Mariketa

I once brought baggies of protein powder on a cruise, little snack bags, one for each shake. I wrote "NOT DRUGS" on each one, just to be funny. I don't think anyone noticed. :(

I agree, it's ridiculous.

You probably have a few more months of testing on some lines, but I doubt it'll last much longer than that, and I doubt vaccines will be required past this year. At least that gives you some time to adjust.

Science!

We're waiting now on whether or not the exemption is approved, so I'll update once I have more information. They were very clear though that we should not book any flights or anything until it was approved. We live close to a port and will only be sailing out of there until there are no mandates (testing or otherwise) any longer, so flights and hotels aren't a factor, fortunately. I don't think you can request an exemption at all until the protocols are released for your cruise date. Maybe the mandates will be all gone by then, fingers crossed!

I'm not the OP, but doing this right now and I can say that no, you do not provide a doctor's note. It also does not have to be (at least in the US) anything actually affiliated with a specific religion. Religion is defined as a set of moral values you as a person live your life by. So if you were a vegan and did not want to eat meat, you could claim a religious exemption even if you were not a recognized religion. You could get a religious exemption as an Athiest, Agnostic, etc. You simply need to let the cruise company know that taking a COVID vaccine goes against your religious beliefs and then you'll likely need to list why, to keep the cruise lines in compliance with the CDC.

No, everything the cruise lines are doing now they are doing voluntarily. They have a choice, they are choosing to make you go through this.

If you test everyone all the time you are going to find cases, that's how it works. The testing is a great gig for those making them.

If the room steward is vaccinated then he or she will be fine, no big. No other service industry is treating COVID like this still, only the cruise lines.

100%. My mom had her gall bladder out in the "before times" and once had an attack on a cruise ship. She had to go down to the doctor to get Imodium because she forgot to bring it and they don't sell it in the shops. They wanted to quarantine her. No way. The only way I'd ever go to a ship's doctor would be if they carried my unconscious body in there. :)

I'm sorry that this happened on the trip. Zero chance I'm spending any money while these mandates are still in play, thanks for letting us know.