CDC gives Celebrity the approval to start in June

[cruise wizard]

3 minutes ago, NCteacherlovescruising said:

I would think they would give vaccinated guests a bracelet to wear or be tied to the sail card. Seems so risky for them to be responsible for policing it. I would think they would just require it for all passengers. 

 

Any visible type of identifying vaccinated / non-vaccinated would be welcomed.

[wrk2cruise]

3 minutes ago, NCteacherlovescruising said:

I would think they would give vaccinated guests a bracelet to wear

 

Yes I have no problem being publicly identified as being vaccinated.   I wouldn't be tempted to say "oh it must have fallen off".   Oh and I  don't care if any business asks if I'm vaccinated, it's their right to run their business as they please.   Don't like it don't frequent the business.

[paulh84]

3 minutes ago, bajathree said:

Im luckily am local and only a car ride away. So I am hoping that Celebrity sticks to their original plan but with things changing and the fact they don't even have check in available for the June 26th sailing up yet I am sitting and watching where this is going for now.....fingers crossed.

 

I really think that is the goal and the unavailable check-in is a good thing. When Richard Fain made the most recent vaccination comments he made a notable difference between RCI and Celebrity/Silversea. Contrary to the idea that adding a "simple" document upload to check-in could be done overnight, it's a huge project. Even adding additional health related questions could take a while. 

[pixiedust777]

My other concern is in the States they would appear to have a universal vaccine card. In other countries they do not.

Here in Toronto my vaccine information was entered into the Ontario vaccine database and was then then emailed to me from the province.

The pharmacy also printed off the information for me but it is on a regular piece of printer paper. 
The best proof I have is the email from the province but that is not excepted and I could print off as many copies as I wanted as there is no original.

[Cruising89143]

3 minutes ago, evandbob said:

Only 38% of Floridians have been fully vaxxed. A cruiser may be more exposed to the virus from persons they come into contact with while traveling to and from the port than while on the cruise itself.

 

Many unvaxxed are also anti maskers, so just be aware (or beware). 

That was another thought of ours. We were going to spend three nights pre cruise in FLL before boarding the Edge. We are fully vaccinated BUT there’s still a chance that any of us could pick up the virus prior to embarking or even while in one of the ports. What happens then? I know that those testing positive would be quarantined but how many passengers have to test positive for the cruise to end? How will they handle getting passengers off if the ship has to return to port? I know that many will think that this is a Chicken Little “the sky is falling” attitude but it’s things that we want to know before boarding a ship. I still have the Diamond and Grand Princess fiascos in bedded in my mind. 

[AbbyCruiser45]

I’ve been thinking about this all morning. Does RCL’s flip come down to the eventual legal battle? RCL isn’t approved for restricted voyages, but Celebrity is. Technically, from the CDC’s perspective, RCL passengers don’t have to be vaccinated, but Celebrity passengers do have to be vaccinated as Celebrity isn’t approved for test cruises. 

Edited June 5, 2021 by AbbyCruiser45

[graphicguy]

4 minutes ago, evandbob said:

Only 38% of Floridians have been fully vaxxed. A cruiser may be more exposed to the virus from persons they come into contact with while traveling to and from the port than while on the cruise itself.

 

Many unvaxxed are also anti maskers, so just be aware (or beware). 

Latest Florida numbers actually show 51% with at least one does (including J&J one dose) are vaccinated.  So, that means they are at least 85% protected.  After the 2nd dose, that percentage goes up to 95%-97% immune.  It will be close, but they could hit the 70% mark for herd immunity by July 4th.

 

Numbers for the U.S. overall.....

 

https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#vaccinations

 

That said, I'm flying in the day of my cruise vs the day before.  My ship doesn't sail until 6:00 p.m. and there are 3 direct flights that would get me to FLL by 3:00 p.m.  The one I'm scheduled on lands at 9:30 a.m., so I've got some nice leeway.

 

But, given I'm not in FL the night before, staying at a hotel, eating out, I think I'm limiting my exposure to anyone else.  That said, I have my shots done.  So, feeling good!

 

 

[graphicguy]

Just now, AbbyCruiser45 said:

I’ve been thinking about this all morning. Does RCL’s flip come down to the eventual legal battle? RCL isn’t approved for restricted voyages, but Celebrity is. Technically, from the CDC’s perspective, RCL passengers don’t have to be vaccinated, but Celebrity passengers do have to be vaccinated as Celebrity isn’t approved for test cruises. 

Celebrity went the "fully vaccinated" route as they didn't want the restrictions that Royal will have to adhere to regarding masking and distancing plus test cruises.

[bajathree]

11 minutes ago, cruisingator2 said:

That was another thought of ours. We were going to spend three nights pre cruise in FLL before boarding the Edge. We are fully vaccinated BUT there’s still a chance that any of us could pick up the virus prior to embarking or even while in one of the ports. What happens then? I know that those testing positive would be quarantined but how many passengers have to test positive for the cruise to end? How will they handle getting passengers off if the ship has to return to port? I know that many will think that this is a Chicken Little “the sky is falling” attitude but it’s things that we want to know before boarding a ship. I still have the Diamond and Grand Princess fiascos in bedded in my mind. 

I was on the very last Silhouette sailing that went out back March 2020. 9 night sailing that ended us waking up in port of Miami the first 2 mornings...one was someone falling off balcony....the second something assumed covid scare related that they never would make public as to what was the reason.  Get to Aruba and find out the resort pass I booked for a day is denied as no one allowed to use the property except for hotel guests. And Curacao cut short since we were 2 nights behind. So I can feel your concerns. On top of that we didn't know if we were going to be quarantined or not when we got back...luckily we were able to debark no problems.

Edited June 5, 2021 by bajathree

[actuarian]

IMHO, unvaccinated people should be allowed on the ship since the governor of Florida insists on it.  However, as soon as the ship is in international waters, all passengers over the age of 12 should be required to show proof of vaccination and those who cannot should be quarantined.  If the  unvaccinated know that will happen, they will choose not to cruise.

[EMc&DrS]

13 minutes ago, actuarian said:

IMHO, unvaccinated people should be allowed on the ship since the governor of Florida insists on it.  However, as soon as the ship is in international waters, all passengers over the age of 12 should be required to show proof of vaccination and those who cannot should be quarantined.  If the  unvaccinated know that will happen, they will choose not to cruise.

My thought exactly.  And aren't some of the other countries we'll be visiting requiring vaccines?  if so, the cruise lines could say, "We're not requiring you to have a vaccine to board, but you must have one to enter the ports along the way, so you need to show us proof of vaccine before we exit international waters for our first port of call."

[cruise wizard]

1 hour ago, pixiedust777 said:

My other concern is in the States they would appear to have a universal vaccine card. In other countries they do not.

Here in Toronto my vaccine information was entered into the Ontario vaccine database and was then then emailed to me from the province.

The pharmacy also printed off the information for me but it is on a regular piece of printer paper. 
The best proof I have is the email from the province but that is not excepted and I could print off as many copies as I wanted as there is no original.

 

Are you allowed to travel into the US? Last I heard that only "essential" travel was permitted - as I don't follow the Canadian restrictions closely.

[Fouremco]

55 minutes ago, actuarian said:

IMHO, unvaccinated people should be allowed on the ship since the governor of Florida insists on it.  However, as soon as the ship is in international waters, all passengers over the age of 12 should be required to show proof of vaccination and those who cannot should be quarantined.  If the  unvaccinated know that will happen, they will choose not to cruise.

Not good enough. Countries requiring all visitors to be vaccinated would not allow the ship to enter port. Passports and visas, if required, must be shown before you are allowed to embark on a cruise. The ship's manifest provided in advance to the ports of call must provide the requisite information for all passengers and crew members, or the ship risks being refused entry.

 

Someone without a required visa is never allowed to embark on the condition that he or she won't get off the ship at a port requiring the visa. Similarly, Celebrity can't simply say that it will keep all the unvaccinated passengers aboard. The time to verify that passengers meet the entry requirements for countries to be visited during the cruise is at check in during the embarkation process, not many hours later when the ship reaches international waters.

Edited June 5, 2021 by Fouremco

[pixiedust777]

7 minutes ago, cruise wizard said:

 

Are you allowed to travel into the US? Last I heard that only "essential" travel was permitted - as I don't follow the Canadian restrictions closely.

There are so many loop holes in the closed border you couldn’t trap an elephant in them.

I can fly anywhere I want as long as I am willing to do the mandatory 3 day quarantine upon my entry back into Canada if I fly. This cost approx $800 per person. I then would have to complete another 11 days of quarantine at home.

I can also fly back to a U.S border city and walk back or have a taxi take me over to the Canadian side and bypass the hotel quarantine and the cost.

Just need to do the 14 day quarantine at home.

[cruise wizard]

2 minutes ago, pixiedust777 said:

There are so many loop holes in the closed border you couldn’t trap an elephant in them.

I can fly anywhere I want as long as I am willing to do the mandatory 3 day quarantine upon my entry back into Canada if I fly. This cost approx $800 per person. I then would have to complete another 11 days of quarantine at home.

I can also fly back to a U.S border city and walk back or have a taxi take me over to the Canadian side and bypass the hotel quarantine and the cost.

Just need to do the 14 day quarantine at home.

 

Yuck................when do these restrictions expire? Sounds like if a Canadian person wants to fly to the US and take a 2 week cruise, they need to take a months vacation time (unless they can work from home). We have some friends in BC and if I remember correctly - there were restrictions between Provinces too.

[EMc&DrS]

Which islands/countries in the Caribbean are requiring proof of vaccination for cruise passengers?

[morechances]

I think that any cruise is still vulnerable from a port point of view for the foreseeable future.

 

As in a port may randomly deny entry based on a number of factors.

 

A seven day cruise with 5 ports may lose a port or two due to restrictions.

Or rapidly changing rules. Especially if there is no clear proof of vaccination.

[pixiedust777]

5 minutes ago, cruise wizard said:

 

Yuck................when do these restrictions expire? Sounds like if a Canadian person wants to fly to the US and take a 2 week cruise, they need to take a months vacation time (unless they can work from home). We have some friends in BC and if I remember correctly - there were restrictions between Provinces too.

Currently the restrictions are set to expire on June 21 however the government has extended this every month on by the 15th of the month for the last year. 
I am not expecting any changes to the border issue until possibly the fall.

I am waiting to book flights as our cruise is not booked on the Edge until the end of October. 

 

[cruise wizard]

4 minutes ago, pixiedust777 said:

Currently the restrictions are set to expire on June 21 however the government has extended this every month on by the 15th of the month for the last year. 
I am not expecting any changes to the border issue until possibly the fall.

I am waiting to book flights as our cruise is not booked on the Edge until the end of October. 

 

 

I hope that everything is "cleared up" by then. We will be on the Edge in 3 weeks (hopefully) - first time on this ship. We were supposed to be sailing on a Canada & New England itinerary (21 days from Boston) but that was cancelled - will try again for 2023!!!!!

[cruise wizard]

11 minutes ago, morechances said:

I think that any cruise is still vulnerable from a port point of view for the foreseeable future.

 

As in a port may randomly deny entry based on a number of factors.

 

A seven day cruise with 5 ports may lose a port or two due to restrictions.

Or rapidly changing rules. Especially if there is no clear proof of vaccination.

 

Perhaps cruise lines might market their cruises as "Pot Luck Destinations"...........come sail with us to somewhere - be surprised every day when you wake up - be spontaneous!!!!!! Our themed cruise is "Where in the World is our Cruise Ship". 

[cruise wizard]

Why can't the cruise lines designate certain ships as "Vaccinated Club Cruises". To join the "Club" - you have to be vaccinated  (proof required). Only eligible passengers allowed. Sort of like the many chartered cruises - "members only".

[graphicguy]

19 minutes ago, cruise wizard said:

Why can't the cruise lines designate certain ships as "Vaccinated Club Cruises". To join the "Club" - you have to be vaccinated  (proof required). Only eligible passengers allowed. Sort of like the many chartered cruises - "members only".

Interesting.  Make those cruises private charters.  You have to belong to a “club” to embark.  And, the club requires you to provide proof of the COVID vaccine to join.

[cruise wizard]

9 minutes ago, graphicguy said:

Interesting.  Make those cruises private charters.  You have to belong to a “club” to embark.  And, the club requires you to provide proof of the COVID vaccine to join.

 

Should we start a "V+ Club"??? There is a Captains Club - maybe a "V" Level membership?????

 

Come on Celebrity - let's get creative!!!!!!

[actuarian]

2 hours ago, Fouremco said:

Not good enough. Countries requiring all visitors to be vaccinated would not allow the ship to enter port.

Royal Caribbean has already announced that they are resuming cruises out of Florida next month in July and that they will not require passengers to be vaccinated.  I assume that they must not be making any port stops in countries that require all visitors to be vaccinated.  Any cruise line could do the same thing.

[Fouremco]

2 minutes ago, actuarian said:

Royal Caribbean has already announced that they are resuming cruises out of Florida next month in July and that they will not require passengers to be vaccinated.  I assume that they must not be making any port stops in countries that require all visitors to be vaccinated.  Any cruise line could do the same thing.

Quite right, avoiding countries with a vaccination requirement is one solution. But that leaves cruise planning up in the air, as countries are constantly modifying their entry requirements. I personally think resolving the DeSantis issue is the better long term solution.