CDC says Cruises can start in July

[DCLMP]

Point is that at once, DeSantis says no business can dictate vaccination status, but that it's mean that CDC isn't considering vaccine status. He's saying business cannot consider vaccine status, but that the CDC should let businesses consider vaccine status.

Consider is the keyword. He is saying businesses cannot mandate vaccines, but the fact that over 50% of the population is vaccinated should play into your decision-making on whether to reduce restrictions. It's why you'll continue to see WDW reduce restrictions without a vaccine mandate.

 

[Birdie dog]

CDC said they can drop the test cruise if 95% of the ship is vaccinated. The conditional sail order still stands. No, it doesn't look ridiculous at all. Not everyone believes in mandating vaccines.

I'm not arguing vaccines with you. However, I'm pretty sure that the CDC can dictate in a health crisis. Your decision not to take a vaccine is that, a decision. Live with the decision. Vaccinated people are ready to move on and totally understand why not only cruises, but other countries don't want more Americans rolling in unvaccinated and causing issues. It's 100% a choice and all choices have consequences.

 

[sugliac]

I am choosing not to book concierge until restrictions are lifted (not worth the huge price tag if there will be restrictions added on). Going to do a VGT FL discount for one of the Auguse 2021 cruises if it looks like they will sail.

My opinion is they will require vaccinations but only for a certain period of time. I know some people can’t get it for medical, personal, or religious reasons, but I genuinely think it will be a must. Got my second shot solely because I expect DCL to require it.

 

[RamblingMad]

This is good news.

I expect DCL to require everyone to be vaccinated. The percentages are close enough to 100% that I would assume that the CDC would assume some level of vaccination card fraud.

The challenge will be getting the crew vaccinated as the rollout is not the same across all countries.

 

[Weedy]

What if you had Covid and can prove you have the antibodies?
That should be considered.

 

[Birdie dog]

This is good news.

I expect DCL to require everyone to be vaccinated. The percentages are close enough to 100% that I would assume that the CDC would assume some level of vaccination card fraud.

The challenge will be getting the crew vaccinated as the rollout is not the same across all countries.

I'm frustrated on the stall of the digital card. I have trips out of the country this year and next and I'm considering a booking on the Wish also. Assumption of some level of vaccine card fraud shouldn't be a thing. Those who have chosen to be vaccinated should have a way to prove it that's acceptable and standard when we travel out of the country. Not to mention, I finally got to visit my daughter in NY and brought my card "just in case", and then worried about losing it all week.

 

[DCLMP]

I'm not arguing vaccines with you. However, I'm pretty sure that the CDC can dictate in a health crisis. Your decision not to take a vaccine is that, a decision. Live with the decision. Vaccinated people are ready to move on and totally understand why not only cruises, but other countries don't want more Americans rolling in unvaccinated and causing issues. It's 100% a choice and all choices have consequences.

I've never stated I wouldn't take the vaccine. I am strongly opposed to mandates. I'm not sure things will work out the way you think, but good luck. I hope you get to cruise again someday.

 

[sugliac]

What if you had Covid and can prove you have the antibodies?
That should be considered.

I’d be shocked if that was a consideration.

 

[lanejudy]

What if you had Covid and can prove you have the antibodies?
That should be considered.

I believe the CDC still recommends those who had Covid should still receive the vaccination.

 

[RamblingMad]

I'm frustrated on the stall of the digital card. I have trips out of the country this year and next and I'm considering a booking on the Wish also. Assumption of some level of vaccine card fraud shouldn't be a thing. Those who have chosen to be vaccinated should have a way to prove it that's acceptable and standard when we travel out of the country. Not to mention, I finally got to visit my daughter in NY and brought my card "just in case", and then worried about losing it all week.

My fear would be losing it, especially since it's going to be the keys to the kingdom for a lot of stuff in the near future.

 

[DCLMP]

I’d be shocked if that was a consideration.

I don't know why proving you have antibodies against the disease wouldn't be an option.

The EU is requiring vaccine or negative covid test for their Covid passports they seem to have more sense than the CDC.

 

[sugliac]

I don't know why proving you have antibodies against the disease wouldn't be an option.

The EU is requiring vaccine or negative covid test for their Covid passports they seem to have more sense than the CDC.

I certainly don’t disagree with the logic. this is just the way we are moving as things open up. I couldn’t care less if people want to get it or not but individuals who choose not to relinquish their rights to complain when companies choose they only want to serve to those who received vaccines. But of course people will complain away. Alas.

 

[DLgal]

What if you had Covid and can prove you have the antibodies?
That should be considered.

Antibodies from natural infection vary and no one knows how long they last, but all studies so far point to "less time than vaccine induced antibodies." So, if you got Covid last March, you're probably susceptible again already, especially if you had a mild case.

 

[jrapps]

Not everyone believes in mandating vaccines.

At the risk of starting another vaccine war, yes most people (and all 50 states) believe in mandating vaccines. Just google Chicken Pox vaccine. If states can mandate a vaccine for an illness that only kills 100 people a year, they can mandate this.

In my heart I don't think Desantis and the FL legislature actually want cruises to start up. I think they are using this as a way to create headaches. Find an "opponent" (CDC), make them an "enemy" that people can rally behind, make political theater, stay relevant in the news.

Now to keep this relevant to the topic, DCL has 3 choices here

1 - Stay in the FL Governments good graces and true to their "family" cruise identity, and decide NOT to mandate vaccines. This means they will have to do test cruises. Still don't know how many or how long the tests need to be. I figure if they try to start test cruises mid summer, they MIGHT get approval to sail by fall. I'm going to guess they will start having cruises sometime between Mid September and late November.

2 - Go with the vaccine mandate. This means they are inviting the state to sue them, and can't sail with kids until vaccines are available to children. This option will get stuck in lawsuits and take months to resolve. Maybe they do a few late summer cruises with only adults and kids 12+ by then, but I doubt it. I say if they go this route, they won't really start sailing until all kids are eligible for vaccines and all lawsuits are settled. Call this early November at the earliest, maybe early 2022.

3 - Do nothing. Just wait this out and wait until either enough people voluntarily get vaccines or that other cruise lines prove things out and it's easier for DCL to get approval to sail. They probably wont sail until early 2022 at the earliest.

My money is on Option1. I think DCL would want to mandate vaccines, but too many political and logistical roadblocks. Maybe this plays out more and a few weeks from now the CDC POV changes further to indicate 95% of 16+ vaccinated, and under 16 must have negative PCR test. To me that is the best option. But if the CDC doesn't go along with it, that wont work. And the state of FL also has to agree not to sue DCL.

Politics sucks.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

I believe the CDC still recommends those who had Covid should still receive the vaccination.

Anecdotal reporting suggests those with long COVID are benefitting from the vaccine, as well.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Still don't know how many or how long the tests need to be.

The Conditional Sail Order actually defines the test cruises pretty well. A test cruise would need to be, basically, just like a real one - same ports, same shore activity options, same shows and dining and all operation.

 

[Birdie dog]

BTW, I don't see DeSantis telling cruise lines they can't ask women what their gestation is. Since there's a 24 week cut off in pregnancy, medical information is provided. Isn't that HIPPA (fierce sarcasm here)?

 

[DLgal]

Well, the CDC better require ALL passengers of all cruise lines to either have been vaccinated OR provide evidence of a negative test within the last 24 hours. Considering what happened with that young child who traveled to Hawaii with his vaccinated parents and then developed symptoms shortly after arriving, and subsequently died, it seems foolish to NOT test absolutely every single child coming aboard, regardless of age. Hawaii only requires testing for kids 5 and up, so this kid skirted the requirement and then was on a plane with covid and exposed everyone on that plane, potentially. This type of scenario could be a cruise ship nightmare.

I would expect Disney to either mandate vaccines OR a negative test for literally everyone who steps foot on that ship. Anything less is a huge risk that doesn't need to be taken.

 

[tvguy]

Now they have to patch together ports willing to accept ships

 

[tvguy]

I think the crew vaccination is a harder hurdle than it sounds like.

Most of the CMs come from places where vaccines aren't happening. Vaccine access in most of those countries is hard even for their richest citizens.

For a line to get all their crew vaccinated, they will have to bring them somewhere (probs the ship?) where they can get the shot. Unless they get their hands on some nice Janssen, it's a 6 week process to full vaccination (jab, 4 weeks, jab, 2 weeks); they also need the government to be playing ball with them to provide vaccine, generally speaking.

So they would need Florida to go along with this vaccine mandate, getting them supply. While I think Florida could give them supply to do this, is it in line with the Gubernatorial posturing?

Vaccine has super-tight export control, so I wouldn't expect them to be vaccinating crew and doing quarantine in Pakistan or similar. And forget India - RCCL has cancelled India crew contracts because of the travel bans. No one will let them in right now and it's not expected to change for a while.

Well all the cruise lines could get together and send a ship loaded with vaccine and medical professionals to Indonesia since so many crew members from all lines are from there, and vaccine them there.