Covid for cruiseships is over

[Aus Traveller]

44 minutes ago, buchhalm said:

It is still 6 months to our planned cruise on Celebrity from Sydney to NZL.

I realize that things will probably change by then, but I'm interested in what pre-departure Covid tests are actually accepted. It seems that the CRUISE LINES are making up their own regulations at the moment as to what type of test they do or don't accept.

As Princess is ATM the only line operating, most comments here are so far relating to that particular company.

Have any of you managed to clarify Celebrity's rules? I can only find regulations on their US website that seems to be quite US specific. They seem to accept PCR tests and RAT tests. In the case of RAT, these must ALSO be supervised and confirmed (somehow) by "a medical professional". Is this service even available in Australia?

I'll ask this also on the Roll Call for this cruise. 🙂 

I don't believe that the cruiselines are making up their own regulations. Protocols were established after long discussions between the cruiselines and the relevant state governments (Q'ld, NSW and Vic). It is likely that Celebrity and any other cruiseline operating here will have very similar protocols.

 

In the US, passengers have to have a supervised RAT. This isn't relevant in Australia, but it is available from many pharmacies. You have to buy the test kit from them and pay for the service. The total cost is around $40 - give or take depending on the particular pharmacy.

[NSWP]

One would think all the cruise lines visiting this region will have to comply with our State Govt government protocols, i.e.covid vaccs, RAT's tests, Masking up, including Celebrity when they get here.

[Aus Traveller]

15 minutes ago, NSWP said:

One would think all the cruise lines visiting this region will have to comply with our State Govt government protocols, i.e.covid vaccs, RAT's tests, Masking up, including Celebrity when they get here.

Agreed. They don't make it up as they go. 🙂

[arxcards]

2 hours ago, buchhalm said:

It is still 6 months to our planned cruise on Celebrity from Sydney to NZL.

I realize that things will probably change by then, but I'm interested in what pre-departure Covid tests are actually accepted. It seems that the CRUISE LINES are making up their own regulations at the moment as to what type of test they do or don't accept.

As Princess is ATM the only line operating, most comments here are so far relating to that particular company.

Have any of you managed to clarify Celebrity's rules? I can only find regulations on their US website that seems to be quite US specific. They seem to accept PCR tests and RAT tests. In the case of RAT, these must ALSO be supervised and confirmed (somehow) by "a medical professional". Is this service even available in Australia?

I'll ask this also on the Roll Call for this cruise. 🙂 

No idea on what Celebrity or Royal have in mind here, as far as I can tell, they haven't announced any variation for cruises here.

 

P&O Australia and Princess are indeed the only lines that are doing these winter cruises. They are complying with what our Eastern state governments require, which includes as a minimum, a self administered RAT. The governments don't require these to be supervised.

 

Supervised PCR and RAT traveller tests can be done at pathology sites and most of the larger chemists for a fee, and similar to US requirements, the result is certified and set to you.

[MicCanberra]

Time will tell, but by the time Royal, X HAL etc come here (Oct/Nov), the testing requirements  may well be dropped, as they have been in other cruise regions.

[Aus Traveller]

6 minutes ago, MicCanberra said:

Time will tell, but by the time Royal, X HAL etc come here (Oct/Nov), the testing requirements  may well be dropped, as they have been in other cruise regions.

Agreed. I doubt that the testing requirements will be made more stringent by the end of the year.

Edited July 27, 2022 by Aus Traveller

[Mareblu]

25 minutes ago, MicCanberra said:

Time will tell, but by the time Royal, X HAL etc come here (Oct/Nov), the testing requirements  may well be dropped, as they have been in other cruise regions.

Correct, Mike.  We are sailing on Oceania Sirena London-London in mid-September, and were looking to arrange the required PCR tests in Portsmouth within 48hrs of boarding.  Two weeks ago, Oceania announced testing of any sort is no longer required.  We’re also sailing home this time, from Barcelona to Sydney on Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth.  Cunard is still requiring negative PCRs within 48hrs of boarding, but I suspect that is constantly under review.  By our embarkation time in October, Cunard may also drop testing requirements.

[MicCanberra]

Azamara and NCL have also dropped the pre boarding testing requirements in Europe for our cruises.

[stki]

9 minutes ago, MicCanberra said:

Azamara and NCL have also dropped the pre boarding testing requirements in Europe for our cruises.

We are on NCL from Athens in Nov this year. At this stage they still require a test to board, but Greece doesn’t need one to enter the country.

 

we are hoping by November this has changed.

[MicCanberra]

3 minutes ago, stki said:

We are on NCL from Athens in Nov this year. At this stage they still require a test to board, but Greece doesn’t need one to enter the country.

 

we are hoping by November this has changed.

Yes some countries and some ports still have restrictions 

[NSWP]

2 hours ago, MicCanberra said:

Time will tell, but by the time Royal, X HAL etc come here (Oct/Nov), the testing requirements  may well be dropped, as they have been in other cruise regions.

God help us if they do drop the testing, covid positive people boarding a ship and spreading it to others is not on.  What concerns me is the possibility ships coming here from North America with pax who have not been tested and are not vaccinated, that may happen.

[Aus Traveller]

4 minutes ago, NSWP said:

God help us if they do drop the testing, covid positive people boarding a ship and spreading it to others is not on.  What concerns me is the possibility ships coming here from North America with pax who have not been tested and are not vaccinated, that may happen.

I agree with you. I think they should continue mandatory COVID testing for all passengers. Even if USA removes the requirement for COVID testing before cruises, I hope the Aust government insists that passengers on ships arriving here must have had the test before boarding, no matter in which country it was.

[MicCanberra]

If they have covid prior to boarding, then they will likely be quarantined well before they get here.

[Aus Traveller]

Just now, MicCanberra said:

If they have covid prior to boarding, then they will likely be quarantined well before they get here.

Yes, but how many people will they pass it on to, then they will pass it on, ad infinitum. At least with pre-boarding testing, hopefully there would be fewer people boarding with the virus.

[Elorac123]

I wonder just how long it will be before they scrap the double vaccination after all we all know it is not long lasting, I know the boosters help but all that is required at the moment is to be double vaxed.

So people who never got boosters would be well and truly unvaxed by now

your thoughts

 Cheers Carole 

[MicCanberra]

1 minute ago, Elorac123 said:

I wonder just how long it will be before they scrap the double vaccination after all we all know it is not long lasting, I know the boosters help but all that is required at the moment is to be double vaxed.

So people who never got boosters would be well and truly unvaxed by now

your thoughts

 Cheers Carole 

Their risk really 

[Elorac123]

1 minute ago, MicCanberra said:

Their risk really 

And soon to be ours, I have had the four vaccinations and they seem to be effective for 3 to 6 months so where to from here ?we are still classed as double vaccinated but really we aren’t if the effect has worn off.

Cheers Carole 

[MicCanberra]

8 minutes ago, Elorac123 said:

And soon to be ours, I have had the four vaccinations and they seem to be effective for 3 to 6 months so where to from here ?we are still classed as double vaccinated but really we aren’t if the effect has worn off.

Cheers Carole 

More boosters, probably annually with the flu vax.

[arxcards]

2 hours ago, NSWP said:

God help us if they do drop the testing, covid positive people boarding a ship and spreading it to others is not on.  What concerns me is the possibility ships coming here from North America with pax who have not been tested and are not vaccinated, that may happen.

Presently here, the cruise lines don't have a choice. While transmissions are still up, our states aren't going to drop any of their imposed protocols for cruises departing East Coast ports, let alone think what will apply to any WA ports.

 

The media from the past couple of weeks backs that up, and currently a domestic cruise of 10 days going to plan is something of a miracle. We have yet to have an international arrival or departure, or even a longer cruise to test numbers. The cruise lines will drop pre-boarding testing as soon as they practically can, but I can't see the co-operative east coast state protocols shifting between now & Christmas.

 

The non-vaccinated are no more likely to spread this than the vaxxed, who are continuing to catch and spread this, but without much severe illness. The unvaxxed are apparently excluded from cruising at present because the ships have minimal capacity to treat serious disease.

[cruisecam1]

You are correct , rules of country where ship is porting in are followed.   It’s a risky thing to fly from afar, take two country required tests  ( New Zealand) on day one and 5 upon arrival and then another one to board ship.  A lot of money, vacation time is invested in traveling so far.  Will wait until final payment for decision.   

[arxcards]

In line with CDC reducing their imposed restrictions, Carnival is backing-off their pre-boarding tests IN THE US. Yes, they still need to report their numbers, as has long been the case for any infectious illnesses, but they no longer require testing for cruises that are short enough that they can still control those numbers. Like here, the shorter the cruise, the less risk of triggering an elevated health response.

 

Carnival Cruise Line is pleased to announce that we are adjusting certain protocols to reflect the lifting of CDC requirements for the U.S. cruise industry.

We remain, as always, committed to the health and safety of our guests, crew and the communities we serve. These changes will be made in phases, with the first of these updates effective on Thursday, August 4, 2022 and focused on short cruise itineraries of 5 nights or less.

More changes will be announced shortly and all changes are subject to any requirements of destinations on the itinerary.

Effective for embarkations on or after Thursday, August 4:

• No pre-cruise testing for fully vaccinated guests booked on cruises with itineraries 5 nights or less.
• Pre-cruise testing for itineraries 6 nights or longer can be conducted three (3) days before departure.
• There will be no in-terminal testing for unvaccinated guests on day of departure, but all unvaccinated guests ages 2 and older must provide proof of a negative result of a lab-administered or supervised self-administered antigen COVID test taken within three (3) days before embarkation.

Guests should continue to carefully review all pre-cruise communications and refer to the Have Fun. Be Safe. page on Carnival.com for more information.

 

Several other cruise lines are also heading along the same path, with varied policies just released or due to be in the next few days.

 

[MicCanberra]

I imagine that some of the same tloosenings will come here as well, may just take another 6 months.

[NSWP]

1 hour ago, MicCanberra said:

I imagine that some of the same tloosenings will come here as well, may just take another 6 months.

God help us.

[MicCanberra]

Protect yourself and your family with jabs and good health hygiene and practices and don't rely on prayers.

[NSWP]

15 hours ago, MicCanberra said:

Protect yourself and your family with jabs and good health hygiene and practices and don't rely on prayers.

I will pray that the cruise ships arriving from the Land of Tipping in the next few months are not Covid infested.  Let us pray.🙏