Quarantine Now Required for All Arriving In the US After International Travel, Beginning January 26, 2021

[LHT28]

1 hour ago, Redtravel said:

   I had thought that I would wait until final payment was due to decide to go.  Now I am stressed by the whole travel situation.  Should I hold the booking or not?

At the rate things are going  I would just cancel now  then you will be less stressed

 The whole world will not be vaccinated  by the summer

JMO

[clo]

7 hours ago, LHT28 said:

At the rate things are going  I would just cancel now  then you will be less stressed

 The whole world will not be vaccinated  by the summer

JMO

I agree. Several months ago I canceled one for fall of this year.

[Tranquility Base]

Canada is introducing new restrictions for people flying into Canada.

 

PCR test on arrival,

mandatory up to 3 day Govt hotel isolation whilst awaiting results, (own cost)

if negative isolate at home with increased supervision / enforcement.

if positive continue in Govt quarantine,

Airlines to suspend all flights to Mexico & Caribbean till 30 April.

 

Source: PBS.

 

They are taking the concern of the new variants' spread a lot more seriously. 

Edited January 30, 2021 by Tranquility Base

[ORV]

11 hours ago, Tranquility Base said:

Canada is introducing new restrictions for people flying into Canada.

 

PCR test on arrival,

mandatory up to 3 day Govt hotel isolation whilst awaiting results, (own cost)

if negative isolate at home with increased supervision / enforcement.

if positive continue in Govt quarantine,

Airlines to suspend all flights to Mexico & Caribbean till 30 April.

 

Source: PBS.

 

They are taking the concern of the new variants' spread a lot more seriously. 

I read that the cost of the hotel is $2000 a night. Wow. 

[LHT28]

9 minutes ago, ORV said:

I read that the cost of the hotel is $2000 a night. Wow. 

I think it for the 2-3 day stay

It is not clear  in the announcement

https://nationalpost.com/news/politics/canadian-government-to-force-incoming-travellers-into-hotels-for-quarantine

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/article-canada-covid-19-travel-restrictions-quarantine-hotel-testing-explainer/

 

People are not following the rules  so now they will be forced  to quarantine

 We have a nursing home here that over 200 staff & residents are affected  since the Holidays  51 have died so far

they have discovered  some died from the new UK variant

The home is 50 miles north of the city so how did it get there if people were isolating???

 

[1985rz1]

24 minutes ago, ORV said:

I read that the cost of the hotel is $2000 a night. Wow. 

 

20 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

I think it for the 2-3 day stay

It is not clear  in the announcement

https://nationalpost.com/news/politics/canadian-government-to-force-incoming-travellers-into-hotels-for-quarantine

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/article-canada-covid-19-travel-restrictions-quarantine-hotel-testing-explainer/

 

People are not following the rules  so now they will be forced  to quarantine

 We have a nursing home here that over 200 staff & residents are affected  since the Holidays  51 have died so far

they have discovered  some died from the new UK variant

The home is 50 miles north of the city so how did it get there if people were isolating???

 

I think LHT28 is correct that he $2,000 CAD is the estimated total cost for the stay and testing.

 

https://onemileatatime.com/canada-mandatory-hotel-quarantine/

[clo]

12 hours ago, Tranquility Base said:

They are taking the concern of the new variants' spread a lot more seriously. 

Wow! I've been admiring Canada's actions since the start.

[Redtravel]

In hotel quarantine is an excellent way to contain the virus.  Instead of just closing the border, it allows a way to travel if necessary.  It is not intended for a pleasure trip.  It is strict and intended to keep Canadians safe.  It will discourage international travel.  For now, that is a good idea. Stay home and stay safe.  If the USA followed with the same regulations, we could save lives.  

[Redtravel]

Canada closed its borders to cruises of ships with 100+ until Feb. 2022.  We are not going anywhere for a very long time.  Getting angry that this pandemic has gone on so long.  I am tired of staying home.

[pinotlover]

On 2/2/2021 at 7:56 PM, Redtravel said:

In hotel quarantine is an excellent way to contain the virus.  Instead of just closing the border, it allows a way to travel if necessary.  It is not intended for a pleasure trip.  It is strict and intended to keep Canadians safe.  It will discourage international travel.  For now, that is a good idea. Stay home and stay safe.  If the USA followed with the same regulations, we could save lives.  

Maybe, maybe not. A lot of Europe has undergone total lockdown 2-3 times.As soon as they even partially reopen the virus rages again.

 

This is not about being safe and exercising proper protocols. I’m all for them. This Pandemic is not going away until we get a sufficient number of people vaccinated. Period. In the US, and Canada, we have significant populations that live in very communal habitations. The virus is therein kept alive until the area attempts to reopen again.

 

Get Your Shots!

[Tranquility Base]

16 minutes ago, pinotlover said:

This Pandemic is not going away until we get a sufficient number of people vaccinated.

70 % of vaccinations have occurred in the 50  richest countries.

0.1% of vaccinations have occurred in the 50 poorest countries.

 

Epidemics will reduce this year.

The Pandemic will still be with us for some time after that.

 

Hopefully in the coming months wealthy  countries will concentrate on global efforts more.

Whilst poorer countries remain unprotected, that is where variants will surface and threaten the efficiency of our current vaccines.

Edited February 5, 2021 by Tranquility Base

[Hlitner]

On 1/25/2021 at 4:28 PM, susiesan said:

Since Biden is now banning all citizens of UK, Ireland, and 26 European country from entry into the US a quarantine requirement is moot.

 

With this move, there will be no travel to Europe this spring and summer vacation season so there will be no Europe cruises. When the US bans people from certain countries those place reciprocate and ban Americans. It's a political game of tit for tat.

A travel ban now, does not necessarily mean a travel ban in the Spring/Summer.  Will the various travel bans be extended through the summer?  I do not think anyone knows the answer at the moment but it is possible that restrictions would be relaxed....especially for those who can prove they have been vaccinated against COVID.  Like many things COVID, we all have to wait and see.   Unfortunately for hte cruise industry it does take a lot of advance planning to actually have a cruise.  It takes many weeks (even months) to market a cruise and get the bookings.  Folks need to organize their transportation (to and from the ship), arrange their vacations, etc.    So if the EU restrictions were to be lifted (for those vaccinated) in June, those of us who routinely do independent land travel could book flights and be on our way within a few days.  But a cruise line would need to spend weeks (at a minimum) getting a crew to a ship, preparing the vessel, handling all the logistics necessary for any voyage, making arrangements and getting permission to visit ports, etc.

 

So I do think we will see the opening of some International travel by the summer?   Yes, it is very possible, especially for those who have been vaccinated against COVID.   But it is difficult to imagine there will be many cruises.

 

Hank

[susiesan]

22 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

 

So I do think we will see the opening of some International travel by the summer?   Yes, it is very possible, especially for those who have been vaccinated against COVID.   But it is difficult to imagine there will be many cruises.

 

Hank

There is international travel now going on. I just returned from 10 days in Costa Rica and have 16 days in Namibia planned for May 5-21. The countries who want and need tourism are adapting to silly useless American rules for covid testing by making rapid antigen tests available for visitors to their countries.

 

The banning of travelers from Europe is going to be evaluated on a month by month basis but as the EO is written it runs through the end of 2021. Take a look at airline flight schedules to Europe. Massive amounts of flights are being canceled. the airlines are laying off their staff after just having them come back to work. 

 

I agree with Hank that there will be no cruises at all in 2021. But those of us who enjoy land trips can find places to go and have a wonderful vacation.

[Hlitner]

23 minutes ago, susiesan said:

There is international travel now going on. I just returned from 10 days in Costa Rica and have 16 days in Namibia planned for May 5-21. The countries who want and need tourism are adapting to silly useless American rules for covid testing by making rapid antigen tests available for visitors to their countries.

 

The banning of travelers from Europe is going to be evaluated on a month by month basis but as the EO is written it runs through the end of 2021. Take a look at airline flight schedules to Europe. Massive amounts of flights are being canceled. the airlines are laying off their staff after just having them come back to work. 

 

I agree with Hank that there will be no cruises at all in 2021. But those of us who enjoy land trips can find places to go and have a wonderful vacation.

I agree that International travel is alive and well is some places.  For example, we continue to live in Mexico (Puerto Vallarta) this winter and there is not a big problem getting flights back to the USA.  The only major change in the past few months is that we now need to get a negative COVID test (Antigen or PCR) no more then 3 days prior to flying home.   There are other destinations open to Americans, especially in the Caribbean but each place has their own specific restrictions.  I should add that there are currently no special health restrictions for Americans who want to fly to Mexico although you are required to fill out a brief health questionnaire upon arrival.   You might also be subjected to temperature checks.  

 

I have posted in some other places about what it is like to be here in Puerto Vallarta during a Pandemic.  Life is not normal (when compared to other years) in that there are some restrictions and closures.  On the other hand, the huge reduction in the number of tourists means less crowding, no problem getting in restaurants (that normally would require a reservation) and a lot of grateful smiles (as well as great service) from both Mexican and gringos who own and work in the various businesses.  We have lived here for the past 15 winters but have never felt so welcomed by restaurant owners, waiters, and shops.  While there are some folks who try to take advantage of the situation to bargain for lower prices, our attitude has been to be overly generous since one reason we came here this winter was to give our financial support to our many business friends and employees who desperately need the money.

 

The question that comes up here on CC and in just about any other travel-related site is whether traveling during this pandemic is a good idea.  We do not recommend anyone travel without giving it a lot of thought as their are pros and cons.  But we think that if one is very careful to follow the basic COVID mitigation rules, use a lot of common sense, limit socializing, etc. then it is possible to minimize the risk.  But there are no guarantees and we make no secret that we purchased extra medical insurance for this trip.  

 

Being relaxed down here in PV has given me a lot of time to think about cruising and the future.  I have a difficult time thinking of anything positive when it comes to the future of cruising during this pandemic.   When we see a line or a crowd here in PV we can simply walk away.  If we go to a restaurant and are not comfortable with their social distancing (this has happened 3 times here) we simply walk away and go to eat at a different venue.  When we use the elevators in our own condo building we do not share a car with anyone (this would be impossible on most cruise ships).   When we relax in our own beach loungers on the beach (everyday) we choose a part of the beach that is a long distance from other folks (usually more then 10 yards).   Most of what we do here for mitigation would not be possible on any cruise ship...and especially on a mass market vessel.

 

When I think about the return to cruising (and we still have two cruises booked in late 2021) I have a lot of difficulty imagining how it can work.  But we still have an open mind and will carefully watch further developments.  I do know that for the near future we would not even consider going on any ship unless it enforced a 100% mandatory vaccination requirement.

 

Hank

[pinotlover]

The only thing I’ve read comes primarily from reliable sources in the River cruise industry in Europe which is pushing for an industry restart. They supposedly have been promised, by the government,  an 1 April decision on when tourists might be welcomed back in. Current Hope, for vaccinated tourists in 1 Jun, with 1 Jul at the latest. Fauci disciples can read no further, but supposedly many of the local governments are pleading for a restart, predicting economic Armageddon for their areas if the tourism industry is shuttered a second year.

 

If vaccinated tourists are allowed in for river cruises, perhaps, in Europe, ocean cruises might have a chance. We should have good information in a couple months. 

[Hlitner]

19 minutes ago, pinotlover said:

The only thing I’ve read comes primarily from reliable sources in the River cruise industry in Europe which is pushing for an industry restart. They supposedly have been promised, by the government,  an 1 April decision on when tourists might be welcomed back in. Current Hope, for vaccinated tourists in 1 Jun, with 1 Jul at the latest. Fauci disciples can read no further, but supposedly many of the local governments are pleading for a restart, predicting economic Armageddon for their areas if the tourism industry is shuttered a second year.

 

If vaccinated tourists are allowed in for river cruises, perhaps, in Europe, ocean cruises might have a chance. We should have good information in a couple months. 

I think the chances of river cruises are better then ocean cruises.  Unlike most ocean cruises, the river cruises are often limited to one or two countries which makes government approvals more likely.  But social distancing on river cruise boats is impossible so I would be a lot more comfy doing our own thing on land.  and besides....I drive a lot faster then a river boat :).  I still recall cruising along the Rhine at about 8 knots and watching the cars zip by on the adjacent autobahn at about 200kph.

 

Hank

[clo]

1 hour ago, susiesan said:

silly useless American rules

IMO they're neither "silly," "useless" or only "American."

[tocruiseguy]

With new, possibly vaccine resistant , variants arising I wouldn't expect international cruising to return for quite a while.  The world needs to be vaccinated, not just the western world, or variants will continue to develop and world cruising likely won't return until then.

 

https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/coronavirus/south-africa-suspends-astrazeneca-vaccine-drive-1.5299360

 

 

[pinotlover]

19 minutes ago, tocruiseguy said:

With new, possibly vaccine resistant , variants arising I wouldn't expect international cruising to return for quite a while.  The world needs to be vaccinated, not just the western world, or variants will continue to develop and world cruising likely won't return until then.

 

https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/coronavirus/south-africa-suspends-astrazeneca-vaccine-drive-1.5299360

 

 

I hate to break it to you but the cruise lines are bleeding money so fast, not returning for “ quite awhile “, puts them out of business. The industry can’t wait until all the poor countries get vaccinated. 
 

Countries needing or wanting tourism will open back up. If the countries choose to stay locked down, the cruise lines can bypass them. The industry won’t wait for Sudan or Albania to get vaccinated to start sailing.

[clo]

On 2/7/2021 at 5:52 PM, pinotlover said:

I hate to break it to you but the cruise lines are bleeding money so fast, not returning for “ quite awhile “, puts them out of business. The industry can’t wait until all the poor countries get vaccinated. 

I'm sure that there have been other industries that have gone out of business and eventually replaced with other things.

[Bellaggio Cruisers]

13 hours ago, clo said:

I'm sure that there have been other industries that have gone out of business and eventually replaced with other things.

Like what? What will replace the cruise industry? Not a well thought out statement..

Of course other industries have gone out of business. Usually because it became outdated and was replaced by new concepts. That’s not the issue here. We all love to cruise. That’s why we are on Cruise Critic. 

 

 

[pinotlover]

Today’s paper, a reprint of an AP stories, says Covid is now endemic. It’s here to stay, in one variant or another. Summarizing the article, the scientific community is saying we have to learn to live with it. We are not going to eliminate it. Read AIDS, the Flu, etc.

 

So if we have to live with it, either cruising is allowed to resume under certain new protocols, or it’s permanently banned as is now the temporary condition. 
 

I can foresee some black clouds arising from this. Does a rich Germany continue to attempt blocking cruising in poorer Med countries. Who pays for that? Does Canada block cruising in the inside passage way for years?

Things will get dicey. Wait long enough and the cruise lines will go bankrupt and then the biggest conversation will be on how low scrap steel is selling for.

[susiesan]

2 minutes ago, pinotlover said:

Today’s paper, a reprint of an AP stories, says Covid is now endemic. It’s here to stay, in one variant or another. Summarizing the article, the scientific community is saying we have to learn to live with it. We are not going to eliminate it. Read AIDS, the Flu, etc.

 

 

Hmm, I started saying this 9 months ago.

 

As relates to cruising, I believe covid 19 will become like norovirus. it's just one of those things that happen to some people on a cruise, they get sick. Just like with noro, they will be sent to their cabin to quarantine.

 

Now if you want to see something that will affect cruising from US ports, wait until the Biden regime mandates covid testing for domestic flights. The majority of people who take a cruise from the US fly to embark/disembark the ships. Imagine a family of 4 flying to Florida for a Disney family cruise. They will have to pay for 8 preflight covid tests on top of all the other costs of their cruise vacation. That's a lot of extra money to be shelling out not to mention all the extra time involved in getting a test before and after their trip, and most families won't do it. 

[pinotlover]

2 minutes ago, susiesan said:

Hmm, I started saying this 9 months ago.

 

As relates to cruising, I believe covid 19 will become like norovirus. it's just one of those things that happen to some people on a cruise, they get sick. Just like with noro, they will be sent to their cabin to quarantine.

 

Now if you want to see something that will affect cruising from US ports, wait until the Biden regime mandates covid testing for domestic flights. The majority of people who take a cruise from the US fly to embark/disembark the ships. Imagine a family of 4 flying to Florida for a Disney family cruise. They will have to pay for 8 preflight covid tests on top of all the other costs of their cruise vacation. That's a lot of extra money to be shelling out not to mention all the extra time involved in getting a test before and after their trip, and most families won't do it. 

As long as the current administration’s position is

” to listen to the scientists “ and that scientist is Fauci, that doesn’t consider economic consequences, the US cruise industry is in perils. Fauci will support taking the cruise industry under using the endemic as his reasoning.

 

I have no plans to cruise from Us or Canadian waters in the foreseeable future.

[clo]

1 hour ago, Bellaggio Cruisers said:

Like what? What will replace the cruise industry? Not a well thought out statement..

Of course other industries have gone out of business. Usually because it became outdated and was replaced by new concepts. That’s not the issue here. We all love to cruise. That’s why we are on Cruise Critic. 

 

 

1960s

 

But hints of modern cruising began to emerge as early as the 1960s, when new passenger jets dramatically reduced transoceanic travel times, changing what took days of sailing to just hours of flying.

 

How the Cruise Industry Has Evolved in 50 Years | TravelAge ...

 

It's a relatively new industry. It has changed and will continue. And I suspect the COVID is going to turn some people away from it forever. And some people who have never cruised WILL never cruise. There's been a lot of talk here recently that most lines can't make it through 2021 and now there's talk about 2022. Before there was cruising there was, and continues to be rail travel. Especially outside the US it can be quite glamorous. And maybe people who used to cruise will turn to AI. Lots of options