I guess the way I see it is that every supermarket, form of transportation, and ...well pretty much everything is operating in some form and no government agency, Federal or otherwise, is requiring a Covid vaccine passport for them to operate, and I see nothing indicating that that will change.  So I see all of the straw man arguments as sort of pointless.  The only industry that is completely shut down, and the only industry that pretty much anyone sees as requiring this passport thing is ... cruising (and that's why I started this post on a cruising forum with an article about the governor of a state that has a large (very large) cruise industry.  As many have said, on this and other forums, we have been required to be inoculated against various diseases, and produce proof, to cruise in the past.  I believe this is completely a safety issue and nothing more insideous. 

Appears that he's totally against the concept.

from Florida Executive Order 21-81...

"No Florida government entity, or its subdivisions, agents, or assigns, shall be permitted to issue vaccine passports, vaccine passes, or other standardized documentation for the purpose of certifying an individual’s COVID-19 vaccination status to a third party,"

https://www.flgov.com/wp-content/uploads/orders/2021/EO_21-81.pdf

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed an Executive Order Friday banning the mandated use of Covid-19 passports in the state.

The Order, effective immediately, says vaccines are available but not mandated in the state and cites freedom and privacy concerns as the primary basis for the action. 

The Order says the implementation and enforcement of vaccine passports would “create two classes of citizens based on vaccinations.”

The order prohibits any government entity or business from requiring a vaccine passport.

DeSantis signaled earlier this week that he would not support vaccine passports.

"It's completely unacceptable for either the government or the private sector to impose upon you the requirement that you show proof of vaccine to just simply be able to participate in normal society," said DeSantis Monday during a news conference.

pinotlover...I was wondering for which Marina cruise you booked Privee?  I believe you were booked on the 1/28/21 Marina cruise (as was I). I am wondering if you rebooked for one of the later S. Amer. cruises or is this for some earlier cruise? I ask because I am on the 12/19/21 Marina cruise and I asked my TA the question about booking Privee and she said "You can make that reservation in your guest reservation portal when it is 75 days prior to the cruise."  So, I was just wondering how you did it? (or is my TA just not very good). 

No email... where do you opt in/out of this email?  I do appreciate people who share information.  I don't appreciate people with bad attitudes. 

What email?

"I’ll be happy with whatever they want to call the first and/or second Allura ship (keeping in line with the names always ending in “a” as long as they don’t use “Corona.” "  I wanted to post a little comment thing like 'like' or 'thanks'... but there wasn't one for ... 'groan'. ☺️

Might be useful to you to post your question on the Oceania board. Might get another perspective.

DeeniEncinitas

We are a little inland from you, it was a great day. Finally the heat is gone.  We all miss the cruises but the crews are really in our thoughts. I won't say we take them for granted because there are so many that we all know, appreciate and respect, but in a situation like this they seem to become disposable.  I can only hope they can make it through this until jobs open up again. I would encourage everyone to increase your remuneration (tips) when we can cruise again.  These folks have lost a lot.

(pls bear with me as I've been fortunate to never have had to use the medical facilities on a cruise ship and have no idea regarding normal staffing) So, they are going to ADD 8 medical staff to EACH ship?  I guess I always assumed that there was probably 1 doctor and 1 assistant (preferably an RN) regardless of the ship. I can't speak for RCCL, but I know NCL has ships from 30k ton 600 pax (Oceania 'R' ships) to 170k ton 4k+ pax NCL ships. For those of you who know, how is the medical staffing different on the larger ships?... and, therefore, if the staffing is increased, would each ship get the additional 8 medical personnel?  Looking at the logistics of the whole thing, I would think that it would be preferable to increase the onboard staffing a little but have a central location staffed by medical personnel that could be quickly moved to a ship where an emergency was occurring.  (man, I've got too much extra time on my hands)

If it goes to zero, I think they'll be a whole lot more to worry about than 100 shares of NCLH.

A good article explaining flu vaccine effectiveness (and maybe COVID).

How Effective is the Flu Vaccine?

https://www.webmd.com/lung/news/20200902/how-effective-is-the-flu-vaccine

"The vaccine must be changed each year, in hopes of matching the ever-mutating viruses. And that’s been a challenge. On average, it’s been 40% effective, meaning it’s prevented illness 40% of the time. Since health officials started tracking it in 2003, effectiveness has varied from year to year, ranging from a low of 10% in 2004-05 to a high of 60% in 2010-11."

"“When we talk about building an influenza vaccine, we’re not just trying to make a vaccine for one virus, like with the measles,” says Michael L. Jackson, PhD, the principal investigator for the United States Influenza Vaccine Effectiveness Network from Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute. “We’re trying to make a vaccine for four different viruses all at once.”

I think #3 will be problematic for the industry.

It implies that 'O' pax on a cruise/excursion would not be able to leave some confined space (like the ship or a bus), only travel to remote locales without people or only tour 'sanitized' places with 'certified' people running them. Since they would not be allowed to mingle with locals or non-'O' pax, this would significantly reduce the excursion opportunities to mostly the bland.  Of course bland is better than COVID, but if the reason you travel is to experience the world, not cruising at all might be better than the bland.  Let's hope for and early, effective, widely available and safe vaccine

A friend of mine who's on my (hopefully) next cruise just purchased some.  I found and printed the form so all I have to do know is wait about 12 months. 

Got my 100  yesterday. We'll see how it goes. (Made $25 dollars on paper already.  😄)

I like the extended balconies... for French Polynesia, or the like.  Not so much for crossing the pond or rounding the horn.  Can be a 'little' motion/wave/wind action (depending on location but particularly 7108 & 7111). Lots of room.  Chairs and recliners. Same overhang as other verandas but with more past that. Hope this works, they look like this... https://www.bing.com/images/search?view=detailV2&ccid=zjXiDeJD&id=7A7C320E4134A36CFF59FDB749B38CB0F8D0C55F&thid=OIP.zjXiDeJD87Z7aVkkvMqUXgHaE5&mediaurl=https%3a%2f%2fi.pinimg.com%2foriginals%2fd8%2f37%2f33%2fd8373374f0aa4ac97da7c347de813b29.jpg&exph=3264&expw=4928&q=oceania+Riviera+extended+balcony&simid=608023131450836149&ck=141D060D588A584AEF9812E0617017EC&selectedIndex=2&FORM=IRPRST&ajaxhist=0

I'm feeling sorry I started "Little bit (small bit) of humor.  🙁
 

From Oceania's website... "Host a private party for up to 10 privileged guests in our most exclusive onboard dining venue, Privée. Witness culinary magic presented on a custom-built table designed by the famed Dakota Jackson and illuminated by a golden Venini chandelier. The exquisite setting is adorned with Baroque millwork and Ferrari-red carpeting. The cuisine is equally superb. Choose from several different gourmet menus to create a decadent and unforgettable occasion. Within the sanctum of Privée, dining engages all of the senses, leaving you and your guests immensely fulfilled."  From what I'm hearing this isn't true unless they're referring to the menus from Polo and Toscana. 

The meals come from Toscana and Polo (adjacent) so there would be no additional fee. I understand that they offer a menu ("Choose from several different gourmet menus to create a decadent and unforgettable occasion") that according to their site can be altered as you chose with dishes from Polo and Toscana. The $250 is for the space and personal attention. Someone  please correct me if I'm wrong.

For "WholeNewWorld"....  somewhere in this link shows Privee  https://www.oceaniacruises.com/culinary/   it's a small space between Polo and Toscana (deck 14 aft).  Capacity 10 people.

Thanks.  I thought calling was overkill for such a simple question and, it was after their business hours when I thought of it.  She spent more time telling me why she couldn't answer a customer's (per the form I provided my res. #) question than it would have taken to type $250.  I do appreciate your reply Flatbush.

Killing time I was thinking about various things regarding our future cruise.  I wondered what the surcharge was for Privee.  Did a quick internet search which turned up nothing.  So, the logical thing (to me) was FAQ's on 'O's site...nothing. So I went to 'O's  Guest Services "Contact Us" and sent a message.  Simple question simple reply right?...Ah, no...I received this.... "Thank you for contacting the Special Services Department.   Kindly note since you are booked through a Travel Advisor, we must refer you back to xxxxx xxxxxx at xxxxxxxxxxxx and she can assist you with the requested pricing information."  Really.  I'll give the 'Special Services Coordinator' the benefit of the doubt that she didn't understand my question... but it was a really, really simple clear question.  I just had to chuckle.   ☺️      Oh, and I still don't know what the Privee surcharge is.

I'm of that certain age that remembers ALL men wearing hats all of the time...until they went inside (or, when a woman entered the space they were in if it was still on). Myself, I only wore a hat briefly when young, and then JFK came along and did something, I think at his inauguration without a hat that completely changed hat wearing (can't remember what it was exactly). The men who wore hats continued, but for us, hats never caught on. BUT, I knew what I guess you would call 'hat etiquette'. The worse of it, to me, is men wearing ball caps in church (and I do understand different religions and cultures have different 'rules').  My DW will tell you she can't count the times I've questioned whether someone or another was raised in a barn. 🤗  I don't know what it is, but people in general seem less courteous these days.  I see it constantly when driving here in SoCal.  I think it's a bad trend for society in general... rant over.

For those playing along (trapped at home), Nautica apparently took a stoll around the Med and went back to Genoa to be with Marina. Regatta got tired of the high price of rent in LA and is headed to Mexico (Ensenada).  The rest are where 'Cruise Wonderland' had them above.     In my most optimistic mood and fairly bored, I booked a Danube river cruise with some friends a year out.       Obviously time to get to work on the yard and do something useful.

Of course, don't know how it matters, but, Nautica is now headed from Genoa to the area around Nice.