Cozumel without a Disney excursion - testing?

[sjuncfan]

Someone on a different site posted that when a recent ship arrived in Cozumel, they were advised that if you didn’t take a DCL excursion, but disembarked the ship, you would be subject to testing once back on board. Does anyone know if that's true? We are on the Magic going to Cozumel in April.

Putting aside that this is the first time I've heard this, it makes no sense since if someone picked up COVID in Cozumel, it wouldn't show up on a test as soon as they get back on the boat...

 

[DisneYE]

Someone on a different site posted that when a recent ship arrived in Cozumel, they were advised that if you didn’t take a DCL excursion, but disembarked the ship, you would be subject to testing once back on board. Does anyone know if that's true? We are on the Magic going to Cozumel in April.

Putting aside that this is the first time I've heard this, it makes no sense since if someone picked up COVID in Cozumel, it wouldn't show up on a test as soon as they get back on the boat...

Wow, interesting.
Upping this because it sounds surreal and with things changing so fast you never know.
It wouldn't surprise me though.

 

[Colo17]

In December if you were on a Disney excursion and left it before getting back onboard you were subject to quarantine on the ship even if vaccinated.

Our son saw an item he really wanted to get while playing follow-the-leader back to the ship in Coz. He got back on the ship, left his excursion bag with family, and then got off to go shopping. And then decided to get a second item from the same shop and did it again. San Miguel was full of people who didn't take excursions through the ship and nothing was said about any testing onboard.

Note that this was a couple of weeks ago so things could have changed, but seems very unlikely. And even if true April is a very long way away in terms of rule changes.

We've had six weeks of cruising on three cruise lines since August and had rule changes occur while sailing. Heard NCL tests passengers in each port but that may also just be a rumor. Some of our ports only allowed ship bubble excursions. Barbados wasn't going to allow anyone to go ashore without a ship excursion but port changed overnight and allowed people to get off and shop. No testing required.

 

[DisneYE]

In December if you were on a Disney excursion and left it before getting back onboard you were subject to quarantine on the ship even if vaccinated.

I'm sorry, what???
Can someone corroborate this?
So if you go on your own on a port you get quarantined? That's bonkers.
If no one can confirm/deny this I will email DCL and ask.

 

[lanejudy]

So if you go on your own on a port you get quarantined?

No, if you leave a DCL excursion before re-boarding you will be quarantined. If you are vaccinated and leave the ship on your own it’s no problem.

 

[DisneYE]

No, if you leave a DCL excursion before re-boarding you will be quarantined. If you are vaccinated and leave the ship on your own it’s no problem.

Thanks - I had hoped that was the case.
But it still doesn't make sense. If the person is vaccinated and over 5 yo, aren't they allowed to go on their own?
How does being in a DCL excursion change the original guideline? You can either go on your own or in an excursion if you're vaccinated and over 5, no?

 

[Colo17]

On the December cruise you could leave the ship freely if you were vaccinated. And any independent shore excursions were fine if vaccinated (Cozumel and Falmouth).

All Disney tours met onboard in a lounge or the theater. If you took a Disney excursion you had to be escorted to and from the excursion all the way back to the ship even if vaccinated. Once onboard anyone vaccinated was free to get off again, which is what our son did for shopping.

You were told this policy both on the morning show by the Cruise Director and when checking in for the tour. The ship was keeping track of everyone who was on an excursion to make sure they got back with the group. We didn't actually see anyone grabbed for quarantine, but we were near the end of one group and heard the security person say that a person following us was the last from that group.

 

[lanejudy]

How does being in a DCL excursion change the original guideline?

By signing up for a DCL excursion you agree to remain within the “bubble” and that means not leaving the excursion group until you reboard. If you want to shop or explore on your own, either don’t sign up for a DCL excursion or wait until you are back onboard and then get off the ship again, as PP mentioned.

 

[MomOTwins]

Thanks - I had hoped that was the case.
But it still doesn't make sense. If the person is vaccinated and over 5 yo, aren't they allowed to go on their own?
How does being in a DCL excursion change the original guideline? You can either go on your own or in an excursion if you're vaccinated and over 5, no?

It may be to protect the the folks who run the excursion.

 

[hilarys]

On the December cruise you could leave the ship freely if you were vaccinated. And any independent shore excursions were fine if vaccinated (Cozumel and Falmouth).

All Disney tours met onboard in a lounge or the theater. If you took a Disney excursion you had to be escorted to and from the excursion all the way back to the ship even if vaccinated. Once onboard anyone vaccinated was free to get off again, which is what our son did for shopping.

You were told this policy both on the morning show by the Cruise Director and when checking in for the tour. The ship was keeping track of everyone who was on an excursion to make sure they got back with the group. We didn't actually see anyone grabbed for quarantine, but we were near the end of one group and heard the security person say that a person following us was the last from that group.

Confirming that this was the case on the Dec 26 Fantasy as well - it was stated mutliple times while we waited in the theater before departing the ship for our excursion. I even confirmed it to make sure I was hearing things correctly. We did just as the prior poster did. In Tortola we all scanned back onto the ship and then got back off to shop and have lunch.

 

[Cheburashka]

Can someone corroborate this?
So if you go on your own on a port you get quarantined? That's bonkers.

I went into Nassau independently during a Magic cruise in October and had no issues reboarding the ship. No testing, no quarantine, nothing different than any pre-Covid cruise. Just walked back onboard & it was a great day.

It seems this is only an issue if you book a DCL excursion. Another great reason to usually avoid DCL excursions if you're able.

 

[DisneYE]

I went into Nassau independently during a Magic cruise in October and had no issues reboarding the ship. No testing, no quarantine, nothing different than any pre-Covid cruise. Just walked back onboard & it was a great day.

It seems this is only an issue if you book a DCL excursion. Another great reason to usually avoid DCL excursions if you're able.

Yeah. I knew about DCL letting ppl to go on their own in certain (most?) ports.. but I was puzzled when the OP said a person that was in a bubble excursion had to go into quarantine because they stepped out to do some shopping at the end.. But @lanejudy 's answer above explains why and it makes sense.

 

[sjuncfan]

Yeah. I knew about DCL letting ppl to go on their own in certain (most?) ports.. but I was puzzled when the OP said a person that was in a bubble excursion had to go into quarantine because they stepped out to do some shopping at the end.. But @lanejudy 's answer above explains why and it makes sense.

This is OP . This is what I saw posted elsewhere, which sounded weird to me which is why I posted here: "A friend was on the Magic for NYE (a 5-night cruise). When they arrived in Cozumel, they were advised that if you didn’t take a DCL excursion, but disembarked the ship, you would be subject to testing once back on board." Maybe something was lost in translation and the message was that if they DID take a DCL excursion but strayed from it... who knows.