No More Pre-Cruise Testing for Vaccinated guests on voyages less than 6 nights starting August 8th!

[uncwmark]

According to RCCL's latest quarterly earnings (released this morning)...

"Starting Aug. 8, testing will be required for unvaccinated guests on all voyages and for vaccinated guests only on voyages that are six nights or longer. "

 

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/royal-caribbean-group-reports-second-120000818.html

 

I know this won't please everyone, but probably a reasonable step and one that moves cruising towards where the rest of the travel industry has already gone pursuant to COVID. 

[hazeleyes46]

I think most take 7 day cruises and not happy we will still have to test. Very stressful.

[smokeybandit]

One can only hope that's just Phase 1 of a ramp down of testing.

 

Otherwise that's a joke and I'm sure they'll get plenty of negative feedback

Edited July 28, 2022 by smokeybandit

[papaflamingo]

1 minute ago, smokeybandit said:

One can only hope that's just Phase 1 of a ramp down of testing.

 

Otherwise that's a joke and I'm sure they'll get plenty of negative feedback

You are likely correct.  It does seem a bit weird to only drop the requirements on short cruises.  Regent Cruise Line has dropped testing requirements on Aug. 1  unless the country. of origin requires it.  So I think we are slowly coming out of "Covid mode."  

[uncwmark]

It's the same approach they've taken with almost everything... you've got to start somewhere and this is likely a measured approach... give it another 30-45 days (conjecture on my part) and, likely, it'll get expanded to sailings up to 10 or 14 days... baby steps... 

[nelblu]

14 minutes ago, uncwmark said:

According to RCCL's latest quarterly earnings (released this morning)...

"Starting Aug. 8, testing will be required for unvaccinated guests on all voyages and for vaccinated guests only on voyages that are six nights or longer. "

 

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/royal-caribbean-group-reports-second-120000818.html

 

I know this won't please everyone, but probably a reasonable step and one that moves cruising towards where the rest of the travel industry has already gone pursuant to COVID. 

Makes no sense whatsoever.

[smokeybandit]

3 minutes ago, uncwmark said:

It's the same approach they've taken with almost everything... you've got to start somewhere and this is likely a measured approach... give it another 30-45 days (conjecture on my part) and, likely, it'll get expanded to sailings up to 10 or 14 days... baby steps... 

It's a completely random number pulled out of thin air. But hopefully pulled out of thin air as not to upset the CDC.

Edited July 28, 2022 by smokeybandit

[uncwmark]

1 minute ago, smokeybandit said:

It's a completely random number pulled out of thin air.

 

Perhaps... but, it's better than nothing... and, as far as I know, they're now the first of the "big 3" US cruise lines to eliminate pre-cruise testing out of US ports for a segment of their customers... 

[smokeybandit]

8 minutes ago, uncwmark said:

 

Perhaps... but, it's better than nothing... and, as far as I know, they're now the first of the "big 3" US cruise lines to eliminate pre-cruise testing out of US ports for a segment of their customers... 

It's not better than nothing when you're likely to piss off your loyal big spender cruisers by establishing policy that caters to the one-off weekender crowd.

[Biker19]

17 minutes ago, nelblu said:

Makes no sense whatsoever.

Of course it does - they probably have the numbers which tell them that the chance of RCI having a positive customer drops dramatically on sailings under 6 days (they don't care what happens after you step off the ship).

 

Biker, who foresees at least 5 of these threads with 1/2 being locked by the weekend.

Edited July 28, 2022 by Biker19

[alleghator]

I think this is a great step in the right direction. Easing into it to see how it goes -- how many passengers and crew stay healthy before relaxing things further. They certainly can't provide the cruising experience we all love if they can't staff their ships.

[uncwmark]

Just now, smokeybandit said:

It's not better than nothing when you're likely to piss off your loyal big spender cruisers by establishing policy that caters to the one-off weekender crowd.

Huh? So, folks are going to cancel their 6+ night cruises because they're upset that 3 night cruisers don't have to test anymore? (especially when all other US-focused cruise lines are requiring everyone to still test?)  Ok... 🤪

 

Look... I get it, would I rather all testing be eliminated immediately... sure.. but, that wasn't likely going to happen so I take this as a TEMPORARY step and moving us in the right direction.  

[little britain]

35 minutes ago, uncwmark said:

According to RCCL's latest quarterly earnings (released this morning)...

"Starting Aug. 8, testing will be required for unvaccinated guests on all voyages and for vaccinated guests only on voyages that are six nights or longer. "

 

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/royal-caribbean-group-reports-second-120000818.html

 

I know this won't please everyone, but probably a reasonable step and one that moves cruising towards where the rest of the travel industry has already gone pursuant to COVID. 

Worldwide or just USA departures? 

[uncwmark]

 

Sounds like blanket statement that would be effective throughout the fleet, though I don't think there are many non-US cruises that are less than 6 days long, except some of the sailings out of Singapore? 

Edited July 28, 2022 by uncwmark

[smokeybandit]

7 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

Of course it does - they probably have the numbers which tell them that the chance of RCI having a positive customer drops dramatically on sailings under 6 days (they don't care what happens after you step off the ship).

 

 

But that is meaningless in regards to pre-cruise testing.

[SUSIEK]

For those of us that live in FL and often take advantage of a last minute 3 or 4 night deal…..we are very happy 😃!!  
 

[shof515]

How does this effect the 5 day bermuda cruises? bermuda still requires covid testing

[Sea Viewer]

15 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

It's not better than nothing when you're likely to piss off your loyal big spender cruisers by establishing policy that caters to the one-off weekender crowd.

Many of the weekender crowd, as you refer to them, are NOT one off cruisers and many of those weekend crowds are frequent cruisers who live locally and cruise once or twice a month. If this was not a good source of revenue for royal I don't think they would be placing re amped freedom class ships on these routes.

 

Getting testing prior to cruise twice a month compared to twice a year is a big difference. 

[mkrr1123]

Does not help me and my stress level for our cruise on the 4th.  One of the families just had their daughter test positive yesterday so they are out. Luckily my girls have not seen her for at least 2 weeks but  I am a wreck about whether or not we will be getting on that boat on next Thursday.   This is so stressful.  I was so hoping for the requirement to be dropped August first. 

[Midway7934]

My thoughts exactly, shof515. Bermuda 5 night cruises out of Cape Liberty go through September. You can't get off the ship in Bermuda unless you pay your $40 and have a covid test. RC Was doing the checking before boarding. Now what?

[drb116]

I think this makes good sense. If part of the rational behind pre-cruise testing is to make sure the on board medical team is not overwhelmed, then removing it from shorter cruises allows them to see the impact. If anyone catches covid on a short cruise, they will likely not be sick or spread it until after the cruise. 6 nights or more may see people pick it up early and still spread it later.

[twangster]

3 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

But that is meaningless in regards to pre-cruise testing.

 

With cruises less than 6 nights there remains a degree of uncertainty when someone who ends up positive actually became infected.   On longer cruises there is more certainty if a positive case occurred during the cruise.  

 

During any potential legal or social media actions blaming the cruise that degree of uncertainty means a lot.  The public will quickly decide you can't blame it on the cruise during a 4 night sailing for example.   The keyword is "outbreak".  

 

An outbreak takes time to get rolling.  Spread may occur on day one of a cruise but it doesn't balloon into an outbreak until the spread multiples on itself several days into a cruise.  On cruises less than 6 nights it becomes much more difficult to prove an outbreak occurred on the ship if one did in fact occur.  

 

This is important because if an outbreak occurs on a ship and there is no denying an outbreak has occurred on board the next question will be "Did the cruise line do enough to prevent the outbreak?".  Precruise testing is a key component of doing enough to prevent an outbreak.  

[smokeybandit]

2 minutes ago, twangster said:

 

With cruises less than 6 nights there remains a degree of uncertainty when someone who ends up positive actually became infected.   On longer cruises there is more certainty if a positive case occurred during the cruise.  

 

During any potential legal or social media actions blaming the cruise that degree of uncertainty means a lot.  The public will quickly decide you can't blame it on the cruise during a 4 night sailing for example.   The keyword is "outbreak".  

 

An outbreak takes time to get rolling.  Spread may occur on day one of a cruise but it doesn't balloon into an outbreak until the spread multiples on itself several days into a cruise.  On cruises less than 6 nights it becomes much more difficult to prove an outbreak occurred on the ship if one did in fact occur.  

 

This is important because if an outbreak occurs on a ship and there is no denying an outbreak has occurred on board the next question will be "Did the cruise line do enough to prevent the outbreak?".  Precruise testing is a key component of doing enough to prevent an outbreak.  

Omicron hits you pretty quick.  You could legit test negative 2 days prior, be exposed that day and be symptomatic when you board the cruise.

I suspect the 5 night cutoff is much more bureaucratic and political than actually medically founded.

[2VaCruzers]

4 minutes ago, Midway7934 said:

My thoughts exactly, shof515. Bermuda 5 night cruises out of Cape Liberty go through September. You can't get off the ship in Bermuda unless you pay your $40 and have a covid test. RC Was doing the checking before boarding. Now what?

We’re on a 5 day to Bermuda in October, followed by a 9 day to NE/Canada.  I think we’re going to be at the mercy of the destination countries. 

[Concretemanstan]

Oh for goodness sake RCL!  You know that most take cruises that are 7 nights or longer.  Stop with the gestures and the "we are taking action" and get rid!