Vaccination cards + booster timing question

[LisaLisa87]

Hello! We're gearing up for our Breakaway sailing, which is in just under 2 weeks. This cruise began as a 2020 spring break cruise on Epic and was subsequently rescheduled 5 times, so it's been a long haul! A couple of vaccination questions:

 

1. I read the "Sail Safe" page and understand that photos of our vaccination cards are acceptable, but I'm wondering whether there is any reason to bring the actual cards. We're driving to the embarkation port, and I haven't received info from NCL indicating that any of ports where we're stopping have stricter requirements. We're going to the Dominican Republic, St. Thomas, Tortola, and GSC. Curious to know whether some of you have taken the actual cards.

 

2. DH and I are eligible for our second boosters and decided to get them this week (11 days from embarkation). After reading the Sail Safe info, I'm slightly concerned that someone at NCL is going to look at our cards during embarkation and see that our most recent shot was less than 14 days prior to boarding. I realize that, technically, we only need to have the first two shots to be "fully vaccinated," but this wouldn't be the first time someone at NCL misinterpreted their own policy!

 

I realize I am probably overthinking things -- especially #2, above, but this cruise has been along time coming and I want to make sure all our i's are dotted.

 

Thanks in advance for any insight! 🙂

[jamadeliz]

I have my 2 booster shots on a separate card.  You could get them done and have them on a separate card so there is no concern.  

[LisaLisa87]

13 minutes ago, jamadeliz said:

I have my 2 booster shots on a separate card.  You could get them done and have them on a separate card so there is no concern.  

 

Thanks, @jamadeliz. That's a good idea. I also realized after I posted that I could just take photos of our cards now, before we get the second boosters. (Doh!)

Edited May 9, 2022 by LisaLisa87

[JGmf]

Depending on who is looking, your response from port staff may differ, so take this with a grain of salt:

 

My friend got is second booster 8 days before embarkation.  It was proudly listed on his card.  No one blinked or even gave him a high-five for being a good citizen or anything, so I think you'll be fine.

 

On the matter of bringing your vax card, I brought mine and prefer to as it's easier to show port check-in people paper than handing them your phone.  I keep it tucked into the passport with a small butterfly binder clip keeping it nice and snug.

[ColeThornton]

The cards are small and easy to take with you.  Why not be prepared, just in case?   The second issue is a non-issue.

[CrazyTrain2]

I still have no idea why these cards are used as proof of vaccination.  The cards are supposed to be used as a reminder card not an actual official government document.  Your actual vaccine records are kept at the State level.  Here in New Mexico, you can easily download and print your vax records.  But each state is VERY different and at least the card provide a similar look and feel across the nation.

 

Personally, I have a bit of a quandary.  I am vaxed and boosted but I want to wait until we have Omicron variant booster to get my 4th shot.  Sailing in October, so LET'S GO Moderna and Pfizer and get those second generation vaccines out.

 

I am very interested in the cruise reports to see how Covid is behaving or not behaving onboard.

 

 

[davesgirl51]

There are currently 42 cruise ships operating under code orange.

[ChiefMateJRK]

2 hours ago, CrazyTrain2 said:

I want to wait until we have Omicron variant booster to get my 4th shot.

Omicron variant booster??  Is this really a thing?

[BirdTravels]

2 hours ago, CrazyTrain2 said:

I still have no idea why these cards are used as proof of vaccination.  The cards are supposed to be used as a reminder card not an actual official government document.  

They are actual government documents which is why forging one is a crime. 

[BirdTravels]

4 hours ago, LisaLisa87 said:

1. I read the "Sail Safe" page and understand that photos of our vaccination cards are acceptable, but I'm wondering whether there is any reason to bring the actual cards.

While the cruise line does not "require" a physical card, please consider some of the countries you may visit and the activities you may take part in that would require a physical card. On our recent cruise, passengers were told at every port to have their vaccine card with them. 

 

I can tell you that the "silliest" people at check in are those where Dad is fumbling with his phone, trying to pull up pictures for a family's worth of vaccine cards, then log on to get test results, then try to pull up edocs for cruise tickets. While dad fumbles around, we hold up our old fashion paper copies and are waved on by dad and his family. 

Edited May 9, 2022 by BirdTravels

[julig22]

In Europe last fall they told us we needed cards in some places.  In Mexico last month they told us photocopies or pictures were ok.  Bring your card, have photos/copies with you.  Take what you need ashore they'll do their best to tell you what you will need to have with respect to passport, id, vax info.

[CrazyTrain2]

15 hours ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

Omicron variant booster??  Is this really a thing?

Yes, Both Pfizer and Modera are formulating a multi-variant second generation booster.  Moderna's will be ready in the "fall".  I won't get into the science of it, but mRNA vaccines are really targeting Cancer not a virus "de jour".  Before Covid Moderna was doing cancer research.  mRNA can be reprogrammed to have the body manufacture a different neutralizing anti-body fairly easily.  Covid vaccines validated the mRNA platform for a whole host of diseases.

 

The multi-variant should be in the 90%+ effectiveness for all Covid strains identified during formulation.  It may even include a flu vaccine (TBD).

 

If there is anything good coming out of Covid, it may be a path to effective Cancer vaccines.

[LisaLisa87]

Thanks everyone. I'll bring our cards and keep them with our passports. I was a little reluctant because the states (we moved recently) where we've had our shots do not keep official records that can be downloaded any time. On top of that, we've gotten all our shots at Walgreens, and they were a pain when we wanted a new card for DD. The person at the pharmacy who filled out her card for her second Pfizer shot wrote in orange ink, which faded to the point where the writing was barely legible, and they didn't want to give us a new card.