SS Future Re-Open Plan: Timing, Testing Needs??!!

[TLCOhio]

On 2/4/2021 at 9:49 PM, tosteve1 said:

We(the USA) are currently vaccinating 1.3 million people per day. In 60 days we should have close to 75 million people vaccinated with at least one dose. There have been 27 million test confirmed cases of COVID 19. Likely 100 million total cases by some estimates. So 175 million people will have some degree of immunity. More than half  the population. I think this might make some dent in  the ability of the virus to spread. And will definitely prevent serious illness. Which has been the point all along.  Numbers have already dropped by 50%. We are on a good path now. The glass is half full folks! 

 

YES! to our our friend from North Carolina with these above great comments and follow-up as to the "glass being half-full".  Maybe and hopefully?  But, then there is the rest of the world??  See this article and the specific details outlined below.  

 

From the Jerusalem Post yesterday, they had this headline: “Here’s why global travel is unlikely to resume ‘till 2024" and this sub-headline: "Vaccination doesn’t equal liberation”.

 

Here are some of their story highlights: “It is becoming more apparent that even if the entire Israeli population is immunized, this will not mean life will return to its 2019 reality.  This will be especially true when it comes to opening the skies and resuming international travel.  To do that, 'we need to immunize all countries of the world,' explained Lancet editor-in-chief Richard Horton. 'To reach herd immunity, about two-thirds of the world population – four billion to five billion people – need to be vaccinated. Each person has to have two doses – that is 10 billion doses of the vaccine.' As such, the pandemic will not be solved by spring 2021, health experts said. It will not be over in 2022. And according to the most optimistic predictions, the skies will only really begin to open, and travel and tourism will resume, sometime between 2023 and 2024.   The impact on people’s lives will likely not only be whether they can visit the Eiffel Tower or Great Wall of China. While the world recovers from COVID-19, it will be plagued by economic and health challenges that impact everyone.  'We live in a global world, with or without realizing it,' said Michael Edelstein, a professor of population health in Bar-Ilan University’s Faculty of Medicine, in an interview with the Post. 'A lot of our lives rely on interconnectivity.' ”

 

Here is more from their reporting; "A report recently published by the Economist Intelligence Unit, the research and analysis division of The Economist Group, explained that whereas the rollout of vaccines against coronavirus has started in developed countries, mass vaccination will take time. The unit predicts that the bulk of the adult population in advanced economies will have been vaccinated by mid-2022. Middle-income countries will take until late 2022 or early 2023.  'For poorer economies, mass immunization will take until 2024, if it happens at all,' the report said."

 

As people who love to travel, is this viewpoint too negative and/or realistic?  Does it reflect the world-wide challenge as we personally seek when to do more in SE Asia and visit India for the first time? Had been looking at a very good Silversea sailing from Singapore to Mumbai in early 2022.   Comments, speculation, hopes and insights?

 

For Silversea that is correctly proud of its unique and attractive variety of ports/itineraries around the world, will this make their re-opening harder and more challenging?  Part of our reason for us liking Silversea is that they provide an excellent method to reach unique places different and better than just the "average" in the Caribbean and Med.  Lots of serious questions facing the cruise lines as we might be getting closer to some form of re-opening.  Added reactions?

 

Full story at:

https://www.jpost.com/health-science/coronavirus-in-israel-vaccination-doesnt-equal-liberation-657898

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Sydney to NZ/Auckland Adventure, live/blog 2014 sampling/details with many exciting visuals and key highlights.  On page 23, post #571, see a complete index for all of the pictures, postings.  Now at 232,314 views.

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1974139

[worldtraveller99]

If we are vaccinated and also test negative, would we still not be welcomed before 2024? I still have hopes for Alaska in 2022?

[QueSeraSera]

6 hours ago, TLCOhio said:

As people who love to travel, is this viewpoint too negative and/or realistic?

 

Nothing new for me to be confused by the Israeli article, but often my understanding grows thanks to this forum.

Let's say we are on a cruise ship with 100% of all aboard vaccinated.  Our ports of call are three locations where a good majority of the residents have also been vaccinated, and both us and our hosts follow CDC guidelines.  Why can't we go?

 

[tosteve1]

Incredibly negative. Speculation at best. And if people in lower income countries are not vaccinated, I’m not sure why most of the rest of the world won’t be able to travel. There is still Ebola in Nigeria, polio in Pakistan and Yellow Fever in South America but we still travel to Norway, Japan and Antarctica. We all need to help the world get vaccinated but the world does not need to shut down to achieve that. Never has.

[worldtraveller99]

I agree with Daveywavey70. It really isn't just cruising - airlines will be going out of business too. When vaccines are available people will need to take them or whole industries will end, and the number of unemployed mostly young people will soar. 

 

But I am sure sense will prevail, and we will share our vaccines with other countries (and take a booster each year or so) and really go back to a - maybe greener - normality. Still not sure about jobs for all the ever increasing young people though!

 

[Stumblefoot]

On 2/7/2021 at 5:01 AM, Daveywavey70 said:

Let’s see what happens to that figure when they realise they can’t fly or cruise, when hotels refuse to let them stay and so on. 

Keep in mind, a large portion of those anti-vaxxers don’t travel, let alone travel internationally.  Many, many don’t travel at all outside a relative small distance from home.  Remember, this country is a car culture, so those who do venture away from home are more likely to drive than fly.

[jollyjones]

I wonder if some of them even travel outside their own head. 

 

PS Fine by me if they don’t cruise, saves me having to bite my tongue if they voice their opinions in my hearing. 
 

PPS They’re entitled to their opinions of course, I just don’t want my peaceful pre-prandial cocktail disrupted by having to move out of earshot. 

Edited February 8, 2021 by jollyjones

[TLCOhio]

On 2/7/2021 at 7:01 AM, Daveywavey70 said:

Let’s see what happens to that figure when they realise they can’t fly or cruise, when hotels refuse to let them stay and so on.   I’m not overly keen on the idea of having a vaccine but feel like it is my duty. 

 

Many interesting and varied comments and speculation about who will . . . or will NOT . . . get the vaccine.  In a recent New York Times story about this topic, they used detailed polling data for African-Americans to look at these questions.  One of their key findings was that there were major differences in attitudes among those younger . . . VERSUS . . . those older as to getting the vaccines.

 

An important point from this data was that those "older" "got it" better in knowing the dangers of Covid and the associated risks. Therefore, those older are more willing to seek such protections from a risk hitting them harder and more directly.  As has been reported, many of those "younger" do not fear the risks and dangers as much.  Maybe have different experiences with the health care system.  Rightly or wrongly??!!  I would suggest that some broad "assumptions" and/or name-calling  against those who are "cautious" in getting the vaccines might not be the actual or real motivations.  Maybe they are "ill-informed", not just "stupid"??!!  There are lots of questions and uncertainty out there.  I believe as more get the vaccines and the results prove positive, the rates will improve significantly.  

 

From the respected Bloomberg News business site this morning, they had this headline: “What Are Vaccine Passports and How Would They Work?” with these highlights: “With millions being vaccinated against Covid-19 every day, some political and business leaders are suggesting nations can help get life back to normal by rolling out a so-called vaccine passport: an easily accessible and verifiable certification that a person’s been inoculated. Private companies are already beginning to look at making shots mandatory for people who want to get on planes, cruise ships or attend events such as concerts. A handful of projects from governments, private firms and international associations are currently underway. But the idea raises scientific and ethical questions.”

 

Here are some of their questions discussed: ''1. What’s the idea behind vaccine passports?  At the moment, many countries and airlines require proof that international travelers aren’t infected with SARS-CoV-2, but regulations vary from place to place and so far there’s no systematic requirement that people be vaccinated. The idea of a vaccine passport would be to create an updated version of the so-called yellow card, more formally known as the International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis, a World Health Organization-approved booklet documenting your past inoculations. Given the prevalence, contagiousness and devastation of Covid-19, many are suggesting the need for a more modern, digital and secure record. Ideally, it would provide proof of vaccination status and document recent virus test results, which would both reassure border agents and safeguard fellow travelers or event-goers. The demand for such proof has led to falsified and counterfeit paper versions of vaccine certificates.  2. Who’s considering requiring proof of vaccination?  A handful of companies have begun mandating -- or hinting they will eventually require -- proof of vaccination, foreshadowing what could become a more common practice. U.K.-based Saga Cruises, part of an industry that was a prominent early victim of the pandemic, is already requiring that passengers present proof they’ve been fully vaccinated before sailing. The chief executive officer of Australian airline Qantas Airways Ltd., Alan Joyce, has said his company plans to require international travelers entering or leaving Australia to present proof of vaccination before boarding.    3. Will countries require proof of vaccination for entry?   It’s possible, especially as more people get vaccinated. So far, the WHO doesn’t support it.  Under the International Health Regulations, which are legally binding on the 196 states that are party to it, only one vaccine -- against yellow fever -- is endorsed as a requirement for entry into countries.  4. What are the implications of the limited vaccine supply?   It means that entry requirements would bar the majority of people in the world without access to Covid vaccines so far. Countries are entitled under the International Health Regulations to take public health measures that go beyond WHO guidance, but only if they are non-discriminatory. Some people worry that vaccine passports would create a vaccinated global elite while exacerbating inequalities and creating an underclass that could be denied services and prevented from crossing borders.   5. Who’s developing vaccine passports?  There are a number of private firms, organizations and governments backing or attempting to create a workable vaccine passport. With financial support from Innovate U.K., technology companies Mvine and iProov have begun live-testing a Covid-19 immunity and vaccination passport designed to be compatible with the U.K.’s tiered approach to managing the health crisis, under which different parts of the country are under varying levels of restrictions.  6. Apart from barring the unvaccinated, how might border officials use vaccine certificates?  Vaccine passports or certificates could be used as a way to loosen up current rules that bar certain travelers, require arriving passengers to test negative for the virus and compel them to quarantine upon arrival."

 

Full story at:

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-02-09/what-are-vaccine-passports-and-how-would-they-work-quicktake

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Venice: Loving It & Why??!!  Is one of your future desires or past favorites? See these many visual samples for its great history and architecture.  This posting is now at 89,595 views.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1278226

[TLCOhio]

Things continue to "progress" with vaccines, etc.  BUT, however, there are always various ifs, ands and buts, etc.  Below are some recent added twists and turns??!! 

 

From the New York Daily News this morning, they had this headline: “Johnson & Johnson CEO says COVID vaccines may need to be administered annually for next several years” with these highlights: “Effective protection against the fast-spreading coronavirus could require a vaccination plan like the one in place for the seasonal flu shot.  Johnson & Johnson CEO Alex Gorsky during an appearance on CNBC Tuesday said that for the next several years at least, people may need to get their COVID shots on an annual basis. His comments came just after the New Jersey-based company revealed that it applied for an emergency use authorization from the Food and Drug Administration for its vaccine.   Unlike the the Pfizer/BioNTech and Astrazenca treatments, both of which require two doses given several weeks apart, the J&J vaccine requires only one jab. While the single-dose treatment is anticipated to ease strain placed on inoculation initiatives, Gorsky warned that the virus will continue to mutate, placing a unique challenge on drugmakers and medical experts.  'Unfortunately, as [the virus] spreads it can also mutate,' he told CNBC.”

 

Here is more from that reporting: "Public health officials have previously warned COVID-19 is likely to remain long-term. They suspect that it will however become an endemic disease, meaning the virus will stay present across communities at all times but at lower levels than it is now.  In a report last month, Johnson & Johnson revealed its single-shot treatment had a 66% rate of preventing infections during its massive trial. It also warned that the treatment is even less effective at protecting against one variant of the virus, which first emerged in South Africa."

 

Full story at:

https://www.nydailynews.com/coronavirus/ny-covid-johnson-vaccine-annual-20210210-if6otrutffb37dn3bsx6tz64ym-story.html

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Amazon River-Caribbean 2015 adventure live/blog starting in Barbados. Many visuals from this amazing river and Caribbean Islands (Dutch ABC's, St. Barts, Dominica, Grenada, San Juan, etc.).  Now at 68,095 views:

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2157696

[TLCOhio]

In order for cruising to return to some form of "normal", airline service will be a key part for that overall "PATH FORWARD" in the coming months (and years?).

 

From the USA Today this morning, they had this headline: “ 'A horrible idea': Delta CEO blasts mandatory COVID testing for US flights as government pursues option” with these highlights: “Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian has joined the chorus of travel-industry executives coming out strongly against a government proposal to require mandatory COVID-19 tests for passengers on flights within the United States.  'I think it'd be a horrible idea for a lot of reasons,'' Bastian said Tuesday in an interview with CNN's Poppy Harlow.   Bastian said testing won't keep domestic passengers safer and will set the travel industry's recovery back by at least another year. Airlines saw cancellations and bookings spike after mandatory testing for international flights to the U.S. was announced in January.  Bastian said requiring domestic travelers to get tested would divert about 10% of the country's already scarce testing resources, given that U.S. airlines are carrying about 1 million passengers a day on average as travel picks up. There were several days during the holidays when passenger counts topped 1 million, setting a pandemic record, but the numbers have since retreated, according to the Transportation Security Administration.  Taking testing away from those 'truly in need' would be a 'terrible decision,' he said. And given delays in processing results, he believes it would be a 'logistical nightmare.'   Despite the pushback, new Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and officials with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say domestic testing is still on the table.   'First and foremost, I would really encourage people to not travel,' CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said at a White House Briefing on Monday. 'But if we are traveling, this would be yet another mitigation measure to try and decrease the spread.'   In an interview with Axios on Sunday, Buttigieg said there is an 'active conversation'' with the the CDC on domestic testing.  'What I can tell you is it's going to be guided by data, by science and by the input of the people who are actually going to have to carry this out,'' he said.”

 

Interesting debate, many pro/con factors and serious policy questions??   Reactions and comments?

 

Full story at:

https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/airline-news/2021/02/09/delta-ceo-blasts-covid-testing-on-us-flights-cdc-buttigieg/4451040001/

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

AFRICA?!!?: Fun, interesting visuals, plus travel details from this early 2016 live/blog. At 51,009 views. Featuring Cape Town, South Africa’s coast, Mozambique, Victoria Falls/Zambia and Botswana's famed Okavango Delta.

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2310337

[docruth]

I’ll be honest, for years the airlines have been begging elites to sign up for all these fancy concierge services. My DH has to have an imaging procedure, needed a test, so the lab sent out a nurse, swabbed him in the driveway, and texted the negative result documentation in 24-36hrs. If my local lab can do it, and the airlines want it, let them offer it for fee, or as a perk for elites.

 

Anything to make travel less stressful in this era would be welcome. Anything ... an app to find good accommodations to quarantine to local requirements, safest routes to/from, really anything.

 

Doc Ruth

Edited February 10, 2021 by docruth

[TLCOhio]

2 hours ago, docruth said:

My DH has to have an imaging procedure, needed a test, so the lab sent out a nurse, swabbed him in the driveway, and texted the negative result documentation in 24-36hrs. If my local lab can do it, and the airlines want it, let them offer it for fee, or as a perk for elites.  Anything to make travel less stressful in this era would be welcome. Doc Ruth

 

Great above summary, sharing and follow-up from Doc Ruth.  Yes, creativity will be needed to do these various types of tests, etc., as we adapt to the future "World of Travel".   It will be different and hopefully better.  Maybe?  

 

From the Washington Post this afternoon, they had this headline: “Can I travel without getting a vaccine?” by national travel expert Christopher Elliott with these highlights: “I’m healthy and a little too young to be considered at risk.  But I want to travel soon. So, like a lot of other unvaccinated people with wanderlust, I’ve been wondering: Can I travel without being vaccinated?  Answer: It depends on where I want to go. Most airlines currently allow passengers to fly unvaccinated. But some require a negative coronavirus test. Qantas, the Australian carrier, has announced that it will begin mandating proof of vaccination for international flights.   Most cruise lines are not operating. When they resume, at least one of them, U.K.-based Saga Cruises, will require passengers to have been vaccinated at least 14 days before sailing. Others are expected to follow suit.   'I believe that once the vaccine is offered to the general public, proof of vaccination will be the golden ticket to travel,' says Sylvia Lebovitch, a lead travel adviser, 'especially internationally.'  So who will need to be vaccinated? Which countries might require the shots? What kind of documentation will you have to show, and is there any way around that? While it may be too early to answer those questions with any certainty, that hasn’t stopped the experts from trying.  The most obvious barrier could be at the border.  'Some countries may start requiring vaccines for entry or visa requirements,' says Ben Carothers, a flight coordinator for Global Air Ambulance.  ”

 

Here is more from his reporting and experience: " 'No one can be forced to take a vaccine,' says Len Horovitz, a physician and pulmonary specialist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York. 'But not being vaccinated may shut some people out of options where a vaccination is required.'  Horovitz says travel without a vaccination or antibodies from a previous infection may raise the risk of contracting covid-19. And while masks offer some protection against infection, they don’t eliminate the threat.  If you think requiring vaccination seems too intrusive, travel experts say you may need to think again.  'We have to remember that while this all seems new to us now, the reality is that travelers have been showing proof of vaccination or receiving travel vaccinations to enter certain destinations for decades — completely without concern,' says Ragan Stone, a travel adviser."

 

Full story at:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/travel/vaccine-passports-required-travel-planes/2021/02/10/909bf852-6a77-11eb-ba56-d7e2c8defa31_story.html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=wp_homepage

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Kotor/Montenegro:  Exciting visual samples, tips, details, etc., for this scenic, historic location. Over 48,125 views.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1439193

[TLCOhio]

Here's a little "Breaking News" from the heart of "cruise country" and a key location for the future of the travel industry.  From the Miami Herald late this afternoon, they had this headline: “White House looks at domestic travel restrictions as COVID mutation surges in Florida.”

 

Here are some of their story highlights: “The Biden administration is considering whether to impose domestic travel restrictions, including on Florida, fearful that coronavirus mutations are threatening to reverse hard-fought progress on the pandemic.  Outbreaks of the new variants — including a highly contagious one first identified in the United Kingdom, as well as others from South Africa and Brazil that scientists worry can evade existing vaccines — have lent urgency to a review of potential travel restrictions within the United States, one federal official said.  'There are active conversations about what could help mitigate spread here, but we have to follow the data and what’s going to work. We did this with South Africa, we did this with Brazil, because we got clear guidance,' one White House official said.  'We’re having conversations about anything that would help mitigate spread,' the official said.  The U.K. variant, known as B.1.1.7, has recently exploded in Florida, where over a third of all cases in the United States have been identified.  'The variants are certainly of concern obviously to the CDC, and I think that the uncertainty around the variants has put other proposals on the table,' said Tori Emerson Barnes, executive vice president of public affairs and policy at the U.S. Travel Association, who has been in contact with Biden administration officials on the matter.”

 

Full story at:

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/coronavirus/article249154715.html

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Dubrovnik!  Nice visual samples, tips, details, etc., for this super scenic location. Over 47,748 views.    

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1439227

[Silver Spectre]

On 2/7/2021 at 2:23 AM, tosteve1 said:

There is still Ebola in Nigeria

This is incorrect. The only known and reported cases were in 2014 after being brought in by an infected traveller from Liberia. It was shut down fast. Just check with the CDC.

[tosteve1]

40 minutes ago, Silver Spectre said:

This is incorrect. The only known and reported cases were in 2014 after being brought in by an infected traveller from Liberia. It was shut down fast. Just check with the CDC.

My mistake, the DRC. And that’s 2021. But you know that’s not really the point...

Edited February 11, 2021 by tosteve1

[Sodashire]

Before the silver box, there was the blue box, even bigger than any of the silver ones

[worldtraveller99]

I will be so happy to finally receive my box in 2022 - any colour will do!

[TLCOhio]

2 hours ago, chrism23 said:

What an avalanche of information.  Terry, how to you find the time to type so much.  Back in your day you must have won every speed typing contest that came your away.  I just want to throw in a couple things here rather that quote and paste.  Some might be repetitive.  First and foremost, and most irrelevant I got an appointment yesterday for my first shot. Age 69 Connecticut.  Stay Healthy.

 

Don't worry, I do not spend hours and hours doing this typing and sharing.  Knowing how to use "Copy and Paste" quickly and efficiently helps much to post such a range of info.  Appreciate your comments and follow-up.  In high school, I did learn to "touch-type", plus I worked for a number of years in the newspaper business.  From that experience being able to compose and write on the key board has been a very, very beneficial "life-skill".  Glad that you are now scheduled for your first shot.  Let us know how that goes!!

 

From the Wall Street Journal yesterday, they had this headline: “Which Americans Are Least Willing to Get a Covid-19 Vaccine" with this sub-headline: "Census survey shows vaccine hesitancy remains a challenge among Black and young people, those in the South”.

 

Here are some of their story highlights: “Data from a continuing large-scale national survey reveal many adults are still reluctant to get a Covid-19 vaccine, especially Black and younger Americans.  Nationally, about 60% of U.S. adults have either already received at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine or say they will definitely get one. But the survey, which gauged responses from about 80,000 adults between Jan. 20-Feb. 1, shows geographic and demographic divides in the willingness to get vaccinated.  Residents of Southern states are least committed to getting a vaccine, while those in the Northeast show the most willingness to get a shot.  Conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau and developed in concert with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Center for Health Statistics, the survey will continue with data released every two weeks.”

 

Here is more background: "While about 1-in-5 unvaccinated whites and Hispanics say they definitely or probably won’t get a shot, that number rises to about one-third among Blacks. Black and Hispanic populations have been among the hardest-hit in the pandemic. Less than 40% of Black respondents who hadn’t yet received a vaccine said they would definitely get one, compared with 59% of whites.   Americans under the age of 40 are the most reluctant to get vaccinated, the survey found—more than twice as likely to say they definitely or probably won’t get the vaccine as those who are 65 and older. More than 7-in-10 unvaccinated seniors say they will definitely get vaccinated.  There are notable differences among education and income levels, with college graduates and those with household incomes of more than $100,000 a year the most committed to receiving a vaccine. Hesitancy among lower-income populations could be a challenge in the vaccine rollout, as they are more likely to work in essential industries and often are more likely to have high-risk medical conditions that result in more-severe complications from Covid-19 infection."

 

Interesting data and reporting.  Clearly there are "challenges" ahead, but hopefully awareness and trust will rise as the vaccine continues to roll out.  In a large and diverse country of 330 million, one "size" or way of doing things does not happen instantly in the U.S..  It takes time and patience!!  Just think of the task ahead in a world of nearly eight billion people.  

 

Full story at:

https://www.wsj.com/articles/which-americans-are-least-willing-to-get-a-covid-19-vaccine-11612979857?page=1

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

From this Wall Street Journal article, below is the graphic reflecting the wide differences in attitudes towards getting the vaccine.  Lots of regional differences, especially given by the degree of "separation" in where people live, ages, educational levels, etc.  Second chart below show the differences by gender, education, income.:

(Open your screen/viewer wider to see this visual larger/better!)

 

[tosteve1]

https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/10/health/covid-vaccinated-quarantine-cdc-guidance/index.html
A little incentive maybe?

[TLCOhio]

On 2/11/2021 at 10:06 AM, tosteve1 said:

https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/10/health/covid-vaccinated-quarantine-cdc-guidance/index.html
A little incentive maybe?

 

YES!!  Good news from this CNN story.  Appreciate this helpful follow-up and sharing.  There clearly has been serious progress with the vaccines . . . and infection levels are going down.  BUT, there are still many questions facing travelers and the cruise lines during the upcoming months before any re-opening can commence.  

 

Have been told by a reliable, inside sources that Silversea will be requiring all of their ship staff to be getting the vaccine.    BUT, SS has not yet decided if it would be mandatory for all passengers to have been vaccines prior to boarding.  More policy questions to be considered and decided??!!

 

From the Washington Post and MSN News this morning, they had this headline: “Alaska’s canceled 2020 cruise season was devastating. Another one could be catastrophic.” with these highlights: “The news spread quickly around Alaska’s port cities last week, through texts and emails and calls. After all the shocks of 2020, this still managed to sting: Canada was banning cruise ships again — not for another few months as expected, but until February 2022.  'I just went, ‘Oh no,’ ' said Patti Mackey, the president and CEO of the Ketchikan Visitors Bureau.   Because of U.S. federal law, cruise ships that come to Alaska have to also visit a foreign port, which is where Canada comes in. The government’s decision on Feb. 4 means Alaska, which got about 60 percent of its summer visitors in 2019 from cruise ships, will almost certainly miss out on another crucial cruise season.  Now, destinations and businesses that were hoping to finally scrape together a few months of revenue after the last ships departed in 2019 are left to figure out once again how to survive.  Alaska was expecting a record 1.4 million cruise visitors. Now it faces a summer with none.”

 

Here is just one example from this reporting for these serious Alaska realities and impacts, etc.: "In previous years, Red Onion Saloon in Skagway welcomed visitors from three or four cruise ships a day to its brothel museum, bar and restaurant. Last year, the former bordello opened twice a week for four hours for curbside pizza takeout. Instead of the thousands of brothel tours that would take place in a summer, the establishment gave one, over Zoom, to a writer’s conference. There were five or six employees rather than the typical 35."  

 

In the summer of 2019 while sailing on the Silver Muse we enjoyed our visit to Skagway and doing this "historic" brothel tour.  FUN experience, for history educational purposes, obly, of course!!  See photographic "evidence" below from our visit there.

 

Full story at:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/alaska-s-canceled-2020-cruise-season-was-devastating-another-one-could-be-catastrophic/ar-BB1dD4NH?scrlybrkr=9baecce2

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Completed 2019 summer with Calgary, Jasper/Banff National Parks, Western Canada Rocky Mountaineer rail adventure, Vancouver, sailing up to Alaska on Silver Musse, post-cruise excursion to Denali, etc.  Many visuals and details from our first in these scenic areas!  Live/blog: 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2682584-live-terryohio-silver-muse-alaska-canadarockies-pix’s/

 

From the Red Onion Saloon in Skagway, here is the proof that we enjoyed our visit there.  Any others who have "done business" at the Red Onion Saloon?:

(Open your screen/viewer wider to see these visuals larger/better!)

 

[TLCOhio]

As mentioned on this thread earlier today, below is from Miami Herald this afternoon with this headline: “Royal Caribbean Group will soon require crew to be vaccinated for COVID-19”.  

 

Here are their story highlights: “Royal Caribbean Group will soon require crew to be vaccinated for COVID-19 before returning to work.  In an email to crew members on Wednesday obtained by the Miami Herald, Royal Caribbean Group said the company is still working out the details of how to vaccinate its ship-board workforce but expects it will soon be a requirement. It is the first major cruise line to announce such a requirement.  'The process may be different depending on where you live, the timing of your next contract, and whether you are already onboard or traveling,' the email to crew members said.  As the COVID-19 vaccine rolls out around the world, more and more countries are considering requiring a vaccine certificate for entry.”

 

Here is more from their story:  "Royal Caribbean Group owns three cruise lines: Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises and Silversea. Cruises in the U.S. are banned indefinitely as cruise companies work to comply with the U.S. Centers’ for Disease Control and Prevention conditional sail order, which will eventually include mock cruises. The CDC has not yet published requirements for crew vaccination.  Royal Caribbean Group’s email to crew members included testimonials from two employees who have already received the shot and did not experience side effects. In an attached FAQ, the company said it plans to cover the cost of vaccination for crew members on board its ships or on land through agreements with local governments, and is looking into providing vaccines for family members."

 

Nothing in this story speaks to their likely policies and plans for passengers on their ships regarding mandatory vaccine requirements.

 

Full story at:

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/business/tourism-cruises/article249212550.html

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Athens & Greece: Many visuals, details from two visits in a city with great history, culture and architecture.  Now at 37,333 views.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1101008

[MHF]

On 2/3/2021 at 2:11 PM, Lois R said:

I guess this is the time it would be better if I was older.  I am 62 and am still too young to be

any group who is eligible for a vaccine.   Happy for those of you who are able to get one.  I have no clue when I will be eligible. (they are only doing folks 65 and up here) 

  I keep checking.......hopefully in the next couple of months.

Yep, I'm not quite 60 and our Governor has been complaining that we are not getting enough doses for the over-65's.  I did some rough math based on current doses vs. MD population and I think I'm not eligible until August!  Hope the new J&J one can ramp up production quickly.

[kimanjo]

1 hour ago, MHF said:

Yep, I'm not quite 60 and our Governor has been complaining that we are not getting enough doses for the over-65's.  I did some rough math based on current doses vs. MD population and I think I'm not eligible until August!  Hope the new J&J one can ramp up production quickly.

I think that's pessimistic.  Pop of US.  328 million. Take off  65 million for 16 and under. 

That's 263 million.  Seeing all the stats of % of population who will take the vaccine, even if we get to 65% ( which is higher that stats given), that's 170 million.  Looks like we should get to at least 100 million in 100 days.  We've been average lately 1.4 million per day, which is 140 million. Some people are pushing 2 million per day, even 3 million if we are aggressive and do 24/7 vax sites.

My state is 6 million ( and county is 800,000). I'm 58 with no underlying conditions.  I'm estimating I'll be in April.

But then again, I'm a glass is half full kinda gal!

[How much longer?]

Terry, we had the same Red Onion tour guide in 2018!

[kimanjo]

On 2/12/2021 at 2:15 PM, MHF said:

Yep, I'm not quite 60 and our Governor has been complaining that we are not getting enough doses for the over-65's.  I did some rough math based on current doses vs. MD population and I think I'm not eligible until August!  Hope the new J&J one can ramp up production quickly.

Update

 

   Two days in a row US jabbed 2 million people per day.  Fingers crossed this is the norm, not the exception!!