MEFIowa

Carnival, NCL and Princess are waiving pre-testing for most cruises for the VACCINATED only. Pre-testing remains for the unvaccinated. As for "should", those who can medically "should" get vaccinated and boosted. The single best thing they can do for themselves and others. But those who "should" but "don't" are the potential primary problem vis-a-vis anyone getting seriously ill or dying while on the cruise or immediately afterward.

As did PRINCESS on the same day: "Starting Sept. 6, vaccinated guests sailing on voyages of less than 16 days will no longer have to test before boarding and only need to upload proof of vaccination while getting OceanReady. Unvaccinated guests, or those who do not provide proof of vaccination, on those itineraries will self-test within three days of sailing and upload proof of a negative test before boarding, the company said, in a press release." Princess Cruises Drops COVID-19 Vaccine Requirement for Most Voyages - Cruise Industry News

CARNIVAL does the same per new policy announced 8/12/22: All new guidelines are effective for cruises departing on Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2022 or later, and include: • Vaccinated guests must continue to provide evidence of their vaccination status prior to embarkation. Pre-cruise testing is no longer required, except for cruises to Canada, Bermuda, Greece and Australia (per local guidelines), and on voyages 16 nights or longer. • Unvaccinated guests are welcome to sail and are no longer required to apply for a vaccine exemption, except for cruises in Australia or on voyages 16 nights and longer. • Unvaccinated guests or those who do not provide proof of vaccination must present the results of a negative PCR or antigen test taken within three days of embarkation. • All policies are subject to local destination regulations. Carnival Removes Pre-Cruise Testing for Vaccinated Guests, More Changes Announced - Cruise Industry News

Lots of assumptions. But I was on Riviera 12/13-23/21 right after the summer '21 COVID wave and before the COVID wave in late Dec & Jan. A cruise where COVID was essentially forgotten. We knew COVID was out and about. The risks. But we didn't seemingly do anything different than in the past. 719 cruisers. Maybe 1% wore a mask. I joked about that on an elevator where I counted about 12 of us crammed in. Not a mask being worn. People going on excursions. Wife and I did one each in 5 ports. Hanging out around the pool. Or to get coffee. Or in the internet area. Watching the comic. Guess what? COVID wasn't hardly mentioned, and the passengers were enjoying themselves. We had a great time. We didn't see or hear much about any COVID problems. One sick very elderly man was taken off by CG patrol boat by Key West, but he looked like Boris Karloff near the end of his life and probably shouldn't have been cruising (reportedly more dementia-type issue). And we booked another cruise while on board (11/22) and have later added cruises in 2023 and 2024. I'd like to think O cruisers are smart and aware of the risks, talking with their medical professionals. IF they are fully vaccinated and fully boosted (as I am), unlikely much harm, if any, will come to someone with no serious specific risk factors. I've got an MBA. I flew to Paraguay in April for 2 weeks. Didn't get COVID. Didn't worry about it. What would be the point? I did what I could, esp. some social distancing, but never masked.

Though see the NCL news today, with their bookings going thru the roof after they made the announcement, NCL "gets it". They have a business to run and bills to pay and investors to worry about and bonds to pay off.

" "Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings announced earlier this week it was dropping vaccination requirements on cruises from the U.S., as well as pre-cruise related testing protocols for vaccinated guests. The result? Cruise bookings picked up. "(The) announcement was an instant catalyst, resulting in one of our top three best booking days of the year," said Frank Del Rio, president and CEO, speaking on the company's second quarter earnings call." Norwegian Cruise Line Drops Vaccination Requirements and Bookings Accelerate - Cruise Industry News

From the press reporting originally: "Debuting in December 2022 and November 2023 respectively, Riviera and Marina will become better-than-new ships in a re-inspiration. ... Riviera will debut on 7 December 2022, on a 16-day Mediterranean, Atlantic, and Caribbean cruise from Rome to Miami. From there, Riviera will reprise her popular 7- to 14-day Caribbean sailings from Miami to the Caribbean, Mexico, and Central America for one final season before returning to Europe in late March 2023. Riviera then charts an inaugural season of Far East explorations during later 2023 and early 2024. Marina will debut on 13 November 2023, on a 7-day cruise from Barcelona to Lisbon. From Lisbon, Marina will bound her way to Miami, where she will kick off her annual South America season on 3 December 2023." Oceania Cruises to overhaul Riviera and Marina (latteluxurynews.com)

The key is KNOWING what each country requires at the time you visit. I studied the US State Department and Embassy material daily for months, as well as the Paraguayan Ministry of Health information, in preparation for my trip to Paraguay. Funny how it all started to change when I arrived! But them's the breaks.

And for Chile today: Is a negative COVID-19 test (PCR and/or serology) required for entry? No. Travelers will have to present the following documents when boarding their flight to Chile: A completed “Traveler’s Affidavit” prepared less than 48 hours before arrival in Chile; As of April 14, 2022, the Chilean government no longer requires travelers to obtain a Mobility Pass (“Pase de Movibilidad”) in order to enter Chile. However, a valid Mobility Pass will still be required in many situations, including but not limited to the following: Domestic travel (by plane, bus, etc.) For example, if you are arriving in Santiago and have a connecting domestic flight to another city in Chile, a Mobility Pass will not be requested upon arrival in Santiago, but will be required to board your connecting domestic flight Indoor dining at restaurants Access to theaters and cinemas Participation in organized tours Attendance at large public events (sporting events, concerts, etc.) And: "The Chilean government conducts random COVID tests for arriving international passengers." COVID-19 in Chile: Information for American Citizens - U.S. Embassy in Chile (usembassy.gov)

Here is ARGENTINA today, from the US Embassy: " For cruise ships: Only a negative COVID-19 PCR test (not antigen) administered no more than 72 hours prior to the departure of the cruise ship will be accepted. COVID-19 Information - U.S. Embassy in Argentina (usembassy.gov)

Parts of S. America have and were opening up. I flew from Chicago to Sao Paulo, Brazil to Asuncion, Paraguay in April 2022 and then back in early May. Brazil didn't worry about testing. And Paraguay eliminated its testing requirement the day I flew down. What was bizarre was that at the time the Mercosur countries--Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay--did NOT require testing or vaccination from their members travelling across these borders. So the German family and I on the GOL plane to Asuncion with all the Paraguayan shoppers were likely the only people on the plane tested! It had seemed like Argentina was the most conservative, for the Paraguayans were miffed they wouldn't open the bridges or border for a long time due to COVID.

That's why I pay close attention to O's periodic sales. That 12/21 A4 Concierge Veranda on Riviera I paid $2099 cruise-only fare for 10 nights during 2021 Presidents' Day Sale is currently listed same ship, same room, same cruise in early 2023 at $3999. Caught a nice sale earlier this year for a 2023 Med cruise.

Don't get me started on S. America! Having flown to Asuncion, Paraguay thru Sao Paulo and back. See how the Mercosur nations (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay) were eventually willing to waive vaccination and testing requirements for their citizens going back and forth across these borders. I suspect the German national and his family and I were the only 4 vaccinated and tested people on our GOL 737 flying into Asuncion on April 19, 2022. Crammed into a plane with no empty seats and so many Paraguayan shoppers coming back with their buys in Brazil filling the overhead bins. But God forbid you were not a Mercosur resident, then you had to follow specific protocols. As if COVID can't be transmitted by certain citizens over non-citizens!

No, the policy is clear that there are exceptions: "Certain destinations have specific requirements which will vary from our new base-level protocols."

On a 10-day cruise with 6 port days spread out and NO testing during the cruise and NO mandatory masking while on excursions, all you're doing is accepting the risk that people will come back on board having been exposed. And it's all theatre, pretending that somehow pre-cruise testing is any panacea. Esp. when you've got say a 72-hour window to present your test (testing negative for the test but then possibly being infected afterwards before boarding). Or if you allow the easier tests with higher false positives & negatives rather than a PCR. Being vaccinated is the best single option. I certainly support that as a continuing mandate, since people who might get seriously ill may need to be hospitalized (having watched in 12/21 a very elderly man cause our cruise to grind to a halt one afternoon as he had to be evacuated near Key West by patrol boat, for non-COVID-related issue). Along with not cruising at all if you have risk factors. IF people are so worried about COVID, then don't cruise.

Just curious, are you planning on getting tested when you disembark and then return to the ship after every excursion? After interacting with all those in port or out and about in country. Seems weird how COVID testing is desired by so many worried about travelers from Minneapolis to Miami but suddenly those same people don't give a rip about testing if it is say returning to the ship from a day in Belize City, Bermuda, Helsinki, Rio, Rome, etc.

Wife and I were on Riviera 12/13-23/21 (W. Caribbean), the last cruise that essentially looked like pre-cruising, before the late Dec-Jan spike in cases. BUT it didn't seem as if anyone was adversely impacted by COVID. As for the fully vaccinated today, the now endemic virus seems to put so few into the hospital and so many even fewer die. And I had no issues on a 16-day trip to Paraguay in April-May, 2022. No COVID. Few COVID concerns. Both USA and Paraguay removed the testing requirements after I flew down there (on the flight to Chicago we were told we could remove our masks due to that court order dropping the requirement, so flew from Des Moines to Sao Paulo unmasked). So FULL SPEED ahead for our 11/18-28/22 cruise on Sirena (E. Caribbean). Can't wait.

From NCL's 2nd Qtr results just published: "Occupancy in the second quarter was 65%, in line with previously outlined expectations, and a 17-point improvement over the prior quarter. Numerous voyages, across several key markets, achieved occupancy levels north of 100% during the quarter. According to a press release, consistent with its core strategy to focus on maximizing long-term pricing, the company continues to expect quarterly occupancy levels to sequentially increase and reach historical levels for the second quarter of 2023. Occupancy is expected to average in the low 80% range in the third quarter of 2022 with July voyages averaging approximately 85%."

" Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings today announced revisions to its SailSAFE health and safety protocols for its Norwegian, Oceania and Regent brands. Vaccinated guests aged 12 and over will no longer have any pre-cruise COVID-19 related protocols and unvaccinated guests may embark with a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours prior to departure, subject to local regulations. According to a press release, this policy will go into effect across Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises for all sailings that commence on or after September 3, 2022. Requirements may differ for guests traveling on voyages departing from or visiting destinations with specific local regulations, including but not limited to Canada, Greece and Bermuda." Norwegian Cruise Line Drops Pre-Voyage COVID-19 Testing - Cruise Industry News

The veranda rooms Concierge A1-A4 and non-Concierge B1-B4 have bathtubs today and they will be going away. So what is happening to the space they are vacating? The exact new dimensions of the bathroom and living area/bedroom.

Given this--"Debuting in December 2022 and November 2023 respectively, Riviera and Marina will become better-than-new ships in a re-inspiration."--please learn as much as you can about how both ships will change, everything from cabins to spa area pools to you name it. The whole 9 yards. The Marina you sail on in 2022 won't be the same ship come 2024. I was on Riviera in late 2021 and will be back on her in late 2023, after the refit. A big issue for my wife & I are in regard to the elimination of the bathtubs. We're doing both veranda and inside staterooms, so wondering what exactly is happening to the interiors of each, including dimensions, with the refit.

Kept all my Currents from our 12/13-23/21 cruise on Riviera: Day 1 was the short sea day from Miami out. Then our Day 2, the long sea day headed to the W. Caribbean, had the Captain's Cocktail Celebration that evening. "Complimentary Cocktails: 5:45- 8 pm Horizons/ 6-8 Martinis & Grand Bar."

The science is clear... Get vaccinated & boosted. You'll all but ensure you stay out of the hospital and won't die. All those asymptomatic cases. Or the mild cases akin to the flu. BUT being vaccinated will NOT prevent you from getting COVID. So expect to get COVID at some point (not unlike the equally endemic flu). IF, however, you have serious risk factors, avoid cruising! Funny how you argue for ONE pre-embarkation test, but then YOU won't admit that such a test is meaningless if you don't also test after EVERY disembarkation & re-embarkation on the voyage. OR do you think the science says, "Only travellers from Minneapolis to Miami get COVID but when those same travellers get off at 6 Caribbean destinations they couldn't possibly get COVID so no need to test them when they return from their excursion and come back aboard"? A single preembarkation test is theatre, a pretend, feel-good act of NO real scientific value for the vaccinated. The science of vaccination and testing.

Really a standard of "stopping even one infected person from boarding"? How come that is only now for COVID which is endemic and far from life-threatening for the vast majority of people, esp. those vaccinated/boosted and without risk factors? We are all vaccinated and boosted. We know our health situations. We talk to our doctors. The SCIENCE would say, "Do not cruise if you have significant risk factors." You want more PRETEND, theatrical, feel-good activity. BUT what would the SCIENCE say with your standard? - Why NOT PCR test only (the more reliable one) and no more than 24 hours before boarding? Reduces false positives and negatives. Actually tries to stop last-minute infections pre-boarding. - Why not mandatory testing POST-excursion for EVERY excursion? If you leave the boat and come back, you have to be tested? If you want pre-embarkation testing at the start, why do YOU stop the testing each time people then disembark and reembark in all the ports? But you wouldn't want to do the things that would actually get more to a "zero" standard, that mythical always one more infected person stopped. As opposed to "let's all look like we're doing something no matter the waste of time or money". COVID is now endemic and the vaccines won't stop the spread. Get over it.

And what was sickening about the waste of time and money testing to go down and back in April and May 2022 was that... 1. An American flies from USA to Brazil, no testing required. 2. A Paraguayan flies from Brazil to Paraguay, no testing required. 3. An American flies from USA to Paraguay thru Brazil? Has to be tested. Where is the science in that? The entire MERCUSOR block eliminated testing for travel between Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay. But only for their citizens. As if COVID knows to avoid them and only gets foreigners sick? Cost me $118 for the two tests. As I flew on planes filled with people who never tested!