Horizon 7-18 Itinerary Change

[Mike Dante]

Just got my notification email. Seemingly we are going forward with a fully vaxed cruise 

 

View Online OPERATIONAL UPDATE – CARNIVAL HORIZON JULY 2021 SAILINGS     Dear Carnival Horizon Guest: We are excited about getting to welcome you aboard your upcoming cruise on Carnival Horizon. I wanted to confirm our plans to restart guest operations from PortMiami beginning July 4 on  Carnival Horizon, which we intend will be 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, in accordance with current guidelines from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). All crew will also be vaccinated. As we have previously said, the current CDC requirements for cruising with a guest base that is unvaccinated are much more restrictive and will make it very difficult to deliver the experience our guests expect especially given the large number of families with younger children who sail with us.  Specifically, the current CDC requirements for cruises with unvaccinated guests require that vaccinated guests wear a face mask indoors and that all unvaccinated guests undergo testing at the embarkation terminal and within 24 hours of debark.  This requirement applies to all unvaccinated guests including children along with physical distancing requirements that will have to be maintained between guests on board. We are in regular communication with the CDC requesting that more manageable guidelines be adopted, especially as it relates to families traveling with children under the age of 12 who are ineligible for vaccination. Until those guidelines are revised, our only alternative is to sail with vaccinated guests.  We also continue to work with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis on our plans for Carnival Horizon.  We know this is disappointing to those guests who are unable to be or have not been vaccinated, including the many children who are booked to sail with us for their summer vacation.  We had to make some difficult decisions based on where we are with the CDC, general public health guidelines, and the overall health and safety of our guests and crew. We remain optimistic that requirements for cruising from the U.S. will continue to evolve and our approach to future sailings will become more flexible. However, at this time we must follow the guidance we have as of today.  Finally, there are two other issues to make you aware of: Itineraries The July 4 and July 18 6-day cruises will operate a modified itinerary calling on Amber Cove, Half Moon Cay and Bimini, Bahamas; the itinerary will be updated by the end of the day and you can view it be logging in to MyCruisePlanner on Carnival.com.  We will operate the scheduled itineraries for the July 10 and July 24 8-day cruises. We are in the process of finalizing our tours and expect more availability to be added in the next few weeks. Please check back on Carnival.com by the end of the month. Exemptions for vaccination requirements As we operate to meet the CDC guidelines, there is an exemption process to accommodate a small number of guests who are unable or ineligible to be vaccinated (children under 12 and other exceptions as required by federal law).  The current standard to meet the CDC’s criteria for a fully vaccinated cruise – under which guests can sail without a mask and other restrictions – is that at least 95 percent of all guests on board are fully vaccinated.  Please click here to submit an application for an exemption if a member of your party meets our criteria. Exemption request must be completed by end of day June 15. It’s important to note that the number of exemptions will be a very small subset, will largely be children under 12, and it will be less than 5 percent of guests to account for no shows and other operational matters.  And, we cannot begin to process these exemptions until after all final payments are received on June 14 and we have certainty on the total number of guests on board – so that we can determine the number of exemptions.  But we are committed to moving as quickly as possible. In the meantime, it is important that you make sure your booking is up to date, which includes the names and ages of all guests in your party.  You can manage that in the MyCruisePlanner function on Carnival.com, with your Personal Vacation Planner, your travel agent or by calling us at 1-800-CARNIVAL. If you determine the time is not right for you to sail, please call 1-800-CARNIVAL, your Personal Vacation Planner or your travel advisor who can help you rebook for a later date. We have ship itineraries open through 2024 and as previously communicated, we have extended your ability to rebook or request a full refund until Monday, June 14.  After that date, our regular fare rules will apply.  Ultimately, we are focused and committed to following all guidelines, protecting public health, AND delivering to our guests, a FUN Carnival cruise vacation.  We look forward to seeing you on Carnival Horizon next month. Sincerely,   Christine Duffy President, Carnival Cruise Line

Edited June 12, 2021 by Mike Dante