Another extra cost for unvaccinated guests (12 years and older) on upcoming 5+ night cruises

[Chrissy-Mickey]

With the 7-night Fantasy cruises canceled/changed for September and early October, this would apply to those in October & November.

"Debarkation Day COVID-19 Testing: All Guests (adults and children, regardless of age) on 5-night and longer sailings are required to undergo a PCR COVID-19 test administered by Inspire Diagnostics on the ship prior to debarking. A $65 test fee will be charged to the folio of all Guests 12 years and older. Guests under 12 years of age will be tested at no charge. However, Guests booked on 5-night and longer sailings who choose to provide proof of vaccination will not be required to take a COVID-19 test upon debarkation. "

This is in addition to the testing fees for the test 5 days in advance and the test at embarkation.

 

[sethschroeder]

It seems like Disney was planning on doing a 7 night Fantasy cruise. I wonder if the recent changes from USVI and BVI regarding vaccination requirements changed that. Its really out of place in the current current regulations since there is no 5 night planned included in their policies as it only applies to Dream 3+4 and Fantasy 4 night cruises.

 

[icc2515]

Is this a CDC recommendation, a requirement by some government agency, Disney wanting to see how things are going, or something else?

 

[Love2Cruise2015]

I wonder if, for international travellers, will they let us pay the $65 for the PCR test at debarkation that we need to get back into our country (if we meet the requirements for vaccines and are considered fully vaccinated that is)

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Is this a CDC recommendation, a requirement by some government agency, Disney wanting to see how things are going, or something else?

Almost certainly part of the requirements for BVI and USVI port stops.

 

[WishUponAStarryNight]

What are the consequences of a positive test? I understand some need the test to return home, but for those that don’t, what do the test results mean for them?

 

[icc2515]

Almost certainly part of the requirements for BVI and USVI port stops.

BVI requires all passengers 16+ to be fully vaccinated and USVI requires all passengers 12+ to be fully vaccinated so Disney cannot stop at either with current policies.

 

[sethschroeder]

What are the consequences of a positive test? I understand some need the test to return home, but for those that don’t, what do the test results mean for them?

We will have zero clue likely until they actually update the policy to cover a cruise which is longer.

Which is why the policy is so weird. Like why keep it included in the policy. It's almost like they missed removing it when they decided on shortening the Fantasy.

 

[JWelch62]

Another thing to consider is that DCL will be sailing from California soon. There may be CA based requirements for cruise lines debarking passengers to CA ports. The CADPH may want to know the COVID status of unvaxxed passengers that are entering the state.

 

[sethschroeder]

Another thing to consider is that DCL will be sailing from California soon. There may be CA based requirements for cruise lines debarking passengers to CA ports. The CADPH may want to know the COVID status of unvaxxed passengers that are entering the state.

Except the current policies do not apply to any California cruise.

 

[JWelch62]

Except the current policies do not apply to any California cruise.

Only because they haven't announced ANY protocols for CA. My point is that these protocols are coming soon and DCL may just want to be aligning them before any announcement.

 

[lorenni]

I wonder if, for international travellers, will they let us pay the $65 for the PCR test at debarkation that we need to get back into our country (if we meet the requirements for vaccines and are considered fully vaccinated that is)

I for one would love to be able to get my PCR test done onboard so I can fly home without planning for time in the debarkation port at the end of the cruise.

As far as vaccination status, unless something changed recently, DCL does not consider anyone arriving from outside the US vaccinated, even if you *are* vaccinated and got the exact same vaccines as anyone in the US. So my two shots of Pfizer count for zippo with DCL.

 

[sethschroeder]

Only because they haven't announced ANY protocols for CA. My point is that these protocols are coming soon and DCL may just want to be aligning them before any announcement.

Everything was specifically around the Dream and then when posting finally about the Fantasy (which was a 7 night) it had information about a longer cruise. I wouldn't link that to CA since I would suspect they haven't even done any finalization regarding their policies when they eventually release information for CA.

 

[Henlady]

Its really out of place in the current current regulations since there is no 5 night planned included in their policies as it only applies to Dream 3+4 and Fantasy 4 night cruises.

Actually there is a 5 night cruise scheduled on the Fantasy……leaving Saturday November 6 2021 and returning
November 11. This has been scheduled for over a year.

 

[Henlady]

Actually there is a 5 night cruise scheduled on the Fantasy……leaving Saturday November 6 2021 and returning
November 11. This has been scheduled for over a year.

should have added the November 6 cruise leaves from Port Canaveral

 

[sethschroeder]

Actually there is a 5 night cruise scheduled on the Fantasy……leaving Saturday November 6 2021 and returning
November 11. This has been scheduled for over a year.

Except the policies currently ONLY apply to the Fantasy 4 night sailings only (or Dream 3 and 4 night double dips). It will be updated to include that cruise and others but they are not yet included in the policies.

"The Disney Fantasy will resume sailing beginning September 11, 2021 with 4-night cruises from Port Canaveral, Florida that will be available to book beginning August 25, 2021. Disney Cruise Line hopes to begin sailing 7-night voyages and longer aboard the Disney Fantasy in October 2021, pending conditions closer to that time. We look forward to sharing more information soon."

So Disney will be updating with a new policy update for the Fantasy if those October sailings go out for 7 nights or whenever they have information on the longer sailings. Same with there will be updates to include the Wonder out of where ever they start sailing that from eventually.

https://disneycruise.disney.go.com/why-cruise-disney/experience-updates/us/

 

[cvjw]

I think they were planning on the fantasy resuming her normal, 7 day cruises in September. It is the port issue that is the problem. Allowing unvaccinated guests onboard really limits where the fantasy can port. Not sure I see this problem resolving by October.

I am on the fantasy 8 night in October. I am not sure if any of the scheduled ports are allowing unvaccinated guests right now. This is going to be a hard problem for Disney to solve.

 

[icc2515]

I think they were planning on the fantasy resuming her normal, 7 day cruises in September. It is the port issue that is the problem. Allowing unvaccinated guests onboard really limits where the fantasy can port. Not sure I see this problem resolving by October.

I am on the fantasy 8 night in October. I am not sure if any of the scheduled ports are allowing unvaccinated guests right now. This is going to be a hard problem for Disney to solve.

It's an easy problem to solve, it's just a hard pill for Disney to swallow. I mean how much revenue are they losing by cancelling all these 7 nite cruises and giving credits and refunds and coupons? There is only so much demand for 4 nite cruises. They could have kept these cruises going, if they had really wanted to . BVI and USVI restrictions still allow unvaxxed children.

 

[sethschroeder]

It's an easy problem to solve, it's just a hard pill for Disney to swallow. I mean how much revenue are they losing by cancelling all these 7 nite cruises and giving credits and refunds and coupons? There is only so much demand for 4 nite cruises. They could have kept these cruises going, if they had really wanted to . BVI and USVI restrictions still allow unvaxxed children.

Disney I think just really wants to avoid requiring vaccination in the US if at all possible.

Additionally I think Disney is being savvy "smart" in that by doing shorter cruises less chance of someone spread COVID19 on board and it being detected that way if someone was sick everyone is long gone.

Finally I think Disney also had the early data from Safe Passage. It could be possibly that a large enough % of people were going with the testing over vaccination proof that Disney finalized their plan to shift the route to one that 100% was assured not to require vaccination for cruises (since they likely have some agreement with Bahamas in place).

 

[cvjw]

It's an easy problem to solve, it's just a hard pill for Disney to swallow. I mean how much revenue are they losing by cancelling all these 7 nite cruises and giving credits and refunds and coupons? There is only so much demand for 4 nite cruises. They could have kept these cruises going, if they had really wanted to . BVI and USVI restrictions still allow unvaxxed children.

Agreed. They just need to make the fantasy vaccinated only. Don’t see them doing that, so the port problem will live on.