Promising news from MIami

[jetsfan58]

15 minutes ago, firefly333 said:

Again the  numbers show Florida has less of a spike that ny. I don't get why people are posting it's not ok what florida is doing, but never mention ny and nj spiking. I'm not saying one is ok or one not, just posting totally biased equals posting politics, nothing else. 

 

I'm in texas with no mask mandate but have yet to see a single business that doesnt require them. You are so confused still that allowing businesses to set mandate means totally open. Your posts are not factual. NY and nj have the worst spikes right now, why don't you post about not going out if ny? If it's TRUE concern.

 

At the doctors monday not only did we wear in masks, but their policy was to change to a new mask they handed out to see the doctor in person. Old masks arent enough lol. Masking here is crazy pushy.

According to the latest news and media source reports, much of the Upper Midwest and the Northeast have had recent spikes? Those points still do not exclude the Southern States from the eventual spread. Could possibly be that the visitors to both "Texas and Florida" carried the Virus symptoms back from those States while visiting? I am not and/or do not attest to having any Medical training. However, I do have the ability to read, see and hear the Medical Experts and their ongoing commentary. They all agree that we should still be very cautious and not acquire a "False" sense of security because of the vaccine disbursements.    

 

I too visited a Government facility where I was asked and mandated to remove "both of my mask and yes I am wearing two as suggested" and replace them with their handed out version. I am truly glad that they are taking these types of safety measures. Maybe more States, businesses and establishments will follow this safety lead.  

[BlerkOne]

23 minutes ago, firefly333 said:

10% is NOT lower than texas. No idea where you read that. How could you believe texas is at 10% overall. Please stick to facts. Get a link to prove things that dont sound common sense.

You posted 10%, not me.

[pc_load_letter]

I am happy for any update, no matter how small or insignificant.

 

 

[firefly333]

26 minutes ago, BlerkOne said:

You posted 10%, not me.

I read the news article saying those crossing the border had a lower level of positives.

 

Overall texas residents only test if they think there is a reason, so the over 7% rate is of those who were tested. Fema says testing at border crossings is at 6% so its lower.

 

It doesnt take into consideration of tested residents, most will never be tested, so saying texas has a 7% positive rate ... of those tested does not equal over all. Misleading to say therefore those crossing at 6% positive rate are lower. Though there have been some results here, that's FEMA figures. 

 

I do see how the the figures can be stated to sound like texas overall is higher, which is false, it's how it was said. You have to read all the way through. Use common sense which isnt very common.

[HxFx]

1 hour ago, logan25 said:

Wake me up whenever  negative test results stop being required post-vaccination.  Specifically, international travel.

Same here. If I have had the vaccine and am asymptomatic I don't want to worry about taking a test before returning.

[Jasonsterling]

It is encouraging and I hope it's a good sign. I've been to Florida and Disney World in January and survived both. In two weeks I'll be fully vaccinated- if the CDC wants to make that a requirement then fine and anyone wanting to wait until November to avoid getting the vaccine that's fine too but those of us okay with being vaccinated can get back to what we enjoy. That said, in the end I'm fine with non-vaccinated people traveling/cruising and Carnival just maintaining pre-boarding checks as they did back in February/March of 2020 and the vigorous cleaning mandates from that period along with cabin quarantines for anyone symptomatic after boarding. I felt safe then and I would now as well, especially since I'd be vaccinated in any event, lol. Point is, let's just get something worked out and get back on the water. 

[Julienatul]

3 hours ago, jetsfan58 said:

Nice if verifiable. We still have to comply with the Experts and continue to wear our masks when congregating together. Florida still scares me as the masses are shown not following the guidelines. Again, how safe will we be as passengers and visitors to Florida when cruising? 

I live in Florida and most everyone complied with masks around me in the Tampa Bay area. Dont believe the media pics you see. many are from years ago before the pandemic. The majority of Fl is following the guidelines. 

[jetsfan58]

1 hour ago, ProgRockCruiser said:

Having all pax vaccinated is half the battle.  The other half is getting the crew vaccinated.  That will require specific logistics, especially here in FL where online appt bookings are getting filled up super fast.  e.g. as I type this, 6 hours after the Publix bookings opened up for Mon/Tues, they are all 100% gone (except for two counties at less than 1% availability) - probably almost all gone by 9am, as is usual.

 

It will take some "negotiating" by CLIA and/or the cruise lines individually to get a hold of vaccines (and appropriately trained personnel capable of administering).  I'm sure (I hope?) that stuff is happening in the background, we just aren't seeing it.

 

Well, another bigger "half" of the battle might be finding enough foreign ports willing to take vaccinated cruisers - hopefully that is also starting to open up.

 

Maybe next week we can get some good news from the CDC and industry.  The CDC can claim they took reasonable precautions up until now, but things are finally looking better.  CLIA can claim the pressure they applied recently about re-starting cruising worked, and they are a very good organization for the industry.  And the local FL politicians call put their own spin on how they made it work "for the people and businesses of Florida".

 

We're booked for a cruise in Dec 2021, which I am now fairly sure will go as planned, but I'd gladly hop on a 3 or 4 day cruise in July/Aug/Sept/Oct as our first vacation in 18 months.

We can spread the "local and national" accolades as far as we desire. I will give credit only to the Medical Experts for their tireless, transparent and sometimes "disrespected" values and contributions. Everyone else has a job to keep us safely protected. They truly don't deserve any of the credit because they were simply doing their career assignments and civic duties. 

 

I am not being disrespectful; I just refuse to give undeserved credit for any/all accomplishments.

[SNJCruisers]

1 hour ago, SRQbeachgirl said:

If this is the new CDC guideline, what would be the CDC's rationale for not allowing vaccination-only cruises to depart from U.S. ports?

Because the cruise lines have not submitted to the CDC individual protocols for each class of ship that they have.  Carnival would have to provide 8 different protocols, one for each class in the fleet as to what the procedures would be if someone tested positive on board. 

There are many hoops that need to be jumped through before cruising will return.  Many people do not realize that Carnival currently has eight different classes of ships in their fleet and the procedures would be different for each.  The CDC wants all of the i's to be dotted and all of the t's to be crossed before they allow cruising to resume in the US.  It's not a simple procedure.

[rjrpar]

2 hours ago, jetsfan58 said:

I won't be so quick to say "Normal". What will that look like if ever again? None of us know? I see a different picture of Florida where the Governor is against everything that makes safe sense. How is he adamant about getting back to Cruising (seems to be more interested in Florida revenue) but not adamant about wearing mask and the Vaccine Passport (less about citizen safety)? Is there certain proof that "Northerners" are causing the surge? Might be that people from "Everywhere Including Florida" are not following the rules as designated. Time and Actions will Tell If We Get Back to Cruising Soon.    

Why don’t you look at the results instead of blindly believing that isolation is the answer.  The deadliest states are the ones with the most government control

[SNJCruisers]

1 hour ago, logan25 said:

Wake me up whenever  negative test results stop being required post-vaccination.  Specifically, international travel.

Enjoy your nap....it's going to be awhile.

[jetsfan58]

4 minutes ago, rjrpar said:

Why don’t you look at the results instead of blindly believing that isolation is the answer.  The deadliest states are the ones with the most government control

The Virus is not isolated to a certain area. It still remains Universal in Nature. As a result, there is no area on the Planet that is immune. By the way, my interpretation of the "results" are as I personally see them. Government or not we are all at risk. That's a fact that we all know is true.     

[SNJCruisers]

49 minutes ago, HxFx said:

Same here. If I have had the vaccine and am asymptomatic I don't want to worry about taking a test before returning.

Are you worried about the hassle or the cost?  Many above average resorts in places like the D.R. or Mexico are providing the testing at no cost in order for you to return to the US.  The swabbing is done on site, so you can get it in between consumption of your favorite drink.

[IntrepidFromDC]

2 hours ago, balcony bound said:

CDC announces vaccinated Americans can now travel with minimal risk

CDC says it's now safe for Americans to travel at home or abroad as long as they have been vaccinated.

 

"

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will announce Friday that Americans who are vaccinated for COVID-19 will now be able to travel domestically and internationally, according to news reports.

The CDC will officially make the announcement during the White House Covid Briefing and will say Americans will still need to wear masks while traveling.

Americans will also not need to get a COVID-19 test, or self-quarantine prior to travel according to Politico."

 

So... does this push things along for those of us waiting to cruise?

I hope so, but there was not a peep about cruises.  And the cloud I heard was that CDC still recommends/requires (can't remember which) masks be worn on all public transportation... from which I infer masks would still be required on cruises as things stand.  I would not cruise if masks are required (well, maybe in the casino so I can breath better), but I would be happy to be jabbed twice to cruise.

[IntrepidFromDC]

2 hours ago, logan25 said:

Wake me up whenever  negative test results stop being required post-vaccination.  Specifically, international travel.

 

OK, Rip Van Winkel.

[jetsfan58]

6 minutes ago, IntrepidFromDC said:

I hope so, but there was not a peep about cruises.  And the cloud I heard was that CDC still recommends/requires (can't remember which) masks be worn on all public transportation... from which I infer masks would still be required on cruises as things stand.  I would not cruise if masks are required (well, maybe in the casino so I can breath better), but I would be happy to be jabbed twice to cruise.

That's the whole point. We can't get falsely lulled into thinking the vaccine is a cure all. We still have to wear our mask when in places of a crowded nature. Please get your "Jabs" so that you can join us as we "Sea Each Other On The Water"!!

[ProgRockCruiser]

32 minutes ago, rjrpar said:

Why don’t you look at the results instead of blindly believing that isolation is the answer.  The deadliest states are the ones with the most government control

I do not have enough information to make a complete judgement on this matter for each state and their particular situation and controls being put in place.  But:

 

Do you put the most weedkiller where the outcrops of weeds are, or apply evenly across the lawn?

Edited April 2, 2021 by ProgRockCruiser

[swscruiser]

We’ve been to Ft Lauderdale 4 times since July 2020.  Felt safer COVID wise there than we felt back in Illinois 

[Joebucks]

Sounds like we are one step closer. Can't wait to set sail again while the New England states stay at home and continue to argue.

[cruisingguy007]

5 hours ago, jetsfan58 said:

Nice if verifiable. We still have to comply with the Experts and continue to wear our masks when congregating together. Florida still scares me as the masses are shown not following the guidelines. Again, how safe will we be as passengers and visitors to Florida when cruising? 

 

I've seen the same photos. It'll be interesting to compare it to CA as I'll be spending the next week beach front (quite literally) in San Diego and it'll be interesting to see the comparison between the two and if California is more similar than different.     

Edited April 2, 2021 by cruisingguy007

[SNJCruisers]

14 minutes ago, Joebucks said:

Sounds like we are one step closer. Can't wait to set sail again while the New England states stay at home and continue to argue.

Please explain the differentiation if you're from MA, VT, NH, MN, RI or CT versus the other 44 states?

[jetsfan58]

28 minutes ago, cruisingguy007 said:

 

I've seen the same photos. It'll be interesting to compare it to CA as I'll be spending the next week beach front (quite literally) in San Diego and it'll be interesting to see the comparison between the two and if California is more similar than different.     

Absolutely and please stay safe while venturing.

[jsglow]

2 hours ago, HxFx said:

Same here. If I have had the vaccine and am asymptomatic I don't want to worry about taking a test before returning.

That's where I'm at too.  Hopefully relaxed soon as guidance continues to evolve.

[pc_load_letter]

1 hour ago, cruisingguy007 said:

 

I've seen the same photos. It'll be interesting to compare it to CA as I'll be spending the next week beach front (quite literally) in San Diego and it'll be interesting to see the comparison between the two and if California is more similar than different.     

 

I would say 90% of the people will be wearing masks. The wife and I will walk the dogs at Shelter Island in Point Loma or go to Balboa Park and we don't wear masks because, well, they're stupid. No one has ever said anything to us. I am seeing more and more older folks not wearing masks either. And I mean over 60.

 

You don't have to wear a mask if you are eating\drinking or exercising. Although some people do, some don't.

[cruisingguy007]

10 minutes ago, pc_load_letter said:

 

I would say 90% of the people will be wearing masks. The wife and I will walk the dogs at Shelter Island in Point Loma or go to Balboa Park and we don't wear masks because, well, they're stupid. No one has ever said anything to us. I am seeing more and more older folks not wearing masks either. And I mean over 60.

 

You don't have to wear a mask if you are eating\drinking or exercising. Although some people do, some don't.

 

Sounds very reasonable. I was kind of hoping for some common sense. We'll be in PB again mostly this time and some time around the water front and thereabouts. Myself and my wife have had both shots and I generally don't like wearing masks when walking outside and such. My wife has some concerns about the ocean front walk for our kids as it's been very crowded on previous visits. I'd like to take the kids to Belmont park but she is a bit sketch on that as well because the kids aren't vaccinated. This was supposed to be our cruise week but I'm looking forward to some relaxing beach time also and we love San Diego.  

Edited April 2, 2021 by cruisingguy007