BroadwayGirl

1 hour ago, sanger727 said:

Well, I don’t think this is much of a change. It says naat (aka pcr) for unvaccinated 3 days before or naat/antigen for vaccinated 2 days before. I’ve seen travel requirements for antigen as soon as 24 hours before, since those come back in minutes. 2 days is reasonable for an antigen test.

The issue is finding one in many places. We keep having them cancelled due to no supplies. PCRs have been taking 48 hrs here which cuts it close

Not for cruise reasons but for work exposure - My husbands rapid test got cancelled for tomorrow by CVS. We can’t even find a rapid here. They keep getting cancelled on us. Our PCRs have taken 36-48 hours to come back when we did them recently. We were planning on 3 days earlier taking a pcr  for our cruise and trying to find a rapid before we left just in case. This throws a serious wrench into the plans if the standard changes to 48 hours. 

You will need to apply for the exemptions for the kids. Exemptions have been open for awhile for October cruises. Could be first come first served…no ones sure. No guarantee you will be able to get one or both this late in the game. Your cruise must be paid off to even apply (and has to anyway bc you’re past final payment) for an exemption so they will have your money and you may not know until up to a few days before the cruise if you are granted the exemption and can sail.  Just some things to think about before you jump in on this. 

1 minute ago, nina_930 said:

I love that you put cabanas in quotes!  LOL.  Those are not proper cabanas.  I debated getting one because there was nothing else and decided against it.  Way too much money and not even complete shade.

Exactly. Let’s call it what it is!  I’d rather have my 64.99 umbrella for two. We just want to be able to use the pool too so hopefully some other Pride cruisers can let us know if offerings update or they find more out on board

Seeing a lot of mixed things online about what is included and not included when doing "a sunny day at beach 360" which is 64.99 a couple. This is the only excursion other than the overpriced "cabanas" showing up for Bimini right now on the Pride sailing I'm on.   I've seen so many comments about if the pools are included or not in the Sunny Beach excursion...folks have had both experiences from all the reviews I've found.  Carnival doesn't even list the "Beach Club" one for 39.99 a person anymore on their Bimini port page that people have mentioned from early sailings that potentially distinguished access.    Interested in burning some OBC so opting out of the "free beach" experience this time. 

20 minutes ago, ScottsSweetie said:

Yeah, I don't buy that. The vast majority of the 5% of exemptions was going to 12 and under (who are still being welcomed to the islands) - I cannot imagine there were more than a dozen or so adults. And I don't also see how this gets squared with the "I want 100% cruises but take me to an island where 8 out of every 10 people are unvaxxed".

 

For us, we purposely booked  HMC, GT (well now, Bimini) or Princess Cay itineraries.  Get right off and onto the beach with limited interaction with locals and most interactions would be outdoors.  We will not be going shopping in Nassau or taking organized tours in buses/vans this time.  We are most likely going to stay on board in Nassau and Freeport and enjoy the ship...unless we get a day pass to the Colonial Hilton and we can walk to that.  

The changes to the itinerary for the Pride cruises are what’s causing the issue. They need to move everything over to the correct day. We’re on the Pride in October and with Bimini being added in place of Grand Turk, they need to make planner changes to reflect the changes to the port order. I just got my refund for grand Turk, but my hmc excursion is still on the wrong day in the planner.  Assuming once they get everything moved to the proper day, things for hmc will show backup for purchase. Having similar issues for my November cruise. Port changes were done but the planner hasn’t been updated with excursions for princess cays yet. 

2 hours ago, jsglow said:

So there's separate threads going about the various disappearing ships.  I'll bet you dollars to donuts this is a precursor to cancellations and an overall temporary scaling back of the Carnival fleet as they continue to manage their way through Covid.  I suspect what they are seeing is significantly reduced demand to the point that the market can temporarily be served by a smaller fleet.  Carnival will be VERY reluctant to take an existing ship out of service but can absolutely be rationalizing how many berths they want to add via newly restarting ships and when.

 

Here will be the interesting thing.  No doubt any cancellation will allow pax a full refund on their money.  What I'm wondering is if there will be the $300/$600 incentive for accepting a FCC.  My guess is no and that the policy going forward will be greater flexibility to switch ships/dates w/o penalty for any reason.   

We’ve played the same game for months now….it disappears and usually that follows with cancellations, return to service announcements or port changes. They always say “sold out”!  If they are having trouble filling the Panorama and offering all kind of west coast deals…why would they restart the Radiance out of Long Beach? Just my two cents. John Heald said next restart announcement for Nov and Dec should be next week…so yeah we should expect cancellations and changes coming. 

33 minutes ago, WhaleTailFlCruiser said:

Means Desantis is going to have to try and save face now since he swears up and down he is pro business and all for them well now the Cruise lines have a legitimate gripe with his steadfast against asking for vaccination status. 

 

I predict NCL will use this to their advantage in the lawsuit this actually gives them some good ammo. 

I also thought there was some clause in the Florida law that covers this case....as in it’s not the cruise line requiring proof of vaccines, it’s a foreign government. He can’t fine the Bahamas for requiring proof.  

2 minutes ago, pogoism9 said:

 I was never subbed, but what part of this doesn't scream clickbait?

 

Yep and this isn’t the first one. They haven’t been the only ones with clickbait titles like boarding being refused (they had to take a test) and other drama headlines like this is how cruisers are treated, etc. I refuse to subscribe to those channels that do that. 

1 minute ago, ninjacat123 said:

Thank you!  I feel so much more confident in booking this excursion after reading your review!

Same. Have obc to burn so hoping I can book on board

If it is not the kit that is  proctored via video chat like the one from emed.com, then no, it’s not acceptable. It is then a just simply a home test kit and not allowed. They are only accepting proctored home kits where someone certifies your results and you get the digital certificate.  If no one certifies your results via the video proctoring how can the cruise line be sure that’s your swab sample that’s negative. You’d have no documentation to show them, just a test stick to wave at them. . 

I think they should share if there are are cases on board to the passengers as royal has been doing.  I think what we heard about from the vista..that folks immediately masked up and started taking precautions and adhering to guidelines was telling. People took it seriously. 

1 hour ago, BlerkOne said:

Day 8

 

 

QR-D-4-Menu.pdf 395.14 kB · 4 downloads

Thanks for posting the “new” menus. We will book the steakhouse on board. We’re the menus for the full week up on the hub when you boarded or were they put up day by day? Hoping to pick a night we aren’t thrilled with. 

They cancelled the entire New York 2021 season on the Magic when they moved her to Florida.

18 minutes ago, pogoism9 said:

I'm waiting to see how this goes. I like that they are allowing proctored home tests, but the app you get the results on does not seem to have the information that Carnival is requiring for the test results:

 

 

 

All I see are the name, date tested, and result. I would love to see what it actually looks like instead of this screenshot, as its a good option, but i'm not sold on using it for Carnival due to the missing information

I don’t even think my husbands Rite Aid pcr test from a few weeks ago had all that data either. His results literally said “test performed: covid 19”   And not specifically pcr. I don’t remember his birthday being on there either. 

1 hour ago, heath1414 said:

I hadn't heard this anywhere! That's awesome news if it's true. Can I ask where you saw this? 

I'm doubting the legitimacy of this claim.  The CDC has already said if the lines aren't voluntarily following the CSO in Florida (and Carnival chose the 95/5 route), then there are other restrictions the ships will be subjected to.  I'm thinking Carnival isn't pushing the 95/5.   I've seen one post in my cruise group regarding applying for adult exemptions.  Interested in seeing them report, but they have already been told it could be a really close to sailing decision as in days

by their TA. 

48 minutes ago, LHP said:

It is probably because this ship  is currently code  yellow.

 

Our first Horizon cruise was green and clear and we did not even have to wear masks inside . 

 

I felt very safe on the Horizon cruise… not so much on this one .

 

Their protocol is flawed.  Even requiring people to test 3 days before sailing will not stop an infection.

 

if they test negative at home and then spend a couple of days in Covid infested Florida or Texas;   unvaccinated will still test negative at boarding  because it takes 48 - 72 hours to produce enough virus to register on a test .  That means they board the ship infected and start to shed  halfway through a 7 day  cruise .

 

Vaccinated ( with Pfizer or Moderna ) will be less likely to shed ( because the vaccine can stop the replication of the virus to the point of transmit ability-but not 100% ).  But 90% of the crew are vaccinated with  J&J, which offers less protection from viral replication.

 

It just breaks my heart to think of the crew losing their only means to properly support their families if our  safety efforts fail.

Nothing is 100% risk free, but every small thing helps to keep infections low and build on the next. I’ve heard it referred to as the Swiss cheese method and it makes sense.  No it may not stop all infections, but 95% vaccines, plus testing (72 hrs for all and then boarding day too for unvaxxed), plus masks plus reduced capacity in venues as rumored like the piano bar…think of Swiss cheese and lining up those holey and imperfect slices. As you stack those slices, the holes and gaps start getting smaller and smaller. Yes, things will slip through the holes…but much less than just a single slice.  

It’s in their have fun, be safe  FAQs so it’s out there on their site. Not saying everyone will read it even if they’ve been directed to go to it and read all the protocols via all the emails we’ve gotten.  I’m sorry you are unable to sail at this time. 
 

And it’s not discrimination as folks told you the last time this was posted this week. They don’t have the oxygen storage capacity for passengers as they’ve been required to carry the max amount of oxygen for medical emergencies. Those medical center upgrades were cdc requirements to sail and not the cruise line purposely turning you away. 

We both got itinerary change emails for both fall cruises in the last two weeks and restart emails prior to that. Got a shore ex cancellation email due to that change.  My husband got a payment reminder but not me and I handle our bookings. Neither of us got the testing email. So no idea what’s up. No offers either. 

2 hours ago, Steelers0854 said:

You all know that no rapid test goes to a lab correct?  All that CVS, Walgreens etc does is use the same test kit and it produces the results in minutes. The emed test is administered by someone on video chat with you. They see the results of the test and record it and send you the results electronically just like getting it done at a pharmacy. All Carnival is going to want to see is that some authority verified your results and that you are not showing up at the port with your at-home test kit showing them it says negative. 
 

again, everyone has to do their own homework and make their own choices. But this test is CDC approved and FDA authorized and if the federal government accepts it when returning home from a foreign country on an airline I’m pretty sure it’s ok for boarding a cruise ship. In addition John specifically addressed this one and said it’s fine to use. 

I get that the rapid doesn’t go to a lab like a pcr, but a nurse practioner or whoever at the minute clinic, etc is reading it and certifying it.  If the emed kit is simply the binax now home kit…who’s reading your “pregnancy test stick” in front of you?  Do you just hold it up to the video chat person?  Or do you tell them what it says?  You’re still doing a “home test” as you take the sample, mix the solution, etc.   Just saying I wouldn’t stake my cruise on it based on a Facebook message and worry they’d deem that a home test unless I had no other option regardless of them sending you a digital email saying your status. 

I also get it’s cdc and fda approved as it wouldn’t be in the market if it wasn’t. Like molecular rapids are approved but no one takes them to travel. 

3 minutes ago, firefly333 said:

Are those home tests? John said cant use home testing. 

It’s the home test binax now but monitored by a video chat.  But they give you a digital email to show you’re negative which is what the poster is banking in as official proof. Certainly a grey area as I pointed out above…as aren’t you the one certifying your own results as the test kit is in front of you and not a lab?

So heres my question with emed…it’s just the binax now home kit but you get a virtual guide.  So who’s reading the test results? Guessing it’s not a lab. Are they giving you a digital certificate simply based on what you tell them on the video call that your dye strip says?   It’s basically a fancy home test then. Not sure I’d trust not getting denied at the port...even though some airlines are accepting it. 

18 minutes ago, Sailin_Pirate said:

Changed today? 

9/19 Pride now HMC / Bimini / Freeport

Changed this evening for the 10/17 Pride…hmc/Bimini/freeport

6 hours ago, time4sun said:

Thanks for all the replies!  Love CC!  We are sailing out of Seattle, and are flying the morning of the cruise since it's an easy direct flight from Bend Oregon.  Seems risky to try to get a test once in Seattle.  I have a note in to my doctor office to see if there's anything they can do.  The problem is the "tuesday" cruise.  The labs aren't open on Sunday that they send the PCR test to, they say the test wouldn't go out until Monday.  Thanks again!

Is there a testing site at the airport you’re flying from? I know a lot of airports have pop up testing for travel these days