How does CC members plan to handle the new cruise line requirement to take shore excursions offered by the cruise line?

[ShmuelCharlie]

I've been reading the CC news bulletins that cruise lines, in association with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), have undertaken plans to not only resume cruising in the post-Covid era, but also require guests to do shore excursions that will not permit pax to deviate from the shore excursion "bubble" whose purpose is to protect a port's residents. Question: Given that CC Roll Call members tend to offer independent tours separate from the line's shore excursions, how do CC members offering these tours plan to bypass this requirement? 

[Mapleleafforever]

They could probably just pony up to the cruise lines. 

[davekathy]

12 minutes ago, ShmuelCharlie said:

I've been reading the CC news bulletins that cruise lines, in association with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), have undertaken plans to not only resume cruising in the post-Covid era, but also require guests to do shore excursions that will not permit pax to deviate from the shore excursion "bubble" whose purpose is to protect a port's residents. Question: Given that CC Roll Call members tend to offer independent tours separate from the line's shore excursions, how do CC members offering these tours plan to bypass this requirement? 

What CC roll calls? Sounds like a lot of wishful thinking or just a lot of blah, blah, blah. 🙄

[not-enough-cruising]

14 minutes ago, ShmuelCharlie said:

I've been reading the CC news bulletins that cruise lines, in association with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), have undertaken plans to not only resume cruising in the post-Covid era, but also require guests to do shore excursions that will not permit pax to deviate from the shore excursion "bubble" whose purpose is to protect a port's residents. Question: Given that CC Roll Call members tend to offer independent tours separate from the line's shore excursions, how do CC members offering these tours plan to bypass this requirement? 

There will be NO bypassing of these requirements. 

[ShmuelCharlie]

12 minutes ago, not-enough-cruising said:

There will be NO bypassing of these requirements. 

I sure hope so, but I've seen in the 6/13/21 Harmony OTS Roll Call that a CC Roll Call member has offered an independent small group tour to visit Pompeii, Amalfi and Sorrento using small vans.  I wondered how arrangement was made to bypass the bubble required by RCCL for Naples. And no, before anybody tells me I'm expressing sour grapes that I could have made a reservation w/this tour operator, that's not the case. I would rather be safe than sorry inside of RCCL's bubble and be able to re-board the ship than not deviating from the bubble.  

[ShmuelCharlie]

22 minutes ago, davekathy said:

What CC roll calls? Sounds like a lot of wishful thinking or just a lot of blah, blah, blah. 🙄

Have you read the 6/13/21 Harmony OTS Roll Call board about this sailing and the independent small group tour offered to visit Pompeii, Amalfi and Sorrento via small van? That Roll Call posting was the origin for this discussion topic. 

[davekathy]

5 minutes ago, ShmuelCharlie said:

Have you read the 6/13/21 Harmony OTS Roll Call board about this sailing and the independent small group tour offered to visit Pompeii, Amalfi and Sorrento via small van? That Roll Call posting was the origin for this discussion topic. 

No. As you didn't mention what RC (ship, sail date) in you first post. Sounds like there will be some disappointed cruisers on that cruise if they plan on doing an independent shore excursion. Unless things change between now and then. 

Edited December 8, 2020 by davekathy

[ReneeFLL]

8 minutes ago, ShmuelCharlie said:

Have you read the 6/13/21 Harmony OTS Roll Call board about this sailing and the independent small group tour offered to visit Pompeii, Amalfi and Sorrento via small van? That Roll Call posting was the origin for this discussion topic. 

Maybe by then you won’t be required to only take a ship excursion. If it’s still required and those people still take the independent one, they will probably get kicked off. There’s no way I would risk it.

[Hogbay]

37 minutes ago, not-enough-cruising said:

There will be NO bypassing of these requirements. 

CDC has no power of enforcing anything in another country .😇

[davekathy]

2 minutes ago, ReneeFLL said:

Maybe by then you won’t be required to only take a ship excursion. If it’s still required and those people still take the independent one, they will probably get kicked off. There’s no way I would risk it.

Agree and hope so. But based on the current requirement and when/if cruising resumes, no one will even be allowed to get off the ship unless they are on a ship sponsored shore excursion. 

[hloakes]

1 minute ago, Hogbay said:

CDC has no power of enforcing anything in another country .😇

 

I don't know if this true for cruises originating in the U.S., but the cruise lines do. I hope they open back up but I don't see them going contrary to the CDC.

[Coralc]

If it is in the Caribbean, we will just stay onboard. Usually we like to get off and walk around, purchase trinkets. If that is not allowed, we won't. We have been to enough of the islands, that we don't need to purchase an excursion. 

[Hogbay]

2 minutes ago, hloakes said:

 

I don't know if this true for cruises originating in the U.S., but the cruise lines do. I hope they open back up but I don't see them going contrary to the CDC.

CDC would have authority over cruises returning to the US only 🙂

[Tree_skier]

34 minutes ago, ShmuelCharlie said:

I sure hope so, but I've seen in the 6/13/21 Harmony OTS Roll Call that a CC Roll Call member has offered an independent small group tour to visit Pompeii, Amalfi and Sorrento using small vans.  I wondered how arrangement was made to bypass the bubble required by RCCL for Naples.

They can say and offer anything they want on a public forum.  Once on the ship that'll all go out the window. It'll be obey Royal's rules or you don't re-board.  

[Tree_skier]

MSC was required to do this for their restart.  Royal will be now different once they are cruising in the Med.

[bouhunter]

44 minutes ago, ShmuelCharlie said:

Have you read the 6/13/21 Harmony OTS Roll Call board about this sailing and the independent small group tour offered to visit Pompeii, Amalfi and Sorrento via small van? That Roll Call posting was the origin for this discussion topic. 

They aren't even sailing yet, so there isn't any "bubble" yet either.  You don't even know for sure there will be.  Maybe those people are just hoping the rules won't be in place then.  Or maybe the ship won't even sail.    Relax.

Edited December 8, 2020 by bouhunter

[rockmom]

CDC has nothing to do with cruises outside/not leaving from/returning to or stopping in the U.S.  But the cruise lines do.  These people had a rude awakening when not allowed to re-board after breaking away from the 'bubble'.  https://thepointsguy.com/news/family-kicked-off-cruise-ship/

[twangster]

I respect that rules need to be in place for cruising during a pandemic.  I have two thoughts on the issue.

 

1. I like to self explore.  I've cruised the Caribbean and Bahamas enough so I could do a cruise there and just stay on the ship the whole cruise.  I've done this before.  Cruising in other regions is another matter.  Consequently i've eliminated all but one 2021 cruise since they were to Europe and Alaska where I'm not okay looking at the destination through a window from a ship bar wearing a mask with my only choice being a ship excursion at inflated prices.

 

2. I'm thinking the CDC isn't really going to let ships sail while the pandemic is raging.  Other public health agencies in other regions aren't much different.  One or two cruises is one thing but mass cruising isn't going to occur until the pandemic is over.  Once pandemic risk is so reduced so that mass cruising can occur, the need to take excursions in a bubble will quickly fall off - in theory.  I'm thinking the cruise lines will hold onto this rule longer than it is needed from a scientific perspective since it's more profit for them.  I'm not okay with that. 

 

Between #1 and #2  I've cleared my 2021 cruise calendar and I'll look to 2022 for normalcy.

 

I do have one free cruise in 2021 that has to occur in 2021 so I've been looking at options to push that later into 2021 if possible.  

 

Otherwise the ship excursion rule is proving to be a deal breaker for me.  

[Dennis#1]

3 hours ago, Tree_skier said:

They can say and offer anything they want on a public forum.  Once on the ship that'll all go out the window. It'll be obey Royal's rules or you don't re-board.  

So true.

[orville99]

11 hours ago, Hogbay said:

CDC has no power of enforcing anything in another country .😇

True, the  CDC organization only has jurisdiction in the U.S., but every country that has an equivalent to the  CDC tends to follow the recommendations from its member organizations. 

 

From the CDC website: "CDC works in more than 60 countries, with staff from the U.S., but with even more staff from the respective countries to carry on the work, working with ministries of health and other partners on the front lines where outbreaks occur."

Edited December 8, 2020 by orville99

[crewsweeper]

We like being able to do things on our own, but, if there is a ship excursion that appeals to us, we will look into it.  Otherwise, we'll enjoy the ship without the crowds.

 

The ones getting hurt by this are the small business vendors in the ports.  That's sad.

[MechE31]

We're booked for Europe in summer 2021. If the ship only excursion requirement is still in place at final payment, we will defer the trip to 2022.

 

To me, ship excursions waste too much time and pack everything with people. The big time wasters are stops at sponsored place and loading up the bus. We book private excursions, which is less about saving money (although we often do when we've had a group of 8, less so with 4, never with 2), it's about maximizing the time we have in port and getting the experience we want.

[logan25]

For those of you who don’t mind the bubble experience excursions, maybe you will mind the bubble shopping experience.  No port shop (not specifically included per protocol) can expect any cruise passenger business for the foreseeable future.

 

For passengers who remain on the ship, you already have the bubble shopping experience.  Enjoy.

Edited December 8, 2020 by logan25

[TravelerThom]

13 hours ago, ShmuelCharlie said:

...require guests to do shore excursions that will not permit pax to deviate from the shore excursion "bubble" whose purpose is to protect a port's residents...

NO cruise line has or will require passengers to do ship excursions. If you want to get off the ship they may require a ship tour, but they are not going to make you get off the ship if you don’t want to. This applies to all lines, even line such as Viking where ship excursions are already included in your fare. 
 

While Ship shore excursion bubbles do help protect port residents, a primary purpose is to try to prevent introduction of Covid to the ship, which would lead to re-shutting down of Cruises. 

[Mikew0805]

12 hours ago, twangster said:

I respect that rules need to be in place for cruising during a pandemic.  I have two thoughts on the issue.

 

1. I like to self explore.  I've cruised the Caribbean and Bahamas enough so I could do a cruise there and just stay on the ship the whole cruise.  I've done this before.  Cruising in other regions is another matter.  Consequently i've eliminated all but one 2021 cruise since they were to Europe and Alaska where I'm not okay looking at the destination through a window from a ship bar wearing a mask with my only choice being a ship excursion at inflated prices.

 

2. I'm thinking the CDC isn't really going to let ships sail while the pandemic is raging.  Other public health agencies in other regions aren't much different.  One or two cruises is one thing but mass cruising isn't going to occur until the pandemic is over.  Once pandemic risk is so reduced so that mass cruising can occur, the need to take excursions in a bubble will quickly fall off - in theory.  I'm thinking the cruise lines will hold onto this rule longer than it is needed from a scientific perspective since it's more profit for them.  I'm not okay with that. 

 

Between #1 and #2  I've cleared my 2021 cruise calendar and I'll look to 2022 for normalcy.

 

I do have one free cruise in 2021 that has to occur in 2021 so I've been looking at options to push that later into 2021 if possible.  

 

Otherwise the ship excursion rule is proving to be a deal breaker for me.  

I agree with this outside the Caribbean. With the exception of a few ports, I basically stay on the ship these days, (Caribbean) but when I get off it is just to meander around and find some hole in the wall restaurant to eat at, etc. I am booked for Alaska in June, and it will be our first time there. There is no way that I will want to be on a ship sponsored excursion in the morning, just to come back to the ship and sit around wishing I was out exploring and experiencing.

Edited December 8, 2020 by Mikew0805