Fantasy Test Sailing

[jujubiee4]

Seriously - I was jut speculating based on the test sailings scheduled for late August and what they are doing with the Magic - no idea if they would do that. We will just have to wait and see how it plays out.

Yeah I'm waiting to see also. Things are moving so fast. Celebrity looks like a mess right now. I saw
news reports of people passing out from waiting in heat to be tested. Florida breaking a record in
cases today. I really hope things calm down A LOT in 2 months because obviously what worked before
may not work tomorrow.

 

[kathi]

Yeah I'm waiting to see also. Things are moving so fast. Celebrity looks like a mess right now. I saw
news reports of people passing out from waiting in heat to be tested. Florida breaking a record in
cases today. I really hope things calm down A LOT in 2 months because obviously what worked before
may not work tomorrow.

I agree - we are booked 9/25 and I was more optimistic a week ago.

 

[sethschroeder]

I am not too worried. Unless the people in charge are fools (they could be) they should expect small groups of 2/5/10 people to end up with covid especially if testing more people.

Where we would have an issue is if you see a larger community spread on a ship.

 

[n2mm]

I agree - we are booked 9/25 and I was more optimistic a week ago.

good to see I’m not the only ones. I’m on the 8/30 cruise, followed by 9 nights at Bwv. I’m more concerned about the land trip than the cruise. We may Be spending more time at the pool and less in the parks. Right now I’m pretty burned out between checking in with all the new protocol required and pending for photo approval. I’m on day 7 of waiting for safe passage to approve me and I actually resubmitted again yesterday and I’m waiting for my cabin assignment (gty). I eagerly await to hear reports from he 8/9 cruise. hope it gets fun soon, because it’s been a lot of work so far.

 

[kathi]

Celebrity and RCCL just changed to all passengers needing to be tested pre-cruise (even vaccinated). I assume this is due to the 7 or so vaccinated passengers testing positive on Adventure of the Seas last week (they have a post on Cruise Critic if you are interested in RCCLs process). All passengers on Celebrity and RCCL, regardless of vaccination status, also need to be tested mid-cruise, which is when this person came up positive.

Right now DCL is only requiring vaccinated passengers be tested at the end of the first cruise if they are doing a B2B. Although it is speculation, I think it's a fair good chance if the Fantasy sails 7-night cruises, we can expect to be tested prior to and mid-cruise regardless of vaccination status. The Delta Variant is changing the necessary precautious, so I really expect to see things being modified for all cruise lines in the next few weeks.

 

[jujubiee4]

Celebrity and RCCL just changed to all passengers needing to be tested pre-cruise (even vaccinated). I assume this is due to the 7 or so vaccinated passengers testing positive on Adventure of the Seas last week (they have a post on Cruise Critic if you are interested in RCCLs process). All passengers on Celebrity and RCCL, regardless of vaccination status, also need to be tested mid-cruise, which is when this person came up positive.

Right now DCL is only requiring vaccinated passengers be tested at the end of the first cruise if they are doing a B2B. Although it is speculation, I think it's a fair good chance, if the Fantasy sails 7-night cruises, we can expect to be tested prior to and mid-cruise regardless of vaccination status. The Delta Variant is changing the necessary precautious, so I really expect to see things being modified for all cruise lines in the next few weeks.

I am really close to rebooking Fantasy. DH wants our WDW trip canceled. I am waiting to see first hand
reports back from the Dream when she has a few sailings. I think it is a good chance also that EVERYONE
will be tested. We spent 2 weeks in Hawaii a few months ago and 7 days before we left I had the family
stay home and only go out if essential. Back then you had to test negative to enter Hawaii. 2 of our
friends going with us tested positive and it was a nightmare while they quarantined and waited for
negative test to get on plane. Talk about money lost and sour start to vacation!

** In April Vaccinated or not you had to be tested for Hawaii**

 

[jujubiee4]

Celebrity and RCCL just changed to all passengers needing to be tested pre-cruise (even vaccinated). I assume this is due to the 7 or so vaccinated passengers testing positive on Adventure of the Seas last week (they have a post on Cruise Critic if you are interested in RCCLs process). All passengers on Celebrity and RCCL, regardless of vaccination status, also need to be tested mid-cruise, which is when this person came up positive.

Yes I like to go on that site also to read what is going on. Celebrity changed the testing protocol on the
fly which caused a lot of anger due to some having time restraints. Not to mention that long line in the
heat to embark. What I thought was amazing was Captain Kate went down to hand out water/cool
towels to people waiting in line. You don't see that very often. No matter what happens with the Fantasy
I definitely want to try out Celebrity Edge!

 

[kathi]

I am really close to rebooking Fantasy. DH wants our WDW trip canceled. I am waiting to see first hand
reports back from the Dream when she has a few sailings. I think it is a good chance also that EVERYONE
will be tested. We spent 2 weeks in Hawaii a few months ago and 7 days before we left I had the family
stay home and only go out if essential. Back then you had to test negative to enter Hawaii. 2 of our
friends going with us tested positive and it was a nightmare while they quarantined and waited for
negative test to get on plane. Talk about money lost and sour start to vacation!

** In April Vaccinated or not you had to be tested for Hawaii**

If we sail in September, we are going to self-quarantine before as well, so we don't end up an accidental vaccinated positive! It's a smart move.

 

[kathi]

Yes I like to go on that site also to read what is going on. Celebrity changed the testing protocol on the
fly which caused a lot of anger due to some have time restraints. Not to mention that long line in the
heat to embark. What I thought was amazing was Captain Kate went down to hand out water/cool
towels to people waiting in line. You don't see that very often. No matter what happens with the Fantasy
I definitely want to try out Celebrity Edge!

Finally Celebrity let vaccinated passengers embark and now they are having them PCR test before they arrive. It was a mess with the long lines in the sun yesterday. Captain Kate is so awesome. We have not sailed anything but DCL (20 cruises) but we are on Eclipse next August for Alaska and Edge is definitely on our list. Captain Kate is a wonderful ambassador for the brand.

 

[n2mm]

Celebrity and RCCL just changed to all passengers needing to be tested pre-cruise (even vaccinated). I assume this is due to the 7 or so vaccinated passengers testing positive on Adventure of the Seas last week (they have a post on Cruise Critic if you are interested in RCCLs process). All passengers on Celebrity and RCCL, regardless of vaccination status, also need to be tested mid-cruise, which is when this person came up positive.

Right now DCL is only requiring vaccinated passengers be tested at the end of the first cruise if they are doing a B2B. Although it is speculation, I think it's a fair good chance if the Fantasy sails 7-night cruises, we can expect to be tested prior to and mid-cruise regardless of vaccination status. The Delta Variant is changing the necessary precautious, so I really expect to see things being modified for all cruise lines in the next few weeks.

I expecting the testing to change too. For us out of town visitors, this is scary. If We test positive at the port, can’t cruise and now have nowhere to go. cant fly. Have to try to find lodging. i have a 7 night cruise the end of February, with the PIF in October.

 

[elopes23]

Who is booked on the Sept 4th Fantasy? Only 4 more days to check in - waiting to see how it goes. We are booked on the Sept 11 ----

I’m booked on both the 9/4 and 9/11 Fantasy b2b. Just did the Safe Passage registration for the 9/4 this morning (pretty straightforward); the Safe Passage site wouldn’t yet let me add my reservation for the b2b 9/11 cruise.

 

[TheWitherington's]

We are scheduled for 9/11 on Fantasy. Just waiting for cancellation options at this point to get our money back. As this would have been our first cruise with 4 adults we don’t feel we will have the best Disney experience yet. And whose to say where we will be in a year if we reschedule. Probably gonna get money back and reschedule for 2023. Just hoping they will give us cancellation options like the Dream.

 

[n2mm]

I was originally going to come to wdw a few days prior to my 8/30 cruise, but not now. With the numbers getting higher, I don’t want to take a chance of catching the virus before our cruise. we will be staying after the cruise, but will probably spend more time at the pool if this trend continues. I can’t cancel because I’m using up some of my 500 banked 2020 points.

 

[DCLDVC1]

. Just hoping they will give us cancellation options like the Dream.

I can't imagine DCL wouldn't offer the same cancellation options they gave the Dream. They'll probably extend it to the end of April or maybe even June.

 

[DCLMP]

Yeah I'm waiting to see also. Things are moving so fast. Celebrity looks like a mess right now. I saw
news reports of people passing out from waiting in heat to be tested. Florida breaking a record in
cases today. I really hope things calm down A LOT in 2 months because obviously what worked before
may not work tomorrow.

If it’s like the previous two surges it should be over in a couple of months. There will probably always be some variant out there.

 

[sethschroeder]

If it’s like the previous two surges it should be over in a couple of months. There will probably always be some variant out there.

Exactly this was basically a likelihood about 13 months ago.

Same with the spring, late winter, preholiday, and early fall surges.

Also need to remember lots more testing occurring now than last winter as an example. In our family in November they would only test 1 person and said just assume others have the same result.

 

[kathi]

Let's please keep this thread on topic and away from things that are not allowed, so we don 't get locked. There are many members sailing in September and this thread is very useful for us.

 

[sethschroeder]

I also would be surprised if Fantasy doesn't get the full go ahead just like Dream. Especially since they are doing 4/3 night test cruises which they will have direct information from the Dream on any small tweaks they need to make.

I also wonder if that is what made them decide to do the Fantasy test cruise later then some seemed to expect. This way they get real world data from Dream (same size ship) and now can apply it to Fantasy even before the test cruise.

 

[DCLMP]

Exactly this was basically a likelihood about 13 months ago.

Same with the spring, late winter, preholiday, and early fall surges.

Also need to remember lots more testing occurring now than last winter as an example. In our family in November they would only test 1 person and said just assume others have the same result.

Thankfully it's easy to get tested now because it seems like it's going to be a requirement to sail at least for the next few months or maybe longer.

 

[JWelch62]

Looks like the Fantasy has been approved for paying passengers. The CDC changed its status today. It is no longer "Crew only (approved for simulated)"