CDC Open to USA Cruise Return this Summer

[coffeebean]

On 4/6/2021 at 7:41 PM, BermudaBound2014 said:

 

I read this as the same thing. A non-revenue generating cruise is restricted to zero revenue.

Does zero revenue mean no cruise fair or fee for specialty dining or cocktails from the bars? Does zero revenue mean ALL inclusive? I'm vaccinated. SIGN ME UP!!!

[DCGuy64]

9 hours ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

On a side note, virgin cruises just cancelled thru September 17. Throughout covid, virgin had been the first to announce closures with the rest of the cruise lines following in line later. If this pattern repeats itself there will be no cruises out of the USA this summer.

 

https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/24731-virgin-voyages-cancels-summer-season-in-u-s.html

 

Well, they will be sailing out of the UK, so that's at least something. I'm getting more envious of my British friends at this point, LOL. 😊

[njhorseman]

32 minutes ago, DCGuy64 said:

Well, they will be sailing out of the UK, so that's at least something. I'm getting more envious of my British friends at this point, LOL. 😊

I don't see anything that says they'll be cruising from the UK.

The article says" With the summer season on the 2,770-guest Scarlet Lady cancelled, the company could follow its peers into other markets, such as the Caribbean, not touching U.S. ports; the UK or Southern Europe."

[DCGuy64]

1 minute ago, njhorseman said:

I don't see anything that says they'll be cruising from the UK.

The article says" With the summer season on the 2,770-guest Scarlet Lady cancelled, the company could follow its peers into other markets, such as the Caribbean, not touching U.S. ports; the UK or Southern Europe."

Several articles mention it, including this one:

https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/cruises/2021/04/08/virgin-voyages-moves-cruise-line-debut-uk-august-sailings/7132376002/

[njhorseman]

2 minutes ago, DCGuy64 said:

Several articles mention it, including this one:

https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/cruises/2021/04/08/virgin-voyages-moves-cruise-line-debut-uk-august-sailings/7132376002/

OK...hadn't seen that.

Edited April 8, 2021 by njhorseman

[DCGuy64]

Just now, njhorseman said:

OK...hadn't seen that.

It's super new, I got a notification on my computer about it from the Miami Herald but there's a paywall so I just Googled "Virgin Voyages UK" and several articles popped up. 🙂

[GonzoWCS]

2 hours ago, DCGuy64 said:

Several articles mention it, including this one:

https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/cruises/2021/04/08/virgin-voyages-moves-cruise-line-debut-uk-august-sailings/7132376002/

Thanks for the link

[cruiserking]

Hot off the presses some very encouraging cruise re-start news from the CDC

including this little nugget:

 

"Ships can bypass the required simulated test voyages carrying volunteers and jump to sailings with paying passengers if 98% of crew and 95% of passengers are fully vaccinated".

 

https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/cruises/2021/04/28/cdc-cruises-could-restart-july/4883450001/?csp=chromepush

 

Jonathan

 

[mianmike]

59 minutes ago, cruiserking said:

Hot off the presses some very encouraging cruise re-start news from the CDC

including this little nugget:

 

"Ships can bypass the required simulated test voyages carrying volunteers and jump to sailings with paying passengers if 98% of crew and 95% of passengers are fully vaccinated".

 

https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/cruises/2021/04/28/cdc-cruises-could-restart-july/4883450001/?csp=chromepush

 

Jonathan

 

 

HUGE NEWS!  Now we're talking!  I see the light at the end of the tunnel. 

[chengkp75]

7 hours ago, mianmike said:

 

HUGE NEWS!  Now we're talking!  I see the light at the end of the tunnel. 

While this does reflect a change in requirements, it merely removes the necessity of simulated cruises if the pax and crew are vaccinated.  You will note that the CDC spokesperson mentioned that the July timeline is contingent on the cruise lines obtaining the port agreements and contracts already specified in the CSO, and that have been a bone of contention for the cruise lines.  It does offer to modify some requirements of the CSO, but it does not mention waiving any other requirement, other than the test cruises, because of vaccination protocols.  It is also not clear whether just the actual test cruise is waived, or whether the requirements listed in the CSO (testing, emergency mitigation procedures, etc) still need to be met, and the plan for implementing those requirements, still need to be met, just with a revenue cruise instead.

[CroozFanatic]

Read between the lines.

 

Directionally positive.

 

Not guaranteed, but the next move will "likely" be in the same direction.

 

Cruising is coming back.

[RunBikeCruiseDC]

On 4/7/2021 at 8:28 AM, DCGuy64 said:

Agreed, this is good news. To those who say this is "nothing new," I beg to differ. Read the article!

It's clear the CDC is on the ropes now, with the last big holdout, Carnival, threatening to follow the lead of Royal, NCL, MSC, P&O, and Princess, who have all announced (or are already doing) cruises in the Caribbean, Europe, the UK, Singapore and Israel (the list keeps growing). It tells you something that the CDC didn't say "we haven't changed anything," instead they're forced to announce that cruising can resume this summer. What happened to "impending doom"? Guess that didn't go over too well. Spin it however you want to, with cruise lines taking their ships elsewhere, the CDC obviously had no choice but to try and play ball, finally. Good, better late than never!

 

I love how people like to mention Singapore and Israel as if the US can do things the same way.  Israel is requiring vaccination passports for EVERYTHING like concerts and large gatherings.   We tend to think that's an "invasion of privacy".  Singapore has very strict entry requirements, 2 weeks mandator quarantine in a hotel.  And they don't play around there - you break quarantine, you go to jail (maybe they should bring back caning for that offense).  US Citizens think we have the "right" to do what we want without any consequences to public health.   Those Caribbean countries that we will be allowed to cruise from?  My guess is an unvaccinated person would be denied entry.

[cruiserking]

2 hours ago, chengkp75 said:

While this does reflect a change in requirements, it merely removes the necessity of simulated cruises if the pax and crew are vaccinated.  You will note that the CDC spokesperson mentioned that the July timeline is contingent on the cruise lines obtaining the port agreements and contracts already specified in the CSO, and that have been a bone of contention for the cruise lines.  It does offer to modify some requirements of the CSO, but it does not mention waiving any other requirement, other than the test cruises, because of vaccination protocols.  It is also not clear whether just the actual test cruise is waived, or whether the requirements listed in the CSO (testing, emergency mitigation procedures, etc) still need to be met, and the plan for implementing those requirements, still need to be met, just with a revenue cruise instead.

 Sure, there are still things to be ironed out but, this recent letter from the CDC shows that they are finally able to make some concessions to the CSO and be more flexible in their demands. 

 

Other cruise lines like Royal Caribbean were full of praise for this new letter and it's very encouraging to see all parties working to end this stalemate that has been going on for far too long. 

 

Jonathan

[CaptainHazelwood]

It's progress.  A friendly "shot across the bow".  I'll take whatever I can get at this point.  Still hoping my Sky sailing in October happens.