Where Can I Find the Statement from Royal re: Not Requiring Vaccine? Thank you

[suzyluvs2cruise]

Nevermind...

Edited May 29, 2021 by suzyluvs2cruise

[John Reid]

6 hours ago, Heymarco said:

 

Then why is Royal doing test cruises all? They are not required for the 95%/98% vaccination rates. 

Because at this point, the medical safety outcomes hoped for are conjecture, a guess. A Beta test of the protocols will give them insight into what to expect and how to tweak protocols. It is far better preparation than "keeping fingers crossed."

[cruiserking]

8 hours ago, Heymarco said:

 

Then why is Royal doing test cruises all? They are not required for the 95%/98% vaccination rates. 

Because Royal Caribbean knows they will not hit the 95% passenger vaccinated threshold, stipulated by the CDC, due to the large amount of young children on board. By the fall there should be vaccinations available for all age groups and ships will sail at 95% or possibly 100% vaccinated. 

 

Jonathan

[RedIguana]

7 hours ago, firefly333 said:

You are confusing test cruise with pay cruises. As molly also said the test cruises are all adults, vaccinated ... these are not the regular cruises that rcl is charging for. 

What most people don't seem to realize is that the test cruises will set the protocols for the revenue cruises. Test cruise 92 % vaccinated? Revenue cruises need to be 92% % vaccinated then to match the test. Test used mask and social distancing? Revenue cruise will have to do that also. Test cruises are not the magic bullet back to the usual. 95%/98% are. 

[sailor05]

8 hours ago, sandra3022 said:

Looks like NCL will require vaccine also and are prepared to leave Florida if DeSantis doesn’t back off! Let’s also remember how much money DeSantis is willing to lose billions if these cruise lines leave. 
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/08/business/norwegian-cruise-line-florida-desantis.html

Honestly, I wouldn't mind seeing some more on the east coast making it easier to drive to them so I can take MORE cruises!!

[csnarpy]

i believe they are only doing test cruises because they don't think they can make the 95% threshold with families. but they will absolutely require vaccines from eligible passengers.

[ONECRUISER]

10 hours ago, zekekelso said:

Even if there were such a statement, it could change tomorrow. All the speculation is fun (for some people) but nobody knows what’s going to happen. 

Agree. Masks everywhere one day, requirement lifted the next. Masks on way out. Vaccines though Required now for most at some point in the Future will not be a Requirement to Cruise. Only certain thing is Change

[PhillyFan33579]

9 hours ago, sandra3022 said:

Looks like NCL will require vaccine also and are prepared to leave Florida if DeSantis doesn’t back off! Let’s also remember how much money DeSantis is willing to lose billions if these cruise lines leave. 
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/08/business/norwegian-cruise-line-florida-desantis.html

It will be interesting to see how this plays out. Here in the Tampa area hardly a day goes by without at least one of the local stations discussing this. DeSantis is committed to all companies including cruise lines l complying with the no vaccine passport law. Just yesterday he stated again that cruise lines will not be an exception to this law. 

[SNJCruisers]

10 hours ago, orville99 said:

As of this morning, RCL is requiring vaccinations for all passengers 16 and over (July) and 12 and over starting in August. Since the only U.S. sailings they've announced are going out of Seattle, as it currently stands vaccinations are required for U.S. sailings.

 

Vaccine Requirement
For Cruises Departing from Seattle or The Bahamas:

As it currently stands, vaccinations are required for US sailings, but the caveat is that it pertains to those cruises going out of Seattle to Alaska.  These are the cruises that have gotten CDC approval at this time.  Nothing has been officially announced yet regarding US sailings to the Caribbean, which could go the 95% route to get quicker CDC approval or the test cruise route, which will take longer and also allow over 5% of those who cruise to be unvaccinated, which could include those kids not able to be vaccinated yet and also possibly unvaccinated adults.

[CRUISEFAN0001]

3 hours ago, SNJCruisers said:

As it currently stands, vaccinations are required for US sailings, but the caveat is that it pertains to those cruises going out of Seattle to Alaska.  These are the cruises that have gotten CDC approval at this time.  Nothing has been officially announced yet regarding US sailings to the Caribbean, which could go the 95% route to get quicker CDC approval or the test cruise route, which will take longer and also allow over 5% of those who cruise to be unvaccinated, which could include those kids not able to be vaccinated yet and also possibly unvaccinated adults.

If it wasn't for Florida's latest change to NOT require proof of vaccinations...it would become standard everywhere. Very possible Florida will modify it's rule in the near future to allow cruises to be exempt and mandate proof of vaccination.

[mauraoel]

7 hours ago, RedIguana said:

What most people don't seem to realize is that the test cruises will set the protocols for the revenue cruises. Test cruise 92 % vaccinated? Revenue cruises need to be 92% % vaccinated then to match the test. Test used mask and social distancing? Revenue cruise will have to do that also. Test cruises are not the magic bullet back to the usual. 95%/98% are. 

That doesn't make sense, the test cruises are only 18+ and  requiring vaccinations so how can they test at 90 or even 92%..

[molly361]

I don't know how they can run test cruises requiring vaccinations in Florida??  The more I read the less I know😎

[mauraoel]

1 minute ago, molly361 said:

I don't know how they can run test cruises requiring vaccinations in Florida??  The more I read the less I know😎

I am sure someone will correct me if I am wrong; but wasn't that part of the cso? For the test cruise "passengers " to be vaccinated.  

[orville99]

5 hours ago, SNJCruisers said:

Nothing has been officially announced yet regarding US sailings to the Caribbean, which could go the 95% route to get quicker CDC approval or the test cruise route, which will take longer and also allow over 5% of those who cruise to be unvaccinated, which could include those kids not able to be vaccinated yet and also possibly unvaccinated adults.

The presumption that these are mutually exclusive events is without any basis in fact. 

[molly361]

1 hour ago, mauraoel said:

I am sure someone will correct me if I am wrong; but wasn't that part of the cso? For the test cruise "passengers " to be vaccinated.  

Yes I believe so but with our governor says you can't require vaccination proof I don't know how the test cruises will work sailing from Florida

[time4u2go]

35 minutes ago, molly361 said:

Yes I believe so but with our governor says you can't require vaccination proof I don't know how the test cruises will work sailing from Florida

Are the passengers for the test cruises volunteers (cruising for free), or are they paying their own way?  If they are cruising for free, that would be one way around the law.

Edited May 30, 2021 by time4u2go

[harkinmr]

 

1 hour ago, molly361 said:

Yes I believe so but with our governor says you can't require vaccination proof I don't know how the test cruises will work sailing from Florida

There is no requirement that volunteers be vaccinated, although RCI may go that route on test cruises to avoid any problems.  I believe that the only requirements are that volunteers be over 18 and if unvaccinated that they have medical clearance to participate. 

28 minutes ago, time4u2go said:

Are the passengers for the test cruises volunteers (cruising for free), or are they paying their own way?  If they are cruising for free, that would be one way around the law.

This.  But we will see if the Governor agrees. 

[molly361]

45 minutes ago, harkinmr said:

 

There is no requirement that volunteers be vaccinated, although RCI may go that route on test cruises to avoid any problems.  I believe that the only requirements are that volunteers be over 18 and if unvaccinated that they have medical clearance to participate. 

This.  But we will see if the Governor agrees. 

During Vicki Freed's webinar with TA's this past week she was asked if the volunteers for the test cruises needed to be vaccinated and the answer was YES they do need to be fully vaccinated

[harkinmr]

1 minute ago, molly361 said:

During Vicki Freed's webinar with TA's this past week she was asked if the volunteers for the test cruises needed to be vaccinated and the answer was YES they do need to be fully vaccinated

Understood. But that is an RCI requirement, not the CDC.  

[Sunshine3601]

2 hours ago, molly361 said:

Yes I believe so but with our governor says you can't require vaccination proof I don't know how the test cruises will work sailing from Florida

Good question, I think the new law goes into effect July 1st but there is no way Royal will have various ships done with test cruises before July 1st.        

from what i heard on the news Desantis is saying the cruise lines will pay a $5000 pp fine if they require proof of vaccination.   Guess we all have no choice but to sit back and see how this plays out with DeSantis and the cruise lines.     

[firefly333]

5 hours ago, molly361 said:

I don't know how they can run test cruises requiring vaccinations in Florida??  The more I read the less I know😎

Didnt they say the test cruises will be crew? Surely crew they will know if they are vaxxed.

 

Dont see the problem with the test cruises.

[sandra3022]

19 hours ago, firefly333 said:

The cso might lift nov 1, so at most it might just be 3 months difference, not billions.

 

Could be the cdc let's the cso expire nov 1st, we dont know...

 

Ncl can just as easily restart out of other ports. I read they asked Galveston 

First if they leave and sign leases at other ports they will be gone for at least a year. Second Florida is 60% of the cruise industry and they employee over 200,000 employees based here . The fees the Cruiselines pay to use our ports are billions . Third 8-9 million people sail out of here and 75% fly in to our airports stay in our Hotels entering into Florida and before leaving Florida. Our companies supply food for the cruise ships and restaurants feed these people for at least 2 days and they spend money on tourist attractions . In 2019 this brought 1.4 billion a month to Florida . Job loss will be devastating . Companies will suffer . DeSantis is not being a leader or thinking about Florida . 

Edited May 30, 2021 by sandra3022

[molly361]

6 minutes ago, firefly333 said:

Didnt they say the test cruises will be crew? Surely crew they will know if they are vaxxed.

 

Dont see the problem with the test cruises.

I never saw that but it would not surprise me if it were crew and/or employees

[sandra3022]

Just now, molly361 said:

I never saw that but it would not surprise me if it were crew and/or employees

The test will be with crew and volunteers . Yes they will all be vaccinated . RCCL has a strong vaccination system now in Florida for all their employees at ports and on ship . Odyssey of the seas just had an out break as it set sail with 5 employees 3 that ended up in the hospital 2 asymptomatic. None are vaccinated . They saw first hand how fast that happened . They will require everyone to have vaccine that is able by age to get them . When you book they tell you . 

[RedIguana]

5 minutes ago, molly361 said:

I never saw that but it would not surprise me if it were crew and/or employees

I believe they specifically cannot be crew or employees. and they must be unpaid.