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

[AquaDame]

I was hoping to keep this thread to impacts on cruise line sailing vs political or societal comments.

To that end I've removed a few political posts. Please try to keep political commentaries to the community forum!

 

[AZMermaid]

In my state of Georgia, the governor announced yesterday any adult over 18 can make an appt for the vaccine.

AZ too! I’m a teacher and got my second in early Feb, but my husband is finally getting his literally right now!

 

[TARIE7291]

Indiana opens up next week to all age 16 and above. I work in healthcare and there are a lot of people who plan not to get the vaccine. Even a lot of our employees. I received mine the first week of distribution at the end of December without a blink. Most people are scared and don’t give you necessary specifics. I have a cruise book for this time next year 2022 I’m hoping that we can cruise by then. As far as I’m concerned bring one vaccine passports and leave the other ones behind. We want to move on with our lives.

 

[Clojel]

The decision was already made. The original order said November 1. The cruise industry was requesting that it be dropped to July 1. CDC said "no". Order stays as originally issued.

For now...I still think there’s a possibility this issue gets revisited. Right now, several states are experiencing significant UPTICKS in positive cases - despite vaccination rollouts -due to February vacation/spring break travels. I think as we approach summer and the states are reaching a larger % vaccinated...we’ll see CLIA petition again and possibly get a different answer. At least that’s my hope!!

 

[DisneYE]

does this conditional sailing order for Nov 1 include the "test sailings"?
If it does, it means ships can't start re-populating until November. It takes 2-3 months for crew to be brought back and re-trained. That takes cruise lines into early 2022 for test sailings out of the US, effectively putting regular Spring 2022 sailings at risk.. it's going to be a long year. Again.

 

[CaliforniaGirl09]

As far as I’m concerned bring one vaccine passports and leave the other ones behind. We want to move on with our lives.

Right there with you! My money is on vaccine passports for cruising and International travel. I just hope they roll them out quickly so we can get moving

 

[Maggie'sMom]

We have one booked for early September, and I was really hopeful it would sail, perhaps with a requirement of vaccinations for all adults, just so things could start to get back to normal. This bums me out. I got my first dose of the vaccine on Tuesday, and I can start trying to book my 17yo daughter's vaccine appointment tomorrow.

 

[*DisneyDreamer]

This is so ridiculous. I understand the difficulty of restarting cruising and would rather have caution than no care at all, but it seems like they have no plan and absolutely no intention of trying to work with the cruise lines. If the goal is zero transmission, then they’ve got an impossible target.

 

[ladyofthetramp]

We have a cruise out of Galveston booked for December 31st. Keeping it for now. Not sure I am comfortable being one of the first cruises to sail. We will see how things play out over the summer. Ships start to re-populate in time for a November 1st, test sailings? That would all have to happen in the summer or late summer if cruising was to resume November 1st. PIF isn't until September. I will cancel if needed. But if things look good... Wait and see...

 

[Donna3271]

I was so looking forward to the Oct 19th to Bermuda. I am sure it will be a no-go...

 

[_auroraborealis_]

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.

 

[Drfate102]

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.

The Cruise Lines have been asking for the CDC Guidance for the last five months and their only response was "We are working on them". That was one of the big reasons for the Alaskan Representative's frustration with the Director of the CDC in the hearing the other day. Dr Walensky couldn't or wouldn't answer anything on the reopening of cruising, including saying that it wasn't the CDC's decision to make and required other agencies. It was a rather disheartening video to watch. If you haven't seen it, you should check it out.

 

[AgentMama]

The Cruise Lines have been asking for the CDC Guidance for the last five months and their only response was "We are working on them". That was one of the big reasons for the Alaskan Representative's frustration with the Director of the CDC in the hearing the other day. Dr Walensky couldn't or wouldn't answer anything on the reopening of cruising, including saying that it wasn't the CDC's decision to make and required other agencies. It was a rather disheartening video to watch. If you haven't seen it, you should check it out.

Do you have a link to the video? Thanks

 

[*DisneyDreamer]

It would just be nice if there was some kind of criteria or checkpoints to meet that would give us an idea of when cruising could restart. Zero cases/transmission is impossible, and the cruise industry will not survive if they’re shut down for another year or longer. So many people out of work for so long and cruise destinations without tourists.

Requiring vaccination or something at least at first is not extreme in my opinion. Yes, I know we don’t have enough info on the extent of vaccinated people being able to transmit, which would be a factor in ports if the population there isn’t well-vaccinated, but hopefully we’ll learn more.

 

[AZMermaid]

We have a cruise out of Galveston booked for December 31st. Keeping it for now. Not sure I am comfortable being one of the first cruises to sail. We will see how things play out over the summer. Ships start to re-populate in time for a November 1st, test sailings? That would all have to happen in the summer or late summer if cruising was to resume November 1st. PIF isn't until September. I will cancel if needed. But if things look good... Wait and see...

I’m right with you! We are Dec 27 on the Dream. If we cancel, we will finally take the refund and get off this coaster! I was Hoping for a mid Fall start to not be one of the first. I’m not sure we won’t go if we are one of the first, but prefer not to be. We are shifting this to a WDW trip so I’d love to not have to ride it out to the end and make a decision. My calculations figure fir a late Sept cancellation for Dec.

 

[ajo]

Seems likely that DCL will soon announce the cancellation of the June cruises. I can't imagine anyone expects them to sail.

 

[sabrecmc]

For me personally, once vaccines are really and truly available to everyone in the US who wants them, I am fine with sailing if they require vaccinations. Zero transmission is an impossible goal, but with vaccination, the risk of severe covid/hospitalization/death is next to nothing. THAT is the key for me, not that absolutely no one ever gets COVID again. Not that the CDC has asked for my opinion lol. We have a July 2021 cruise booked that is obviously not going to happen, but I will happily take the FCC and re-book for next year. Hope things are back in business by then.

 

[princessmommyx3]

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.

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?

 

[_auroraborealis_]

The Cruise Lines have been asking for the CDC Guidance for the last five months and their only response was "We are working on them".

The Conditional Sail Order has a ton of guidance. If the lines would work on meeting that guidance it'd go really far as a good faith move. I read the thing. It is 40+ pages of guidance, por dios.

Per the CSO, the lines have to file their test sail plan with 60 days of review time. There are a lot of things listed in the CSO that have to be included. One of the best ways to determine what is required beyond what is already documented would be to actually file the test sail plans.

 

[Happy100]

Seems likely that DCL will soon announce the cancellation of the June cruises. I can't imagine anyone expects them to sail.

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.