John H announced masks and Mandatory testing,

[Fredric22]

So I guess no nightclub from now on?  Can't really see people on the dance floor with masks on.... unless everyone is holding a drink?  Ugh, what the heck are we doing... I do not think this is going to go over well at all.  The normal "Carnival experience" that we have been sold does not really support a distancing/masking environment.  In my opinion, Carnival needs to go back and figure out how to change their product before they implement these kinds of measures. 

[bafinegan]

There is a difference between a PCR test and an antigen test for covid.  Pcr tests take longer.  ANtigen tests can have results in 60 minutes.  That is what is meant by a "rapid' COvid test.  It appears ( going by Carnival's health and safety protocols) that vaccinated passengers can use either the antigen test or the PCR test.  I know which one i'm using!

 

We returned from a Bermuda cruise 3 weeks ago on another cruise line.  Bermuda required the PCR test with 4 days.  Seeing as the cruise left on a Tues, that left needing to get tested and result back by Sun ( over a week end🙄).  Bermuda also requires application for a travel visa that shows the neg test results and vaccination status.  This cost- a lot and not covered by insurance.  The antigen tests in our area are free ( or covered by insurance).  Results back within an hour. 

 

We also had to wear masks out and about the ship.  Could be removed when eating, drinking or at the pool.  It really wans't that big a deal.  Small price to pay to cruise.

[BlerkOne]

2 minutes ago, Anung Un Rama said:

So thankful we have a nice aft balcony since that's where we'll be spending most of this cruise.  Only 2 floors down to Alchemy and get my drink to go.

Yep. I upgraded not long ago when one became available. Now going to be looking for price drops.

[Brew12]

At this point I'm going to wait a week or 2 to see what happens. I'm guessing that the hold times for the next week are going to be terrible anyway, and my cruise isn't until October so I have time. 

I am hoping that Carnival walks back the masking requirements once they see the backlash they get. I think the testing requirements make sense.

 

[Noami]

1 hour ago, crewsweeper said:

Look for these to change down the road, once the "mini-panic" over breakthroughs and unvaccinated with D-Variants fades.

 

And if you've had COVID and recovered and doctor not recommending vaccine for a while, you may show some antigens depending upon sensitivity and quality of tests.   But getting results back quickly will be a problem for many.

 
I agree here. The medical and legal climate is perpetually changing, and the cruiselines have to be nimble and responsive to preserve their image. An undeserved bad reputation is as damaging as a deserved one, and the public is notorious for taking a position and very vocally sticking with it beyond all reason nowadays.

 

One hopes this shift will “flatten the curve” of rumor-mongering and frivolous, but high-profile lawsuits that tend to come along in the wave of social panics, so they can leave off from it again.

Edited August 4, 2021 by Noami

[ScottsSweetie]

20 minutes ago, MrMarc said:

When I saw the video a bit ago, I knew I would come on here and see all the anger, complaining, misinformation, lack of understanding and everything else.  Which is amazing, because if you have even been vaguely following the news and other cruise lines you should have known this was coming.  I did.  If you don't like it, don't cruise.  Easy.  No reason to throw a tantrum, call people names, try to say how much smarter you are than the CDC or cruise lines or say those weren't the rules when you booked.  Maybe it will may make you feel better, but it's not a good look for you.  Simple situation:  The cruise lines make the rules.  You either follow them or don't go.  PLEASE don't combine the two.  No one wants to cruise with people who are continuously annoyed by rules they knew before they stepped on the ship, And we absolutely do not want to listen to your complaining and pontificating on how you are a Google expert that knows masks are useless or a political plot or any of the other....stuff...you believe.  Let those of us who understand go and have a good time.  Wait to cruise until you can have a good time.  We will all be happier.

 

10 minutes ago, mommysoncruiser said:

I'm just happy people are cancelling or rescheduling. Should make for a more personalized cruise experience. Thanks carnival for doing what is necessary to keep the people safe!

Well, I hope you guys can cruise often enough to keep them in business! If this continues, I highly doubt that all of the ships planned to roll out in the next few months will do so. Do you think they can really book a ship out of Charleston (beginning in November) or Mobile (in October) with these protocols? Maybe for the first few weeks until the pent up demand is gone, then poof - nobody is booking. I wouldn't be shocked if they would have to reduce number of ships sailing from Miami because of low booking numbers. I believe this falls under the category of "be careful what you wish for".

[bafinegan]

7 minutes ago, LHARTWICK said:

Tomato......Tomahto...... passengers will have to masks while indoors basically 99.9% of the time.  And now vaccinated guests are no longer any different than unvaccinated guests. 

Yes they are.  Vaccinated guests onl;y need the antigen test.  Unvaccinated have to get the PCR test.  ANtigen test is much faster turn around time and is free.

[AtSeaWithChris]

1 hour ago, helene109 said:

Just called Walgreens insurance covers the test but results take 2-24 hours!

Not saying that's a bad thing but I am surprised they would cover a test for a vacation.

[TooManyWakeUpsTilWeSail]

3 minutes ago, Buckeyefrank100 said:

And insurance companies are required by federal law right now to cover the cost of testing

It’s not crystal clear that insurance companies are required to cover RAPID testing.  And it is crystal clear from CVS website you cannot self pay for rapid testing.  So please pump the brakes on your enthusiasm until you are sure insurance = free rapid.  A link would be best.

[BrooklynMarc2018]

 

Well, heck.  Now I gotta find masks to match my onboard outfits.  😷

 

Although, no mask while drinking...totally going over the 15 drink max per day with the CHEERS! drink package.  A.B.D.!!  Always Be Drinking!!! 🤪🚢🍺

[Brew12]

3 minutes ago, TooManyWakeUpsTilWeSail said:

It’s not crystal clear that insurance companies are required to cover RAPID testing.  And it is crystal clear from CVS website you cannot self pay for rapid testing.  So please pump the brakes on your enthusiasm until you are sure insurance = free rapid.  A link would be best.

You should not have to pay for any form of Covid testing

Community-Based Testing Sites for COVID-19 | HHS.gov

[LHARTWICK]

15 minutes ago, Albums in the Attic said:

But if they materially change their product they've sold to me... key work, materially... then they should be accommodating. 

 

The good news... I just hung up with a very understanding representative and they are processing a full refund without penalties "as a one time exception".  Our cruise was 11 days away.  We are extremely disappointed.  I disagree with Carnival's policy decisions but again, they have to play ball with our dear leaders in the government.  But I truly applaud Carnival as I feel that they've done right by me.  Another reason that when this hysteria dies down, I'll remain loyal to Carnival.

Agreed about product sold!  Did they happen to say anything about having the option to reschedule?  At least that way CCL could keep the $$ - just move to another cruise.  Thanks for posting your experience!

[LadyMac72]

Beats the hell out of another shut down.

[lagienomai]

I'm suppose to do a side to side in October. Any idea if they are still going to be doing the testing at the port to ensure I can get on the second leg of the cruise?

[grammymarcia]

1 hour ago, imola said:

We are out of New Orleans and there is a Walgreens two blocks from our ore-cruise hotel.  I will call them  Thank you.  I am from Illinois but now live in California.  Hope all is well there. 

A lot of the CVS and Walgreens Pharmacies that have minute clinics do the rapid tests, 15 minutes, the others do the tests that take 2-3 days to get results. I've done both at CVS, the longer test came back in 2 days.

[ScottsSweetie]

1 minute ago, Brew12 said:

You should not have to pay for any form of Covid testing

Community-Based Testing Sites for COVID-19 | HHS.gov

I am fully on board with the government making free testing available for exposures and/or symptoms.

 

I have no say in a person's contract with their insurance company.

 

I am not happy that the government will use their money (which is MY money) to pay for a test so that someone can go on a cruise.

[Albums in the Attic]

1 minute ago, LHARTWICK said:

Agreed about product sold!  Did they happen to say anything about having the option to reschedule?  At least that way CCL could keep the $$ - just move to another cruise.  Thanks for posting your experience!

Yes, sorry... I should have mentioned that.  You can certainly transfer to a future sailing.  Frankly, I was not interested in it because I am not interested in testing prior to and wearing a mask during a vacation.  I am vaccinated and that is my preference.  Others can disagree and are free to do as they please.  But yes, they did offer that.

[tbjl24]

40 minutes ago, crazy4themouse said:

I have typed and deleted so many things I know I can't utter on here for this reply... Suffice it to say, I am not happy. I *AM* happy -- extremely happy -- that we just got off Breeze on Monday after a wonderful, NORMAL cruise. It felt beyond good to rip those masks off our faces the moment we stepped onboard, and keep them off until it was time to disembark. 

 

As I've been saying for a long time, Carnival should have been sailing at 100% vaccinated -- there was zero need for them to pander to those with kids under 12 or anyone else. They could have easily filled the ships with vaccinated people until such time when it is much SAFER for those with kids to cruise. If the ship was 100% vaccinated, crew, guests, and everyone, none of this would be happening. Can we still get and transmit covid as vaccinated people? Of course, we all know that we can -- but who cares? It might show up as the sniffles at worst, but we know with near-certainty that we're not going to get seriously ill or anything even approaching that. The science has shown that. 

 

Now I have to figure out what to do about our October cruise, because there's no way we're cruising with masks required everywhere.. but like so many others, this cruise was a *great* deal that we're very likely not going to be able to replicate, and we've already made final payment. Thanks for screwing everything up for everyone, unvaxxed people. 🤬

 

 

Yeah don't pander to those with kids but pander to those who are freaking out unnecessarily over wearing a mask

[IntrepidFromDC]

14 minutes ago, LHARTWICK said:

Tomato......Tomahto...... passengers will have to masks while indoors basically 99.9% of the time.  And now vaccinated guests are no longer any different than unvaccinated guests. 

If you only spend 1/10 of 1% of your cruises eating, drinking, or in your cabin (those are the primary places indoors you don't need a mask) you're not doing it right.  At least not the eating and drinking part.

[JMG1973]

6 minutes ago, TooManyWakeUpsTilWeSail said:

It’s not crystal clear that insurance companies are required to cover RAPID testing.  And it is crystal clear from CVS website you cannot self pay for rapid testing.  So please pump the brakes on your enthusiasm until you are sure insurance = free rapid.  A link would be best.

https://www.cvs.com/minuteclinic/covid-19-testing/covid-scheduler?symptoms=covid

 

Link for CVS saying free

[LHARTWICK]

5 minutes ago, bafinegan said:

Yes they are.  Vaccinated guests onl;y need the antigen test.  Unvaccinated have to get the PCR test.  ANtigen test is much faster turn around time and is free.

I meant theoretically no different. I realize the technical differences in the vaccinated vs. unvaccinated passenger protocols.  

[blondie444]

21 minutes ago, LHARTWICK said:

We booked this cruise in June.  Delta wasn't even a blip on the radar.  Had it been, I sure wouldn't have booked it.  I don't even watch the news and know all about the surge.

Delta was ravaging India in May. With the announcement by the CDC in May to not require masks indoors if you're vaccinated (or unvaccinated and just don't care) and slow vaccination rates in a lot of the US, I think a lot of people suspected a surge coming.

[kdr69]

5 minutes ago, ScottsSweetie said:

 

Well, I hope you guys can cruise often enough to keep them in business! If this continues, I highly doubt that all of the ships planned to roll out in the next few months will do so. Do you think they can really book a ship out of Charleston (beginning in November) or Mobile (in October) with these protocols? Maybe for the first few weeks until the pent up demand is gone, then poof - nobody is booking. I wouldn't be shocked if they would have to reduce number of ships sailing from Miami because of low booking numbers. I believe this falls under the category of "be careful what you wish for".

Im not sure i follow your logic?  The passengers for these cruises are not strictly coming from the cities they leave from.  They have 4000 cruisers on Mardi Gras and that is at reduced capacity.  Do you really believe they wouldnt be able to fill the ship enough to sail?

[LHARTWICK]

Just now, Albums in the Attic said:

Yes, sorry... I should have mentioned that.  You can certainly transfer to a future sailing.  Frankly, I was not interested in it because I am not interested in testing prior to and wearing a mask during a vacation.  I am vaccinated and that is my preference.  Others can disagree and are free to do as they please.  But yes, they did offer that.

Thank you!

[TravelBluebird]

Well, after my recent convention experience where at least 4 vaccinated people turned up with symptomatic COVID, and the increasing spread of the very contagious Delta, I can’t say I’m surprised. Carnival was the last of the major cruise line dominoes to “fall” to masks and testing for all.

 

Prior to the last couple of weeks, masks were a deal-breaker for me for cruising. Now? I’ll take it cruise by cruise. My November cruise is short, 5 days, and I’m in a Suite, so I’ll do it even if masks are still required.

 

My February girls cruise on Mardi Gras? We’ll wait and see. And no telling what will be going on with my 14 day Panama Canal cruise in April 2022, although 14 days and more expensive in masks might not work.

 

Makes me sad, but I have GOT to get on a ship, and it sounds like I can still lay out on a lounger on a deck unmasked.