Vaccine Requirement News

[lovelife]

I just heard on a DC news station that Royal Caribbean will be requiring vaccinations in order to sail.  Has anyone else heard this?

[davekathy]

6 minutes ago, lovelife said:

I just heard on a DC news station that Royal Caribbean will be requiring vaccinations in order to sail.  Has anyone else heard this?

No, but I hope it's true no matter the age. 

[rockmom]

I think this is coming from the newswire services picking up the story that the cruises from Israel will be 'fully vaccinated' cruises.  I don't think there has been any mention of vaccine requirements for other cruises going forward.  

[molly361]

They are for the sailings starting in Israel 

Edited March 4, 2021 by molly361

[island lady]

24 minutes ago, davekathy said:

No, but I hope it's true no matter the age. 

 

Me too...but I think that is going to be the norm at start up anyway.   RCI does not need an outbreak on a start up cruise.  😮 

[davekathy]

4 minutes ago, island lady said:

 

Me too...but I think that is going to be the norm at start up anyway.   RCI does not need an outbreak on a start up cruise.  😮 

Agree. And those that can't or won't get the vaccine, oh well bon voyage. 

[lovescats5]

Well, what about the younger kids that cannot get a vaccine.  RCI will lose a lot of business if they exclude kids.  And give me the website that says if you get the vaccine you are fully protected and you cannot infect anyone else.  Cannot figure out why everyone thinks the vaccine is the ultimate end all.

[davekathy]

20 minutes ago, lovescats5 said:

Well, what about the younger kids that cannot get a vaccine.  RCI will lose a lot of business if they exclude kids.  And give me the website that says if you get the vaccine you are fully protected and you cannot infect anyone else.  Cannot figure out why everyone thinks the vaccine is the ultimate end all.

Just my opinion. "If" RCG says all, so be it. Oh well. If not, welcome aboard. 🤣🍷

[lovelife]

51 minutes ago, rockmom said:

I think this is coming from the newswire services picking up the story that the cruises from Israel will be 'fully vaccinated' cruises.  I don't think there has been any mention of vaccine requirements for other cruises going forward.  

 

Must be.  Nothing was mentioned about being exclusive to Israel.  Should have known I'd read about any decision on Cruise Critic before TV news!  We have both our shots and are ready to go.

[island lady]

46 minutes ago, davekathy said:

Agree. And those that can't or won't get the vaccine, oh well bon voyage. 

 

No lines, no waiting...geeee...really tough to have the ship to ourselves.  😉 

[island lady]

37 minutes ago, lovescats5 said:

Well, what about the younger kids that cannot get a vaccine.  RCI will lose a lot of business if they exclude kids.  And give me the website that says if you get the vaccine you are fully protected and you cannot infect anyone else.  Cannot figure out why everyone thinks the vaccine is the ultimate end all.

 

 

Nothing is ever a 100% guarantee in all things.  But the alternative to the vaccine? 

 

It will be just a matter of time before the children will be set up for it, but I don't think anyone wants to take a chance with the children yet.  Give it time. 

 

RCI has already lost a lot of business...a year's worth.  They are simply following the CDC guidelines set forth.  

[cured]

36 minutes ago, lovescats5 said:

Well, what about the younger kids that cannot get a vaccine.  RCI will lose a lot of business if they exclude kids.  And give me the website that says if you get the vaccine you are fully protected and you cannot infect anyone else.  Cannot figure out why everyone thinks the vaccine is the ultimate end all.

The Israeli department of health issued the preliminary results of the ongoing research with the Pfizer vaccine. They have the highest vaccination rate in the world and they agreed to study their citizens for Pfizer.

 

The results (you can google it) are showing the the Pfizer vaccine is looking like it does actually prevent illness, thus eliminating spread. Of course, these are preliminary results, but they are very promising for the mRNA vaccines. 

 

As for losing business, I read an article that the cruiselines will actually gain more customers, especially new cruisers, if they are assured the ship is 100% vaccinated.

[island lady]

15 minutes ago, lovelife said:

 

Must be.  Nothing was mentioned about being exclusive to Israel.  Should have known I'd read about any decision on Cruise Critic before TV news!  We have both our shots and are ready to go.

 

Me too!  😉 

[badvector]

8 minutes ago, lovescats5 said:

Well, what about the younger kids that cannot get a vaccine.  RCI will lose a lot of business if they exclude kids.  And give me the website that says if you get the vaccine you are fully protected and you cannot infect anyone else.  Cannot figure out why everyone thinks the vaccine is the ultimate end all.

 

I will be surprised if RCI handles sailings any differently than the other cruise lines unless they see a benefit to it.  They have to start making money somehow and if the consensus is to require a vaccine in order to start, that's how they will proceed.  As long as the sailing makes money in the short term, they will always be able to adjust requirements in the long term in order to increase passenger load.  You have to make it through the short term before you can get to the long term and I don't know how much longer they can go without sailing in the short term.

 

There is no website that says the vaccine is 100% effective and none of the makers have ever claimed so.  The studies indicate it is effective enough to reduce the number of deaths and severe cases while getting us to herd immunity (If there will ever truly be immunity.  I'm not remotely intelligent or well versed enough in that field to know).  There are already break through cases being reported from vaccinated individuals and that was expected. 

 

By requiring the vaccine to sail, RCI is effectively setting up a safety net should a breakout occur.  They can fall back on the fact that they followed all guidelines and required all passengers to be vaccinated.   I'm sure it also gives credibility to their commitment to address the pandemic in the eyes of the CDC when it comes to sailing out of US ports as well.  

 

 

[retiredgram]

Just got our first shot today and will get the second the end of the month.  We are ready to go.

 

[Dizzney9915]

1 hour ago, davekathy said:

Agree. And those that can't or won't get the vaccine, oh well bon voyage. 

lol. we can wave to them as our ship pulls away 

[ONECRUISER]

1 hour ago, rockmom said:

I think this is coming from the newswire services picking up the story that the cruises from Israel will be 'fully vaccinated' cruises.  I don't think there has been any mention of vaccine requirements for other cruises going forward.  

Agree, think this is only Royal related requirement for ship/sailings so far. That being said even IF they have others kids, inc my Grand Daughters will still be on Cruises w/o Vaccine

[ONECRUISER]

21 minutes ago, retiredgram said:

Just got our first shot today and will get the second the end of the month.  We are ready to go.

 

Made my appt this morning, first shot Saturday. I'll be ready Cruise required or not

[crzndeb]

Just my opinion, but for those that can’t get a vaccine and children, they will have to be tested.

[not-enough-cruising]

1 hour ago, lovescats5 said:

Well, what about the younger kids that cannot get a vaccine.  RCI will lose a lot of business if they exclude kids.  And give me the website that says if you get the vaccine you are fully protected and you cannot infect anyone else.  Cannot figure out why everyone thinks the vaccine is the ultimate end all.

immunology 101 will tell you that there is no such thing as a 100% effective vaccine.

 

Immunology 101 also shows you that in a group of people where 100% are vaccinated, the chance of viral spread is statistically insignificant, and the chance of an outbreak requiring mass quarantine, and the inability to return to the home port is near ZERO.

[George C]

It was on the news this morning that all passengers would be required to have gotten shots, I had my second shot a couple of days ago, younger wife isn’t eligible yet but she will get it as soon as she can. 

[molly361]

I for one will be very glad to hopefully live to see the day where there are other things for people to talk about other than vaccines😇

[island lady]

2 minutes ago, molly361 said:

I for one will be very glad to hopefully live to see the day where there are other things for people to talk about other than vaccines😇

 

Yup...time for chair hogs, smoking, seat saving, dress codes, unruly children, food quality,...hmmm...am I missing anything?  😉 

[Icesk8rReedy]

1 minute ago, island lady said:

 

Yup...time for chair hogs, smoking, seat saving, dress codes, unruly children, food quality,...hmmm...am I missing anything?  😉 

Removed gratuities 

[firefly333]

I just heard alaska has vaccinated 1 out of 4 senior adults. It's the smaller populations doing the best, like west Virginia. It's still expected to see some small pockets of herd immunity in 3 or 4 weeks. 

 

People keep going on and on about the kids. Vaccine should be approved by this fall, about when cruises start up. It will all work out. At least for kids 12 and up, younger children studies behind.