Latest CDC Update - No Simulation Voyages

[Syracusefan44]

Per report from a Miami Herald reporter the CDC sent a letter to the cruise lines stating they will not require them to conduct a simulated voyage if the certify that 98% of the crew & 95% of the passengers have been verified by the cruise ship operator to fully vaccinated.

https://twitter.com/taydolven/status/1387590148615987204?s=21

[capriccio]

That seems straightforward but now the challenge will be getting crews vaccinated (a topic of discussion on this thread): 

 

[MplsYogini]

CDC to cruise industry: U.S. cruises could potentially restart in July (usatoday.com)

[nocl]

Just keep in mind that the rest of the CSO remains intact.  The cruise lines still need to get their port agreements in place, submit their protocols to the CDC for approval and submit the required documents signed by senior management before they can start sailing.  There are a couple of changes concerning testing and the ability to use one agreement for multiple ports, but other than the ability to bypass the test cruises, if the vaccination hurdle is met there is still a lot that the cruise lines must do before they start sailing out of the US.

 

Lets see if they actually start moving on getting those things done.

[Host Jazzbeau]

This is huge!  The CDC has finally budged from its previous demand that the cruise industry prove that cruises will be 100% safe, and now acknowledges that this is both impossible and not going to be required.  The usatoday article linked above quotes 5 major concessions by the CDC:

Based on industry feedback, the CDC landed on five clarifications to its additional guidance issued April 2 to allow a resumption of sailing:

• Ships can bypass the required simulated test voyages carrying volunteers and jump to sailings with paying passengers if 98% of crew and 95% of passengers are fully vaccinated.
• CDC will review and respond to applications from cruise lines for simulated voyages within 5 days, a review previously expected to take 60 days.
• CDC will update its testing and quarantine requirements for passengers and crew on sailings with paying passengers to align with the CDC's guidance for fully vaccinated people. So, for example, instead of taking a PCR lab test ahead of boarding vaccinated passengers can take a rapid antigen test upon embarkation. 
• CDC has clarified that cruise ship operators may enter into a "multi-port agreement" rather than a single port agreement as long as all port and local authorities sign the agreement. 
• The CDC has clarified guidance on quarantine guidelines for passengers who may be exposed to or contract COVID-19. For example, local passengers may be able to drive home and passengers who have traveled by air to cruise may quarantine in a hotel.

The cruise lines finally have something specific and reasonable to work with.  Expect to see rapid progress.  [And IMO this is due to the multi-prong campaign on the CDC, and especially the cruise lines' showing that they would leave US waters and cruise in the Caribbean without any CDC oversight.]

[dog]

2 hours ago, Syracusefan44 said:

Per report from a Miami Herald reporter the CDC sent a letter to the cruise lines stating they will not require them to conduct a simulated voyage if the certify that 98% of the crew & 95% of the passengers have been verified by the cruise ship operator to fully vaccinated.

https://twitter.com/taydolven/status/1387590148615987204?s=21

 

2 hours ago, MplsYogini said:

CDC to cruise industry: U.S. cruises could potentially restart in July (usatoday.com)

Thank you both so much. Just the question I posted yesterday, now answered with sources attached!!

So happy to see this!!!

[cricketcj1]

Thanks for the great news.We need another cruise ,next 1/4/22, tired of being land locked.

[chengkp75]

7 hours ago, nocl said:

Just keep in mind that the rest of the CSO remains intact.  The cruise lines still need to get their port agreements in place, submit their protocols to the CDC for approval and submit the required documents signed by senior management before they can start sailing.  There are a couple of changes concerning testing and the ability to use one agreement for multiple ports, but other than the ability to bypass the test cruises, if the vaccination hurdle is met there is still a lot that the cruise lines must do before they start sailing out of the US.

 

Lets see if they actually start moving on getting those things done.

 

6 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

The cruise lines finally have something specific and reasonable to work with.  Expect to see rapid progress.  [And IMO this is due to the multi-prong campaign on the CDC, and especially the cruise lines' showing that they would leave US waters and cruise in the Caribbean without any CDC oversight.]

I agree with nocl, that many have read past the statement that the port agreements and contracts still need to be obtained, and this has been a large bone of contention for the cruise lines up to now.  It is also not clear whether the requirement for emergency plans, and other requirements of the simulated cruises are waived (which I doubt) or whether with a sufficiently "actionable and robust" action plan, including the requirements listed for simulated cruises, that merely holding the simulated cruises is waived.  And, the detailed plan as to how to implement, and enforce, the vaccination protocol needs to be provided.

[c-boy]

wonderful news, just keep running down this track jumping hurrdles as they go.

[Duffysmom]

https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/cruises/2021/04/28/cdc-cruises-could-restart-july/4883450001/

[BabySarge]

Finally, maybe, some truly optimistic news about cruising being reported by multiple sources this morning.  Fingers and toes crossed.  I do think the sticking point, however, may be getting the crew vaccinated to a 98% level as so many of them are from countries where the vaccine process is just getting started or in many cases not started at all yet.  Hopefully the cruise lines will step in and get their employees vaccinated.  On a side note:  Carnival/Princess if you're reading you need to do that for free and not back charge your employees for the vaccines!!!!

[Crystabel]

Great news! 

[harkinmr]

8 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

The CDC has finally budged from its previous demand that the cruise industry prove that cruises will be 100% safe, and now acknowledges that this is both impossible and not going to be required. 

That is untrue.  The CDC never said that cruise lines had to make sailings "100% safe".  The CDC has said there is risk involved in cruising and the CSO was intended to reduce the level of that risk, not eliminate it.  The news out today just confirms for all the naysayers that have been saying that the CDC is not listening to or working with the cruise lines, that they actually are.

[stevenr597]

The CDC said that cruises "might resume" by "Mid-July."

 

Why not by July?

Answer is quite simple.

The President said that by July 4th, we will be permitted to have small gatherings.

A cruise sailing is not a "small gathering"

The CDC does not want to go on record of disagreeing with the President.

Good example of "Following the Politics."

[harkinmr]

11 minutes ago, rhblake said:

I think if there were behind the scene discussions the cruise lines were making proposals to the CDC they would be shouting it from the hill tops. But they have said nothing.

The USA Today article includes an acknowledgement by the CDC that the cruise lines have been meeting with them for a few weeks now.  The reason cruise lines are not "shouting it from the hill tops" is, apparently, because it doesn't work with their high pressure campaign to eliminate the CSO.  That is clearly not going to happen.  It's pretty embarrassing that the cruise lines won't talk about the progress they have made with the CDC, but they certainly will have to now that the news has come out.

Edited April 29, 2021 by harkinmr

[stevenr597]

Why not the beginning of July which would not cause the cruise lines to have to cancel additional cruises.

Simple answer.

the President said that we might be permitted to have small gatherings by July 4th.

Cruising is not a small gathering.

The CDC does not wish to openly disagree with the President.

Good example of "Following the Politics."

 

[beg3yrs]

59 minutes ago, chengkp75 said:

.....

 

If the CDC is sticking with the port agreement portion of the CSO, that means it will likely become a permanent requirement, long after the covid pandemic is over.

I like this point Chief. It makes a lot of sense to me as if something like that had been in place before this pandemic there would have been a lot less global confusion as to how to handle it. Making it permanent will make sure there are plans in place the next time something like this happens. I would hope they include a provision to periodically update and revise the agreements so we don't fall into the "now we're ready to fight the last war" trap.

[beg3yrs]

35 minutes ago, BabySarge said:

..... On a side note:  Carnival/Princess if you're reading you need to do that for free and not back charge your employees for the vaccines!!!!

I don't know exactly how much each vaccine shot actually costs since insurance company pricing is mostly smoke and mirrors but ... my insurance company listed my fully covered charge at about $17 USD for Moderna. Surely the cruise companies can afford to cover that kind of cost for each employee.

[satxdiver]

17 minutes ago, beg3yrs said:

I don't know exactly how much each vaccine shot actually costs since insurance company pricing is mostly smoke and mirrors but ... my insurance company listed my fully covered charge at about $17 USD for Moderna. Surely the cruise companies can afford to cover that kind of cost for each employee.

It is a cost of doing business and the cruise lines should vaccinate their employees at no cost to the employee.  I would not knowingly go on a cruise ship where 100% of the employees were not vaccinated for COVID-19.  I would feel a lot safer if 100% of the pax were also vaccinated.  The CDC rule change to allow cruise ships to sail by mid-July is welcome news.  

[4hunters]

Fantastic news!

[beg3yrs]

2 minutes ago, satxdiver said:

...  The CDC rule change to allow cruise ships to sail by mid-July is welcome news.  

Be careful how you say that. The CDC rule change could enable cruise ships to sail by mid-July if they meet all the other requirements that are still in place.

 

Mid-July is simply an estimate of how long it would take to complete the remaining steps if nothing goes wrong goes wrong goes wrong goes wrong.

[Syracusefan44]

Late last night, the CDC provided cruise lines with an update that opens up the possibility of cruises to restart this summer.

Mr. Fain of Royal Caribbean said the letter is an example of "a significant improvement in the extent and the quality of our dialogue with the CDC."  According to Fain, the CDC has recently significantly increased its efforts in terms of improved communication between the cruise industry and the federal agency.

 

Mr. Fain did not rule out a July restart, "It could be possible to restart cruising by mid-July."  "I would also emphasize that the restart does not mean that we will immediately go into full operation. We are hopeful about restarting. That restart will be gradual and deliberate."

[harkinmr]

16 minutes ago, chengkp75 said:

And, pretty naïve to believe that if there were more redactions to the CSO than what are reported, that the cruise lines would not be trumpeting them from the rooftops.  But since I won't continue to trade insults with you because my world where facts matter doesn't agree with yours, I'll leave you to your world. 

I think you have hit the nail on the head.  They have barely made a peep about their discussions with the CDC since April 12th as it is.  They will likely not say too much positive about today's news either because it does not serve their purpose of pushing for elimination of the CSO in its entirety.  It's pretty pathetic actually.

[franktown]

As I see it the biggest obstacle will be getting the crew vaccinated.  Don't have any idea how they are going to handle the large # of staff from India.

[beg3yrs]

4 minutes ago, franktown said:

As I see it the biggest obstacle will be getting the crew vaccinated.  Don't have any idea how they are going to handle the large # of staff from India.

Vaccinations on-board before sailings start and then quarantine until they're effective?