I cruise in 2 weeks and have not received a response regarding vaccine exemption

[coronagrey]

I booked my cruise about a month ago for carnival breeze aug 7, and after browsing these forums, see that I missed the boat with the exemptions (traveling with 10 year old and 7 year old).  I wish I had known the exemption limit was met before booking so wouldn't have to go through the hassle of getting a refund.  I filled out the health survey a couple days after booking, and about a week ago they sent me an email requesting a vaccine exemption for my little ones, which I responded to.  Haven't heard anything back yet and I cruise in 2 weeks.  I realize it will be a no, but still, will they send me an email telling me I won't be able to cruise, or am I supposed to assume since I didn't hear anything back that I'm not cruising.   

[ScottsSweetie]

I wouldn't assume that it is a no, but I believe that they have said it could be as little as a week before you cruise that you get an answer. Good luck to you!

 

And welcome to Cruise Critic!

Edited July 24, 2021 by ScottsSweetie

[tree.critter]

We cruise in 1 week, 7/31 and people are just now posting in the last 2 days whether they received exemptions or not. 

 

[tallnthensome]

1 minute ago, tree.critter said:

We cruise in 1 week, 7/31 and people are just now posting in the last 2 days whether they received exemptions or not. 

 

Are they getting them as unvaxxed adults or for the kids ? 

[tree.critter]

Just now, tallnthensome said:

Are they getting them as unvaxxed adults or for the kids ? 

So far only for kids that I’ve seen.  Some families have 1, some have 2 children and rest of party is vaccinated. 

 

[outdoors27]

If you used a PVP to book your cruise call them. There is a code that they can see if you were approved, but it won't show up on your paperwork, at least it didn't on mine. My daughter was approved on Tuesday for 8/1 sailing.

[BoozinCroozin]

From what other people have gathered on these initial cruises, the exemptions have been first-come-first-served. The ones that got approved were saying when they responded to the email and timelining it out with those that were rejected. There is no definitive proof, but the limited data they have it is all in timing. 

[TalkinCrusin]

On 7/24/2021 at 12:09 PM, coronagrey said:

I booked my cruise about a month ago for carnival breeze aug 7, and after browsing these forums, see that I missed the boat with the exemptions (traveling with 10 year old and 7 year old).  I wish I had known the exemption limit was met before booking so wouldn't have to go through the hassle of getting a refund.  I filled out the health survey a couple days after booking, and about a week ago they sent me an email requesting a vaccine exemption for my little ones, which I responded to.  Haven't heard anything back yet and I cruise in 2 weeks.  I realize it will be a no, but still, will they send me an email telling me I won't be able to cruise, or am I supposed to assume since I didn't hear anything back that I'm not cruising.   

I'm cruising 8 days from now, and I just received an exemption for my toddler today. Hang in there, you will hear back... eventually.

[sailingships]

It seems that passengers on different ships and weeks are notified at different times. There does not appear to be any standard process. If the passengers are driving to the port the only thing they should be concerned about is receiving the results of the PCR test back in time to cruise. That is a hairy situation.

[CorrieCJ]

On 7/24/2021 at 12:09 PM, coronagrey said:

I booked my cruise about a month ago for carnival breeze aug 7, and after browsing these forums, see that I missed the boat with the exemptions (traveling with 10 year old and 7 year old).  I wish I had known the exemption limit was met before booking so wouldn't have to go through the hassle of getting a refund.  I filled out the health survey a couple days after booking, and about a week ago they sent me an email requesting a vaccine exemption for my little ones, which I responded to.  Haven't heard anything back yet and I cruise in 2 weeks.  I realize it will be a no, but still, will they send me an email telling me I won't be able to cruise, or am I supposed to assume since I didn't hear anything back that I'm not cruising.   

 

I'm supposed to be on that same cruise but I'm 99.9% sure I'm not going.  Waiting for an exemption on my 10 year old but it's getting late to start booking airfare. We were not willing to book 6 airfares from NYC-MIA on a "possibility" of cruising. We filled our our exemption request in early July when we first receivedit. Initially my PVP told us we'd hear back at least 30 days before sailing but of course that isn't the case. I have heard theories that Carnival is hoping enough people back out so that they don't have to deny anyone and can give the exemptions to anyone still hanging on, but I'm not sure that's true either. At this point I'm just exhausted and the only reason I haven't already cancelled and rebooked is because I'm hoping that if we get denied, we'll get a good bounceback offer. Good luck. 

[sailingships]

On 7/24/2021 at 12:37 PM, tree.critter said:

We cruise in 1 week, 7/31 and people are just now posting in the last 2 days whether they received exemptions or not. 

 

Is that for the Mardi Gras?

[lobster1313]

54 minutes ago, CorrieCJ said:

I have heard theories that Carnival is hoping enough people back out so that they don't have to deny anyone and can give the exemptions to anyone still hanging on, but I'm not sure that's true either.

From what I saw on my roll that's true. Carnival was even offering 1/2 off a future cruise during the last week but a few held out and didn't get the exemption till after they took the PCR test.

[TalkinCrusin]

58 minutes ago, CorrieCJ said:

 

I'm supposed to be on that same cruise but I'm 99.9% sure I'm not going.  Waiting for an exemption on my 10 year old but it's getting late to start booking airfare. We were not willing to book 6 airfares from NYC-MIA on a "possibility" of cruising. We filled our our exemption request in early July when we first receivedit. Initially my PVP told us we'd hear back at least 30 days before sailing but of course that isn't the case. I have heard theories that Carnival is hoping enough people back out so that they don't have to deny anyone and can give the exemptions to anyone still hanging on, but I'm not sure that's true either. At this point I'm just exhausted and the only reason I haven't already cancelled and rebooked is because I'm hoping that if we get denied, we'll get a good bounceback offer. Good luck. 

I got an approval for my toddler 8 days before the cruise. There is a chance you could get approved, and if you do, cancellation will cost money. If you book the flight using fly2fun they will reimburse you if they cancel your cruise.

[BenjiRodney]

No one on our 08/28 sailing has received approval yet that I am aware of.  We do not need it, we are fully vaccinated. 

[ontheweb]

9 hours ago, CorrieCJ said:

 

I'm supposed to be on that same cruise but I'm 99.9% sure I'm not going.  Waiting for an exemption on my 10 year old but it's getting late to start booking airfare. We were not willing to book 6 airfares from NYC-MIA on a "possibility" of cruising. We filled our our exemption request in early July when we first receivedit. Initially my PVP told us we'd hear back at least 30 days before sailing but of course that isn't the case. I have heard theories that Carnival is hoping enough people back out so that they don't have to deny anyone and can give the exemptions to anyone still hanging on, but I'm not sure that's true either. At this point I'm just exhausted and the only reason I haven't already cancelled and rebooked is because I'm hoping that if we get denied, we'll get a good bounceback offer. Good luck. 

That's crazy, expecting someone to hold out to the last minute to purchase multiple airline flights. 

[K_e_short]

57 minutes ago, ontheweb said:

That's crazy, expecting someone to hold out to the last minute to purchase multiple airline flights. 

 

I can confirm that you will get your Fly2Fun money back if due to Covid/unable to receive an exemption you are unable to cruise.

 

I'm assuming the best solution is to book Fly2Fun so that if you don't get the exemption you will get your money back. If you get to cruise then your flights are booked.

[ontheweb]

54 minutes ago, K_e_short said:

 

I can confirm that you will get your Fly2Fun money back if due to Covid/unable to receive an exemption you are unable to cruise.

 

I'm assuming the best solution is to book Fly2Fun so that if you don't get the exemption you will get your money back. If you get to cruise then your flights are booked.

It is still crazy to have to book flights just a few days before the cruise, especially it is not in this case 1  or 2, but 5 tickets. Prices may very well be at their highest, and they have to find a last minute flight with 5 vacancies.

 

But, I do see how making them refundable by doing it through Carnival is a much better alternative than booking in any other way.

[Rgrgirl175]

We sail on 8/1 and just got the exemption for our three year old on Wednesday, so about 5 days out from sailing!  I also had to call and inquire and just got the email today!  The other 5 of us are vaccinated, but obviously he is not!

[lake53]

On 7/24/2021 at 9:09 AM, coronagrey said:

I booked my cruise about a month ago for carnival breeze aug 7, and after browsing these forums, see that I missed the boat with the exemptions (traveling with 10 year old and 7 year old).  I wish I had known the exemption limit was met before booking so wouldn't have to go through the hassle of getting a refund.  I filled out the health survey a couple days after booking, and about a week ago they sent me an email requesting a vaccine exemption for my little ones, which I responded to.  Haven't heard anything back yet and I cruise in 2 weeks.  I realize it will be a no, but still, will they send me an email telling me I won't be able to cruise, or am I supposed to assume since I didn't hear anything back that I'm not cruising.   

Did you ever get an approval? We did our exemption yesterday for our 10 year old September for sailing on the panorama so stressful. Good Luck! 

[coronagrey]

18 hours ago, lake53 said:

Did you ever get an approval? We did our exemption yesterday for our 10 year old September for sailing on the panorama so stressful. Good Luck! 

No response yet, I think they wait as long as they can to see who cancels so they don't have to cancel people waiting for exemptions.  I need to know if I need to pack or not, takes us a few days for that.

[ontheweb]

12 minutes ago, coronagrey said:

No response yet, I think they wait as long as they can to see who cancels so they don't have to cancel people waiting for exemptions.  I need to know if I need to pack or not, takes us a few days for that.

I agree. They would rather keep people's fares and put them on a future cruise than to deny an exemption.

[CorrieCJ]

Just wanted to follow up. I did finally get the approval on 7/26 for my 8/7 sailing (so 12 days before sailling). However, we had already pretty much resigned ourselves to not going. In addition to last minute travel arrangements, we felt like there was too much left to chance with air travel for 6, bubble excursions, potential for being stuck in quarantine, etc. After speaking to my PVP I ended up just moving the whole thing to next year. Did not lose any money and kept all onboard FCC.  I am still not sure it was the right decision but it was the only one we could all live with. 

 

 

[ontheweb]

1 hour ago, CorrieCJ said:

Just wanted to follow up. I did finally get the approval on 7/26 for my 8/7 sailing (so 12 days before sailling). However, we had already pretty much resigned ourselves to not going. In addition to last minute travel arrangements, we felt like there was too much left to chance with air travel for 6, bubble excursions, potential for being stuck in quarantine, etc. After speaking to my PVP I ended up just moving the whole thing to next year. Did not lose any money and kept all onboard FCC.  I am still not sure it was the right decision but it was the only one we could all live with. 

 

 

Although it turns out the other decision would have worked, it does seem like that was the only realistic decision you could make. If the decision was not in your favor, you would have lost big time. With what you did you get the cruise next year without any loss. And hopefully, travel, especially cruise ship travel, will be much closer to normal next year.

[Noami]

1 hour ago, CorrieCJ said:

Just wanted to follow up. I did finally get the approval on 7/26 for my 8/7 sailing (so 12 days before sailling). However, we had already pretty much resigned ourselves to not going. In addition to last minute travel arrangements, we felt like there was too much left to chance with air travel for 6, bubble excursions, potential for being stuck in quarantine, etc. After speaking to my PVP I ended up just moving the whole thing to next year. Did not lose any money and kept all onboard FCC.  I am still not sure it was the right decision but it was the only one we could all live with. 

 

 

If it’s a decision you can all live with, then it was the right decision. You’ll all be able to cruise next year with less stress in the run-up.