What is Princess's current take on vaccinations?

[DaMom]

Contemplating dipping our toes back in the water with a Mexican Riviera cruise in September out of LA - rather confused as to what Princess is doing or leaning towards. Would be much more likely to book if they require vaccinations.

 

[capriccio]

 

The only cruises Princess has announced starting thus far are Alaska beginning in late July.  This is the verbiage in that announcement issued by Carnival Corporation regarding required vaccinations (which also covered Carnival Cruise Line and Holland America Alaska cruises):

 

These Alaska cruises are available for guests who have received their final dose of an approved COVID-19 vaccine at least 14 days prior to the beginning of the cruise and have proof of vaccination. Crew vaccinations will be in accordance with CDC guidelines.

 

Will that be the requirement on future cruises?  I hope so but we just need to wait and see.

[Host Kat]

5 minutes ago, DaMom said:

Contemplating dipping our toes back in the water with a Mexican Riviera cruise in September out of LA - rather confused as to what Princess is doing or leaning towards. Would be much more likely to book if they require vaccinations.

 

Howdy @DaMom!  

 

Welcome back to the Cruise Critic message boards!  I see it has been awhile since you have posted on the boards. 

 

Thank you for your new thread on the Ask a Cruise Question forum. 👍  It is the forum for general questions regarding cruising. However, your new thread was off-topic there since your topic is a specific cruise line. 

 

To help you out I have moved your thread to our Princess Cruises forum. Please browse through the thread titles on this new forum l👀king for threads of interest. You will probably find  your fellow Cruise Critic members have already posted questions and received answers that will be of interest to you.

 

I sincerely hope this will be helpful and glad to have you back aboard Cruise Critic! 

 

Happy sails,

 

Host Kat 

[antsp]

Princess start sailing out of Southampton on July, all passengers most have had both Covid vaccines at least 3 weeks before sailing 

[caribill]

For the Princess Alaska cruises, the crew will be vaccinated.

 

For the UK "seacations", the crew is not required to be vaccinated but many might be.

[HaveDogWillTravel]

5 hours ago, DaMom said:

Contemplating dipping our toes back in the water with a Mexican Riviera cruise in September out of LA - rather confused as to what Princess is doing or leaning towards. Would be much more likely to book if they require vaccinations.

 

https://www.princess.com/plan/cruise-with-confidence/cruise-health/frequently-asked-questions/

 

The vaccine requirement is found here as well as updates on masks, buffet, interactions between different travel groups and more. This refers to Alaska at the moment. I have an August LA cruise that I’m waiting for them to announce vaccine requirements for. If they don’t I will cancel. 

Edited May 24, 2021 by HaveDogWillTravel

[CI66774]

9 hours ago, capriccio said:

 

The only cruises Princess has announced starting thus far are Alaska beginning in late July.  This is the verbiage in that announcement issued by Carnival Corporation regarding required vaccinations (which also covered Carnival Cruise Line and Holland America Alaska cruises):

 

These Alaska cruises are available for guests who have received their final dose of an approved COVID-19 vaccine at least 14 days prior to the beginning of the cruise and have proof of vaccination. Crew vaccinations will be in accordance with CDC guidelines.

 

Will that be the requirement on future cruises?  I hope so but we just need to wait and see.

I think Princess is doing this because the new law mandates it for Alaska.

[capriccio]

2 minutes ago, CI66774 said:

I think Princess is doing this because the new law mandates it for Alaska.

I haven't read anything about vaccinations being a requirement in the Alaska Tourism Recovery Act.  As I understand it, the act is a temporary waiver of the PVSA. 

[skynight]

CDC requires 95% of passengers be vaccinated as well as the crew. Besides it is a proper business decision. Princess' sister lines Costa and Aida have some successful experience with fully vaccinated cruises. The last thing a cruise line needs is another outbreak on covid-19 on board among unvaccinated passengers and/or crew. Bad press, bad for current and future business.

The temporary PVSA exemption is only to allow non US flagged vessels to make RT Seattle voyages without a stop in Canada. The public health requirements are not part of the act. 

[Happy2cruise]

Spoke with a Princess rep the other day and she said it is mandated by both CDC and Princess that all passengers and crew must be vaccinated.  If not vaccinated, not allowed to embark.  Hope she was right.

[Miadessa]

36 minutes ago, Happy2cruise said:

Spoke with a Princess rep the other day and she said it is mandated by both CDC and Princess that all passengers and crew must be vaccinated.  If not vaccinated, not allowed to embark.  Hope she was right.

My Princess rep today clarified that the 5% unvaccinated, that the CDC guidelines allow, is reserved for passengers under 12 who literally cannot receive a vaccination.  All others MUST be vaccinated to board.  She told me that people were actually calling them asking to be put on the 5% list because they didn't want to get vaccinated 🙄.  

[JF - retired RRT]

16 minutes ago, Miadessa said:

My Princess rep today clarified that the 5% unvaccinated, that the CDC guidelines allow, is reserved for passengers under 12 who literally cannot receive a vaccination.  All others MUST be vaccinated to board.  She told me that people were actually calling them asking to be put on the 5% list because they didn't want to get vaccinated 🙄.  

🤣 Too funny for words.

[Steelers36]

6 hours ago, skynight said:

The temporary PVSA exemption is only to allow non US flagged vessels to make RT Seattle voyages without a stop in Canada. The public health requirements are not part of the act. 

 

A one week round-trip cruise to Alaska from Seattle isn't allowing for much port stops.  I would wait until a regular season - like 2022 & beyond presumably.  But, not totally bad if just dying to get on a ship ASAP.

 

[ontheweb]

37 minutes ago, Miadessa said:

My Princess rep today clarified that the 5% unvaccinated, that the CDC guidelines allow, is reserved for passengers under 12 who literally cannot receive a vaccination.  All others MUST be vaccinated to board.  She told me that people were actually calling them asking to be put on the 5% list because they didn't want to get vaccinated 🙄.  

More self-centeredness at its worst.

[milolii]

1 hour ago, Miadessa said:

My Princess rep today clarified that the 5% unvaccinated, that the CDC guidelines allow, is reserved for passengers under 12 who literally cannot receive a vaccination.  All others MUST be vaccinated to board.  She told me that people were actually calling them asking to be put on the 5% list because they didn't want to get vaccinated 🙄.  

Wow.  

[srpilo]

1 hour ago, Steelers36 said:

 

A one week round-trip cruise to Alaska from Seattle isn't allowing for much port stops.  I would wait until a regular season - like 2022 & beyond presumably.  But, not totally bad if just dying to get on a ship ASAP.

 

 

????

The only difference in a 2022 and beyond ALASKA cruise from Seattle will be a stop in Victoria, so as far as the ALASKA portion of these 2021 ALASKA cruises nothing will be different, they are after all, and always have been labeled ALASKA cruises and not Victoria cruise, so why are you suggesting to wait til 2022 exactly (?)

[Steelers36]

1 hour ago, Steelers36 said:

 

A one week round-trip cruise to Alaska from Seattle isn't allowing for much port stops.  I would wait until a regular season - like 2022 & beyond presumably.  But, not totally bad if just dying to get on a ship ASAP.

 

 

3 minutes ago, srpilo said:

 

????

The only difference in a 2022 and beyond ALASKA cruise from Seattle will be a stop in Victoria, so as far as the ALASKA portion of these 2021 ALASKA cruises nothing will be different, they are after all, and always have been labeled ALASKA cruises and not Victoria cruise, so why are you suggesting to wait til 2022 exactly (?)

Okay, you are correct.  I was thinking of the full 1-way to/from Anchorage, but I guess those only operate from Vancouver if 7-night length.  Otherwise, the Seattle departures are a shorter trip in terms of how far they go north (Skagway).  

 

[ChutChut]

9 hours ago, capriccio said:

I haven't read anything about vaccinations being a requirement in the Alaska Tourism Recovery Act.  As I understand it, the act is a temporary waiver of the PVSA. 

Yes it is as it mandates following CDC guidelines re: vaccinations

[HaveDogWillTravel]

Hmmm if you click on the link I provided in post #6 you will not find any reference or indication from Princess that they are allowing 5% to be unvaccinated.  Moreover my booking summary for July 25 says everyone must be vaccinated.  I understand the CDC allows a small % of crew and pax to be unvaccinated, so far nothing on the Princess site or booking docs that I can see says they are doing that. They are not required to. 
 

As an aside, I asked my PVP if he had a lot of clients upset about the vaccine requirement. He said no. One person is medically unable to get vaccinated but accepted they couldn’t sail right now. Another couple cancelled because of it but all other clients were happy with the requirement. 

[memoak]

1 hour ago, HaveDogWillTravel said:

Hmmm if you click on the link I provided in post #6 you will not find any reference or indication from Princess that they are allowing 5% to be unvaccinated.  Moreover my booking summary for July 25 says everyone must be vaccinated.  I understand the CDC allows a small % of crew and pax to be unvaccinated, so far nothing on the Princess site or booking docs that I can see says they are doing that. They are not required to. 
 

As an aside, I asked my PVP if he had a lot of clients upset about the vaccine requirement. He said no. One person is medically unable to get vaccinated but accepted they couldn’t sail right now. Another couple cancelled because of it but all other clients were happy with the requirement. 

I believe the 5% non vaccinated is a set aside for children under 12 who can’t get the vaccine right now. 

[ontheweb]

2 hours ago, HaveDogWillTravel said:

 

As an aside, I asked my PVP if he had a lot of clients upset about the vaccine requirement. He said no. One person is medically unable to get vaccinated but accepted they couldn’t sail right now. Another couple cancelled because of it but all other clients were happy with the requirement. 

Anecdotal, but still a good sign. 

 

I'm sure there will be some who object to an only with vaccines policy by Princess, but possibly even more who will say I will not go if there are unvaccinated aboard.

[HaveDogWillTravel]

34 minutes ago, memoak said:

I believe the 5% non vaccinated is a set aside for children under 12 who can’t get the vaccine right now. 

I really have nothing against sailing with children. Especially on Princess I’ve found they are well behaved and fun to talk to.

 

However, I would sincerely hope that If that were the case it would have already been stated explicitly in my travel contract and on the website. 

I am required to make final payment in 2  days for the July 25 sailing. I am going to pay it with the understanding that my travel documents are correct. Everyone will be vaccinated or be denied boarding. That’s verbatim. 

If anyone booked is unvaccinated or has an unvaccinated under 12 booked please let me know. I’d like to know if what I’m signing up for differs from my contract with Princess. 
 

Edited May 25, 2021 by HaveDogWillTravel

[beg3yrs]

2 hours ago, ChutChut said:

Yes it is as it mandates following CDC guidelines re: vaccinations

Not quite. The CDC guidelines give the cruise lines the choice of vaccinated cruises or going through test cruise process.

[Ombud]

5 hours ago, Miadessa said:

My Princess rep today clarified that the 5% unvaccinated, that the CDC guidelines allow, is reserved for passengers under 12 who literally cannot receive a vaccination.  All others MUST be vaccinated to board.  She told me that people were actually calling them asking to be put on the 5% list because they didn't want to get vaccinated 🙄.  

Huh. My PVP stated that all passengers must be vaccinated for Alaska. No exceptions. Maybe Mexico is different?? Those under 12 should be able to be vaccinated by fall as I anticipate it being a requirement to attend school. Much like all other vaccines 

[Steelers36]

3 hours ago, memoak said:

I believe the 5% non vaccinated is a set aside for children under 12 who can’t get the vaccine right now. 

What about adults who are medically advised not to take the vaccine due to allergic reactions?