CDC Order

[spyro1952]

CDC extended no sail order for 30 days.  Dr  Redfield requested the ban remain in place until February but was overruled by Trump administration and Florida officials.  
So much for the safety of passengers and crew.  

[pcur]

The CDC order extends the no-sail date to 10/31/20, while Princess isn't sailing until 12/16/20.  So, this isn't affecting any current bookings (yet).

[Mary229]

CDC Cruise Guidance

 

Before you go off ranting about politics😉 please note that there has been NO official notice given

[Steelers36]

I don't understand the banter and arguing.  If cruise lines can show safe operation protocols, then why the fuss?  as some stated, people can choose to sail or not - just as they can choose to fly or not fly.

 

[mnocket]

• The CDC makes recommendations based on a single perspective - health impact.
• Pence's task force makes decisions based on multiple inputs concerning multiple perspectives.

The CDC recommended extending no sail order to Feb'21, while the task force decided to extend it to the end of Oct and review it on a month-to-month basis.  Had the CDC recommendation been accepted, it may well have caused immediate economic impact to the cruise industry - including driving some cruise lines into bankruptcy.  This may still happen if the task force's month-to-month review stretches the no sail order into next year, but by taking things month-to-month the task force keeps the option open for an earlier return to cruising.  Isn't this a good thing?  

Edited September 30, 2020 by mnocket

[Tapi]

Even though I’ve been against what I’ve considered premature reopening of certain businesses or activities during the last few months, and some decisions by our elected officials, this is one time when I’m in full agreement with their decision. 
 

If I hadn’t seen these procedures and protocols working successfully in Europe, I’d be leery about allowing the no sail order to expire. But I think that we now have enough tools to move safely into the next stage of cruise travel.

[oskidunker]

It doesn't matter as foreign ports are closed to us cruisers. 

[ISLANDFAN]

33 minutes ago, mnocket said:

• The CDC makes recommendations based on a single perspective - health impact.
• Pence's task force makes decisions based on multiple inputs concerning multiple perspectives.

The CDC recommended extending no sail order to Feb'21, while the task force decided to extend it to the end of Oct and review it on a month-to-month basis.  Had the CDC recommendation been accepted, it may well have caused immediate economic impact to the cruise industry - including driving some cruise lines into bankruptcy.  This may still happen if the task force's month-to-month review stretches the no sail order into next year, but by taking things month-to-month the task force keeps the option open for an earlier return to cruising.  Isn't this a good thing?  

 

Excellent points! 

[Mud_Shark]

When cruising re-opens, it will be measured and careful.  Not 100% risk free, of course, but not the same as it was when cruise ships were COVID incubators.  Don't like it - just wait it out.

 

Come on people - calm down.  You who think all should conform to your idea of what is best - that is both sides - masks and no masks - need to take your foot off the accelerator and stop panicking.  

 

We need to quit forcing our fears on others.  This has been said before - but we are sacrificing the future of the next generations with huge debt to protect our elderly today.  Hmm - usually it is the older generation sacrificing for the future of the next generation.  Both economics and health are real issues.  To ignore the one and push only the agenda of the other is going to end in disaster - no matter which one you push.  Why can't we work together for a better outcome?  I know - silly question given the nature of humanity - but sigh.....

 

Don

[Potstech]

9 hours ago, spyro1952 said:

CDC extended no sail order for 30 days.  Dr  Redfield requested the ban remain in place until February but was overruled by Trump administration and Florida officials.  
So much for the safety of passengers and crew.  

How does that affect the safety of passengers and crew?  All it means is it will be re-evaluated in 30 days.  The status of cruising has not changed.

[capriccio]

CNBC is reporting the official extension of the ban until October 31st:  https://www.cnbc.com/2020/09/30/cdc-extends-ban-on-cruising-through-october-.html

 

Executives of the cruise companies and CLIA are planning a meeting at the White House on Friday, CNBC’s Seema Mody reported.

[Bgwest]

11 hours ago, spyro1952 said:

CDC extended no sail order for 30 days.  Dr  Redfield requested the ban remain in place until February but was overruled by Trump administration and Florida officials.  
So much for the safety of passengers and crew.  

Please don't sail if you are uncomfortable doing so. Very simple decision. 

[caribill]

12 hours ago, pcur said:

The CDC order extends the no-sail date to 10/31/20, while Princess isn't sailing until 12/16/20.  So, this isn't affecting any current bookings (yet).

 

Since it will likely take 6 weeks or more to get a Princess ship staffed and relocated to a scheduled embarkation port, any extension of the ban past October 31 will mean no December cruises will be possible for Princess.

 

We received an E-mail from Princess today offering Texas residents discounts on Caribbean cruises including some in the last half of December this year. So someone at Princess is optimistic (with or without good reasons) that cruising with already scheduled itineraries will be happening at holiday time.

[Longimanus]

Cruising is slowly restarting here in Europe and except for the recent case of 22 false positives on a Tui cruise to Greece, there have been no confirmed cases of COVID spreading onboard a cruise ship.

 

If the EU can manage a safe restart, why wouldn't the US be able to? Just baffles me how cruising seems to be the big scapegoat overseas.

[HappyInVan]

8 minutes ago, Longimanus said:

If the EU can manage a safe restart, why wouldn't the US be able to? Just baffles me how cruising seems to be the big scapegoat overseas.

 

 Exactly. Perfectly safe to sail from Spain and USA...

 

 

[Longimanus]

1 hour ago, HappyInVan said:

 

 Exactly. Perfectly safe to sail from Spain and USA...

 

I was just trying to make the point that with a correct protocol regarding testing etc. it is possible to sail. I'm not debating wether or not everyone will feel safe or whether it is the right thing to do. It just feels like the US is doing everything in its power to stop people from cruising, while at the same time allowing other (mass) gatherings where there are a lot less stringent policies in place regarding testing, social distancing, masks ... . It seems to be a lot more political than it is in Europe and someone had to be the scapegoat (same goes for Australia, as far as I'm concerned and it used to be the same in Europe).

 

Just to be clear, Europe doesn't have any sailings starting from Spain, it does however have sailings out of Italian ports.

 

I'm not looking to start a fight or tell anyone their ideas or opinions are wrong. I'm only trying to see the bigger picture and to debate what we're all going through at the moment.

[SargassoPirate]

We have our own "No Sail" order, and a lot of it is based on what the cruise experience may look like even after the cruise lines start sailing.  We do not care to have to wear a mask and social distance on a cruise.  We will wait until there are vaccines in use worldwide, and then will hope to see some new precautions when boarding and while on board:

 

We would expect to see an enhanced health questionnaire at check-in.

 

We would expect to be required to show proof of vaccination before boarding - perhaps on the yellow CDC shot card as with yellow fever vaccinations.

 

We would expect to see temperature checks at check-in and once on board temperature checks at food venue entrances, and perhaps production shows. 

 

These are our expectations at this point.  Cruising is not a necessity and we will not do so until we feel that the experience will not be hampered by masks and distancing requirements.

 

 

 

[ontheweb]

4 hours ago, Longimanus said:

Cruising is slowly restarting here in Europe and except for the recent case of 22 false positives on a Tui cruise to Greece, there have been no confirmed cases of COVID spreading onboard a cruise ship.

 

If the EU can manage a safe restart, why wouldn't the US be able to? Just baffles me how cruising seems to be the big scapegoat overseas.

No confirmed cases from cruise ships in Europe???? What about the Norwegian line (probably spelled wrong) Hurtrigen?

[Esprit]

40 minutes ago, ontheweb said:

No confirmed cases from cruise ships in Europe???? What about the Norwegian line (probably spelled wrong) Hurtrigen?

That was ages ago. 

MSC, Costa, and Tui learned from this, hence no Covid cases on their cruises.

[ksheehan16]

11 hours ago, Bgwest said:

Please don't sail if you are uncomfortable doing so. Very simple decision. 

Agree.

[voljeep]

6 minutes ago, HappyInVan said:

 

Would you fly into and cruise out of Florida even if the MSC protocols are in place?

fly - don't have to 🍻

 

cruise - maybe a 4-5 day if they offer those - these 'little' cruises are just 'long weekends' for us ... not really an annual "vacation"

 

stay safe 😷

stay hydrated

[ontheweb]

3 hours ago, Esprit said:

That was ages ago. 

MSC, Costa, and Tui learned from this, hence no Covid cases on their cruises.

Ages ago???? You have a very interesting time frame.

 

It may seem ages ago to all of us to the time all cruises were sailing, but that is really not much over half a year.

 

 

[HappyInVan]

11 hours ago, Bgwest said:

Please don't sail if you are uncomfortable doing so. Very simple decision. 

 

I (for one) will sail when I think it safe. Will not sail when I am in doubt. That's why in April 2020 I canceled all bookings up to spring 2021.

 

IMO, most adults think this way (safety first). That's why cruise companies have to reassure the general public and the CDC that they are serious about safety, and not just $$$.

 

Individuals don't live in a bubble. You will put others at risk if you get infected. That's why I've worn masks in public since April 2020. Let me offer an insight...

 

“Real adults wear masks to protect others!”

 

[iancal]

4 hours ago, HappyInVan said:

 

I (for one) will sail when I think it safe. Will not sail when I am in doubt. That's why in April 2020 I canceled all bookings up to spring 2021.

 

IMO, most adults think this way (safety first). That's why cruise companies have to reassure the general public and the CDC that they are serious about safety, and not just $$$.

 

Individuals don't live in a bubble. You will put others at risk if you get infected. That's why I've worn masks in public since April 2020. Let me offer an insight...

 

“Real adults wear masks to protect others!”

 

Agree completely.   We like cruising however we are not going to have a cavalier attitude toward our health and well being.  We have land trips tentatively planned for next fall and next winter.  Cannot see us event thinking about a cruise until late 2021 or 2022.  We have zero faith in the cruise lines to place our health and well being ahead of their financial interest nor are we interested in cruising with masks, social distancing (not that this actually feasible on a cruise ship), etc.

[stevenr597]

I doubt that we will see any cruising until a vaccine is available to the general public.  Unfortunately it appears that for several reasons the FDA has decided to slow walk a vaccine.  I was hopeful for a vaccine to be available by mid-Fall.  But I do not think we will have a vaccine until well after a new President is sworn in, perhaps not until the Summer.