No vaccine mixing allowed in US… I hope this changes very very quickly 😱

[MR_T]

just seen this on the FB cruise critic page… 😱 no mixed vaccines allowed for US departures or arrivals… via cruise ships. 
 

https://www.cruisecritic.com/news/6302/ 

 

so far celebrity hasn’t announced anything but a few other lines have confirmed this. 

Edited July 16, 2021 by MR_T

[bebe08]

I just saw this on the HAL Board.  We have upcoming cruises on both HAL and Celebrity.  Here is my post on the HAL board concerning this.

 

We live in Quebec Canada.  DH had 2 Pfizer shots and I had one AZ and one Moderna. I took AZ when they were pleading with people to take whatever vaccine is available first.  Then there were more issues with AZ reported and our government recommended NOT to get AZ for second dose.  So again I did what was recommended.

 

 We are booked on 2 HAL cruises....luckily not until Sep 2022 and Jan 2023 so hopefully this gets sorted out.  It reminds me of the story a month or so ago about the Bruce Springsteen Broadway show in NYC that required proof of vaccination and they weren't accepting AZ as an eligible vaccine.  It did get sorted out fairly quickly.

 

Hopefully this gets sorted just as quickly....they Canadian government is aware of this and is working on it https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/mixed-vaccine-doses-international-travel-1.6103800.  I sure hope it gets sorted out soon and doesn't end up costing any fellow Canadians a cruise.  

 

I also hope the federal vaccine passport gets rolled out soon.  In Quebec we got both an digital record with a QR code and paper records.  The records show what type of vaccine each dose was.  My concern with the records issued by Quebec is they are in my maiden name (it is mandatory to have your health records and drivers license in your maiden name in Quebec).  All my other ID including my passport are in my married name.  Only thing I can think of is to bring my marriage license to show my name change.   I am guessing there will be a lot of women who live in Quebec with the same problem.

[markeb]

Trying to keep this to cruising and staying away from the red banner, but...

 

The three vaccines authorized in the US are three separate vaccines with three separate authorizations from the US FDA (not the CDC). Those authorizations allow the vaccines to be used as they were tested and the data submitted, so 1 dose for J&J, 2 doses 21 days apart for Pfizer, 2 doses 28 days apart for Moderna. Absent data, I have doubts of the FDA sorting this out (again, FDA, not CDC; the CDC might be advising on what's considered a valid series, but the labeling and approval is the FDA) other than to affirm the current label.

 

I'm confused about non-US residents as the last I read, all agencies were accepting vaccines administered under a WHO Emergency Use. I thought WHO was actually recognizing mixed vaccines, but that may have been a public health recommendation to speed control of the pandemic rather than a formal Emergency Use recognition.

[RickT]

The OP brings up a good point.  I was fortunate enough to get the Pfizer vaccine first and when it came time to get my second dose Pfizer was in short supply and it was being recommended that I could mix and match and should get the readily available Moderna vaccine.

 

I did my own research and while many countries are doing that it was clear that many countries weren’t and like the US it seems they won’t consider you fully vaccinated.  To that end I held out for Pfizer and am pleased to say I’m now fully vaccinated.

 

While it’s possible the US and other countries will eventually recognize mixed doses… it’s possible they won’t.  And while I’m pleased with the effort the Canadian Government has done to get vaccines into Canadians I am disappointed that this possible issue is never mentioned.

 

 

[nocl]

1 hour ago, markeb said:

Trying to keep this to cruising and staying away from the red banner, but...

 

The three vaccines authorized in the US are three separate vaccines with three separate authorizations from the US FDA (not the CDC). Those authorizations allow the vaccines to be used as they were tested and the data submitted, so 1 dose for J&J, 2 doses 21 days apart for Pfizer, 2 doses 28 days apart for Moderna. Absent data, I have doubts of the FDA sorting this out (again, FDA, not CDC; the CDC might be advising on what's considered a valid series, but the labeling and approval is the FDA) other than to affirm the current label.

 

I'm confused about non-US residents as the last I read, all agencies were accepting vaccines administered under a WHO Emergency Use. I thought WHO was actually recognizing mixed vaccines, but that may have been a public health recommendation to speed control of the pandemic rather than a formal Emergency Use recognition.

As of this time there are no combinations on the WHO emergency use list.  Only the individual vaccines.  Apparently there are trials for Pfizer with some other vaccines on going, but no completed clinicals at this time and no submission to WHO or the FDA for formal authorization of the combination.

[DirtyDawg]

6 minutes ago, RickT said:

While it’s possible the US and other countries will eventually recognize mixed doses… it’s possible they won’t.  And while I’m pleased with the effort the Canadian Government has done to get vaccines into Canadians I am disappointed that this possible issue is never mentioned.

 

 

I'm pretty sure the public health officials were more worried about saving lives than inconveniencing some cruisers in 2021. No worries though,  I'm sure all countries will get everything 100% correct and inconvenience no one during the Covid 29 pandemic. 

 

 

[Fouremco]

At one point I read a statement that Celebrity would accept any vaccination approved by a passenger's country of residence. I wish I had bookmarked it, although Celebrity may well have changed its policy.

[MR_T]

4 minutes ago, Fouremco said:

At one point I read a statement that Celebrity would accept any vaccination approved by a passenger's country of residence. I wish I had bookmarked it, although Celebrity may well have changed its policy.

I hope this is correct 🤞🏻 

[SbbquilterUT]

Consider that the decision may be made by the country you are entering during the cruise, not the cruise line making the choice.

[RickT]

49 minutes ago, DirtyDawg said:

I'm pretty sure the public health officials were more worried about saving lives than inconveniencing some cruisers in 2021. No worries though,  I'm sure all countries will get everything 100% correct and inconvenience no one during the Covid 29 pandemic. 

 

 

Not to get political but I’m pretty sure our Government was scrambling to get vaccines and didn’t want a little thing like the mixing of vaccines to screw up their plans.  Doubt anyone knows how the effectiveness of mixing of vaccines will compare to two shots of one vaccine but I doubt that was one of their major concerns.

[tert333]

This is a very serious issue.  Any Canadian that has a mixed vaccine will not be able to cruise with any of the major cruiselines.  The other cruise blogs are discussing this as well.

 

I have contacted my MP and MPP to let them know this is an issue that needs to get addressed.  They need to provide us with a vaccine to complete our two dose regimen that is recognized throughout the world.  What a mess! We can not just wait for the government to react.   We all need to send something to our elected members.   There is an election coming up this fall.   They will want to do everything they can to keep us happy.

 

 

[Ken the cruiser]

There is a very active HAL forum thread regarding this subject if anyone is interested.

 

Mixed vaccines no longer approved - Holland America Line - Cruise Critic Community

 

[pixiedust777]

3 hours ago, Fouremco said:

At one point I read a statement that Celebrity would accept any vaccination approved by a passenger's country of residence. I wish I had bookmarked it, although Celebrity may well have changed its policy.

Both Celebrity and Royal updated their policies today not allowing mixed vaccines.

[markeb]

3 hours ago, Fouremco said:

At one point I read a statement that Celebrity would accept any vaccination approved by a passenger's country of residence. I wish I had bookmarked it, although Celebrity may well have changed its policy.

 

They did. All the authorized (still waiting for one to be licensed) vaccines are authorized based on the same vaccine being used for both doses (if required). That's how the data was collected. IF, for instance, Health Canada were to authorize a protocol using Moderna followed by Pfizer (or vice versa), then I would assume the cruise lines would accept that based on their previous policy, but that isn't where we're at.

 

There's a lot of technical discussion beyond that, and in keeping with current CC guidance, I'll stay away from that. This was kind of predictable...

[Ken the cruiser]

19 minutes ago, pixiedust777 said:

Both Celebrity and Royal updated their policies today not allowing mixed vaccines.

As of 11 hours ago on the FB Royal Caribbean Blog, Royal (and presumably all RCG cruise lines) have not yet updated their policy on mixed vaccines. Would it be possible for you to post the link to the article where you saw this?

[bebe08]

9 hours ago, Ken the cruiser said:

As of 11 hours ago on the FB Royal Caribbean Blog, Royal (and presumably all RCG cruise lines) have not yet updated their policy on mixed vaccines. Would it be possible for you to post the link to the article where you saw this?

I found the info in the Healthy at see FAQs 

https://www.celebritycruises.com/ca/healthy-at-sea/faqs

[DirtyDawg]

11 hours ago, tert333 said:

This is a very serious issue.  Any Canadian that has a mixed vaccine will not be able to cruise with any of the major cruiselines.  The other cruise blogs are discussing this as well.

 

I would say it is an issue but only a serious issue for people who plan to cruise in the short term. This issue will get sorted out as negotiations about opening up international travel unfold. 

 

I agree that writing you MP might be helpful as cruising is such a small niche of the travel industry that it might not be top of minds in these negotiations. I would not bother writing an MPP, this issue is way above their pay grade. 

 

 

[TeeRick]

10 hours ago, markeb said:

 

They did. All the authorized (still waiting for one to be licensed) vaccines are authorized based on the same vaccine being used for both doses (if required). That's how the data was collected. IF, for instance, Health Canada were to authorize a protocol using Moderna followed by Pfizer (or vice versa), then I would assume the cruise lines would accept that based on their previous policy, but that isn't where we're at.

 

There's a lot of technical discussion beyond that, and in keeping with current CC guidance, I'll stay away from that. This was kind of predictable...

You are definitely on the right track here.  The cruise lines are at the mercy of governments and regulatory agencies and what was officially authorized by these agencies.  But there is actually a lot of very good data on vaccine mixed doses already out there.  But we just cannot discuss it here.  The governments of Canada and the UK for example could work with the cruise lines and fix this situation.  The cruise lines just need a way to be covered medically and legally.

[vermonter16]

I am more confused.  I am assuming that the United States is accepting the Astrazeneca vaccine even though my full page 'vaccine card' says it has not been approved by the FDA - which is why it worries me.  The WHO has approved this vaccine...  I guess I'm concerned that it says it flat out that it isn't approved on the actual 'card' and how that may be viewed.

[schiff1997]

So what about crew members who received their vaccines from their home countries, there is a strong possibility that some of them have received mix doses ?  So they would not be fully vaccinated 

Edited July 17, 2021 by schiff1997

[Travelexpert35]

10 minutes ago, schiff1997 said:

So what about crew members who received their vaccines from their home countries, there is a strong possibility that some of them have received mix doses ?  So they would not be fully vaccinated 

You’re absolutely right! There are so many different vaccines out there that different countries use. The WHO would have a list of them. The cruise lines will have to change their policies and just accept passengers that have had two doses of vaccine. They shouldn’t mention mixed doses at all. Barbados was not accepting people with mixed doses and then changed their mind the next day. 

[schiff1997]

11 minutes ago, Travelexpert35 said:

You’re absolutely right! There are so many different vaccines out there that different countries use. The WHO would have a list of them. The cruise lines will have to change their policies and just accept passengers that have had two doses of vaccine. They shouldn’t mention mixed doses at all. Barbados was not accepting people with mixed doses and then changed their mind the next day. 

I just woke up to read all this and it is stressing me out, I received 1st dose AZ then 2nd Moderna, my husband 1st Pfizer then 2nd Moderna.    We did our due diligence in our home country, guided by our health departments to get whatever available dose was available to us in order to help stop the spread of COVID, this was to keep ourselves and anyone who came in contact with us safe!  It’s what we were suppose to do!  Now I feel we are being punished by bureaucratic crap.  I am hoping that this will be all sorted out by our final payments in Dec 2021.  I feel terrible for the ones who are paid in full and so excited to be boarding very shortly,😞. So my opinion is that if it’s good enough for crew members it’s good enough for paid passengers.   Cruise ships are saying crew 100% vaccinated! But it seems then they may not be now because someone made a decision 

Edited July 17, 2021 by schiff1997

[MR_T]

9 minutes ago, schiff1997 said:

I just woke up to read all this and it is stressing me out, I received 1st dose AZ then 2nd Moderna, my husband 1st Pfizer then 2nd Moderna.    We did our due diligence in our home country, guided by our health departments to get whatever available dose was available to us in order to help stop the spread of COVID, this was to keep ourselves and anyone who came in contact with us safe!  It’s what we were suppose to do!  Now I feel we are being punished by bureaucratic crap.  I am hoping that this will be all sorted out by our final payments in Dec 2021.  I feel terrible for the ones who are paid in full and so excited to be boarding very shortly,😞. So my opinion is that if it’s good enough for crew members it’s good enough for paid passengers.   Cruise ships are saying crew 100% vaccinated! But it seems then they may not be now because someone made a decision 

We made our final payment on Tuesday this week so obviously very disappointed & angry at the same time 😡 this really is a mess and from the studies that have been done and the results that have come out so far mixing of doses have even showed to be more effective in some reports vs 2 AstraZeneca shots 🤷🏼‍♂️ 

[JFontaine]

As a huge Springsteen fan and a NYer I followed this issue very carefully when it broke here. Among the most ridiculous problems- if you had one J & J vaccine you were allowed in to the theater, but if you then got a booster of another vaccine, you weren't. The Springsteen organization said this was coming from the state of NY.  What turned this around very quickly (less than a week) was a media campaign (print and TV) started, I think, by a  journalist in Toronto.   Media attention is what is needed here.  Good luck all.  

[pixiedust777]

42 minutes ago, schiff1997 said:

I feel terrible for the ones who are paid in full and so excited to be boarding very shortly,😞. So my opinion is that if it’s good enough for crew members it’s good enough for paid passengers.   Cruise ships are saying crew 100% vaccinated! But it seems then they may not be now because someone made a decision 

Yep…..just weeks out and the CDC pulls this.

What will happen to those boarding today as the new policy just came out yesterday 😡😱

Edited July 17, 2021 by pixiedust777