No kids under the age of 11 on any princess cruises

[Cruise Raider]

I was told on the day I moved my sailing from a canceled cruise that all passengers would need to be fully vaccinated to board the ship ... that was back on May 20th.  Shortly afterwards, they did allow families with younger children to book but only up to 5% of the ship's capacity.  

It was only a week or two after that they announced that 100% of their passengers would need to be vaccinated and children under the age of 12 would no longer be able to sail on these early cruises.  

 

My take on it is that the CDC stepped in and gave them an ultimatum.  Either sail with passengers that are 100% vaccinated or test cruises would be required before they could sail in or out of any US port.  I don't place blame on Princess but more so on those entities that are constantly changing the rules and making it harder for cruise lines to make their own policies that will most definitely be geared towards keeping everyone infection free.  I'm sure Princess was up against a rock and a hard spot in making this determination as you know they are counting on these first cruises to go off without a hitch.  

The delay in informing all their guests may have been an oversight and if so, it's on them.  But, it also could have been based on trying to work out the best policies to work for everybody.  We will probably still see a lot of changes in the upcoming weeks and months.  Hopefully, by the middle of next year, this will all be a thing of the past.  Fingers crossed!!!  

[Wishing on a star]

On a cruise from FL, we were always told Vaccinations not required, unti, as mentioned, the recent statements and facts showed otherwise.  

Alaska this Summer has kind of been it's own unique situation and agreements.

[RRFan]

On 7/13/2021 at 1:20 PM, maggie777 said:

WILL or WILL NOT???

100% of Princess passengers must be vaccinated to be on the Alaska summer cruises.  I'm not positive about the other scheduled cruises.  That means that no one under age 12 because right now because they aren't able to be vaccinated.  

[c-boy]

4 hours ago, Ombud said:

None of my cruises currently have that banner on the mobile site. Princess needs a new IT Department 

🤣  what do  they need I T for, They have c c'ers.   Proud bunch of drum bangers and dart throwers.

[Steelers36]

8 hours ago, Ombud said:

None of my cruises currently have that banner on the mobile site. Princess needs a new IT Department 

You can say that again.  And again.  And again.  And again. And.....

[pms4104]

8 hours ago, Ombud said:

None of my cruises currently have that banner on the mobile site. Princess needs a new IT Department 

Princess doesn't have their own IT dept anymore ...

 

Some 5 or so years ago, Carnival Corp dumped in-house IT people, contracted the work to Capgemini, a gynormous French operation, for at least Princess, HAL, Csrnival ... 

 

Outgoing IT people had a better chance of a Capgemini job if they would train the contracted people to do their old now outsourced job ...

 

Not sure who is doing the OM work, but we got an Accenture-branded lanyard for our Medallion for our Fall 2019 Crown cruise ... guess they're all or part of OM IT

[Steelers36]

5 minutes ago, pms4104 said:

Princess doesn't have their own IT dept anymore ...

 

Some 5 or so years ago, Carnival Corp dumped in-house IT people, contracted the work to Capgemini, a gynormous French operation, for at least Princess, HAL, Csrnival ... 

 

Outgoing IT people had a better chance of a Capgemini job if they would train the contracted people to do their old now outsourced job ...

 

Not sure who is doing the OM work, but we got an Accenture-branded lanyard for our Medallion for our Fall 2019 Crown cruise ... guess they're all or part of OM IT

A new IT Dept could mean contracting with a new/different provider.  

[Ombud]

Yes, they should find a new company as that one cannot provide reliable service. The 'view' on mobile, app, and website should be the same and interconnected.  If the county government can do it, so can they

 

 

Edited July 15, 2021 by Ombud

[pms4104]

9 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

A new IT Dept could mean contracting with a new/different provider.  

Sure, but replacing the current operation would mean admitting issues with the status quo

[caribill]

13 hours ago, Cruise Raider said:

My take on it is that the CDC stepped in and gave them an ultimatum.  Either sail with passengers that are 100% vaccinated or test cruises would be required before they could sail in or out of any US port.

 

Since it was the CDC that set the 95% rule, I doubt they told Princess 100% would be required.

 

I suspect it is more that Princess could not easily deal with all the different onboard requirements of unvaccinated people vs what vaccinated people could do.

 

Unvaccinated people would have to wear masks almost all of the time outside of their cabin, would be limited as to where they could eat, would not be able to participate in certain activities, etc.

[Wishing on a star]

This does seem to be a Princess decision/policy.

Other cruise lines are operating, for now, with their own policies,

[Cruise Raider]

8 hours ago, caribill said:

 

Since it was the CDC that set the 95% rule, I doubt they told Princess 100% would be required.

 

I suspect it is more that Princess could not easily deal with all the different onboard requirements of unvaccinated people vs what vaccinated people could do.

 

Unvaccinated people would have to wear masks almost all of the time outside of their cabin, would be limited as to where they could eat, would not be able to participate in certain activities, etc.

 

At the time, the rule from the CDC required test cruises if not all were vaccinated.  It was a business decision by Princess to go 100% so they didn't have to deal with not only the test cruises but with the unvaccinated group.  

[ebeluga]

Because of this 100% Princess policy decision, I have made more bookings with them through 2021.

[HaveDogWillTravel]

According to Princess VP of Sales who will be on our July 25, 2021 sailing while Princess is not allowing under 12 yo at all they are following CDC guidelines of 95% vaccinated pax and 98% vaccinated crew. See the screen shot of FB messages I had with him below. Given the extreme restrictions clearly outlined in the FAQs for unvaccinated pax, maybe they won’t get even 5%?

[caribill]

4 hours ago, HaveDogWillTravel said:

According to Princess VP of Sales who will be on our July 25, 2021 sailing while Princess is not allowing under 12 yo at all they are following CDC guidelines of 95% vaccinated pax and 98% vaccinated crew. See the screen shot of FB messages I had with him below. Given the extreme restrictions clearly outlined in the FAQs for unvaccinated pax, maybe they won’t get even 5%?

 

 

The up to 5% is for people eligible for the vaccine but medically unable to receive it.

 

This will likely be very few people on the summer cruises, nowhere close to the allowed 5%.

[donaldsc]

9 hours ago, caribill said:

 

The up to 5% is for people eligible for the vaccine but medically unable to receive it.

 

This will likely be very few people on the summer cruises, nowhere close to the allowed 5%.

 

What proof does anyone have to provide that they are medically unable to be vaccinated?  We all know that if the required proof is not iron clad, people will find a way to cheat.  

 

DON

[ebeluga]

24 minutes ago, donaldsc said:

 

What proof does anyone have to provide that they are medically unable to be vaccinated?  We all know that if the required proof is not iron clad, people will find a way to cheat.  

 

DON

It is the same group of people who are antivaxx, object to standardized vaccine passport, a subset of these would forge a vax card and cheat their way through.

 

What can you do?  It's a free country.

[ebeluga]

9 hours ago, caribill said:

 

The up to 5% is for people eligible for the vaccine but medically unable to receive it.

 

This will likely be very few people on the summer cruises, nowhere close to the allowed 5%.

You forgot the exemption on religious ground that is part of the 5%.

[pms4104]

1 hour ago, donaldsc said:

 

What proof does anyone have to provide that they are medically unable to be vaccinated?  We all know that if the required proof is not iron clad, people will find a way to cheat.  

 

DON

Likely same proof as when one wants handicap plates or hangtags for their car/truck

[caribill]

1 hour ago, donaldsc said:

 

What proof does anyone have to provide that they are medically unable to be vaccinated? 

 

 

 

Princess says that affected passengers need to contact Princness to find out what documentation they need for the exemption.

[donaldsc]

On 7/16/2021 at 11:17 AM, caribill said:

 

Princess says that affected passengers need to contact Princness to find out what documentation they need for the exemption.

 

Many if not all states have a registry that lists all your vaccinations.  I know that my home state of Nevada does although I highly doubt that Florida or Texas maintains such a list.  Is there some way that Princess could demand access to the registry before boarding.  That would be hard to fake.  

 

BTW if you want to be among the 5% religious objections group, do you have to provide something in advance or can you just tell them when you board that you have religious objections.  

 

It seems to me that the lines that are allowing a 5% objection or the ones that allow unvaccinated adults or children to board will be loosing more people who object to that policy than they gain by allowing them to board.  I know that I would not sail on any line that does not require 100 % no exception vaccinations.  This would include not allowing unvaccinated children.  I am sure that there are a lot of people who feel as I do.

 

DON

[caribill]

1 hour ago, donaldsc said:

 

 

BTW if you want to be among the 5% religious objections group, do you have to provide something in advance or can you just tell them when you board that you have religious objections.  

 

 

 

Princess says that affected passengers need to contact Princess to find out what documentation they need for the exemption.

[Wishing on a star]

There is still information from Princess,  (one Princess VP was quoted here on CC) that does mention a 5% exemption.   However, at this time, there seems to be no information on how to request this.  And, nobody having been heard of being given any exemption (approval) for any medical or religious reason.

 

I would imagine that this would all have to ironed out and approved before departure.  

I believe that Princess is asking for proof of vaccination, as well as bringing original documents, to be presented before boarding.  I know that these requirements for proof of vaccination are specifically outlined on Princess web-site.

[goldiemom]

I had a cruise booked for Thanksgiving with all son and his family.  Two mini suites, one with 2 toddlers (ages 4 & 2).  We booked it and the air last Dec.  All the adults have had our vaccinations.  Toddlers will be vaccinated when approved.  After I heard on CC about no one allowed on Princess under the age of 12, I called them and my TA.  All Princess would say is that, "All passengers MUST be vaccinated prior to boarding."  I repeatedly asked if they were saying that even those under 12 years that could not be vaccinated due to it not being government approved.  No direct answer.  Just kept repeating that all passengers must be vaccinated.  But, I should wait because the government may approve vaccinations for under 12 years.  I cancelled the cruise.

 

Last thing I want to do is tell a 4 year old a week before the cruise  "Sorry, you can't go on the cruise."  We already had to do that because our cruise was cancelled for this past June,  Also, the flights on American Airlines have to be taken by March 31.  My DIL is a teacher, so we are working with her schedule.  However, I was able to grab the last two suites (one with a whirlpool on the balcony) on the same Nov. 20, 2021 sailing on the MSC Seashore from Miami.  With the beverage package, wifi and gratuities, it came out about the same cost as  Princess.  MSC will required the toddlers to have a Covid test prior to boarding, but that is OK.

 

Do I blame Princess?  Yes.  Their communications was nonexistent.  Will I cruise with them again? Yes, I already have two more cruises booked with them.

[jwattle]

3 hours ago, Wishing on a star said:

There is still information from Princess,  (one Princess VP was quoted here on CC) that does mention a 5% exemption.   However, at this time, there seems to be no information on how to request this.  And, nobody having been heard of being given any exemption (approval) for any medical or religious reason.

 

I would imagine that this would all have to ironed out and approved before departure.  

I believe that Princess is asking for proof of vaccination, as well as bringing original documents, to be presented before boarding.  I know that these requirements for proof of vaccination are specifically outlined on Princess web-site.

On medallion, you upload your vaccination proof prior to your cruise. Yes, Medallion has some issues right now, but we have uploaded our vaccination cards for our cruises through November 2023.