questions about cruise for 2023

[John&LaLa]

10 minutes ago, Tree_skier said:

I agree with everything you write with the exception of an annual booster.  I don't believe there would be any significant uptick in the participation rate of an annual booster.  Not in America, anyways.

 

I got #3 within days of it becoming available for my age group. #4 has just become available, so I'll likely get it soon. Laziness is keeping me back.😉

 

Actually forgot to get my 2021 flu because it was right in the middle of cruising starting up. Plus Publix quit giving us a $10 gift card.🤣🤣

[xtremegk]

12 minutes ago, Tree_skier said:

I agree with everything you write with the exception of an annual booster.  I don't believe there would be any significant uptick in the participation rate of an annual booster.  Not in America, anyways.

 

I think there will be uptake when it's combined with the flu shot. Moderna is starting clinical trials on this with the hopes of having it to market for Fall 2023.

 

Personally, I'll be more interested in a 4th shot once they have developed the shot to cover a wider array of variants. Pfizer is in trials on a shot developed off of Omicron -- remember, Omicron really damaged the overall effectiveness of the vaccines. Its mutations can evade most immune response and its transmissibility virtually wiped out other variants.

[Charles4515]

9 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

 

They still will have hundreds of millions of potential customers

 

I tend to agree with you. It may not be that vaccination is required forever. it could be required for a long time though. Or not  We are still living with changes made after 9/11. There is a tendency to keep fighting the last war when the last war is over.  

[ONECRUISER]

11 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

 

I got #3 within days of it becoming available for my age group. #4 has just become available, so I'll likely get it soon. Laziness is keeping me back.😉

 

Actually forgot to get my 2021 flu because it was right in the middle of cruising starting up. Plus Publix quit giving us a $10 gift card.🤣🤣

Funny thing until few yrs ago never had to worry about getting Flu Shot, didnt even think when. I'd show up to PT Formation and ARMY told me today was the day. Along with Tetanus, Pneumonia, Anthrax among a few more experimental or EUA Vax/Drugs 

[neverbeenhere]

Did I get suckered by another April Fools joke? 

[Biker19]

1 hour ago, AnyWayIsGood said:

I don't see any option for this on the website (?) 

You need to go through the booking all the way to the payment page to see that option. 

[hotwheels920]

8 minutes ago, neverbeenhere said:

Did I get suckered by another April Fools joke? 

I thought the same thing.

[KsucAts]

4 hours ago, Charles4515 said:

 

There is no way that getting 2 or 3 boosters a year is viable.  As you noted only 28% of the population has had the 3rd shot. I am getting these threads mixed up but I have posted I  had 3 and I am not running out and getting the 4th shot with the current data.  Someone in that thread implied my position was antivax. What the F !!!!   If there were an annual shot that was improved I believe an uptake would be higher.  That is if it is actually needed.  It seems that some want to measure by quantity of antibodies rather than quality of protection. If covid remains a lessor threat of serious illness than before then it won't be forever. On this thread the main point i am making  is that a date vaccination won't be required is unknown. It could be not required in 2023. It could be not required in two months. It could be not required in 2024, etc. Also I would happily cruise with the OP who asked the question. I don't care if OP is vaccinated or not. 

Thank you and why should you?  If the vaxes work, then it shouldn't matter to you what everybody else does.  And by the way, I have read all sorts of studies and the facts are that the vax poses a risk.  Saw something like 5x more likely for a heart attack for vaxed vs. unvaxed.  I have natural antibodies and have been tested for them multiple times since my wife and daughter had Covid in July 2020.  (I had it apparently, with very minor symptoms).  My last antibody test a couple months ago showed I still have very high levels.  I am not taking a shot that poses a risk to me for a virus that I have natural antibodies for and when I had the virus had virtually no symptoms.  

[pcur]

7 hours ago, Travelling2Some said:

I actually had the Hong Kong flu back then. 

Me, too.  It was supposed to have come in the US in the SF Bay Area in September.  I was attending college in the East Bay and got it the second week of classes.  Horribly sick.  

[KsucAts]

3 hours ago, Biker19 said:

You need to go through the booking all the way to the payment page to see that option. 

Thanks.  Getting ready to check that out now to see if it changes the price.

 

Just tried and don't see it.

Edited April 2, 2022 by KsucAts

[Coralc]

11 minutes ago, pcur said:

Me, too.  It was supposed to have come in the US in the SF Bay Area in September.  I was attending college in the East Bay and got it the second week of classes.  Horribly sick.  

Not me! Not Me! I received the vaccine for Hong Kong Flu in elementary school in Seattle when they were testing the brand-new mass inoculation guns and vaccines. It was fascinating to watch other kids fainting. (It was from the inoculation guns, not what was injected) I had never seen that before, and they carried them out on gurneys.  I am a proponent of vaccines. 

Edited April 2, 2022 by Coralc

[pcur]

3 minutes ago, Coralc said:

Not me! Not Me! I received the vaccine for Hong Kong Flu in elementary school in Seattle when they were testing the brand-new mass inoculation guns and vaccines. It was fascinating to watch other kids fainting. I had never seen that before, and they carried them out on gurneys.  I am a proponent of vaccines. 

Holy-moly!!  I wish I had been vaccinated for it.  I guess those inoculation guns were a little tough for some kids to deal with.

[Coralc]

I edited my post. It was from the rapid injection, (delivery system) not from the vaccine. 

Edited April 2, 2022 by Coralc

[SG65CB]

12 hours ago, KsucAts said:

 

One can only hope that it isn't.  If it is, we will never cruise again & I am sure there are others that feel the same way.  I would think the cruise industry will not want to limit their customer base forever.  

 

I'm sure there are just as many people who would refuse to get on a cruise ship with a bunch of unvaccinated people. 

[pcur]

19 hours ago, Coralc said:

I edited my post. It was from the rapid injection, (delivery system) not from the vaccine. 

That's what I thought you meant:  the "gun" was too much for the kids.

[pcur]

17 hours ago, SG65CB said:

 

I'm sure there are just as many people who would refuse to get on a cruise ship with a bunch of unvaccinated people. 

I will probably be OK with continuing to cruise in this circumstance, but I also like the positive side effect of wearing a mask and using hand sanitizer:  I haven't had a cold in over 2 years.  

[Keksie]

On 4/1/2022 at 11:04 AM, KsucAts said:

My apologies, as I don't have time to do research right now & have been away from these boards since I had to cancel my 2020 cruise.  

 

We have a group of friends who want to take a cruise in Feb. or March of 2023.  We have agreed on Royal Caribbean out of Galveston on Allure.  But in order for me to go, I want all Covid related rules to be completely gone - no vax requirements, no testing, no masks, etc.  Back to the way it was in 2019.  What is the general feeling of when everything will go away?

 

Also, what are drink package prices currently going for?

Sadly I think it will be a very long time before you can be sure the protocols will be gone.  I suggest booking a trip to Florida instead.  

[exm]

On 4/1/2022 at 12:04 PM, KsucAts said:

My apologies, as I don't have time to do research right now & have been away from these boards since I had to cancel my 2020 cruise.  

 

We have a group of friends who want to take a cruise in Feb. or March of 2023.  We have agreed on Royal Caribbean out of Galveston on Allure.  But in order for me to go, I want all Covid related rules to be completely gone - no vax requirements, no testing, no masks, etc.  Back to the way it was in 2019.  What is the general feeling of when everything will go away?

 

Also, what are drink package prices currently going for?

 

Here's what I am guessing the new normal will be:

- Up to date vaccinated people can board without testing

- Non-vaccinated, or not up-to-date, will require a test

 

To me, that's best case scenario for summer 2023.

[Travelling2Some]

2 hours ago, exm said:

 

Here's what I am guessing the new normal will be:

- Up to date vaccinated people can board without testing

- Non-vaccinated, or not up-to-date, will require a test

 

To me, that's best case scenario for summer 2023.

That would be my best guess too.  Just a guess, of course.  Most people find the testing requirement burdensome and stressful so I think the cruise lines will be motivated to remove it.  It's bad for their business because many are unwilling to fly to distant ports lest they test positive at the last minute.  We have only been willing to do cruises embarking from our home port, which has resulted in us taking far fewer cruises than we would normally.  No way am I flying to Tokyo or Rome only to risk being denied boarding.

[flamingos]

3 hours ago, pcur said:

I also like the positive side effect of wearing a mask and using hand sanitizer: 

It made a huge difference in allergy season!

[Tree_skier]

3 hours ago, exm said:

 

Here's what I am guessing the new normal will be:

- Up to date vaccinated people can board without testing

- Non-vaccinated, or not up-to-date, will require a test

 

To me, that's best case scenario for summer 2023.

This is exactly what I was thinking myself today.  They are going to find a way to get the unvaccinated on the ship.  This is the way to do it.

[DukeASUGirl]

On 4/1/2022 at 2:21 PM, PhillyFan33579 said:

I think the cruise lines would lose significantly more customers if they eliminated the vaccine requirement any time soon. I have been on 8 cruises since last August, but I would stop cruising if they eliminated the current COVID protocols. I know numerous friends who feel the same way. I could see the testing requirement going away sooner or later, but I don’t see the vaccination requirement going away for a long time, especially considering the emphasis now on getting a second booster shot. Of course this is just my opinion, but I think getting a COVID vaccination at least annually is going to be the standard. If that happens, I don’t see the cruise lines eliminating the vaccine requirement. 

 

Exactly. The cruise lines know what they're doing. I guarantee their research shows that they have more customers willing to be vaccinated than those who aren't, and also that their research shows requiring vaccination is a net positive for their bottom line.

[Cruise a holic]

On 4/1/2022 at 5:21 PM, PhillyFan33579 said:

I think the cruise lines would lose significantly more customers if they eliminated the vaccine requirement any time soon. I have been on 8 cruises since last August, but I would stop cruising if they eliminated the current COVID protocols. I know numerous friends who feel the same way. I could see the testing requirement going away sooner or later, but I don’t see the vaccination requirement going away for a long time, especially considering the emphasis now on getting a second booster shot. Of course this is just my opinion, but I think getting a COVID vaccination at least annually is going to be the standard. If that happens, I don’t see the cruise lines eliminating the vaccine requirement. 

Just got or 4th vaccination yesterday!  We had two shots and one booster, but the second booster was just approved for 50 and over so we quickly booked.  So happy!  Will feel better protected for our next May cruise!  Heard about so many deaths and long term covid illness not to protect ourselves.

[exm]

5 hours ago, DukeASUGirl said:

 

Exactly. The cruise lines know what they're doing. I guarantee their research shows that they have more customers willing to be vaccinated than those who aren't, and also that their research shows requiring vaccination is a net positive for their bottom line.

Interesting argument, but I am not sure about that one. As of now, vaccination was mandatory due to CDC regulations. There’s a group out there that isn’t vaccinated, and the majority of kids under 12 aren’t either. If the CDC declares that the vaccine only works with boosters, you get into another big miss. There’s tons of people out there that don’t want a booster and/or more shots and I can’t blame them. So how do you handle those?

 

I think the days of vaccine mandates are numbered.

[Tree_skier]

8 hours ago, DukeASUGirl said:

 

Exactly. The cruise lines know what they're doing. I guarantee their research shows that they have more customers willing to be vaccinated than those who aren't, and also that their research shows requiring vaccination is a net positive for their bottom line.

 

While you don't really know that because most of what is done is required by government edict, when they remove the shot requirements and the minority on this forum freak out about that can we say the same thing then.