Montague letter

[Lonedaddy]

Anyone else get this?  Did regent just make vax mandatory?  Is there going to be a disclaimer on their deposits that if you get seriously ill or debilitated due to the vax that RSSC can't be held responsible?  For those already booked that cannot get a vax for whatever reason (availability, medical conditions...) will the deposit be and fees be fully refundable?  Lots of questions especially given that the vaccines may only be effective for 6-7 months and need a booster.  

 

 

Dear Valued Regent Guest, On behalf of the entire team at Regent Seven Seas Cruises®, we hope that you and your families are safe and well. I’m writing to you today with some important and exciting updates, thank you for taking the time to read them. Yesterday, we announced our new SailSAFE™ Health and Safety Program, a robust and comprehensive health and safety strategy designed to create multiple layers of protection against COVID-19 with new and enhanced protocols such as all guests and crew being fully vaccinated, at least 2 weeks prior to departure. You can read more about SailSAFE here. In addition, as you may be aware, over the past few weeks a number of cruise lines have announced their return to sailing plans. Knowing how much we all love cruising, I’m sure you’ll agree that these are very positive steps as we gradually move towards a world in which we can explore once more. I am also aware that you will likely have questions and be anxious to hear about Regent’s own return to service, especially as we have made the difficult decision to extend our voyage suspension to include all sailings through July 2021. At this moment, while we are not yet ready to confirm a return to sail date please be assured that we are actively planning for this, preparing a roadmap that will ensure that we can present you with an unrivaled cruise and destination experience. To this end, our teams are busy working with our experts including our Company’s SailSAFE™ Global Health and Wellness Council; domestic and international government and public health agencies; and destination partners across the globe, and we anticipate sharing our return to sail plan soon, which will include detailed health and safety protocols, along with our return to sailing dates. Thank you for your patience and continued support. Best wishes,

http://www.rssc.com/media/hostedfiles/signatures/jasonfinal.png JASON MONTAGUE President and CEO Regent Seven Seas Cruises®

[FengShui@Sea]

As far as I know all of the major cruise line companies, and their subsidiaries have adopted the vaccination requirement for cruising in the near future at least.  I would think that the number of people that can’t/won’t get the vaccine will be extremely low given that the most vulnerable (immune compromised) people in most communities  were the first to receive the vaccine.  Although it may eliminate some potential guests I think this is a necessary first step to get us back on the ships.  It is reasonable to assume that those who choose to be vaccinated in order to cruise would do so at their own risk.

[Pcardad]

The airlines are discussing adopting this as well....but yes, Regent's policy is now 100% vaccine to get on board.

 

[Snore42]

I don't believe the airlines are discussing adopting a vaccine requirement.  They are discussing a health passport, where it would confirm if you had the vaccine or if you had a recent negative test.  NY State has the Excelsior pass, which does exactly this.  The airlines are in talks with Clear among other companies to do something similar.  

[LakeLifeTexas]

If you click the link to the entire Sail Safe policy...

FACE COVERINGS
Face coverings are currently required for guests while indoors except for in their own accommodations and while eating and drinking in restaurants, bars and lounges or outdoors when physical distancing is not possible.
Face coverings may be required in certain settings
to comply with local requirements, for example in terminals for embarkation and disembarkation or at ports of call.
We will continue to monitor public health guidance, including from the CDC, at the time of your voyage and modify requirements accordingly.

 

Not only are vaccines required but you must wear a mask while onboard.

[wcsdkqh]

FACE COVERINGS
Face coverings are currently required for guests while indoors except for in their own accommodations and while eating and drinking in restaurants, bars and lounges or outdoors when physical distancing is not possible.

 

The key word above is "currently". Last time I checked there are no NCL ships sailing so this "rule" is currently moot.

[LvnCruisin]

I'm actually curious about one thing with vaccines, do you think that the cruise lines will get to a point where they will say that if you've had the J&J shot that is not enough? From everything I've seen one shot of either Moderna or Phizer(sp) is more effective. So will J&J be enough? I've had Moderna so this won't affect me.

[AJCM]

We won’t cruise until we’re vaccinated. Qantas has declared they’ll require vaccinations  for international flights. We want vaccination requirements for i’nat flights and for cruises, to maximise the chance of the most normal,  cruising experience possible and to avoid shutdown/quarantine  of cruises. No problem  with people who are anti-vaccers but they should realise that they’ll have limitations imposed on them. World tourism is keen to resume when it’s reasonably safe to do so. Further delays we’ll into 2022 invariably means business failure, so I doubt they’ll be that fussy about which vaccination has been taken.

[flossie009]

9 hours ago, LvnCruisin said:

I'm actually curious about one thing with vaccines, do you think that the cruise lines will get to a point where they will say that if you've had the J&J shot that is not enough? From everything I've seen one shot of either Moderna or Phizer(sp) is more effective. So will J&J be enough? I've had Moderna so this won't affect me.

 

Extract from NCLH email reportedly sent to crew:

"As of March 31, 2021, the following vaccine brands against Covid-19 are accepted by Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings brands (Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises, and Regent Seven Seas Cruises): 

  - Pfizer-BioNTech / Comirnaty

  - Moderna 

  - Johnson & Johnson / Janssen

  - AstraZeneca

At this moment NCLH will accept only these vaccines against Covid-19 and will update the list when more vaccines are approved by the global agencies"

 

[PhD-iva]

57 minutes ago, flossie009 said:

 

Extract from NCLH email reportedly sent to crew:

"As of March 31, 2021, the following vaccine brands against Covid-19 are accepted by Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings brands (Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises, and Regent Seven Seas Cruises): 

  - Pfizer-BioNTech / Comirnaty

  - Moderna 

  - Johnson & Johnson / Janssen

  - AstraZeneca

At this moment NCLH will accept only these vaccines against Covid-19 and will update the list when more vaccines are approved by the global agencies"

 

This is very interesting. I interpret this to mean that NCL will not accept the Russian vaccines nor the Chinese vaccines. Very interesting.

Edited April 8, 2021 by PhD-iva

[flossie009]

37 minutes ago, PhD-iva said:

I interpret this to mean that NCL will not accept the Russian vaccines nor the Chinese vaccines.

Until/unless they are approved by one or more of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the World Health Organization or the European Medicines Agency.

 

[LvnCruisin]

That is very interesting. Thank-you!

[Lonedaddy]

38 minutes ago, flossie009 said:

Until/unless they are approved by one or more of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the World Health Organization or the European Medicines Agency.

 

NONE are approved by the FDA only Emergency Use Approval.  Just look at the reactions to the J&J vax at colorado facility - they would put a hold on a trial with that rate.