New CDC guidance

[shuguley]

According to USA Today, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has updated its guidance for travelers who are at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19 to recommend they avoid cruise ships, regardless of vaccination status.

 

The new guidance applies to older adults, people with certain medical conditions and pregnant and recently pregnant people.  Prior to Friday's announcement, the agency recommended that only people who were not fully vaccinated against COVID-19 avoid cruise ships.

 

I wonder what the CDC considers to be "older adults"?

[fudgbug]

Anyone over 2? 🙂

[Pcardad]

A Google search indicates that the CDC typically uses 65 as a cut-off for older adults although I did see a single report that used 60.

 

[snorkle lover]

So here we go again! We are over 65 although in good health. My DH does have DB2 which is well under control. We are booked on a February Caribbean cruise with the final payment due in October. After having one cruise canceled and one we canceled in 2020, we are so eager to sail again. If we pay make the final payment in October and this recommendation is still around in February ( and we cancel) what happens? Do we get a cruise credit for a future cruise?

Any thoughts appreciated.

[Pcardad]

The most current policy I have seen is here...from General - Health & Safety Questions

 

https://www.rssc.com/HealthSafetyProtocols

 

• GENERAL - HEALTH & SAFETY

  Are face coverings required?
  Our cruises will operate with 100% vaccination of guests and crew and therefore face coverings are generally not required, subject to local oversight of authorities in the jurisdiction(s) in which the ships are sailing. At this time EU regulations currently require all guests to wear masks onboard while indoors except for when actively eating or drinking or when in their stateroom or suite. Guests will be required to wear masks outdoors when social distancing is not possible. We will continue to update our face coverings policy as protocols evolve and change.

  What happens if I don’t comply with health and safety requirements?
  All guests and crew are required to comply with our health and safety requirements to protect everyone on board, at the terminal and at destinations we visit. Individuals who do not comply with requirements will be denied boarding or disembarked from the cruise. Guests who fail to comply with the Company’s Health and Safety Protocols will not be entitled to a refund or compensation of any kind.

  How do I know if there are any travel restrictions that could impact my cruise?
  We are closely monitoring the evolving global public health environment and to the extent any itineraries are affected, we will notify impacted guests in a timely fashion and update our booking requirements. Additional travel restrictions for certain nationalities or countries may arise based on the quickly evolving public health environment. All guests are strongly advised to monitor current travel requirements and advisories for their home countries.

  If one guest in our party tests positive, will we all be denied boarding?
  If one guest in the party tests positive for COVID-19, immediate family members, those traveling in the same suite as the guest who tested positive and those identified as a close contact will be denied boarding. If you are denied boarding due to a positive COVID-19 test at embarkation, Regent will coordinate and cover costs for travel arrangements, for you and those travelling with you if they are also denied boarding. Regent will not be able to assist with travel arrangements if a guest is denied boarding as a result of a violating our health and safety protocols.
  If guests, members of their parties and others traveling with them, are denied boarding due to a positive COVID-19 test within 2 weeks of their sail date, they will be entitled to either a refund or a Future Cruise Credit (“FCC”) for the amount paid.

  If I test positive for COVID-19 during a cruise and have to quarantine, will I receive a full refund?
  Guests who test positive for COVID-19 during their cruise and are required to quarantine will receive a pro-rated cash refund or a pro-rated Future Cruise Credit. If a guest followed all of our health and safety protocols, the cruise line will coordinate and cover the cost of necessary onboard COVID-19 related medical treatment, required land-based quarantine and travel arrangements to get the guest and those travelling in the same suite safely back to their home.

Edited August 21, 2021 by Pcardad

[mrlevin]

Pcardad, thanks for posting that; unfortunately, those are the rules now (especially pertaining to refunds) and not the rules for when I board in December; who knows what those rules will be (especially pertaining to refunds).

 

You pays your money and you takes your chances.

 

edited to add:  If CSO is extended past 1 November and if Regent decides to follow the CSO for cruises out of Florida, either the Splendor and Explorer transatlantics will have to be passenger-less or there cannot be passengers onboard for 14 days after arrival in USA.  That would mean earliest boarding of Splendor in Miami would be 21 December delaying my 17 December cruise.  

Edited August 21, 2021 by mrlevin

[pingpong1]

28 minutes ago, snorkle lover said:

So here we go again! We are over 65 although in good health. My DH does have DB2 which is well under control. We are booked on a February Caribbean cruise with the final payment due in October. After having one cruise canceled and one we canceled in 2020, we are so eager to sail again. If we pay make the final payment in October and this recommendation is still around in February ( and we cancel) what happens? Do we get a cruise credit for a future cruise?

Any thoughts appreciated.

It's a "recommendation" by CDC and not a requirement.  Recommendations have been constantly changing over the past 1-1/2 years, and could change again by the time of your cruise date.  The CDC has never stated that everyone was ever "100% safe" on a cruise ship....or anywhere else on earth.

 

I think we all have to continuously make our own individual risk assessments of what "safe activities" are for each of us.  I had a very good friend just yesterday who wound up in the hospital last night from a head on vehicle collision yesterday afternoon, caused by an oncoming driver, who pulled out of their lane to pass another car and hit my friend at 40 MPH.  I guess that particular car trip turned out to be "very high risk" for him!

 

My only point is that the CDC cannot possibly assess or know beforehand whether your own planned cruise will wind up being "safe" for you or not.  I'd put my trust in Regent, that they'll being doing every "reasonable" thing to ensure the best possible outcome for all their passengers.  If that doesn't give you enough "confidence" that you'll be "Okay" on the cruise, than perhaps you should wait until your own personal confidence level goes "up" a bit more.  Regards  

[Pcardad]

23 minutes ago, mrlevin said:

Pcardad, thanks for posting that; unfortunately, those are the rules now (especially pertaining to refunds) and not the rules for when I board in December; who knows what those rules will be (especially pertaining to refunds).

 

You pays your money and you takes your chances.

 

edited to add:  If CSO is extended past 1 November and if Regent decides to follow the CSO for cruises out of Florida, either the Splendor and Explorer transatlantics will have to be passenger-less or there cannot be passengers onboard for 14 days after arrival in USA.  That would mean earliest boarding of Splendor in Miami would be 21 December delaying my 17 December cruise.  

FYI - those updated last Wednesday in the middle of the afternoon....they should be fairly accurate for a few days 😃 

[Pudgesmom]

42 minutes ago, mrlevin said:

 

 

edited to add:  If CSO is extended past 1 November and if Regent decides to follow the CSO for cruises out of Florida, either the Splendor and Explorer transatlantics will have to be passenger-less or there cannot be passengers onboard for 14 days after arrival in USA.  That would mean earliest boarding of Splendor in Miami would be 21 December delaying my 17 December cruise.  

I'll vote for the 14 day delay, due to our being booked on the transatlantic. 😉

Edited August 21, 2021 by Pudgesmom

[Wendy The Wanderer]

1 hour ago, snorkle lover said:

So here we go again! We are over 65 although in good health. My DH does have DB2 which is well under control. We are booked on a February Caribbean cruise with the final payment due in October. After having one cruise canceled and one we canceled in 2020, we are so eager to sail again. If we pay make the final payment in October and this recommendation is still around in February ( and we cancel) what happens? Do we get a cruise credit for a future cruise?

Any thoughts appreciated.

It's a recommendation, not a requirement.  Right?  So I guess you have to use your own best judgement.

[ronrick1943]

I really don’t see much difference if your on a plane or in an hotel—you just need common sense.

[Dr. Cocktail]

4 hours ago, snorkle lover said:

So here we go again! We are over 65 although in good health. My DH does have DB2 which is well under control. We are booked on a February Caribbean cruise with the final payment due in October. After having one cruise canceled and one we canceled in 2020, we are so eager to sail again. If we pay make the final payment in October and this recommendation is still around in February ( and we cancel) what happens? Do we get a cruise credit for a future cruise?

Any thoughts appreciated.

We are in the same boat, so to speak!

 

This past Monday, NCL changed their final payment date to 60 days before sailing .

 

I am hoping that Regent does the same to provide a little more wiggle room…..

[Dolebludger]

As stated above, it is a recommendation, not a health order. It could become one, but who knows. The fact that  (as I understand it) is that those of us over 60 will be eligible for the THIRD vaccination starting next month. The CDC will address recommendations for older people with #3. We will get it just as soon as we can. From the information I have been able to find, the #3 should greatly increase immunity of older people.

[nonu731]

It's common sense - people have to use their own judgement on things. You'll know if you're a 'healthy' individual or not. 

 

If you're frail, older (>65) and have lung + other health problems, it might not be the best idea to go on a cruise (but then there's the morbid argument that you might not have that long to live anyway so you might as well enjoy the rest of your life). 

 

Only people I have a slight problem with is those who are clearly at risk and choose not to get vaccinated. But that's a story for another day. 😅

 

 

 

 

Edited August 22, 2021 by nonu731

[labonnevie]

5 hours ago, Dr. Cocktail said:

This past Monday, NCL changed their final payment date to 60 days before sailing .

 

I am hoping that Regent does the same to provide a little more wiggle room…..

Friday we were required to make final payment on January 19, 2022 Explorer,  San Diego to Miami. So I guess not.

[Dolebludger]

The only problem with children on a cruise is that those under 12 can’t get vaccinated at this time. I hope that will soon change. 

[mrstanley]

Our daughter and son-in-law both got Covid from their 4 year old child. At that time they were waiting to get their vaccinations. Their son got it from another child . Our daughter was sick for about two weeks.

Husband not very ill. Their son tested positive but had absolutely NO symptoms. 

 

We would never go on a cruise ship with children under the age of 12. 

[Dolebludger]

Also, I see greater risk of all sorts of disease on Carnival than on Regent. The reason is that Carnival and other mass market lines are much more crowded than Regent and the like, and crowds spread disease. I wonder if the mass market lines will be capacity limited. They sure need to be. I understand, from vague information, that even Regent is limiting the guest load, though I don’t know by how much. I don’t know what percentage of reduction Regent contemplates, but Carnival and the like need to reduce it big time!

[Pudgesmom]

According to a recent earnings call, RCLH (including Regent) will be starting all ships at 60-70% capacity and increasing by 20%/month thereafter.

[fizzy]

2 hours ago, Dolebludger said:

The only problem with children on a cruise is that those under 12 can’t get vaccinated at this time. I hope that will soon change. 

As long as the "special exceptions" clause is in place, I don't think you are going to get what you are looking for on a cruise.

[Bellaggio Cruisers]

Herb and I are in our eighties. We have had ongoing health issues for many years. We jut got our #3 vaccine this week. Doctors recommended to get it. 
We are planning to be on our December 8th Regent cruise. Not many years left to enjoy life!

sheila

[Ladys Mom]

15 minutes ago, Pudgesmom said:

According to a recent earnings call, RCLH (including Regent) will be starting all ships at 60-70% capacity and increasing by 20%/month thereafter.

I don't think they are going to increase the number of guests on our cruise by 40% by November.

[snorkle lover]

So as things apparently change from week to week, we will assess the situation as the time gets closer. We have had both shots and will get the third in a few months. As much as we miss cruising on Regent, if masking is required, we will wait it out until that is not the case.

Shelia, I love your thinking and wish you and your DH a wonderful cruise in December.

[Dr. Cocktail]

15 hours ago, labonnevie said:

Friday we were required to make final payment on January 19, 2022 Explorer,  San Diego to Miami. So I guess not.

I'm hoping that it all works out for you!

 

It's more complicated coming from Canada with insurance, borders and whatever the rules will be at the time.

[Pcardad]

1 hour ago, snorkle lover said:

So as things apparently change from week to week, we will assess the situation as the time gets closer. We have had both shots and will get the third in a few months. As much as we miss cruising on Regent, if masking is required, we will wait it out until that is not the case.

Shelia, I love your thinking and wish you and your DH a wonderful cruise in December.

Regent has publicly stated their policy is to follow the mask regulations in the country they are visiting...Ie., the mask regulations of the country will be followed on the ship. The policy is stated on their website.