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

[TLCOhio]

Regarding this just-released Federal Appeals Court decision affecting future Florida cruises, here is more from the Associated Press/AP legal expert in another news story: "The one-paragraph decision by a three-judge panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals was filed at 11:50 p.m. Saturday, just minutes before a Tampa judge’s previous ruling was set to take effect.  The judges’ issuance of a temporary stay keeps the CDC regulations regarding Florida-based cruise ships in place while the CDC appeals the June decision by U.S. District Judge Steven Merryday.  The 11th Circuit's brief decision did not include any opinions from the judges, which the panel said would be released later."   

 

This was literally a "last-minute" decision and not exactly a long and detailed review of the serious legal questions involved. 

 

Also, from the Washington Post this weekend, they had this headline: “Aboard the first cruise ship to set sail from the States since the pandemic began” with these highlights: “ 'Someday is here,' a towering sign at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., declared. 'Vaccinated and ready to cruise,' a couple’s T-shirts proclaimed. The messages appearing on walls, clothing and lips were triumphant:  Cruise ships have been sailing in Europe and Asia since last year, but the rebound in North America has been slower. In June, a few ships kicked off the summer season from home ports in the Caribbean and the Bahamas, which are outside the CDC’s purview. Celebrity Edge was the first vessel to receive the agency’s approval to sail from the States. On June 22, Royal Caribbean International’s Freedom of the Seas became the first ship to complete a test run. Less than two weeks later, it set off from Miami with real passengers, not volunteers — another first.”

 

From the Post's experienced travel writer who was on this specific cruise, here were more of her impressions and varied details: "Veteran cruisers will notice a few changes to the check-in process. First, they must schedule an arrival time; no more swooping in sometime before the final boarding call. They must also undergo a “wellness check,” a painless exercise that involves handing over your vax card and confirming that you have completed the health questionnaire. To my right, an employee asked medical questions to a couple who had not filled out the form in advance. With the exception of about two dozen children, all the passengers on Celebrity Edge were vaccinated.  The ship was carrying less than 40 percent of its guest capacity: 1,107 cruisers and 944 crew members out of a possible 2,902 and 1,110, respectively. The low occupancy rate meant that I could secure an in-pool lounger during peak sunbathing hours, eat breakfast at an ocean-view table and twirl around the nightclub without banging into anyone. At a tribute to Aretha Franklin, the theater felt like an echo chamber.  On the seven-day cruise, we had three days at sea and three days on land.  Most of the onboard diversions involved booze, trivia, anti-aging consultations or live music. I spent an inordinate amount of time at the Oceanview Cafe, where the ship’s safety measures were on display. In addition to a Purell stand and a hand-washing sink by the entrance, all of the buffet’s self-serve implements had been removed. Nothing makes you more ­self-conscious of your portion sizes than having to ask a server for a spoonful of fried rice, and another, and another.  The tour guides were strict about the protocols. They took our temperatures, asked us if were feeling feverish and reminded us to wear our masks at all times, except when eating salsa, drinking margaritas and breathing through a snorkel.  During the voyage, I wondered how I would determine whether the cruise had been a success. Clearly the passengers were overjoyed to be sailing again, as were the crew members. The locals in Mexico and the Bahamas were grateful to have visitors on their tours and in their shops and restaurants."

 

Full stories at:

https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/article/Court-blocks-order-lifting-CDC-virus-rules-on-16322555.php

https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/travel/first-cruise-celebrity-edge-coronavirus-safety/2021/07/15/e5494e5e-de7b-11eb-ae31-6b7c5c34f0d6_story.html

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 19,859 views.  Connect at:

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

[TLCOhio]

Covid-19 is not going away anything soon.  Right or wrong?  Sadly!  It seems that around the world, including at the Olympics starting this week in Japan, the challenges continue in a very serious manner. 

 

From CBS-TV News today,, they had this headline: “Gottlieb warns Delta variant will be "most serious virus" unvaccinated get in their lifetime” with these highlights: “Dr. Scott Gottlieb, former head of the Food and Drug Administration, warned Sunday that for Americans who are unvaccinated and become infected with the Delta variant, the virus will be the 'most serious' they get in their lifetime.  'This virus is so contagious, this variant is so contagious that it's going to infect the majority — that most people will either get vaccinated or have been previously infected or they will get this Delta variant,' Gottlieb said in an interview on 'Face the Nation.'  'And for most people who get this Delta variant, it's going to be the most serious virus that they get in their lifetime in terms of the risk of putting them in the hospital.'    The Delta variant has fueled a rise in coronavirus cases, the number of new infections rising in all 50 states. Hospitalizations have also increased 36%, and deaths are up 26%. On Friday, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Rochelle Walensky said 'this is becoming a pandemic of the unvaccinated,' as nearly all people who are hospitalized with COVID-19 have not been inoculated. Even as the number of coronavirus cases spikes, Gottlieb said the U.S. is likely undercounting infections, as Americans who are younger and healthier, or those who are asymptomatic or have mild cases, may not get tested for COVID-19.  Gottlieb said the most "pervasive" piece of misinformation related to the vaccine is that it will impact fertility, which he said is discouraging many young women from getting their shots.”

 

From this link below, you can read the complete transcript: of the interview with Dr. Scott Gottlieb on "Face the Nation".  Dr. Gottlieb was a key advisor to Royal Caribbean and one other cruise line as they prepared their re-opening plans.  

 

Full story at:

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/scott-gottlieb-delta-variant-covid-19-vaccines/

 

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/

[brimary]

Terry..Thanks for updated information which is very much appreciated by us and arrives on FREEDOM day declared by the Government today and coincides with the worst Covid figures for cases,hospitalisation and deaths sinc April 2020! Yet another example of the inept leadership in UK at the moment.Stay safe !!

[TLCOhio]

3 hours ago, brimary said:

Terry..Thanks for updated information which is very much appreciated by us and arrives on FREEDOM day declared by the Government today and coincides with the worst Covid figures for cases,hospitalisation and deaths sinc April 2020! Yet another example of the inept leadership in UK at the moment.Stay safe !!

 

YES!! to our good UK friend as to the "CRAZY" things happening around the world as various peoples try to figure out and deal with all aspects relating to Covid-19.  Appreciate these great comments and follow-ups.  

 

Early this morning, the U.S. stock market is down more than 2% as these financial experts realize that a full re-opening of the economy will take much longer than had originally been hoped.  In the first hour, the three major cruise stocks are down, DOWN even more.  Royal Caribbean and the other two stocks are down around 7-8% early this am.  That's a big drop and vote of no-confidence for a reasonably quick cruise re-opening.  

 

VACCINE BOOSTER SHOTS??  From the New York Times opinion section this morning, they had this headline: “Necessary or Not, Booster Shots Are Probably Coming”.  This analysis was written by Dr. Elisabeth Rosenthal, editor in chief of Kaiser Health News and a former emergency room physician.  

 

Here are some of her column highlights: “The drugmaker Pfizer recently announced that vaccinated people are likely to need a booster shot to be effectively protected against new variants of Covid-19 and that the company would apply for Food and Drug Administration emergency use authorization for the shot. Top government health officials immediately and emphatically announced that the booster isn’t needed right now — and held firm to that position even after Pfizer’s top scientist made his case and shared preliminary data with them last week.  This has led to confusion. Should the nearly 60 percent of adult Americans who have been fully vaccinated seek out a booster or not? Is the protection that has allowed them to see loved ones and go out to dinner fading?  Ultimately, the question of whether a booster is needed is unlikely to determine the F.D.A.’s decision. If recent history is predictive, booster shots will be here before long. That’s thanks to the outdated, 60-year-old basic standard that the F.D.A. uses to authorize medicines for sale: Is a new drug 'safe and effective'?   The F.D.A., using that standard, will very likely have to authorize Pfizer’s booster for emergency use, as it did the company’s prior Covid-19 shot. The booster is likely to be safe — hundreds of millions have taken the earlier shots — and Pfizer reported that it dramatically increases a vaccinated person’s antibodies against SARS-CoV-2. From that perspective, it may also be considered very effective.”

 

Here is more from her analysis: "But does that kind of efficacy matter? Is a higher level of antibodies needed to protect vaccinated Americans? Though antibody levels may wane some over time, the current vaccines deliver perfectly good immunity so far.  Reliance on the simple 'safe and effective' standard — which certainly sounds reasonable — is a relic of a time when there were far fewer and simpler medicines available to treat diseases and before pharmaceutical manufacturing became one of the world’s biggest businesses.  In today’s complex world, clarification is needed to determine just what kind of effectiveness the F.D.A. should demand. And should that be the job of the F.D.A. alone?  To make any recommendation on a booster, government experts say they need more data. They could, for example, as Dr. Anthony Fauci has suggested, eventually green-light the additional vaccine shot only for a small group of patients at high risk for a deadly infection, like the very old or transplant recipients who take immunosuppressant drugs, as some other countries have done."

 

Is this all simple and easy?  Lots of questions to come in the future. 

 

Full story at:

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/18/opinion/covid-vaccine-booster-shot.html?action=click&module=Opinion&pgtype=Homepage

 

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 253,624 views.

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

[Randyk47]

4 hours ago, brimary said:

Terry..Thanks for updated information which is very much appreciated by us and arrives on FREEDOM day declared by the Government today and coincides with the worst Covid figures for cases,hospitalisation and deaths sinc April 2020! Yet another example of the inept leadership in UK at the moment.Stay safe !!

 
It’s not much better in parts of the US with all states reporting an increase in cases and some population centers reporting doubling the rate of infections over the past week or so.   The new cases appear to be mostly in the partially or unvaccinated population but there have been cases where the fully vaccinated have come down with Covid.   I was supposed to travel to Pennsylvania this week to attend my wife’s graduation from the US Army War College and her getting her Masters in Strategic Studies but the college cut back on the number of family and friends who could attend the ceremony because of Covid so I’ll be watching a live video from our couch in San Antonio.  🥴😟

[silkismom]

Hi Randy, we were also in Carlisle Pa war college waaay back in the 80s. Larry enjoyed that year, at the time, no uniforms except when VIPs came. I enjoyed all the wives club tours of the area.

[CanadianKate]

In Canada, headlines are showing up that many of us can't cruise because we aren't considered fully vaccinated by the cruise lines due to vaccine mixing. The original headlines on Friday were due to an RCL blog post and change to their website which has removed the offending information but tweets say it is only removed while they consider the matter. 

In Canada, in order to fully vaccinate as many people and to reduce the risk of VITT in those who had started with AZ, Moderna and Pfizer were acceptable second doses for all, no matter one's first dose. 

Combined with a delay in Pfizer shipments and the prioritization of that vaccine for 12 - 17 year olds since it is the only one approved for that age range, the majority of people in Ontario at least, responded to the province's request to get fully vaccinated as fast as possible by accepting whatever mRNA was offered to you. 

Those who did now are unable to cruise. At least some days. Then rules are removed. Then put in place again. 

 

Third shots are not an option in Ontario, we are considered fully vaccinated. Period. No third shot until approved boosters are required some time in the future. 

There are many Canadian news stories at the moment but here's the Cruise Critic news story on it, as well as a CTV new story link. 

 

https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/coronavirus/some-cruise-lines-not-accepting-passengers-with-mixed-covid-19-vaccinations-1.5514985

https://www.cruisecritic.com/news/6302/

[netpj]

Adding to the above:  Those of us who received Covishield/AstraZeneca  (following government guidance) are also unsure of our status concerning cruise and travel and of course there is still a Level 4 Travel Advisory - avoid all cruise ship travel so medical insurance becomes an issue.  We have a final Silversea payment date in September for January cruise.  We don't think there will be much clarity by then (hope we are wrong) so are extremely dubious about making final payment.

[worldtraveller99]

We are expecting a booster (not sure which manufacturer) this October / November. We laugh and say they will do flu in one arm, COVID in the other, and maybe something on our bottoms too! You can imagine us bent over a hospital bed! But then I sincerely trust we will be good to travel anywhere which will have us!

[TLCOhio]

On 7/20/2021 at 10:06 AM, netpj said:

Those of us who received Covishield/AstraZeneca  (following government guidance) are also unsure of our status concerning cruise and travel and of course there is still a Level 4 Travel Advisory - avoid all cruise ship travel so medical insurance becomes an issue.  We have a final Silversea payment date in September for January cruise.  We don't think there will be much clarity by then (hope we are wrong) so are extremely dubious about making final payment.

 

Appreciate ALL of these great comments and follow-ups.  On the above, YES, it is important to be careful and thoughtful if and before putting too large of payments down in advance.  Right or wrong??  This cruising recovery is going to take longer than had been expected and hoped.  Most of the major cruise line will not run out of cash and credit in the next six to eight months..  BUT, it could happen for one or two firms in the next year or so.  How much do you like to gamble with your money?

 

From CNBC financial cable news today, they had this headline: “IYou’re going to see more Covid vaccine mandates” from their interview with cruise line advisor Dr. Scott Gottlieb.  

 

Here are highlights from another interview that they had with the former FDA Commissioner: “Dr. Scott Gottlieb told CNBC on Thursday the current spike in Covid infections due to the highly contagious delta variant may be over sooner than many experts believe. 'There’s going to be a peak sometime probably around late August, early September,' he said. Gottlieb also warned that just wearing masks, particularly cloth masks, may not be enough to prevent Covid infections from delta in classrooms.  Gottlieb, who serves on the board of Covid vaccine maker Pfizer, said the critical question right now is how likely vaccinated people are to transmit the virus if they become infected. He said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention should be collecting that data because it’s likely the current delta variant may be the newer, more permanent form of coronavirus going forward.  'When you’re dealing with a new variant where the virus levels that you achieve early in the course of your infection are thousandfold the original strain, it’s possible that you’re shedding more virus and you could be more contagious,' he said.”

 

Full stories at:

https://www.cnbc.com/video/2021/07/23/youre-going-to-see-more-covid-vaccine-mandates-dr-gottlieb.html

https://www.cnbc.com/2021/07/22/dr-scott-gottlieb-says-the-covid-delta-spike-may-peak-in-late-august.html

 

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 242,262 views.

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

[taxatty]

Florida continues to fight the CDC with a US Supreme Court motion applying for an emergency order vacating the 11th Circuit's stay of the US District Court's decision granting Florida's preliminary injunction request.  https://www.scotusblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/21A5.pdf

 

Ironically, Florida's vaccinated attorney general, Ashley Moody, who filed the motion, was just diagnosed with COVD-19.

[TLCOhio]

13 hours ago, taxatty said:

Florida continues to fight the CDC with a US Supreme Court motion applying for an emergency order vacating the 11th Circuit's stay of the US District Court's decision granting Florida's preliminary injunction request.  https://www.scotusblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/21A5.pdf

 

Appreciate this above post and follow-up from our Miami-area "legal eagle".  BUT, per below, there has been added "Breaking News" as to this battle of Florida versus the CDC.  

 

From the Reuters newswire and US News late yesterday afternoon, they had this headline: “U.S. Appeals Court Lifts CDC Cruise Ship Restrictions in Win for Florida” with these highlights: “A federal appeals court late on Friday reversed course and let stand a lower court order prohibiting the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) from enforcing coronavirus-related cruise ship rules in Florida.   The decision is a win for Florida that had filed a lawsuit arguing the CDC curbs made it tough for the cruise industry to recover from the pandemic.  The 11th Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta had only on Saturday voted 2-1 to block the lower court decision.   But in its latest brief statement, the three-judge appeals panel said it had withdrawn its earlier order on its own and was now rejecting the government's request because it had 'failed to demonstrate an entitlement to a stay pending appeal.'  The CDC said that even though it cannot require cruise ships to abide by the sail order, it will enforce its separate transit mask requirements on cruise ships in Florida that opt not to follow the now voluntary program.  All cruise ships in Florida will still be required to report 'individual cases of illness or death and ship inspections and sanitary measures to prevent the introduction, transmission, or spread of communicable diseases,' the CDC said late on Friday.   Cruise lines that ensure at least 95% of passengers and nearly all crew are vaccinated can bypass simulated voyages and move more quickly to resuming commercial trips and can allow vaccinated people to avoid masks in inside common spaces, according to the CDC's conditional sail order.   Masks are not required in outdoor areas on cruise ships.  The appeals court ruling came soon after the state of Florida had filed an emergency petition with the U.S. Supreme Court asking the high court to lift the appeals court order, warning that without action the state was 'all but guaranteed to lose yet another summer cruise season while the CDC pursues its appeal,' the state said in its filing to the Supreme Court.”

 

Is that all clear, simple and totally understandable?  What's next?  If you are a cruise company executive and/or a customer planning a fall sailing trip, would you be somewhat confused?

 

Full story at:

https://www.usnews.com/news/top-news/articles/2021-07-23/us-appeals-court-lifts-cdc-cruise-ship-restrictions-in-win-for-florida

 

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 233,612 views.

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

[TLCOhio]

From the Associated Press/AP newswire this morning, they had this headline: “Vietnam virus surge leads to Hanoi lockdown” with these highlights: “Vietnam has announced a 15-day lockdown in the capital Hanoi as a coronavirus surge spread from the southern Mekong Delta region.  The lockdown order, issued late Friday night, bans the gathering of more than two people in public. Only government offices, hospitals and essential businesses can stay open.  Earlier in the week, the city had suspended all outdoor activities and ordered non-essential businesses to close. On Friday, Hanoi reported 70 confirmed infections, the city’s highest, part of a record 7,295 cases in the country. Nearly 5,000 are from Vietnam’s largest metropolis, southern Ho Chi Minh City, which has extended its lockdown until Aug. 1.”

 

Also in this story, they had this update: "Thousands of people have taken to the streets of Sydney and other Australian cities to protest lockdown restrictions amid another surge in cases.  Police made several arrests after crowds broke through barriers and threw plastic bottles and plants. The unmasked participants marched from Sydney’s Victoria Park to Town Hall in the central business district, carrying signs calling for 'freedom' and 'the truth.'  There was a heavy police presence in Sydney in response to what authorities said was unauthorized protest activity.  New South Wales Police said it recognized and supported the rights of free speech and peaceful assembly, but the protest was a breach of public health orders."

 

Clearly "things" are not getting "BETTER" in many different parts of the world.  Vaccination rates in the U.S. and for many countries are below the desired goals.  All of this makes things more challenging in the path forward for worldwide cruise to resume quick to some form of "normal".  Am I too negative and/or missing something important?

 

Full story at:

https://www.wpri.com/news/us-and-world/the-latest-vietnam-virus-surge-leads-to-hanoi-lockdown/

 

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 90,982 views.

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

[TLCOhio]

From USA Today this morning, they had this headline: “Poll shows majority of unvaccinated Americans don't plan on getting full protection” with these highlights: “The majority of unvaccinated Americans say they do not plan to get vaccinated against COVID-19.  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data shows 56.5% of Americans have gotten at least one dose, and 43.5% have not received one. Of those people, a poll by The Associated Press and the NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that 35% say they probably will not get the vaccine, and 45% say they definitely will not.  Unvaccinated people don't have confidence in the effectiveness of the vaccine, the survey found, with 64% saying they have little to no confidence in it, even against the highly spreadable delta variant that now accounts for a vast majority of cases in the U.S.  The findings come as governors in states with high infection rates are asking those who remain unvaccinated to get the shot.  Florida recorded more coronavirus cases this week than California, Texas, New York and Illinois combined, according to an analysis of state and federal data shows by the Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY network.”

 

Personally, I was fully confident that the Moderna vaccine I received back in February would keep me out of the ICU and/or morgue.  BUT, unfortunately there is confusing news these days that complicates the efforts to get back to sailing and traveling as we desire it to be happening.  

 

Full story at:

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2021/07/24/most-unvaccinated-americans-dont-plan-shot-us-buy-more-pfizer/8070577002/

 

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 68,619 views:

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

[TLCOhio]

From a CNBC financial cable network story in May, they had this headline: “Pfizer scientist expects elderly, people with underlying conditions to be first to get Covid vaccine booster shots” with these highlights: “High-risk groups such as the elderly and people with underlying medical conditions are expected to be the first in line to get Covid vaccine booster shots, a Pfizer executive told investors Tuesday.  Executives at Pfizer and BioNTech previously said people will likely need a booster shot, or third dose, within 12 months of getting fully vaccinated. They also said it’s likely people will need to get additional shots each year.  During an earnings call Tuesday, Mikael Dolsten, Pfizer’s chief scientific officer, said it makes sense to start with those most susceptible to severe illness.”

 

The questions related to the need for a booster shot are becoming more of interest these days.  Below is a link to a PBS video interview from late June with this Covid medical leader headlined as: "Dr. Fauci on delta variant, booster shots and masks for the vaccinated".

 

For those of us older, including my wife with some immune challenges, this booster shot potential/needs, continues as a serious question as to when we can safely sail and travel internationally.  

 

Full stories at:

https://www.cnbc.com/2021/05/04/covid-booster-shot-pfizer-expects-older-adults-those-with-underlying-conditions-to-be-first-in-line.html

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/dr-fauci-on-delta-variant-booster-shots-and-masks-for-the-vaccinated

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

AFRICA?!!?: Fun, interesting visuals, plus travel details from this early 2016 live/blog. At 51,497 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

[taxatty]

3 hours ago, TLCOhio said:

 

Appreciate this above post and follow-up from our Miami-area "legal eagle".  BUT, per below, there has been added "Breaking News" as to this battle of Florida versus the CDC.  

 

From the Reuters newswire and US News late yesterday afternoon, they had this headline: “U.S. Appeals Court Lifts CDC Cruise Ship Restrictions in Win for Florida” with these highlights: “A federal appeals court late on Friday reversed course and let stand a lower court order prohibiting the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) from enforcing coronavirus-related cruise ship rules in Florida.   The decision is a win for Florida that had filed a lawsuit arguing the CDC curbs made it tough for the cruise industry to recover from the pandemic.  The 11th Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta had only on Saturday voted 2-1 to block the lower court decision.   But in its latest brief statement, the three-judge appeals panel said it had withdrawn its earlier order on its own and was now rejecting the government's request because it had 'failed to demonstrate an entitlement to a stay pending appeal.'  The CDC said that even though it cannot require cruise ships to abide by the sail order, it will enforce its separate transit mask requirements on cruise ships in Florida that opt not to follow the now voluntary program.  All cruise ships in Florida will still be required to report 'individual cases of illness or death and ship inspections and sanitary measures to prevent the introduction, transmission, or spread of communicable diseases,' the CDC said late on Friday.   Cruise lines that ensure at least 95% of passengers and nearly all crew are vaccinated can bypass simulated voyages and move more quickly to resuming commercial trips and can allow vaccinated people to avoid masks in inside common spaces, according to the CDC's conditional sail order.   Masks are not required in outdoor areas on cruise ships.  The appeals court ruling came soon after the state of Florida had filed an emergency petition with the U.S. Supreme Court asking the high court to lift the appeals court order, warning that without action the state was 'all but guaranteed to lose yet another summer cruise season while the CDC pursues its appeal,' the state said in its filing to the Supreme Court.”

 

Is that all clear, simple and totally understandable?  What's next?  If you are a cruise company executive and/or a customer planning a fall sailing trip, would you be somewhat confused?

 

Full story at:

https://www.usnews.com/news/top-news/articles/2021-07-23/us-appeals-court-lifts-cdc-cruise-ship-restrictions-in-win-for-florida

 

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 233,612 views.

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

Terry--thanks as always for the timely update--typical litigation--goes back and forth. This latest 11th Circuit decision is arguably mostly symbolic at this point other than giving Florida a victory claim, because as we all know on CC, NCL's separate lawsuit is still pending, and the major cruise lines are enforcing significant restrictions clearly seeking to scare off unvaccinated adults.

Edited July 24, 2021 by taxatty

[brimary]

Terry... Thanks for your regular updates.No you are not negative and I share views which reflect the current situation as it is and not as we would like it to be.Can’t wait to move into positivity hopefully in 2022!

[drron29]

It does appear the delta variant is more likely more likely to cause severe infection in the young than previous variants.Not only a healthy 30 year old dying of covid in this outbreak but 25% of those in ICU are <40 including a teenager.

Young people warned after COVID-19 death of Sydney woman in her 30s - ABC News

Edited July 26, 2021 by drron29

[worldtraveller99]

There is some discussion here for a vaccine passport to get into nightclubs, venues, etc. Though how to get your States each to pass that, when many won't give up guns after infinite school shootings etc..... is probably impossible.

 

[Lois R]

I was under the impression CC wants us to avoid some of these topics.........😲

[TLCOhio]

Appreciate all of these great comments and follow-ups.  But, agree with Lois that we need to stay on topic about cruising, its future re-opening, progress and hurdles in achieving this goal, etc..  Getting judgmental and/or political about opinions on who does and does not do vaccines, etc., is off-topic.  Interesting, maybe, however, not where the CC board officials require us to focus.  

 

From former USA Today travel expert Gene Sloan and MSN News yesterday afternoon, they had this headline: “Three more major cruise lines resume departures as cruising comeback ramps up” with these highlights: “Add Holland America, Princess Cruises and Norwegian Cruise Line to the list of cruise brands that finally have restarted departures after a 16-month-long, COVID-19-related hiatus.  Holland America resumed operations on Saturday with a single ship sailing out of Seattle, and Princess and Norwegian are resuming operations today — also with single ships sailing out of Seattle and Piraeus, Greece, respectively.  The Holland America and Princess vessels restarting service — the 2,106-passenger Nieuw Amsterdam and 3,560-passenger Majestic Princess — are sailing to Alaska. The Norwegian ship resuming operations — the 2,400-passenger Norwegian Jade — is sailing to the Greek Islands.”

 

All of this is "Good News", but the capacities and number of cruise ships sailing there are still only a fraction for what it would be normally.  Here is more from his on-site reporting: "All three lines plan to add more vessels back into service slowly over the coming months. Holland America has 10 ships in its fleet in all, while Princess currently has a 14-ship fleet. Norwegian is the biggest of the three brands with 17 ships in its fleet.  In restarting sailings to Alaska, Holland America and Princess are following in the wake of Royal Caribbean, which on July 19 became the first big-ship cruise line to restart Alaska sailings since the end of the 2019 cruise season."

 

Full story at:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/tips/three-more-major-cruise-lines-resume-departures-as-cruising-comeback-ramps-up/ar-AAMxSnK?ocid=BingNewsSearch

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Kotor/Montenegro:  Exciting visual samples, tips, details, etc., for this scenic, historic location. Over 48,417 views.

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

[Lois R]

Terry, thanks for understanding.  I wasn't sure how my comment was going to go over but glad to know you agree.  

[cruiseej]

@TLCOhio Just another data point on the difficulties in resuming cruising: Seabourn started cruising in the Caribbean last week, and had to cancel 2 of the 5 planned ports of call due to sudden shifts by local authorities. The second cruise began yesterday with only 120 passengers onboard.  A passenger onboard says Seabourn told them there were even fewer on next week’s cruise.

 

So "open it and they will come" is definitely not a given! While there is undoubtedly pent up demand to travel, people are clearly weighing the complexities of traveling right now, with the need to multiple Canid tests and potential for last-second changes.

 

We're hoping to be on a Seabourn cruise in September and a Silversea cruise in December, but understand things could get derailed as things change weekly and daily around the world.

[TLCOhio]

On 7/26/2021 at 1:31 PM, cruiseej said:

So "open it and they will come" is definitely not a given! While there is undoubtedly pent up demand to travel, people are clearly weighing the complexities of traveling right now, with the need to multiple Canid tests and potential for last-second changes.   We're hoping to be on a Seabourn cruise in September and a Silversea cruise in December, but understand things could get derailed as things change weekly and daily around the world.

 

Agree above with the great comments and follow-up from our Philadelphia-area neighbor.  Things are getting more challenged, including this afternoon with the CDC here having reversed themselves by requiring now even those fully-vaccinated to wear a mask for interior locations in higher-risk areas.  

 

From the Reuters newswire yesterday, they had this headline: “U.S. will not lift travel restrictions, citing Delta variant, White House says” with these highlights: “The United States will not lift any existing travel restrictions 'at this point' due to concerns over the highly transmissible COVID-19 Delta variant and the rising number of U.S. coronavirus cases, the White House confirmed on Monday.  The decision comes after a senior level White House meeting late on Friday. It means that the long-running travel restrictions that have barred much of the world's population from the United States since 2020 will not be lifted in the short term.  The announcement almost certainly dooms any bid by U.S. airlines and the U.S. tourism industry to salvage summer travel by Europeans and others covered by the restrictions. Airlines have heavily lobbied the White House for months to lift the restrictions and some say the industry may now have to wait until September or later for a possible revision.  U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) director Rochelle Walensky said on Thursday the seven-day average of new cases in the United States was up 53% over the previous week. The Delta variant, which was first found in India, now comprises more than 80% of new cases nationwide and has been detected in more than 90 countries.”

 

In my view, this makes it harder for the cruise industry to re-open and attract those from Europe for Caribbean sailings from Florida, etc.  Right or wrong?

 

Full story at:

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/exclusive-us-will-not-lift-travel-restrictions-citing-delta-variant-official-2021-07-26/

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Dubrovnik!  Nice visual samples, tips, details, etc., for this super scenic and historic location. Over 48,047 views.    

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1439227

[TLCOhio]

From the New York Times Travel Section this morning, they had this headline: “The Cruise Industry Stages a Comeback" with this sub-headline: "After watching thousands of passengers get ill and more than a year of devastating financial losses, the global cruise industry is coming back to life. And it says it knows how to deal with the coronavirus.”

 

Here are some of their story highlights: “Nothing quite demonstrated the horrors of the coronavirus contagion in the early stages of the pandemic like the major outbreaks onboard cruise ships, when vacation selfies and videos abruptly turned into grim journals of endless days spent confined to cabins as the virus raged through the behemoth vessels, eventually infecting thousands of people, and killing more than 100.  At the time, it was difficult to imagine how the ships, which carry millions of passengers around the world each year, would be able to sail safely again. Even after the vaccination rollout gained momentum in the United States in April, allowing most travel sectors to restart operations, cruise ships remained docked in ports, costing the industry billions of dollars in losses each month.  Together, Carnival, the world’s largest cruise company, and the two other biggest cruise operators, Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line, lost nearly $900 million each month during the pandemic.   Several epidemiologists questioned whether cruise ships, with their high capacities, close quarters and forced physical proximity, could restart during the pandemic, or whether they would be able to win back the trust of travelers traumatized from the initial outbreaks.  Now, said Royal  Caribbean CEO Richard Fain, the opposite has proved true. 'The ship environment is no longer a disadvantage, it’s an advantage because unlike anywhere else, we are able to control our environment, which eliminates the risks of a big outbreak.' ”

 

Sound good and encouraging?  Here is one of the key conclusions from this reporting and analysis: "The industry’s turnaround is far from guaranteed. The highly contagious Delta variant, which is causing surges of the virus around the world, could stymie the industry’s recovery, especially if large outbreaks occur on board. But analysts are generally optimistic about its prospects and the potential for passenger numbers to recover to prepandemic levels, perhaps as soon as next year. That optimism is fueled by what may be the industry’s best asset: an unshakably loyal customer base.   In the end, most cruise companies made it through the pandemic intact, but only after receiving help. That came in the form of assistance from governments abroad or money raised from investors emboldened by efforts to backstop the economy from the Federal Reserve and others. The cash wasn’t cheap, though. When Carnival Corp. sold $4 billion in bonds in April 2020, it agreed to interest on those bonds of 11.5 percent — more than half of which it recently refinanced at a more reasonable rate of 4 percent."

 

Full story at:

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/28/travel/cruise-industry-comeback.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 40,055 views.

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