SS Future Re-Open Plan: Timing, Testing Needs??!!

[TLCOhio]

From CNN this morning, they had this headline: “First US trial cruise testing Covid safety protocols sets sail” in a story being covered by other media outlets today.  

 

Here are some of their story highlights: “A trial cruise set sail from Miami on Sunday evening, putting the cruise industry one step closer to resuming operations out of US ports.  Royal Caribbean's Freedom of the Seas departed from PortMiami at 7 p.m. with about 600 employee volunteers on board to test Covid-19 health and safety measures before the ship starts welcoming paying passengers.  All of the volunteers are vaccinated, Royal Caribbean said, and there is a representative from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on board.
According to requirements outlined by the CDC, a trial cruise is one of two paths for a cruise ship to resume sailing.  A ship may either opt to perform a trial cruise or agree to set sail with almost all fully vaccinated passengers and crew -- 95% for both groups.”

 

Full story at:

https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/trial-cruise-royal-caribbean-covid-19-safety-protocols/index.html

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Athens & Greece: Many visuals, details from two visits in a city with great history, culture and architecture.  Now at 39,207 views.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1101008

[TLCOhio]

Will we need Covid vaccine booster shots in the future?  Here is more background as to what one of the major vaccine pioneers is doing now. Since our two vaccine shots were from Moderna, we are following this firm's progress with interest.     

 

From the Wall Street Journal this morning, they had this headline: “Moderna Plans to Expand Production to Make Covid-19 Vaccine Boosters, Supply More Countries" with this sub-headline: "The company is adding production lines outside Boston, betting on shots to prolong immunity and target new variants.”

 

Here are some of their reporting highlights: “Moderna is adding two new production lines at the rebuilt former Polaroid plant where it manufactures its Covid-19 vaccine, part of a push to prepare for making booster shots and the future of the pandemic.  At a site brimming with new steel production tanks and heavy equipment, construction workers in neon safety vests are working to get one new line up and running by fall and the other by early 2022.  The additions will help Moderna increase overall production capacity by 50% at its plant.  Moderna and its manufacturing partners also are expanding production capacity outside the U.S., with a goal to roughly triple the annual global output of Covid-19 vaccine doses to about 3 billion in 2022 from as many as 1 billion this year.”

 

Here is more: "The manufacturing expansion shows that Moderna is making a big bet on an enduring Covid-19 vaccine business as health authorities prepare for life after the pandemic lifts but the virus remains. Wall Street analysts say sales of  Moderna’s Covid-19 vaccine could stay strong for a couple of years but then drop off.  The decade-old startup had no commercial products and was struggling to persuade many investors that it could make messenger RNA technology work before the coronavirus pandemic hit last year.   Now, it is a major biotechnology industry player as a result of the effective Covid-19 vaccine that it quickly developed last year. Moderna has a market capitalization of $81 billion, up from about $7 billion before the pandemic.  The company expects the additional output of doses to include vaccines intended as booster shots that might be needed to prolong immunity and better target new coronavirus variants. Some of the new supply may also be lower-dose shots intended for young children, if clinical data support their use."

 

Full story at:

https://www.wsj.com/articles/moderna-plans-to-expand-production-to-make-covid-19-vaccine-boosters-supply-more-countries-11624273200?mod=hp_lead_pos4

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Lisbon, NWSpain, Bordeaux/Brittany: Live/blog, June 2017 from Portugal to France along scenic Atlantic Coast.  Now at 31,765 views.  Many interesting pictures, details for history, food, culture, etc.:

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2511358

[TLCOhio]

From the Wall Street Journal's sister publication of Barron's this morning, they had this headline: “Cruise Operators Grapple With Pushback on Covid-19 Vaccination Mandates” with these highlights: “Although it has been widely expected cruises would begin to resume soon out of U.S. ports, the situation remains fraught as questions surrounding vaccinations swirl.  One big sticking point is an April executive order by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis that blocks 'any business or government entity from requiring proof of COVID-19 vaccination' in that state. The cruise operators, however, have seen vaccinations as key to a restart, partly because they believe passengers will feel safer aboard the vessels.   The vaccination situation is quickly evolving, and the cruise companies have outlined different strategies. The CDC, for its part, says on its website that it 'recommends that people who are not fully vaccinated avoid travel on cruise ships, including river cruises, worldwide.' ”

 

Full story at:

https://www.barrons.com/articles/cruise-operators-grapple-with-pushback-on-covid-19-vaccination-mandates-51624204632?adobe_mc=MCMID%3D17890978094729970721802209653811496972|MCORGID%3DCB68E4BA55144CAA0A4C98A5%40AdobeOrg|TS%3D1624283952

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Panama Canal? Early 2017, Fort Lauderdale to San Francisco adventure through Panama Canal.  Our first stops in Colombia, Central America and Mexico, plus added time in the great Golden Gate City. Now at 30,652 views.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2465580

[TLCOhio]

Should I be careful and cautious about creating controversy?  Should I avoid such topics and questions? 

 

From the Wall Street Journal this morning, they had this headline: “‘Jacket Required’ No More? How the Pandemic Changed Dress Codes" with this sub-headline: "Le Bernardin in New York City was the latest ‘jacket required’ restaurant to chuck its formal policy.”

 

Here are some of their story highlights: “For the first time in its 35-year history, Manhattan’s Le Bernardin is letting male patrons order its tasting menu or a bottle of Burgundy without wearing a sportcoat. When it reopened its polished dining room on March 17 after a several month hiatus, the three-Michelin-starred restaurant discarded its longstanding 'jacket required' dress code. The decision, said chef and co-owner Eric Ripert, was driven by hygiene concerns.  Pre-pandemic, between five and 10 men on average arrived nightly at Le Bernardin in their shirt-sleeves. To maintain a sense of decorum, the restaurant would give these too-casual diners a loaner jacket for the evening. But this system didn’t work in the Covid era. It required Le Bernardin’s staff to get too close to clients, and to touch their worn jackets after the meal’s conclusion. For Le Bernardin, 'jacket required' became an unsanitary, unworkable policy.  Add restaurant dress codes to the list of the many things scrambled by the global health crisis. Upon reopening earlier this year, Galatoire’s, a jacket-required stickler in New Orleans, also stopped giving out germ-magnet loaners. Guests who arrived sans sportcoat, said the restaurant’s general manager Billy Clark, were steered toward the bar or a separate, more laissez-faire dining room where the sight of shirt-sleeves wouldn’t ruin someone’s supper.”

 

Here is more from their reporting: "Even before Covid, the jacket-required dress code—once de rigueur at finer establishments nationwide—had started to seem increasingly out of date. In keeping with the creeping casualization of how we dress, many formal hold-outs like Spaggia in Chicago and the French Laundry in Yountville, Calif., had already eliminated their jacket requirements pre-pandemic. (At most such eateries, however, shorts, tank tops and flip-flops remain verboten.)  But curiously, all the sartorial energy that became pent up during the pandemic seems to be perpetuating formality despite the loosening dress codes. All the restaurateurs I spoke with noted that, as customers flock back to their establishments to celebrate birthdays, anniversaries or friendly reunions, they’re treating these occasions as an opportunity to finally dust off their dress clothes.  New York City's Daniel Boulud noted that, since he reopened his highly-rated Daniel in February, even with his jacket-optional policy, diners come dressed to the nines."

 

What does this mean for cruise ships and their "formal" and/or jacket-required codes/suggestions for evening dining during sailings?

 

Full story at:

https://www.wsj.com/articles/jacket-required-no-more-how-the-pandemic-changed-dress-codes-11624286698?cx_testId=3&cx_testVariant=cx_17&cx_artPos=0&mod=WTRN#cxrecs_s

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

From late 2018, see “Holy Lands, Egypt, Jordan, Oman, Dubai, Greece, etc.”, with many visuals, details and ideas for the historic and scenic Middle East. Now at 19,815 views.  Connect at:

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2607054-livenautica-greece-holy-lands-egypt-dubai-terrypix’s/

[taxatty]

4 hours ago, TLCOhio said:

Should I be careful and cautious about creating controversy?  Should I avoid such topics and questions? 

 

Absolutely not! That's one of the many things that make the CC boards interesting.

 

What does this mean for cruise ships and their "formal" and/or jacket-required codes/suggestions for evening dining during sailings?

 

If Cunard offloads its formal nights and jacket-required nights, that will truly be a sign of the apocalypse. 

 

[TLCOhio]

15 hours ago, taxatty said:

Absolutely not! That's one of the many things that make the CC boards interesting.

If Cunard offloads its formal nights and jacket-required nights, that will truly be a sign of the apocalypse. 

 

Glad to know that our Miami legal friend does not mind me raising a question that might create a little "controversy".   Agree with your comment and follow-up that if Cunard had made that change in the dress code that it would be viewed by some as the "end of civilization" in their words.  Personally, I don't mind loosen up.  I don't mind dressing up, but during the summer and/or with long travels required, keeping it "SIMPLE" works easier and better for me and my wife.   This is especially true if now in an area such as Med, including the Greek Isles, etc.

 

From Yahoo News and a magazine article today, they had this headline: “8 Ways the Pandemic Has Changed Travel-Possibly Forever” with some of these highlights: “Travel is back. Cruise lines are gearing up for their first voyages since COVID, airports are humming, and rental cars are hard to come by. But it isn't back to exactly what we had pre-pandemic-and some changes are more likely to become permanent.   Airlines may be back to their old tricks.  For a time, airlines were trying to help encourage space between travelers.  But many of those changes are on their way out already. 'My feeling and fear is that we're going to go back to pre-pandemic bad habits,' says and Peter Greenberg, travel editor for CBS News.  'They're going back to selling every seat, turning their planes around quickly, and reduced cleaning.'  More flexibility is baked in.  Postponing or canceling travel was sometimes difficult or costly, but many airlines have started to do away with change fees-at least for all but the very cheapest tickets.  Your hotel room won't automatically be cleaned daily.   Pre-pandemic, hotels had already been encouraging you to forgo daily sheet and towel service to help them be more eco-friendly.”

 

Regarding sailing, here was a key summary/conclusion from Greenberg: "Cruises may be the safest way to travel (seriously).  Even before the pandemic, outbreaks of norovirus made headlines on cruise ships-and the stories about people trapped on ships in the early days of the pandemic may have made cruise ships seem even less palatable. But Greenberg is feeling confident that the cruise lines are doing things right to keep passengers and staffers safe. 'They're requiring 100 percent vaccination, redesigning the physical structure and floor plan of their ships, and changing procedures-and passengers will love it,' he says. 'It's a wonderful irony that they may be the safest places to travel.' "

 

Full story at:

https://www.yahoo.com/now/8-ways-pandemic-changed-travel-155248904.html

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Completed 2019 summer with Calgary, Jasper/Banff National Parks, Western Canada Rocky Mountaineer rail adventure, Vancouver, sailing up to Alaska on Silver Muse, post-cruise excursion to Denali, etc.  Many visuals and details from our first in these scenic areas!  Live/blog: 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2682584-live-terryohio-silver-muse-alaska-canadarockies-pix’s/

[Silver Spectre]

Looks like you have finally stirred up a hornets nest Terry.

[docruth]

Dear Terry @TLCOhio,

 

I’m posting this link:

 

 https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2711757-reflection-transatlantic-~-october-22-2021/page/110/?tab=comments#comment-61336861

 

Only one post at the end of the thread when they finally cancelled, but you get the idea.

 

As more news about the fall translants, along with some of accounts of the restart cruises flows in, I believe we’ll finally get to know a lot more about whether’s there’s any residual potential for the ‘22-‘23 cruise season.

 

Doc Ruth

 

 

[TLCOhio]

On 6/24/2021 at 4:34 PM, docruth said:

Dear Terry @TLCOhio,  I’m posting this link:

 https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2711757-reflection-transatlantic-~-october-22-2021/page/110/?tab=comments#comment-61336861

As more news about the fall translants, along with some of accounts of the restart cruises flows in, I believe we’ll finally get to know a lot more about whether’s there’s any residual potential for the ‘22-‘23 cruise season. Doc Ruth

 

Appreciate these various comments and follow-ups from Doc Ruth and others.  Keep up the great sharing, questions, insights, links, etc.    

 

Just finished watching a lengthy cable TV news interview with Royal Caribbean CEO Richard Fain as he was about to board the Celebrity Edge doing its first sailing from a U.S. port in Florida.  Interesting comments . . . and enthusiasm!!  He will be on this sailing!!  Hard work and dedication to job duties??  Fain indicated that 99% of those on this sailing have been vaccinated for at least two weeks or more.  For those not vaccinated, they must be tested multiple times, at their expense (about $170 each test), three different times.  Not exactly legally requiring you have to have  the vaccination, but making the point that will be very wise to have done that protection exercise.  

 

From the Wall Street Journal his morning, they had this headline: “First U.S. Cruise Since Covid Is Setting Sail. Here’s What You Need to Know About Cruises" with this sub-headline: "Carnival, Royal Caribbean and Norwegian outline rules for vaccinations, testing and what happens if someone gets sick on the ship”.

 

Here are some of their story highlights: “Cruise sailings are set to restart out of the U.S. Saturday, breaking more than a year of hiatus caused by Covid-19.  The voyages are starting again after the cruise operators agreed to implement various health and safety prerequisites. The first cruise to resume will be Royal Caribbean’s Celebrity Edge, departing from Port Everglades in Florida on Saturday. Here is what you need to know:  Is the industry getting back to normal?   Or are there still risks or cancellations? The restarts are just the beginning of the path to    normalcy, and the full view of the risks has yet to be seen, especially for unvaccinated minors.  Two unvaccinated passengers under the age of 16 tested positive for the virus on a Royal Caribbean ship this week and traveled home to Florida from the Bahamas after quarantining onboard, and the cruise sailed on.  Is it safe to go on a cruise?  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has lowered its assessment of the risk of cruise-ship travel to level three from level four for people who aren’t fully vaccinated. A CDC spokeswoman said cruising isn’t risky for fully vaccinated people. For unvaccinated people, it said the chance of contracting the disease is high as the virus appears to spread more easily among people in close quarters on ships.”

 

Here is more from this WSJ reporting: "What can I expect on a cruise ship? Smaller crowds, some masks and buffets served by crew are some of the fixtures of the first cruises.  Testing: Passengers who haven’t been fully vaccinated need to be tested at the start of the trip—as well as at the end, for voyages longer than four nights, according to the CDC. What if a passenger gets sick onboard?  Ships will typically ask passengers who test positive for Covid-19 to isolate themselves in their cabins. Companies will also implement contract-tracing methods to notify those who may have been in close contact with the Covid-positive passenger. Whether or not the cruise will continue to sail depends on the magnitude of the cases. The CDC doesn’t require the cruise to be halted unless there is a major outbreak..  How is the demand and pricing for the first cruises to restart?  Many of the initial U.S. sailings have been filled quickly because of the lower capacity, said Chris Gray Faust, managing editor of cruise-review site Cruise Critic. Prices are also generally higher compared with 2019 for those initial sailings, she said."

 

Full story at:

https://www.wsj.com/articles/cruises-and-covid-19-when-u-s-sailings-could-restart-and-what-safety-precautions-are-expected-11607941801?cx_testId=3&cx_testVariant=cx_5&cx_artPos=0&mod=WTRN#cxrecs_s

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Barcelona/Med: June 2011, with stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Great visuals with key highlights, tips, etc. Live/blog now at 253,555 views.

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

[crusinbanjo]

Thank you Terry,  you always have the best info and have kept up with this since the beginning.

[TLCOhio]

On 6/26/2021 at 12:21 PM, crusinbanjo said:

Thank you Terry,  you always have the best info and have kept up with this since the beginning.

 

Appreciate the kind words and comments from Mr. Banjo.  Will try to keep up the good sharing and encouraging others to pass along any info that they observe.  

 

From the respected Bloomberg News and MSN on Thursday of last week, they had this headline: “Carnival Sees Full Fleet Sailing by Spring, Later Than Hoped” with these highlights: “Carnival Corp. Chief Executive Officer Arnold Donald estimates that the company will have its entire fleet of 91 cruise ships operating by next spring, a bit later than it originally hoped.  The company has already announced return dates for 42 ships by the end of the company’s fiscal year, which concludes on Nov. 30, according to a quarterly business update on Thursday.   Like the rest of the industry, Carnival’s cruise operations have remained mostly shut down, with notable exceptions including Costa Cruises and AIDA Cruises-branded voyages in Europe. But North American cruises are expected to return in the coming weeks.”

 

From that last Thursday briefing, I listened to this quarterly report with various questions from Wall Street financial experts to the top Carnival corporate executives.  My bottom-line summary was that this re-opening process is happening now, but will take longer to return to the "normal" compared to what they experienced in 2019.  There was much talk of "pent-up demand", but much of those advanced bookings involve FCC or "future cruise credits".  There is strong future interests, but how much and how soon  are part of the question.

 

Here is more from their story reporting: "The latest estimates on the timing of Carnival’s return suggest the company won’t meet its previous best-case scenario. On an April 7 conference call, Donald said he would like to have the full fleet going 'by the end of this year, early next year,' but he portrayed that time frame as an 'aspiration.'  Carnival shares slumped as much as 2.7% on Thursday, but they rebounded slightly off their lows.  Although restrictions are still in place due to the pandemic, the fleet should be sailing at capacity in the spring 2022 time frame, Donald said on the conference call.   Chief Financial Officer David Bernstein said the recovery will lay the groundwork for a return to profit before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization shortly afterward.  'If we do get back in the spring of 2022, we have the full fleet back in operation, we’re able to get to more normal type occupancy levels, then we should have significant positive Ebitda, particularly in the summer months of 2022,' Bernstein said. 'And we’ll go forward from there.'  The executives were careful to hedge anything that sounded like a forecast, noting that much depends on the trajectory of the pandemic. The company reported an adjusted net loss for the second quarter of $2.04 billion."

 

Full story at:

https://www.msn.com/en-US/news/companies/carnival-sees-full-fleet-sailing-by-spring-later-than-hoped/ar-AALosra?ocid=BingNewsSearch

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise from Copenhagen, July 2010, to the top of Europe. Scenic visuals with key tips. Live/blog at 242,158 views.

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

[TLCOhio]

From CNN and MSN News yesterday, they had this headline: “Cruising was a Covid disaster. Now it claims to be the 'safest vacation available' ” with these highlights: “The world's cruise ships were once titans of the oceans, raking in billions in profit as their city-sized passenger populations traveled across the globe.   But last year, many of these floating palaces became coronavirus epicenters, turned away from port after port as Covid cases rose on board and the pandemic escalated on land.  First passengers, and then crew members, struggled to get home. By summer 2020, the world's cruise ship fleet was essentially out-of-action. The departure of Celebrity Edge marks a significant step for an industry that has hemorrhaged thousands of jobs and millions of dollars a day during cruising's suspension.  There's a lot riding on cruise ships remaining virus-free, navigating the red tape, restoring their reputation and returning safely to the seas.”

 

Here is more from this CNN reporting: "Martyn Griffiths from the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), the industry body that represents the world's major cruise lines, told CNN Travel that 16% of CLIA's ships are back, with that figure expected to rise to 49% by the end of September 2021.  By the end of 2022, Griffiths expects all CLIA members' ships to be operating again.   Cruise companies have implemented multiple on-board health and safety requirements.  Restrictions vary country-to-country and depending on the cruise line, but generally ships are running at reduced capacity -- Celebrity Edge is at 40% right now, for example.  Rapid testing is also in place, face masks are compulsory in many areas on certain sailings and there are increased medical facilities on board.  In some countries, cruising is still totally off the table. Australia, which has implemented strict border controls throughout the pandemic, continues to enforce a cruise ban, while Canada has a veto in place until February 2022.  International travel in general is still affected by Covid travel regulations and restrictions, and the cruise industry is no different. The UK's summer staycation sailings, for example, are largely a result of the country's strict restrictions on overseas travel.  CLIA's Griffiths calls cruise ships 'one of the safest vacation environments available today.'  So far, cruises haven't proved themselves to be completely immune to Covid, with occasional positive tests emerging among passengers and crew, but these have been quickly contained.  Before Edge set sail on Saturday, Celebrity Cruises representative Susan Lomax told CNN that the cruise line is still able to ask Florida-based passengers whether or not they've had their Covid jab -- they just can't mandate that all passengers are fully immunized."

  

Full story at:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/news/cruising-was-a-covid-disaster-now-it-claims-to-be-the-safest-vacation-available/ar-AALuWc0?ocid=BingNewsSearch

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Sydney to NZ/Auckland Adventure, live/blog 2014 sampling/details with many exciting visuals and key highlights.  On page 23, post #571, see a complete index for all of the pictures, postings.  Now at 233,505 views.

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1974139

[TLCOhio]

From the New York Times this morning, they had this headline: “Study finds that the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines could offer protection for years” with these highlights: “The vaccines made by Pfizer-and Moderna set off a persistent immune reaction in the body that may protect against the coronavirus for years, scientists reported on Monday.  The findings add to growing evidence that most people immunized with the mRNA vaccines may not need boosters, so long as the virus and its variants do not evolve much beyond their current forms — which is not guaranteed. People who recovered from Covid-19 before being vaccinated may not need boosters even if the virus does make a significant transformation.   'It’s a good sign for how durable our immunity is from this vaccine,' said Ali Ellebedy, an immunologist at Washington University in St. Louis who led the study, which was published in the journal Nature.   The study did not consider the vaccine made by Johnson & Johnson, but Dr. Ellebedy said he expected the immune response to be less durable than that produced by mRNA vaccines.”

 

Here is more fro this story:  "The results suggest that a vast majority of vaccinated people will be protected over the long term — at least, against the existing variants. But older adults, people with weak immune systems and those who take drugs that suppress immunity may need boosters; people who survived Covid-19 and were later immunized may never need them at all.  In the absence of variants that sidestep immunity, in theory immunity could last a lifetime, experts said. But the virus is clearly evolving."

 

Good news!!??

 

Full story at:

https://www.nytimes.com/live/2021/06/28/world/covid-vaccine-coronavirus-mask#a-study-finds-that-the-pfizer-and-moderna-vaccines-could-offer-protection-for-years

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Venice: Loving It & Why??!!  Is one of your future desires or past favorites? See these many visual samples for its great history and architecture.  This posting is now at 90,685 views.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1278226

[Stumblefoot]

For Americans traveling to Singapore later this fall and upcoming winter, this article sounds positive.  Hopefully, our Aussie friends will be allowed out of their country by then.

[tosteve1]

26 minutes ago, Stumblefoot said:

For Americans traveling to Singapore later this fall and upcoming winter, this article sounds positive.  Hopefully, our Aussie friends will be allowed out of their country by then.

Parts of Australia are locking down again so highly unlikely they will re open any time soon. With a slow vaccine roll out and almost zero natural immunity, they are trapped for quite a while yet. We will be rescheduling our February 2022 Sydney to Yokohama cruise.

[crusinbanjo]

30 minutes ago, Stumblefoot said:

For Americans traveling to Singapore later this fall and upcoming winter, this article sounds positive.  Hopefully, our Aussie friends will be allowed out of their country by then.

Hoping that is the case as well.  Mrs Banjo and I would like to visit friends Down Under, before they are much older.  Currently, they are in lockdown again over the Delta mutation, vaccine rollout has been really slow there, so…….. who knows!

[TLCOhio]

Appreciate the added comments and sharing.  Much happening!!  

 

From the Wall Street Journal chart below this morning, they show how yesterday (on Monday, June 28) that the financial markets really punished down, DOWN the stock values of Royal Caribbean and the other two major cruise lines.  RCL was down 6.47%.  Carnival dropped 7.04%.  Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings was down 6.09%.  So far, no major media sources have explained exactly why this "loss of confidence" happened.  

 

My guess?  The spread of the Covid variants seem to be happening in a more challenging manner than might have been expected around the world and vaccination rates in countries that have it are good, but not "great".  Yes, ships are starting to sail.  but the percentages on board are not as high as some might hope or expect.  The re-opening is taking time and being back to "normal" might not be happening until late 2022 or 2023.  Reactions?  Other speculation and information?

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Amazon River-Caribbean 2015 adventure live/blog starting in Barbados. Many visuals from this amazing river and Caribbean Islands (Dutch ABC's, St. Barts, Dominica, Grenada, San Juan, etc.).  Now at 68,519 views:

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2157696

 

 

[tosteve1]

Read this morning on “the Points Guy” that Bali is closing again. Confirming my decision about canceling an Australian and Asian cruise for early next year.

[TLCOhio]

22 hours ago, tosteve1 said:

Read this morning on “the Points Guy” that Bali is closing again. Confirming my decision about canceling an Australian and Asian cruise for early next year.

 

Appreciate the above link, comments and follow-ups from our North Carolina friend.  YES, agree that there will be many different countries and areas doing closings and adjustments in the months ahead.  Change and uncertainty are to be expected and "normal"!!??

 

From the Wall Street Journal's sister publication, Barron's, this morning, they had this headline: “Royal Caribbean to Require Proof of Vaccination From All Ports Except Florida” with these highlights: “As Royal Caribbean Group resumes its U.S. operations, the company’s Covid vaccine requirements are hinging on the state from which a vessel departs.  Proof of vaccinations will be required for travelers departing from ports in all states except for Florida this summer, the company said. Cruisers embarking from Florida ports don’t have to show proof of a Covid vaccination, in accordance with a state mandate, though the vast majority on the company’s first U.S. cruise did so on a voluntary basis.”

 

Not clear if what Royal Caribbean is doing will be adopted by Silversea.  BUT, my guess is that the cruise lines recognize and expect that customers would feel safer if everybody on the ship has the vaccine.  Right?  And even in Florida, they call it "voluntary", but the cost and hassles if you do not have the vaccine, make it "painful" to do the alternative testing processes.  

 

Full story at:

https://www.barrons.com/articles/royal-caribbean-to-require-proof-of-vaccination-from-all-ports-except-florida-51625064146?adobe_mc=MCMID%3D91764584181041265421389066840870534470|MCORGID%3DCB68E4BA55144CAA0A4C98A5%40AdobeOrg|TS%3D1625065088

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

AFRICA?!!?: Fun, interesting visuals, plus travel details from this early 2016 live/blog. At 51,395 views. Featuring Cape Town, South Africa’s coast, Mozambique, Victoria Falls/Zambia and Botswana's famed Okavango Delta.

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2310337

[TLCOhio]

From Forbes magazine yesterday, they had this headline: “Covid-19 Cruise Concerns Continue: Royal Caribbean Makes Unvaccinated Passengers Buy Travel Insurance” with these highlights: “Royal Caribbean will require unvaccinated passengers to purchase travel insurance—and therefore pick up the cost—for Covid-19-related expenses after a federal court upheld Florida’s 'vaccine passport' ban prohibiting cruise ships from requiring vaccinations.  Royal Caribbean will mandate vaccinations for all passengers eligible for the Covid-19 vaccine on all cruises out of U.S. ports and the Bahamas, except for Florida-based cruises where vaccines are merely 'strongly recommended.'  Unvaccinated travelers on cruises starting August 1 through the end of the year—excluding those who booked their cruises before the insurance requirement was first announced late Monday—will be required to purchase insurance that covers at least $25,000 in medical expenses and $50,000 per person for costs associated with quarantining and medical evaluation related to a Covid-19 infection.  The insurance expenses would presumably go toward removing the costs that the cruise lineswould otherwise pick up themselves in the event of a Covid-19 case or outbreak, as Royal Caribbean notes that for vaccinated passengers and children, the company will cover medical expenses onboard the ship and any required quarantine measures measures on land through October 31.”

 

Full story at:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisondurkee/2021/06/29/covid-19-cruise-concerns-continue-royal-caribbean-makes-unvaccinated-passengers-buy-travel-insurance/?sh=49196c5271f7

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Kotor/Montenegro:  Exciting visual samples, tips, details, etc., for this scenic, historic location. Over 48,372 views.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1439193

[FauxNom]

Those seem like sensible measures--especially ensuring that vaccinated passengers don't have to indirectly share the medical and other costs incurred because of unvaccinated passengers. While it is generous of cruise lines to cover these extraordinary expenses, the reality is that fares will have to increase if those costs are significant. This insurance requirement might keep them manageable.

 

Maybe cruises that depart from Florida could require proof of vaccination at the next non-Florida port where a passenger leaves the ship, however briefly.

[taxatty]

Per Gene Sloan of The Points Guy, here are the venues that will exclude those who can't prove COVID vaccinations on RCI cruises out of Miami through the end of July, and it's a long list. 

 

The Chef’s Table
Izumi Hibachi & Sushi
R Bar
Schooner Bar
The Pub
Viking Crown Nightclub
Solarium Bar
Solarium Pool
Casino Royale (the ship’s casino)
Casino Bar
Vitality Spa (the ship’s spa)
 

In addition:

• Some shows and activities on the ship will be off-limits.
• Access to shows in the ship’s Royal Theatre will be limited to a single deck only, and to Studio B ice shows  only at select times.
• Working out at select times only at the ship’s fitness center.

https://thepointsguy.com/news/royal-caribbean-unvaccinated-cruiser-restrictions/

[Lois R]

WOW....they can't go into any of those bars?.........get a shot.......get a drink.

[worldtraveller99]

My husband and I both now have natty certificates free from the UK NHS website to prove we have 2 shots. Just waiting to go abroad and use them, sigh.

[spinnaker2]

Today aboard the Moon we must get another mandatory covid 19 rapid antigen test.

We all just had one on June 28.

Silversea is trying to maintain a high level of scrutiny. 

Masks are still required for walking about and for the crew at all times.

Most pax are compliant with the rules.

Kudos to Silversea for their vigilance.