HAL needs to drop Covid Testing

[latserrof]

Let the market decide?  If only it were that simple. Covid is still a factor, and Covid may have a veto.

Edited July 27, 2022 by latserrof

[JeffElizabeth]

Looks like Azamera and a couple other cruise lines have stopped requiring pre-testing. Will others join them? 

[NavyCruiser]

14 minutes ago, latserrof said:

Let the market decide?  If only it were that simple. Covid is still a factor, and Covid may have a veto.

Then it's Saturday for u....

[strickerj]

10 minutes ago, seaoma said:

 

The CDC doesn't have all the answers. They are just in the position of making the rules.

 

Personally, I follow people who are directly involved working with viruses and public health. They have helped us in this country for centuries. 

 

How does letting more people on cruises with covid, make sense? 

 

The CDC is the one compiling the data though (such as it is), so you'd think they'd be in the best position to determine an appropriate course of action. I never claimed letting more people on cruises with COVID would reduce cases; my point was that COVID is and seemingly always will be with us, it isn't nearly the threat now that it was in the beginning, and society isn't collapsing as a result of everything other than cruising being unrestricted. There are lots of things we could do to keep from ever getting sick or injured, but we don't because they're impractical relative to the risk being mitigated. I believe the time has come where COVID testing everyone boarding a ship falls into that category.

Edited July 27, 2022 by strickerj

[BermudaBound2014]

23 minutes ago, seaoma said:

 

The CDC doesn't have all the answers. They are just in the position of making the rules.

 

Since the CDC has determined that there is no longer a need for them to be involved in the cruise industry as it relates to covid, it seems they aren't all that worried about Covid Fatalities or Long term effects.

 

[ski ww]

On 7/25/2022 at 11:40 AM, rothbury said:

That $129 is each.  Just had some friends take an Alaska cruise.  Went to Walgreens for their test and it was $348 for both of them.

That sounds like a rip off to me. We got tested by HAL in Greece for a resent cruise on the Oosterdam for $60

[strickerj]

27 minutes ago, ski ww said:

That sounds like a rip off to me. We got tested by HAL in Greece for a resent cruise on the Oosterdam for $60

Our local urgent care charged $150 per test for the 3 of us, and we weren't told until after receiving them... This is basically a government-endorsed racket.

[Florida_gal_50]

1 hour ago, NavyCruiser said:

I have a simple solution:

At Miami or Galveston ports, etc:

HAL, or Carnival, or RCCL, etc, have their cruise ships on Saturday - Saturday sailings requiring testing, while Sunday - Sunday sailings do NOT require testing.

Then let the market decides.

Those want want testing sail on Saturdays.

Those who do NOT want testing sail on Sundays.

Let them sail with other like-minded people, so no more bickering onboard, unless you're traveling with spouse...

Good if you are retired or a trust fund baby with seemingly months and month off to travel.  Not so good for those with limited holidays still in the workforce.

[Nukesquad]

My personal issue with the cruise testing mandate is with the current policy of mandated testing "72 hours before embarkation."  The overall theme/question is "Why Test?" I interpret that policy (not just with cruises) is an entity testing just to say that they test, NOT to actually/truly not spread COVID.  Does testing once better than none at all?  One could argue, yes.  However, my issue is that what are people doing once they get a negative test?  Personally, I'm doing my 72hr test tomorrow, then getting on 12 hours of flights the next day.

 

For those who are in the camp that testing is an actual must, do you trust that all those people are truly negative when they enter the ship?  I DEFINITELY DON'T WANT THIS, but the only way to truly get anything out of testing is to test daily, 72 hours before and everyday after that until you disembark.  Otherwise, what if someone brings it in from an excursion on day 3 and still have 14+ days to go?  Obviously, nothing is 100% but only performing one test is "checking a box," not actually searching for live positives.