CDC says Cruises can start in July

[DCLMP]

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.

Where is the proof that most people in all 50 states are for Covid vaccine passports. You can’t make a statement like that without backing it up.

At this time they can’t mandate vaccines in Florida so number 2 is out. There is also the Florida vs Cdc case coming up. We don’t know how that will turn out.

 

[andyman8]

Where is the proof that most people in all 50 states are for Covid vaccine passports. You can’t make a statement like that without backing it up.

At this time they can’t mandate vaccines in Florida so number 2 is out. There is also the Florida vs Cdc case coming up. We don’t know how that will turn out.

As I said in my PP, the legal consensus seems to be that federal law/the CDC on maritime embarkation requirements would supersede the FL "ban" from state lawmakers. As I said, if you want to sail on DCL or any cruise line from the U.S. come mid-July, I'd go get vaccinated.

 

[RamblingMad]

As I said in my PP, the legal consensus seems to be that federal law/the CDC on maritime embarkation requirements would supersede the FL "ban" from state lawmakers. As I said, if you want to sail on DCL or any cruise line from the U.S. come mid-July, I'd go get vaccinated.

Pretty much. People have the freedom to not cruise.

 

[DCLMP]

As I said in my PP, the legal consensus seems to be that federal law/the CDC on maritime embarkation requirements would supersede the FL "ban" from state lawmakers. As I said, if you want to sail on DCL or any cruise line from the U.S. come mid-July, I'd go get vaccinated.

The consensus of the lawmakers in Florida is that they can and this is coming from both sides. I’m not a lawyer and I’ve researched it online and I can’t come up with anything. Ive read a lot of random statements on different forums, but nobody ever backs up their statements with any examples of the actual laws.

 

[RamblingMad]

The consensus of the lawmakers in Florida is that they can and this is coming from both sides. I’m not a lawyer and I’ve researched it online and I can’t come up with anything. Ive read a lot of random statements on different forums, but nobody ever backs up their statements with any examples of the actual laws.

Think about it this way. The CDC came out and said: no more cruising. And it stopped. FL didn't come back out and say: start cruising again. They sued the CDC. Now, the CDC says: you can cruise if most of your passengers and crew are vaccinated. What can FL do? I guess they can sue again or add it to their existing suit. It looks like the only recourse that FL has is to sue the CDC. So my expectation is that if cruising resumes this summer from FL, that CDC guidance will be followed. Another option is that cruise lines can leave from ports other than FL.

 

[DCLMP]

Think about it this way. The CDC came out and said: no more cruising. And it stopped. FL didn't come back out and say: start cruising again. They sued the CDC. Now, the CDC says: you can cruise if most of your passengers and crew are vaccinated. What can FL do? I guess they can sue again or add it to their existing suit. It looks like the only recourse that FL has is to sue the CDC. So my expectations is that if cruising resumes this summer from FL, that CDC guidance will be followed. Another option is that cruise lines can leave from ports other than FL.

There is an interview on CNBC with the CEO of Royal. He was asked the question about the Florida law. He stated he feels they can start cruising this Summer with either path the cdc laid out today. One being the 95% vaccines and I assume the other is the test cruises, but don’t quote me on that. Lol . He said 80% of their passengers they have polled stated they would voluntarily get the vaccine without any mandates. He seemed very optimistic that they would resume cruising this Summer whatever path they chose.
I did not get the impression he’s looking for a fight with anyone.
You can watch the interview and draw your own conclusions.
https://www.cnbc.com/2021/04/29/roy...aises-cdcs-new-path-to-resume-us-cruises.html

 

[Sykes]

Given how poorly the amendment to Florida SB 2006 is written, DCL can probably comply with the Florida law and the CDC guideline as long as they give unvaccinated travelers (or those unwilling to prove that they're vaccinated) fairly unrestricted access to that 5% allocation that is allowed by the CDC guidance while still requiring proof of vaccination from the remaining 95% of passengers.

 

[DCLMP]

From what I’ve read the cdc is going to start taking the applications for the test cruises in 5 days. Cruiselines should still be able to resume sailing by July. The 95% rate
vaccination would let them start right away.

My thought is most of them will do the test cruises. A 95% vaccination rate would eliminate children. A fight with Florida would prolong the process. I don’t think they want that. After reading comments from the CEOs they do see optimistic and relieved to finally have guidelines.

I have no plans to cruise this year, but it looks like some of you might get to.

I do plan to book the Wish on May 18th. I’m happy they divided up the platinums. Maybe the hold time will be reasonable.

 

[mocodis]

we have a cruise on the west coast in October. That means the Wonder would have to transit the panama canal to do any west coast cruises. I doubt it would happen. If DCL starts, they may have the Wonder itinerary changed to Galveston.

 

[jrapps]

According to the poll I did in another thread, over 70% of the respondents want vaccines required before they feel comfortable sailing. Now I'll be the first to admit this is a small sample size and not very scientific, but the audience here is also DCL fanatics who really want to cruise.

You have to think that DCL is doing their own surveys and research. If their numbers look anywhere close to these, they may decide to follow the same rules as the UK cruises and require vaccines. Especially if their lawyers feel that federal law supersedes FL law, then I can see them going this route.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Disney World provided (limited) vaccines for their employees in Florida. So they might be able to get vaccines for cruise staff.
https://www.clickorlando.com/news/l...orld-offering-cast-members-covid-19-vaccines/

The state of florida actually provided the vaccines. WDW did not buy them from Florida.

States can set up employer clinics. That is fine.

 

[andyman8]

The consensus of the lawmakers in Florida is that they can and this is coming from both sides. I’m not a lawyer and I’ve researched it online and I can’t come up with anything. Ive read a lot of random statements on different forums, but nobody ever backs up their statements with any examples of the actual laws.

I wouldn't defer to politicians on jurisdictional matters. A politician will always tell you he or she has jurisdiction over what he or she wants to have jurisdiction over. The federal government -- and therefore the CDC -- would have jurisdiction over maritime operations/entering and exiting the country via passenger vessel. If the CDC or federal government allows or mandates that those vessels contain fully vaccinated people, then that's the law. This is why cruises aren't sailing out of Florida right now. If Florida had control, these same lawmakers could've allowed cruising to start months ago (they've indicated they'd like that to happen with their lawsuit, which they admit is not likely to succeed).

This reminds me of the WDW mask "debate." All the signs (Chapek comments, what other parks were doing, what Disney was doing elsewhere) pointed to masks being required upon WDW's reopening yet until they came out and officially said it, people were saying it would "never" happen. But it did. Same thing with fully vaccinated (at least for adults) cruises. Like I said, pay close attention to what Disney is doing with the UK sailings.

 

[JWelch62]

The state of florida actually provided the vaccines. WDW did not buy them from Florida.

States can set up employer clinics. That is fine.

Yes, in CA my employer set up an on-site vaccination clinic through our health clinic. I suspect that Disney could do the same. And we are now at the point where we are not supply limited. DCL could vaccinate all of its crews very easily, IMO. And, if they use the J&J vaccine it's one and done.

EDIT: Removed a wayward quote

 

[DCLMP]

I wouldn't defer to politicians on jurisdictional matters. A politician will always tell you he or she has jurisdiction over what he or she wants to have jurisdiction over. The federal government -- and therefore the CDC -- would have jurisdiction over maritime operations/entering and exiting the country via passenger vessel. If the CDC or federal government allows or mandates that those vessels contain fully vaccinated people, then that's the law. This is why cruises aren't sailing out of Florida right now. If Florida had control, these same lawmakers could've allowed cruising to start months ago (they've indicated they'd like that to happen with their lawsuit, which they admit is not likely to succeed).

This reminds me of the WDW mask "debate." All the signs (Chapek comments, what other parks were doing, what Disney was doing elsewhere) pointed to masks being required upon WDW's reopening yet until they came out and officially said it, people were saying it would "never" happen. But it did. Same thing with fully vaccinated (at least for adults) cruises. Like I said, pay close attention to what Disney is doing with the UK sailings.

Orange County had a mask mandate. Disney didn't have a choice. The mask mandate for outdoors was just lifted by OC, hopefully, WDW is not too far behind. It's getting hot. I'll say it again the CDC is only mandating vaccines if they want to start now and bypass the guidelines. The cdc is not mandating vaccines long term. I'm not sure why that's so hard for people to grasp.

 

[andyman8]

Orange County had a mask mandate. Disney didn't have a choice. The mask mandate for outdoors was just lifted by OC, hopefully, WDW is not too far behind. It's getting hot.

Not going there.

 

[soniam]

Orange County had a mask mandate. Disney didn't have a choice. The mask mandate for outdoors was just lifted by OC, hopefully, WDW is not too far behind. It's getting hot.

OC's mask mandate is not enforceable by DeSantis' orders. It is merely a suggestion. Disney would have done masks anyway.

 

[DCLMP]

OC's mask mandate is not enforceable by DeSantis' orders. It is merely a suggestion. Disney would have done masks anyway.

I'm sure they would have every business did. From what I can see outside of WDW nobody complied with it anyway.

 

[soniam]

I'm sure they would have every business did. From what I can see outside of WDW nobody complied with it anyway.

Exactly! If Disney didn't want to do it or enforce it, they didn't have to. They chose to do so.

 

[kathi]

I suspect that DCLs attorneys and insurance carriers will have a big say in what path they chose to follow, based on what presents the least potential liability for the company.

 

[Lewisc]

Passengers generally have to meet conditions set by ports, even if they don't disembark at the port.

A FL law can't override that. FL can, and apparently is, making it harder for FL residents prove vaccine status via vaccine passport.

The card is too easily faked.