dandeck

On 9/9/2021 at 1:31 AM, Ellaleah said:

Tell the kids to get vaccinated.  It is their civic duty and they should not be privileged with a cruise to expose people.

Exactly!!  In addition, to be blunt, who in their right mind takes unvaccinated teens on a cruise currently??!  Not to mention, there is no way in hades Carnival is going to grant exemptions to 3 of that age.  Wth?!  Good grief.  

1 hour ago, mondello said:

It is my understanding that the B2B protocol was in place first and that we are tested before we walk back on for the second leg.

If tested positive what happens??!  If put off the ship and no flight, no way to get home... what a disaster that would be.  Hell, you couldn't even schedule a flight to get home.  Quarantined in another state?!  Holly sheet!!  We have 3 B2B scheduled in November & 5 B2B in Jan - Feb.  We will be moving our November sail dates to next November.  We'll wait a while to see how it develops as to our 5 in Jan - Feb.  Btw, we are both, wife & I, fully vaccinated.  Got vaccinated to avoid all this.  Good grief.

2 hours ago, ejnsb said:

Probably in the minority here but the CD doesn't affect our experience.   The sailaway might be the first and last time we see them.

Exactly!!  Who cares what CD??!  

2 hours ago, K_e_short said:

 

I have been thinking the same thing. I am not following the stats that well but I do understand that the vaccination rates in Florida are low, and the number of cases are high.

 

Where I live our schools were closed a long time and the reasoning was because the cases in the community was high. People weren't getting Covid at school but it was being transmitted from kids at school to their family members. (when schools closed cased went down).

 

I know this is not a popular statement but perhaps all the cases out of Texas and Florida are because of the amount of Covid in those states.

Vaccination rates in Florida are anything but low: 18 - 64 is 64%  65 & over is 99%.  18 to 64 is solidly top 50% of all states and obviously at 99% 65 and over is about as good as it can possibly be.  Not sure where or when you got your info, but it is either outdated or just plain bad data.  

On 8/4/2021 at 9:17 PM, roboref said:

They should allow cancellations along with full refunds due to people booking these cruises that were vaccinated and did not want to worry about testing. I would not have booked had a test been required. Now 17 days before my cruise, the rules are changed to have to test and wearing masks. I did not sign up under those parameters. RCL and Celebrity are allowing cancellations and providing refunds.

Agree 100%.  Wife & I have 5 B2B scheduled Jan - Feb.  Fly into Miami to sail.  We're vaccinated.  Problem is what if either or both of us test positive between cruises?  Put off ship, can't fly, 10 day quarantine...  no way to get home... no family support... could wind up in a hospital in Miami... worst case scenario you die there.  Cost literally $$ thousands to get transported back to Nashville... a friggin nightmare possibly.  People should of gotten vaccinated and not allowed this damn virus a chance to mutate... I hate it for the cruise lines, we love to cruise (Diamond) but IMHO another shut down is inevitable.  Damn it!  Get vaccinated!!!!!  Another shut down will take some, maybe a majority, out.  

1 minute ago, MrMarc said:

But not enough other people did, so we have the Delta issue.  But we are here, so we have to deal with it.

My wife is already looking at changes...rescheduling for NEXT year.  This is going to be a real cash flow problem for Carnival.  Can't recapture lost revenues.  

1 hour ago, Yellowjacket1799 said:

Thanks, I have’nt had an opportunity to see his statement. I plan to call Carnival today as soon as I get an opportunity and find out what the penalty is. I just don’t think those of us that are vaccinated should have to be subject to a test that can give false positives from time to time. And what happens to someone that does test positive? Do they just loose out on all the money they’ve invested or do they get a future credit? 

As a fully vaccinated person, with 3 short cruises in November & 4 B2B in Jan - Feb, those are excellent questions!  Also, when on B2B, do you get tested before each cruise?!  With the possibly of being put off the ship and no flt scheduled to go home?!  Omg, this is getting complicated!!  All this is why I got vaccinated!!  

10 hours ago, amanda219 said:

My husband has been considering purchasing another Omega watch for the past few years. We looked in Nassau, Key West & Grand Cayman before. 

 

Nassau is now on our Mardi Gras itinerary. We also have an Eastern cruise w stops in St Maarten, St Thomas, St Kitts, Antigua & San Juan relatively soon. 

 

He's made up his mind he is ready to purchase. We shopped at John Bull & the Omega store in Nassau before.

 

Anyone have any insight on the best port to purchase a high end watch? I know I had read before about St Maarten or St Thomas being an ideal place. Just wondering if there is any benefit (substantially cheaper) to those ports vs Nassau?

 

Appreciate any info!

Best place to buy Omega, (Rolex and many more), is from the well known, highly recommended with ample references private sellers on the Rolex Forum.  AIS in Atlanta lists there as well and offers in the 20% discount range on Omega.  Look then up online.  You will like what you see.  As to the Islands, St Thomas, St Maarten or Aruba.  All three will work with you on Omega has been my experience.  

Masks won't be required because, given this latest variant / upswing, no way in hades anyone who is not vaccinated will be allowed anywhere near a ship.  No way, no how.    

On 7/8/2021 at 2:54 PM, asalligo said:

Same here and I will be spending my money first with whoever drops the vaccine and testing requirements sailing from Florida. People on Cruise Critic always claiming how they will not sail with unvaccinated. Of course you will and it is inevitable. The vaccine will not be required a year from now, it is just a matter of when it gets dropped at this point. 

That may be, at some point in time.  However, anyone who cruises knows there is absolutely no way to social distance on a ship and it is the last place unvaccinated folks should be currently for everyone's sake.  Given the latest upswing, it would be industry suicide for any line to allow unvaccinated aboard.   

1 hour ago, gmm8631 said:

I think one of the many reasons cruise lines are willing to follow the CFC mandate/recommendation is not only to make sure they are sailing with 95% plus vaccinated passenger but that the ports they enter will allow thoses guests to disembark. I just read today that Puerto Rico is not allowing any unvaccinated off the ships in San Juan. This could be the beggining of a trend in the Caribbean. While i wouldnt mind a short cruise to nowhere, I enjoy the port stops. 

Even before this new upswing in cases, the lines would have been taking a huge risk to have unvaccinated aboard.  Now, it would be industry suicide!  Not to mention, anyone who cruises knows there is absolutely no way to social distance on a ship.  At this point, cruise ships are the last place anyone who is not vaccinated should be.  For everyone's sake.  

On 7/13/2021 at 12:09 PM, ceilidh1 said:

I think you are forgetting the huge chunk of families that sail on Carnival, though. Most of us parents have been vaccinated, but kids not yet eligible! Who knows how soon this might change, but for now that has to be a big chunk of folks that can't sail!

Wife & I take several weeks @ year.  Mostly when children aren't sailing.  November, Dec - February.  Very few kids and ships are normally sold out.  IMHO children come into play only about 3+ months a year. 

On 7/11/2021 at 5:06 PM, SRQbeachgirl said:

We have a November cruise booked and if we haven't heard anything by our final payment date we will cancel. We have five adults and two cabins, but one person won't be vaccinated. If he is going to be treated like third-class steerage then we won't be going. 

Unfortunately, probably best for anyone unvaccinated to avoid cruise ships at least for the time being for everyone's sake.  Just too much riding on a successful restart.  Hopefully we can get behind us all in time.    

2 hours ago, Tom-n-Cheryl said:

 

There's not enough "take a number" devices in this country for all the people that would qualify for such status! 

 

I think we need to modify the phrase "There's a sucker born every minute"...

 

Tom

Contact tracing is actually very simple.  Especially when the proof of vaccine is so easily traced.  Put an industry at risk and the noose will tighten quickly.  Then it will be "an idiot born every minute!" LOL 

On 7/9/2021 at 2:47 PM, cruisingguy007 said:

 

Possible but probably not smart. I'm sure the authorities and CDC will still be interested in cases, for the foreseeable future, to keep track of spread. With this newest Lambda variant now emerging, and probably many more after it until enough of the planet is vaccinated to stop mutations, and hopefully before one outsmarts the vaccine and we have to start all over again, cases will be tracked and intel gathered. The lines are taking photos of the vaccine cards and tagging them to passengers. I suppose a few will try and succeed but I doubt it's a big problem. Most people wouldn't want to invite that kind of scrutiny or take a risk like that.      

I agree!  If someone contracts, testing & contact tracing will reveal if someone lied.  That person would be held liable for damages, sickness, death...criminal & civil issues.  You've have to be a complete moron to risk it.

On 6/18/2021 at 7:38 PM, Pete Cruise said:

I was feeling the same way but realize we are around the unvaccinated everyday.  We will be fine.  

Being "around the unvaccinated" is a whole different game than on a cruise ship.  Entirely different.  

17 hours ago, Earthworm Jim said:

 

I don't know how making the non-vaccinated wear wrist bands would work. They'll just take them off. Wrist bands can realistically only be used for something that gives the wearer extra privileges so they want to have them on. If wrist band wearers are penalized, they just won't wear them.

5% should be easy to spot, kids under 12.  The practical application to avoid would be schedule when school is in session.  

16 minutes ago, balcony bound said:

 

COVID will be around for years.  At the moment, the guidelines are two positives (or any number) will result in the passenger being quarantined until the next port, where they will be debarked. I don't think that guideline will change (but it could).  As you mentioned, positives were found even on a fully vaccinated ship.  It's going to happen.  Just like the flu, noro, common colds, etc. people get sick.  I got flu after my flu shot, I've already had COVID and the vaccine - doesn't mean I won't get it again.

 

There won't be any "rufusals for docking."  It has been reported that agreements have been put into place over the last year with all ports.

 

 

Kept to two because everyone was vaccinated was my point.  Otherwise it would of run through that ship like a norovirus does.  My guess is any docking agreements are probably with vaccinated ships.  Get a ship with multiple case outbreak and any such agreements probably wouldn't be worth the paper printed on! (-:  Cruise ships simply aren't the place for unvaccinated folks.  The beach had lots of distancing availability.  If one doesn't want to be vaccinated.  The industry simply isn't in position to accept the risk currently.  

Wife & I are regular cruisers.  Over 500 nights between us.  We have 8 scheduled between November and February.  There is absolutely no way we will board any ship that doesn't require passengers & crew to be vaccinated.  Anyone who has ANY cruise experience knows for certain how risky it would be.  It would be industry suicide for any line to not require.  The industry is on the brink.  An outbreak, refusals for docking, haven forbid a resulting death... would be the death nail.  There is simply no way the industry can accept the risk of unvaccinated people aboard.  Regulars, like ourselves, are wary.  Watching closely.  Instances like the 2 positive cases aboard Celebrity recently, which required vaccines, are encouraging.  It was contained to only those two.  Proof of the vaccines ability to prevent spread.  Two positives on an unvaccinated ship would have been a disaster!  If you aren't vaccinated, for everyone's sake, stay off cruise ships.  At least for now.

I really don't see how any lines can have any  unvaccinated people on board.  The industry is on the brink.  The demand is there currently to pull out of this financial nose dive it seems.  However, outbreaks upon resuming would likely be a death nail.  Wife & I are regular cruisers, diamond.  Have multiple scheduled currently.  No way we are getting on any ship that doesn't require vaccinations.  Cruise ships are the last place anyone not fully vaccinated needs to be for everyone's sake.  Everyone is watching the restart closely.  A couple outbreaks, refusals to allow  docking, some serious illnesses... no one needs a crystal ball to understand the ripple effect that would have.  The lines simply cannot take that risk at this time.  To allow unvaccinated passengers or crew would be an act of industry suicide.  

Change your sail date and they will apply your deposit to the new date.

11 minutes ago, TNcruising02 said:

I am sorry!  That has to be so disappointing.  I read one of Carnival's emails that stated that even though they can exempt up to 5%, it will be less.  It will be interesting to see if anyone is approved.

Interesting post!  I really don't see how they can take the risk of ANY unvaccinated folks being allowed to board.  The industry is really in a bind.  Any outbreak would be extremely difficult to accept by either the lines or the cruising public.  

1 hour ago, kleibo said:

 

Source please - I don't see that on the CDC website.  Or are you talking just people over 18?

 

https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#vaccinations   

Yes, adults 18+.  Although I am amazed at the high % of those 12 and up herein!

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/us/covid-19-vaccine-doses.html

17 hours ago, sm3ds said:

You really think 134 million people take cruises. Com’on Man. 

Over 52% fully vaccinated.  Over 60% have had at least one shot.  80% of those surveyed want vaccines required.  Those 80% are or will be vaccinated for sure.  Capacity won't be an issue if vaccines are required.  We have 8 currently scheduled from Nov to Feb.  No way we'd board if not required.  However, not worried because no way the industry would risk unvaccinated.  That would be industry suicide.  

18 hours ago, amcankid said:

Once again you’re showing the me first attitude that most anti- vaxxers show.

To say the fragility is not your problem makes it a problem for all. Whether you care if you ever go on another cruise or not doesn’t mean the rest of us are as ambivalent to cruising.

And most of us who do want the cruise industry to survive and thrive understand the importance of doing all that can be done to avoid a serious outbreak which would effectively shut the industry down.

I could care less whether you choose to get vaccinated outside of anything cruise related. If you shop at Walmart and later that week you get extremely sick, Walmart will continue to thrive. 
Not so if either on the ship or shortly after the cruise. They will trace it back to the ship and shut it down for thorough cleansing. And if enough passengers get sick? Goodbye cruise industry for another few months, some permanently. 
Not that you care, cause you could take or leave what we passionately love!

Spot on analysis!!