CDC Reiterates that its "Conditional Sailing Order" remains in effect until November 1

[Intr3pid]

Based on what I have been reading and what crew members have been sharing on Instagram, I am under the impression that the cruise lines are waiting on the CDC to give them the specific requirements for test sails? In other words, they cannot even begin planning the test sailings until receiving more info from the CDC. Perhaps I am wrong about this. Can anyone help me out?

Not to my knowledge. I think the CSO is detailed enough. More detailed than the European counterpart, and we have cruises underway in Europe. The cruise lines IMO don't want to make wholesale changes - such as medevac/quarantine infrastructure to be put in place with the ports - if an eventually lower virus caseload can simply preempt the withdrawal of the CSO.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Not to my knowledge. I think the CSO is detailed enough. More detailed than the European counterpart, and we have cruises underway in Europe. The cruise lines IMO don't want to make wholesale changes - such as medevac/quarantine infrastructure to be put in place with the ports - if an eventually lower virus caseload can simply preempt the withdrawal of the CSO.

My understanding is that the lines have done very little around implementing embarkation and on-board testing protocols. And they are core in the CSO. These would be big contracts for companies like Vault; they'd be public, both because of the scope for the testing company, but also because it is material information for cruise line stock prices under SEC guidance.

 

[hubbard53]

a few more nails and the cruise industry - at least in the US - will be dead!

 

[bobbiwoz]

This doesn’t bode well for our DVC MC. I wish they would just cancel it already! It’s June 12.

 

[ajo]

I have a June cruise booked and wish they would just cancel. I believe I read on a post on a different thread they usually do it at the end of a month and thought March would be it.

I'm guessing they will cancel the June sailings next week since this week they were busy with the new itineraries.

 

[Drfate102]

Do you have a link to the video? Thanks

Here is a piece of it from the Senator.

Here is a rant from Don's Family Vacations

And La Lido Loca

 

[serene56]

Yeah - this is breaking my heart but we were supposed to celebrate our 20th anniversary in concierge on the Fantasy last September. We moved it to this September and do not want to wait another year. Celebrity, Crystal and Royal are all sailing from the Caribbean with vaccination requirements for adults. I wish DCL would do the same but if they don't, we will literally have to jump ship. Their silence is maddening.

these ships are sailing from Bahamas NOT the US ports so you need a passport and you need a negative test when you get back 72 hours before so you will be staying in Nassau for a few days. Royal pricing doesnt seem that bad 1000 pp for a 7 day cruise for an oceanview

 

[Doingitagain]

I'm guessing they will cancel the June sailings next week since this week they were busy with the new itineraries.

That may have been intentional to reduce the number of cruises being rebooked during the 2022 opening days.

 

[cvjw]

these ships are sailing from Bahamas NOT the US ports so you need a passport and you need a negative test when you get back 72 hours before so you will be staying in Nassau for a few days. Royal pricing doesnt seem that bad 1000 pp for a 7 day cruise for an oceanview

They are sailing from the Bahamas, Bermuda and st. Marten. Yes, a passport will be required. It is like $100, so not a dealbreaker for those who don’t already have one. And, as far as the negative test to get back into the US, I am sure the cruise lines will work out something for their customers. Airlines have test kits for their customers. Lots of hotels in the Caribbean include covid testing in their price to make it easy for their customers.

I just randomly looked at one celebrity sailing this morning. All inside and ocean view cabins were already sold out. The demand must be huge. And it is a great way to sidestep the CDC.

 

[serene56]

They are sailing from the Bahamas, Bermuda and st. Marten. Yes, a passport will be required. It is like $100, so not a dealbreaker for those who don’t already have one. And, as far as the negative test to get back into the US, I am sure the cruise lines will work out something for their customers. Airlines have test kits for their customers. Lots of hotels in the Caribbean include covid testing in their price to make it easy for their customers.

I just randomly looked at one celebrity sailing this morning. All inside and ocean view cabins were already sold out. The demand must be huge. And it is a great way to sidestep the CDC.

they can not sell 100% cabins I think the number is lower then 50%

 

[Husker Mike]

It's very possible that there are details and questions regarding the CDC's plans that the cruise lines still need clarification on. But still, cruise lines need to be trying to live up to the conditional guidelines. Put your best foot forward, file what you believe best fits the CDC's guidelines, and make it public to put pressure on the CDC to respond. They might say no, but you might get the questions answered that way.

In any event, if cruise lines require testing for all and vaccinations for everyone 16+, the chances of a serious outbreak on board are much lower now than at any point along this way. So I refuse to believe that the CDC's policies are any sort of long-term plan designed to eliminate the cruise industry.

 

[AquaDame]

Reminder that this is a cruising forum and this thread is not here to argue about the virus itself or how states are rolling out (or back) different rules. Thanks!

 

[ITGirl50]

Here is a piece of it from the Senator.

Here is a rant from Don's Family Vacations

And La Lido Loca

Wow. The CDC has absolutely no idea what’s going on with the cruises. This lack of leadership, but control, is destroying people’s livelihoods. At least tell them what needs to happen next.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

So I refuse to believe that the CDC's policies are any sort of long-term plan designed to eliminate the cruise industry.

I truly doubt the CDC have the human power to devote multiple staff to sitting in a villain cave to plot the demise of cruising. I'd expect cruising is a near-afterthought right now.

 

[AquaDame]

Wow. The CDC has absolutely no idea what’s going on with the cruises. This lack of leadership, but control, is destroying people’s livelihoods. At least tell them what needs to happen next.

I admit I did not watch the two rant videos as theyre quite long, but that really did sound like a non answer in the first video. She could only think of ONE department they are working with that makes her unable to give a proper answer? Yikes.

 

[ITGirl50]

I admit I did not watch the two rant videos as theyre quite long, but that really did sound like a non answer in the first video. She could only think of ONE department they are working with that makes her unable to give a proper answer? Yikes.

I didn’t watch the rant videos either (I tried, but got bored).

 

[ITGirl50]

I truly doubt the CDC have the human power to devote multiple staff to sitting in a villain cave to plot the demise of cruising. I'd expect cruising is a near-afterthought right now.

I’ve worked for a major corporation that ran like a government agency. They don’t have a clue what to do, so they just ignore it and the problem becomes bigger and bigger until it’s unmanageable. There is no plotting, just incompetence. Doing nothing has consequences too.

 

[John VN]

200,000,000 by DAY 100. NEVER SAY NEVER so maybe October might see a return???? I'm thinking that CDC will hopefully have a change of restart date.

 

[brentm77]

This isn't about the CDC "not working with the cruise lines!" This is just as much the cruise lines leaning on magical thinking and not doing anything to work with the CDC.

The Conditional Sailing rule does not prohibit sailing from US ports. But it does require lines to operate test cruises that demonstrate the required safety protocols, including distancing, port excursions, entertainment, dining, the whole bit. They have to be crewed sailings, and the test cruisers cannot be employees coerced to go, or people paying to go.

The lines have dug in about doing test sails and want to just load up with paid guests. Most lines haven't even filed their proposed safety protocols to support arguments to do so.

At this point, the cruise industry has had the sail order for months. They have chosen not to do anything with it, aside from ask for it to be modified, and hope that vaccines mean a full return to normal (and they won't). So this reflects on them, rather than just the CDC being "mean." There is no reason for the CDC to just remove all the conditions, and even removing some when the lines have done nothing would be a weird move. The CDC is not going to remove all rules around buffets and distancing and testing, full stop no. You can get the virus and spread it while vaccinated.

Royal Caribbean is saying they can't get the technical guidance (which is more detailed than the guidelines) from the CDC to actually do the test sailings. At least as of a week or two ago.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

I’ve worked for a major corporation that ran like a government agency. They don’t have a clue what to do, so they just ignore it and the problem becomes bigger and bigger until it’s unmanageable. There is no plotting, just incompetence. Doing nothing has consequences too.

Arguably, that the cruise lines haven't done anything in the RTS guidance in the Conditional Sail Order makes it a fairly low priority to bother, though.