smokeybandit

Not good news, but it's not necessarily a sign that everything is getting shut down again.

No cruise line is going to start up with 100% of their fleet in service. 50% may even be a high numbers.

CDC has no jurisdiction for cruises that don't touch an American port.

That exception makes more sense than outright dropping the program

Double your normal suite points.

Quadruple when compared to tradition room points accumulation.

But when they turn 18, they get their parents' status.

CWC may be here to stay much like airlines ditching change fees are now here to stay

Yes, only the Junior Suites are "fake" suites in regards to suite lounge access.

I wonder how many people would have to cancel because their schedules don't fit a longer cruise.

2 hours ago, Ourusualbeach said:

Them extending it through the end of September  tells me that they think that there will be a lot of cancellations through that time.

Or they just are getting more desperate to prevent people from requesting refunds.

So book by the end of June.  Noted.

They're also ending Lift and Shift which to me is a good sign of cruises returning this year.

The due date/final payment date really isn't important here.

If you've paid in full prior to the cruise being canceled, regardless of when final payment is, then you can get the 125% FCC.

First thought would be they are loading the additional medical equipment required for return to cruising, but that wouldn't make sense to load that onto the pool deck.

Though I guess they could be loading social distancing stuff like plexiglass windows.

So much to digest here.  Yeah, it sucks, but I'm sure the CSR didn't know when cruises were about to be canceled again.  FCCs don't automatically get applied to your next reservation. And RC wasn't taking your money since they already had it.

The rest is just impatience in the midst of a total hell of a year for cruise lines.

24 minutes ago, Ocean Boy said:

But is is fair for the vaccinated to be imposed upon and require them to wear a mask to help protect the non vaccinated. I don't think so.

I agree with that.

Actually, it looks like those 3 Carnival ships with lengthy delays is just delayed drydock schedules.

5 minutes ago, molly361 said:

Don't know what they will do but as I have said on other threads it should be vaccines for all or those who can't or won't including kids should not be allowed on board.  Doesn't seem fair for others to get vaccinated and then get sick from some kid that brings it on.  FYI I am over 65 and have not had any luck getting one yet so I might be one not let on board either

It doesn't seem fair to exclude families with younger kids just because kids can't get the vaccine, despite kids getting and spreading covid at 50%, if not higher, rates than adults.

Plus how often would you as a 65 yr old cruiser being spending time in close contact with a kid you don't know?

On 1/20/2021 at 10:03 PM, atgood said:

We’re way down on the list to get the vaccine so it won’t be happening for us anytime soon.  
 

On a positive note though, the WHO announced revised guidance today regarding interpreting PCR test results, essentially saying that high cycle rates result in high false positive rates.  “WHO guidance Diagnostic testing for SARS-CoV-2 states that careful interpretation of weak positive results is needed (1). The cycle threshold (Ct) needed to detect virus is inversely proportional to the patient’s viral load. Where test results do not correspond with the clinical presentation, a new specimen should be taken and retested using the same or different NAT technology.

WHO reminds IVD users that disease prevalence alters the predictive value of test results; as disease prevalence decreases, the risk of false positive increases (2). This means that the probability that a person who has a positive result (SARS-CoV-2 detected) is truly infected with SARS-CoV-2 decreases as prevalence decreases, irrespective of the claimed specificity.”  https://www.who.int/news/item/20-01-2021-who-information-notice-for-ivd-users-2020-05

If PCR cycle rates are lowered, then the # of positive cases will drop.  Also, with the focus on administering the vaccine now, testing will go down and so will the # of CV cases too. 

As much as I think PCR thresholds should be lowered, that's not entirely what this says. It says if the test hits at a high cycle, don't immediately take that as a positive case.  Retest and/or use that in conjunction with clinical observations to determine if it should be considered  positive case.

A lot of the big resorts in Mexico are preparing to do the testing for their guests.

4 minutes ago, Ocean Boy said:

Just the fact that cruising resumes says nothing about the vaccines. It is only when other restrictions can, and are, removed will it demonstrate that the vaccines are providing the desired affect.

 

I do however feel this demonstrates the benefit of 100% vaccination requirement. If there are exceptions and an outbreak occurs on a ship, the first thing the skeptics will point to is vaccine failure.

 

 

And there will be positives on board, even with 100% vaccinations since the vaccine won't be 100% effective (especially in older people) and there will be false positives.

Just now, Ourusualbeach said:

Other things that people get vaccinated for aren't a global health issue.  If it bothers you then wait several years until the vaccine is no longer a requirement

I have no issue with the vaccine itself. I just have an issue with the utter hypocrisy surrounding the vaccine and covid in general.

1 minute ago, Ourusualbeach said:

She never stopped sailing.

It was a joke. The Love Boat was a different Pacific Princess that was scrapped a few ago

But both are still beyond what the manufacturers ever tested again.

OK, "disaster" might be hyperbole. 

https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/medical/vaccine-delay-uk-should-cut-its-12-week-gap-between-doses-doctors-group-says/ar-BB1d1EjB

3 minutes ago, Ocean Boy said:

Then I guess there are a multitude of legit reasons to deny boarding.

Until they get hit with a class action ADA lawsuit