Article about Celebrity Cruises First Sailing and Vaccination/Covid Testing Requirements

[wannaberetired]

You should read this article prior to sailing because it has useful information about sailing post-pandemic from the point of view of someone who just sailed.  Note Celebrity is requiring all passengers over the age of 16 be vaccinated AND provide a negative Covid test.  I am sure there will be countries/islands requiring vaccinations so wondering how that will work with this legal fight going on between NCL and Florida if Florida says NCL can't require them and the island you are sailing to does.  Also interesting, some of the islands are not letting you off the boat unless you are on a ship shore excursion so even if Oceania allows you to use private tour companies, the actual country you are visiting may not. Here's the link to the article:  Americans are cruising again. Here's what it's like onboard (thepointsguy.com)

 

[mauibabes]

I think we will all be playing by the rule of the day and who gets to make the rules for quite some time. Oceania may say one thing but be overruled by the requirements of the country and ports visited. As for us, we are going cruising October 18 on Riviera and will do as directed and when we sail into Miami, we will play by their rules. I am not ready to have a V tattooed on my forehead, but will gladly show anyone my Moderna card. Would it help if we volunteered the information? 
just call me Ready to Sail.

Gerry

[Noxequifans]

It clearly is a trying time for the cruise industry and some of us ….. especially for cruises starting/returning to ports in Fl and TX. I am not going to speculate but some resolution will be achieved. 

[patty1955]

6 hours ago, wannaberetired said:

Y Note Celebrity is requiring all passengers over the age of 16 be vaccinated AND provide a negative Covid test.

 

We're booked on the July 23rd Alaska cruise on Celebrity and I haven't heard anything about them requiring a covid test.  From the article, I think the test was required by the port not the cruise line.

[jagoffee]

Nice article.  Thank you for posting.

[mauibabes]

Nice article is right but two positives on a recent Celebrity Caribbean trip is NOT GOOD. THE CDC will be getting out their high powered nail gun and testing it on the cruise line’s coffin. 
I think the real question has to be if a positive test can mean disaster and stopping cruising. I am a believer that FDR’s approach, mandatory vaccination for ALL is the safest and right approach. 
JMO

[susiesan]

1 hour ago, mauibabes said:

Nice article is right but two positives on a recent Celebrity Caribbean trip is NOT GOOD. THE CDC will be getting out their high powered nail gun and testing it on the cruise line’s coffin. 
I think the real question has to be if a positive test can mean disaster and stopping cruising. I am a believer that FDR’s approach, mandatory vaccination for ALL is the safest and right approach. 
JMO

Everyone on this Millennium cruise with the 2 positive tests passengers was vaccinated. Everyone on this cruise was tested before entering Saint Maarten before embarking on the cruise.

[Jancruz]

2 hours ago, mauibabes said:

Nice article is right but two positives on a recent Celebrity Caribbean trip is NOT GOOD. THE CDC will be getting out their high powered nail gun and testing it on the cruise line’s coffin. 
I think the real question has to be if a positive test can mean disaster and stopping cruising. I am a believer that FDR’s approach, mandatory vaccination for ALL is the safest and right approach. 
JMO

Plus 1

Jancruz1

[JVNYC]

With all due respect, positive tests on ships are going to happen again.  100% vaccinated doesn't mean it can't happen.  It will happen again, guaranteed.  And then there will be lock downs and everyone will get upset.  I know everyone is so anxious to get back to cruising.....but personally I think 2022 is a safer bet. 

Edited June 11, 2021 by JVNYC

[bigmjh]

3 hours ago, susiesan said:

Everyone on this Millennium cruise with the 2 positive tests passengers was vaccinated. Everyone on this cruise was tested before entering Saint Maarten before embarking on the cruise.

Or did they merely "claim" to have been vaccinated ... backed by so-called vaccination cards purchased somewhere???

[Roccaforte]

Hard to believe that two fully vaccinated passengers tested positive.  They are apparently not sick (symptom free).  I’m curious to hear any follow-up.  Could they have been exposed while in one of the ports?  We’re booked on Riviera in January and I’m not reluctant to go.   Maybe I’m just too desperate to resume sailing😁

[1985rz1]

28 minutes ago, bigmjh said:

Or did they merely "claim" to have been vaccinated ... backed by so-called vaccination cards purchased somewhere???

My question, too.  We'll wait and see.

[SSCAF001]

20 hours ago, Roccaforte said:

Hard to believe that two fully vaccinated passengers tested positive.  They are apparently not sick (symptom free).  I’m curious to hear any follow-up.  Could they have been exposed while in one of the ports?  We’re booked on Riviera in January and I’m not reluctant to go.   Maybe I’m just too desperate to resume sailing😁

Vaccines do not prevent from getting the virus. They prevent from being seriously ill. There is no surprise here. The 90-95% efficacy is regarding the risk of going to the hospital or in intensive care. You will see many people contracting the virus while being fully vaccinated. This is normal. What would be an issue is seeing many vaccinated people in intensive care or dying from the virus. 

[Roccaforte]

According to the WSJ, the cruise proceeded as normal.  The infected passengers are isolated but after further testing no one who came into contact with them has tested positive.  Restaurants, casino, theaters etc. were open and crowded.  Nothing is 100% but at least no one is seriously ill.

[Jancruz]

1 hour ago, Roccaforte said:

According to the WSJ, the cruise proceeded as normal.  The infected passengers are isolated but after further testing no one who came into contact with them has tested positive.  Restaurants, casino, theaters etc. were open and crowded.  Nothing is 100% but at least no one is seriously ill.

I heard (not confirmed) the Millie went out 30% full

Jancruz1

[PhD-iva]

27 minutes ago, Jancruz said:

I heard (not confirmed) the Millie went out 30% full

Jancruz1

News reports I heard mentioned 500 or 600 passengers. That sounds consistent with what you heard.

[Tranquility Base]

1 hour ago, Roccaforte said:

The infected passengers are isolated but after further testing no one who came into contact with them has tested positive.

Reading the "Live from" thread and also one from a Royal Caribbean ship in Nassau which someone has boarded a couple of interesting snippets re contact tracing.

 

On the Celebrity ship the two passengers were isolated in a separate cabin on Deck 2.

Those passengers who were deemed close contacts were isolated in their cabins until their tests came back negative.

 

On the Royal ship they are using facial recognition cameras in some venues to assist in contact tracing.