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CURRENT HOLLAND AMERIC's COVID PROTOCOLS


mcrcruiser
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I actually have no problem with them restricting the excursions in the very beginning as long as after say 6 months of cruising they lift this. Just to be able to prove to the Powers that Be that Cruising can be very safe. To me if that is what they have to do to get us going I am fine.

I have three cruises booked through the end of this year, first in Nieuw Statendam in July, final has been paid. Although I give this one less than 10% chance of going but had planned to just take HAL excursions anyway since it was my first time to these ports, second cruise is Alaska in September was to be Eurodam most likely if it would sail will be Nieuw Amsterdam. Cruise is not canceled and I give it about a 30% chance, although with recent push possibly a 50% chance. There is only one excursions I want and that is to go to Fortress of the Bear and planned to do that in Sitka. Been to Alaska so many times that some of the best part of the cruise is enjoying it from my balcony so again the excursion problem does not bother me. Lastly we are doing Mexico in November on NCL Bliss, I gave up counting the number of time we have been to Mexico and actually our last time in November 2019 I stepped on the ship in San Diego and other than walk off the ship for 15 minutes in Puerta Vallarta to see the new connecting shops we never really left the ship. Frankly I am good with staying on board the ship for the whole week. Many times for us the Ship is the Destination.

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It doesn’t say you are restricted to ship excursions only. 
The actual wording is ‘Only shore excursions that comply with our prescribed protocols will be permitted’.

While this could mean ship only excursions on the first few sailings, it doesn’t automatically eliminate private excursions that meet HAL’s safety protocols. I doubt any of us expect the cruising experience to go from full stop to anything goes on the first cruise out of the dock.

Edited by Horizon chaser 1957
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I agree with Liza's comment about proving to the Powers that Be that cruising can be very safe. I was glad to read that the CDC has changed its tune about mandating there be 12 hours of unused gangways between cruises. That one was really stupid. What about airline jetways?

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2 hours ago, LAFFNVEGAS said:

I actually have no problem with them restricting the excursions in the very beginning as long as after say 6 months of cruising they lift this. Just to be able to prove to the Powers that Be that Cruising can be very safe. To me if that is what they have to do to get us going I am fine.

I have three cruises booked through the end of this year, first in Nieuw Statendam in July, final has been paid. Although I give this one less than 10% chance of going but had planned to just take HAL excursions anyway since it was my first time to these ports, second cruise is Alaska in September was to be Eurodam most likely if it would sail will be Nieuw Amsterdam. Cruise is not canceled and I give it about a 30% chance, although with recent push possibly a 50% chance. There is only one excursions I want and that is to go to Fortress of the Bear and planned to do that in Sitka. Been to Alaska so many times that some of the best part of the cruise is enjoying it from my balcony so again the excursion problem does not bother me. Lastly we are doing Mexico in November on NCL Bliss, I gave up counting the number of time we have been to Mexico and actually our last time in November 2019 I stepped on the ship in San Diego and other than walk off the ship for 15 minutes in Puerta Vallarta to see the new connecting shops we never really left the ship. Frankly I am good with staying on board the ship for the whole week. Many times for us the Ship is the Destination.

As more & more people get vaccinated   there would be far less danger  to go ashore  individually .This may take several months   to accomplish  once cruising starts but imo ,it shouldn't take  the cruise lines longer for individual tours  in most parts of the developed world  . Having all pax & crew vaccinated would lead to a clean voyage  .They may pre test at the pier  but ,that is fine   .just bring your vaccine CDC cards with your pass ports 

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I get NCL emails and they sent out one today, which I have since deleted.  In that email and in other statements they are assuming following guidelines only until the end of October.  Perhaps they mean following the guidelines here in the US only to the end of October which assumes the no sail order and the emergency declaration will be lifted.

 

Of course lines will still have to comply with destination ports

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3 minutes ago, Mary229 said:

I get NCL emails and they sent out one today, which I have since deleted.  In that email and in other statements they are assuming following guidelines only until the end of October.  Perhaps they mean following the guidelines here in the US only to the end of October which assumes the no sail order and the emergency declaration will be lifted.

 

Of course lines will still have to comply with destination ports

Many or most of the cruise lines are wanting to start sailing July 1st or 4th  under current CDC guidelines .   Thus ,the protocols would be required ;as above   Post Oct 31st ,then the CDC may institute  different requirements ,based upon  the  risk of the virus spread , at that time  .We need to   remember  that there are variants out there   & what impact if any those variants would have ,starting Nov 1st   for the CDC review &  new  guidelines 

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24 minutes ago, mcrcruiser said:

Many or most of the cruise lines are wanting to start sailing July 1st or 4th  under current CDC guidelines .   Thus ,the protocols would be required ;as above   Post Oct 31st ,then the CDC may institute  different requirements ,based upon  the  risk of the virus spread , at that time  .We need to   remember  that there are variants out there   & what impact if any those variants would have ,starting Nov 1st   for the CDC review &  new  guidelines 

If the Emergency Declaration is lifted the CDC is no longer involved.  Their authority ends when the declaration ends.  

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7 minutes ago, Heartgrove said:

 

And what if they extend the declaration?

I simply mentioned that NCL in various communications has indicated they intend to use the protocols until October 31 and then made the comment that they are likely assuming the no sail order will expire by then.  Then in response to a comment reiterated that the CDC has no authority without the emergency declaration 

Edited by Mary229
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I am not sure what is the technical or legal definition of a "shore excursion".  I know that if I sign up for what they call a shore excursion and get on a bus with 30 or 40 other persons that is a shore excursion.  But if I walk off the ship or take a tender to the port and walk into town or use the local transportation, am I on a "shore excursion"?  They need to clarify this before I will take another cruise.

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1 hour ago, USN59-79 said:

I am not sure what is the technical or legal definition of a "shore excursion".  I know that if I sign up for what they call a shore excursion and get on a bus with 30 or 40 other persons that is a shore excursion.  But if I walk off the ship or take a tender to the port and walk into town or use the local transportation, am I on a "shore excursion"?  They need to clarify this before I will take another cruise.

A shore excursion is sold to you. It could be by the cruise line or a private vendor. If you just walk off the ship, that is independent travel.

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2 hours ago, ontheweb said:

A shore excursion is sold to you. It could be by the cruise line or a private vendor. If you just walk off the ship, that is independent travel.

 

While I don’t disagree with you, I think that the context most think of a shore excursion when the cruise lines talk about it is a ship tour.

 

I think of anything I do outside of the ship as independent - whether I hire a private guide or do my own DIY that day.  I can assure you that HAL thinks of it that way when it comes to tenders 😉 

 

Agree with @USN59-79 I’d like clarification too and clear cut terms and conditions before my final payment or it’s a no go for me.  HAL really needs to get with the ball and lay the cards on the table on vaccines and real rules.  

 

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7 hours ago, kazu said:

 

While I don’t disagree with you, I think that the context most think of a shore excursion when the cruise lines talk about it is a ship tour.

 

I think of anything I do outside of the ship as independent - whether I hire a private guide or do my own DIY that day.  I can assure you that HAL thinks of it that way when it comes to tenders 😉 

 

Agree with @USN59-79 I’d like clarification too and clear cut terms and conditions before my final payment or it’s a no go for me.  HAL really needs to get with the ball and lay the cards on the table on vaccines and real rules.  

 

Ok, we are only disagreeing on semantics. I was differentiating a hired outside shore excursion from just going at it on your own, and you were emphasizing cruise line versus not using the cruise line excursion. But we really have no difference on how we see the issue of only cruise line excursions.

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I am sailing next spring (TA/Europe) under the premise that I will have to take ship sponsored excursions to leave the ship.  I think mine is a conservative view and may be a bit too cautious but for me it is better to be forewarned than to be disappointed.  I think much of the decision lies with the communities we will be visiting.

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4 hours ago, Mary229 said:

I am sailing next spring (TA/Europe) under the premise that I will have to take ship sponsored excursions to leave the ship.  I think mine is a conservative view and may be a bit too cautious but for me it is better to be forewarned than to be disappointed.  I think much of the decision lies with the communities we will be visiting.

I was also under the impression that to go off the ship it would have to be on a HAL excursion. The intent is to minimize contact with the locals.

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In 91 days we leave for our 8-day cruise on the Viking Sky circling Iceland. Amazingly the four cruises offered (ours is the fourth so any rough edges should be smoothed out by then) sold out in one day! Viking has been very upfront with the protocols that will need to be followed by passengers, and all of the safety precautions they will take to protect us. Iceland has done very well for their citizens with their approach to the pandemic. Hardships of course like everyone else in the world but opening again after a year's isolation. One person on our rollcall compared our cruise to being safer than going shopping at Target!

 

This only proves that a cruiseline that is serious about getting back to business will do what is required. No bluster, no bullying, no politicing, no demands. Just adjusting to the new way of cruising for the foreseeable future. Viking has updated, as of April 6, 2021, their Viking Health & Safety Program. Among all the steps being taken are frequent non-invasive PCR tests and then analyzed in the lab that they installed onboard, social distancing for dining and other events while onboard, mask requirement, upgraded air purification, excursions to meet local safety health requirements, etc.

 

 

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45 minutes ago, Heartgrove said:

This only proves that a cruiseline that is serious about getting back to business will do what is required. No bluster, no bullying, no politicing, no demands. Just adjusting to the new way of cruising for the foreseeable future. Viking has updated, as of April 6, 2021, their Viking Health & Safety Program. Among all the steps being taken are frequent non-invasive PCR tests and then analyzed in the lab that they installed onboard, social distancing for dining and other events while onboard, mask requirement, upgraded air purification, excursions to meet local safety health requirements, etc.

 

 

I agree and when I checked the Protocols that the other Cruise Lines have on their Websites they all seem to be on the same page.  MSC demonstrated their seriousness when they refused the Family to re-board the Ship when they broke away from the Ship's Excursion and went off on their own.

 

If a Cruiser doesn't agree with the Protocols they put in place that they believe are necessary to ensure their Ships are safe until things get back to normal, they aren't going to risk it and  give into someone's demands, etc.   They have too much at stake. 

  

 

 

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