Extending Vaccine and Testing Requirement

[tamsno]

Both HAL and Princess have the same fully vaccinated and 2-day testing rules through Dec 31, 2021, but no mention of what happens after that.     Hard to plan future cruises without knowing the rules.  They are addressing what will and will not sail, an enormous task, but not the health and safety protocols to go along with them for 2022.  Unfortunately, nothing magical will happen January 1 to change things.  

 

[VMax1700]

As the medical experts don't know what is going to happen in the next 3 months I doubt a cruise line will have any deeper insight.   

Personally, I would plan on the situation being the same as currently prevailing.  I would be happy to cruise with vaccinations, testing  and masking continuing to be compulsory 

[Gary908]

HAL doesn't know what will be going on with Covid 3 months from now.  We were on the first 2 weeks of the Eurodam last month.  The policy change about masks onboard happened 4-5 days before we embarked and they had to make an itinerary change at the same time due to a Covid spike at one port stop.  I would plan on things remaining the same.  

[tamsno]

I would only be comfortable with full vaccination of everyone so hope it continues.  Masks are fine with me too.  I’ve never stopped wearing one.  Getting my third vaccine tomorrow.

[zgscl]

On 9/9/2021 at 7:22 AM, Gary908 said:

HAL doesn't know what will be going on with Covid 3 months from now.  We were on the first 2 weeks of the Eurodam last month.  The policy change about masks onboard happened 4-5 days before we embarked and they had to make an itinerary change at the same time due to a Covid spike at one port stop.  I would plan on things remaining the same.  

I agree, I don't think this will be changing for a very long time. We are no where near the end of this thing. 

 

On 9/9/2021 at 10:03 AM, tamsno said:

I would only be comfortable with full vaccination of everyone so hope it continues.  Masks are fine with me too.  I’ve never stopped wearing one.  Getting my third vaccine tomorrow.

Me too, I am 95% certain they will extend though. It does make sense to do it a few months at a time. By next year any number of things could have changed so whatever they put out today will be irrelevant anyway. 

[Seasick Sailor]

Do you think the covid testing shows ending in October due to just one of our HAL ships is sailing in US? Perhaps when we start Caribbean cruises in November HAL and other companies will have a Plan B. That's a lot of ships embarking in Florida!

[mcrcruiser]

When we booked our March 2022 cruise with HAL , the HAL representative intimated that testing may be a quick covid test at the port  vs the 2 days prior to embarkation as it is now in 2021   plus proof of vaccination . We are waiting for JnJ to announce the booster for us 

[Shipcats6]

We have canceled the 2 cruises for this year and 1 for next March.  We are both vaccinated.  The stress of finding where and how to get a test 48 hours before sailing when we have always flown in 2 days ahead of time is too much.  We have masked up on trips to Las Vegas but have no interest in wearing a mask at the beach.

 

Waiting for the crazy to go away.  I don’t think we are the only ones with this mindset.

[KirkNC]

On 9/12/2021 at 4:05 PM, mcrcruiser said:

When we booked our March 2022 cruise with HAL , the HAL representative intimated that testing may be a quick covid test at the port  vs the 2 days prior to embarkation as it is now in 2021   plus proof of vaccination . We are waiting for JnJ to announce the booster for us 

I would put virtually no credibility on something a HAL rep said about what the situation will be like next March.

[KirkNC]

4 hours ago, Shipcats6 said:

We have canceled the 2 cruises for this year and 1 for next March.  We are both vaccinated.  The stress of finding where and how to get a test 48 hours before sailing when we have always flown in 2 days ahead of time is too much.  We have masked up on trips to Las Vegas but have no interest in wearing a mask at the beach.

 

Waiting for the crazy to go away.  I don’t think we are the only ones with this mindset.

You sum it up well!

[mcrcruiser]

2 hours ago, KirkNC said:

I would put virtually no credibility on something a HAL rep said about what the situation will be like next March.

 Kirk we read on these boards that Norwegian was resting with the quick test   at the port of embarkation . Perhaps that will be  done by more cruise lines  .We won't know until it happens  ,so we understand your  doubts  ,at this point in time   .We all can hope though 

[Crazy For Cats]

7 hours ago, Shipcats6 said:

We have canceled the 2 cruises for this year and 1 for next March.  We are both vaccinated.  The stress of finding where and how to get a test 48 hours before sailing when we have always flown in 2 days ahead of time is too much.  We have masked up on trips to Las Vegas but have no interest in wearing a mask at the beach.

 

Waiting for the crazy to go away.  I don’t think we are the only ones with this mindset.

We too have cancelled two cruises for this year.  The current restrictions are too much for us.  The November dates have been converted to a land trip.  The December dates are still open to rebooking should they offer testing at the pier.  We are also booked for a March cruise and will cancel if HAL doesn’t improve the situation.

 

we sailed to Alaska with just the vaccination requirement and all went well.

[oaktreerb]

On 9/12/2021 at 7:59 AM, Seasick Sailor said:

Do you think the covid testing shows ending in October due to just one of our HAL ships is sailing in US? Perhaps when we start Caribbean cruises in November HAL and other companies will have a Plan B. That's a lot of ships embarking in Florida!

According to the Sept 3 guidelines on HAL's Covid page, testing has been extended through December.  The rules keep changing.  Stay tuned!  

[foodsvcmgr]

Agree with shipcats6, multiple cruises annually most years since 1978 but just not worth it or fun for us with testing, masking, etc.

When double or triple vaccinated will suffice we will gladly resume cruising.

[ontheweb]

On 9/16/2021 at 6:33 AM, KirkNC said:

I would put virtually no credibility on something a HAL rep said about what the situation will be like next March.

You don't trust the crystal balls that HAL has provided for their phone reps?🤣

[Chickadee910]

So by the looks of things to come we should order the rapid test 6 pack for our October and February cruises.

[vwlmember]

Don't expect HAL/Carnival to test at the embarkation port.

 

https://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/Carnival-drops-plan-for-Covid-testing-sites

[TJR_0323]

1 hour ago, Chickadee910 said:

So by the looks of things to come we should order the rapid test 6 pack for our October and February cruises.

I would place separate orders for each cruise. I recently ordered and received a 3-pack and they all expire 1/4/2022 !

[mcrcruiser]

3 hours ago, vwlmember said:

Don't expect HAL/Carnival to test at the embarkation port.

 

https://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/Carnival-drops-plan-for-Covid-testing-sites

What my marketing experience tells me that when a major competitor  like Norwegian is doing tests at embarkation , the others will follow in time , Actually ,Carnival  is so hungry for business that they would give us a  handicap balcony for Carnival  Panorama cruise  ship  ,7 nights to Mexico  for $584 .total cost for 2 with a $200 on board credit & free drinks playing in the Casino . My problem is waiting on my new pass ports (can take 18 weeks )  ,  If I had my pass ports this is a no brainer  

Does this spell hungry for business or what ?  Thus ,imo it is only a matter of time before all cruise lines doi the quick test at all ports  or loose a lot of customers  

Edited September 17, 2021 by mcrcruiser

[Horizon chaser 1957]

The cruise lines are jumping through the hoops the CDC keeps throwing in front of them. They have no idea what those will be 3 months from now, and possibly the CDC doesn’t either.

[mcrcruiser]

18 minutes ago, Horizon chaser 1957 said:

The cruise lines are jumping through the hoops the CDC keeps throwing in front of them. They have no idea what those will be 3 months from now, and possibly the CDC doesn’t either.

There is a marketing problem . The problem is how do you get masses of people to cruise during a pandemic of  historic proportions   . The cruise lines raise prices & that even pushes more people away  .  The answer may  ultimately be far fewer cruise lines & ships  & who really knows when the world will be free of this pandemic 

[lka1012]

Testing before boarding is turning into a logistical boondoggle. Knowing where to get an accepted text in the required time frame is becoming a nightmare.

 

The cruise lines should work toward a solution. Creating lists of where to get the tests, as well as, making sure the tests are available would help.

[mcrcruiser]

On 9/15/2021 at 10:51 PM, Shipcats6 said:

We have canceled the 2 cruises for this year and 1 for next March.  We are both vaccinated.  The stress of finding where and how to get a test 48 hours before sailing when we have always flown in 2 days ahead of time is too much.  We have masked up on trips to Las Vegas but have no interest in wearing a mask at the beach.

 

Waiting for the crazy to go away.  I don’t think we are the only ones with this mindset.

We are with your  comments about this 45 hour period .too stressful & if HAL mandates it imo they will loose a lot of return customers .this virus is a long way from  being  nonexistant  .Reason is  that with nearly 8 billion people in the world it would take 80 to 85%   vaccinations to gain perhaps herd immunity & thus slowing down the mutations & variants . Remember that some variants defy older vaccines defenses .Thus we are a very long way from normalcy 

[FlorenceItaly]

PLUS, Cruisers seem to be getting multiple tests in case first test does not come back in time.  I imagine this is causing further delay results.  Also, I imagine at some point these tests will no longer be at no cost.  We recently cancelled our February cruise.  We have an April TA booked, but, doubt we take it.  Our cruising days are probably over, but, it has been a good run.

 

I recently read that Carnival was considering offering testing at port but has since decided it is too complicated for cruise line and is no longer pursuing this.