habitatnal

I don’t get why every other cruise line I can put my credit card information once online but MSC can’t figure out how to do this.

11 hours ago, asalligo said:

They have to be considering dropping this requirement as almost every cruise ship sailing from US ports has at this point. Hopefully we hear something soon. 

 

I’m kind of shocked that MSC is the last cruise line with testing requirements.  I thought Disney would be last.  I would think MSC would announce changes soon.

Anybody that has embarked on a cruise since all the protocols were dropped can confirm that the VeriFLY check-in line is gone?  There is no need for VeriFLY if you don’t need to show a vaccination card or test.

56 minutes ago, FlaMariner said:

 

Two HAL cruises since the unpleasantness.  Had the 72 hour health statement to complete online. No health statements at the pier. 

 

On one (Rotterdam, Amsterdam, 10/21) we were swabbed up the nose rather harshly by a very tall Dutch lady and we were only permitted onboard if we were Covid negative. 

 

On the other (NA, Port Everglades, 12/21) we had to submit our vaccine status and negative Covid tests.

 

(I'm having a hard time visualizing anyone at the pier (or on the 72 hours statement) stating they are ill....Do people really check off "yes, I am here and I am sick?".....I'd be very curious as to how that plays out)

Thanks for the info.  I don’t know what would happen if you answer yes.  I do know that pre-pandemic Royal Caribbean asked me some health questions at the pier.

1 hour ago, Cruisesfun65 said:

I've been to Grand Turk 3 times post Covid and never had to show any vaccination information. Maybe Carnival has the unvaccinated in their system and those guests get flagged when trying to disembark?

 Before the protocol change everyone had to produce a negative test or proof of vaccination at check-in so Carnival knew who was vaccinated and unvaccinated.  I’m guessing now if your cruise goes to Grand Turk, you will have to show your vaccination card at check-in so you can get off in Grand Turk.  If you don’t you will be flagged as unvaccinated.

2 hours ago, keeponcruising said:

I just did mine.  They ask if you had covid in the last 7 days.  That's it.

That is interesting that they don’t ask if you had a fever or diarrhea to see if you have norovirus.  I know pre-pandemic many cruise lines would ask you health questions.  If you have cruised HAL since the restart, did they ask you any health questions at the pier?

4 hours ago, Crazy For Cats said:

I just looked up the protocols for our November cruise.  No vaccination required nor a test.  It still says to use Verifly.  We loaded our vaccination code a few weeks ago and the app is waiting on our health assessment.  Of course in typical HAL fashion it could all change again during the next two weeks.

I called Holland America and they said for cruises that have dropped all protocols VeriFLY is no longer being used since there is nothing to upload to the app.  The VeriFLY line is gone at the port. Since the OP couldn’t upload their vaccination card I think VeriFLY is truly not be used anymore.

The real test to see if VeriFLY is truly gone will be people’s experiences at the port.  I will be curious to see what people report back.

17 minutes ago, zhuangcorp said:

What about the online health assessment. Don't we have to do that?

The health assessment is done online and everyone has to do it. VeriFLY was an optional app.

Holland America is no longer using VeriFLY for cruises that no longer require testing or vaccination.  They just updated the protocols so now most cruises don’t require vaccination or testing for anyone.

Does this mean that if you are on a standard sailing regardless of vaccination status, that all you need to bring to the port are your travel documents?  (No test or vaccination card.)

Is the VeriFLY line going away at the port since there is no reason to use VeriFLY?

I wish this protocol change was communicated better and clearer.

I’m surprised that now Holland America has looser protocols than Carnival.  I thought Holland America would be one of the last cruise lines to change their protocols.

1 hour ago, Linguist208 said:

Fair enough, but that's not what the title of the post says, and it's not clear in any replies.

Also, because Princess has dropped all testing that means that vaccinated people no longer will have to show their vaccination card.  This will make boarding more streamlined and faster.

3 hours ago, MagnoliaBlossom said:

I may be mistaken but I thought the new policy was no testing for cruises 5 days or less.  Seems I read that somewhere.  I had my card with me so it wasn’t a problem , just thought it was unnecessary.

If you are unvaccinated you still need to test regardless of the length of the cruise.  So you either show your vaccine card to prove that you are vaccinated or if you are unvaccinated you produce a negative test result since you don’t have a vaccine card.  If you are vaccinated, they will not just believe you are vaccinated so that is why you need to show the card.

1 hour ago, MagnoliaBlossom said:

We were on a 5 day cruise on the Breeze last week sailing from Galveston and I was very surprised that I was asked for my vaccination card.  I asked the lady about the new announcement that vax was not required for this cruise and she shrugged her shoulders and asked me whether I was going to present a card or not.  

While you are no longer required to be vaccinated, you still have to show your vaccination card to be exempt from testing requirements.

4 hours ago, ChrisCJR said:

This company sure does operate in interesting ways.  Seems like Princess is a step a head of Carnival each time even though Princess has the longer itineraries on average.

 

No doubt, it's coming to most lines soon.  Norwegian already did it.  RCI and Carnival are probably just a couple weeks away, if not sooner.

Princess markets itself to an older crowd than Carnival or Royal so I think they have a higher vaccination rate than Carnival/Royal.  Removing all protocols doesn’t change much if most people are vaccinated anyway.

On 9/29/2022 at 4:37 PM, BermudaBound2014 said:

For those in this thread who keep wanting Bermuda to remove their protocols, you wish has also come true. That happened quickly after Canada. I believe Greece has also removed cruise passenger protocols.

 

Are there any countries left with covid protocols remaining in place for cruisers? Admittedly I've lost track, but can't think of any off the top of my head. Could the world finally be WIDE OPEN again?? 

 

https://www.gov.bm/cruise-travel-authorisation

 

Well according to NCL, there are many countries that still have protocols in place. https://www.ncl.com/travel-requirements-by-country  

49 minutes ago, Tree_skier said:

Boarded Navigator today with unvaccinated teens. I had a picture or their negative tests on my phone. They were checked to confirm they were negative but that was it. Embarkation was very quick and painless

Was the picture of the negative test just the actual test and that is it?  No name or test date on or near the test.

8 minutes ago, dada2199cc said:

I’m bringing a photo of a negative pregnancy test to see if they’re paying attention.

Good luck.  I wouldn’t risk it since most of the COVID-19 test strips say covid on the test strip.

I’m very curious to know if Royal is literally going to accept a picture of a negative test strip and that is it.  Carnival requires you place a piece of paper next to the test strip with your name/date of test so that requires a little more effort to fake.

If you want to try Carnival again I would try a 7 night vista class ship in the Havana area or an excel class suite.  Both have a hot tub/pool/lounge chair area that are only for the guests staying in that area.   Also,  those ships have modern decor.  Carnival is moving away from the tacky decor.  I refused to sail Carnival until they came out with the vista class ships.  I hate the old tacky decor.  I have enjoyed both of my Carnival cruises.

34 minutes ago, lyannea said:

Could the unvaxed stay on board when in Victoria ? Hopefully, the cruise lines & Canada will allow the unvaxed to stay onboard the ship.

Canada and 22 other countries around the world have restrictions regarding vaccinated only &/or 14 day quarantine when you get there.m, if unvaxed.

If you are over 12 and unvaccinated you can’t cruise to Canada and Canada will not just let you stay on the ship.  Canada has taken a conservative approach throughout the pandemic and I don’t see anything changing this year.

6 hours ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

 

I suspect the Bahamas will change their requirements. Covid policies remain extremely fluid and the one thing we've learned is that they are in a continuous state of change.

 

CCL initially said Bahamas wouldn't allow unvaccinated and then backtracked a few days later (looking rather foolish). Did I mention that covid policies are still fluid? lol

 

RCL also said they will have more announcements on unvaccinated released on 8/14. That may help clear up some of the confusion. 

 

If I were you, I'd wait a few weeks to book. Lots of this uncertainty with particular ports will shake out. If the trip you are planning is far into the future, I'd just book (w/refundable deposit). The odds of any covid protocols remaining into 2023 seem very low to me.

 

 

 

 

I think that the unvaccinated may have to test until spring of next year.  NCL is requiring testing for unvaccinated people over 12 regardless of destination.  There are cruises that just go to Mexico and I would be shocked if Mexico required unvaccinated cruisers have a negative test.  They have not required testing or vaccination for anyone throughout the entire pandemic.  It seems like NCL sees value in requiring unvaccinated people over 12 have a negative test or why would they require it when not every destination does?

5 hours ago, WorkNCruise said:

Well I am no legal expert nor do I pretend to be.

 

Here is my take on this.

 

Mask mandates are on a rapid decline in the United States.  There are many examples and some exceptions that are to much to list here.

 

Previously the attitude was that if I can wear it shopping, working, or wherever then putting it on to cruise will be as normal as life back home.

 

If mask mandates mostly disappear on land in most all aspects of life people are not going to pick a cruise for their vacation where a mask is required  Especially after they get used to not having to wear it.

 

I am not advocating one way or the other just stating my opinion on how people are going to mull the prospect of not wearing a mask at home and then wear one on vacation.

 

I just got off the Encore on Jan. 30th and I can say for myself that it didn't ruin my vacation.  I didn't see anyone else fuss about it either.  I look forward to when its no longer a thing.

 

So the Coast Guard, CDC, and whomever can legally require whatever they see fit but if cruising experience does not return to the way it was in 2019 the cruise industry is toast.

 

With rising inflation and a crashing stockmarket it may toast either way because of the double shock of a pandemic mixed with a recession.

 

I sure hope I am wrong because the 2019 cruise experience is how I want to vacation.

What if the only thing that cruise lines required was a negative test/proof of vaccination to get on board and then the experience was like in 2019?  Would you be ok with that?

2 hours ago, billslowsky said:

You can buy from the post-security vending machines in Manhattan and put them in your carry-on, they don't rescreen you again.  Two out of three times they haven't charged me for wine in the carry-on.  They sent the bag through x-ray, no one said anything, just move along please.  Even if they directed me to the table where someone charges you, I don't think anyone would do anything if I just walked on by.

I'm surprised that NCL allows vending machines past port security.  I would think that they would want people to buy the onboard soda.  It could be that NCL has no control of the port area since they don't own it.  In that case, I'm sure NCL wishes that the vending machines weren't allowed.

3 minutes ago, TNcruising02 said:

Now that they have the new system with appointment times, if you are not priority and arrive either before your appointment time or after it, you will have to go to the early/late line.  So, people can still arrive early, but should be prepared for possible long lines at the early/late line.  Since boarding zones are being assigned during online check in for many ports, if you have a late boarding zone you may have to wait awhile after being seated.  They used to assign boarding zones upon arrival at the port, but many ports don't do it that way anymore.

Still, the times we did not have priority but arrived earlier than our appointment time, we were on the ship before our appointment time.

In another thread someone checked in online as soon as they could for the Panorama and received a 12:30 pm appointment time.  Let’s assume they received A1 as their boarding zone since they checked in as soon as they could.  Do you think they could show up to the port at 11 am go in the early/late line and be onboard at 11:30 am or 12:00 pm?

1 hour ago, Tapi said:

Carnival “can”, but Carnival hasn’t, at least until now.
 

Carnival took a different path than other cruise lines after the Destiny was conceived. They made a bold statement breaking the 100,000 ton mark with that ship, but then they took a more conservative (and economical) path and they somewhat stalled.  Every class of ship ever since has been a tweaked and gradually enlarged version of the first platform, each one carrying more passengers, but no major or breaking changes were really made to handle the extra passengers either onboard or ashore.

 

In the meantime, other cruise lines took a bigger risk and were busy creating new classes of ships that not only carried more passengers, but that were revolutionary, innovative, and a true departure from previous designs. More importantly, they came up with ways to effectively handle the larger number of passengers.

 

I’m hopeful that with the introduction of Mardi Gras (the first truly new design in 25 years), and with the construction of new terminals that can handle this new class of ship, that we will see new, more effective, and truly innovative ways to handle the crowds besides just staggered embarkation. 

I totally agree with you that Carnival has not been innovative at all since Destiny.  I can’t wait to see what people think of the Mardi Gras. The ship looks very innovative and different from the standard Carnival design.  I’m not brave enough to book the Mardi Gras before it comes out but if people like it, I will probably book it.