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New CDC guidelines released 5/5/21


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Published by Cruise Industry News 5/5/21

For cruise lines wanting to operate from a U.S. port, they will need to adhere to a number of new regulations released on Wednesday by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for ships to sail under the Framework for Conditional Sailing Order (CSO).

While many cruise lines have already confirmed their buffets are on hold for the time being, the CDC has made it official by now requiring them to eliminate any self-serve food or drink options, such as buffets, salad bars, and drink stations.

The CDC will also require social distancing in all venues onboard and is recommending cruise lines provide alternative meal services options, such as prepackaged grab-and-go meals, for consumption on open decks or in individual cabins to minimize risks associated with congregate indoor dining.

Outdoor lounge seating around the pool will also have a different look, as loungers and chairs will need to be six feet apart, severely limiting outdoor seating space. These items can be grouped together for families and traveling companions, according to the CDC.

The CDC has also said cruise lines must "prohibit self-guided or independent exploration by passengers during port stops. Ensure all shore excursion tour companies facilitate social distancing to allow for at least 6 feet (2 meters) between individuals who are not traveling companions or part of the same family, mask wearing, cleaning and disinfection, and other COVID-19 public health measures throughout the tour."

This would require passengers to buy organized tours through the cruise line ahead of time.

Of note, the CDC also said cruise lines should limit shore excursions in foreign ports of call to countries listed as Level 1: COVID-19 Low in CDC’s COVID-19 Travel Recommendations by Destination, which would take a number of Caribbean destinations out of itineraries.

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"self-serve food" is not the same as a buffet [in the broad use of that term for cruises].  Oceania has never allowed guests to touch the food:  everything is served onto a plate by staff [at your direction].  That is also the model that I have seen on other ships [Princess] pre-Covid when there was a Noro outbreak onboard – so it is what I expect will be the 'new normal' everywhere.  IMHO it's actually a good upgrade, and should reduce all sorts of shipboard infections.

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5 minutes ago, JRG said:

Not only that,  the CDC finally release technical guidelines for the test cruises to finally get under way.

 

https://www.marketwatch.com/story/cdc-sets-rules-for-trial-cruises-with-volunteer-passengers-01620259362?mod=mw_latestnews

 

Hot off the press....

 

1 minute ago, bunzini said:

Oh boy!  This could be a challenge to say the least!

But the new CDC release also confirms that test cruises won't be necessary for those ships that agree to meet the CDC 95/98% vaccination standards.  Since Celebrity doesn't have a lot of kids on board, they should go the vaccination route.  Royal and Carnival are the ones who will have to do the test cruises.

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25 minutes ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

 

But the new CDC release also confirms that test cruises won't be necessary for those ships that agree to meet the CDC 95/98% vaccination standards.  Since Celebrity doesn't have a lot of kids on board, they should go the vaccination route.  Royal and Carnival are the ones who will have to do the test cruises.

What happens if a cruise can’t meet the 95/98% standard, does it get cancelled? There are a lot of people who said they won’t get the vaccine.

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3 minutes ago, grandgeezer said:

What happens if a cruise can’t meet the 95/98% standard, does it get cancelled? There are a lot of people who said they won’t get the vaccine.

Hopefully people who aren’t vaccinated won’t book a cruise where vaccinations are required ... 

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Just now, grandgeezer said:

What happens if a cruise can’t meet the 95/98% standard, does it get cancelled? There are a lot of people who said they won’t get the vaccine.

Nobody is completely sure why the CDC said this instead of accepting the cruise line proposal for 100/100%.  One theory is to allow for ADA compliance with the small number of people who are medically unable to get the vaccine.  Another is to allow a small number of kids on lines like Celebrity or Silversea [but IMHO they will be better served by proclaiming 100% to their core marketing demographic].  But another theory which I haven't heard but that appeals to my optimism for future negotiations, is that it was the CDC going out of their way to signal that they plan to be reasonable.  At the very least if a cruise line announces 100/100% and does its best to enforce that, this would protect them from fines and penalties for a slight slip-up.

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1 hour ago, grandgeezer said:

What happens if a cruise can’t meet the 95/98% standard, does it get cancelled? There are a lot of people who said they won’t get the vaccine.


Everyone 18 and older will have to be vaccinated. They will allow up to 5% of the total guest count for those under 18 who do not qualify for a vaccine yet. So if they have a 1000 people booked they will allow up to 50 people below age 18 who are potentially unvaccinated. 

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2 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

 

But the new CDC release also confirms that test cruises won't be necessary for those ships that agree to meet the CDC 95/98% vaccination standards.  Since Celebrity doesn't have a lot of kids on board, they should go the vaccination route.  Royal and Carnival are the ones who will have to do the test cruises.

 

Princess as well I would think.

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So, buffets are eliminated? Does that mean that the old way of folks simply grabbing food and adding it to their plates is out OR that buffets are gone period? If people are served, as was outlined above, what's wrong with that?? 

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3 minutes ago, Cruiser6270 said:

The self-guided tour ban makes sense to protect the ship community but the rest - for a ship that's fully vaccinated and tested - smacks of  over the top nonsense. 

 

 

Does this surprise you?

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We enjoy shopping at the ports and browsing in the shops-  I wonder how this will be handled?  Terrible for the economy of the ports if passengers cannot shop.  Making sure all passengers and staff are vaccinated is the most important restiction IMO to keep all safe.  If a person gets covid- not only do they jeopardize their lives, also might  cause the cruise to end.

Edited by Cruise a holic
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What I wonder (and it’s only pondering the subject since none of us have a crystal ball and can only keep guessing) is how long will the “ship-only” organized excursions stay this way...

(A totally expected decision, that said... and what I thought would be the case in ports for now. Honestly we would have been shocked if it had been otherwise.)

But regarding ship-only planned excursions... Are we talking months... or we talking years or more?

 

For those of us who are typically “independent” in port (definitely us) ... keeping the format of only organized tours long into the future will make it less appealing to chose a cruise as a traveling option.

I know that (once the world rights itself) we will be less likely down the line to cruise if options for independent exploring are not offered.

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17 minutes ago, WestLakeGirl said:

Was there an end date for these restrictions? An expiration?  
 

And this is only for Cruises from the US, not worldwide, right?

 

So it won’t affect this summer’s Saint Martin cruises?


The CSO tentatively expires on Nov 1 but can be extended or modified so these guidelines are only applicable from the restart date to Nov 1. The mask order is separate and has no defined end date. Only applies to cruises from US ports. 

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Hopefully by the time we cruise in January some of the mandates imposed by the CDC will be lifted, especially the one forbidding independent time in the various ports of call- I would hope that the goverments of the countries affected would lobby ours to allow vaccinated passengers to spend their money and time as they wish.

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46 minutes ago, Cruise a holic said:

We enjoy shopping at the ports and browsing in the shops-  I wonder how this will be handled?  Terrible for the economy of the ports if passengers cannot shop.  Making sure all passengers and staff are vaccinated is the most important restiction IMO to keep all safe.  If a person gets covid- not only do they jeopardize their lives, also might  cause the cruise to end.

If they do what some of the Europe cruises did that sailed during the pandemic as described on these boards they will take passengers to shops during the excursions that they designate as “safe” (translation - where the cruise line and/or tour guide gets a kick back).

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10 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

But the new CDC release also confirms that test cruises won't be necessary for those ships that agree to meet the CDC 95/98% vaccination standards.  Since Celebrity doesn't have a lot of kids on board, they should go the vaccination route.  Royal and Carnival are the ones who will have to do the test cruises.

If you read carefully, these instructions are for the "simulated" and "restricted" cruises under the CSO, so even if a cruise line goes the vaccination route, their "restricted" cruises as defined under the CSO (the revenue cruises operating under the CSO), will still have to meet all these requirements.

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29 minutes ago, Jeremiah1212 said:


The CSO tentatively expires on Nov 1 but can be extended or modified so these guidelines are only applicable from the restart date to Nov 1. The mask order is separate and has no defined end date. Only applies to cruises from US ports. 

This is correct, and further, the requirements set forth in both the NSO and the CSO, have met the requirements for inclusion into permanent regulations, so I would expect that some, at least, will find their way into the VSP.  Actually, the mask mandate applies to cruises that start outside the US, but either call at, or end at US ports.  The requirement, for all ships, not just cruise ships, is that any ship wishing to clear into US waters, must have abided by the mask mandate since the last foreign port, or 14 days, if the last port was less than 14 days since, and the Master must make a written declaration to this fact.  This makes the Master personally liable for criminal charges if it is proven to be false.

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1 hour ago, WestLakeGirl said:

Was there an end date for these restrictions? An expiration?  
 

And this is only for Cruises from the US, not worldwide, right?

 

So it won’t affect this summer’s Saint Martin cruises?

CDC doesn't rule the world(though they think they do), just the US. These "rules" are only for ships departing the US or returning to the US

Edited by ATXBecky
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8 minutes ago, chengkp75 said:

If you read carefully, these instructions are for the "simulated" and "restricted" cruises under the CSO, so even if a cruise line goes the vaccination route, their "restricted" cruises as defined under the CSO (the revenue cruises operating under the CSO), will still have to meet all these requirements.

Thank you Chengkp75.  They are for both.  And no one should be surprised at any of these protocols and restrictions.  Even the cruises sailing elsewhere in the world currently and the newly scheduled vaccinated cruises out of the UK, Greece and Israel are incorporating testing, masks, social distancing and restricted shore visits. 

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8 hours ago, J_Bronco34 said:

So, buffets are eliminated? Does that mean that the old way of folks simply grabbing food and adding it to their plates is out OR that buffets are gone period? If people are served, as was outlined above, what's wrong with that?? 

 

Still a buffet, just no more self serve, the food will be served to us.   

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