Hawaii in January??

[SFO Peter]

good news for a change...

 

[Cruizer Bill]

Hawaii updates entry requirements: Island drops questionnaire, shortens quarantine period

Bailey Schulz, USA TODAY

Tue, January 4, 2022, 2:52 PM·2 min read

 

 

Hawaii revamped its entry requirements this week, dropping a questionnaire requirement and cutting the mandatory quarantine period in half.

Starting Tuesday, travelers to the Pacific island state will no longer need to fill out a health form before arrival.

Previously, tourists had to fill out a health questionnaire 24 hours before their flightto receive a QR code that could reduce processing time upon arrival. Under the new entry requirements, visitors will receive a QR code via email once their trip information is submitted through the Safe Travels platform and will have it sent to their inbox once again one day prior to departure.

Hawaii changes quarantine requirement

The island also revised its quarantine requirement for unvaccinated visitors who do not test negative for the virus. As of Monday, the mandatory quarantine period for unvaccinated domestic travelers was cut from 10 days to five to align with recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which updated its guidance last week.

 

Duke Kahanamoku Beach in Oahu, Hawaii.

"We are adopting the CDC recommendations as one part of our effort to blunt the current very rapid spread of the Omicron variant. These guidelines are practical to implement, making it easier for people to do the right thing," state epidemiologist Sarah Kemble said in a statement last week. "We should all anticipate that guidance may continue to evolve in the coming weeks as we learn more."

Tourists who are fully vaccinated or have tested negative for the virus do not need to isolate upon arrival.

► Hawaii entry requirements: Don't make these Hawaii travel mistakes

Maui's indoor restaurants to require booster shots

Travelers may face additional COVID-19 restrictions once they arrive in Hawaii.

Maui County, for example, requires proof of full vaccination or a recent negative coronavirus test to enter certain "high risk" venues like indoor bars and restaurants. Starting Saturday, customers must have a booster shot to be considered fully vaccinated. Visitors can still dine outdoors without a vaccination card.

"Our rules reflect the changing conditions during this ongoing pandemic, and the need to protect the health and safety of our residents," Mayor Michael Victorino said in a statement last week.

[zelker]

 State of Hawaii

Department of Transportationather Related Traffic Alerts

 

FIRST PORT AGREEMENTS FOR RESTART OF CRUISE TRAVEL IN HAWAII SIGNED

Posted on Jan 4, 2022 in Harbors News, Main, News

 

Cruise lines must have on-board testing and medical capabilities and have agreed to abide by additional restrictions if needed.

 

HONOLULU – The Hawaii Department of Transportation (HDOT) Harbors Division announces the execution of the first port agreements with Carnival Cruise Line and Norwegian Cruise Lines (NCL) to formalize health and safety protocols for cruise line operations in the State of Hawaii.

Per the CDC order (copy available at https://www.cdc.gov/quarantine/cruise/covid19-cruiseships.html) expiring on January 15, cruise lines with capacity to carry more than 250 persons (combined passenger and crew) and itineraries including overnight stays are required to have a formal port agreement with local port and health authorities. The port agreement must include:

• Medical agreement outlining evacuation of passengers or crew in need of care
• Housing agreement should quarantine or isolation of passengers or crew be needed
• Acknowledgement of the public health response resources of the local jurisdictions and vaccination strategies implemented by the cruise lines to minimize risk of spread of COVID-19

The CDC order requires each ship to have on-board testing and medical staff to ensure proper prevention, mitigation, and response protocols and training. Additionally, Carnival and NCL have committed to full vaccination rates in addition to pre-board testing and onboard safety and cleaning protocols.

In addition to the cruise line and CDC requirements, the State of Hawaii will be requiring participation in the State’s Safe Travels digital platform to upload proof of vaccination or negative test results for cruise lines arriving in Hawaii from outside the state. Safe Travels participation will not apply to cruise lines sailing interisland.

The signed port agreements will apply until superseded by a new agreement regardless of expiration of the CDC order. The agreement also allows the State to suspend, rescind, or amend the document at any time in case of changing situations. Counties may also implement additional restrictions at any time.

“Developing these agreements with the goal of reducing potential negative impacts of cruise travel on our local health resources couldn’t have happened without invaluable guidance from the Governor’s Office, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Hawaii Department of Health (DOH), the Hawaii Department of Defense (DOD), the Office of Enterprise Technology Services (ETS), and county agencies,” said Hawaii Department of Transportation Director Jade Butay. “We appreciate everyone, including the cruise line representatives, coming together to finalize the required agreements to fulfil the CDC Conditional Sailing Order.”

Notification of signed port agreements will be made through the HDOT website and social media accounts prior to the first confirmed sailings.

[KirkNC]

Yea

[nocl]

Looks like NCL, after getting the agreements signed they canceled their scheduled Pride of America cruises through Feb 23 along with those for a number of their ships.

 

Norwegian Getaway cruise with embarkation date of January 5, 2022

All Norwegian Pearl cruises with embarkation dates through and including January 14, 2022

All Norwegian Sky cruises with embarkation dates through and including February 25,2022

All Pride of America cruises with embarkation dates through and including February 26, 2022

All Norwegian Jade cruises with embarkation dates through and including March 3, 2022

All Norwegian Star cruises with embarkation dates through and including March 19, 2022

All Norwegian Sun cruises with embarkation dates through and including April 19, 2022

All Norwegian Spirit cruises with embarkation dates through and including April 23, 2022

Edited January 5, 2022 by nocl

[DE Solo]

On 1/4/2022 at 12:40 PM, KirkNC said:

Which sailing?  We have lost quite a few on our scheduled February sailing on the Zuiderdam.

January 16 sailing of the Koningsdam.

[martinprof]

We just got a last minute email from HAL about the Jan 16 (tomorrow) sailing of Koningsdam.  In the email was the following:

- Make arrangements to arrive at the pier at your pre-assigned Check-In time
(found at the top of your electronic boarding pass). We will conduct COVID-19
testing at the pier prior to cruise embarkation. By arriving at your scheduled
check-in time you will speed your testing and check-in process.cinated.

 

There is currently nothing on the HAL website about a second pier testing.  I called HAL and they don't seem to know anything about a seconds testing at the pier.  I am guessing that there ia no second testing and this is just HAL's idea of a joke. Also, the odd misspelling above was copy/pasted from the HAL email.

[KirkNC]

19 minutes ago, martinprof said:

We just got a last minute email from HAL about the Jan 16 (tomorrow) sailing of Koningsdam.  In the email was the following:

- Make arrangements to arrive at the pier at your pre-assigned Check-In time
(found at the top of your electronic boarding pass). We will conduct COVID-19
testing at the pier prior to cruise embarkation. By arriving at your scheduled
check-in time you will speed your testing and check-in process.cinated.

 

There is currently nothing on the HAL website about a second pier testing.  I called HAL and they don't seem to know anything about a seconds testing at the pier.  I am guessing that there ia no second testing and this is just HAL's idea of a joke. Also, the odd misspelling above was copy/pasted from the HAL email.

Not something to joke about but in my mind, it’s a good idea.  Lot can happen in two days in the land of Covid.