I PAID OFF MY CRUISE FOR DEC.5,2020

[AmberTeka]

I had a lot of Carnival Gifr Cards from my cancelled cruise for my husband and me, and my daughter's family. It took a long time to get a refund but I did.
I do not want Carnival to go belly up. So I figure that if they cancel all cruises until 2021, I would get a refund. If they tested everyone getting on the ship, and just floated around for a  week or so, I would be happy. I like ending the buffet too. Holland America, I think, always serves the food when you go thgough the line. ( think they do so).
They have, or are, moving the Breeze to Cape Canerval. We are booked on the Dec. 5.2020 Cruise to Aruba.

Edited September 5, 2020 by AmberTeka

[bury me at sea]

I hope you get to take this cruise.  I would love it if cruising starts in December.

 

The Breeze is a beautiful ship.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[joeyancho]

Have a back-up plan for an alternate vacation

[cellfree]

AmberTeka, I hope you enjoy the Breeze. We were booked on her out of Port Everglades and Carnival cancelled us when they moved her to Port Canaveral. Have heard such good reports of the Breeze. Our next booking is November 2, Sunrise 5-nights out of Port of Miami. Some of us remain hopeful despite those who are not. And if canceled we will work with that. I love to anticipate our next cruise. 

[DD fun]

WE are also on this cruise and like you we just want to sail. Any restrictions at this point are acceptable to us because we believe it will be the first step in the right direction toward a future return to enjoyable cruising.

[Bgcruising]

Have fun!

[SeaHunt]

3 hours ago, AmberTeka said:

We are booked on the Dec. 5.2020 Cruise to Aruba.

 

Wishing you good luck for a great cruise. I'm one of the few that think something will be sailing by December. 😁

 

But I'm unsure about sailing to Aruba - though hopefully travel restrictions to Aruba will change by your sailing or you might be doing the "floating around for a week or so" that you mention. It's good that you would still be happy if it comes to that (I would be OK with that too! 😉)

 

Here's the latest on Aruba's requirements:

 

"This page describes the Aruba government-mandated procedures that are currently in place related to the COVID-19 pandemic, for visitors to be granted entry to Aruba and also while staying in Aruba. Information is also available related to the Aruba Visitors Insurance and countries that Aruba’s borders are open to for travel. This information is valid as of September 4, 2020 to date".

Information on this page is divided into four main sections:

1. The online ED Card process. This is a crucial element to being granted entry to Aruba and is comprised of five essential components that visitors must be aware of.

2. Procedures during flights, upon arrival and during one's stay in Aruba

3. Countries / regions with which Aruba's borders are open for travel.

 

4. Wearing of masks and additional safety protocols while in Aruba.

 

1. Online ED Card process.

Formerly referred to as the embarkation/disembarkation card (or ED Card) due to it having been a paper card that used to be handed out to visitors on flights to Aruba for filling in traveler information. 

This has now been completely digitized and is an essential process that all visitors must follow prior to traveling to Aruba. It includes online functionality for the following components:

(i) providing basic traveler information, 

(ii) submitting a personal health assessment, 

(iii) uploading a negative COVID-19 test result, 

(iv) purchasing Aruba Visitors Insurance,

(v) declaring one’s consent to Aruba’s health protocols and procedures. 

 

The above components are described in detail below and all are part of the online ED Card process that needs to be done at edcardaruba.aw.
 

(i) Basic Traveler information

This entails providing details such as birth date, passport details, duration of stay and so forth.

(ii) Personal Health Assessment

To be submitted within 72 and 4 hours prior to travel to Aruba. This includes responding to questions related to one’s state of health including questions about any prior COVID-19 diagnosis, quarantine or contact with persons in quarantine, symptoms typical to COVID-19, contact with COVID-19 infected persons, etc.

(iii) Negative Molecular COVID-19 test required

Three possible test procedure options are available depending on your place of residence:

Option 1: Take a test prior to arrival 
Option 2: Only take a test upon arrival in Aruba (no other test results uploaded prior to travel)
Option 3: Dual testing process - Testing prior to travel and a mandatory Molecular PCR test at the airport in Aruba

 

IMPORTANT:  Option 2 is not available to residents of the following high-risk US States:

Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

 

Residents of all other US States and countries with whom Aruba’s borders are open are strongly recommended to choose test option 1 or if you're unable to get tested prior to travel to Aruba then option 2 is available. The cost of option 2 - the PCR test taken in Aruba - is US$75 per person and needs to be pre-paid as part of the online ED Card process. Children 14 and under are not required to take the PCR test.

Tests must be taken at 72 hours prior to departure (or closer to departure) and the results need to be uploaded no later than 12 hours prior to departure to Aruba. Any tests and results executed before 72 hours prior to departure to Aruba will not be valid.

 

Options in detail:

Option 1: Take a test prior to arrival - Test must be a COVID-19 test, obtained from a nasal/oral swab specimen through amplified Molecular testing performed by a certified lab, and the results need to be uploaded as part of the online ED Card process. The test provider is of your choice, and costs may vary by provider.

 

Your uploaded lab results need to list:

Your name, as it appears on passport

Date the test was administered

"COVID-19", "SARS-CoV-2" or "Coronavirus"

The type of Molecular test or Molecular test brand name (see below)

How the test was taken: "Nasal", "Nasopharyngeal", "Mid-turbinate" "Oral", or "Oropharyngeal" swab

Your test result: "Negative"

These are the ACCEPTED tests:

Accepted Molecular test types:

PCR / RT-PCR / ddPCR / Rapid PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction)

NAA / NAAT (Nucleic Acid Amplification)

AMP PRB (Amplified Probe)

LAMP (Loop-mediated Isothermal Amplification)

TMA (Transcription-mediated Amplification)

Accepted Molecular test brands, such as, but not limited to:

Abbott ID NOW

Quidel Lyra PCR

Abbott Realtime PCR

Cobas Qualitative PCR

FTD PCR

Xpert Xpress

Simplexa Direct PCR

These tests are NOT ACCEPTED:

Any at-home kits (the sample needs to be collected by licensed medical staff)

Any test that does not rely on an oral or nasal swab, such as:

Sputum collection, spit collection, spit in a cup, etc

Gargle, oral rinse, etc

Oral swab without a nasal swab

All Antigen (Ag) tests (including Quidel Sophia and Rapid Antigen Tests)

All Antibody tests (such as IgG, IgA, IgM and Rapid Antibody Tests)

All blood tests (such as fingerstick, venipuncture)

All plasma tests

All serum tests

All lateral flow tests

All fever checks

All temperature checks

Any Doctor's note

Upload any of these and you will be required to retake the PCR test on arrival at the Airport at your expense.

Tests are not required for children 14 and under. All costs related to PCR testing are the responsibility of the visitor.

 

Option 2: Only take a test upon arrival in Aruba (no other test results uploaded prior to travel) - a Molecular PCR test will be conducted immediately after arrival, and visitors will be required to be in mandatory quarantine at their hotel or booked place of stay. The quarantine will be up to 24 hours, and the Aruba Department of Health will make every effort to have results in 6-8 hours, in order to minimize the visitors’ time in quarantine. Option 2 is not available to residents of the US States listed above.

 

Option 3: Dual testing process - testing prior to travel and a mandatory Molecular PCR COVID-19 test at the airport in Aruba

Option 3 is relevant to residents of the abovementioned high-risk US States. For option 3, the Government of Aruba requires you to take two tests. One accessible, qualified test prior to travel, and one qualified Molecular PCR test upon arrival at the Aruba airport. Prior to travel it will be possible to pre-upload negative test results for one of the following tests as part of the online ED Card process.

These are the ACCEPTED tests:

Antigen test, such as:

Antigen QL IA (Qualitative Immunoassay)

Antigen FIA (Fluoro-immunoassay) 

Molecular PCR Home kits such as:

Pixel by LabCo  

Any other type of test (other than the ones below that are not accepted)

These tests are NOT ACCEPTED:

All Antibody tests (such as IgG, IgA, IgM and Rapid Antibody Tests)

All blood tests (such as fingerstick, venipuncture)

All plasma tests

All serum tests

Any Doctor's note

Upload any of these and you will not be allowed to travel to Aruba.

With Option 3, it will still be mandatory to conduct a second test (Molecular PCR). This will be collected via a nasal swab (Nasopharyngeal), administered upon arrival at the Aruba airport.  Visitors will be required to be in mandatory quarantine at their hotel or booked place of stay.  The quarantine will be up to 24 hours, and the Aruba Department of Health will make every effort to have results in 6-8 hours, in order to minimize the visitors’ time in quarantine.

 

(iv) Purchasing Aruba Visitors Insurance

This insurance is mandatory for all visitors and must be purchased in advance of travel as part of the online ED Card process. One’s own travel insurance can be supplementary to the Aruba Visitors Insurance but cannot replace it. Premiums are per person and depend on one’s age and length of stay.
 

(v) Declaring one’s consent to Aruba’s health protocols and procedures. 

The final mandatory requirement is to provide consent to comply with the rules and procedures as mandated by the Aruban government, including cooperating with any COVID-19 related screening, isolation, quarantine, PCR testing procedures including temporary quarantine while awaiting results, adherence to any instructions by Aruba’s public health authorities etc. Consent must be provided within 72 hours and 4 hours prior to travel to Aruba as part of the online ED Card process.

The online embarkation/disembarkation process will generate email notifications and reminders for completion of all the five aforementioned components. For this to go smoothly, visitors are encouraged to begin the online ED Card process as soon after booking their trip to Aruba as possible and to comply with the timeframes allocated to each component step. Visitors are also encouraged to check their spam folders as some notification or reminder messages may end up there inadvertently.

 

Upon successful completion of the online ED Card process, visitors will receive a confirmation email with approval for travel to Aruba. This would need to be shown in digital or print form at check in or upon boarding.

 

2. Procedures while in flight, upon arrival and during stay.

Wearing of masks is mandatory on incoming flights and at certain places in Aruba. Additionally, visitors are strongly encouraged to wear masks in situations where social distancing proves difficult. 
 

All visitors who did not provide a negative Molecular COVID-19 test result prior to travel to Aruba will receive a Molecular PCR COVID-19 test at the airport immediately after arrival in Aruba. Testing will be followed by a mandatory quarantine at the visitor’s booked accommodation until test results are finalized. Mandatory quarantine means that the person must stay in their room until the test results are known to avoid contact with other guests and staff at the accommodation. This quarantine is not expected to last more than 24 hours, and Aruba’s health department will make every effort to have results in less time (6-8 hours) in order to minimize the visitor’s time in quarantine.
 

All visitors who provided a negative PCR test result prior to travel to Aruba will receive a temperature check and health interview by a medical professional upon arrival. This is not required for children aged 14 and younger. If the temperature check and health assessment are clear, no further testing or subsequent 24-hour quarantine is needed. If the visitor shows COVID-19-related symptoms during the health check, the visitor will be taken to a designated isolation location to await test results. Travel companions will proceed to their booked accommodation and will quarantine pending test results. If test results are negative, the guest can go to their booked accommodation. If test results are positive, the guest will remain in isolation and their travel companions will be relocated to a designated quarantine location.
 

Prior to travel, visitors should download the Aruba Department of Public Health’s Aruba Health App. In addition to being a valuable mobile resource for COVID-19 health procedures in Aruba, it will also facilitate airport health screening, and importantly visitors will receive results for Molecular PCR COVID-19 tests taken in Aruba considerably faster.
 

Aruba has a designated COVID Call Center reachable at 280-0505. Any visitors experiencing symptoms typically associated with COVID-19 (e.g. fever, cough, shortness of breath, breathing difficulties, loss of taste/smell) are required to first contact their accommodation staff/host or the COVID Call Center. Over the phone, a triage questionnaire will be conducted by a medical practitioner and visitors will be instructed of next steps they would be required to follow.

 

3. Aruba's borders are open to the following regions / countries.

*Bonaire & Curacao - since June 15, 2020  

Canada - since July 1, 2020  

Europe - since July 1, 2020  

Caribbean countries (excluding the Dominican Republic and Haiti) - since July 1, 2020 

United States of America - since July 10, 2020. 

* Bonaire and Curacao may have travel restrictions related to Aruba imposed by their own governments, please check accordingly.

Opening dates for other regions, including South America and Central America, are yet to be determined.

 

4. Wearing of masks and additional safety measures.

Wearing a mask is mandatory at specific places in Aruba by government regulation. Visitors and locals alike are expected to have a mask with them at all times to use in the mandated locations indicated below, as well as any other instances where social distancing is not possible. 

 

Where wearing a mask is mandatory:

- all inbound visitors ages 15 and older must wear a mask during flight to Aruba. Travelers are also encouraged to familiarize themselves with any in-flight requirements and procedures of their chosen airline related to COVID-19.

-  all inbound visitors ages 15 and older must wear a mask in the airport in Aruba, during any taxi ride or public transportation from the airport to their accommodation, and until they enter their room at their booked place of stay.

- all visitors and locals must wear a mask on public transportation including public buses and taxis for hire.

- all visitors and locals must wear a mask in any indoor public space. This includes, but is not limited to, retail shops, supermarkets, museums, casinos, etc. Travelers are also encouraged to familiarize themselves with any specific mask wearing protocols in place at their chosen hotel or accommodations.

- all visitors and locals must wear a mask on tour buses

 

Where wearing a mask is strongly encouraged:

In any places not listed above as mandatory, visitors and locals are strongly encouraged to wear a mask when social distancing is not possible and where there are no physical barriers, such as plexiglass shields, to compensate for social distancing.

This includes, but is not limited to, food and beverage establishments, outdoor retail shops, outdoor attractions, parks, bike paths and walkways, etc.

 

Proper mask usage

Visitors and locals should follow CDC and/or WHO guidelines for effective types of masks, as well as proper mask usage including wearing a mask over the nose and mouth, securing it under the chin, and fitting it snugly against the sides of the face.

Additional safety measures

The Aruba government has also implemented additional island-wide measures to further maintain the health and safety of visitors. 

All restaurants are required to close by 11:00pm at the latest.

Tables at restaurants can have a maximum of four seats (excluding seating for children under the age of 12). Tables must be at least 1.5 meters apart. 

All bars, rum shops, and nightclubs are closed until further notice. Restaurant bars can serve at tables only. There will be no bar stools and no standing at bars.

Hotel bars can serve at the bar only to registered hotel guests.

Hotel bars are permitted to have a live soloist.

No live music activities with a band or a DJ are allowed.

No parties are allowed in private homes.

No groups over four people are allowed to form in public spaces unless the group consists of a family from the same household. This includes gatherings on the beach.

Beach weddings are permitted but are limited to a maximum of 25 people and no live music is allowed and proper social distancing and hand sanitizing must be adhered to. A single, non-amplified musician is allowed.

Indoor group sports and contact sports of any kind (indoor or outdoor) are not permitted.

Follow our news section for daily updates on the COVID-19 situation in Aruba. 

 

https://www.visitaruba.com/traveling-to-aruba/entry-requirements-and-visas/aruba-travel-restrictions-covid-19/

[MooNGaTe27]

I hope we cruise . I am also on this cruise . I picked it because of aruba 

 

[Tjcalley]

We just canceled this cruise today. I was trying to hold out to get the $600 OBC if (when?) they cancel it. We moved what we already paid to our May 2021 Mardi Gras cruise (if the ship is even ready by then 🤣). While this sailing might go we didn’t want to be one of the first cruises to go. We decided on an AI in Cancun instead! 
 

I hope you get to sail, we were really looking forward to this itinerary!

[xDisconnections]

3 hours ago, MooNGaTe27 said:

I hope we cruise . I am also on this cruise . I picked it because of aruba 

 

So... itineraries are subject to change based on availability and not guaranteed. Good luck!

[zqvol]

On 9/5/2020 at 10:57 AM, AmberTeka said:

I had a lot of Carnival Gifr Cards from my cancelled cruise for my husband and me, and my daughter's family. It took a long time to get a refund but I did.
I do not want Carnival to go belly up. So I figure that if they cancel all cruises until 2021, I would get a refund. If they tested everyone getting on the ship, and just floated around for a  week or so, I would be happy. I like ending the buffet too. Holland America, I think, always serves the food when you go thgough the line. ( think they do so).
They have, or are, moving the Breeze to Cape Canerval. We are booked on the Dec. 5.2020 Cruise to Aruba.

Good luck, but I wouldn't be booking any hotels are air for that cruise, because there is almost zero chance of CCL sailing that soon.

[Floriduh]

5 minutes ago, zqvol said:

Good luck, but I wouldn't be booking any hotels are air for that cruise, because there is almost zero chance of CCL sailing that soon.

Sources?

[GMRPHRN]

I hope you cruise. I love the Breeze. So ready to go on a cruise again. Doesn't really matter where.   Just need a vacation.

[AmberTeka]

1 hour ago, GMRPHRN said:

I hope you cruise. I love the Breeze. So ready to go on a cruise again. Doesn't really matter where.   Just need a vacation.

I grew up in Muscle Shoals. We played a High School in Huntsville (football) my Senior year. I remember when Huntsville was not a big city!  North  West Alabama is beautiful and the people are  so nice. I don't miss the winters. I still have family in MSC.
I called Carnival today, and they said it had not been cancelled. I think it is sailing, if it does. with fewer passengers. If we have to use masks, I am fine with that. If they serve all of the food, I like that. If they give a covid test when you board, I like that. If they take our temperature, that is fine.  
Currently my social life is going to Publix. And I really like Publix, and like their staff and food, but I just want to see people. People safe spaced. With masks. Well tested. Who use the same huge amount of disenfectant as we do.

 

[hurricane0226]

Our social life is Walmart, hope they do start cruising, have a Thanksgiving cruise on the Breeze on Nov

21st, so looking forward to it had two other cruises canceled

[xDisconnections]

5 hours ago, AmberTeka said:

Currently my social life is going to Publix. And I really like Publix, and like their staff and food, but I just want to see people.

 

Oh wow. I hope things get better for you in your area.

 

It’s like the complete opposite by me and we’re still in Phase 1. We just carry on as normal here except most are wearing masks and trying to stay a little more distanced than normal.

Edited September 7, 2020 by xDisconnections

[evandbob]

Cancellation update from Carnival, posted on 9/3:  https://www.carnival.com/health-and-sailing-updates?icid=default_butterbar_health&safety_06032020

 

This sailing is not affected, stay tuned!

[stellarose]

wonder why Mardi Gras is till January but breeze is march 2021 hmmm.

[tree.critter]

2 hours ago, stellarose said:

wonder why Mardi Gras is till January but breeze is march 2021 hmmm.

Mardi Gras was canceled until February awhile ago due to the ship not being ready so this isn’t a new change.  Inaugural is 2/6/21 now if all goes well.

 

I love the Breeze, thought about booking this cruise and itinerary  so I didn’t have to wait until my 2/6/21 to get back on the ocean.  Maybe still will, wait and see for now.

[young_ens]

On 9/5/2020 at 11:57 AM, AmberTeka said:

They have, or are, moving the Breeze to Cape Canerval. We are booked on the Dec. 5.2020 Cruise to Aruba.

 

1. Did this cruise in 2013.  Was fun, nice ship, Aruba and Curacao were very nice!

 

2. I wouldn't count on it.  The Port Canaveral chairman stated no passenger cruises out of there until at least Jan 2021.  

[ProgRockCruiser]

We moved our sailing from 5 Dec (same cruise to Aruba/Bonaire) out to 2022 - identical itinerary, same date range (leaves on Sat 3 Dec 2022).  Canceled the day before final payment was due.  Didn't really feel like investing a couple of thousand dollars to then have Carnival cancel the cruise.  We moved from an aft balcony to one of those "bowling alley balcony" cabins around the corner (and two decks up, and on Magic vs Breeze).  So that should be an interesting change (we've done aft balconies twice before).

 

And in the case the cruise goes ahead, we simply weren't comfortable with cruising when right now around here (Central Florida) we wouldn't want to be huddled up with hundreds or thousands of other strangers.  And I don't have any confidence things will truly be better by early December.  I have hope it will be better.  But hope is not a plan.

 

On top of that, even if the cruise goes ahead (I have my doubts) the travel restrictions in place for visiting the two primary ports I listed have no timeline of being lifted.  We are really not interested in an 8 day cruise to Amber Cove, Grand Turk, and Princess Cay.

 

We've booked an alternative in-state drive-to-destination vacation for this December, which is easily cancelled if things are not good.

 

Plus, we are booked on Mardi Gras in April 2021 - even that is possibly sketchy, but the itinerary is not the reason for the cruise, just exploring the new ship, mainly.  Though will will be happy to explore San Juan again.  So we aren't waiting two more years to cruise, hopefully, just a few more months.

 

As an aside, I look forward to seeing how the local case numbers do in about two weeks.  Friends of ours stayed in a B&B on the east coast of FL this past weekend as a brief getaway.  They tried to go to the beach, but it was swamped with people, no-one wearing masks, on-beach parking completely full, parking lots all full, street parking all full.  They turned around and went to the inland waterway side, where there was nobody around.  

 

If there is no significant bump in cases in two weeks, I will be (happily) surprised.