Predict the Date HAL will drop pre-cruise Testing for all cruises...

[PACD_JG]

10 hours ago, FlaMariner said:

November 1, 2022...........

 

(Just need the testing foolishness/dance/hoops/craziness to end before we board with the family for our Thanksgiving cruise!)

Our luck it's probably more likely that they not only don't end the test requirement, they make masking mandatory right before we sail.  Final payment to the big box TA 08/07!

[Crazy For Cats]

Hopefully they end the testing requirements before final payment is due for our March cruise.  If not I’ll follow through on my post cruise survey and cancel the cruise.  

[PROCRUISE]

December 1, 2022

Edited August 5, 2022 by PROCRUISE

[iceman93]

12 hours ago, PACD_JG said:

Our luck it's probably more likely that they not only don't end the test requirement, they make masking mandatory right before we sail.  Final payment to the big box TA 08/07!

This is what happened on my recent cruise.  We were handed a letter when checking in at the embarkation port that masks were going to be mandatory on board.  To say we weren't happy would be an understatement.

[Tampa Girl]

On 8/4/2022 at 4:33 AM, CruiserBruce said:

As Canada and Greece still REQUIRE tests to board, I think they have a vote in this...

You bring up a good point.  Neither HAL; nor the CDC have control over what foreign ports will require, and on longer cruises, testing may be required because of the particular ports visited.  Further, there is a thread on the 2023 WC about foreign ports requiring quarantining in the particular foreign port when testing comes back negative.  If that is the case, my guess is that HAL is unlikely to dispense with pre-cruise testing and certainly not during the cruise because of the the possibility of  in-port quarantine.  Since Covid appears to be intent on hanging around, I am not too optimistic about doing away with testing, at least regarding longer cruises.  

[Tampa Girl]

2 hours ago, iceman93 said:

This is what happened on my recent cruise.  We were handed a letter when checking in at the embarkation port that masks were going to be mandatory on board.  To say we weren't happy would be an understatement.

  What countries are scheduled for your cruise?  And does anyone know if masking will be required for a late November western Caribbean cruise (Jamaica, Cayman Islands, 

[iceman93]

21 minutes ago, Tampa Girl said:

  What countries are scheduled for your cruise?  And does anyone know if masking will be required for a late November western Caribbean cruise (Jamaica, Cayman Islands, 

My cruise left from Denmark and visited Norway, Iceland, Greenland, Canada, and ended in the United States.  No ports required masking, in fact the only people we'd see wearing masks in the ports were HAL passengers.

 

Reportedly, the decision on whether to make masks optional or required on a cruise is a joint decision by Seattle HQ, the captain, and the ship's medical officer.

[BermudaBound2014]

25 minutes ago, Tampa Girl said:

  What countries are scheduled for your cruise?  And does anyone know if masking will be required for a late November western Caribbean cruise (Jamaica, Cayman Islands, 

 

I've found that this site is good about updating changes to protocols.

https://www.traveloffpath.com/countries-without-any-travel-restrictions-or-entry-requirements/

 

[BermudaBound2014]

More information was revealed today regarding RCL timeline for removing pre-testing. 

 

 

https://www.thestreet.com/investing/royal-caribbean-ceo-hint-when-fully-drop-covid-testing

 

 

Of course, this is only relevant to those wanting to keep up on changes in the industry as a whole, and is not relevant to HAL specifically (but it might provide better guesses 😉 ) 

[Tampa Girl]

4 hours ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

 

I've found that this site is good about updating changes to protocols.

https://www.traveloffpath.com/countries-without-any-travel-restrictions-or-entry-requirements/

 

 

Thank you very much.

[ShipWalker]

8 hours ago, iceman93 said:

 

…Reportedly, the decision on whether to make masks optional or required on a cruise is a joint decision by Seattle HQ, the captain, and the ship's medical officer.

Masking is never “optional.” It is either “recommended” or “required.”

[ShipWalker]

Just now, ShipWalker said:

Masking is not “optional.” It is either “recommended” or “required.”

 

[iceman93]

1 hour ago, ShipWalker said:

Masking is never “optional.” It is either “recommended” or “required.”

Technically you are correct.  Technically, "recommended" is also the same as "optional".

[ShipWalker]

I read optional as “we don’t care if you wear one or not.”

 

Recommended as “we prefer you wear one.”

 

And of course required as “you will wear the damn mask whether you want to or not.”

Edited August 6, 2022 by ShipWalker

[Mary229]

On 8/3/2022 at 11:22 PM, NavyCruiser said:

Please, Please, Please, NO arguments, NO political statements, whether if you're pro or anti-testing, pro or anti-vaccine.

Maybe you should have added no pontificating 😁

[BermudaBound2014]

10 hours ago, ShipWalker said:

I read optional as “we don’t care if you wear one or not.”

 

Recommended as “we prefer you wear one.”

 

And of course required as “you will wear the damn mask whether you want to or not.”

 

I'm guessing the 'We' is more about the legal team than anyone else. 🙂 

Edited August 6, 2022 by BermudaBound2014

[PACD_JG]

3 hours ago, Mary229 said:

Maybe you should have added no pontificating 😁

Then how would the elderly Canadian ladies entertain themselves?

[iancal]

I do not believe that any change will occur until the incidence of covid is decreasing.

 

At the moment it is increasing.

[mwj]

On 8/4/2022 at 12:22 AM, NavyCruiser said:

It will happen, whether this month, next few months, next year, or few years down the road.

Just predict when.

Please, Please, Please, NO arguments, NO political statements, whether if you're pro or anti-testing, pro or anti-vaccine.

I'll start:   Sept 3, 2022

My wife:  Jan 1, 2023

agree with your wife ... Jan 1 2023

[LocoLoco1]

Thousands of people. Close quarters, long duration, elderly occupants, shared facilities, previous domiciles unknown, co-morbidities. Am I missing anything??😹😹

[gilboman]

Ships which visit Destinations like Bermuda, Bahamas and grand Cayman require testing regardless of length of cruise according to carnival 

 

https://www.cruisehive.com/carnival-cruise-line-clarifies-which-sailings-require-testing/77920

 

Carnival Cruise Line’s testing requirements, stating that testing is still required for all passengers on all cruises, regardless of length, that call on any ports in Bermuda, The Bahamas, or Grand Cayman.

 

To be clear, cruises sailing to Kings Wharf (Bermuda) as well as George Town (Grand Cayman), still require pre-cruise testing

Edited August 7, 2022 by gilboman

[BermudaBound2014]

11 hours ago, gilboman said:

Ships which visit Destinations like Bermuda, Bahamas and grand Cayman require testing regardless of length of cruise according to carnival 

 

https://www.cruisehive.com/carnival-cruise-line-clarifies-which-sailings-require-testing/77920

 

Carnival Cruise Line’s testing requirements, stating that testing is still required for all passengers on all cruises, regardless of length, that call on any ports in Bermuda, The Bahamas, or Grand Cayman.

 

To be clear, cruises sailing to Kings Wharf (Bermuda) as well as George Town (Grand Cayman), still require pre-cruise testing

 

And then there were three.....

 

Well, two and a half actually because RCL and Virgin are sailing to Bahamas without requiring the pretest. For some reason Carnival has a different pre-testing policy for the Bahamas than the rest of the industry.

 

Grand Cayman and Bermuda are no surprise as hold-outs. Neither of those islands need cruise revenue since they are both cash flush.

 

You can now add France to the list of EU countries wide open.  No vaccine. No quarantine. No test. 

 

The list of places that travelers can visit without any covid protocols continues to increase rather rapidly.

 

 

Edited August 7, 2022 by BermudaBound2014

[Florida_gal_50]

On 8/5/2022 at 8:33 PM, ShipWalker said:

I read optional as “we don’t care if you wear one or not.”

 

Recommended as “we prefer you wear one.”

 

And of course required as “you will wear the damn mask whether you want to or not.”

Exactly.  I don’t know why people have such a hard time understanding this, or pretend they do.

Edited August 7, 2022 by Florida_gal_50

[BermudaBound2014]

12 hours ago, gilboman said:

Ships which visit Destinations like Bermuda, Bahamas and grand Cayman require testing regardless of length of cruise according to carnival 

 

https://www.cruisehive.com/carnival-cruise-line-clarifies-which-sailings-require-testing/77920

 

Carnival Cruise Line’s testing requirements, stating that testing is still required for all passengers on all cruises, regardless of length, that call on any ports in Bermuda, The Bahamas, or Grand Cayman.

 

To be clear, cruises sailing to Kings Wharf (Bermuda) as well as George Town (Grand Cayman), still require pre-cruise testing

 

Actually, just to prove how fast things are moving, Carnival back-tracked and is no longer requiring passengers pre-test :). The article you linked was August 2nd. Here is a more recent article. It is challenging to keep up......

 

https://www.cruisehive.com/cruise-news-update-august-6-2022/78244#h-carnival-cruise-line-backtracks-on-the-bahamas

 

 

[Tampa Girl]

Is the requirement for  "pre-cruise" testing satisfied by a testing done by fully vaccinated people within three days of sailing?  The article did not elaborate.