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

[twangster]

I think it's somewhat a moot point, at least for cruising in America.

 

The CDC won't be allowing mass cruising anytime soon.  Once they give the green light for mass cruising the opportunity for infection will so low there won't be a need for bubble excursions.

 

The only place I'd be okay with it are the 3/4 night Navigator and Mariner cruises to PDCC and Nassau.   It would be a bummer though, the ship will be packed in Nassau with so few getting off.   

[LB_NJ]

If we can't get off and walk around we may have to cancel our cruise.

[Dennis#1]

10 hours ago, LB_NJ said:

If we can't get off and walk around we may have to cancel our cruise.

Agree.  We like to get off the ship in each port and do our own tours.

[Sunshine3601]

On 12/7/2020 at 8:32 PM, 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 can plan whatever they want but it doesnt mean it will be allowed.

[travelhound]

On 12/7/2020 at 6:52 PM, 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? 

My family has always preferred the convenience and safety of taking ship excursions.  

[Keksie]

1 hour ago, travelhound said:

My family has always preferred the convenience and safety of taking ship excursions.  

That is what was so nice about cruising.  Everyone had the opportunity to make it a vacation that was right for them.  Stay up late, go to bed early, go to the buffet, go to the dining room, take a ship's excursion, or go exploring on your own.  With the new rules being proposed many people will not be taking cruises anytime soon.  I think many people will be taking different types of vacations that will give them the experience they are looking for.

[Dennis#1]

23 minutes ago, Keksie said:

That is what was so nice about cruising.  Everyone had the opportunity to make it a vacation that was right for them.  Stay up late, go to bed early, go to the buffet, go to the dining room, take a ship's excursion, or go exploring on your own.  With the new rules being proposed many people will not be taking cruises anytime soon.  I think many people will be taking different types of vacations that will give them the experience they are looking for.

Agree with your post.  Well stated.

[WI-Cruiser]

We're hoping things will be somewhat normal by our Oct BTBs.  If we are restricted to ship excursions we'll likely cancel/reschedule.   One of the reasons we cruise is because there are so many options.  We've already done all the ship sponsored excursions we're interested in and prefer just to go to a beach or explore on our own.

[firefly333]

21 hours ago, LB_NJ said:

If we can't get off and walk around we may have to cancel our cruise.

I wouldnt count on it anytime soon. Things wouldnt immediately go back to normal. 

[cruisegirl1]

1 hour ago, WI-Cruiser said:

We're hoping things will be somewhat normal by our Oct BTBs.  If we are restricted to ship excursions we'll likely cancel/reschedule.   One of the reasons we cruise is because there are so many options.  We've already done all the ship sponsored excursions we're interested in and prefer just to go to a beach or explore on our own.

Of course, no one really knows what rules will be in place.

 

  Watch RCCL website and RCCL  news.  If you cancel the cruise simply because you don't like a new rule,  you may not be able to get any $$ back.  You might get some in FCC but seems that will be worthless to you as the same rules might be in place when you try  to use the FCC.   

 

Then of course there is all the talk about B2Bs!  I have several booked  in 2021 and one in 2022 but many think they will not be an option. 

 

Good luck

M

[Tree_skier]

I generally book my excursions through the Cruiseline.  It's convenient.  I don't always do an excursion at every port though.  Sometimes I just like to get off the ship and explore. I'll miss that!

[travelhound]

3 hours ago, firefly333 said:

I wouldnt count on it anytime soon. Things wouldnt immediately go back to normal. 

The current CDC restrictions go through November 1st.  I suspect after that, we should be approaching herd immunity, so maybe a year from now things will start to be semi normal 🙂

Edited December 11, 2020 by travelhound

[firefly333]

7 minutes ago, travelhound said:

The current CDC restrictions go through November 1st.  I suspect after that, we should be approaching herd immunity, so maybe a year from now things will start to be semi normal 🙂

Yea of course I'm aware of the date. I just dont know. Lol I saw a couple of cynical posts maybe the cruiseline will make enough more from excursions they will be slower to go back to the old way.

 

We just cant predict imo. ..though i do hope you are right about the herd immunity also occurring by then in the ports. I've given up predicting lol.

[travelhound]

1 hour ago, firefly333 said:

Yea of course I'm aware of the date. I just dont know. Lol I saw a couple of cynical posts maybe the cruiseline will make enough more from excursions they will be slower to go back to the old way.

 

We just cant predict imo. ..though i do hope you are right about the herd immunity also occurring by then in the ports. I've given up predicting lol.

Yup, I don't anybody thought it would take so long to return to normal, but at least with several successful vaccines,  there is some light at the end of the tunnel 😀 

[firefly333]

1 minute ago, travelhound said:

Yup, I don't anybody thought it would take so long to return to normal, but at least with several successful vaccines,  there is some light at the end of the tunnel 😀 

In all honesty yes I see a light at the end of the tunnel to get vaccinated but I dont yet see the light when the cruiselines will jump thru all the hoops and restart cruising. 

 

I wouldnt be surprised now if I was vaccinated before my cruises resume. There was a time earlier this year I would have assumed the opposite.

[travelinmoma]

At this point, I'm just hoping and praying my cruise gets cancelled, and I can get a refund.  We are booked on a NE/Canada cruise.  I can't imagine not being able to get off the ship in my own country and walk around.  In Boston, we had planned to just walk the Freedom Trail (ironic, huh?).  

[travelhound]

On 12/11/2020 at 5:51 PM, firefly333 said:

In all honesty yes I see a light at the end of the tunnel to get vaccinated but I dont yet see the light when the cruiselines will jump thru all the hoops and restart cruising. 

 

I wouldnt be surprised now if I was vaccinated before my cruises resume. There was a time earlier this year I would have assumed the opposite.

Yup, it all depends on how quickly they are able to roll out the vaccinations, but things would look a lot worse if we didn't have several successful vaccines.  

[firefly333]

9 minutes ago, travelhound said:

Yup, it all depends on how quickly they are able to roll out the vaccinations, but things would look a lot worse if we didn't have several successful vaccines.  

Right now I'm already worried about getting results back quickly enough from a pcur test to cruise. I don't expect them to immediately drop testing requirements. 

 

I wouldn't cancel, but I can see how some cruisers when the new reality is more clear might have 2nd thoughts. Getting a pcur and fast results might add more cost and trouble than some want.,I like to go down early to Galveston and stay on the beach,not run around waiting on test results so I can leave. 

 

We will see, but I can see others worrying not just me.

[travelhound]

19 hours ago, firefly333 said:

Right now I'm already worried about getting results back quickly enough from a pcur test to cruise. I don't expect them to immediately drop testing requirements. 

 

I wouldn't cancel, but I can see how some cruisers when the new reality is more clear might have 2nd thoughts. Getting a pcur and fast results might add more cost and trouble than some want.,I like to go down early to Galveston and stay on the beach,not run around waiting on test results so I can leave. 

 

We will see, but I can see others worrying not just me.

I think the cruise lines are going to do a rapid test at the port, so there would be no need to get a PCR test, unless you are originating from a foreign country.  This is the way some cruise lines are operating in Europe.  

Edited December 14, 2020 by travelhound

[Biker19]

14 minutes ago, travelhound said:

I think the cruise lines are going to do a rapid test at the port, so there would be no need to get a PCR test, unless you are originating from a foreign country. 

An antigen test may be in addition to PCR test which CLIA said their members lines will perform.

[travelhound]

36 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

An antigen test may be in addition to PCR test which CLIA said their members lines will perform.

Yup, but I believe you will only take the PCR test if you fail the rapid test.  That said, it would be nice if the cruise lines published some clear information about exactly what will be required from US ports.

Edited December 14, 2020 by travelhound

[Biker19]

6 minutes ago, travelhound said:

Yup, but I believe you will only take the PCR test if you fail the rapid test. 

If Quantum is any indication, and like Tui, every customer must have a negative PCR test to board.

[travelhound]

1 minute ago, Biker19 said:

If Quantum is any indication, and like Tui, every customer must have a negative PCR test to board.

Everything that I have read about US ports, is that they will use some type of rapid testing, with a PCR backup for those who fail.  Again, this is all speculation, and nobody really knows what they are going to do.  That's why it would be nice to get some clarity from the cruise lines.

[firefly333]

4 hours ago, travelhound said:

I think the cruise lines are going to do a rapid test at the port, so there would be no need to get a PCR test, unless you are originating from a foreign country.  This is the way some cruise lines are operating in Europe.  

I'm just going by what pops up when some signed into their rcl cruises. Said pcur test prior to boarding. 

 

Rcl then tests again when you board, and when you disembark, 3 tests per cdc

 

I was booked feb 28, now cancelled but it said pcur required prior to boarding. So everyone is assuming what rcl says when you check in, they dont really mean it, and it will be changed. Ok

 

I'd rather assume they do mean it, if I should sail april 25th

Edited December 14, 2020 by firefly333

[travelhound]

1 hour ago, firefly333 said:

I'm just going by what pops up when some signed into their rcl cruises. Said pcur test prior to boarding. 

 

Rcl then tests again when you board, and when you disembark, 3 tests per cdc

 

I was booked feb 28, now cancelled but it said pcur required prior to boarding. So everyone is assuming what rcl says when you check in, they dont really mean it, and it will be changed. Ok

 

I'd rather assume they do mean it, if I should sail april 25th

Yup, it will be interesting to see what they actually do when cruising resumes.