Big CDC News

[Hlitner]

12 hours ago, susiesan said:

What are the dates for when this applies or expires? Does this apply only to ships leaving from US ports? Supposedly Oceania was not going to require ship only shore ex, but was to allow pax to do their own thing.

The CDC only has power over cruises that call at a US Port.  If O uses itineraries that completely avoid US Ports they would only be subject to the rules/regulations of the various countries they visit.  We are booked on a December O cruise that embarks from Miami and ends in Lima with no intervening US Ports.  We are now wondering if O will move the embarkation port to one of the Caribbean islands to avoid the uncertainty that will likely continue (perhaps for years) for cruises embarking from US Ports.

 

Hank

[pinotlover]

8 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

The CDC only has power over cruises that call at a US Port.  If O uses itineraries that completely avoid US Ports they would only be subject to the rules/regulations of the various countries they visit.  We are booked on a December O cruise that embarks from Miami and ends in Lima with no intervening US Ports.  We are now wondering if O will move the embarkation port to one of the Caribbean islands to avoid the uncertainty that will likely continue (perhaps for years) for cruises embarking from US Ports.

 

Hank

Currently projecting that both your cruise and ATW 22 embarkment will be moved to a foreign port.

[Croooser]

OK - color me confused.

 

If the cruise line sails fully (98%/95%) vaccinated, are these requirements and restrictions still in force or do they apply only if the cruise line wants to go the trial cruise route (pun intended) so that they can sail not fully vaccinated?

 

I am especially interested in excursions since we can live with just about all of the restrictions if we are permitted to do our own thing onshore. If we sail on a TA from Miami in March, can/will Oceania  allow us to do our own excursions once we leave Miami? Seems like the CDC would be out of the picture regardless of whether the ship is fully vaccinated or not?

[PaulMCO]

1 hour ago, Croooser said:

OK - color me confused.

 

If the cruise line sails fully (98%/95%) vaccinated, are these requirements and restrictions still in force or do they apply only if the cruise line wants to go the trial cruise route (pun intended) so that they can sail not fully vaccinated?

 

I am especially interested in excursions since we can live with just about all of the restrictions if we are permitted to do our own thing onshore. If we sail on a TA from Miami in March, can/will Oceania  allow us to do our own excursions once we leave Miami? Seems like the CDC would be out of the picture regardless of whether the ship is fully vaccinated or not?

I am in same boat/ship here too.   The actual wording implies test cruises with non-vaccinated volunteers.  The CDC points out in this that they can skip the test cruises with 95% vaccinated passengers and 98% crew.  The CDC recommends that they follow the vaccinated protocols for passengers and provides a link.  These protocols are vastly different than those for non-vaccinated.   So likely more clarification from the bureaucrats in the offering.

[Lorna Doone]

I just wish Florida required all to be vaccinated on cruises and then cruises could begin without test cruises.  Booked Dec 1 from Miami to Lima and really looking forward to this cruise.  Final payment due soon and unsure what to do.  Hopefully Oceania will extend date for final payment until sailing from Florida is expected to begin.  I trust Oceania to keep us safe once vaccinated while still providing an outstanding experience. 

[tgg]

12 hours ago, Hlitner said:

The CDC only has power over cruises that call at a US Port.  If O uses itineraries that completely avoid US Ports they would only be subject to the rules/regulations of the various countries they visit.  We are booked on a December O cruise that embarks from Miami and ends in Lima with

no intervening US Ports.  We are now wondering if O will move the embarkation port to one of the Caribbean islands to avoid the uncertainty that will likely continue (perhaps for years) for cruises embarking from US Ports.

 

Hank

Hank, is the Conch Republic not part of the US?😎

[njhorseman]

2 hours ago, Croooser said:

OK - color me confused.

 

If the cruise line sails fully (98%/95%) vaccinated, are these requirements and restrictions still in force or do they apply only if the cruise line wants to go the trial cruise route (pun intended) so that they can sail not fully vaccinated?

 

I am especially interested in excursions since we can live with just about all of the restrictions if we are permitted to do our own thing onshore. If we sail on a TA from Miami in March, can/will Oceania  allow us to do our own excursions once we leave Miami? Seems like the CDC would be out of the picture regardless of whether the ship is fully vaccinated or not?

 

1 hour ago, PaulMCO said:

I am in same boat/ship here too.   The actual wording implies test cruises with non-vaccinated volunteers.  The CDC points out in this that they can skip the test cruises with 95% vaccinated passengers and 98% crew.  The CDC recommends that they follow the vaccinated protocols for passengers and provides a link.  These protocols are vastly different than those for non-vaccinated.   So likely more clarification from the bureaucrats in the offering.

I thought it was rather clear that all the 98%/95% vaccination route differed only in allowing the cruise lines to bypass the test cruise phase. All the protocols would otherwise be the same...which probably warrants some rethinking on the CDC's part. If essentially everyone on board is vaccinated there ought to be some easing of certain restrictions...but I think which should be eased requires enough thought that I'm not about to shoot from the hip and start listing possibilities.

 

Edit: FDR interprets it the same way I do:

https://www.cruisecritic.com/ab/agents/variation-b/news/6097/

 

"I'm disappointed, at first read. I'm going to give the CDC the opportunity to explain and clarify, and we have a call with them this afternoon.

"As we read yesterday's pronouncements, even though everyone onboard would be vaccinated, in between bites of your meal and in between sips of your beverage, you have to put on your mask, take off your mask. Nobody should order soup because your mask might get sloppy. That to me is just preposterous.

"It's not in the spirit of where the country is heading, where President Biden wants to open the country and 70 percent of adults will be vaccinated," he added.

He said he hoped that he was reading it wrong and that these requirements would only be applicable to non-vaccinated ships:

"We hope that if you do get to 98/95 or even better the 100 percent vaccination we are proposing, that there won't be a need for such impractical, onerous, burdensome requirements."

Edited May 7, 2021 by njhorseman

[Hlitner]

49 minutes ago, tgg said:

Hank, is the Conch Republic not part of the US?😎

Oh my, forgot about that port.  But the folks in Key West also want us to forget about that port since they have passed several referendums that would ban most cruise ships.  Whether Florida ultimately overrules the wishes of residents of the Conch Republic is a question.  But assuming that the CDC does not soon get its act together I would expect "O" to cancel KW...especially if they are forced to move the embarkation port off shore.

 

For the record, DW and really love Key West and often vacation in that place (most recently this past December).   As frequent visitors we would not be upset if KW was successful in banning most cruise ships.  

 

Hank

[njhorseman]

5 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

Oh my, forgot about that port.  But the folks in Key West also want us to forget about that port since they have passed several referendums that would ban most cruise ships.  Whether Florida ultimately overrules the wishes of residents of the Conch Republic is a question.  But assuming that the CDC does not soon get its act together I would expect "O" to cancel KW...especially if they are forced to move the embarkation port off shore.

 

For the record, DW and really love Key West and often vacation in that place (most recently this past December).   As frequent visitors we would not be upset if KW was successful in banning most cruise ships.  

 

Hank

Florida has already overruled them . A law was enacted that overturns what the Key West voters decided and only allows the state to make such decisions. I haven't seen anything yet about the new law being challenged in court, but it very well may be.

 

[Hlitner]

11 minutes ago, njhorseman said:

Florida has already overruled them . A law was enacted that overturns what the Key West voters decided and only allows the state to make such decisions. I haven't seen anything yet about the new law being challenged in court, but it very well may be.

 

Thanks for that update.  We knew the law was working itself through their legislature but had not heard if it passed and was signed by their Governor.   I had posted about our experience when we vacationed in KW in early December.  Every local we met (in bars and restaurants) told us they had voted against cruise ships.  Most said the ships did nothing good for the community, attracted cruise oriented shops (crowding out better stores) and created a lot of problems with the clarity of the nearby ocean water (the large ships stir up the silty bottom).  

 

Hank

[njhorseman]

46 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

Thanks for that update.  We knew the law was working itself through their legislature but had not heard if it passed and was signed by their Governor.   I had posted about our experience when we vacationed in KW in early December.  Every local we met (in bars and restaurants) told us they had voted against cruise ships.  Most said the ships did nothing good for the community, attracted cruise oriented shops (crowding out better stores) and created a lot of problems with the clarity of the nearby ocean water (the large ships stir up the silty bottom).  

 

Hank

Actually I can't find anything stating DeSantis has signed the bill, but I also haven't seen any indication he's opposed to it and it's part of  a larger transportation bill that I suspect he's in favor of.

[Redtravel]

Everyone wants to be safe...passengers, crew, and residents of ports.  CDC is only trying to keep people safe during the pandemic.  Their cruise guidelines are not designed to be mean. They are being prudent.  Cruising presents situations that may be considered risky. Waiting to see how ships proceed when they resume sailing.  Hope that it is safe. Nobody wants to get sick.  Like many others, being restricted to ship run shore excursions as a mandatory way to get off in ports, I won’t choose to cruise until that restriction is gone. For now, we wait to cruise.  Now exploring road trip options for a vacation.  Even road trips have pandemic related restrictions.  

[sunbrookgal]

On 5/6/2021 at 6:55 PM, Petoonya said:

It sorta makes sense to me as far as keeping you in the ship's "bubble". You board the ship, and you've had your COVID pre-testing along with all the others onboard who've been vaccinated. You're in the bubble now. You stay in the bubble on the ship. You leave the ship and go out on your own amongst those who are not vaccinated, or those who might be carriers, (remains to be seen the rate of COVID infection among those who are vaccinated), and you've left the bubble. You board the ship having left the bubble and put crew and other passengers at risk. Now everyone's out of the bubble.

 

I'm not the sharpest knife in the drawer so please correct me if there's something I'm not seeing. I perceive that the cruise lines are being extremely cautious and I applaud them for it.

 

Maybe when when we know more about rate transmission of the virus among vaccinated, and the effectiveness of the vaccine on known and unknown variants, we'll get to circulate once more.

Bubble?  Really? This is not science. This is control. 

[pinotlover]

On 5/6/2021 at 9:35 PM, clo said:

I think you described it perfectly. And I swear that no one can FACTUALLY dispute you.

Factually, the bubble is burst the minute those from the ship meet their local tour guide and bus driver. The bubble is shattered the moment one walks into a local shop or through a market. Doesn’t matter whether it’s a ship’s tour or a private tour. Tour operators I’ve been working with are all nationally licensed with all the same mandatory protocols. In a couple cases they are the exact same tour operators running Oceania’s OE tours. That’s factual.

 

It may never be safe enough, in the mind of some, to ever cruise again. That’s likewise factual. Go in peace.

Edited May 9, 2021 by pinotlover

[ORV]

1 hour ago, sunbrookgal said:

Bubble?  Really? This is not science. This is control. 

What is the motivation for them wanting to control you? Is it a socialist plot? Have you considered that your thoughts are being manipulated by where you get your information from? Just another form of control huh?