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Has HAL decided yet? Will they require vaccinations?


TomBeckCruise
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2 hours ago, cruisegirl said:

I don’t see how HAL really has a choice about requiring vaccinations if they want to sail this year and maybe beyond. It would be nice if they would take a stand on this and let us know. 

I think from the optics stand point they don't what to take a stand. They and some of the other lines are waiting for some higher authority (CDC, EU, etc.) to make the decision for them. Then they can deflect any blowback by saying, "Hey its not our requirement, its the xxxxxx requiring it".

 

I really can't see too many, or any ports, willing to allow a ship to dock and discharge passengers without them all being vaccinated. 

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36 minutes ago, LAFFNVEGAS said:

They either have to go through the cost of test cruises and the time it will take to do these test cruise or do like the other lines and make it mandatory that all be vaccinated to by pass the test cruises

Test cruises probably ( not a fact) could be done while at the dock.  No true sailing required.  Just a drill run to go through the steps of monitoring, testing, drill for a covid case on board and response, etc...   I don't think they've received the exact format required.

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2 minutes ago, drowelf said:

I think from the optics stand point they don't what to take a stand. They and some of the other lines are waiting for some higher authority (CDC, EU, etc.) to make the decision for them. Then they can deflect any blowback by saying, "Hey its not our requirement, its the xxxxxx requiring it".

 

I really can't see too many, or any ports, willing to allow a ship to dock and discharge passengers without them all being vaccinated. 

 

completely agree with you and @LAFFNVEGAS

Our trips are for Europe and Europe requires proof of vaccine to enter understandably.

Frankly, I think that will be the way it will be everywhere until covid disappears if it does. And that’s understandable.  I wouldn’t want a boat load of passengers off in our port without vaccination when we have worked so hard.  I don’t think any one who has a port destination would that has an ounce of sense in them 😉 

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1 hour ago, drowelf said:

I think from the optics stand point they don't what to take a stand. They and some of the other lines are waiting for some higher authority (CDC, EU, etc.) to make the decision for them. Then they can deflect any blowback by saying, "Hey its not our requirement, its the xxxxxx requiring it".

 

A real stroke of courage there...

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We did not receive the HAL survey and have two cruises booked on them next year.  We did, however, receive a Seabourn survey  by email today, or at least DH did.  He hasn't opened it yet.  And we have no Seabourn cruises currently booked.

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Playing devils advocate here, but unless the cruise lines can tap into medical records (they can't) the vaccination cards are barely worth the paper they are printed on since they are extremely easy to forge.  While the RCCL brands are requiring vaccination proof, in actuality, they will probably be as careful checking it as the folks checking for booze in carry-ons.

 

It's sad to say but even as cruise lines will require vaccination records, there are people who won't get it, and then lie about it.  Perhaps that is why the carnival brands are staying pretty mum on the vaccine requirements - its nearly impossible to verify that a passenger is indeed vaccinated, especially when the vaccines are not 100% effective.

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12 hours ago, kazu said:

 

completely agree with you and @LAFFNVEGAS

Our trips are for Europe and Europe requires proof of vaccine to enter understandably.

Frankly, I think that will be the way it will be everywhere until covid disappears if it does. And that’s understandable.  I wouldn’t want a boat load of passengers off in our port without vaccination when we have worked so hard.  I don’t think any one who has a port destination would that has an ounce of sense in them 😉 

Well, That pretty much answers my question. Our booked cruise for September,  21 departs from Amsterdam  and cruises to Norway and returns to Amsterdam. Americans cannot legally go to Amsterdam without the vaccination. 

OTOH, things change.

I doubt HAL's passenger survey gets materially different results than the poll in a recent thread here.  I'm surprised that they would consider non vaccinated passengers given the plight of infected cruise ships when covid first began.

 

Edited by TomBeckCruise
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Personally, I think HAL should send the survey to every person with a HAL account, whether they have a cruise booked or not. We HAD a cruise booked last year, cancelled because of Covid. That 2020 cruise was to be our first HAL cruise. We will not book another until HAL requires vaccination for all crew and passengers.
They need to know this. I'm sure we're not alone.

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The quandry lies in the fact that there is a existing functioning protocol to cruising that does not require vaccination as the current European cruises demonstrate, and that was great for cruising 6 months ago-- NOT NOW.

Just because its possible doesn't mean that logically we all should forgo a far far safer, infinitely more relaxed, and a significantly freer cruise experience that a fully vaccinated ship will provide, and opt for a pre-vaccine 2020 experience  

 

The answer for me, and to any reasonable argument of the question is clear -- A VACCINATION REQUIREMENT for all onboard to cruise is a must going forward.

 

 

 

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Edited by srpilo
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Three days ago a Japanese cruise ship sailing just in the islands of Japan had a passenger diagnosed with coronavirus infection. The passenger was quarantined on the ship and the cruise was cancelled  to return to the Port of Yokohama. All passengers were to be disembarked. Prior to the curtailment of the cruise, demonstrations against the cruise  had been planned by residents of the cities/towns that were to be port calls. I don't  know what the status of vaccination numbers in Japan is. I do know that the requirements to conduct cruises in Japan by their governing body is stricter than the CDC.

 

Are cruise ships going to be welcomed by the local populace once they start sailing again - if not vaccinated?

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21 minutes ago, aliaschief said:

And there lies the biggest question and hurdle!

Which goes directly in the face of the Florida Governor stupid Executive Order. He doesn't want anyone,  including cruise lines, to be checking vaccine status. But what happens when the ships sailing from Florida ports are required to provide vaccine status to ports they visit? 

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4 minutes ago, CruiserBruce said:

Which goes directly in the face of the Florida Governor stupid Executive Order. He doesn't want anyone,  including cruise lines, to be checking vaccine status. But what happens when the ships sailing from Florida ports are required to provide vaccine status to ports they visit? 

Same governor that did not want passengers from infected ships disembarking in Florida a year ago.

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On 4/30/2021 at 11:14 PM, cruisingrob21 said:

Playing devils advocate here, but unless the cruise lines can tap into medical records (they can't) the vaccination cards are barely worth the paper they are printed on since they are extremely easy to forge.

 

Exactly!  My next cruise is the inaugural of Rotterdam VII, departing Trieste and disembarking in Amsterdam.  I will be getting to and from Europe on Delta.  Not only will the European countries require proof of vaccination but Ed Bastian (CEO of Delta) has announced that they will "likely" require proof on international flights.

 

So yesterday I mailed a letter to Delta's Customer Care inquiring just what will constitute that proof at boarding.  I pointed out to them exactly what I have highlighted in the post of @cruisingrob21.  I also enclosed a screenshot of my vaccination record from my provider's record and asked how they intended to access that at boarding time without violating the HIPAA.  Now awaiting the answer.

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2 minutes ago, Av8rix said:

Exactly!  My next cruise is the inaugural of Rotterdam VII, departing Trieste and disembarking in Amsterdam.  I will be getting to and from Europe on Delta.  Not only will the European countries require proof of vaccination but Ed Bastian (CEO of Delta) has announced that they will "likely" require proof on international flights.

 

So yesterday I mailed a letter to Delta's Customer Care inquiring just what will constitute that proof at boarding.  I pointed out to them exactly what I have highlighted in the post of @cruisingrob21.  I also enclosed a screenshot of my vaccination record from my provider's record and asked how they intended to access that at boarding time without violating the HIPAA.  Now awaiting the answer.

They would not be violating HIPAA. Your healthcare provider would be if they supplied that information to Delta without your permission.

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9 minutes ago, Sea42 said:

They would not be violating HIPAA. Your healthcare provider would be if they supplied that information to Delta without your permission.

Exactly right...many people throw HIPAA without really knowing how it works. It's all about the patient's consent to give out private medical info. If Delta required vaccine info to allow a passenger to fly, the passenger would have to consent for that info to be released. Delta is not going to just seek that info without consent.

 

If I show my CDC card to board a plane, I  have consented to giving that info.

 

If anyone required proof of vaccination to travel or enter a country, it has nothing to do with HIPAA. You have the choice to provide that info, or not.

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11 minutes ago, Av8rix said:

I also enclosed a screenshot of my vaccination record from my provider's record and asked how they intended to access that at boarding time without violating the HIPAA.  Now awaiting the answer.

Even if you grant them permission, I seriously doubt the airlines will attempt to modify their IT infrastructure to directly access the thousands of healthcare systems that exist in the U.S. to look for vaccine records. Until a country-wide universal vaccination passport system is developed (unlikely anytime soon), the "paper card" is all they will have to rely on.

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26 minutes ago, Av8rix said:

Exactly!  My next cruise is the inaugural of Rotterdam VII, departing Trieste and disembarking in Amsterdam.  I will be getting to and from Europe on Delta.  Not only will the European countries require proof of vaccination but Ed Bastian (CEO of Delta) has announced that they will "likely" require proof on international flights.

 

So yesterday I mailed a letter to Delta's Customer Care inquiring just what will constitute that proof at boarding.  I pointed out to them exactly what I have highlighted in the post of @cruisingrob21.  I also enclosed a screenshot of my vaccination record from my provider's record and asked how they intended to access that at boarding time without violating the HIPAA.  Now awaiting the answer.

We will look forward to hearing your answer. 

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On 5/1/2021 at 8:17 AM, TriumphGuy said:

Personally, I think HAL should send the survey to every person with a HAL account, whether they have a cruise booked or not. We HAD a cruise booked last year, cancelled because of Covid. That 2020 cruise was to be our first HAL cruise. We will not book another until HAL requires vaccination for all crew and passengers.
They need to know this. I'm sure we're not alone.

Some people have received a survey , not us ..

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7 hours ago, cruisegirl said:

We will look forward to hearing your answer. 

 

8 hours ago, Av8rix said:

Exactly!  My next cruise is the inaugural of Rotterdam VII, departing Trieste and disembarking in Amsterdam.  I will be getting to and from Europe on Delta.  Not only will the European countries require proof of vaccination but Ed Bastian (CEO of Delta) has announced that they will "likely" require proof on international flights.

 

So yesterday I mailed a letter to Delta's Customer Care inquiring just what will constitute that proof at boarding.  I pointed out to them exactly what I have highlighted in the post of @cruisingrob21.  I also enclosed a screenshot of my vaccination record from my provider's record and asked how they intended to access that at boarding time without violating the HIPAA.  Now awaiting the answer.

We are on the same cruise with Holland air 

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On 4/30/2021 at 3:28 PM, aliaschief said:

The survey asked us not to share or discuss our replies which tells me they want a honest general consensus.

 

Would be interesting how many of us are booked for fall cruises.

I am booked for two fall cruises on HAL.  No survey from HAL, but I got a survey from Princess.  Haven't cruised with them since 2015 but I am a high loyalty tier with them.

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19 hours ago, Heartgrove said:

Three days ago a Japanese cruise ship sailing just in the islands of Japan had a passenger diagnosed with coronavirus infection. The passenger was quarantined on the ship and the cruise was cancelled  to return to the Port of Yokohama. All passengers were to be disembarked. Prior to the curtailment of the cruise, demonstrations against the cruise  had been planned by residents of the cities/towns that were to be port calls. I don't  know what the status of vaccination numbers in Japan is. I do know that the requirements to conduct cruises in Japan by their governing body is stricter than the CDC.

 

Are cruise ships going to be welcomed by the local populace once they start sailing again - if not vaccinated?

Not sure about your source of information, but you have been mis-informed.

I live in Tokyo and pass the Osanbashi Cruise Terminal on my way to work every day.

Throughout the pandemic, 4 Japanese Cruise ships have been making weekly domestic Japanese cruises. Until this week, there were no COVID problems on any of the ships and there were no local demonstrations in the ports.

These 4 ships carry Japanese Residents only. No foreigners are allowed.

Since foreigners are not allowed to enter Japan, this is not a problem.

Passengers must provide a negative COVID test before boarding. Nothing else.

The ship you are referring to is the Asuka II, former Crystal Harmony.

The other 3 ships have not experienced any problems and have not cancelled any cruises. Asuka II will sail next week as scheduled.

 

Status of vaccination in Japan is nearly zero. Only medical workers have been vaccinated at this point. The entire population of Japan is scheduled to be vaccinated over the next 2 months.

With the exception of the Olympic Athletes, it is likely that no foreigners will be allowed to visit Japan for any reason in 2021.

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