Christmas Cruise with kids currently too young to be vaccinated.

[jeno]

We are on the Norwegian Escape for the Dec 23 cruise with our daughter’s family including a 7 and 10 year old. They are too young to be vaccinated at this point in time.  
Have any families with kids younger than 12 with closer upcoming cruises been notified their reservations are cancelled? 

Our final payment is October 10 and hopefully we will know more by then.  I hate to pay final and hope they are able to be vaccinated in time.  My fear is they would be canceled and refunded and we (Grandma and Grandpa) would end up not being able to cancel and we would end up on a holiday cruise without our family. 
I’m just wondering if anything has started to happen with unvaccinated young kids. 

[Cali82]

2 hours ago, jeno said:

We are on the Norwegian Escape for the Dec 23 cruise with our daughter’s family including a 7 and 10 year old. They are too young to be vaccinated at this point in time.  
Have any families with kids younger than 12 with closer upcoming cruises been notified their reservations are cancelled? 

Our final payment is October 10 and hopefully we will know more by then.  I hate to pay final and hope they are able to be vaccinated in time.  My fear is they would be canceled and refunded and we (Grandma and Grandpa) would end up not being able to cancel and we would end up on a holiday cruise without our family. 
I’m just wondering if anything has started to happen with unvaccinated young kids. 

I’m on a cruise a couple of days before your departure and out of South Africa. I have a small one also and though I keep asking, I can’t get an answer. I’m told a decision regarding updated protocols will be made sometime after October 30th. My final payment is a week prior. So at this point, I’m just waiting to see what happens but if COVID isn’t under control, I’ll just cancel. I don’t want to make the final payment and the week after they release that only the vaccinated can cruise. 

[Tapi]

I feel your pain since I have kids too young to be vaccinated. Are you considering other cruise lines? As of this second, NCL is still adhering to their 100% vaccinated protocol, but other cruise lines are not. 
 

We have a cruise booked for September on MSC because their policies currently treat  children under 12 as “vaccinated” as long as their parents are vaccinated. We originally had a Celebrity cruised booked for the same dates since they would also accept our unvaccinated  children under their 95/5 policy but we opted for MSC due to scheduling conflicts.

 

Long story short, if NCL is unable to accept your Unvaccinated grandkids, there are other options out there so I’d recommend looking at those. 

 

[wally4ever]

I'm on the Getaway December 22 with my 9 year old, and it's the same issue.  I'm hoping that they approve a vaccine for her before November 17, or that NCL changes its guidelines for under-12's.  If nothing has changed by the 60 day cut-off, then we're cancelling her reservation, sending her to my mom's house, and paying for a few days at Great Wolf Lodge for grandma and granddaughter.  

[nolatravelgirl]

We are in the same boat, well not the same "boat" but the Breakaway over New Year's with an 11 year old. 😄  Fingers crossed that they approve the vaccine for kids under 12 or NCL changes their stance for kids not yet eligible. 

[Snowrose]

Click the COVID box on the main NCL webpage. Go to the FAQs. NCL says it will be re-evaluating its 'no children too young to be vaccinated' policy in November. 

 

I'll caution you, that doesn't necessarily mean younger children will be allowed after that time, it just means they'll be looking at the policy in November. 

[mrlevin]

100% vaccine mandate is ONLY for cruises through 31 October 2021; should be no issue with unvaccinated kids (or adults) for Christmas cruise.

[ceilidh1]

I'm booked with a 10 year old for December 12th - the rest of us are all fully vaxxed, but he is obviously too young. I won't make final payment if a decision has not been made by that time.

[MoCruiseFan]

On 8/2/2021 at 1:17 PM, nolatravelgirl said:

We are in the same boat, well not the same "boat" but the Breakaway over New Year's with an 11 year old. 😄  Fingers crossed that they approve the vaccine for kids under 12 or NCL changes their stance for kids not yet eligible. 

The Breakaway is not a "boat".  She is a ship.

[jeno]

16 hours ago, Snowrose said:

Click the COVID box on the main NCL webpage. Go to the FAQs. NCL says it will be re-evaluating its 'no children too young to be vaccinated' policy in November. 

 

I'll caution you, that doesn't necessarily mean younger children will be allowed after that time, it just means they'll be looking at the policy in November. 

The problem for us is November is after final payment.  We have two cabins, only one has currently unvaccinated children.  Even if they are able to cancel without charge after final, we would be stuck.  We currently have 220 days of cruising booked and don’t want to be on this Christmas cruise without any of our family. Especially after not seeing any of our grandkids last Christmas due to COVID. 
November doesn’t do us any good. The same for other people with holiday sailings.  Our final payment is due 10/10. I’m not saying that 10/10 isn’t a very reasonable FP date.  It just doesn’t work for us in this situation. 

[nolatravelgirl]

9 hours ago, MoCruiseFan said:

The Breakaway is not a "boat".  She is a ship.

Chill out, I was making reference to the commonly used phrase "in the same boat" and you clearly have no sense of humor. Sit down Karen.

[sanger727]

16 hours ago, mrlevin said:

100% vaccine mandate is ONLY for cruises through 31 October 2021; should be no issue with unvaccinated kids (or adults) for Christmas cruise.

 

Because the date that was established in the spring can't possibly change as we get into the fall with another covid spike?? 

 

To the OP, if I were in your shoes I wouldn't make final payment. I would pre-emptively cancel if nothing changes between now and then. I don't think there's any chance that vaccine restrictions will be relaxing as long as cases are on the rise. 

[BermudaBound2014]

8 minutes ago, sanger727 said:

I don't think there's any chance that vaccine restrictions will be relaxing as long as cases are on the rise. 

 

NCL is a family cruise line. If they don't allow children just how long do you think they can stay afloat?

 

There have been about a dozen positive covid cases onboard ships in the last week. Covid has been brought onboard ships that are already 100% vaccinated. We can't keep covid off ships. The important thing is that none of the positive covid cases caused an entire ship disruption.

 

Going forward, I do believe that specific covid travel policies will need to be purchased in order to protect cruise lines financially.

[sanger727]

32 minutes ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

 

NCL is a family cruise line. If they don't allow children just how long do you think they can stay afloat?

 

There have been about a dozen positive covid cases onboard ships in the last week. Covid has been brought onboard ships that are already 100% vaccinated. We can't keep covid off ships. The important thing is that none of the positive covid cases caused an entire ship disruption.

 

Going forward, I do believe that specific covid travel policies will need to be purchased in order to protect cruise lines financially.

 

Right, covid has been brought onboard ships that are already 100% vaccinated and NONE of those positive covid cases caused an entire ship disruption because the outbreaks were very small... Because they were 100% vaccinated. You think that that fact will cause cruise companies to feel more comfortable to allow unvaccinated people on?

 

I actually think that at this point the cruise companies that operating 95%-100% vaccinated cruises are ok with losing families to disney and RCCL. The two are offering different products at this point. Disney and RCCL are offering cruise products with masking, social distancing, bubble excursions, etc. Carnival and Celebrity are restrictions unvaccinated to a very small minority (which means yes, some kids will get on, but not all kids) and offering an "old normal" cruise experience. 

[BermudaBound2014]

6 minutes ago, sanger727 said:

I actually think that at this point the cruise companies that operating 95%-100% vaccinated cruises are ok with losing families to disney and RCCL. The two are offering different products at this point. Disney and RCCL are offering cruise products with masking, social distancing, bubble excursions, etc. Carnival and Celebrity are restrictions unvaccinated to a very small minority (which means yes, some kids will get on, but not all kids) and offering an "old normal" cruise experience. 

 

I respectfully disagree and forsee NCL changing their policy to 95/5 come 10/31 (or earlier). Time will tell.

[sanger727]

Just now, BermudaBound2014 said:

 

I respectfully disagree and forsee NCL changing their policy to 95/5 come 10/31 (or earlier). Time will tell.

 

Oh, no. I completely agree that they may go to 95/5. I think other cruise companies have shown that that can be successful. But that still doesn't allow every family to bring kids onboard. What they aren't going to do on 10/31 is eliminate vaccination requirements all around, so that there "should be no issue with unvaccinated kids (or adults) for Christmas cruise."

[BermudaBound2014]

2 minutes ago, sanger727 said:

 

Oh, no. I completely agree that they may go to 95/5. I think other cruise companies have shown that that can be successful. But that still doesn't allow every family to bring kids onboard. What they aren't going to do on 10/31 is eliminate vaccination requirements all around, so that there "should be no issue with unvaccinated kids (or adults) for Christmas cruise."

 

OHHHHhhhh.......... yes, I agree 🙂  It is highly unlikely any cruise company is going to eliminte all vaccine recquirements across the board anytime soon, especially if sailing from the USA. 

[SoDonewithitAll]

I am also eagerly awaiting information about vaccination requirements as I am booked on a holiday cruise as well. However, I seem to be in the minority in hoping that NCL keeps the 100% vaccinated requirement. I chose NCL because of this policy re: vaccinated only, and hope it continues. I'm sorry for the families who want to cruise with youngsters that can't get vaccinated yet, but there are other options with more lenient rules. Should NCL change their policy to permit unvaccinated people onboard I will be the one cancelling my reservation.

[Traveller20074]

I would do the same

1 hour ago, SoDonewithitAll said:

I am also eagerly awaiting information about vaccination requirements as I am booked on a holiday cruise as well. However, I seem to be in the minority in hoping that NCL keeps the 100% vaccinated requirement. I chose NCL because of this policy re: vaccinated only, and hope it continues. I'm sorry for the families who want to cruise with youngsters that can't get vaccinated yet, but there are other options with more lenient rules. Should NCL change their policy to permit unvaccinated people onboard I will be the one cancelling my reservation.

 

[Shidah]

My guess is that after schools open and things get chaotic, the CDC will allow vaccinations down to age 2.  Around mid September or so.  So by your cruise, your children will have enough time to get fully vaccinated.  Just a guess though.

[Turtles06]

12 minutes ago, Shidah said:

My guess is that after schools open and things get chaotic, the CDC will allow vaccinations down to age 2.  Around mid September or so.  So by your cruise, your children will have enough time to get fully vaccinated.  Just a guess though.

Let’s not guess. First of all, it’s the FDA, not the CDC, that authorizes vaccine use.   And the authorization is not based on things getting “chaotic,” but on evidence of safety and efficacy in the target population. Covid vaccines for kids under 12 are still being studied by the manufacturers and the data are being collected. The data have not yet even been presented to the FDA. According to this article, the likely timeline for vaccinating young children is later than your “guess.”

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/ncna1276191

Edited August 7, 2021 by Turtles06

[Shidah]

Time will tell.

[MoCruiseFan]

On 8/4/2021 at 8:59 AM, nolatravelgirl said:

Chill out, I was making reference to the commonly used phrase "in the same boat" and you clearly have no sense of humor. Sit down Karen.

 

I know what you were trying to do, I merely pointed out that you failed miserably.  I have a great sense of humor, it is just above a 3rd grade level

[wally4ever]

5 hours ago, MoCruiseFan said:

 

I know what you were trying to do, I merely pointed out that you failed miserably.  I have a great sense of humor, it is just above a 3rd grade level

Oh yeah dude, I bet you're real fun at parties.

[CarolinaMamma]

I hope we’ll know soon what the timeline will be for kids under 12 getting vaccinated, but Iif I were in your shoes, I’d start thinking of a land-based backup plan for your family vacation that involves more fresh air and open spaces. I personally would not put an unvaccinated kid in the windowless kids’ club with other unvaccinated kids. I would not make dibsl

payment if you don’t know by then whether the kids will be able to go.