maui07

Thank you everyone, gosh I thought I was posting on the Italy boards. Will check out the gladiator school, how cool. Appreciate the feedback!

We are taling our kids this summer on a 11 night Med cruise and flying in 4 days early and staying in Rome in August. We are looking for interesing tours or places/sights to take our 9 and 12 year old boys. We dont plan on taking ship excursions and will be doing independent tours and talking the train many ports. My first question is has anyne used tuscany bus tours? Their prices are 1/4 of the price of ship excursions and seem to fit the bill of what we are looking for. Thanks in advance.

You wll be absolutely fine, no need for an expedited passport. The person at RC has no idea what they are taling about. We cruise in 2 weeks with kids that have passports expiring in the fall. No need to worry. 

so how does that work when the mandate starts on day 1? Just crew sick? 

3 hours ago, IPB4IGO said:

That's not the policy on the Noordam, where I am right now. Masks are required in all indoor spaces except when eating or drinking. This is s 7-day Vancouver to Whittier Inside Passage cruise.

 

We'll see what the policy is on the Nieuw Amsterdam when we return south on 5/29.

Well thats HAL's "official policy" on the website and what other ships are doing. 

The current policy is mask optional except for embark/debark and a few shared spaces like elevators. Hoping it stays that way, we will be sailing in a few weeks and won't be wearing masks. 

On 4/16/2022 at 10:05 PM, SanDiegoDude said:

Thanks for the heads up @oakridger that being said, @maui07 what did the process entail?

Hi! Process was very simple, I called the HAL hotline, spoke to a REP that put in a request for exemption. I did not hear anything for a few days and called back and spoke to someone who indeed saw that the exemtion had been approved and got an official letter about a week letter stating the new polic/ procedres for boarding. PCR test 48 hrs prior o boarding and another test on embarkation day. Thats it. 

1 hour ago, Coquitlam Cruiser said:

Some cruises do not permit any exemptions and if the cruise embarks from a Canadian port ie. Vancouver then you are subject to Canadian vaccine regulations and no exceptions. 

correct,  but only if you are over 12 years of age. It also does say very few exceptions. 

40 minutes ago, mightycruisequeen said:

Please come back & let us know what HAL's decision was on your kids' exemption application.

Took 48 hrs to get approved for the exemption. PCR test 48 hrs before embark and again at the pier before check in. Was pretty simple, just had to reach someone that was familiar with asking for the exemption...Took a few Reps to find someone knowledgable. 

31 minutes ago, pms4104 said:

If there are exemptions to be issued, I would hope HAL would reserve them either for the under-5 crowd (currently not vax eligible) or for those who are  immuno-compromised or for those whose medical team advises they not get vaxed.

under 5's dont need an exemption, they can just go. Nothing required at all. 

37 minutes ago, aa7yy said:

Well I guess this might be your first HAL cruise. It is an old crowd and most of us would rather the kids were left home. By the way, good luck on getting a PCR test results within 48 hours. You might be standing on the dock waiting for results.

Its actually not...But yes, its def an old crowd, which we prefer...You must not be familiar with Walgreen's red dot rapid PCR covid tests, results back within the hour, We've used them many times, most recently to fly to maui before Hawaii finally dropped all its testing requirements. We live just a stones throw from Seattle, we've always liked HAL because they are a local line. Cheers!

48 minutes ago, pms4104 said:

Everything in life is a tradeoff.

 

No vax?  

 

If one opts no vax, one must understand some doors are closed.

 

Land trip rather than cruise might be an option.

nope! got our exemption today!

32 minutes ago, idiebabe said:

Did you just book and how old are your Kids?  We booked in January and travelling with two Grandsons (Ages 13 & 7) and were told they both needed the Vaccine (which they have).  The Protocols were updated on April 11th (and changed) so anyone who booked before that would think Fully Vaxxed Ship. You said yourself in your OP that this is all new to the HAL Reps.  I think it's understandable that some maybe upset by the new "Exemptions". 

kids are 8 & 11

26 minutes ago, idiebabe said:

Did you just book and how old are your Kids?  We booked in January and travelling with two Grandsons (Ages 13 & 7) and were told they both needed the Vaccine (which they have).  The Protocols were updated on April 11th (and changed) so anyone who booked before that would think Fully Vaxxed Ship. You said yourself in your OP that this is all new to the HAL Reps.  I think it's understandable that some maybe upset by the new "Exemptions". 

Honestl,y I would never think I was sailing on a  fully vaxxed ship because the under 5's are still there so theres that...Also, HAL opted into the safe travels cruise program endorsed by the CDC, which has always said to opt in you need to sail with 95% fully vaxxed-not 100% fully vaxxed. 

Sure, I consciously understand where people are mad but to think you are getting on a fully vaxxed cruise when kids 5 and under will be there baffles me. 

Anywhooo-we booked a while ago but figured the VAxx guidelines would be changing as they did. Just letting people with kids know their options since the rules are ever changing. 

10 minutes ago, 12cruise2 said:

The point is--HAL has not been telling passengers the truth for many months; rather they are telling what they know we want to hear! I see now that they are fessing up. We were on the Nieuw A. last fall and sat next to a lady who was on for four weeks who happily bragged about not being vaxxed--in the end she forced us out of our favorite dining table because we didn't want to be seated with her at the next table for two more weeks.  HAL needs to tell the truth and say they are requiring only 95% or whatever percent it is and not giving us the false narrative that everyone is vaxxed or not allowed on.  As has been said, follow the money.  We're on the Zuid. now and just assume that anyone near us could infect us and we wear masks--vaccinated or not!

I dont see where they arent telling the truth, all the informaton is laid out and not hard to find. I gogled for 2 minutes before I found out I could file a vaccine exemption. 95% vaxxed, says it right on the website. 

1 hour ago, MikeD4134 said:

Where did you get that 5% number.  HAL's policy is everybody 12 and older must be vacinated.  Children under 5 are OK, and 5 to 11can apply for an exemption, not an automatic approval.  I hope HAL will notify cruisers, if anybody is on their ship is not vacinated so we may cancel our trip, as I will not travel with unvacinated people.

You sound ike a lot of fun! Update-vaccine approval request were granted within 48hrs of applying. Just have to take a PCR test 48hrs prior to boarding and again upon boarding. Mike D! I asked the HAL rep on the phone for you and they don't let the guests know if they are traveling with unvaxxed. So yes, you are traveling with those filthy unvaxxed. Happy sailing!

34 minutes ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

Why don't they say they are optional then?  They are saying they are recommended.

still sounds like optional to me! Cheers!

16 hours ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

That was a pretty good amount wearing them.  There was a dude on the hal Facebook group saying masks are optional.  I said no, they are recommended.  That’s different than being optional.  He said no, it’s the same thing.  That is part of the problem.

But if they weren't optional they would require them?! no?

They are allowing it becuse of money I assume. Not everyone wants their kids to be vaccinated. Bottom line, they would rather have a family sail with un vaxxed kids then not sail at all. That is my guess anyways. 

16 hours ago, 1025cruise said:

You might not know until the week of your cruise, as it will depend on the total number of unvaccinated people.

Thats weird, whats the point of finding out day of if your unvaxxed, I was told about 3 days on a decision. They moved my final payment so I would know before the decision. 

Nope, up to 5% of your cruise could be un vaxxed, they are giving exemptions for 5-12 year olds. Ovbiously under 5's arent vaxxed either. 

We're in the process of getting a vaccine exemption for our kiddos, anyone know how long it takes and what is the full process? We should get an answer in the next few days, so I've been told. Since its so new, the HAL rep's had no idea what I was talking about when I first called. Took 3 peeople to kinda get an answer. 

Thank you everyone for the perspective...my whole family had covid in Febuary so could we catch it again? yes, the chances are slim though to get it twice in a 5 month period. Not worried about getting covid, more worried about missing stops, weird vibe, etc. Is there anyway for me to find out the capacity of the Westerdam sailing on June12-19th? Curious to know capacity is like at the moment and kid counts. Thanks for all the first hand knowledge. 

I know a few people said, just wait a few month but time is fleeting and unfortunately with kids in school we have to travel on breaks, etc. Thanks!!

But gosh!! Alaska sure sounds fabulous on an empty ship if thats the case. 

51 minutes ago, HappyInVan said:

Post-covid? 

 

Has covid gone away? Did covid get the memo? 😷

 

For myself, I'll just have to live with the rules and conditions of cruising today. BTW, I have 4 cruises booked this year.

 

Good luck.

good for you on the 4 cruises! Don't think covid has gone away and ever will but was at Costco today and they brought back  indoor dining tables and that's the closing thing to post covid I've seen. lolol 

12 minutes ago, atexsix said:

Outside of masks in public areas and the addition of extra Prell stations, it won't feel any different.  Everything is completely normal and as you remember it, in my opinion at least.  We were on the 6th sailing of last year's restart, the ship was at about 60% capacity and it was just the right number of people to not feel packed in.  There were never lines for anything.  

 

Now yes we were sailing under code yellow, it's not like anybody forgot about reality, if you really looked for it and dwelled on it, then yes, it might feel different.  I admit I went extra crazy with the Prell the first couple days, but then I began to relax, and by mid cruise I had forgotten all about it. 

What is a public area considered? theatre,disco, etc? I am guessing. how about sitting in the buffet area after lunch hours just watching the scenery? Are you masked? I am sure, all would be well, we've gone to Mexico half a dozen times since 2020 since they had such little testing requirements so not worried about that. It's kinda one of those too good to be true prices to pass up. lol. The years are flying by with kiddos and just want to make as many memories as we can as a family ya know? Thanks!