Masks no longer required / No more testing at pier

[WNcruiser]

I just received this notice from Regent regarding our sailing in March. There will be no more mask requirement on board and they will also not be providing testing at the pier for all cruises after March 1st. A negative PCR/Antigen test is required 48 hours prior to embarkation which now matches most other cruise lines. Slightly disappointed as this is our first cruise on Regent and I liked how they provided the testing. I do think it will speed up the embarkation process though. 

 

 

[WNcruiser]

I should clarify that they will offer testing at the pier, but at a cost of $99 per person (See bottom of the notice). 

[Jlhalldc]

Got the same email for our April 5 crossing on Splendor. I'll be curious to see how things go with the loosened protocols for the March voyages -- hopeful it works with no increase in cases.  On one hand, no masks will be convenient. But it does make me a little anxious -- it will take some time to adjust.  Glad Regent is announcing this well ahead -- shows they are moving cautiously and deliberately. 

[boblerm]

44 minutes ago, WNcruiser said:

There will be no more mask requirement on board

..but this is "subject to local oversight of authorities in the jurisdiction(s) in which the ships are sailing, which may result in face coverings being required for guests."

 

So depending on where the cruise is sailing, masks still may be required on board, or at least this is how I am understanding it.

[islandchick]

Hopefully this will all go well. Very happy that they are letting you take your Covid test prior to travel. Much faster boarding and less stressful. 

[Pcardad]

10 minutes ago, boblerm said:

..but this is "subject to local oversight of authorities in the jurisdiction(s) in which the ships are sailing, which may result in face coverings being required for guests."

 

So depending on where the cruise is sailing, masks still may be required on board, or at least this is how I am understanding it.

Correct!

 

[boblerm]

8 minutes ago, islandchick said:

Hopefully this will all go well. Very happy that they are letting you take your Covid test prior to travel. Much faster boarding and less stressful. 

Agreed.  For me, one of the most stressful parts of cruising today is the fear that I could arrive at my destination and test positive at the pier.  Not only am I denied boarding, I would have to quarantine in a place far from home.  Now, if I test positive prior to traveling, I can just cancel my cruise and quarantine at home, a bummer to be sure, but far better than the alternative.

Of course, if one is planning on arriving several days before start of cruise, all bets are off.

 

And avoiding potential bottlenecks at the pier is a big plus.

[macbest]

2 minutes ago, boblerm said:

Agreed.  For me, one of the most stressful parts of cruising today is the fear that I could arrive at my destination and test positive at the pier.  Not only am I denied boarding, I would have to quarantine in a place far from home.  Now, if I test positive prior to traveling, I can just cancel my cruise and quarantine at home, a bummer to be sure, but far better than the alternative.

Of course, if one is planning on arriving several days before start of cruise, all bets are off.

 

And avoiding potential bottlenecks at the pier is a big plus.

This will remove our biggest fear we had prior to our current Splendor cruise. To end up positive and have to quarantine elsewhere or on the ship had me in knots. Glad to see it is opening up. We are still masked throughout the ship currently. 

[cruisegal919]

I wonder what will be offered for non-US cruises where a PCR test is required to fly back to the US or other countries.  Hopefully onboard testing will still be available as there usually isn't enough time to get something done at the airport, plus all that extra anxiety.  

[RachelG]

Really glad that they are letting you get your test ahead of time.  It was so stressful in January, even though we had tested negative prior to arriving at the dock.  The fear of testing positive at embarkation, being denied boarding, and possibly getting stuck in quarantine in a not so pleasant place is real. 

 

The mask requirement is of course subject to local laws, etc etc, and very subject to change.  Just happy about the change in testing. 

[GeorgiaPeach51]

It feels appropriate to tiptoe back to normalcy.  I welcome this move but realize that many will be really nervous to take their mask off if they have been wearing it nonstop.  
 

Where I live we have not worn masks in public for quite a while, though I wear one when I am in crowded conditions and as required in doctor’s offices, etc.  It takes a while to feel normal with nothing over your face.  I honestly feel that being on a ship where everyone is fully vaccinated is a place we could all feel relatively safe compared to your local grocery store or Walmart, but respect that others may have strong feelings that totally disagree.  
 

So prior to this anyone cruising knew they had to mask 24/7 when out of their cabin...now people will have to decide if they are comfortable cruising when everyone will not be required to mask, depending on the port, etc.  We are on the March 3 Explorer sailing and that will be right at the start of the new policy.  I’ll try to report back on how the boarding goes.

 

Joanie

[wishIweretravelling]

I love the clarity of this notice. It's hard to convey all this in an easy-to-understand manner, but they managed to do just that.

[edgee]

13 minutes ago, wishIweretravelling said:

I love the clarity of this notice. It's hard to convey all this in an easy-to-understand manner, but they managed to do just that.

Agree. Our cruise is not til July, so possible things could (and probably will) change by then.

[Shippy]

 

  Only real change for us was you could get your test up to 72 hours in advance so we were going to get it before we left.

We are flying into Miami 2 days before the cruise. So now that is out.

We have decided to get it done at the Miami airport clinic when we arrive on Saturday evening.

 

[audobon_tx]

We will be joining the Explorer after a week on another ship.  The other ship does gratis disembarkation tests for pax flying back to home countries (rapid antigen).  If that's not good enough we will pay the $99 pier charge but think that charging is pretty chintzy for a 6 star line.

[Pcardad]

10 minutes ago, audobon_tx said:

We will be joining the Explorer after a week on another ship.  The other ship does gratis disembarkation tests for pax flying back to home countries (rapid antigen).  If that's not good enough we will pay the $99 pier charge but think that charging is pretty chintzy for a 6 star line.

Notice says Regent will accept antigen test...

[audobon_tx]

3 minutes ago, Pcardad said:

Notice says Regent will accept antigen test...

 

That's fine for us, arriving by cruise ship,  but they should give everyone else $100 OBC or more per pax since they are no longer performing preboard tests at their, Regent's, expense.

[ljk76]

Have twice done the monitored at home testing procedure for Celebrity sailings and have found the task straightforward.  (If you had a positive you are still in the comfort of your own home.)Very quick boarding with negative tests in hand, and I imagine this will speed up boarding for Regent as well.Three days for European cruises is reasonable as well, but probably limits how many days prior to cruising you wish to arrive. 

[Pcardad]

3 minutes ago, ljk76 said:

Have twice done the monitored at home testing procedure for Celebrity sailings and have found the task straightforward.  (If you had a positive you are still in the comfort of your own home.)Very quick boarding with negative tests in hand, and I imagine this will speed up boarding for Regent as well.Three days for European cruises is reasonable as well, but probably limits how many days prior to cruising you wish to arrive. 

You can arrive weeks early and get the test at the pier. If a person is crazy enough to risk the price of a cruise without insurance...we are getting insurance on everything.

 

[WNcruiser]

2 hours ago, boblerm said:

..but this is "subject to local oversight of authorities in the jurisdiction(s) in which the ships are sailing, which may result in face coverings being required for guests."

 

So depending on where the cruise is sailing, masks still may be required on board, or at least this is how I am understanding it.

I would think this will be a very limited amount of ports. Many countries, including Europe are already relaxing restrictions. 

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Well darn, got the mail this morning for our July Splendor cruise.  For us, flying from Canada (at least as of this month, February), this complicates things.  We will have to test before we board our flight to Copenhagen (requirement to fly), then test again when we reach Copenhagen prior to boarding, since as usual, we are doing a few days pre-cruise in that city, and our departure is outside the 72 hour window.  Good to see that testing at the pier is available.

 

As for mask-wearing, note that masks are highly recommended, just not required.  (With my experience this winter here in Florida, that means perhaps 10% masks will be worn--gheesh).  

[wcsdkqh]

Wendy- things will change 3 times between now and July.  Worry about the travel/boarding details in June.

[Sunprince]

I also received the same email today. Regent tried to implement this change a few months ago and backed off due to Omicron.  
 

I’m not sure what stresses me more, the fear of testing positive at the pier under the pre March 1 policy ( as many of you have noted above) or getting on a ship without mandatory pre-embarkation testing for all guests at the pier. 
 

Regent also uses the wording “test within 48 hours” so I assume anytime before embarkation is acceptable for this pre-departure test? In my case, I cannot fly to the US without having a test within 24 hours of flight departure due to current US entry requirements ( hope this changes soon).  I don’t really want to do 2 tests before leaving home. I hope Regent accepts the 24 hour flight test?  I assume so. They are not clear on some of the details where guests are flying into the US to embark (vs already present in the US prior to embarking)

 

I was happy to see the refund/FCC policy is unchanged.

[Kwaj girl]

5 hours ago, Jlhalldc said:

Got the same email for our April 5 crossing on Splendor. I'll be curious to see how things go with the loosened protocols for the March voyages -- hopeful it works with no increase in cases.  On one hand, no masks will be convenient. But it does make me a little anxious -- it will take some time to adjust.  Glad Regent is announcing this well ahead -- shows they are moving cautiously and deliberately. 

 

If you are 'anxious' you are certainly free to wear your mask if you feel more protected by doing so.  You will not be judged.

[Gcto]

5 hours ago, macbest said:

This will remove our biggest fear we had prior to our current Splendor cruise. To end up positive and have to quarantine elsewhere or on the ship had me in knots. Glad to see it is opening up. We are still masked throughout the ship currently. 

yes, on paper that is correct, but I still don't see this as the solution for many, especially when flying to Europe or FE to catch a ship. Depending on what test you take and where you take it you will not have the results immediately. So you will fly and leave home before you have the results. Then you wait..and hope all is well... but...how will you get the results ? Ah, phone...yet you are in Greece and your phone doesn't work, connect, etc, or you don't have the right data plan ...or...heck you don't have a smart phone 🙂  So you still will have to use the test at the pier.   Yes, there are some fast result test sites mentioned in the Regent mail, but not everyone has access to those depending on location and...(sorry to say) mobility.   So I don't think any of that will really prevent us from leaving home, testing positive when at a foreign port and then having to quarantine. It's a risk we'll either have to take or not cruise at the moment.