rps2004

14 minutes ago, moking said:

Yes, the 2 vaccines and 3 boosters

I called Carnival again and got the same response I got earlier:  B2B passengers on the 10/30 sailing wil be tested at sea by Carnival on a complimentary basis to satisfy the Bermuda pre boarding requirement and will not need to test for the earlier sailing 

Dont know which rep has it right, but testing three weeks before the 10/30 embark is not consistent with Bermuda’s preboarding requirements

I’m going to have my TA  call to see what they tell him. I will report  back 

Richard

4 minutes ago, moking said:

Was on the phone with Carnival, the agent said I needed to test before boarding Oct. 11th. since I am doing the B2B2B

Are you vaccinated?

Richard

2 hours ago, moking said:

Good morning - I am little confused with Bermuda; do we need to get a test before we board on Oct. 11th or do we get tested on the ship a few days before we get to Bermuda.  We are doing the B2B2B

and arriving in Rome a few days before the cruise; we have a test scheduled at the FCO airport. 

According to Carnival reps, they will test B2Bers on board the 10/21 sailing within the 2 day Bermuda window for the 10/30 sailing. Complimentary. You should verify with Carnival and ask them to make sure you are shown on their system as B2B. 
 

Richard

23 minutes ago, thogan said:

Is this documented anywhere? It clearly seems to be the best alternative, although only if Carnival accepts it.

I was on the phone with a Carnival  rep yesterday on another matter and in the course of the discussion she volunteered that Onpoint was an acceptable proctoring method. 
 

There has also been discussion on a variety of other threads about people uploading OnPoint results to VeriFLY and having them accepted. 
 

Richard

1 hour ago, kdr69 said:

Looks like booster is still required for my Celebration TA in November according to the Website.

I believe language and the booster requirements are now under the heading of the protocols for cruises that leave through September 5. The only protocols we have so far for cruises after that are the new general announcements they have just made which don’t deal in detail with the celebration and the pride specifically. Since the new general guidelines indicate that they will not be requiring vaccinations for Sailings from European ports and since those two ships are, I believe, the only two sailing in Europe, my guess is that the booster requirement will not apply to the TAs. But, we will have to wait for the upcoming guidance and amplifications.  

Richard

The CDC guidance has been out for days now. Carnival‘s website still says they are awaiting the guidance. As of this morning Royal Caribbean’s website has announced evolving protocols that include no testing for cruises under six days for vaccinated guests beginning with departures on August 8.  The implication is that there will be more to come.

Richard

I saw that. I only did a quick read, but I thought the fact they were  giving people advice about what to do if their cruise line does not have a testing requirement was telling. It would seem to indicate that they contemplate cruise lines dropping the testing within the new guidelines. Interesting to see what the Big Three make of this. 
 

I also found it interesting that they defined  fully up-to-date as requiring all shots and booster that you were eligible for.   This is a slight change from the prior wording and would seem to indicate that if you could have had both boosters but chose only one you might not be up to date. Not sure what the up to date requirement might apply to if a cruise line does away with Testing, but I thought it was interesting, nevertheless.

I am not going to go back and read the guidance in depth because the only real interpretation that matters is what cruise lines decide it means and how they develop protocols within that guidance. I would think that would happen pretty quickly this coming week.

Richard

The new CDC guidance has been posted on their website. Should be a busy week for the cruise lines. 
 

Richard

22 minutes ago, MagnoliaBlossom said:

You are right.  I inadvertently wrote unvaccinated when it is vaxed.  In my unbridled excitement, I lost my mind.  🤣

Honest mistake

Here is the copy of the actual language on the NCL site. Refers to vaccinated passengers, not unvaccinated. 
 

For sailings beginning August 1, 2022, vaccinated guests sailing on a cruise originating from any port EXCEPT a U.S. port; Canadian port; or Piraeus, Greece are exempt from all pre-cruise COVID-19 testing requirements.

Richard

I am interested in knowing how many and what type of electrical outlets there are in the Pride’s cabins. Also, are there any USB ports?

Thanks

Richard

28 minutes ago, icft said:

I agree that Carnival has both decreased the service provided and increased the standard tip charge.

 

If you look at it in terms of tips it makes no sense and has no justification. But these are not really tips and while Carnival pays lip service to them being tips Carnival does not really consider them tips as evidenced by the suggested tip going up as service provided by the crew goes down.

 

The charge labeled tips does have one thing in common with a true tip - the money goes to the crew. But for Carnival this set-up is just a way to have passengers pay part of the wages of the crew and is not related to any service provided. The amount of suggested "tip" is not related to service but rather to what the market will bear. They will shift as much wage expense onto their customers as possible under the guise of tips (while keeping their advertised cruises as low as possible).

 

We just prepay the gratuity and consider it part of the cost of the cruise.

I agree with your analysis. We remove the gratuities from our sign and sail and then tip the waiters and steward in cash

Richard

22 minutes ago, katiel53 said:

It may include the TA.  I didn't notice info on that, but I didn't read past what I posted.

We are on the TA in October.  I read the language as including the TA. It is a departure in Europe so it appeared to me it would require a booster. But, checked with Carnival and our booking agent and they confirmed. Could change and maybe they has the wrong info, but I am treating it as required until they clarify otherwise. 
 

For us it doesn’t matter since we are doing the B2B staring in Rome and we are both actually double boosted.  But, one of our traveling friends isn’t and will need the booster to get on in Rome. 
 

Richard

3 hours ago, jetsfan58 said:

New York Jets !!!

From the beginning of the franchise!!

52 minutes ago, jetsfan58 said:

We just wait until we board. It's easier. 

NY Jets or Winnipeg Jets?

Richard

I would keep an eye on this. There may be more to follow. Right now Carnivals FAQs say only one booster needed, as did John Heald’s blog on FB. 

BUT, the email from Carnival on European sailings was on 5/18 and John’s clarification was early AM on the 19th. 
 

later in the day on the 19th the CDC announced new strong recommendations for 5-11s to get boosted and for seniors to be double boosted. 

carnival’s vaccine protocols say that they will look to CDC’s evolving guidance and adapt accordingly. 
 

we might just get some additional insights from Carnival once the get back to their desks on Monday. 
 

Richard
 

Try calling Carnival and asking for Guest Services. There is a group at headquarters that talks to the ships and may be able to forward your request. 

Richard
 

2 minutes ago, Eli_6 said:

I just found this out when verifly would not accept my kid's (ages 8 and 9) Covid test taken today for our cruise departing on Tuesday.  The CCL website states: 

"Except where destination requirements differ*, guests who are up to date with their vaccines may take their test within three days prior to sailing. Up to date means a person has received all recommended COVID-19 vaccinations, including any booster dose, when eligible. Example: If the sailing is on Saturday, guests who are up to date with their vaccines may take their test as early as Wednesday and as late as Saturday, if guaranteed to receive results in time for check-in.

If a guest is fully vaccinated but not up to date with their vaccines (i.e., is eligible for a booster but has not received one), they must take their pre-cruise COVID-19 test within two days prior to sailing. A fully vaccinated guest who is not up to date with their vaccines may take their test no earlier than Thursday and as late as Saturday."

 

My kids (ages 8 and 9) are fully vaxed but obviously not yet boosted.  When I made the appointment for all of our Covid tests a few days ago, we were all "up to date" on our vaccines because the children were not eligible yet for a booster.  Well, the FDA and CDC literally approved a booster vax for the kids YESTERDAY on May 20th and apparently that now means that for any of us with vaccinated children ages 5-11, our kids are no longer "UP TO DATE" on their vaccines because they are now "eligible" for a booster. (Never mind that no one has had time to actually get one because this JUST happened.)  Just wanted to let everyone know because if I had not have happened to have used the Verifly app and been told their test was invalid because it was not taken within 48 hours, I would not have realized this and shown up to the port with their "72 hours" Covid test...and we either would not have been allowed to sail or would have had to have tested at the port.  

I kinda figured this would happen. Hope you were able to get them retested. 
 

Richard

1 hour ago, Eli_6 said:

Yes, I am on one of the Pride UK sailings.  We are about to leave on an Alaskan cruise, but when we get back from that, I am going to go ahead and get my kids boosted.  I am not risking finding out at the last minute that they need one and not having sufficient time to get them in for an appointment before we leave for Europe.  

Safe travels. 
 

Richard

8 minutes ago, kdr69 said:

And yet to some it sounded fine lol when i brought up the wording they said nothing wrong with how its written.  😳 

You were very astute to notice the conflict. 
 

Richard

I assume your on the Pride. If I had to bet the rent money, I would guess that 5-11 would need a booster now that CDC recommends it. 
 

Carnival is reeling from the large number of cases on the Spirit Panama Canal sailing that arrived in a Seattle with 200+ cases. Although not legally obligated, they paid for all of the quarantine hotels to avoid bad publicity. They are trying to avoid that on the European sailings. 
 

The only mitigating factor might be the timing of the CDC announcement so soon after the booster expansion by Carnival. 
 

Richard

Your brother might want to consider buying travel insurance before the cruise. If he has another stroke onboard he could be looking at significant uncovered medical and evacuation expenses

there are a few reputable insurers that cover stroke and cardiac events even if preexisting. 
 

Richard