Conflicting information re Approved Vaccinations in USA.

[jubileebabe]

I am a U.K. resident, booked for a cruise with Oceania to Caribbean in Feb 2022. I have just read on Cruise Critic Email that vaccinations from Astra-Zeneca are not acceptable when sailing from Miami. However on contacting Oceania U.K. plus on their website, it states that Astra-Zeneca is accepted, as it is WHO approved (know not yet approved in USA by CDC ? (or that may be FDA). Can anyone clear up this obvious difference in information. Who is correct?

 

 

 

[BarbaraM]

Oceania USA website is the same as the U.K.

U.S.-based vessels will accept any U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and/or World Health Organization (WHO) authorized single brand vaccination protocol, including J&J Janssen, Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, and AstraZeneca/Oxford. Mixed vaccination protocol will not be accepted (e.g., Pfizer + Moderna or AstraZeneca + Pfizer, etc.).

[jaga04]

This info on the website doesn't make sense to me.  AstraZeneca is acceptable, but AstraZeneca + Pfizer isn't.  Am I missing something?   

[BarbaraM]

Both doses should be the same “brand”, no mixing 

[jaga04]

I get no mixing for a combo that hasn't been approved, such as Moderna and Pfizer.  But since AstraZeneca is approved by WHO in and of itself, it doesn't seem that taking Pfizer after would take away any immunity.  I get that perhaps they want a simple rule.

[Vertygo]

The AstraZeneca vaccine requires 2 doses to be most effective. The Oceania rules prohibit passengers receiving their 1st dose from one company & the 2nd from a different brand. Don't know about 3rd "booster" doses yet.

 

[jaga04]

Got it--thanks!   Not sure why I thought AstraZeneca involved one dose.

[jubileebabe]

On 8/5/2021 at 11:07 AM, jubileebabe said:

I am a U.K. resident, booked for a cruise with Oceania to Caribbean in Feb 2022. I have just read on Cruise Critic Email that vaccinations from Astra-Zeneca are not acceptable when sailing from Miami. However on contacting Oceania U.K. plus on their website, it states that Astra-Zeneca is accepted, as it is WHO approved (know not yet approved in USA by CDC ? (or that may be FDA). Can anyone clear up this obvious difference in information. Who is correct?

 

 

 

 

[jubileebabe]

Thanks for the replies.

 

For information if booked on cruise with Carnival, they are not recognising Astra-Zeneca vaccinations. Read that in one of latest emails from Cruise Critic re Cruise line protocols.

Some confusion arises where WHO approve vaccinations for emergency use ie AstraZeneca but as yet USA FDA not approved AZ for use in USA.

 

All these regs are playing havoc with travel insurance, British now allowed to fly to USA but USA not accepting us. Where does that leave insurance cancellations.

 

Hope to see some of you in Feb!

[Harters]

1 hour ago, jubileebabe said:

Where does that leave insurance cancellations.

You'd need to check your policy.

 

Within a few weeks, there is likely to be a further issue for Britons because of America's "no mixing of vaccines stance". There will be few of us who have had a mixed vaccine (and most of us will have had two AZ jabs), so no problem so far. The government has indicated that booster jabs will start in the autumn for the the third of the population who are regarded as most vulnerable (that'll include me). The problem will possibly be that the likely booster vaccine with by Pfizer as it's shown to have been more effective than AZ as a booster. So, unless America changes its policy to take account of booster jabs, then it will mean no Britons will be travelling there. I imagine that will also impact on cruise line "no mixing" policies which, depending on what O might do, will effect my cruise in June. We will have the silly situation of a cruise that is a UK round trip will not being able to be taken by UK citizens.

[Host Jazzbeau]

5 hours ago, Harters said:

You'd need to check your policy.

 

Within a few weeks, there is likely to be a further issue for Britons because of America's "no mixing of vaccines stance". There will be few of us who have had a mixed vaccine (and most of us will have had two AZ jabs), so no problem so far. The government has indicated that booster jabs will start in the autumn for the the third of the population who are regarded as most vulnerable (that'll include me). The problem will possibly be that the likely booster vaccine with by Pfizer as it's shown to have been more effective than AZ as a booster. So, unless America changes its policy to take account of booster jabs, then it will mean no Britons will be travelling there. I imagine that will also impact on cruise line "no mixing" policies which, depending on what O might do, will effect my cruise in June. We will have the silly situation of a cruise that is a UK round trip will not being able to be taken by UK citizens.

The 'no mixing' rules say you have to have 2 alike.  A third is just icing on the cake at this point, so you wouldn't even have to report it.  Should not trigger a 'no mixing' problem.

[Harters]

Hope you're right. 👍

[Jancruz]

Today the FAQ was updated with a more clear answer

Jancruz1

[Brentwood Bay]

As of today my wife and I will be unable to sail on our four booked Oceania cruises next year.  We are fully vaccinated (Pfizer/Moderna) per the CDC protocols but apparently not by NCLH.  There are currently over 3M Canadians with similar vaccination status. Getting a "booster" reportedly doesn't change the "non-approved" vaccination status.  I think that Oceania/NCLH should take note that a significant portion of its client base will be negatively impacted by this questionable policy.

On another note the recent Oceania FAQ site states that those with valid medical or religious reasons can avoid the vaccination requirement.  That sure sounds like less than 100% vaccination requirement.

[LHT28]

26 minutes ago, Brentwood Bay said:

As of today my wife and I will be unable to sail on our four booked Oceania cruises next year.  We are fully vaccinated (Pfizer/Moderna) per the CDC protocols but apparently not by NCLH.  There are currently over 3M Canadians with similar vaccination status.

 

That is unfortunate

Are all your cruises  from US ports?

 

Looks like boarding in  other Countries  may accept mixed vaccines  or at least it sounds that way  or maybe I am interpreting wrong?

Of course by next year things could change & the science  may prove mixed vaccines are just as effective

 

 

"All other vessels will accept any U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), European Medicines Agency (EMA), or World Health Organization (WHO) authorized single brand vaccination protocol or a mixed vaccination protocol of only AstraZeneca-SK Bio, Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna combinations. "

https://www.oceaniacruises.com/health

[Harters]

35 minutes ago, Brentwood Bay said:

On another note the recent Oceania FAQ site states that those with valid medical or religious reasons can avoid the vaccination requirement.  That sure sounds like less than 100% vaccination requirement.

Definitely less than 100%. And a tricky one potentially. I guess those exclusions are there to deal with any possible discrimination suits ( I know how litigious America can be).

 

It raises two questions in my mind. Firstly, how is Oceania to assess what is "valid"? Is there a list of medical conditions that preclude vaccination? Is there a list of religious bodies, worldwide, that would raise faith issues about vaccination?  I'm sure that there isn't. So how to assess - other than taking the customer's word for it. And, secondly, how do they ensure the well-being of the vast majority of cruisers who are appropriately vaccinated? I think the only answer to that would be to require the unvaccinated person to undergo daily testing whilst on the cruise.

[Tidalmist]

1 hour ago, Brentwood Bay said:

As of today my wife and I will be unable to sail on our four booked Oceania cruises next year.  We are fully vaccinated (Pfizer/Moderna) per the CDC protocols but apparently not by NCLH.  There are currently over 3M Canadians with similar vaccination status. Getting a "booster" reportedly doesn't change the "non-approved" vaccination status.  I think that Oceania/NCLH should take note that a significant portion of its client base will be negatively impacted by this questionable policy.

On another note the recent Oceania FAQ site states that those with valid medical or religious reasons can avoid the vaccination requirement.  That sure sounds like less than 100% vaccination requirement.

Hi, well I was told by Oceania about a week ago the mixed vaccines cannot be accepted sailing out of US ports, but there is no issue sailing out of European ports. Many countries have said that it is safer to mix vaccines than not get one. That’s what we did in Canada, where our vaccination rates are really great, even though we don’t produce any vaccines in country.

[ToxM]

Thank goodness I had the Pfizer vaccine here in the UK. Now I only have to worry about Barbados not being closed, not catching covid on the flight or in the 4 days I am on the island before the cruise and Spain being open and not on any list that causes us not to be able to fly back or having to quarantine on return … OR my airline not going bankrupt before I fly (Virgin)

 

I realise a lot can change before March next year, or in fact not a lot can change 😞

 

 

Edited August 10, 2021 by ToxM

[AMHuntFerry]

4 hours ago, Brentwood Bay said:

 

On another note the recent Oceania FAQ site states that those with valid medical or religious reasons can avoid the vaccination requirement.  That sure sounds like less than 100% vaccination requirement.

I can't find this statement on Oceania's website. Can you please post a link?
Oops, never mind...https://www.oceaniacruises.com/sites/default/files/2021-08/sail-safe-health-program-v9.pdf

Edited August 10, 2021 by AMHuntFerry
found link