Adults only, at least for a while?

[tallnthensome]

There’s always Viking Cruises .... you don’t have to worry about unvaccinated kids. People should worry about and plan according to what fits them and their concerns versus hopes and wants in regard to children on board in which they can not. 

[paulh84]

Kid discussions always strike a nerve. None the less, has Royal actually said anything official other than more details are coming? To me, the press release could go both ways but the specific call out of guests 16 and above does make it seem like unvaccinated kids would be allowed.

 

Time will tell. I think it's also noteworthy that this is one ship, on one cruise line, in one country that has a large vaccinated population (however questionable it may be). Royal saw an opportunity and jumped. Reading too much into this may be futile for US/Caribbean and even European cruising until the CDC releases more info. 

[TeeRick]

Here is what was said by Dr Fauci this week on COVID vaccine studies in kids and timelines.  From Meet The Press. 

https://www.nbcnews.com/meet-the-press/meet-press-february-28-2021-n1259095

 

"CHUCK TODD:

I think -- no, I think you did. Let me get to vaccinating children because I had this question today. There's down to 16, there's down to 12, and I guess the question is below 12. And I think -- on here before, you'd seem to think that, with older kids, probably before the school year we would have some clarity on which vaccines are safe. What about for kids under 12?

DR. ANTHONY FAUCI:

Correct. Well, when you go to under 12, you've got to do something that's called age de-escalation, Chuck, which means you don't want to jump down from 12 down to six months. You go 12 to nine, nine to six, two years to six, and then six months to two years. But you've got to do it in a progressive way. There are a couple of companies that are doing that. Some of those studies have actually already started. If you project realistically when we'll get enough data to be able to say that elementary school children will be able to be vaccinated, I would think that would be, at the earliest, the end of the year. And very likely, the first quarter of 2022. But for the high school kids, it looks like sometime this fall. I'm not sure it's exactly -- be on the first day the school opens, but pretty close to that."

[Midway7934]

Does anyone have a definite answer yet from Royal or Celebrity as to whether a covid vaccine is needed? I live in NJ close to Cape Liberty. I can't get an appointment to even get a vaccine and I am an "older" adult. New Jersey hasn't  yet opened the appointments to the general public yet (oh, smokers and prisoners come first).  Kids haven't even been tested yet. If the cruise lines make this a requirement (which I am TRYING to be prepared for) there are going to be many people from this area not able to cruise. 

[Alakegirl]

Since it’s going to be months and months before Cruising starts and since you can expect to be vaccinated by the beginning of summer, I don’t think it’s going to be an issue whether cruise lines require adults to be vaccinated or not.  You will get your vaccine before Cruising starts, and that you can be sure

Edited March 5, 2021 by Alakegirl

[jagoffee]

There is probably a good reason why vaccine developers  did not test those 16 years and younger.  If the same criteria is used (hospitalization and deaths) it might be difficult to conduct meaningful trials.  Not enough cases for the control group?  Perhaps the focus will be in making sure the vaccine does not harm the younger population.  
 

I have a hard time visualizing our society in general locking down or restricting younger people, just because there is not an effective and safe vaccine for them.  Adults with a vaccine can sit in the stands at a sporting event, but not a younger non vaccinated child?  No children in stores, movie theaters, restaurants, air planes, etc.  I do not see it happening, especially considering the reduced impact of Covid on the younger population.  

[Fouremco]

18 hours ago, Midway7934 said:

Does anyone have a definite answer yet from Royal or Celebrity as to whether a covid vaccine is needed? I live in NJ close to Cape Liberty. I can't get an appointment to even get a vaccine and I am an "older" adult. New Jersey hasn't  yet opened the appointments to the general public yet (oh, smokers and prisoners come first).  Kids haven't even been tested yet. If the cruise lines make this a requirement (which I am TRYING to be prepared for) there are going to be many people from this area not able to cruise. 

No decision as yet. According to Richard Fain earlier this week:

 

“So this raises the question of whether we will require vaccines on all of our families. The answer is we don’t know yet. Clearly, widespread vaccinations are the fastest and the best way to get this disease under control. Whether we will require vaccines of all of our guests on all of our ships, hasn’t been decided yet, but we are prepared to go where the science leads us.”