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

[Another_Critic]

3 minutes ago, tlguinn_2000 said:

he expected to drop testing for vaccinated guests on longer cruises in the near future.

Hopefully Sept. 1 is the "near" future.  🙂  But more likely Oct. 1.

[smokeybandit]

14 minutes ago, rudeney said:

 

Again, it's not an attempt to stop/slow the spread and protect passengers, but to keep RCCL from having to deal with it on their ships - it becomes someone else's problem.  

I bet they'll find the problem to be a lot less once they stop paying for quarantine expenses.

[Ret MP]

3 hours ago, S.A.M.J.R. said:

And there's nothing wrong with that.  If you don't want to test, don't cruise.  

Or let my feelings be known, hope for the best and still cruise.  I don't believe in turning the other cheek.  

[hotsauce126]

6 hours ago, Sea Viewer said:

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. 

and those of us who have jobs and also like to take other vacations besides cruises

[crazyank]

5 hours ago, MommaBear55 said:

Makes no sense whatsoever.

yep, completely agree.

5 hours ago, MommaBear55 said:

It makes sense when you look at the infection rate and the doubling time. They will be able to get people off before it can blow up into a major issue.

Nope,

[DukeASUGirl]

7 hours 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... 

We said in 66 days from now, so I'm hoping they'll drop it before then!

[Mikew0805]

I couldn't care less. Testing is cheap and easy, especially with the eMed tests.

[xpcdoojk]

3 hours ago, rudeney said:

 

You keep saying that, but I don't think you are expressing the opinion that you intend.  For Omicron, it's as high as 18.  Even at 10, by day 5, it's 10,000 possible infections based on "close contact" rules.  Cruise ships with crowded terminals, elevators, dining rooms, bars and show certainly qualify as close contact.  Yet we aren't seeing huge numbers of infections on cruise ships.  That is likely due to a combination of natural immunity, immunity through vaccinations, and symptoms that are so mild, people don't notice them.

 

I am not a doctor or epidemiologist, but I understand more about it than some people might.  I have a degree in E&S and years ago I was contracted to write a custom analytical software tool for one of Dr. AF's research docs when he was trying to find a cure for AIDS (now known as HIV).  What I learned in working with these government health agencies and grant organizations is that there is much more politics and media fodder than science.  

 

I am a bit surprised that there was any science!  😆

[Charles4515]

3 hours ago, ONECRUISER said:

Works for me, I like Sea Days!

 

Cruises to nowhere from the US are not allowed. Currently Bermuda requires everyone to show a negative test result at embarkation and it does not matter if they get off the ship or not. 

[livingonthebeach]

4 hours ago, BND said:

There is absolutely nothing wrong with anyone wanting testing to go away for all cruises.  This is the next step in that direction.  It is kind of stupid when you can go on a b2b2b2b2b or more of 3 or 4 night cruises without testing, but you can't go on a 7 night one.  See the lack of logic in this?  That's what makes it "stupid, not fair, etc"  Because it is.

 

Yes conceivably one could go on multiple b2bs but in reality only people like Super Mario and a few Pinns go on a b2b2b2b2b2b2b......I'm sure the bean counters (or the clowns in Miami as some have said) have run the numbers and that is what they came up with -- I don't say it's right or wrong, stupid or not stupid, fair or not, or that I agree or disagree. That's what we have to live with at the moment if we want to cruise or not. Personally, I think it's a small step in the direction of getting back to cruising as we knew it. 

[BND]

24 minutes ago, livingonthebeach said:

 

Yes conceivably one could go on multiple b2bs but in reality only people like Super Mario and a few Pinns go on a b2b2b2b2b2b2b......I'm sure the bean counters (or the clowns in Miami as some have said) have run the numbers and that is what they came up with -- I don't say it's right or wrong, stupid or not stupid, fair or not, or that I agree or disagree. That's what we have to live with at the moment if we want to cruise or not. Personally, I think it's a small step in the direction of getting back to cruising as we knew it. 

As I said in a later post, the point was while a lot don't, it's something people CAN do.  I was just making that point.

[livingonthebeach]

5 minutes ago, BND said:

As I said in a later post, the point was while a lot don't, it's something people CAN do.  I was just making that point.

 

Agreed. It's certainly a workaround the new rule. I admit I didn't go through all the nine pages -- didn't see your subsequent post. 

Edited July 28, 2022 by livingonthebeach

[ONECRUISER]

2 hours ago, Another_Critic said:

Hopefully Sept. 1 is the "near" future.  🙂  But more likely Oct. 1.

True, but either Date will work for me, doing PC on Serenade Oct 2nd

[jerseygirl3]

4 hours ago, CoffeeBoy said:

"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. "

 

Wait. Are they saying unvaccinated guests can board cruises after August? They don't have to apply for a religious or medical exception?

I thought the same thing.  Sounds like they will be doing away with vaccine mandates before they do away with testing for vaccinated passengers. Not happy about this.

[RedIguana]

3 hours ago, rudeney said:

Omicron is 2-4 days.  And it's rolling days.  So that first person boards on day 1 and is infected (his test two days prior was negative, but now he's contagious).  By day 3, 18 more are infected and contagious.  And the factorial starts at that point, so 5,832 infected by day 5.  All this shows is that it's not an attempt to contain infection - it's an attempt to keep it off the ships so that it becomes "someone else's problem".  Like I said, politics not science.

It would be by day 4 or 5 18 more are infected and become contagious. Then, as you say, the factorial starts. However, it is a closed set, not an open set. R naught will decline after the first round of infections, and decline further for the second set. It is an attempt to keep the number of quarantine cabins in use or required down, and yes, off the ship it becomes someone else's problem, which is why they are dropping testing on the shorter cruises. It is economics, capitalism at work, not politics. RCL has a fiduciary duty to their shareholders. They are setting policy in such a way that they believe it is best for their company.

[Ret MP]

19 minutes ago, RedIguana said:

It would be by day 4 or 5 18 more are infected and become contagious. Then, as you say, the factorial starts. However, it is a closed set, not an open set. R naught will decline after the first round of infections, and decline further for the second set. It is an attempt to keep the number of quarantine cabins in use or required down, and yes, off the ship it becomes someone else's problem, which is why they are dropping testing on the shorter cruises. It is economics, capitalism at work, not politics. RCL has a fiduciary duty to their shareholders. They are setting policy in such a way that they believe it is best for their company.

While I agree that it is capitalism at work, and I love capitalism, I believe it is also political.  Why?  The CDC has shown its colors when it comes to the cruise industry.  Therefore, I believe the American cruise industry will do what ever to white wash things to make it look like they are working hard and sacrificing to limit COVID on their ships.  Regardless if it makes sense or not, regardless if it works or not.  YMMV!

Edited July 28, 2022 by Ret MP

[latserrof]

8 hours ago, Ret MP said:

 In my opinion, it's a gimmick. Less people likely to show up positive, less people in the quarantine cabins, less public relations issues while on the cruise ship on a 6 or less night cruise.  

 

 

It's not a gimmick, it comports with the whole goal -- to keep the number of covid-positives onboard manageable by preventing  as many as possible from boarding (pre-cruise testing) and/or then disembarking them before their numbers are overwhelming (shorter cruises). It's a numbers game, and it figures.

[Sunshine3601]

2 hours ago, dada2199cc said:

I bet it’s going to be 90% vaccinated passengers including kids and they will dump the religion and medical part.

 

I’m starting to think it’ll be 80% soon (good for me!) — and how many kids are sailing in august with school back in session?

 

 

Schools in my area (southeastern PA) start after Labor Day.    We are on a 8.28 sailing and looks like we will have a very full ship.

[latserrof]

7 hours ago, Ret MP said:

 So, Yes if the main purpose of the pre-cruise testing is to keep the virus off the ship, IT'S USLESS. 

The purpose of pre-cruise testing is not to keep the virus off the ship -- the purpose  is to keep ENOUGH of the virus off the ship to allow the ship to continue sailing.

[ONECRUISER]

19 minutes ago, Sunshine3601 said:

Schools in my area (southeastern PA) start after Labor Day.    We are on a 8.28 sailing and looks like we will have a very full ship.

My Kids always started 2 weeks before Labor Day, we moved south and Started 1st week of Aug.  Now my Grand Daughters started School this week. Interesting how they all do School yr different... 20-30yrs ago Labor Day week was a slow week with no Kids AND a very cheap week to Cruise. Cruised that week almost every yr, not the norm but one we did had 4 named Storms/Hurricanes. Was a Blast Rocking/Rolling steering around these on the smaller Ships...

[BND]

This is what Michael Bayley posted on his FB page:  "Today ! Finally ! we announced a change to the testing requirement. Effective August 8th there is no requirement for vaccinated guests to test for any cruise 5 nights or less. Unvaccinated guests will be required to take one test within 3 days of departure. We will also continue to operate highly vaccinated cruises with a vaccinated population greater than society and which continues to exempt kids 12 and under and we will welcome unvaccinated guests over 12 and guests with a certificate of recovery within 90 days to travel keeping in mind our ships will typically sail with 80 percent plus vaccinated guests onboard. All crew onboard will continue to be fully vaccinated and boosted when eligible. Over the coming weeks as we evaluate these changes and discuss further changes with the destinations we visit, our intention is to further relax testing requirements."

[smokeybandit]

35 minutes ago, latserrof said:

The purpose of pre-cruise testing is not to keep the virus off the ship -- the purpose  is to keep ENOUGH of the virus off the ship to allow the ship to continue sailing.

That was the original intent sure.

Now the only reason is for PR

[jerseygirl3]

1 hour ago, BND said:

This is what Michael Bayley posted on his FB page:  "Today ! Finally ! we announced a change to the testing requirement. Effective August 8th there is no requirement for vaccinated guests to test for any cruise 5 nights or less. Unvaccinated guests will be required to take one test within 3 days of departure. We will also continue to operate highly vaccinated cruises with a vaccinated population greater than society and which continues to exempt kids 12 and under and we will welcome unvaccinated guests over 12 and guests with a certificate of recovery within 90 days to travel keeping in mind our ships will typically sail with 80 percent plus vaccinated guests onboard. All crew onboard will continue to be fully vaccinated and boosted when eligible. Over the coming weeks as we evaluate these changes and discuss further changes with the destinations we visit, our intention is to further relax testing requirements."

So now they will be allowing more unvaccinated to sail "typically with 80% vaccinated " and changing the timeframe for testing from 48 to 72 hours?  

[Sunshine3601]

16 minutes ago, jerseygirl3 said:

So now they will be allowing more unvaccinated to sail "typically with 80% vaccinated " and changing the timeframe for testing from 48 to 72 hours?  

Pretty sure the Unvaccinated have always had to test 3 days before then again at cruise terminal at check in.

[Sunshine3601]

1 hour ago, BND said:

This is what Michael Bayley posted on his FB page:  "Today ! Finally ! we announced a change to the testing requirement. Effective August 8th there is no requirement for vaccinated guests to test for any cruise 5 nights or less. 

Bunch of 5 night sailings to Bermuda and they still want testing and that darn $40 TA.