NCL first cruise line to remove ALL Vaccine Requirements!!

[mkdreams]

GOOD it is about time! YES!

[spanishguy1970]

8 hours ago, Swells1 said:

I'm happy to not have to worry about pre-cruise testing, but I do prefer my fellow passengers be fully vaccinated. 

I agree, however fully vaccinated could still be covid positive. Entering a ship without knowing if you are positive or negative is also a problem. Testing before entering the ship never bothered me. 🙂

[RichYak]

8 minutes ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

 

While I disagree with the number of unvaccinated that will be sailing, I do respect you :). Hope I didn't come off as being disrespectful. 

Thanks, there's nothing disrespectful about disagreeing with someone.

[kasimir]

14 minutes ago, spanishguy1970 said:

I agree, however fully vaccinated could still be covid positive. Entering a ship without knowing if you are positive or negative is also a problem. Testing before entering the ship never bothered me. 🙂

Nobody stops you to test yourself before, during or after the cruise. You can also wear a mask and socially distance yourself onboard and be vaccinated. 

[skywonder]

3 minutes ago, kasimir said:

Nobody stops you to test yourself before, during or after the cruise. You can also wear a mask and socially distance yourself onboard and be vaccinated. 

Exactly and well said!

[skywonder]

Great to see to this finally happen! I posted that this was going to happen sooner then many thought it would and I was correct. Time for all to get back to cruising YEAH!

[spanishguy1970]

10 minutes ago, kasimir said:

Nobody stops you to test yourself before, during or after the cruise. You can also wear a mask and socially distance yourself onboard and be vaccinated. 

yeah and you think others will be so responsible? hmmm don't think so :-)...

[BermudaBound2014]

9 hours ago, UKstages said:

 

i floated this very concept in a rather contentious thread here on this topic a few months ago and was harshly rebuked. i still think it's correct. requiring vaccinations didn't eat into the pool of potential cruising customers because those most likely to cruise are already vaccinated. and every cruise line has the stats and the demographics on their customer base. but, in general, for all cruise lines, with the possible exception of carnival, those with a propensity to cruise are most likely already vaccinated.

 

Wrong.

 

Sure, every cruise line has stats and demographics further debunking your theory. If the stats and demographics showed that those with a 'propensity to cruise are most likely already vaccinated", cruise lines wouldn't be changing the rules. 

Frank Del Rio said it himself in this interview today. We were down this road 6 months ago. Today's news removes all doubt that your theory is flawed. Prohibiting the unvaccinated did effect NCL revenue enough where they feel it necessary to lead the industry in ripping off the band-aid.  I do believe it's time to Give up the ghost.

 

 

https://www.bizjournals.com/southflorida/news/2022/08/08/norwegian-cruise-line-no-vaccine-required.html?utm_source=sy&utm_medium=nsyp&utm_campaign=yh

 

 

Edited August 9, 2022 by BermudaBound2014

[Ravensfan1973]

I usually sail RCI, but may switch over to Norweigian if they got rid of the vax mandate.  My family is unvaxxed and ready to cruise.

[mickeychicky]

Didn't address the obvious questions folks are DEFINITELY going to have:

1)  Is there a certain % they are going with for the unvaccinated (like 20%)

2) Are exemptions going to be required for the unvaxed? 

[mickeychicky]

7 hours ago, Ravensfan1973 said:

I usually sail RCI, but may switch over to Norweigian if they got rid of the vax mandate.  My family is unvaxxed and ready to cruise.

Agreed!  Michael Bayley jumped the gun on July 28th with his announcement about welcoming EVERYBODY onboard after August 8 and then went MIA when August 8th came and went with no update on their website.  So it seems RCL is still vaccine required.

[glentally]

39 minutes ago, mickeychicky said:

Didn't address the obvious questions folks are DEFINITELY going to have:

1)  Is there a certain % they are going with for the unvaccinated (like 20%)

2) Are exemptions going to be required for the unvaxed? 

Nope!  Just get tested, That dog don't hunt here anymore.

[Rob-Bob]

22 hours ago, Swells1 said:

I'm happy to not have to worry about pre-cruise testing, but I do prefer my fellow passengers be fully vaccinated. 

Why?  Very serious question, why?

[Swells1]

6 minutes ago, Rob-Bob said:

Why?  Very serious question, why?

I can't answer this question honestly without violating the terms and conditions of the site, so I should keep my keyboard quiet. 

[latebloomer56]

19 hours ago, Oxo said:

Not if that includes Canada.

Thanks think we will put this off for another time.

[BermudaBound2014]

1 hour ago, mickeychicky said:

Agreed!  Michael Bayley jumped the gun on July 28th with his announcement about welcoming EVERYBODY onboard after August 8 and then went MIA when August 8th came and went with no update on their website.  So it seems RCL is still vaccine required.

 

But in fairness, RCL did update their website to say that more information would be provided on August 14th. I suspect that on August 14th you will find that RCL has significantly reduced their vaccination requirements. 

[latebloomer56]

20 hours ago, ByThePond said:

If your New England cruise goes to Canada, vaccination and pre-testing and ArriveCAN is still required. Check the country-specific requirements. 

Skipping Canada and Bermuda this year to confusing to balance 5 of us (all Vax all over 12). Maybe next April's trip to Bermuda will be easier.

Thanks to all as always for your posts, Laura

[mickeychicky]

59 minutes ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

 

But in fairness, RCL did update their website to say that more information would be provided on August 14th. I suspect that on August 14th you will find that RCL has significantly reduced their vaccination requirements. 

August 14 is not noted in the top banner under the Healthy Sail Center on their website, just talks about testing updates.  So would you be able to provide the link to the page you are getting your info from?

[mickeychicky]

15 hours ago, spanishguy1970 said:

yeah and you think others will be so responsible? hmmm don't think so :-)...

We shouldn't be worried about what other people do or don't do.  We all are responsible for OURSELVES.  We all have choices and free will.  People need to get back to worrying about themselves and not what others around them are doing, if they are wearing a mask, if they are jabberdoo'd, if they wash their hands, if they test. 

[BermudaBound2014]

On 8/8/2022 at 9:13 AM, prmssk said:

I’m not sure the vague wording on their website means they don’t still have a percentage in their policies. 

 

Just to clear this up. I'm listening to FDR's conference call at this very moment. There are NO percentage policies for the unvaccinated on NCL.  They ripped off the band-aid entirely.

[BermudaBound2014]

28 minutes ago, mickeychicky said:

August 14 is not noted in the top banner under the Healthy Sail Center on their website, just talks about testing updates.  So would you be able to provide the link to the page you are getting your info from?

 

An update provided to travel agents: 

 

IMO, when RCL says they are transitioning to a point where "Everyone, regardless of vaccine status will be able to sail with us" that implies a big shift coming in policy. I suspect that on August 14th RCL will also remove the strict protocols associated with vaccine status. 

[mickeychicky]

10 minutes ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

 

An update provided to travel agents: 

 

IMO, when RCL says they are transitioning to a point where "Everyone, regardless of vaccine status will be able to sail with us" that implies a big shift coming in policy. I suspect that on August 14th RCL will also remove the strict protocols associated with vaccine status. 

Ahhh, us regular folk don't see that info.  Thank you!

[pmms052999]

22 hours ago, bluesea777 said:

 

I agree. Every cruise since the re-start have had cases of covid on board, not at the beginning but half-way thru and at end of cruise, and also post cruise. We, party of 4, are fully vaxxed, boostered but still contracted covid while on the Joy in March, after the mask mandate was removed. Our cases were mild but it took us 11 days to test negative (antigen).

 

Last cruise was last month on Star, and I heard people also contracted covid toward the end of 11 day cruise. We got lucky.

 

These said, can you picture this: what happens when an unvaccinated person who had previously not contracted covid, contracts covid while on the cruise? Will this person have mild symptoms or get full-blown covid (really sick) that requires hospitalization?

 

Here in Bermuda the population is 65K, but there still are covid deaths. There are about 25-30% unvaccinated.

 

So, in mho, the unvaccinated may be sailing in dangerous waters. 

 

 

Serious question...what does it matter to you if this person gets really sick?   They chose not to get vaccine and understand the risks.  And to be fair, the risk of hospitalization from COVID is extremely low.

[kasimir]

1 hour ago, pmms052999 said:

Serious question...what does it matter to you if this person gets really sick?   They chose not to get vaccine and understand the risks.  And to be fair, the risk of hospitalization from COVID is extremely low.

Agree 100% ... Its personal responsibility and common sense! 

 

If I don't brush my teeth and never go to the dentist and my teeth rot away, do I blame the cruise line for serving all these nice sugary food items? 

If I have unprotected love with someone on the ship and catch an STD afterward, do I blame the cruise line for not mandating protection to all cruisers and testing them for STD's in advance? 

 

I could go with many more examples... but lets act like adults for once! There are many ways to limit your exposure to COVID and if you are not comfortable with cruising, then stay at home or do something else! Nobody complained in the past when you were at risk to catch a flu or the noro-virus on board either. 

 

 

This is not any different with COVID... I am fully vaccinated, received one booster and still got COVID at the beginning of the year with mild symptoms. I am happy to go on a cruise and take the risk to catch it again. 

[UKstages]

On 8/8/2022 at 5:14 PM, RichYak said:

And I don't agree. It doesn't mean there's a flaw in my logic any more than in yours. And frankly, I wouldn't be so bold to say yours has flaws and I don't appreciate you saying mine does. We simply disagree.

 

respectfully, you don't agree because you don't buy into the supposition.

 

and that's fine. you simply don't agree. i get that.

 

but there is indeed a flaw in the logic because it is just a math problem. and we're talking about two distinct groups, one of which is a subset of the other. and you can't count the two groups twice.  that holds true regardless of what the numbers are and whether you buy into the premise.

 

the flaw in the logic is not that you don't agree with me.

 

the flaw in the logic is the way the numbers are derived.

 

as for whether NCL customers, or the cruising public at large, are more likely to be vaccinated, the answer is most definitely yes. cruise customers tend to be older and older americans are more highly vaxxed than the gen pop... the range is from over 80% in vermont, to mid 50s in a state like utah. there are influencing factors at play here, but it would violate CC rules to share them.

 

international cruisers from developed nations have very high rates of vaccination because vaccination hasn't been politicized in other countries quite like it has in the USA. socioeconomic factors also come into play. cruisers tend to be people with more disposable income and those folks, the people with more money, , not surprisingly, tend to be more highly vaxxed.

 

anybody who tells you that there are large numbers of unvaccinated travelers champing at the bit to cruise - and that a vaccine requirement has kept them from cruising - is blowing sunshine up their skirt.

 

and that includes the cruise lines! 

 

can you think of a reason, other than rev gen, that would make cruise lines want to drop vaccine requirements? i certainly can.