First North American Cruise Line Vaccine Mandate

[not-enough-cruising]

American Queen Steamboat Company, Victory Cruise Lines to Require COVID-19 Vaccines.

 

We have all been wondering; is this the precedent being set?

 

I understand this line is a different demographic, but............................

 

 

https://www.cruisecritic.com/news/5858/

Edited February 2, 2021 by not-enough-cruising

[kwokpot]

RCCL Richard Fain has already commented that Vaccines are the way forward to the restart of cruising and less about all the other mitigation strategies. If you read between the lines and see what has happened and more importantly what hasn't I think the cruise line's strategy will be to work with the CDC and see if requiring vaccines for all passengers will allow them to lessen the amount of other mitigation efforts that require alot of time, money, and coordination. 

[smokeybandit]

"Passengers who are unable to receive both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine before their scheduled trips, or those who have no intention of receiving the vaccine, are requested to contact the reservations team with AQSC or Victory Cruise Lines."

Sounds like there's still a way to book a cruise w/o a vaccine.

[smokeybandit]

9 minutes ago, kwokpot said:

RCCL Richard Fain has already commented that Vaccines are the way forward to the restart of cruising and less about all the other mitigation strategies. If you read between the lines and see what has happened and more importantly what hasn't I think the cruise line's strategy will be to work with the CDC and see if requiring vaccines for all passengers will allow them to lessen the amount of other mitigation efforts that require alot of time, money, and coordination. 

I interpreted his comments to mean the prevalence of vaccines will make the need for all the other onerous restrictions of the return to sail order less necessary, not that everyone will require a vaccine.

[Ourusualbeach]

6 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

Sounds like there's still a way to book a cruise w/o a vaccine.

Or being told about refund or FCC options. 

[smokeybandit]

1 minute ago, Ourusualbeach said:

Or being told about refund or FCC options. 

This could also be true.

[edspec]

Thank goodness.  I may be looking at this company for a summer cruise, unless the larger lines follow along.

[Mapleleafforever]

21 minutes ago, edspec said:

Thank goodness.  I may be looking at this company for a summer cruise, unless the larger lines follow along.

You should probably look more into them as the larger lines won't be cruising this summer. 

[smokeybandit]

How are these river cruise lines not bound by the same CDC rules?

[helen haywood]

Smaller ships.  Fewer passengers.  The CDC ruling only applied to ships that carried X numbers.

[kwokpot]

1 hour ago, smokeybandit said:

I interpreted his comments to mean the prevalence of vaccines will make the need for all the other onerous restrictions of the return to sail order less necessary, not that everyone will require a vaccine.

If that is what he meant then there won't be cruises until next year. 

[not-enough-cruising]

1 hour ago, smokeybandit said:

"Passengers who are unable to receive both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine before their scheduled trips, or those who have no intention of receiving the vaccine, are requested to contact the reservations team with AQSC or Victory Cruise Lines."

Sounds like there's still a way to book a cruise w/o a vaccine.

No, that is to arrange for a refund or to reschedule. (I called) 

Edited February 2, 2021 by not-enough-cruising

[sugcarol]

From tbe beginning, i thought cruiselines would require only vaccinated passengers. When it became clear that crew would have to be vaccinated that confirmed it for me. I believe that USA cruises would be handled differently than cruising foreign ports. Cruising to foreign ports with poverty and lacking the vaccine, that closed the deal. I have 7 day Hawaii on NCL booked for last part of November and i do expect it to sail with only vaccinated passengers, just like American river cruises. I am fortunate that we are vaccinated and ready to cruise. Between the vaccine, recovered Covid patients and asymptomatic people who had it and didnt know it, we will see herd immunity quicker than we all thought. By July we will have a lot more info how cruising is going to shape up.

[cured]

4 hours ago, not-enough-cruising said:

American Queen Steamboat Company, Victory Cruise Lines to Require COVID-19 Vaccines.

 

We have all been wondering; is this the precedent being set?

 

I understand this line is a different demographic, but............................

 

 

https://www.cruisecritic.com/news/5858/

This will be interesting to see if anyone files a legal challenge and if it withstands the challenge for requiring vaccinations. It could set the precedent for the larger cruise lines to require vaccinations.

[molly361]

Is that cruise line adults only?

[Ourusualbeach]

3 minutes ago, molly361 said:

Is that cruise line adults only?

Both allow kids. 

[mek]

2 hours ago, not-enough-cruising said:

No, that is to arrange for a refund or to reschedule. (I called) 

Good.  That is the way it should be - there shouldn't be any loopholes that permit people to by-pass the requirement - at least until cruises can get back up and running successfully and the pandemic has ended.

[PNW Traveler]

I did a Mississippi River cruise on the American Queen - American Queen Steamboat Company.  There were no children on my cruise, no children's activities advertised or offered.  The passenger demographic was definitely older, almost all retired.  The steamship was beautiful, with traditional decor, antiques and period furnishings.  Excursions were interesting and varied, mostly historical.  I'd definitely consider this company for a future cruise, especially if they are requiring Covid-19 vaccines.

[not-enough-cruising]

3 hours ago, cured said:

This will be interesting to see if anyone files a legal challenge and if it withstands the challenge for requiring vaccinations. It could set the precedent for the larger cruise lines to require vaccinations.

There is precedent for the vaccine requirement; a legal challenge would not go anywhere. 

[cured]

45 minutes ago, not-enough-cruising said:

There is precedent for the vaccine requirement; a legal challenge would not go anywhere. 

👍  I mentioned the Supreme Court decision of Jacobson vs Massachusetts in 1905 and the most recent EEOC rulings in another thread. But this would be specific to cruising, not states (Supreme Court) and employers (EEOC,) so would make it very clear that cruise lines can impose vaccination requirements.

 

Glad to see the first leisure travel company impose the restriction. Hopefully more will follow.

[BirdTravels]

6 hours ago, sugcarol said:

From tbe beginning, i thought cruiselines would require only vaccinated passengers. When it became clear that crew would have to be vaccinated that confirmed it for me. 

As long as everyone understands that vaccinations does not equal preventing COVID. All a vaccine does is when you catch COVID, allows your body to keep you from getting very sick. In the case of the new J&J vaccine, it prevents you from getting moderately and severely sick (i.e., in the hospital),,,, leaving asymptomatic and lesser illness on the table. And if there is a asymptomatic or lesser illness detected on a cruise, it ends it for all. 

[ramja96]

14 hours ago, Mapleleafforever said:

You should probably look more into them as the larger lines won't be cruising this summer. 

More like "this YEAR". (imo)

[Trixie21]

New study published here in the UK this morning reports that the Oxford-Astrazeneca vaccine reduces transmission of the virus by around 70%.

This is the first concrete data I have seen to confirm that a vaccine not only prevents serious illness , but also prevents spread.

Very positive news , and very relevant to cruising - if all vaccines have this effect on transmission, cruising and lots of other everyday activities could get back to normal fairly quickly , as long as all participants were vaccinated.

[Mapleleafforever]

1 hour ago, ramja96 said:

More like "this YEAR". (imo)

Or next year even really when you think about it. Getting the passengers vaccinated is the easy part, getting the crew vaccinated is the time consuming one. 

[Ocean Boy]

17 hours ago, smokeybandit said:

"Passengers who are unable to receive both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine before their scheduled trips, or those who have no intention of receiving the vaccine, are requested to contact the reservations team with AQSC or Victory Cruise Lines."

Sounds like there's still a way to book a cruise w/o a vaccine.

Sounds to me like that is the way to cancel your reservation.