in the US, which means I need a test no earlier than 1 pm on Sunday before flying out on Monday (to arrive in Iceland 1 day early). How do I get a PCR test on Sunday afternoon? Or, at the latest, Monday morning, hoping I receive my electronic results in time to board on Wednesday? Oh, well, travel means certain hassles in order to reap great rewards, and this is just a new hurdle, but we will prevail.
Judy - In Seattle we were able to schedule a test on Sunday afternoon, which will equate to about 8 pm in Reykjavik. We should board before that. That said we may not have our results before we leave at 3:45pm on Monday. May have to access and print at the hotel. Lots of unknowns and anxiety until we successfully get this step behind us.
On this topic of "qualifying" to board the ship, has anyone else heard from Tauck about Ponant's requirement to have a medical questionnaire 60 days before departure, completed by a physician, and proof of vaccination uploaded 45 days before departure? Neither I nor my travel agent has been able to track this down through Tauck (which seems clueless), and I have not complied with either of these requirements yet.
This is from the Ponant website where it says you must provide documentation of good health. I think I may have read something about that questionnaire a while ago, I have no idea where. It Tauck cannot answer your question about this form, it’s inexcusable. While they excuse themselves from many things about health and vaccinations etc, that is just bad.
We are reading this morning about a lockdown in Lisbon Portugal. My husband just will not think about going to Europe until next year, it’s not worrying about getting Covid, it’s the testing and sudden lockdowns and rule changes that are intolerable to him. He says we partly go on vacation to refresh and relax amd that would not happen.
I believe/hope that Tauck has an agreement with Ponant as to what the requirements are for boarding the ship and they have presented those to us.
The ones on the Ponant website are likely for people booking directly through Ponant. There is always the possibility for a mix of Tauck and non-Tauck people on the Ponant ships.
If we were denied boarding onto the ship due to something that Tauck hadn't made us aware of I'd think Tauck would have serious issues.
Comments
Latest update on Covid test requirements after speaking with another Tauck representative. The Covid test that we MAY be given at the Reykjavik airport upon arrival would suffice for the Ponant 72 hour test result requirement. That would be great, but Tauck has no guarantee that the tests upon arrival will continue. That means we have to schedule our own test within the 72 hour window just in case.
I asked the Tauck representative if she could request that the requirements being dispensed to travelers could be written from the travelers perspective and how all the requirements overlap and impact the traveler, as opposed to separate requirements from each entities perspective. For example, add into the requirements that since the Covid test upon arrival isn't guaranteed to happen upon your arrival that the traveler should arrange for their own test before leaving for Iceland (or in Iceland as long as you can get the test and results within Ponant's 72 hour window. She agreed and said that she would pass this on to the powers that be.
So as a precaution, in case Iceland's arrival test goes away before we get there, we will be scheduling our own test before we depart for Iceland. Not willing to make a $30,000 wager that the Iceland test will still be there. So we may be tested before leaving for Iceland, upon arrival in Iceland, and prior to heading back to the US.
I know this trip will be worth it, but boy do I ever want things to get back to normal (pre-pandemic).
Sam, I am on your same June 30 cruise and share the same frustrations about the variety of responses fro Tauck on COVID testing. I arrive Monday morning, the 28th, and am hoping I can get a test in the airport or in Rejkjavik. Thank you for hunting down this information.
You may get that test, but there is no guarantee. If you don't get that test and you haven't gotten one before you left home then you could be stranded in Reykjavik because you won't have a test result to provide to Ponant when it is time to board the ship.
That is what I referred to in my previous post about not willing to make a $30,000 wager (the rough cost for the three people in our party). If I don't get tested before leaving, and they aren't doing the test upon arrival, then I'd be out of luck to meet Ponant's requirement. I hope it works out for you if you take that risk. Personally, I want to have something scheduled that meets the requirement.
We arrive the morning of the 29th (leave Seattle on the afternoon of the 28th). You arrive one day before us in Reykjavik, so the timing of getting a Covid test might be even more problematic for you. Perhaps you can find somewhere in Reykjavik that you can actually schedule a place/time/day for a Covid test early on the 28th. You likely could get the results in time to meet Ponant's requirement. If you get tested at the airport on arrival, then you could cancel the test you scheduled. This way you would have a little bit more peace of mind. Just a thought.
If in theory, you arrive in Iceland without a test, are you able to leave the airport? Are you able to leave the hotel to find somewhere to get a test?
Just got an email from a friend whose family of 4 had a Hawaii vacation planned this week. Their CVS test results weren't back in time but the gate agent on the outgoing flight said they'd only have to quarantine as long as it took to get their results. Flew to Hawaii and found out no, it didn't matter if the results came and were fine they still had a 10 day quarantine. Flew home the next day and heading to FL. Thankfully her husband is United pilot so I assume they aren't out as much as the rest of us would be, but not a real positive for Hawaii tourism long term. I note that 4July Hawaii is making an exception for vaccinated tourists and the Tauck tours there will only accept vaccinated travelers.
British - In theory if Iceland stops testing at the airport it’s because they are OK with accepting fully vaccinated people without an additional test. If they do that, then you’d still have to get a test somewhere for the Ponant requirement.
Claudia -- I'm booked on a trip to Hawaii in August, so I'm paying close attention to their requirements. The e-mail that I got today from "GoUSHawaii" said that Hawaii will remove its restrictions for trans-Pacific tourists who have been vaccinated in the US when the percentage of vaccinated residents of Hawaii reaches 60%. (Tauck's earlier e-mail had anticipated that that restriction would be removed by July 4.). My daughter just told me that the percentage of Hawaii residents who have been vaccinated is now 52%.
My STEP Notification just sent me a level three warning for Iceland, I can’t open anything up right now because my server is playing up, to see the details. If I had her chance, I’d go to Iceland right now, this is just getting crazy.
The Ponant ship is headed to Iceland for the first Tauck tour, which I believe starts on June 16th.
Happy Sails to the post-pandemic Taucktourians returning to Iceland!
Unless they have done some amazing things to the Reykjavik airport you will be landing in Keflavik. Reykjavik has a runway but it is very short. The main airport is Keflavik which in the past was a U.S. Naval Base/Airfield. It is about thirty miles from Reykjavik.
Sealord - I believe the references in the posts above were to the city in general (Reykjavik) not the airport. You are correct about the airport we will be landing at (Keflavik). I think the Reykjavik airport is a local, much smaller airport and I think it was built by the British long ago vs the US Navy building Keflavik as you stated.
At one point in my naval career, Keflavik was one of the most career enhancing assignments you could get. I was aiming for it or Wales for my second duty station but instead ended up in Japan.
You will enjoy your trip. It is a great small ship - we had the pleasure of sailing Le Dumont dUrville on a maiden voyage for Tauck on the Baltic circuit right after it left the shipyard.
Good luck Sam, enjoy !!!!
Just found this document on the Ponant website: https://fr.calameo.com/read/000132423668d4bed7572 As I understand it, the 72 hour requirement for PCR testing is waived -- PCR testing upon arrival in Iceland is the new requirement!
Happy Texan - Lots of ever changing, misleading/confusing information is available. We plan to take the safe approach with respect to these requirements, meaning we will attempt to meet all of the requirements as we've interpreted them at this point in time. It's likely that we will have done some things we didn't need to do, done some things that get repeated, etc. We feel it is better to have done too much or repeated things as opposed to not doing something and find out it's mandatory and could cause a no go for boarding or access.
Tauck told me, for what that's worth that the PCR testing upon arrival in Iceland could stop at any time at the discretion of the Iceland government. The travel documents for our June 30th tour that Tauck provided this week via email still shows the Ponant 72 hour test requirement. Of course any of the Covid information provided could be out of date 5 minutes after you receive/read it.
It certainly will be nice when all of the pandemic testing/precautions are behind us. That's likely not until 2022 or 2023.
Given the price tag for the tour, better to over-meet the requirements than under.
I'm on the July 21 Iceland tour and see from this page https://icelandmonitor.mbl.is/news/news/2021/06/11/testing_of_vaccinated_travelers_to_cease_in_iceland/ that starting July 1, "those who present a certificate of vaccination for COVID-19 or prior infection will no longer be tested for COVID-19 upon arrival in the country." Of course, the Ponant requirement is another matter.
judyosborn - thanks for the update. This is the world we're in right now.
Trying to get all countries/states/organizations in-synch with respect to the requirements, in the near term, is impossible. Which makes trying to plan, such that you satisfy all requirements, very difficult. I've chosen to take a somewhat conservative approach and over-satisfy the requirements. It's kind of like getting trip insurance. One need and not having the insurance, for me, outweighs the cost savings (I know BKMD you'll pay for several additional tours from your insurance savings). Same thing goes for doing everything I can to satisfy Covid requirements, even if when the time comes, I've somewhat overdone it.
I don't mind so much the hassle of getting a test or expense but worry about the timing (when does the 72 hours start) or the chance the results aren't back in time as happened to my friends going to Hawaii. Am hoping by the end of Aug this is all clearer.
The latest communique form Tauck reads in part:
"Ponant requires all travelers to bring proof of a negative PCR test result from within 3 days of embarkation. Until 1 July, all travelers must undergo a COVID-19 test upon arrival in Iceland, and quarantine until results are available (up to one day). Please note that you cannot rely on this Icelandic airport COVID-19 test to satisfy Ponant's test requirement in the previous bullet, you must bring a separate test result."
We found it difficult to get a place to get the test and results the same day. We finally found one with a lab onsite that will get us results within a couple of hours rather than days.
Connorlaker, did you find that lab where you live or in Reykjavik?
Oh my goodness, this is making my head spin.
I have had two Covid tests, one was prior to surgery last year, so the hospital arranged it, I went at the appointed time, I was the only one there, the nurse gave me the swab stick and I had to put it up and swirl it round my nostrils myself.
The second time was when my husband was displaying some Covid symptoms, we went to our local Urgent care, No appointment. He was examined more thoroughly than me, he had a headache, they did not think his fever was high enough, did the test. With me, I just got the test. Our results came back negative but mine took twelve hours longer to get the result. My husband was better by then. So when I see that some people are having difficulty finding a test, that is why I am confused, isn’t it the same everywhere? Can others enlighten me? I believe our local CVS does tests without an appointment now. I’m assuming it must be easier now that so many people have had the vaccine, the demand for testing must have gone way down.
I thought it was the timing for getting the test result was the biggest issue as I would want paper evidence myself as well as on my phone. Ever since my husband was with a colleague on a business trip years ago and the guy had a dead phone when he tried to show his boarding pass, we don’t totally rely on our phones and always get paper backup.
I think Sam’s approach is best, get a test before you go, just in case. To not be able to get on the boat would be awful.
Judy, The lab is in Toledo, Ohio. We checked with Walgreens, a major hospital, and an urgent care clinic...same story...two or three day turn-a-round, at best. Then a friend told us about this place they used for a family member in a true medical emergency. We have appointments on Monday morning, leave from Detroit Monday afternoon, and board Wednesday afternoon.
If Ponant doesn't trust the airport test, it would have been nice if they would have suggested a location in Reykjavik that would be acceptable. Well, back to packing for that 40-50 degree weather
The difference, connorlaker, is the type of test. Through June the Reykjavik airport is administering a rapid COVID test, which returns results within a few hours but isn't as reliable as a PCR test. Ponant requires a PCR test, and those results can take up to 48 to process, but the outcome is considered more reliable. I agree scheduling a PCR is difficult due to timing. I don't know what time we board the ship, but if it's as late as 6 pm Wednesday, then that's 1 pm Central Time in the US, which means I need a test no earlier than 1 pm on Sunday before flying out on Monday (to arrive in Iceland 1 day early). How do I get a PCR test on Sunday afternoon? Or, at the latest, Monday morning, hoping I receive my electronic results in time to board on Wednesday? Oh, well, travel means certain hassles in order to reap great rewards, and this is just a new hurdle, but we will prevail.
Judy - In Seattle we were able to schedule a test on Sunday afternoon, which will equate to about 8 pm in Reykjavik. We should board before that. That said we may not have our results before we leave at 3:45pm on Monday. May have to access and print at the hotel. Lots of unknowns and anxiety until we successfully get this step behind us.
Just email a "negative test results" to yourself at the right time. Where you get the results is between you and your maker.
On this topic of "qualifying" to board the ship, has anyone else heard from Tauck about Ponant's requirement to have a medical questionnaire 60 days before departure, completed by a physician, and proof of vaccination uploaded 45 days before departure? Neither I nor my travel agent has been able to track this down through Tauck (which seems clueless), and I have not complied with either of these requirements yet.
https://us.ponant.com/sail-with-confidence
This is from the Ponant website where it says you must provide documentation of good health. I think I may have read something about that questionnaire a while ago, I have no idea where. It Tauck cannot answer your question about this form, it’s inexcusable. While they excuse themselves from many things about health and vaccinations etc, that is just bad.
We are reading this morning about a lockdown in Lisbon Portugal. My husband just will not think about going to Europe until next year, it’s not worrying about getting Covid, it’s the testing and sudden lockdowns and rule changes that are intolerable to him. He says we partly go on vacation to refresh and relax amd that would not happen.
I believe/hope that Tauck has an agreement with Ponant as to what the requirements are for boarding the ship and they have presented those to us.
The ones on the Ponant website are likely for people booking directly through Ponant. There is always the possibility for a mix of Tauck and non-Tauck people on the Ponant ships.
If we were denied boarding onto the ship due to something that Tauck hadn't made us aware of I'd think Tauck would have serious issues.