The Norwegian Jewel cruise ship is scheduled to stop into the Port of San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua on the Saturday 2nd of April 2022 (from 7am to 6pm) as part of a 12 day cruise from Panama City, Panama to San Diego, California.
UPDATE: Norwegian Jewel left Puntarenas at 8pm as scheduled. It will not stop at San Juan del Sur but will be “At Sea” on Saturday 2nd April 2022 on route to El Salvador for Sunday 3rd April.
If the cruise ship does stop, which is unlikely, and passengers wish to disembark, they face the same COVID -19 entry requirements that Nicaragua imposes on anyone arriving by land, air or sea. That is; “Travelers must present a negative test result from a Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR- RT) for COVID-19, carried out in a period not exceeding 72 hours preceding entry into the country”
This would require them to be tested on board which doesn’t appear to be something offered by the cruise ship.
Nicaragua is not listed in the Norwegian Cruise Lines “Country Requirements” for COVID entry rules, however, the cruise line does advise passengers that they must abide by any local rules when taking shore excursions.
Costa Rica
On the other hand, Costa Rica (Puntarenas on Friday April 1st 2022) is the stop the day before San Juan del Sur) and is listed as “only requiring masks while disembarking”.
It should be noted that as of April 1st 2022, “The temporary immigration measures for entering Costa Rica are repealed. This eliminates the requirements to complete the epidemiological form known as the Health Pass and the payment of medical insurance for unvaccinated foreigners”. As well, all establishments, activities and events can work at 100% capacity.
CDC, Cruise Ships and COVID
On Wednesday 30th of March 2022, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) lifted their advisory for cruise ship travel which for two years has been warning travelers about the possibility of contracting COVID-19 onboard a cruise.
Although the notice has been lifted, they do warn that the passengers themselves will have to assess their personal health risks prior to boarding the vessel.
Norwegian Cruise Lines – Covid-19 Protocols
At check-in, all guests are required to present a negative NAAT (i.e. PCR) or antigen test for COVID-19 as well as proof of vaccination. All guests 12 and over as well as all crew must be fully vaccinated at least 2 weeks prior to departure. Children under the age of 12 will have to observe local entry rules at any ports of call.
Norwegian Jewel
After being laid up for two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Norwegian Jewel is on the move as it repositions to San Diego, California for two “Mexican Riviera” trips.
The cruise ship left Panama City, Panama on Tuesday the 29th of March 2022, on a 12 day cruise that will take in: Costa Rica (Puntarenas), Nicaragua (San Juan del Sur), El Salvador (Acajutla), Guatemala (Puerto Quetzal) as well as three Mexican stops at Huatulco, Puerto Vallarta, and Cabo San Lucas before arriving in San Diego.
The vessel is then destined for Vancouver, Canada where it will spend the summer offering one way cruises either from Vancouver to Alaska or Alaska to Vancouver.
Built in 2005, the cruise ship is the top vessel in Norwegian’s “Jewel Class”, having received a major overhaul and renovation in 2018. She is capable of accommodating a maximum of 2,376 passengers that are looked after by 1,100 crew members.
Fourteen of the eighteen Norwegian Cruise Line vessels are already sailing.
