Testing for vax passengers?

[39august]

Has anyone sailing out of Florida soon been notified of whether vaccinated passengers will be tested before debarkation back to Florida?  And, am I correct, that at this time no test is required for domestic air travel?

[wrk2cruise]

That's correct as of this time.  No test required prior to arriving at the port for vaccinated and voluntarily providing qualified proof.

[graphicguy]

Had the same question and contacted Celebrity.  This is what they sent back via email.  They only talk about testing for unvaccinated passengers.  Given I sail the day before their policy quote below, I'm not sure what, if anything, might change.....

 

Thank you for contacting Celebrity Cruises.

The best place to find the most up-to-date information is https://www.celebritycruises.com/health-and-safety

Masks are required in the embarkation/debarkation terminal, and may be required at ports of call depending on local government regulations. Following CDC guidelines, masks will not be required for vaccinated guests and children 15 and younger.

As of August 1, 2021, all guests age 12 and older must be fully vaccinated. We will require documentation of full vaccination from all guests who are eligible, in the form of an original vaccination card. Guests that decline to provide proof of vaccination or provide insufficient documentation will be considered unvaccinated and will have to adhere to additional requirements including SARS-CoV-2 testing (at their own expense), and additional protocols including wearing masks at all times on board except while eating, drinking or in their stateroom and while ashore. Testing will be complimentary for children who do not yet meet the age eligibility criteria to be vaccinated and for guests who are unable to be vaccinated.

Unvaccinated guests may be restricted from going ashore depending on local government restrictions.
 

[LGW59]

20 minutes ago, graphicguy said:

Had the same question and contacted Celebrity.  This is what they sent back via email.  They only talk about testing for unvaccinated passengers.  Given I sail the day before their policy quote below, I'm not sure what, if anything, might change.....

 

Thank you for contacting Celebrity Cruises.

The best place to find the most up-to-date information is https://www.celebritycruises.com/health-and-safety

Masks are required in the embarkation/debarkation terminal, and may be required at ports of call depending on local government regulations. Following CDC guidelines, masks will not be required for vaccinated guests and children 15 and younger.

As of August 1, 2021, all guests age 12 and older must be fully vaccinated. We will require documentation of full vaccination from all guests who are eligible, in the form of an original vaccination card. Guests that decline to provide proof of vaccination or provide insufficient documentation will be considered unvaccinated and will have to adhere to additional requirements including SARS-CoV-2 testing (at their own expense), and additional protocols including wearing masks at all times on board except while eating, drinking or in their stateroom and while ashore. Testing will be complimentary for children who do not yet meet the age eligibility criteria to be vaccinated and for guests who are unable to be vaccinated.

Unvaccinated guests may be restricted from going ashore depending on local government restrictions.
 

If a person is unvaccinated by choice, why on God’s green earth would they take a chance on the 5% being available to them at embarkation time?!?

[Silvery Seas Cruiser]

We just spoke to a Celebrity rep an hour ago and were told that at the end of our cruise back in Fort Lauderdale, every passenger would be given a nasal swab test.  Our cruise will end in October, so no telling if that rule will still be followed.

[c-leg5]

1 minute ago, Silvery Seas Cruiser said:

We just spoke to a Celebrity rep an hour ago and were told that at the end of our cruise back in Fort Lauderdale, every passenger would be given a nasal swab test.  Our cruise will end in October, so no telling if that rule will still be followed.

I am not surprised given air regulations from overseas but you are the first person I have seen to quote that policy.
 

I never have understood the difference to air travel and assumed it was because nothing was operational yet.

[wrk2cruise]

I suspect it more a liability/PR thing where they can say they didn't release positive people back into society.  Maybe part of the negotiated port agreements which we will never see.

[Bo1953]

5 hours ago, LGW59 said:

If a person is unvaccinated by choice, why on God’s green earth would they take a chance on the 5% being available to them at embarkation time?!?

Well, for the same reason they may, by choice, not get vaccinated and that is because they can possibly try and prove that they have a right to sail without being vaccinated... LOL

 

Not the type of passenger I would want to sail with, 'knowingly'.

 

In health and bon voyage

[graphicguy]

5 hours ago, LGW59 said:

If a person is unvaccinated by choice, why on God’s green earth would they take a chance on the 5% being available to them at embarkation time?!?

I can’t imagine who would want to cruise with a mask in public spaces, pay for additional testing, and be shutout of different activities and ship spaces.  But, I bet someone will, for no other reason than to have a spotlight on them…in short, narcisists!

[Blackduck59]

1 hour ago, graphicguy said:

I can’t imagine who would want to cruise with a mask in public spaces, pay for additional testing, and be shutout of different activities and ship spaces.  But, I bet someone will, for no other reason than to have a spotlight on them…in short, narcisists!

 

More likely someone will make no attempt to get vaccinated, show up demanding their "rights" and insist they are so special that their very presence on the cruise is vital.

[jelayne]

4 hours ago, Silvery Seas Cruiser said:

We just spoke to a Celebrity rep an hour ago and were told that at the end of our cruise back in Fort Lauderdale, every passenger would be given a nasal swab test.  Our cruise will end in October, so no telling if that rule will still be followed.

That makes sense.  We flew to Mexico last month and didn’t need a test to board the plane to go  but in order to return to the US we had to be tested before boarding the  plane home.   If a test is required to fly from Mexico  to the US it wouldn’t make sense to let cruise passengers return without testing.

[GenXer85]

On 6/15/2021 at 7:36 PM, phoenix_dream said:

Definitely highlights the need to have ALL crew and passengers fully vaccinated.  Period.  Not 95%.  Not unvaccinated children.  100% or you can't cruise yet.  It's still a pandemic.  It's still out there.  Life is not fair, but that is really the only way to ensure cruising will survive.

 

On 6/16/2021 at 6:37 PM, harkinmr said:

Yes the lack of mask wearing by unvaccinated kids on Adventure has been commented on all over. That’s on the parents. Where are they?  Never mind, I already know.  That stuff will not be tolerated on US sailings because the CDC will be watching. In fact, they may be on board. 😉. 

 

19 hours ago, LGW59 said:

If a person is unvaccinated by choice, why on God’s green earth would they take a chance on the 5% being available to them at embarkation time?!?

all excellent comments.  I don't know why you'd take a chance being on a cruise unvaccinated and potentially needing to quarantine. I mean, I'd so rather be somewhere on vacay where I can pop in my car and go home should the positive test occur.  And I know you can still contract it if vaccinated, but odds so much less.  I for sure won't be socializing with anyone outside my pod on the cruise.  Also not sure whey parents would risk bringing their unvaccinated children.  There are other fun things to do until time a vaccine is ready for the little ones.  

 

[Fredric22]

12 hours ago, jelayne said:

That makes sense.  We flew to Mexico last month and didn’t need a test to board the plane to go  but in order to return to the US we had to be tested before boarding the  plane home.   If a test is required to fly from Mexico  to the US it wouldn’t make sense to let cruise passengers return without testing.

Are we talking about cruises that originate somewhere else? Perhaps testing would apply for those cruises.  For a roundtrip US cruise, there is no testing requirement from the CDC for fully vaccinated guests. 

[c-leg5]

10 minutes ago, Fredric22 said:

Are we talking about cruises that originate somewhere else? Perhaps testing would apply for those cruises.  For a roundtrip US cruise, there is no testing requirement from the CDC for fully vaccinated guests. 

See #5. 
 

 

[Fredric22]

4 minutes ago, c-leg5 said:

See #5. 
 

 

That is NOT the current Celebrity protocol. Sorry... you can tell me to see #5 all day, but that doesn't make it true. Now, things may change in the coming days but currently, the CDC does NOT require testing to be done for vaccinated guests upon the completion of a cruise.  

Edited June 21, 2021 by Fredric22

[c-leg5]

8 minutes ago, Fredric22 said:

That is NOT the current Celebrity protocol. Sorry... you can tell me to see #5 all day, but that doesn't make it true. Now, things may change in the coming days but currently, the CDC does NOT require testing to be done for vaccinated guests upon the completion of a cruise.  

 

OK.

 

I was only quoting what pp was supposedly told by Celebrity would be their policy. Whether it is true or not I have no idea and  I am sure if you ask three times you will get three answers. My response to their post was #7.

 

 

17 hours ago, c-leg5 said:

I am not surprised given air regulations from overseas but you are the first person I have seen to quote that policy.
 

I never have understood the difference to air travel and assumed it was because nothing was operational yet.

 

I have no future cruises booked with Celebrity so I am not personally bothered one way or the other but it does seem an anomaly compared to air travel.
 

Perhaps they will stop testing for air travel? Perhaps they will start  testing for US based cruises? Who knows?

[graphicguy]

I think it depends on where you're cruising to and/or from regarding testing.  Some ports require testing.  And, depending on port, you may have to get tested to enter the U.S. (and probably Canada, once they start opening up, again).

[WhiteSoxFan]

2 hours ago, Fredric22 said:

That is NOT the current Celebrity protocol. Sorry... you can tell me to see #5 all day, but that doesn't make it true. Now, things may change in the coming days but currently, the CDC does NOT require testing to be done for vaccinated guests upon the completion of a cruise.  

Current Celebrity protocol is that all US sailing passengers need to have a NAAT or antigen test three days prior to entry into the US.  See attached link under Homeport Country Requirements.

 

https://www.celebritycruises.com/content/dam/celebrity/pdf/celebrity-healthy-at-sea-protocols.pdf

[rucrazy]

17 hours ago, Bo1953 said:

because they can

Ain't that a head scratching truism 

[wrk2cruise]

14 minutes ago, WhiteSoxFan said:

Current Celebrity protocol is that all US sailing passengers need to have a NAAT or antigen test three days prior to entry into the US.  See attached link under Homeport Country Requirements.

 

https://www.celebritycruises.com/content/dam/celebrity/pdf/celebrity-healthy-at-sea-protocols.pdf

 

I believe you are referring to the section on home country requirements (second section).   I believe this is for international travelers entering the US to take the cruise.    I believe the "Travel Home Testing" is what is specified for the ship returning to the US.  In the case of Edge cruises no testing for Vaccinated although I do understand they will be testing B2B cruisers with an antigen test even though the CDC doesn't request it for vaccinated.

[Fouremco]

Just now, wrk2cruise said:

 

I believe you are referring to the section on home country requirements (second section).   I believe this is for international travelers entering the US to take the cruise.    I believe the "Travel Home Testing" is what is specified for the ship returning to the US.  In the case of Edge cruises no testing for Vaccinated although I do understand they will be testing B2B cruisers with an antigen test even though the CDC doesn't request it for vaccinated.

I agree with you, that is how I interpreted the chart as well. 

[WhiteSoxFan]

Since it says "All travelers" I interpret this to mean that they require the test to re-enter the US at the end of the cruise but you may be correct.  More detail would make this less ambiguous.  

[wrk2cruise]

I really don't know why Celebrity tries  to articulate the requirements to enter the home port country as they are no different than entering for any other reason.  They have been failing miserably at doing so having watched the SXM sailings.  They should just have a link to the appropriate government sites.    Their own requirements are generally not much clearer.

[happycruiserco]

We were told by two Celebrity reps that we would not be tested on return since we are vaccinated.

 

[gotrichard]

On 6/20/2021 at 4:33 PM, c-leg5 said:

I am not surprised given air regulations from overseas but you are the first person I have seen to quote that policy.
 

I never have understood the difference to air travel and assumed it was because nothing was operational yet.

What if you live in Miami, can you decline the swab? No need to fly!