DCL Europe Summer 2022 approaching - what are you doing?

[mousefan73]

Just another heads up specifically on Germany. Antigen tests are available everywhere And in most cases free. A friend of mine works for the health department and told me that these types of tests are not reported to government health departments as a case count. Only PCR tests. It’s only the PCR test that are followed up with contact tracing in quarantine follow up, checks. Right now they’re not really doing this just because they are overwhelmed with overall case counts. When things slow down they might have more time to focus on this.

I’m just saying for Germany as a tourist you could get your antigen test that qualifies to fly home, if it’s positive it’s not reported and so you could hunker down in a hotel and test again in a day or two. In many cases these tests will then be negative. Here they have even shorten the quarantine time to five days and Test out. Up until now you needed a PCR test to get out but they will most likely change this to include Antigen Tests. I wouldn’t be concerned about the test for the flight back home personally. Especially once we are past this wave and overall case counts coat down it won’t be the horror situation it is now with everyone testing positive

 

[mousefan73]

I just wanted to add that I am more scared flying into Canada then I am flying into Europe when it comes to restrictions, preflight testing, random testing, and what happens if you’re positive

 

[DCLMP]

Another perspective from Europe. Ireland is also removing restrictions. Looking forward to summer, the removal of restrictions from various European countries will restore confidence in American tourists booked on European countries. It will make things easier for American tourists to come to European.

However, with the USA still requiring a test to enter, that to me is the biggest barrier to American tourists coming to Europe for the DCL summer season.

Also, while the various countries are removing restrictions, I don't see the cruise lines removing the restrictions. Particularly, the masks indoors and the test to board, I see these remaining for DCL summer season, even if the various countries that DCL will port at are not requiring them.

I don't think testing is the only barrier. Cost may be another factor. Cruises are cheap due to lack of demand, but everything else is through the roof. I just rented points for the first time at WDW because the discounts are laughable.

 

[FightingIrishman]

Just cancelled our Mediterranean 2022 cruise.

Flights are way too expensive to find out someone in our party is asymptomatic but has a positive test at the port and no way am I chancing a once in a lifetime European cruise vacation that could be replaced with a quarantined hotel disaster.

 

[Sykes]

If I had to bet, I’d say 100% they will have a vax mandate on cruising thru the end of the year, at least.

Spain is adopting the EU recommendation and is now (starting Feb. 1) requiring a booster shot to enter the country (for non-essential reasons) if the final dose of your original vaccination was more than 270 days ago, so that will affect a good chunk of DCL's itineraries. It's not particularly surprising or groundbreaking, but I think a vaccine requirement is a pretty safe bet.

 

[DisneYE]

Just cancelled our Mediterranean 2022 cruise.

Flights are way too expensive to find out someone in our party is asymptomatic but has a positive test at the port and no way am I chancing a once in a lifetime European cruise vacation that could be replaced with a quarantined hotel disaster.

I can't imagine how more than 10% of cruisers from North America would get on that flight to Europe and risking getting denied boarding due to a positive at the port.
If DCL doesn't get rid of the testing at port and replace it for a test done 72hrs prior, those are going to be mostly European staycation-type sailings.

 

[StarSeven7]

I just wanted to add that I am more scared flying into Canada then I am flying into Europe when it comes to restrictions, preflight testing, random testing, and what happens if you’re positive

As someone living in Canada, my main issue with traveling right now is getting back home! Currently, if you're arriving from any non-US destination, you will need to do the pre-arrival PCR within 72 hours of your flight AND everyone is getting tested when they land. You have to quarantine until you get a negative test result back. If you test positive you have to isolate for 10 days after receiving your result. This adds a lot of extra stress to traveling!

 

[closetmickey]

I can't imagine how more than 10% of cruisers from North America would get on that flight to Europe and risking getting denied boarding due to a positive at the port.
If DCL doesn't get rid of the testing at port and replace it for a test done 72hrs prior, those are going to be mostly European staycation-type sailings.

Even 72 hrs would be rough with the cost of airfare and additional trip bookings...
I really feel like testing to board would need to be eliminnated in order for us to keep our summer booking. But then again if Italy (our departure port) is requiring testing to enter, then DCL's policy won't make much of a difference.

 

[Tbone17701]

Following along closely as our plan for this summer is a DCL Med cruise with a pre-stay at Rome and post-trip to DLP for our DD's HS graduation. Intimidated by all of the potential testing involved, obtaining a vax pass, etc. We have air and DCL bookings, but I haven't been able to commit beyond that when normally we would have had all ready to rock long ago. We've not been shy about living and traveling throughout the pandemic all while adhering to suggested or required protocols and are triple vax'd, but this just feels different with what could be on the line financially and otherwise if one of the potential multiple tests comes back positive...viably or otherwise. DH is 100% ready to slide it a year, but I keep wobbling on the edge "just in case". We enjoyed the lower capacity on DCL in Nov, so that appeals if that remains for this cruise, but just like with protocols and entry requirements....who the heck knows what the reality will be. I know I'm preaching to the choir here, I'm just hoping for some concrete info to come our way sooner than later so we can make an informed decision versus one based on "what if's".

 

[wideeyedwonder]

I can't imagine how more than 10% of cruisers from North America would get on that flight to Europe and risking getting denied boarding due to a positive at the port.

Unless things change drastically, we will be one of the 10% taking the risk. We risked flying to Florida while Omicron was spiking, wore N95s and only had take-out food and cooked in at the AirBnB in Cocoa Beach, and spent most of our time outdoors in the Florida sunshine. Was it a risk? Yes. Did we have the time of our lives? Yes, even before getting on the ship.

 

[closetmickey]

Unless things change drastically, we will be one of the 10% taking the risk. We risked flying to Florida while Omicron was spiking, wore N95s and only had take-out food and cooked in at the AirBnB in Cocoa Beach, and spent most of our time outdoors in the Florida sunshine. Was it a risk? Yes. Did we have the time of our lives? Yes, even before getting on the ship.

We just flew to Florida to cruise from the west coast as well....but somehow increasing the risk to go all the way to Europe may be just too much.

 

[DisneYE]

Unless things change drastically, we will be one of the 10% taking the risk. We risked flying to Florida while Omicron was spiking, wore N95s and only had take-out food and cooked in at the AirBnB in Cocoa Beach, and spent most of our time outdoors in the Florida sunshine. Was it a risk? Yes. Did we have the time of our lives? Yes, even before getting on the ship.

I like your approach to life, I love the way you think.
We may risk it and go and just see what happens. Life's too short.

 

[dad of 3 addicted to DCL]

We gave up on our Med cruise while driving back from our recent MTO 3 night and are cancelling our 12 night. 2 rooms, too and paid in full. $25K of Disney gift cards...

 

[DCLMP]

We gave up on our Med cruise while driving back from our recent MTO 3 night and are cancelling our 12 night. 2 rooms, too and paid in full. $25K of Disney gift cards...

Sorry, but what's an MTO?

 

[dad of 3 addicted to DCL]

Sorry, but what's an MTO?

Military discounted cruise

 

[DCLMP]

Military discounted cruise

What made you cancel your Greek Isles cruise?

 

[dad of 3 addicted to DCL]

What made you cancel your Greek Isles cruise?

We'd originally booked it in '20, then '21 and then '22. With the back and forth with COVID (which variant is next?) We can't keep loaning Disney this much money. We also had a week in Rome beforehand with a 3br AirBnB and Delta ticket credits for 5 adults, which brought the whole thing well over 35k. We're pivoting to other vacations in the US & FL based cruising

 

[Lola Granola]

Spain is adopting the EU recommendation and is now (starting Feb. 1) requiring a booster shot to enter the country (for non-essential reasons) if the final dose of your original vaccination was more than 270 days ago, so that will affect a good chunk of DCL's itineraries. It's not particularly surprising or groundbreaking, but I think a vaccine requirement is a pretty safe bet.

I really hope that’s what they do. I’d feel a lot safer.

 

[Lola Granola]

We just flew to Florida to cruise from the west coast as well....but somehow increasing the risk to go all the way to Europe may be just too much.

That’s how I feel as well. I have flown for work at least monthly since June 2020 and I’m in the park monthly as well but going to Italy is a little more intimidating.

 

[Intr3pid]

I can't imagine how more than 10% of cruisers from North America would get on that flight to Europe and risking getting denied boarding due to a positive at the port.
If DCL doesn't get rid of the testing at port and replace it for a test done 72hrs prior, those are going to be mostly European staycation-type sailings.

Even 72 hrs would be rough with the cost of airfare and additional trip bookings...
I really feel like testing to board would need to be eliminnated in order for us to keep our summer booking. But then again if Italy (our departure port) is requiring testing to enter, then DCL's policy won't make much of a difference.

If they remove the embarkation day testing on those long European cruises, we are cancelling. There is no way we are getting on such a long cruise with a bunch that tested negative 72 hours ago and then decided to go commando in those 72 hours.

Short cruises, sure - but our 11-nighter to Iceland, no way. Either (A) that, or (B) the virus spread will have to come down drastically, or (C) they replace on-board quarantine with Paxlovid or something similar.