CDC Open To U.S Cruising This Summer

[chrysalis]

A  few years ago, Princess was embarking/disembarking  UK pax in Barbados, for 14 day Caribbean cruises....North American pax embarked in FLL (PE)....so that port is a possibility, since they have some experience there.

[gmjc2]

Wish they would see it that way but alas the CDC just continues to throw obstacles in the way of cruising. The airlines have had a pass all this time.  The cruise lines are not registered in the US but the CDC is punishing the would be cruisers and the now unemployed service workers/vendors etc in the ports.

I say we start a petition to get the govt to light a fire under the CDC!!!

[Cruising89143]

If Princess follows their corporate parent with the no vaccine mandate then we will cancel. That’s a deal breaker for us. Of course the CDC may have other plans.

 

https://www.seatrade-cruise.com/environmental-health/carnival-corp-focus-working-cdc-process-no-vaccine-mandate-planned

[mnocket]

I don't profess to be an expert on the completeness and clarity of the CDC guidance to cruise lines, nor do I understand if that guidance is sufficient and practically achievable by the cruise lines.  I give little credence to many of the posts, on both sides of the issue, that profess with a false certainty that either the CDC or the cruise lines are to blame.  What I am certain about is that the cruise lines desperately want to resume sailing.  I would be astounded to learn that a clear and achievable path has existed for the cruise lines to resume sailing and they have opted to ignore it in favor of remaining idle.  The fact that Carnival is considering moving its ships away form US ports tells me that they believe, unless changes are made, sailing from/to US ports is not a practical option.  Who am I to argue with that?

Edited April 7, 2021 by mnocket

[beg3yrs]

4 hours ago, jovisoul said:

We cruised Princess out of San Juan and loved leaving from there! Would do it again, if they ever go back to it!

As previously stated, under current circumstances, San Juan is part of the United States and as such falls under the CDC no-sail order.

[jovisoul]

16 minutes ago, beg3yrs said:

As previously stated, under current circumstances, San Juan is part of the United States and as such falls under the CDC no-sail order.

I realize that, but they no longer leave out of San Juan anyway. Which I why I said IF they ever go back to that.

Edited April 7, 2021 by jovisoul

[CynCyn]

5 hours ago, cruisingator2 said:

If Princess follows their corporate parent with the no vaccine mandate then we will cancel. That’s a deal breaker for us. Of course the CDC may have other plans.

 

https://www.seatrade-cruise.com/environmental-health/carnival-corp-focus-working-cdc-process-no-vaccine-mandate-planned

Same here.  Especially after watching The Last Cruise.  I’d hate to change brands but I will if crew and passengers aren’t vaccinated.

[Redwing55]

12 hours ago, Tak8 said:

I like the vibe of leaving from San Juan.  I wish Princess would return there. If the choice is leaving from San Juan or not cruising, I wonder how many folks would fly to PR.  

Uh isn't PR the US?  Or doesn't CDC have jurisdiction there?

 

Whoops.. Guess it's covered above.🥴

Edited April 8, 2021 by Redwing55

[40yearcruiser]

Carnival just changed their stance on the possibility of home-porting ships in the Caribbean, so I think they will follow the other cruiselines in requiring vaccines, at least in the first few months of restart. The decision may be out of their hands if the ports they plan to visit require the vaccine. Hopefully, if they do require the vaccine this will enable them to again cruise from US ports earlier. Personally, I think the CDC has been unreasonable in their treatment of the cruiselines when other forms of travel have been continuing with little interference. With the vaccine rollout it is time for them to drop some of the ridiculous requirements in the CSO and get the ships cruising again.

[caribill]

15 hours ago, LACruiser88 said:

Wouldn't the requirement to have all crew and passengers vaccinated make the current CDC guidelines unnecessary???  What I'm I missing???

 

That so far only a small fraction of U.S. residents have been vaccinated and that is also true of residents in other countries.

 

Crew members from around the world are unlikely to have access to the vaccines at the current time.

 

Here is what CCL Corp said Wednesday about vaccinations:

 

Today everybody doesn't have access to vaccines. Children are not yet really eligible for vaccines. Hopefully, that'll change over time. Hopefully, the availability of the vaccine so everyone will have access will also change over time. And we would encourage everyone to be vaccinated. We would. Today, we can't buy vaccines to do anything. So we just have to let this play out. And keep in mind, we are currently sailing (almost 400,000 guests so far overseas) without any major incident, without anybody being vaccinated and with protocols in place.

 

The key thing is mitigating risk. We can't be -- prefer not to be -- hopefully won't be asked to stand up to a zero risk standard because, frankly, nowhere else in society is that being considered. We just like to be treated similar to the rest of travel and entertainment and tourism sector. And so if we do that, we'll be fine.

 

[voljeep]

pop-up vaccination sites are happening multiple places - WDW for employees and furloughed employees only ... UCF for students only

 

seems like to me - not the sharpest tack in the box - that  crew could quarantine for 10-14 days prior to boarding ship - tested, re-tested, re-re-testing while in route - to say PE/FLL - pop-up vac tent for 'ship crew/employees only - before actual test cruises and paying customers board

 

about a 28 day process or so, so start now on a ship by ship basis for July 1 cruises

[gmjc2]

I read that the cruise lines will vaccinate any crew member who has no access to vaccines in their home country so there is no reason to worry about the crew.

[Iamcruzin]

I haven't cruised with Princess since they left San Juan.  At times it was less expensive to fly to San Juan than it was to Ft Lauderdale.  

[beg3yrs]

18 hours ago, jovisoul said:

I realize that, but they no longer leave out of San Juan anyway. Which I why I said IF they ever go back to that.

Got it! Yes, we've enjoyed San Juan as a embarkation and disembarkation port many many moons ago. I think it was Celebrity we used out of there.

[caribill]

16 hours ago, gmjc2 said:

I read that the cruise lines will vaccinate any crew member who has no access to vaccines in their home country so there is no reason to worry about the crew.

 

Cruise lines have no access to vaccines so they cannot vaccinate anyone.

[gmjc2]

6 hours ago, caribill said:

 

Cruise lines have no access to vaccines so they cannot vaccinate anyone.

Why would you think that? They can certainly access vaccines if the CDC requires the crew be vaccinated. If Publix and Walgreens can why not cruise lines? They can also access vaccines through other countries if necessary. They will get it done if it helps get back to cruising!!

[harkinmr]

51 minutes ago, gmjc2 said:

Why would you think that? They can certainly access vaccines if the CDC requires the crew be vaccinated. If Publix and Walgreens can why not cruise lines? They can also access vaccines through other countries if necessary. They will get it done if it helps get back to cruising!!

Currently, no private business can purchase vaccine through federal or state governments here in the US.  Publix and Walgreens are distributed vaccine through the federal/state vaccine program, they do not purchase it independently.  Finally, until all US residents have had an opportunity to be vaccinated, there is likely to be little interest in/support for vaccinating thousands of international crew.

Edited April 9, 2021 by harkinmr

[geocruiser]

There is some info that I would like to know before I sail again from a US port.  Crew and PAX being vaccinated is important to me.  What I really want to know is, if their is a outbreak on board will the home port allow the ship to return there and will they(the home port) be able to care for the sick PAX?

It could be one person sick or many.  What will happen?

Will the non sick PAX have to stay on board?

Edited April 9, 2021 by geocruiser

[gmjc2]

48 minutes ago, harkinmr said:

Currently, no private business can purchase vaccine through federal or state governments here in the US.  Publix and Walgreens are distributed vaccine through the federal/state vaccine program, they do not purchase it independently.  Finally, until all US residents have had an opportunity to be vaccinated, there is likely to be little interest in/support for vaccinating thousands of international crew.

If that is the case then we may as well just stop booking cruises because without crew vaccinated there will be no cruises. End of story!!

[harkinmr]

5 minutes ago, gmjc2 said:

If that is the case then we may as well just stop booking cruises because without crew vaccinated there will be no cruises. End of story!!

The cruise lines already admit that there may be challenges in getting crew vaccinated.  Frank Del Rio said the same in his TV interview the other day.  But he (and the others) have also been painfully silent on how they intend to accomplish it.  Del Rio said no crew will be getting on his ships unvaccinated and they must seek out the vaccine in their home countries.  The lines "may" be able to secure vaccine from other country's sources, but who knows.  I, personally, would object strenuously to any private businesses securing vaccines for their international employees outside the eligibility parameters in this country.  And I love cruising!

[voljeep]

29 minutes ago, gmjc2 said:

Currently, no private business can purchase vaccine through federal or state governments here in the US.

so how is WDW setting up for vaccinating employees and furloughed employees only ???

[Justprettynpink]

Many employers are getting coordinating with pharmacies/hospitals to have their own clinics. Why couldn't the cruise lines do it also?

[LouChamp]

i can afford to wait. will not be a guinea pig

[caribill]

3 hours ago, voljeep said:

so how is WDW setting up for vaccinating employees and furloughed employees only ???

 

"Walt Disney World said they are hopeful for more vaccine availability at the site in the coming weeks as they continue to partner with local health departments."

 

So it is through local health departments that get their vaccine allocations from the Federal government through the state.

 

Note that the health department has to say when vaccines will be available to WDW employees and not all employees will be able to get the vaccine with the same allocation because the allocations are not large enough for this. Thus some will get it from the known allocation and others will have to wait.

 

Such a scenario, some on some unknown future date and more an even more unknown future date, is not workable for a cruise ship. And it is this "simple" only if one dose is required.

 

 

[caribill]

3 hours ago, Justprettynpink said:

Many employers are getting coordinating with pharmacies/hospitals to have their own clinics. Why couldn't the cruise lines do it also?

 

Maybe because allocation priorities so far do not include non-USA residents coming in by the boat load just for a vaccination?