When will cruise lines drop the vaccine requirement?

[BermudaBound2014]

According to this article, it could be sooner than many expected.

Royal Caribbean, Carnival, Norwegian May Drop Vaccine Mandate by This Date - Invesbrain

 

Former Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, a physician who serves as chairman of Norwegian Cruise Line's SailSAFE Council, on March 3 spoke on the possibility of cruise lines being able to drop vaccination requirements.

“I think that it’s likely to be a requirement that is in place through this fall and winter,” Gottlieb said, according to a Cruzely report. 

[oteixeira]

The honest answer from them would be "as soon as we can".  I think once this is no longer a hot button topic and HOPEFULLY more of an endemic sickness it will be dropped.  I would love to think that will be this fall.  I guess we will all find out.

[BermudaBound2014]

1 minute ago, oteixeira said:

 I would love to think that will be this fall.  I guess we will all find out.

 

For real! But I think that the CDC is going to insist on another winter season. Of course, the cruise lines don't have to follow that, but according to guy from NCL they likely will. 

 

However; I remember lots of folks on here insisting that vaccines would be required forever and ever.  That no longer appears to be the case, but as you say, time will tell! 

[oteixeira]

2 minutes ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

 

For real! But I think that the CDC is going to insist on another winter season. Of course, the cruise lines don't have to follow that, but according to guy from NCL they likely will. 

 

However; I remember lots of folks on here insisting that vaccines would be required forever and ever.  That no longer appears to be the case, but as you say, time will tell! 

I think the CDC is giving cruise lines the "You don't have to follow our suggestions....but you have to....wink wink"

[1025cruise]

The islands the ships sail to have to drop the requirement first.

[Homosassa]

It is misleading to play telephone" with statements. It leads to all sorts of wrong ideas.

 

Please read the whole article and quote.

 

What Dr Gottlieb actually said was that he expected the vaccine requirement to remain in place through winter of 2023 and the CDC to then evaluate data in the spring of 2023 and make any necessary policy decisions at that point.

 

Take home message: requirement is in place for at least another year and then data will be looked out to decide if any changes need to be made.

[Ken the cruiser]

I would think if a cruise line decided to eliminate the C19 vaccination requirement, you would also expect them to stop paying any ensuing medical/quarantine costs if passenger testing positive requires hospital care and is dropped off at the nearest port just like they don't pay now for medical services if a non-C19 passenger requires hospital care while on a cruise.

[BermudaBound2014]

47 minutes ago, Homosassa said:

It is misleading to play telephone" with statements. It leads to all sorts of wrong ideas.

 

Please read the whole article and quote.

 

What Dr Gottlieb actually said was that he expected the vaccine requirement to remain in place through winter of 2023 and the CDC to then evaluate data in the spring of 2023 and make any necessary policy decisions at that point.

 

Take home message: requirement is in place for at least another year and then data will be looked out to decide if any changes need to be made.

 

You may want to reread what I quoted in post #1which is a direct quote from Gottlied. 

[BermudaBound2014]

1 hour ago, 1025cruise said:

The islands the ships sail to have to drop the requirement first.

 

They already are. Requirements are easing up at warp speed. There are several islands that no longer require vaccination. Even Hawaii, which has historically been strict about entry requirements throughout the pandemic is dropping their entire Safe Travels plan March 25th. This means there will be zero requirements to enter Hawaii. No vaccine, no testing, nodda. 

 

 

[Homosassa]

49 minutes ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

 

You may want to reread what I quoted in post #1which is a direct quote from Gottlied. 

NO!!!!! It is an abbreviated and misleading paraphrase of his full response.

 

His full answer contained the information that I posted.

 

 

 

[Ken the cruiser]

14 minutes ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

-you seem a bit tense with all these  reduced mandates 😉 

Actually for us the only cruise mandate we want to see disappear is the pre-cruise antigen tests, especially since we’re mostly dealing with cold like symptoms now if you’re healthy and have been vaccinated and boosted. If someone doesn’t want to get vaccinated that’s their problem.

[BermudaBound2014]

Just now, Ken the cruiser said:

Actually for us the only cruise mandate we want to see disappear is the pre-cruise antigen tests, especially since we’re mostly dealing with cold like symptoms now if you’re healthy and have been vaccinated and boosted. If someone doesn’t want to get vaccinated that’s their problem.

I acknowledge  there are many people still very fearful of covid and want these mandates indefinitely. I have several family meMbers of the same mindset.

 

I feel differently. I believe it’s time for those without comorbidity to move on. 

[MoCruiseFan]

22 hours ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

According to this article, it could be sooner than many expected.

Royal Caribbean, Carnival, Norwegian May Drop Vaccine Mandate by This Date - Invesbrain

 

Former Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, a physician who serves as chairman of Norwegian Cruise Line's SailSAFE Council, on March 3 spoke on the possibility of cruise lines being able to drop vaccination requirements.

“I think that it’s likely to be a requirement that is in place through this fall and winter,” Gottlieb said, according to a Cruzely report. 

A) As soon as it is prudent to do so.
B) As soon as the risk of being sued by someone who gets COVID and claims that the cruise line should have been more careful is mitigated.
C) When they determine it is safe to do so, which is the short version of B).

[BirdTravels]

21 hours ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

 

They already are. Requirements are easing up at warp speed. There are several islands that no longer require vaccination. Even Hawaii, which has historically been strict about entry requirements throughout the pandemic is dropping their entire Safe Travels plan March 25th. This means there will be zero requirements to enter Hawaii. No vaccine, no testing, nodda. 

 

 

And Hawaii joins the rest of the United States of America now that Ige had lost his power. 

[BermudaBound2014]

8 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

And Hawaii joins the rest of the United States of America now that Ige had lost his power. 

 

And Green is calling for removal of all masks too. Just 4 weeks ago they were discussing adding a booster requirement and now they are removing the entire program. Changes are happening rapidly here. 

[Beaver1975]

Drop the vaccination requirements, or at least accept natural immunity.

[Georgia_Peaches]

On 3/7/2022 at 4:45 PM, 1025cruise said:

The islands the ships sail to have to drop the requirement first.

Mexico doesn't require the vax.

[JoeTec]

On 3/8/2022 at 5:57 PM, Georgia_Peaches said:

Mexico doesn't require the vax.

Neither does Jamaica or most of the islands.  I personally think cruise lines are going to have to drop the vax requirement if they want full ships.

I have $1500 in cruise next certificates that I can't wait to use but if they keep the vax requirement I will have to sell them.

I have only cruised on NCL - but the 1st cruise line to drop the vax I will be booked on & I hear the same thing from so many other cruisers especially families that don't want to vax their kids

[TSUmom]

I would love it to be by May when I cruise.  I am vaccinated with a J&J from last June and I am guessing it is still considered fully vaccinated since it is under a year and does not require a 2nd dose or booster.  

[MichiganBound]

On 3/7/2022 at 4:53 PM, Homosassa said:

What Dr Gottlieb actually said was that he expected the vaccine requirement to remain in place through winter of 2023 and the CDC to then evaluate data in the spring of 2023 and make any necessary policy decisions at that point.

 

Take home message: requirement is in place for at least another year and then data will be looked out to decide if any changes need to be made.

I think this post most accurately reflects what will happen.  CDC is going to watch COVID developments carefully through the entire next flu season from Oct 2022 till March 2023.  If Covid continues on its expected path to becoming endemic then changes may be made.  

 

Meanwhile, during last week's NCL virtual videoconference with Dr. Gottlieb, he indicated he expects that a further booster shot for Covid will likely be recommended in the autumn this year.  That isn't to say it will be required for cruising.

[erin21497]

I would love to see the mask mandate for European ports dropped soon, as well as the pre-cruise testing.  Right now those are the 2 main things making me hesitate to pay our final payment.

[Debde]

I'd like to know when all the pre-testing will be dropped. I'm double vaxed and boosted but the fear of  getting a false positive keeps me from booking a cruise just yet.

[BermudaBound2014]

On 3/8/2022 at 3:22 PM, BermudaBound2014 said:

 

And Green is calling for removal of all masks too. Just 4 weeks ago they were discussing adding a booster requirement and now they are removing the entire program. Changes are happening rapidly here. 

 

Update to this post.

 

It is official. On March 25th, Hawaii will no longer have any mask mandates or Safe Travels program for entry. We are the last state to do so, but Hawaii is wide open again! Walking around Lahaina last night revealed that many store front owners aren't waiting for March 25th and are no longer wearing (or enforcing) masks. Halleluiah! 

 

4 hours ago, TSUmom said:

I would love it to be by May when I cruise.  I am vaccinated with a J&J from last June and I am guessing it is still considered fully vaccinated since it is under a year and does not require a 2nd dose or booster.  

 

As the article states, it's looking like the mandates will stick around through next winter so you should be good in May. At one point I thought boosters would be required, but they tried that here on Maui and it only lasted 2 weeks. The Booster requirement here was an utter failure since the majority of Americans are refusing the boost. 

 

4 hours ago, JoeTec said:

Neither does Jamaica or most of the islands.  I personally think cruise lines are going to have to drop the vax requirement if they want full ships.

I have $1500 in cruise next certificates that I can't wait to use but if they keep the vax requirement I will have to sell them.

I have only cruised on NCL - but the 1st cruise line to drop the vax I will be booked on & I hear the same thing from so many other cruisers especially families that don't want to vax their kids

 

I totally agree. Business 101. Of course, covid remains fluid and we don't know what variations the fall/winter will bring, but I believe most businesses are going to have to move on if they want to compete.

[geegee1]

I wish they would keep the vaxed only rules and if you're not vaxed you need to test 3 days before, at the pier then again 3 days later while you're on the ship. Kind of like Puerto Rico is dealing with it, though PR has 48 hours beforehand if I remember correctly.

[ChiefMateJRK]

11 hours ago, TSUmom said:

I would love it to be by May when I cruise.  I am vaccinated with a J&J from last June and I am guessing it is still considered fully vaccinated since it is under a year and does not require a 2nd dose or booster.  

If you're vaccinated, why do you care?

8 hours ago, Debde said:

I'd like to know when all the pre-testing will be dropped.

This.  I look forward to the day when they (finally) change their requirements to a) vaccinated or b) negative test.  Won't that be the day? 😎