August 27 - Updated Sailing Guidelines for COVID

[bronzey214]

I’m not sure if anyone saw but Princess has updated (again) the guidelines for sailing.

 

All voyages from the US through Dec 31 2021 need to show proof of vaccination (completed two weeks before). All voyages from the US through October 31 need to show a negative COVID test and be prepared to wear a mask.

 

Plus Princess is now offering no-cost testing through Quest Diagnostics.

 

I’m on the Nov 20 Sky Princess and thought that we were previously included (for a bit) in the mask + test required guidance so things shifted a bit.

 

https://www.princess.com/plan/cruise-with-confidence/cruise-health/frequently-asked-questions/us-cruises/

[lx200gps]

18 minutes ago, bronzey214 said:

I’m not sure if anyone saw but Princess has updated (again) the guidelines for sailing.

 

All voyages from the US through Dec 31 2021 need to show proof of vaccination (completed two weeks before). All voyages from the US through October 31 need to show a negative COVID test and be prepared to wear a mask.

 

Plus Princess is now offering no-cost testing through Quest Diagnostics.

 

I’m on the Nov 20 Sky Princess and thought that we were previously included (for a bit) in the mask + test required guidance so things shifted a bit.

 

https://www.princess.com/plan/cruise-with-confidence/cruise-health/frequently-asked-questions/us-cruises/

Thanks very much for posting this. We're on the same trip as you, and this appears to be very good news. As far as I can tell from the Princess posting you quoted, it appears to imply that after 31 October, no more testing AND no more masks? If true, that's a powerful inducement for us to not cancel and actually make the trip. Our only issue to deal  with now is the testing requirement to fly to and from the ship.

[AF-1]

I have no Quest testing centers in Ohio; I will use Walgreens again.  Used them in Jun and had results in 20 min.  Thanks for sharing your info

[Tak8]

That is a quick turnaround from the last update.  Wondering how many cancellations or threats to cancel Princess received.  

[Cruzinnana47]

 

11 minutes ago, Tak8 said:

That is a quick turnaround from the last update.  Wondering how many cancellations or threats to cancel Princess received.  

We cancelled our Nov. cruise sailing from FLL last week....the 3-day pre-testing requirement just was too much to have to deal with to find a location for testing in our area on Thanksgiving weekend.  Probably could have waited (our final payment wasn't until Sept.1st), but when they changed the date to Dec. 31st for pre-testing on all US voyages, that was the tipping point.  Wearing masks everywhere onboard and the high rate of covid cases, especially in FL, entered into our decision, also. 

So now we're waiting until 2022 to sail again.

[LACruiser88]

Great news!  Hopefully, this will not change again...

[lx200gps]

1 hour ago, Cruzinnana47 said:

 

We cancelled our Nov. cruise sailing from FLL last week....the 3-day pre-testing requirement just was too much to have to deal with to find a location for testing in our area on Thanksgiving weekend.  Probably could have waited (our final payment wasn't until Sept.1st), but when they changed the date to Dec. 31st for pre-testing on all US voyages, that was the tipping point.  Wearing masks everywhere onboard and the high rate of covid cases, especially in FL, entered into our decision, also. 

So now we're waiting until 2022 to sail again.

If these requirements that were stopping you from sailing have now been dropped, maybe you could have your TA try to re-book you? I'm pretty sure Princess would LOVE to have you back ;o)

[cr8tiv1]

I went through the initial steps.  Looks like the majority of their locations only does the PCR test which requires days to get back the results.  I tried to look for a rapid antigen test.  Could not find a location near me.

 

At least Princess is moving in the right direction (teaming with a lab).

At least Quest Diagnostics has their own labs.  (Hopefully this means that results will take a shorter time.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

[srpilo]

6 hours ago, lx200gps said:

Thanks very much for posting this. We're on the same trip as you, and this appears to be very good news. As far as I can tell from the Princess posting you quoted, it appears to imply that after 31 October, no more testing AND no more masks? If true, that's a powerful inducement for us to not cancel and actually make the trip. Our only issue to deal  with now is the testing requirement to fly to and from the ship.

 

Though you may deduce that Princess implies no masks after 10/31/21, that's just a optimistic assumption at this point, as Princess makes no reference what new if any rules will apply after 10/31, only that this rules will expire on 10/31.

 

This IMO is just another Subject to Change cruise line update designed to alleviate existing customer's fears, and canceled bookings , and to generate new ones, and not a new ground breaking change in tone or tenor.

 

 This pandemic has proved one thing,  that positive future predictions regarding the state of the virus have rarely been correct

[Sea Hag]

I wish they'd put a date on the updated items. They seem to have removed the "updated" from all but the last items that were updated, but there for a while they were just stacking them up. I couldn't tell which update I'd seen and which I hadn't until I opened the accordion block and read it.

[negn]

I have a 11/28 cruise and changed my arrival so we could be tested at home prior.  Not changing it just in case Princess changes again

[mjmalino]

This is good news for us with regard to pre-cruise testing. Our cruise is scheduled for December 28, so 3 days prior is Christmas, which might pose a problem.

[memoak]

The virus is going to dictate the cruising rules. All we can do is wait and see. Our Hawaii cruise is not till January but I am hoping no testing will be required by then but that they still only allow vaccinated passengers

[PescadoAmarillo]

8 hours ago, lx200gps said:

Thanks very much for posting this. We're on the same trip as you, and this appears to be very good news. As far as I can tell from the Princess posting you quoted, it appears to imply that after 31 October, no more testing AND no more masks? If true, that's a powerful inducement for us to not cancel and actually make the trip. Our only issue to deal  with now is the testing requirement to fly to and from the ship.

I wouldn’t count on masks not being required after 10/31/21. Reading further in that same news release from yesterday, it states that masks will be required in certain situations on board. It could go either way, but the cruise lines are increasingly taking the more cautious route. 
 

https://www.princess.com/plan/cruise-with-confidence/cruise-health/frequently-asked-questions/us-cruises/

[Belle]

 Maybe won't have to test after Oct. 31st (hoping hate the 3 day time frame) but sure we will have to wear masks.  I think it's for the best, (my opinion only) I don't mind wearing one.

[CruiseMrB]

Have 9 Dec cruise scheduled. This is great news, but I'm assuming that the 31 October date for mask and test is going to slip through until at least the end of the year. It would be nice to be pleasantly surprised, but not depending on this date holding.

 

Even if no mask required, I'll be packing a cruise's worth of normal masks and a box of N95's for our cruising party. 

[CineGraphic]

We're supposed to sail on November 6th, but the "what ifs" are kicking in, and we're considering cancelling. Thankfully, we have another sailing booked in January 2022, so the additional wait won't be too long.

Edited August 28, 2021 by CineGraphic

[abqmommyof4]

38 minutes ago, CineGraphic said:

We're supposed to sail on November 6th, but the "what ifs" are kicking in, and we're considering cancelling. Thankfully, we have another sailing booked in January 2022, so the additional wait won't be too long.

we  are booked on this  cruise  and  will go  unless it gets  cancelled.  we  havent  cruised since November of 2019  and   November is  a month we  need  to  get away

[Steelers36]

I have been wondering if Princess honors/allows mask exemptions.  Our mask bylaws here allow for exemptions.  Not planning to call HQ as doubt would get a true answer compared to on the ship or from medical or hotel staff there. 

 

(For an exemption here, the person is not required to explain nor reveal their exemption and the business is not allowed to probe and ask details).

[traceytd]

3 hours ago, negn said:

I have a 11/28 cruise and changed my arrival so we could be tested at home prior.  Not changing it just in case Princess changes again

Were you able to chose your arrival time  for a November cruise?

Edited August 28, 2021 by traceytd

[Pamster]

33 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

I have been wondering if Princess honors/allows mask exemptions.  Our mask bylaws here allow for exemptions.  Not planning to call HQ as doubt would get a true answer compared to on the ship or from medical or hotel staff there. 

 

(For an exemption here, the person is not required to explain nor reveal their exemption and the business is not allowed to probe and ask details).

We’ll mask exemptions don’t really protect the person from acquiring or spreading the virus so it doesn’t seem like they should accept them. 

[Kay S]

12 hours ago, bronzey214 said:

 

 

Plus Princess is now offering no-cost testing through Quest Diagnostics.

 

 

I got in touch with Quest, and they didn't seem to know what I was talking about.

[jwattle]

2 hours ago, Steelers36 said:

I have been wondering if Princess honors/allows mask exemptions.  Our mask bylaws here allow for exemptions.  Not planning to call HQ as doubt would get a true answer compared to on the ship or from medical or hotel staff there. 

 

(For an exemption here, the person is not required to explain nor reveal their exemption and the business is not allowed to probe and ask details).

AFIK they are not allowing them. 

[memoak]

2 hours ago, Steelers36 said:

I have been wondering if Princess honors/allows mask exemptions.  Our mask bylaws here allow for exemptions.  Not planning to call HQ as doubt would get a true answer compared to on the ship or from medical or hotel staff there. 

 

(For an exemption here, the person is not required to explain nor reveal their exemption and the business is not allowed to probe and ask details).

No exemptions otherwise people would just ignore the masking rules. 

[TinaLee]

2 hours ago, Steelers36 said:

I have been wondering if Princess honors/allows mask exemptions.  Our mask bylaws here allow for exemptions.  Not planning to call HQ as doubt would get a true answer compared to on the ship or from medical or hotel staff there. 

 

(For an exemption here, the person is not required to explain nor reveal their exemption and the business is not allowed to probe and ask details).

I think they lay it out pretty plainly that masks are required. If you're unable to wear one, that would be grounds to cancel your cruise, but not to simply not comply with the rule. I would be extremely surprised if they issued exemptions.