New Bahamas Vax Requirements

[zekekelso]

Just now, bajathree said:

Where are you getting they aren't going to go to the Bahamas and the USVI....THEY ARE

Sorry - didn’t mean that literally. 

[Ocean Boy]

4 hours ago, jrapps said:

Agree. I think this increases the number of people willing to sail, not decreases.

 

My parents are among them...they won't even consider a cruise unless the whole ship is vaccinated.

It makes me more hopeful that the conditions for sailing in January will be more to my liking.

[RFerrington]

4 minutes ago, zekekelso said:

Let’s see... no Bahamas, no USVI, no Hati, no Mexican Caribbean. Somebody (a lot of somebody’s) in corporate headquarters is having a really bad day. 

When did Mexico get included ?

[Brew12]

Just two quick things. RCI's website does clearly say that all cruises out of Florida in September will be 100% vax for 12+.

As for the Florida law banning vaccine requirements, it is currently not in effect as it is being challenged in court. Carnival was blatantly violating it before a judge put a hold on it, and Florida didn't seem to be taking action to enforce it at that time. 

[Ocean Boy]

4 hours ago, smplybcause said:

Correct. I doubt it will change anything. All Royal ships are sailing under the "test cruise" rules and not the 95% rules. Royal could still have more than 5% under 12 on their cruises. Based on their Alaska cruises I doubt Royal has any desire to switch so wouldn't expect this to change anything. 

Just a matter if time until the vaccination age drops. Then the 95% will be much easier to meet.

[dswallow]

2 minutes ago, Brew12 said:

Just two quick things. RCI's website does clearly say that all cruises out of Florida in September will be 100% vax for 12+.

As for the Florida law banning vaccine requirements, it is currently not in effect as it is being challenged in court. Carnival was blatantly violating it before a judge put a hold on it, and Florida didn't seem to be taking action to enforce it at that time. 

 

The Preliminary Injunction preventing Florida from enforcing the state law regarding requiring proof of vaccination only applies to the NCL brands that are plaintiffs in the lawsuit.

Florida is free to try to pursue anything they think is a violation of that law against any other party.

[bajathree]

1 minute ago, dswallow said:

 

The Preliminary Injunction preventing Florida from enforcing the state law regarding requiring proof of vaccination only applies to the NCL brands that are plaintiffs in the lawsuit.

Florida is free to try to pursue anything they think is a violation of that law against any other party.

You really think DeSantis wants that war.

[work2cruis]

I work for the VA and some of the veterans got 2  shots of vaccine from us and then got shots in the community as well

[dswallow]

Just now, bajathree said:

You really think DeSantis wants that war.

 

No, I think the law is unconstitutional. And I think it's purely political theater. And I think Florida is knowingly using it purely as a bully/threat and has no intention of pursuing use of it in court, at least against any cruise line.

[zekekelso]

6 minutes ago, RFerrington said:

When did Mexico get included ?

 
There’s like four hurricanes lined up and headed that way. Note: I don’t actually know if there are hurricanes headed to Mexico. At one point there were. All I’m trying to say - very poorly obviously - is that there’s a lot going on in this part of the cruising world right now. 

[work2cruis]

Did not know the Constitutionality of that Florida law had been decided yet

[Brew12]

7 minutes ago, dswallow said:

 

The Preliminary Injunction preventing Florida from enforcing the state law regarding requiring proof of vaccination only applies to the NCL brands that are plaintiffs in the lawsuit.

Florida is free to try to pursue anything they think is a violation of that law against any other party.

Thanks for this! I had to look it up. Many news articles are reporting this incorrectly. I pulled up the court order and it clearly states NCL is the only one impacted. 

[livingonthebeach]

Just curious -- is the Bahamas making exceptions for those over 12 who for some medical or religious reason cannot be vaccinated or are the making no exceptions? Wonder how this is going to be dealt with.

 

FYI I'm fully vaccinated just curious as to how many unvaccinated people I'll be exposed to in Sept.  Most kids 12 and under will be in school by the time I sail but if there are exceptions for the over 12 crowd, I might put off my cruise for a later date. 

[Ocean Boy]

22 minutes ago, dswallow said:

It would appear there are just 5 of 69 sailings departing before November 1 and not back in port before September 3 from Florida ports that don't visit a port in The Bahamas between September 3 and November 1.

 

Do any of those 5 sailings hit St. Thomas? That would bring them under vaccination rules, too.

[dswallow]

Just now, livingonthebeach said:

Just curious -- is the Bahamas making exceptions for those over 12 who for some medical or religious reason cannot be vaccinated or are the making no exceptions? Wonder how this is going to be dealt with.

 

FYI I'm fully vaccinated just curious as to how many unvaccinated people I'll be exposed to in Sept.  Most kids 12 and under will be in school by the time I sail but if there are exceptions for the over 12 crowd, I might put off my cruise for a later date. 

 

The Executive Order from The Bahamas provides for such an exception. Royal Caribbean requires people seeking that exception contact their Special Needs/Access department to arrange getting the required documentation to them and approved. I'm sure a significantly important step involved in that is to educate the passenger about their responsibility to wear masks. The people generally in this category are going to behave and follow rules, because it's their health at stake and they generally aren't in denial about COVID. It just really wouldn't be of concern to me, and actually their medical needs are precisely why I think it's so important for the rest of us to do what we can with regard to getting vaccinated; they cannot. It's not that they do not want to. It's that they cannot safely do so. We need to protect them as best we can.

Kids 12 and under... hey, at least you can almost always tell them apart from older people. 🙂

 

[Thenagers]

10 minutes ago, dswallow said:

 

The Preliminary Injunction preventing Florida from enforcing the state law regarding requiring proof of vaccination only applies to the NCL brands that are plaintiffs in the lawsuit.

Florida is free to try to pursue anything they think is a violation of that law against any other party.

You need to understand that Florida state laws have no bearing on Foreign countries requirements.  Airlines have been requiring vaccine documents for travel from all the Florida airports.  They are exempt because they can not transport somewhere they can not debark.  This has been the case with all required vaccines forever ie yellow fever.  Cruiselines are now all in the same boat.  

[Ocean Boy]

21 minutes ago, zekekelso said:

Sorry - didn’t mean that literally. 

It was a funny post.😊

[SilkySal]

3 minutes ago, Ocean Boy said:

Do any of those 5 sailings hit St. Thomas? That would bring them under vaccination rules, too.

Allure September 19-26, 2021 from PC.

[dswallow]

1 minute ago, Ocean Boy said:

Do any of those 5 sailings hit St. Thomas? That would bring them under vaccination rules, too.

 

It looks like the Symphony of the Seas sailing I linked to has a visit to St. Thomas on 11/3/2021, so I guess it might be excluded too from non-vaccinated passengers if the USVI still has that restriction in effect then.

[dswallow]

3 minutes ago, Thenagers said:

You need to understand that Florida state laws have no bearing on Foreign countries requirements.  Airlines have been requiring vaccine documents for travel from all the Florida airports.  They are exempt because they can not transport somewhere they can not debark.  This has been the case with all required vaccines forever ie yellow fever.  Cruiselines are now all in the same boat.  

 

You should be a little careful responding to the person who needs to hear those words instead of the person who understands all that and keeps trying to correct misinformation. 🙂

[JessyCruises]

Just received updated Protocols for my 9/5 Odyssey sailing 

 

Vaccination 
As a result of the Bahamian Government's vaccine requirement, all guests 12 and older must bring proof of vaccination, such as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) COVID-19 vaccination record card, with the final dose of the vaccine completed at least 14 days before sailing. 

[dswallow]

11 minutes ago, Brew12 said:

Thanks for this! I had to look it up. Many news articles are reporting this incorrectly. I pulled up the court order and it clearly states NCL is the only one impacted. 

 

It's sad the state of what people calling themselves media are in these days. 🙂 Some barely understand the difference between a lawsuit and a preliminary injunction. Or rather, so many don't, and that's a big problem!

Here's a record of the lawsuit from NCLH
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd et al v. Rivkees, M.D. (1:21-cv-22492) (2150.com)

And the appeal that Florida file against the preliminary injunction that has been issued so far:
US Court of Appeals, 11th District, Case 12729, NCLH v. Florida (2150.com)

There are threads where those in particular are being discussed (I included links on those pages, as the specific threads involved often get locked or even deleted so refer there to find threads more quickly. :))

 

[erinsmom03]

28 minutes ago, Ocean Boy said:

It makes me more hopeful that the conditions for sailing in January will be more to my liking.

 

Me too!

[dswallow]

6 minutes ago, SilkySal said:

Allure September 19-26, 2021 from PC.

 

I'd already excluded that sailing on Allure because it visits CocoCay.

[livingonthebeach]

9 minutes ago, dswallow said:

 

The Executive Order from The Bahamas provides for such an exception. Royal Caribbean requires people seeking that exception contact their Special Needs/Access department to arrange getting the required documentation to them and approved. I'm sure a significantly important step involved in that is to educate the passenger about their responsibility to wear masks. The people generally in this category are going to behave and follow rules, because it's their health at stake and they generally aren't in denial about COVID. It just really wouldn't be of concern to me, and actually their medical needs are precisely why I think it's so important for the rest of us to do what we can with regard to getting vaccinated; they cannot. It's not that they do not want to. It's that they cannot safely do so. We need to protect them as best we can.

Kids 12 and under... hey, at least you can almost always tell them apart from older people. 🙂

 

Yes, you're right, those with underlying medical conditions are probably not going to be cruising anyway.  I was thinking more of the people who use religious and philosophical reasons.