Bahamas Health Visa Info

[Neesa]

For those of you who have visited Bahamas already do you know the cost of this Visa? Is this something Royal was toying with giving us some on board credit for? Not a deal breaker but I registered and now have to wait to take my 15 year old for her PCR test to upload, actually located a rapid PCR test, timing won't allow for vaccine and honestly not feeling the vaccine for her.  Just want to do a bit more due diligence for her, we got it to sail we are old anyway!! Lol!! Insights thoughts please share with me, thanks so much everyone

[TXcruzer]

1 hour ago, Neesa said:

For those of you who have visited Bahamas already do you know the cost of this Visa? Is this something Royal was toying with giving us some on board credit for? Not a deal breaker but I registered and now have to wait to take my 15 year old for her PCR test to upload, actually located a rapid PCR test, timing won't allow for vaccine and honestly not feeling the vaccine for her.  Just want to do a bit more due diligence for her, we got it to sail we are old anyway!! Lol!! Insights thoughts please share with me, thanks so much everyone

The health visa is $40, and I believe Royal is still giving an OBC to offset the cost. 

[HBCcruiser]

I got mine two weeks ago for our July cruise. I paid $45 USD. I am fully vaccinated so no C19 test needed. 

[JC Pats]

19 minutes ago, TXcruzer said:

The health visa is $55, and I believe Royal is still giving an OBC to offset the cost. 

I paid $40 for my health visa and yea, that's what we've been told (About the OBC) but I'm guessing that won't be added until we're on board. 

Also, I do believe the fee is per traveler - maybe those travelling with families can confirm? 

 

[smokeybandit]

i've seen a few people getting a head start on the Bahamas visa. How long do these last for?  I'd be worried they'd expire before I got there.

 

The fee is per adult. Kids under 18 would be added to the visa profile of the adult

[JC Pats]

12 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

i've seen a few people getting a head start on the Bahamas visa. How long do these last for?  I'd be worried they'd expire before I got there.

Mine was issued on Tuesday (5/11)-

 

 

[smokeybandit]

So about 45 days. Nice.

[josassoc]

So are you putting in a May date of arrival, then assuming a 45 day approval?  I am not able to get the calendar to extend to June (when we actually cruise on the 17th).

[joshgates]

10 minutes ago, josassoc said:

So are you putting in a May date of arrival, then assuming a 45 day approval?  I am not able to get the calendar to extend to June (when we actually cruise on the 17th).

I wouldn't.  Shortly after they added the ability to upload vaccination proof they instituted a two week window for applications, likely due to a deluge of people trying to get theirs in early.   I'd wait till your window opens to actually apply for it to avoid any issues.

[BarbieBell]

We have BTB cruises in June out of Nassau, my question is do we need separate visas for the Bahamas?  Also just to be clear - there is no longer a requirement for a negative COVID test results to be attached to your application for Bahamas Health visa?  
 

Also any idea why we can’t do online check-in for these cruises yet?

[smokeybandit]

24 minutes ago, BarbieBell said:

We have BTB cruises in June out of Nassau, my question is do we need separate visas for the Bahamas?  Also just to be clear - there is no longer a requirement for a negative COVID test results to be attached to your application for Bahamas Health visa?  

Since the vaccinated visa is good for 45 days, I'd think you'd be fine with the B2B

[JC Pats]

48 minutes ago, josassoc said:

So are you putting in a May date of arrival, then assuming a 45 day approval?  I am not able to get the calendar to extend to June (when we actually cruise on the 17th).

No I put in a 6/11 date of arrival - I have heard that the Bahamas has cut back on the ability to apply to his far out in advance due to being overwhelmed. 

[smokeybandit]

Speaking of the Bahamas their PM is now allowing indoor dining on New Providence (Nassau's island) for vaccinated patrons.

[JC Pats]

26 minutes ago, BarbieBell said:

We have BTB cruises in June out of Nassau, my question is do we need separate visas for the Bahamas?  Also just to be clear - there is no longer a requirement for a negative COVID test results to be attached to your application for Bahamas Health visa?  
 

Also any idea why we can’t do online check-in for these cruises yet?

I don’t believe you need separate visas for a b2b. 

Yes, no requirement for a negative covid test When you provide proof of vaccination (photo of vax card did the job for me).

As for online check in, I believe Royal is waiting to release the protocols (so they also finalize what will be available on the cruise) before opening online check in. 

[RBRSKI]

Are they accepting all three vaccines? At one point in time, they had indicated that the J&J was not accepted! 

[smokeybandit]

15 minutes ago, RBRSKI said:

Are they accepting all three vaccines? At one point in time, they had indicated that the J&J was not accepted! 

I don't recall that. Just any CDC/WHO authorized vaccine. 

[dswallow]

COVID-19 Status - The Bahamas

 

 

Bahamas Travel Health Visa

This site has recently been updated with clearer instructions for vaccinated and unvaccinated applicants.

If you are 18 or older, you create a profile and submit the application. If you are 17 or under, you include your application under your parent/guardians profile and application.

 

[smokeybandit]

So that's essentially the WHO vaccines except for that Chinese vaccine that just got WHO authorization. Of course the target tourism audience for The Bahamas is USA/Canada

[BarbieBell]

I went on the Bahamas Health Visa site today, set up our profiles, downloaded our passport photos etc, however I could not complete the application process because the calendar would not accept June 18th.  That’s only 30 days out from our first cruise (June 19) but the calendar on arrival only allows up to June 3?

Anyone else having this problem?

[dswallow]

8 minutes ago, BarbieBell said:

I went on the Bahamas Health Visa site today, set up our profiles, downloaded our passport photos etc, however I could not complete the application process because the calendar would not accept June 18th.  That’s only 30 days out from our first cruise (June 19) but the calendar on arrival only allows up to June 3?

Anyone else having this problem?

You cannot currently submit the application until 2 weeks prior to your arrival date. They changed it a few weeks ago because they were getting too many applications for further into the future. Before the allowance for proof of vaccination, you could not submit an application earlier than 5 days prior to your trip because you had to include testing results no older than that.

 

 

[BarbieBell]

Wow, thanks for your prompt reply! @dswallow  That’s good to know so I can lay that aside for a couple of weeks.

[dswallow]

Just to avoid some likely confusion... there's no changes to the cost of the Bahamas Health Visa yet for vaccinated travelers from the US/Canada ($40) or from other countries ($50), or costs for unvaccinated travelers from US/Canada or other countries, which vary from $40-$70 depending on length of stay and the country you're from.

[smokeybandit]

Isn't that $10 price just for Bahamian citizens and residents? Maybe it's just worded awkwardly. Their press release says the same thing.

[Neesa]

I want to get this correct, please anyone with experience? Traveling with teen, flying to Nassau on Saturday. Do we PCR test Monday or Tuesday " 5 days prior to travel" but so to confirm test day is day zero or one? I don't want to botch this up so close to sailing. It takes a minute to get this test back so I want to do it early but not too early. TY ! 

[wordell1]

Test day is day zero, so Monday.

[dswallow]

4 hours ago, Neesa said:

I want to get this correct, please anyone with experience? Traveling with teen, flying to Nassau on Saturday. Do we PCR test Monday or Tuesday " 5 days prior to travel" but so to confirm test day is day zero or one? I don't want to botch this up so close to sailing. It takes a minute to get this test back so I want to do it early but not too early. TY ! 

Think of it like this:

Day 0 - The day you travel/arrive, so Saturday
Day 1 - Friday
Day 2 - Thursday
Day 3 - Wednesday
Day 4 - Tuesday
Day 5 - Monday

So the test has to be done on a sample taken no earlier than Monday.

[AshleyDillo]

With a 5-day window you have plenty of time to get multiple tests.  I know the Bahamas Visa is asking for 48 hours to process it, so better to get it as soon as possible I imagine. 

[mk-ultra]

Possibly a dumb question, but is the health visa required if the stop is just Cococay?

[AshleyDillo]

10 minutes ago, mk-ultra said:

Possibly a dumb question, but is the health visa required if the stop is just Cococay?

The health visa is required for entry into the Bahamas and for these particular cruises are starting in Nassau so the health visa is required same as if visiting for a land vacation.

It remains to be seen if the Bahamas will require them for cruise stops when cruising starts up out of the US.

[mk-ultra]

7 minutes ago, AshleyDillo said:

The health visa is required for entry into the Bahamas and for these particular cruises are starting in Nassau so the health visa is required same as if visiting for a land vacation.

It remains to be seen if the Bahamas will require them for cruise stops when cruising starts up out of the US.

Thanks.  My cruise isn't until late August (hope, hope, hope) out of Port Canaveral.