Tracking Cruising Restart: News and Updates

[ahain]

I participated in a Zoom call yesterday for Norwegian Cruise Lines. In the conference call, when asked about masks, they said that all crew and passengers would be required to be vaccinated and because of that, they expected that besides some social distancing guidelines," that guests should be able to enjoy a cruise experience that was essentially the same as pre-pandemic, including no masks, which I thought was exciting. They also mentioned that they would offer full buffet, but that crew members would do the serving.

 

[ahain]

Interestingly, the Carnival sailing on Sep 14 is an 8-nighter. That would run afoul of the current CDC CSO!

I saw this too, but then noticed that it said 8 DAYS (not nights), so maybe it still meets the guidelines

 

[jrapps]

I saw this too, but then noticed that it said 8 DAYS (not nights), so maybe it still meets the guidelines

This is more likely carnival reacting to upcoming CDC guidance that they are privy to but has not been officially announced yet. Other websites are already reporting that the CDC is about to make serious changes to the CSO. Removing the eight-day requirement is part of those changes. New vaccination rules are also likely to be part of it.

 

[Intr3pid]

I saw this too, but then noticed that it said 8 DAYS (not nights), so maybe it still meets the guidelines

As long as it's longer than 7 x 24 hours between the embarkation and debarkation times, the current CSO won't allow it. That said, Carnival doesn't seem to be marketing that cruise on its website yet. Apparently, it's a roundtrip sailing from Seattle with an extra Alaskan stop.

 

[Dug720]

They also mentioned that they would offer full buffet, but that crew members would do the serving.

I was on that call too. My pet peeve is when they (or anyone) says "It's a buffet, but people serve you." That is NOT a buffet. They will have a cafeteria with many options, sure. But if you're being served, it's a cafeteria. Not a buffet.

 

[brentm77]

I was on that call too. My pet peeve is when they (or anyone) says "It's a buffet, but people serve you." That is NOT a buffet. They will have a cafeteria with many options, sure. But if you're being served, it's a cafeteria. Not a buffet.

I thought you were wrong. I always assumed "buffet" was about it having many dishes and/or all-you-can-eat, but I was wrong. A buffet is "a meal consisting of several dishes from which guests serve themselves." I learned something new today! Makes sense now that I think about how it is used for social gatherings.

 

[KVH]

Does any reasonable person think Disney doesn’t want kids back on their ships ASAP?

DCL is doing the best they can with the hand they’ve been dealt by the U.S. government.

Anyone who’s angry at Disney about that is just looking for a reason to be angry.

I think we all here grasp the truth - but the rest of the world? Yeah, I honestly do think there is a boatload of people out there looking to be angry about anything anymore. Just because they can and they have a internet connection.

 

[JulieBeeRN]

Sidenote — I’m superstitious so I had to post just to change the post count to 667.

Carry on!

 

[Clojel]

I thought you were wrong. I always assumed "buffet" was about it having many dishes and/or all-you-can-eat, but I was wrong. A buffet is "a meal consisting of several dishes from which guests serve themselves." I learned something new today! Makes sense now that I think about how it is used for social gatherings.

I went to the dictionary after Dug’s post to confirm this too - haha!!

 

[squirk]

I think we all here grasp the truth - but the rest of the world? Yeah, I honestly do think there is a boatload of people out there looking to be angry about anything anymore. Just because they can and they have a internet connection.

I see what you did there.

Yeah, I know those people are out there. They are always out there.

But as I said, does any reasonable person….

 

[HiStitch626]

They can’t risk having even a small outbreak

I would guess all the lines are concerned about this. You do not want to be the first ship out of a North American port to have to come back due to an outbreak

I don't really follow where cruise ships have been hanging out....but are Carnival, Princess & Holland America ships all on the west coast already?

https://www.cruisemapper.com/

Just input the name of the ship your are interested in. There are a lot drifting around the Bahamas today. A few are in the west coast of Mexico. One of the little NatGeo ships is on her way to Alaska today.

The Magic is docked in Dover
The Wonder is docked in Progresso
The Dream is docked in Miami
The Fantasy is in the Port Canaveral anchorage

 

[_auroraborealis_]

So, this is RCCL but interesting in regards to Florida.

https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/...oes-not-need-its-permission-cruise-ships-sail

The CDC's instructions for cruise lines under the Framework for Conditional Sailing Order (CSO) are to submit the port agreements to the state Department of Health, but Florida has responded by saying they do not need to give cruise lines permission to operate, and directed cruise lines to go right to the CDC for test cruise permission.

The state surgeon general explicitly says that the state has limited statutory authority with respect to cruise lines.

 

[mcd2745]

So, this is RCCL but interesting in regards to Florida.

https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/...oes-not-need-its-permission-cruise-ships-sail


The state surgeon general explicitly says that the state has limited statutory authority with respect to cruise lines.

I read that as Florida taking a shot at the CDC , essentially saying "The State of Florida is not going to overstep our authority, they way the CDC has done/is doing"

 

[Princess Merida]

So is Royal Caribbean doing test cruises because they only are going to require vaccines for those 18 and up and they want to allow children to sail at higher than 5% of their passengers?

 

[HiStitch626]

I read that as Florida taking a shot at the CDC , essentially saying "The State of Florida is not going to overstep our authority, they way the CDC has done/is doing"

Or maybe this is in the state of Florida wanting to avoid taking any responsibility if the resumption of cruises does not go well. If they say that they have no authority in this situation, it also relieves them of any need to assist cruise ships if they were to happen to have an outbreak.

 

[jrapps]

So is Royal Caribbean doing test cruises because they only are going to require vaccines for those 18 and up and they want to allow children to sail at higher than 5% of their passengers?

I think they are gearing up to do test cruises in FL, but I also would not be surprised if we will see new guidance from the CDC this week about vaccines and test cruises, perhaps if they updated to 95% (or even 100%) of vaccine-ELIGIBLE to bypass test cruises and carve out the 12 and under crowd.

 

[Princess Merida]

https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/...es-covid-19-vaccine-requirements-cruise-ships
Well there’s my answer. Still waiting on DCL. Hopefully they’re waiting for CDC mediation and planning on test cruises. I won’t be vaccinating my children anytime soon so if they adopt the same policy as Royal I guess no cruise this year.

 

[orum]

I think they are gearing up to do test cruises in FL, but I also would not be surprised if we will see new guidance from the CDC this week about vaccines and test cruises, perhaps if they updated to 95% (or even 100%) of vaccine-ELIGIBLE to bypass test cruises and carve out the 12 and under crowd.

I hope the CDC does this as well. I am even ok with 100% of eligible passengers vaccinated. Still waiting on Disney to say something about cruising this year.

 

[DCLDVC1]

"Royal Caribbean's newest ship, Odyssey of the Seas, disembarked several crew members who have tested positive for COVID-19 in Spain as the ship makes its way to the United States after canceling cruises in Israel amid unrest earlier this month."

https://www.usatoday.com/story/trav...hip-drops-off-covid-19-crew-spain/7414599002/

 

[AquaDame]

"Royal Caribbean's newest ship, Odyssey of the Seas, disembarked several crew members who have tested positive for COVID-19 in Spain as the ship makes its way to the United States after canceling cruises in Israel amid unrest earlier this month."

https://www.usatoday.com/story/trav...hip-drops-off-covid-19-crew-spain/7414599002/

"Most crew members currently on board Odyssey of the Seas have not been vaccinated yet. The crew members who have not been vaccinated will be vaccinated once they arrive in the U.S., according to Sierra-Caro.

The cruise line has said that 100% of crew will be required to be fully vaccinated, Sierra-Caro told USA TODAY."

Time will tell how big a difference it makes... hopefully a big difference.