Jamesatgsu

39 minutes ago, DGNewton said:

I'd suggest everyone have travel insurance that covers Covid as well....in these times a few extra bucks as an ounce of prevention is sure worth the cure.....roll with the punches you can't pre plan the plan that is ev er changing.....we drive to the port - did July 24th on the Horizon and doing the same again on the 30th of Oct......ages 65 and 62.....common sense goes a long way.....

I'm not overly concerned about my November cruise because we are driving, so we'd just be out a drive, but am still considering it. I'd want a policy that covered deviations, and would I be able to get insurance payout and FCC? I don't know how that works. I've never paid for travel insurance that I can recall.

2 hours ago, ontheweb said:

Isn't it interesting that even after Florida won their case against the "unjustified" CSO that the cruise lines are still following it.

Not really. The CSO has been in effect, not in effect, been in effect, and once again not in effect in the past month, so nobody knows what will happen ultimately with it. 2nd, the CSO is apparently still in effect for the rest of the country. 3rd, the cruise lines actually want to be safe to avoid being totally shut down again at some point. That is why NCL sued (and won) the right to require proof of vaccination in Florida.

15 hours ago, ScottsSweetie said:

And what then? If I'm not having symptoms I'm not sure they can legally demand that I visit the infirmary or have a medical procedure performed on me against my will. I can't see that happening, if for no other reason than the really bad P.R.

They can definitely force you to quarantine and remove you from the ship. Refusing a test is going to be treated as a positive case.

11 hours ago, groundloop said:

I swear when we were on the Dream in 2018 that we didn't have to pay for it.  

I was on the Dream in 2017, and we paid for it.

2 hours ago, alpha0meqa said:

Do you get any sort of internet access for free? 

Only if you booked with a wifi on us rate (which has been the default every time I look right now). I feel like maybe they used to at least let you view certain airline pages/apps.

I always pay for 1 premium internet package, and then the chat feature (which is $5/pp, but covers entire cruise, while internet is way more per person and is per day). That way we can all keep in touch, but also have access to the internet if someone needs it.

On NCL, they skipped every other seat in their thermal suite, despite them being about 4 feet apart. Mostly was ok, but a few times we went and there was nothing available in the unisex section, but the locker room stuff was always pretty empty (Sauna/Shower/Plunge/Hot Tub/Steam). 

I bought my passes for Mardi Gras yesterday (they have way more seats than NCL). I'm not concerned because if it is too crowded, we'll just come back later. 

6 hours ago, sanger727 said:

this.

 

this is a situation that is constantly in flux with protocols changing all the time. I doubt that their customer service people can keep up. 
 

IMO, there’s huge differences to pre/post cruise Covid testing and mid cruise Covid testing. Post cruise, NCL isn’t testing you because they want to, they are doing it as a courtesy because the US government requires you get tested before you fly home. I’m not sure why they would have any more responsibility than they would if you flight home got cancelled. Once cruise is over, u are on your own. A mid cruise test where they are testing you because they require and suddenly stuck with a positive passenger in a country they brought them to, is completely different.

We were required to get tested regardless of flights. If you don't get tested, they announced you will not be able to be disembarked. So it isn't just as a courtesy.

2 minutes ago, BrotherCraig said:

 

 

Again, it does not matter.  The vaccine worked.  Anyone who is vaccinated can still get COVID  - Pfizer, Moderna, AZ, J&J, etc.  Doesn't matter.  If you are vaccinated, the odds are a lot less that you will be hospitalized, die, or even have more than mild symptoms.  The baseball players proved that the vaccine worked.  No vaccine PREVENTS Covid.  Breakthrough infections are happening to vaccinated people -- doesn't matter which vaccine they had.  It's happening.  Guess what?  Nobody should care because you have more of a chance getting hospitalized or dying on the way to the mailbox than you do with COVID and being vaccinated.

 

 In fact, at least two fully vaccinated Olympians on Team USA's roster have tested positive for COVID-19 and neither of the two athletes reported feeling any symptoms.  VACCINES WORKED!  I am pretty sure we are use to the sniffles by now.  

Testing positive on the ship means the end of your cruise. That is why I care. Only came in here because I think the Canadiens should be allowed with the 2 separate vaccines, and voicing my opinion as a passenger. I'm cruising in 5 days, and NCL is testing everyone before boarding. It would really suck to fly all the way to Greece and have our vacation end there in the port. It would also really suck to test positive on the test to fly home and miss our kids first week of school.

Just now, lobster1313 said:

Most of the politicians that are testing positive had either Pfizer or Moderna so it's not just the Jansen/J&J that are having breakthrough infections.

Nobody said differently. They are about 90% effective in that regard.

59 minutes ago, BrotherCraig said:

 If you are vaccinated, does not matter if someone had J&J one dose or someone being unvaccinated. It doesn't matter so that last comment was just odd.

It absolutely does matter when vaccinated people can still get the virus. Look at what happened to the Yankees this year with COVID blowing through their vaccinated players. They had the J&J. So far, mRNA has been shown to be more effective at preventing breakthrough infections. The fewer breakthrough infections around me, the less likely I am to get it because fewer people will be infected.

20 hours ago, BrotherCraig said:

 

Who are they?  Nobody is recommending a 3rd shot right now.  

The people selling the drugs...

Right now, evidence points to Moderna/Pfizer protection not fading yet. Boosters will likely only be needed if the virus continues on beyond 2022 (which it may with so many refusing the vaccine).

Personally, I'd rather be around people that had 2 different doses over somebody who only had J&J.

15 minutes ago, ScratchTheRat said:

Just to double check to make sure I am not talking out of the trash.

 

I am sailing on the Epic in September. I've checked over and over the policies (Sail Safe) and I think I can confirm that NCL Do not require travel insurance to sail?

They do not. CCL & RCL are only doing it for unvaccinated, while NCL doesn't allow unvaccinated at all.

Yes, they will deny boarding (huge fear of mine). They will refund you if you are denied boarding or forced to quarantine. 

3 minutes ago, zanzibargirl said:

Ooh thanks! So full refund, not just future credit? Great!

My bad, I wasn't even thinking about cash vs future cruise credit. It says FCC on the policy (though I thought it mentioned refunds in the past).

1 hour ago, zanzibargirl said:

Can you cancel and get your money back? I am not sure how the peace of mind works, thanks!

Up to 15 days before the cruise...

You'll have to reschedule. With cases rising again, they aren't going to be less restrictive. Don't expect 2022 to be any different at this rate. 

The older kids won't get an exemption because they can be vaccinated. Their dad is just choosing not to, which means waiting. 

3 minutes ago, DCGuy64 said:

And here it is, right on the page you linked to:

 

"As government regulations evolve, our health and safety protocols will evolve as needed to ensure compliance. This may mean different protocols from ship to ship based on local requirements."

 

BOOM. I knew they'd cover themselves somehow.

Except government regulations didn't change. They are basing on EU Healthy Gateways guidance, which isn't actually a requirement to follow (anything can change in the next 10 days).

But in the cruise contract it is covered so I don't think we can do much other than say false advertising at best:

mandatory use by each Guest (except for children under the age of 2 years) of face coverings in most locations outside of the Guest’s cabin while onboard, during embarkation, disembarkation and shore excursions

You can't complete the health section until 21 days before your cruise. They'll add a couple of things in there at that point. 

12 hours ago, MichiganBound said:

Correct.  If I'm not mistaken, only the Jewell-class ships have some separate wet area facilities (sauna, steam, whirlpool) in each of the locker rooms.  The heated loungers, however, are in a joint unisex area.

That's my understanding for the Jade. We'll see for sure in 13 days.

My wife has had great success with calling or using the online chat

1 hour ago, lookitsmikel said:

Carnival transfers are $35/pp each way. Everything else I found was right around that same price ($25-$35). I guess my concern would be, I imagine I would be much more likely to be told to wait outside for hours if I go with a third party vs Carnival. 
 

…maybe I’ll get lucky and get an early check in time and none of this will be an issue. Lol. Just wish I didn’t need to get everything planned long before when I’ll know what that time is. 

Uber or Lyft are much cheaper unless you are traveling solo. That is what I would do if a few shuttle want available. Miami would be about $12-15. Port Canaveral or New Orleans would be more because the airports aren't close, but would still be cheaper. 

I love using the showers in the fitness center. So much more space. 

2 hours ago, LaCal said:

Exactly.  I’ve never in the history of cruising ever heard of one single person kicked off the ship for trying to sneak on booze 

They usually even give it back at the end from what I've heard.

But I tell you what, if they did refuse to let you board, you can bet it would stop.

11 minutes ago, jperry2011 said:

My booking still says the cruise is gonna happen in 23 days and that I can check in online on July 17th.. But we don't have a health screening link yet and the cruise doesn't show up in any new searches on carnival.com

 

Any thoughts on what might be going on?

My November cruise shows health assessment not available until November 17th, which is 3 days before my cruise. Just assume they hit their capacity limit and didn't want anymore bookings. 

14 hours ago, K_e_short said:

There are many sites that show the prices for all the drinks.

I would do a calculation of what you plan to drink every day and figure out whether buying the package is worth it.

 

I will say that my family or 3 bought the Bottomless Bubbles on a 6 day cruise and it was not worth it because:

a - we got charged tax when in port which was 3 of the 6 days

b - we were off the ship a few hours for 2 days

c - the wait to get a drink was alot on sea days which meant I didn't drink as much as I wanted

 

 

a) You'll get charged tax either if you buy a drink, so that shouldn't factor in too much

b) That is one thing I hate about Cheers, since I don't want to drink in port since it is free onboard

c) You have to learn which bars are less crowded at which times.

I got my wife bottomless bubbles on our 1st cruise, and I'd guess she drank about 2.5 per day. So never got it again. For Cheers I've now had it 3 times. I really love not worrying about cost on my cruise, but every time I say I'm not going to get it again.

We had 3 booked from January 2020 until our last cancellation for May 2021.  We ended up with 4 cancelled cruises, but we have 2 currently booked and need to re-book the 3rd, but plan on waiting until after we get back from our cruise this month.