embarkation75

2 hours ago, bdever said:

Exactly, we most likely will need to default to unvaccinated protocols with a greater number of unvaccinated children sailing. It’s obviously been working in other parts of the world for sometime now. Carnival is not going to put themselves at risk financially by allowing a greater number of unvaccinated passengers onboard with greater risk of an outbreak and as you have wisely pointed out, we now have the Delta variant to contend with. Be careful what you wish for.

I honestly have no idea what to expect now given this ruling with protocols aside from little to no consistency from one cruiseline to the next,  not to mention one home/destination port to the next. As long as unvaccinated are required to get both a PCR and rapid test ahead of embarkation, then I as a vaccinated individual have no problem cruising with them. However, the minute my cruise itinerary, onboard entertainment, shore excursions, etc.. is impacted by the anti-vaxxer's on the ship, then Carnival will be sending me a refund.

1 hour ago, vacruisin said:

I wonder, will all ports allow Carnival ships to dock if unvaccinated passengers are onboard?  Or if we’ll only be allowed to do book shore excursions sponsored by Carnival?     

That was going to be an issue even before this ruling as many of the destination ports may not permit cruises with even the slightest number of unvaccinated to dock. While Mexico won't likely stop any ships, many of the smaller island nations may forbid mixed vax and anti-vaxxer passenger cruises to dock. This doesn't even include home port rules this could enable. 

1 hour ago, cruisingguy007 said:

 

Any word on when the 3 & 4 day cruises will return?

First they need a ship since the Miracle is running Alaska cruises through September and the Radiance hasn't even completed refurbishment.

On 6/8/2021 at 1:51 PM, bamaone said:

Maybe, but who really wants to deal with California?

That's how I view cruising out of Florida now! No thanks on Florida

8 hours ago, tm_aw_love said:

Trying to be optimistic, but it seems that doing everything to include families would be going the test sailing route like RCCL. That way they wouldn't exclude children. If this sticks, I bet they lose at least some loyal customers. I know they make money on drunk party animals, but they also make a ton from families. 

I'm truly sorry for your frustration given Carnival's informal (yet obviously unofficial) statements for months about not requiring vaccination that ultimately looks like it was aimed to keep folks deposit money. With that stated, these one-sided threats about losing loyal customers if they don't get what they want is getting old.  I heard even more folks prior to this announcement saying if Carnival didn't require vaccination that they were leaving Carnival. In the end this is a business decision by Carnival to take the least risky path to return to cruising as they understand either choice is going to hack off people but not aimed at destroying somebody's family trip. Better days are ahead as just give the cruiselines time to work through the challenges with resuming cruising during a pandemic.

9 hours ago, BoozinCroozin said:

 I expect in the next 6-8 weeks, the vaccine will be for everyone. 

 

Wrong. The trials won't even be finished in 6-8 weeks for under 12 kids, plus it will take longer for EUA compared to the bridge studies for the 12-15 year olds. Fall at the earliest for under 12 which last check is still 4 months away.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2021/05/14/covid-vaccine-kids-under-12-trials/

4 minutes ago, BlerkOne said:

I think they will sail in July, but don't expect it to be a normal cruise as in 2019 normal. 

Indeed. With the next covid spike expected to match the onset of the fall flu season (albeit smaller than last year due to vaccinations), it won't be back to 2019 cruising for a long time. I'd wager that at a minimum it will be at least until next summer before the testing and vaccinated checks subside but possibly longer.

39 minutes ago, BlerkOne said:

Sounds to me like vaccinated to start. That's in the best interest of public health.

Indeed with that comment at the end about "...the reason we are doing vaccinated now..." is the nail in the coffin for mixed vax and anti-vaxxer passengers to start.

2 hours ago, IntrepidFromDC said:

"Ron DeSantis is close to signing off on a bargain that would recognize cruise ships at port as being in international waters, meaning they would not be subject to the state's newly signed vaccine passport ban if they require proof of vaccinations after passengers come aboard."...

 

I don't see that as a compromise except as spin.

 

It's anti-business because it forces cruise operators to decouple the pre-boarding and CDC 95% rule separately, an unnecessary added expense for the cruise lines and bottleneck for the passengers.  On the other hand, where does that leave the unvaccinated cruisers who "said" they were vaccinated while in the terminal?

 

POPCORN time!  😀🏴‍☠️

Yep! Funny to watch DeSantis backtrack with this laughable compromise! Grab the popcorn and watch the backtracking spin! 🍿

Just now, regoodwinjr said:

No relation to anywhere else because the requirement comes from Alaska and the individual ports.

Maybe not as we shall see what destination ports require and other ports in the US might require vaccination proof to even enter the cruise terminal. Going to vary considerably from one cruise to the next let alone cruise line.

6 minutes ago, crewsweeper said:

Dis agree.  Read the latest CDC on cruising from 5/26/21.  Cruise lines will go for this.  Need $$$.

Not to mention Alaska cruises as well.

7 minutes ago, stellarose said:

but thought florida can't ask for vaccines?  

Apparently that law doesn't have jurisdiction over cruising as it appears Celebrity was told that. As was stated by others, "FL has no jurisdiction over international travel or areas under Federal control or jurisdiction".

14 minutes ago, stellarose said:

how did celebrity get permission with paid cruisers out of Florida....

Simple, it is not a test cruise as vaccinated only cruises can completely skip that step with paid passengers.

7 hours ago, Tippyton said:

FL has no jurisdiction over international travel or areas under Federal control or jurisdiction. Read: Ports, Airports, Passenger Rail, Federal Gov't property.  Ron knows this and has known this - there is no crisis here.

This is going to be funny to watch as either that law is the reason cruising is stopped in FL or it has no jurisdiction over cruising. Grab the popcorn and watch the egos deflate!

20 minutes ago, CI66774 said:

It would be unconst. for any individual state to restrict interstate travel to it/through it by requiring a vaccine Verification upon entry. It can require a test or a quarantine period but it cannot unilaterally requires all people driving, etc. through it to be vaccinated. 

Huh?!?!...I never said the entire state as this is about ports although Florida sure is trying to mandate in the opposite end of things, sooooo. There is nothing "unconst" as you say with local ports/municipalities creating requirements such as vaccination for use of terminal, parking, etc. This doesn't even include destination ports as they may also require vaccination. Most ports will wait to see what the cruise lines do then adjust accordingly although I'd wager most won't add a layer of requirements but rather leave it to the cruise line if rules are deemed appropriate.

6 minutes ago, txgranny said:

Is this the final protocols set for cruises till the CSO expires?  If so, as a fully vaccinated individual I'm not sure I want to cruise like this for my August 28th Vista cruise.  I understand Carnival going test cruise route and not try and figure out how to validate those who are vaccinated but I feel like I'm being punished when CDC says I can go maskless. 

Who knows for sure as much can and will change but everybody better saddle-up for at least the first year of criteria for embarkation and onboard experiences to be highly impacted. 

1 hour ago, fyree39 said:

I'll get the test if that's what they want. I'm wondering now if testing will be held at the pier or do I have to find someplace local.

 

If Carnival accepts unvaccinated, it will have to be a PCR test before embarkation day... and on your own dime as the rapid tests have too many false readings to permit potentially infected individuals without vaccination on the ship. Without use of PCR for unvaccinated, you will be lucky to go a month without a cruise or two being cut short due to one of these unvaccinated individuals getting on a ship and spreading covid like a wildfire. Listen, I have no problem cruising with unvaccinated IF they can pass both a PCR test and rapid test. If there is no PCR test for unvaccinated, then I'm not likely cruising with Carnival.

6 minutes ago, stellarose said:

I did not mean to cause a stink. just wanted to share the new / updated info for my fellow CC followers. 

 

I don't want to test or wear a mask but again, I want to cruise and follow the guidelines that are set by carnival.   again, we have no idea what the fall will bring.  I found an old picture of me walking on the boardwalk a year ago.  we had masks, socially distanced, no vaccines- a lot has changed in one year. 

A ton can and will change over the next year but a return to pre-covid boarding/onboard experiences is at least a year or more out, if ever.

4 minutes ago, Suncoastsailors said:

(Separately, we are making vaccines available to all crew members and they will have gone through a quarantine period when joining the ship.  As an extra layer of protection, crew members will wear masks while on duty and be tested regularly)

They are making vaccines available to crew???? I though 100% of crew must be vaccinated. Crew will wear mask and be tested regularly??? Does this mean they will not all be vaccinated? 

That is exactly how I read that. Glad I'm not cruising until March 2022 as this restart has high failure potential written all over it.

2 minutes ago, BlerkOne said:

Cruising out of Washington State is.

Odds are other ports/states may require vaccination as well. I'd say the odds are high the entire West Coast ports and much of New England ports. What a weird resumption this will be with highly variable requirements from one port to the next.

4 hours ago, cruisingguy007 said:

Might be a good reason to stick to 3/4 day cruises at the outset. No testing, no covid.  

Unvaccinated still have to test prior to embarkation regardless of cruise length. Nobody, and I mean nobody in a position of authority cruise or CDC is saying unvaccinated will get on a ship without testing. This also includes multiple restrictions on unvaccinated that won't apply to vaccinated passengers.

With Carnival "supposedly" within 45-60 days of whatever cruise type (test, vaccinated only, never leave the port) we can start to layout the different paths a vaccinated passenger will experience vs unvaccinated (assuming they are allowed to cruise) will follow possibly up to a year after resumption of cruises.

Embarkation:

Vaccinated - Whatever proof of vaccination and onto the ship well before unvaccinated 

Unvaccinated - COVID testing ahead of embarkation and possibly also on embarkation day at the cost of the passenger.  Last on the ship

Cruise: 

Vaccinated - Limited times of mask wearing, most shore excursions available, freedom to get off the ship to explore at ports without excursions,  less restriction on dining options and entertainment.

Unvaccinated - Mask wearing mandatory at all times, limited to no shore excursions, no ability to get off ship without Carnival controlled excursion, a significantly altered dining and entertainment experience

Debarkation:

Vaccinated - Off the ship first and away they go to home

Unvaccinated - More testing and last off the ship

In summary, if you are unvaccinated and willing to jump through all of those hoops and have your cruise experience altered that much, then I have no worries being on a ship with you as you will have earned it.

What people are not talking about is the varied experience vaccinated vs unvaccinated would experience on a cruise. At this point, the path for vaccinated passengers looks easy while unvaccinated will need to be fairly committed to cruising as between testing, mask wearing, and limited shore excursions...it doesn't look anything like normal for what could be the first year after resumption of cruising. Given the extent unvaccinated will have to jump through to get onboard, I have no problem cruising with them as the limitations alone will turn many of the unvaccinated away while testing for unvaccinated filters out many of the folks not taking covid seriously.

4 hours ago, ontheweb said:

Aren't they the cruise line that has said as of July 1, all must be vaccinated? Or am I confusing them with another river cruise line?

Not sure as they currently operate with a no-test process for vaccinated...but testing for unvaccinated.

https://www.americancruiselines.com/account/covid-19-operating-protocol

5 hours ago, jsglow said:

 

 

Ding, ding ding.  Just as I predicted two days ago!  New policy as of this morning.  No tests if you're vaxxed either at embarkation or disembarkation.  Not sure how it applies to flying into the country but this opens the cruising door wide open.  😃

American Cruise Lines has been doing something very similar with vaccinated simply getting on the ship after displaying vaccination card while unvaccinated have to take multiple covid tests to qualify for embarkation. At this point, the path for vaccinated passengers looks easy while unvaccinated will need to be fairly committed to cruising as between testing, mask wearing, and limited shore excursions...it doesn't look fun for them. 

Was reading about a another covid spike expected in the fall largely due to the 30-35% unvaccinated population. Given this,  it was mentioned that the CDC is unlikely to loosen any restraints for unvaccinated until possibly next summer as I would speculate these cruising rules for vax vs unvax passengers, will exist as well.