Update to Carnivals Guest Protocols

[Cruise Related]

Looks like they updated the website, interesting how Alaska and Texas don’t have their own bullet points anymore. 
 

https://www.carnival.com/Legal/covid-19-legal-notices/covid-19-guest-protocols?icid=advisory_cruisehealth_052521

Edited June 18, 2021 by Cruise Related
Made an oopsie.

[BoozinCroozin]

It is becoming apparent that there will be no exemptions to the vaccination requirement. They are not even detailing the criteria nor are they even stating what they will have to do once onboard. I do think stringing people along for full payment before telling them no is wrong. But this is a cash-is-king game for them because the refunds will be across quarters for the most part. I for one would not be tying my money up with a July or August cruise until they specifically told me I would be sailing with unvaccinated kids. Vacations are going up daily during the Summer and having to change on a dime is not going to be cheap.

[phoneman69]

Well there it is in Black and White. The rules have been set down. It's now up to every guest to decide if they want to cruise under these conditions. I for one are ready to sail under these terms knowing the future will be more relaxed. I don't have kids under 16 that travel with me and am sorry for the family's that are having to deal with that issue. 

[JEANMR1]

They continue to add a sliver of hope for those of us with kids under 12. Wish I would just know already. 

[mondello]

21 minutes ago, JEANMR1 said:

They continue to add a sliver of hope for those of us with kids under 12. Wish I would just know already. 

I didn't see this as part of the other announcement.

[mondello]

Well now that I've reread it a few times, the vaccinated cruises did jump out at me but, now I see in smaller print down at the bottom of a section where it does mention some pre-approved exemptions. Have to wait and see if anyone posts that they've received an exemption. Now that will be after final payment so that is not very helpful to those on the bubble.

[Buckeyefrank100]

2 minutes ago, mondello said:

Well now that I've reread it a few times, the vaccinated cruises did jump out at me but, now I see in smaller print down at the bottom of a section where it does mention some pre-approved exemptions. Have to wait and see if anyone posts that they've received an exemption. Now that will be after final payment so that is not very helpful to those on the bubble.

I'm reading between the lines but it seems to me that Carnival wants families onboard and are trying to figure a way to get kids on.  Seems that they may be shooting for September to allow kids since they mentioned July and August are vaxxed cruises.

[mondello]

1 minute ago, Buckeyefrank100 said:

I'm reading between the lines but it seems to me that Carnival wants families onboard and are trying to figure a way to get kids on.  Seems that they may be shooting for September to allow kids since they mentioned July and August are vaxxed cruises.

Yeah, I don't like that they may not be able to give any exemptions until after they have the final payment numbers. How do people plan around that?

[jsglow]

57 minutes ago, mondello said:

Yeah, I don't like that they may not be able to give any exemptions until after they have the final payment numbers. How do people plan around that?

It's the ONLY way to do it.  Carnival must know exactly how many folks will actually be sailing (as best evidenced by Payment in Full numbers). They then carve out something approaching 5% (because of No Shows) and grant pre-approved exemptions.  Personally, there is no way I would even attempt to cruise if anyone in my party weren't vaccinated.  It's simply not practical at this time.  Not Carnival's fault.

[gbearcruiser]

3 hours ago, phoneman69 said:

Well there it is in Black and White. The rules have been set down. It's now up to every guest to decide if they want to cruise under these conditions. I for one are ready to sail under these terms knowing the future will be more relaxed. I don't have kids under 16 that travel with me and am sorry for the family's that are having to deal with that issue. 

I am also glad to hear this.  Although for now that means my Grandson will not be able to cruise with us.   We will go on land vacations with him.  I would not cruise if they did not have these terms in place. 

[jsglow]

12 minutes ago, gbearcruiser said:

I am also glad to hear this.  Although for now that means my Grandson will not be able to cruise with us.   We will go on land vacations with him.  I would not cruise if they did not have these terms in place. 

I think that's a fantastic way to look at it.  Enjoy your land vacation with your grandson.  Memories await!

[gbearcruiser]

11 minutes ago, jsglow said:

I think that's a fantastic way to look at it.  Enjoy your land vacation with your grandson.  Memories await!

Thank you!  Yes, when he was born I was so excited that we could take him with us on our cruises and was actually able to take him on one before the pandemic.  He talks about it so much and always asks when are we going on another one.  He is now 6 and as much as I would love to have him with us I will not apply for an exemption for him.  
 

Land vacations for now and hopefully next year, I can say yes to his 2nd cruise. 😊

Edited June 18, 2021 by gbearcruiser

[arkaine23]

5 hours ago, BoozinCroozin said:

It is becoming apparent that there will be no exemptions to the vaccination requirement. They are not even detailing the criteria nor are they even stating what they will have to do once onboard. I do think stringing people along for full payment before telling them no is wrong. But this is a cash-is-king game for them because the refunds will be across quarters for the most part. I for one would not be tying my money up with a July or August cruise until they specifically told me I would be sailing with unvaccinated kids. Vacations are going up daily during the Summer and having to change on a dime is not going to be cheap.

So apparent.  /s

 

This is the request exception link for August sailings + Mardi Gras July 31.  It will remain live until June 25.  June 21 final payments will be done and they will know how many exceptions they can issue for each sailing.  Sometime after June 25, the follow-up and yes/no decisions will start being made. 

 

https://click.carnivalcruiselineemail.com/?qs=6c7fa3c3722fe8669ab72c51675cdaeafec6972370cff976a70017cf5342a9f88208f2b14fa8d0bb891296b5795989a526a2fafbfd96dfb9   

 

This is the email that came last night that I pulled that request link from.

 

 

OPERATIONAL UPDATE MARDI GRAS JULY 31 AND AUGUST 2021 SAILINGS

Dear Carnival Guest: We are excited about getting to welcome you aboard your upcoming cruise in August. We know you are awaiting more details about pre-cruise and onboard protocols and procedures and we want to thank you for your patience while we finalized our plans. Our Have Fun. Be Safe. protocols and procedures have been designed to maximize the health and safety of our guests and crew while delivering a fun and memorable vacation experience. Please take note of our Have Fun. Be Safe. guidelines we expect to follow: Guests, including children who are age-eligible for vaccines, will need to be vaccinated and show proof of vaccination in advance of boarding. (As a reminder, fully vaccinated is defined as receiving the final dose of a vaccine at least 14 days before embarkation.) For your reference, any vaccine approved by either the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) or the World Health Organization (WHO) meets this requirement. According to current CDC guidelines, vaccinated guests on your sailing will not be required to wear face masks or physical distance while on board. However, masks are required at the cruise terminal during embarkation. Vaccinated guests may participate in Carnival-sponsored tours or independent activities. 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. All guests are required to follow the protocols and requirements for each destination while ashore. These restrictions are under the control of local government and are subject to change without advance notice. We encourage you to come prepared for potential requirements ashore which may apply to health screening/testing, masks, physical distancing, organized tours/independent activities, etc. A Know Before You Go email will be sent to you the week before sailing with additional information on embarkation related matters.  Please watch for and read that email carefully, as it will be specific about vaccination verification and other details. We know there are some guests who are ineligible or unable to meet the vaccination requirements and we want to provide them with more information on our decision. 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 if the cruise is longer than 4 days).  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 our Florida based ships.  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.  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 25. 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 requests until after all final payments are received on June 21 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 21.  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 a Carnival cruise next month. Sincerely,

Christine Duffy President, Carnival Cruise Line

Edited June 18, 2021 by arkaine23

[pc_load_letter]

Those protocols look good to me.

 

But, what's going on with DeSantis? Has he backed off his "no asking vax status"?

 

[arkaine23]

1 hour ago, pc_load_letter said:

Those protocols look good to me.

 

But, what's going on with DeSantis? Has he backed off his "no asking vax status"?

 

Nope.  I would not want to be booked on a cruise out of FL right now.

[TNcruising02]

1 hour ago, pc_load_letter said:

Those protocols look good to me.

 

But, what's going on with DeSantis? Has he backed off his "no asking vax status"?

 

Some people suggest that the cruise ships have figured a way around the law without specifically denying service based on vaccination status.  It sure looks that way to me with Carnival.  They are stating that the cruises will be vaccinated and making it clear that there will be less than 5% exempted, with the majority being children.  By stating that less than 5% will be unvaccinated, they are meeting the CDC guidelines and can deny passengers by saying that can't exceed that percentage.

RCL is making the cruise so miserable for unvaccinated that it looks like most of those people will cancel or rebook.

Celebrity appears to not have many unvaccinated people (children) booked, so they are able to only book up to 5% unvaccinated and then state that they have met the CDC percentage limit.

It really does look like the cruise lines are able to deny based on meeting the 5% limit so that they aren't denying based on vaccination status.

Edited June 18, 2021 by TNcruising02

[ontheweb]

2 hours ago, gbearcruiser said:

Thank you!  Yes, when he was born I was so excited that we could take him with us on our cruises and was actually able to take him on one before the pandemic.  He talks about it so much and always asks when are we going on another one.  He is now 6 and as much as I would love to have him with us I will not apply for an exemption for him.  
 

Land vacations for now and hopefully next year, I can say yes to his 2nd cruise. 😊

Hopefully your wish and his wish can come true next year, and for many years after that.😊

[BrotherCraig]

Hope all of this looks differently in November.

[ScottsSweetie]

In looking at the request for exemption form, these are the things that jumped out at me:

 

• Guests who test positive and have flown in for their cruise may be required to quarantine locally. Although Carnival will secure lodging, any expenses will be the responsibility of the guest.

What a pain that would be - you obviously can't fly home while covid positive, and you'll be flagged and quarantined at a local hotel.

 

 

• Additional COVID-19 tests may be required by the destinations we visit prior to debarkation at the port of call.

While it says that embark and debark tests are paid for by Carnival, it does NOT say that in this portion of the form.

 

Unvaccinated guests will be limited to a Carnival approved “bubble” tour and will be unable to carry out self-guided or independent exploration. In the event our approved “bubble” tours are sold out, unvaccinated guests will have to remain on board.

 

If you're in the "I just want to be on a cruise ship" group, this may not bother you. If you want the full cruise experience, this could be quite disappointing.

 

Just my two cents worth.

[arkaine23]

COVID-19 VACCINATION EXEMPTION REQUEST FORM

Please note we are no longer accepting requests for vaccine exemptions for sailings in July aboard Carnival Vista, Carnival Horizon and Carnival Breeze. The deadline to submit was June 15.

Thank you for your interest in our vaccination exemption process. We are very excited for the restart of guest operations and appreciate your support and patience throughout this pause.

Based on the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) requirements for operating a cruise where 95% of guests are fully vaccinated, we are only able to accept exemptions for children under 12 and for others who need to be accommodated as required by federal law. Please be advised all other guests traveling with children under 12 are required to show proof of vaccination.

A request for an exemption can only be submitted after the booking is paid in full. Exemptions are subject to capacity control. Submitting an exemption request is not a confirmation as we are required to manage to a specific percentage of unvaccinated guests, which means the final count of vaccinated guests must be determined before we can confirm exemptions.

By submitting your request, you agree to the following protocols that will apply to all unvaccinated guests:

Testing

• All unvaccinated guests will be required to submit at embarkation the negative results of a PCR COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours prior to embarkation.
• As per the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) guidance, unvaccinated guests will also be required to be tested at embarkation (and debarkation if the cruise is longer than 4 days). The cost of testing and administration is US$50, per person, which we will waive for guests sailing in July and August.
• Any guest who tests positive at embarkation –along with their traveling companions –will not be able to join the ship and will be provided a future cruise credit.
• Guests who test positive and have flown in for their cruise may be required to quarantine locally. Although Carnival will secure lodging, any expenses will be the responsibility of the guest.
• Additional COVID-19 tests may be required by the destinations we visit prior to debarkation at the port of call.

Mask wearing

• Although generally not required, it is recommended that unvaccinated guests wear masks on board.
• However, all unvaccinated guests must wear masks in the following instances:
  • During the entire embarkation and debarkation process (at the home port and port of call), during water shuttle operations, company approved shore excursions and while on transportation.
  • At any indoor activity with children under 12, including unvaccinated adults in the same area (i.e., the arcade), medical center, and in spa areas (including treatment rooms).

Shore visits and excursions

• Unvaccinated guests will be limited to a Carnival approved “bubble” tour and will be unable to carry out self-guided or independent exploration. In the event our approved “bubble” tours are sold out, unvaccinated guests will have to remain on board. (More information on “bubble” tours will be on our web site soon.) These guests will also need to follow local guidance regarding testing/screening, mask wearing and physical distancing, etc.
• In private ports of call or port-controlled areas, unvaccinated guests may participate in a Carnival approved tours or independent exploration.

We will not know the total number of exemptions available for each cruise until we have received and processed all final payments. If capacity limits are reached and we are unable to confirm your exemption, you will have the option to receive a full refund and have the option to rebook at a further date. We are unable to grant exemptions at embarkation.

We will be in touch with you via email as soon as we are able to finalize the sailing and our waitlist. Please be aware our contact center is not managing this process and cannot access the exemption waitlist. In the event we are unable to confirm your request, 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. At this time, we must follow the guidance we have as of today. We have ship itineraries open through 2024 and if we cannot provide an exemption, we hope you will consider a future Carnival cruise for your vacation.

Thank you for your understanding. We hope to welcome you on board soon.

[BoozinCroozin]

2 hours ago, arkaine23 said:

So apparent.  /s

They are only collecting requests for exemption. They are not giving any out, at least not yet. The CCL will need to consult their Legal team with every request, determine which could pass litigation issues, and then provide criteria on how the selection process was/is in order to prevent what could turn to a Class Action. The criteria can't be race, age, or religion based, that will clearly be a lawsuit. After that, they will have to defend how Cabin A was chosen over Cabin B - Z. This will be for each ship and each sailing.

 

Although I would prefer a 100% vaccinated cruise, I am OK with the exemptions. However, it has to be fair without breaking any protection laws. The only way that this could be done by not making a choice is list the requests from earliest booking. Draw the line at the number. Everyone below the line is denied and those above are accepted. 

[arkaine23]

Going by order is fraught with issues too.  I booked a cruise in January 2020 for April 2020.  It got cancelled by Carnival and I rebooked 4 times, most recently when the May 2021 cruises were cancelled in April 2021 and I rebooked to August 2021.  Do I have priority over someone who booked the same August 2021 cruise in March 2021?  Why not?  My cruise has been paid in full for longer and I've just had to shuffle it to different dates/ships.

[SRQbeachgirl]

3 hours ago, BrotherCraig said:

Hope all of this looks differently in November.

 

Hopefully it will look different well before November. Our final payment for our Thanksgiving cruise is due in August (unless they extend the deadline) and our son will not be vaccinated, so if vaccinations or onerous requirements for unvaccinated are still in effect at final payment time, we will just cancel.

[BrotherCraig]

7 minutes ago, SRQbeachgirl said:

 

Hopefully it will look different well before November. Our final payment for our Thanksgiving cruise is due in August (unless they extend the deadline) and our son will not be vaccinated, so if vaccinations or onerous requirements for unvaccinated are still in effect at final payment time, we will just cancel.

 

 

We are on the Mardi Gras Thanksgiving cruise.  I am right there with you.  We would be forced to cancel as well and two of the kids would be disappointed.  We are already making backup plans since we will already be in Orlando anyways so we will do something else.  Maybe even fly to St Thomas VI for the week.  

[SRQbeachgirl]

1 minute ago, BrotherCraig said:

 

 

We are on the Mardi Gras Thanksgiving cruise.  I am right there with you.  We would be forced to cancel as well and two of the kids would be disappointed.  We are already making backup plans since we will already be in Orlando anyways so we will do something else.  Maybe even fly to St Thomas VI for the week.  

 

I was just looking at Orlando as a potential backup.