CDC to cruise industry: U.S. cruises could restart in mid-July

[kiwimum]

2 hours ago, drowelf said:

Edited April 29, 2021 by kiwimum
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[Horizon chaser 1957]

2 hours ago, HappyInVan said:

 

All they have to do is to accept priority reservations from vax people and medical exempt bookings. After they reach the 95% target, they could then accept no-vax bookings. Does not mean that there would be many vacancies at this point!

 

 

 

The actual wording is:

• 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.

Nowhere does it say that those who are medically exempt count as fully vaccinated, and only conscientious objectors count as unvaccinated. Unvaccinated is unvaccinated, regardless of the reason behind it.

[kelleherdl]

9 hours ago, mightycruisequeen said:

Personally, I suspect that a little push-back by Florida and Alaska may be inspiring the CDC to revisit the "science" of the prolonged cruise shutdown.

And the very real possibility that HHS/CDC will lose in Federal District Court and be saddled with a legal decision that their ‘quasi rule-making’ on the CSO was unlawful in the first instance and ‘arbitrary and capricious’ in the second.  
 

Dennis

[Domer81mpc]

18 minutes ago, kelleherdl said:

And the very real possibility that HHS/CDC will lose in Federal District Court and be saddled with a legal decision that their ‘quasi rule-making’ on the CSO was unlawful in the first instance and ‘arbitrary and capricious’ in the second.  
 

Dennis

BINGO.  Give that man a cigar.

[cscurlock]

55 minutes ago, kelleherdl said:

And the very real possibility that HHS/CDC will lose in Federal District Court and be saddled with a legal decision that their ‘quasi rule-making’ on the CSO was unlawful in the first instance and ‘arbitrary and capricious’ in the second.  
 

Dennis

I don't think so, the cruise lines and CDC have been talking pretty much all of April and March.  I assume they have come to some kind of understanding.  

Edited April 30, 2021 by cscurlock

[kevingastreich]

10 hours ago, wesport said:

No thanks! All you need is an outbreak of that 5%. Could be a disaster. 

The thing is, the vaccine isn't even 100% effective so there will always be some risk. Just like a Noro-virus, a collision or even an iceberg.  If we wait for anything to be 100% risk free, we will never leave our houses.

[srdancer]

I live in NYC in a high rise building. There are lots of people on the streets most days.  So many, mostly younger, people have refused to wear masks from the beginning of the pandemic to the present. I rarely went out before getting vaccinated although I am now going out regularly and even went into a small store to shop this week for the first time since mid-March, 2020. We have been getting food and other supplies delivered. 
 

I would not get on a cruise unless everyone - pax and crew - were vaccinated. We love cruising but if there are reasons why this is considered unfair to people who can’t or won’t get the vaccine shot and the 100% cannot be enforced, we won’t be cruising any time soon or perhaps not at all.

[jeda4137]

32 minutes ago, srdancer said:

I live in NYC in a high rise building. There are lots of people on the streets most days.  So many, mostly younger, people have refused to wear masks from the beginning of the pandemic to the present. I rarely went out before getting vaccinated although I am now going out regularly and even went into a small store to shop this week for the first time since mid-March, 2020. We have been getting food and other supplies delivered. 
 

I would not get on a cruise unless everyone - pax and crew - were vaccinated. We love cruising but if there are reasons why this is considered unfair to people who can’t or won’t get the vaccine shot and the 100% cannot be enforced, we won’t be cruising any time soon or perhaps not at all.

 

32 minutes ago, srdancer said:

I live in NYC in a high rise building. There are lots of people on the streets most days.  So many, mostly younger, people have refused to wear masks from the beginning of the pandemic to the present. I rarely went out before getting vaccinated although I am now going out regularly and even went into a small store to shop this week for the first time since mid-March, 2020. We have been getting food and other supplies delivered. 
 

I would not get on a cruise unless everyone - pax and crew - were vaccinated. We love cruising but if there are reasons why this is considered unfair to people who can’t or won’t get the vaccine shot and the 100% cannot be enforced, we won’t be cruising any time soon or perhaps not at all.

Very well said!!

[DAllenTCY]

Sorry for you.  The rest of us are adults and can make our own choices in life.

 

I'd rather take a cruise than drive on a Southern California freeway.

 

The odds of dying are about the same.

 

David

[Hlitner]

Paint me somewhat skeptical about the CDC announcement. While it does seem like a step forward (to cruising from the USA) the lack of details might well mean significant delays.   We have all heard the "devil is in the details" so we will have to wait and see. For example, I did not see any mention of whether cruises that are longer then 7 days will be allowed.  How about back to backs?  The 95% proposal causes huge problems for lines like RCI, Disney and NCL who all heavily market to families with children not even eligible for vaccines. 

 

For the past year the CDC has consistently contradicted itself, changed policies with the wind, made policy decisions that had nothing to do with real science, etc.  We can all hope that some sanity is now coming to that agency (which seems to be following public opinion rather then leading) and they will finally drop their unreasonable opposition to the cruise industry.  Personally we are not going to count on any of this happening which is why we are flying off to Greece (this summer) to cruise and island hop.  It is a sad commentary that I trust the commitment of the Greek government a lot more then anything said by the CDC.   Our next cruise from a US Port in not until October and you can be sure we have not purchased airline tickets or made non-refundable hotel reservations.  It the October cruise happens we will be delighted.  If not, it will just be one more (our 6th) cancelled cruise and perhaps a good reason to return to the wonderful All-Inclusive where we now are having a wonderful time (with nobody wearing masks inside the resort).

 

Hank

[Hflors]

If the cruise lines are not requiring all to have the vaccine then no one should need to prove they were vaccinated.  How can you say to passenger A he must show proof of a vaccine, but passenger B you don't need proof.  How does the cruise lines decide which passengers are required and which are not?  Will it be by cabin catagory, age, state of residence, etc.  There isn't any logical way.  

 

Again I think the CDC is playing games so  when there is an outbreak they can say "I told you so"!!!     To be fair to their passengers they need to either have all vaccinated or no one vaccinated.

[ontheweb]

12 hours ago, kelleherdl said:

And the very real possibility that HHS/CDC will lose in Federal District Court and be saddled with a legal decision that their ‘quasi rule-making’ on the CSO was unlawful in the first instance and ‘arbitrary and capricious’ in the second.  
 

Dennis

A much, much higher probability that the courts will rule in favor of the CDC. Courts give great weight to regulatory agencies in normal times. And to think the opposite will happen in an anything but normal time, a pandemic, to the regulations of an agency charged with protecting the health of the country is a fantasy.

[rhblake]

Can anyone tell me why CLIA has not stepped in to do the port agreements and provider contracts. Then have each cruise line could sign into the agreements. Centralizing the agreements for all cruise lines seems to make sense.

[rucrazy]

I imagine as with most things time will tell.

If in fact cruise lines are allowed to return to sailing from US Ports with LESS than fully vaccinated crew and passengers, and an outbreak or even 1 person comes down with COVID-19 we will then have our definitive answer to a whole host of questions currently being debated not only here but at kitchen tables around the country.

[HappyInVan]

Why so many complaints???

 

Looks like CDC and industry have negotiated a compromise. The ships can sail again. 

 

Its up to the cruise companies. They can mandate 100% vax, or allow some un-vaccinated children onboard. Or, apply for un-vaccinated cruises. (No guarantee that CDC will say yes).

 

So, has anyone heard anything from CCL? Its been two days. ❓

[CruiserBruce]

23 minutes ago, HappyInVan said:

Why so many complaints???

 

Looks like CDC and industry have negotiated a compromise. The ships can sail again. 

 

Its up to the cruise companies. They can mandate 100% vax, or allow some un-vaccinated children onboard. Or, apply for un-vaccinated cruises. (No guarantee that CDC will say yes).

 

So, has anyone heard anything from CCL? Its been two days. ❓

Because it is always someone else's fault.

[mame42]

13 hours ago, srdancer said:

I live in NYC in a high rise building. There are lots of people on the streets most days.  So many, mostly younger, people have refused to wear masks from the beginning of the pandemic to the present. I rarely went out before getting vaccinated although I am now going out regularly and even went into a small store to shop this week for the first time since mid-March, 2020. We have been getting food and other supplies delivered. 
 

I would not get on a cruise unless everyone - pax and crew - were vaccinated. We love cruising but if there are reasons why this is considered unfair to people who can’t or won’t get the vaccine shot and the 100% cannot be enforced, we won’t be cruising any time soon or perhaps not at all.

As a high rise resident in another state, my experience has mirrored yours, and my feelings about vaccinations are the same.

[harkinmr]

2 hours ago, Hflors said:

If the cruise lines are not requiring all to have the vaccine then no one should need to prove they were vaccinated.  How can you say to passenger A he must show proof of a vaccine, but passenger B you don't need proof.  How does the cruise lines decide which passengers are required and which are not?  Will it be by cabin catagory, age, state of residence, etc.  There isn't any logical way.  

 

Again I think the CDC is playing games so  when there is an outbreak they can say "I told you so"!!!     To be fair to their passengers they need to either have all vaccinated or no one vaccinated.

Ok.  Let's so let me get this straight.  Folks have been criticizing and prodding the CDC to allow cruises to start.  So they offer two options: vaccinated and unvaccinated sailings.  The first is easier and quicker than the second.  Plus, they are loosening up other restrictions.  So of course it's all smoke and mirrors so they can just say "I told you so!".  What rubbish.

 

The cruise lines aren't going to be picking and choosing passengers based on vaccine status. The 95% factor likely allows them to board some children.  They could also go with 100% to just make things easy.  It's pretty simple.  If you want to cruise, then be ready to prove you've been vaccinated.  If not, try one of the other lines that does not have a vaccine requirement.

[harkinmr]

1 hour ago, HappyInVan said:

Why so many complaints???

 

Looks like CDC and industry have negotiated a compromise. The ships can sail again. 

 

Its up to the cruise companies. They can mandate 100% vax, or allow some un-vaccinated children onboard. Or, apply for un-vaccinated cruises. (No guarantee that CDC will say yes).

 

So, has anyone heard anything from CCL? Its been two days. ❓

Not. A. Peep.  Of course none of the lines, except maybe RCG, have even bothered to recognize the ongoing meetings and discussions with the CDC since early April.  Doesn't suit their purpose and interferes with their constant refrain about how unfair the CDC is.  Pathetic.

[Nghthawke]

On 4/29/2021 at 9:54 AM, vicd1969 said:

This still may not bring relief to the Alaska cruising season unless Canada decides to open up, which is unlikely. 

"The Government of Canada will continue to evaluate the situation and make changes as necessary to ensure the health and safety of all Canadians. Should the COVID-19 pandemic sufficiently improve to allow the resumption of these activities, the Minister of Transport has the ability to rescind the Interim Orders." (Transport Canada, Feb 2021 News Release)

 

The COVID situation here in Canada is still difficult. Vancouver had a super spreader event a month ago with tourists in Whistler spreading the Brazil P.1 variant. The variant is slowly making its way East with Alberta currently experiencing cases. And of course there is the UK variant out there.

 

Most Canadians should be fully vaccinated by end of August/September.

 

The problem with not everyone being vaccinated on board a ship is if one of those unvaccinated passengers gets the virus then the cruise ends and the ship returns to port. (From HAL's website) This can be a big headache if you have to unexpectedly book a hotel stay, change airfare reservations, etc.

[Tampa Girl]

2 hours ago, rhblake said:

Can anyone tell me why CLIA has not stepped in to do the port agreements and provider contracts. Then have each cruise line could sign into the agreements. Centralizing the agreements for all cruise lines seems to make sense.

 

Probably because CLIA does not have that authority over foreign entities?  Certainly it does have persuasive powers in that CLIA could mandate refusal to enter U.S. ports.  I am not sure that is much of an incentive, however.  There are plenty of other ports around the world from which to sail.

[Tampa Girl]

On 4/29/2021 at 2:40 AM, Albinroo said:

Yay!! I guess the main issue is gettin 98% of crew vaccinated? 95% of passengers shouldn't be impossible, though I do wonder what that means for children...

 Why should that be an issue?  If 95% of the passengers can get vaccinated, why couldn't 100% of the ship's crew and staff be able to get vaccinated?  The cruise line is in the position to require it.

[Lido - Lanai]

56 minutes ago, Tampa Girl said:

If 95% of the passengers can get vaccinated, why couldn't 100% of the ship's crew and staff be able to get vaccinated?

There will be a small number of crew & staff, through no fault of their own, who will not be able to receive the vaccine due to medical reasons, hence the 98%.

Also, vaccine availability in some of the home countries where crew/staff reside is not that plentiful, hopefully that will problem will diminish over the course of the year.

Edited April 30, 2021 by Lido - Lanai

[chengkp75]

57 minutes ago, Tampa Girl said:

Probably because CLIA does not have that authority over foreign entities?  Certainly it does have persuasive powers in that CLIA could mandate refusal to enter U.S. ports.

????  CLIA is a cruise industry lobbying group.  It has no authority anywhere, and can't mandate anything.

[Tampa Girl]

13 minutes ago, chengkp75 said:

????  CLIA is a cruise industry lobbying group.  It has no authority anywhere, and can't mandate anything.