Bahamas require eligible cruisers to be vaccinated even on Private Islands

[ScottsSweetie]

2 minutes ago, BlerkOne said:

It take time to implement policy.

I disagree.  It takes 5 seconds to make a phone call and say, "close the port". I believe this was issued as an emergency. A three week implementation does not fit the definition of emergency.

 

It would be like me telling my child that it's important for you to wear a mask to school, but we'll start in 3 weeks.

 

Would it upset a crap ton of people? Absolutely. The cruise lines would return, though, as they all have private islands (read $$$$$) there.

[Mallow]

26 minutes ago, ScottsSweetie said:

 

I'm sorry - this drives me crazy. The Bahamas are making this decision for the SAFETY of their citizens - but hey, for convenience sake, let's not make it effective for 3 more weeks. If it's an EMERGENCY to SAVE LIVES, then it should be effective today. If they really only were doing it for the safety of their citizens, it would begin TODAY and they wouldn't be worried about how it inconvenienced anyone. 

 

I would guess it was to give the cruise lines a chance to navigate the changes and the cruise lines were probably the ones that negotiated the delay.

[sanger727]

3 hours ago, ProgRockCruiser said:

Interestingly, John Heald told everyone on his Coffee With John video this morning that there is nothing to worry about for cruises to Bahamas, it is all taken care of.  So Carnival is somehow ducking the requirement?

 

:shrug:

 

As long as they haven't decided on vaccination exemptions for cruises past the cutoff, it is taken care of. They can continue as they have been doing except granting zero exemptions for anyone over 12. Even easier because they can reject those outright instead of waiting to see if there is room at the last minute. 

Edited August 20, 2021 by sanger727

[ScottsSweetie]

Just now, sanger727 said:

 

As long as they haven't decided on vaccination exemptions for cruises past the cutoff, it is taken care of. They can continue as they have been doing except granting zero exemptions for adults. Even easy because they can reject those outright instead of waiting to see if there is room at the last minute. 

I've seen reports that exemptions are already being received for October sailings. Perhaps the first round of those only goes to the under 12 set, though, and they don't do adult exemptions until closer to sail date.

[BlerkOne]

50 minutes ago, ScottsSweetie said:

I disagree.  It takes 5 seconds to make a phone call and say, "close the port". I believe this was issued as an emergency. A three week implementation does not fit the definition of emergency.

 

It would be like me telling my child that it's important for you to wear a mask to school, but we'll start in 3 weeks.

 

Would it upset a crap ton of people? Absolutely. The cruise lines would return, though, as they all have private islands (read $$$$$) there.

We agree to disagree. They aren't closing the port - they are limiting access. What do you do with the ships in port? Who is going to answer questions? Who is going to enforce? Where do ships send the manifest? Who inspects it?  We are understaffed? Too bad.

 

What if you had thousands of children? How about a realistic comparison?

[ScottsSweetie]

42 minutes ago, BlerkOne said:

We agree to disagree.

👆

[ontheweb]

57 minutes ago, BlerkOne said:

We agree to disagree. They aren't closing the port - they are limiting access. What do you do with the ships in port? Who is going to answer questions? Who is going to enforce? Where do ships send the manifest? Who inspects it?  We are understaffed? Too bad.

 

What if you had thousands of children? How about a realistic comparison?

Questions like who is going to get the ship manifest, how are they going to check, and how will it be enforced are probably the reason there is the 3 week wait. You can mandate right away, but having the tools to carry it out takes more time.

 

This is the first time in a long time you and I have agreed on anything,🤣

[ProgRockCruiser]

2 hours ago, ontheweb said:

But on the other hand.... they could just get the vaccine. It is free and readily available.

Not in time for my 4 Sept cruise, unless they jumped right onto a J&J vax (which, AFAICT, is not the one I would choose).

[beloum]

2 hours ago, ScottsSweetie said:

 

I'm sorry - this drives me crazy. The Bahamas are making this decision for the SAFETY of their citizens - but hey, for convenience sake, let's not make it effective for 3 more weeks. If it's an EMERGENCY to SAVE LIVES, then it should be effective today. If they really only were doing it for the safety of their citizens, it would begin TODAY and they wouldn't be worried about how it inconvenienced anyone. 

I agree 100%.    Not only does the 2 week delay not make sense, by allowing thousands of unvaccinated people to come in and infect their country, but by continuing to allow unvaccinated children in who can spread the virus makes no sense.   They can claim all they want about safety but hedging the rules to minimize business/financial impact is irresponsible.    

[mandmcruise]

1 hour ago, ScottsSweetie said:

I've seen reports that exemptions are already being received for October sailings. Perhaps the first round of those only goes to the under 12 set, though, and they don't do adult exemptions until closer to sail date.

nope!  my 27 year old daughter received hers for October 23rd.  Originally scheduled for Nassau, Half Moon Cay and Grand Turk, was changed to Nassau, Princess Cay and Bimini.

[ontheweb]

2 hours ago, ProgRockCruiser said:

Not in time for my 4 Sept cruise, unless they jumped right onto a J&J vax (which, AFAICT, is not the one I would choose).

They have had plenty of time before this announcement. It's been known for a long time that cruising without being fully vaccinated will cause extra hoops for anyone to jump through. This latest one should not really surprise anybody.

[BlerkOne]

2 hours ago, beloum said:

I agree 100%.    Not only does the 2 week delay not make sense, by allowing thousands of unvaccinated people to come in and infect their country, but by continuing to allow unvaccinated children in who can spread the virus makes no sense.   They can claim all they want about safety but hedging the rules to minimize business/financial impact is irresponsible.    

Thousands? I'd like to see the math on that one. What cruise ships are running fully unvaxxed?

[kimandtim]

Called Carnival and they are "aware of Bahamas restrictions" and are evaluating what plans will be ongoing.  They will let me know what my itinerary will be by Wednesday of next week....my group is vaccinated but my pvp didn't know what ramifications of new policy would be on ships port schedules.  I sail in three weeks/somebody please make some decisions sooner rather than later.
 

[beloum]

16 hours ago, BlerkOne said:

Thousands? I'd like to see the math on that one. What cruise ships are running fully unvaxxed?

OK.   3 weeks =21 days.    Assuming 1 ship a day at Nassau and 1 ship a day at private island.  2 X 21 =42.

 

Not counting any ships which may stop at Freeport or Bimini

Assuming avg passengers on each ship 1700.    And with minimum of 5% on each ship unvaccinated.   MSC would be more since they are not following 5% rule.   1700X42=71400.   71400 X 5%= 3,570

Edited August 21, 2021 by beloum

[Crusin5252]

On 8/19/2021 at 4:24 PM, Babr said:

But doesn’t that go right back to the Florid law? If they can’t require proof of vaccination and can’t allow any exceptions, doesn’t that present a problem?

 

[Crusin5252]

Just now, Crusin5252 said:

At the present time, the courts have ruled that FL can’t prevent cruise lines from requiring vaccination. Norwegian had filed a case against them and the court ruled in their favor. 

 

[kitten816]

Sailing to Bahamas on the Dream at the end of September, already have 4 sea days with the removal of Key West, so who knows what will happen?

[MrMarc]

It's amazing to see how much more intelligent smaller governments can be.

[40yearcruiser]

13 hours ago, beloum said:

MSC would be more since they are not following 5% rule.  

Not any more! We are booked on a MSC cruise in October and received a text today that they are now requiring all passengers 12+ to be vaccinated to comply with the Bahamas ruling. Negative COVID test is also required of all passengers.