covid test requirement expire 10/31/21??

[canderson]

4 minutes ago, Denny01 said:

Realize some don’t accept CDC guidances as ‘science’, but that’s what CC has passed on...

Perhaps to be more accurate, guidance isn't science.  Guidance should, however, be informed by science.  So far, no one seems to have seen the science behind the 3 > 2 day 'guidance', which some find troubling.

 

[cruisestitch]

20 minutes ago, D C said:

Which cruise?  Haven't seen anything for my Nov 6th Reflection

Equinox

[booklady26]

Got an email with testing requirements for my 11/7 Equinox this morning as well. 

[DCPIV]

Hey, y'all. It's not like we're enduring the Battle of Britain. Be thankful we live in a time and a world where these options are options. 

 

Happy cruising.

[TeeRick]

21 hours ago, canderson said:

Perhaps to be more accurate, guidance isn't science.  Guidance should, however, be informed by science.  So far, no one seems to have seen the science behind the 3 > 2 day 'guidance', which some find troubling.

 

I find it very troubling.  What the heck is going on with cruise ship testing requirements?  Why was there a shift other than increased caution by cruise lines even though there was no data to support 2 days over 3 days? Again we are speaking about fully vaccinated passengers and crew.  The cruise lines made this change- let's be very clear about that. 

 

CDC recommends testing within 1-3 days of cruise travel.

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/cruise-travel-during-covid19.html

or

https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices/covid-3/coronavirus-cruise-ship

 

Nor will you see anything other than 3 day testing for airlines or international travel on the CDC site.  So where exactly did this 2 day change come from and based on what science (actual data, not speculation)?   Are cruise lines putting more stringent requirements in place than necessary? 

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/international-travel-during-covid19.html

 

Here is the very recent CDC updated testing guidance in detail for workplaces.  Updated October 6th.  You will not see any mention of 2 day testing requirements at all. 

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/organizations/testing-non-healthcare-workplaces.html

[WestLakeGirl]

Their game, their rules

[TeeRick]

3 minutes ago, WestLakeGirl said:

Their game, their rules

Yes for sure.  Not disputing that at all.  And I do understand that they have a huge Bullseye on their collective backs.  Just questioning how they actually got to 2 days.  Will they go to 1 day next? 

[canderson]

@TeeRick

You must have missed it all the details.

 

Look under "Testing of Embarking and Disembarking Passengers for Restricted Voyages" here.  It's the CDC, not the cruise lines...

 

Https://www.cdc.gov/quarantine/cruise/covid19-operations-manual-cso.html

 

Edited October 14, 2021 by canderson

[canderson]

That said, still no published science behind the 3 to 2 shift that we have seen.

[TeeRick]

3 minutes ago, canderson said:

@TeeRick

You must have missed misunderstood all the details.

 

Look under "Testing of Embarking and Disembarking Passengers for Restricted Voyages" here.  It's the CDC, not the cruise lines...

 

Https://www.cdc.gov/quarantine/cruise/covid19-operations-manual-cso.html

 

Yes I have seen this before.  But it is for simulated or restricted voyages under the CSO.  Still nothing on fully vaccinated cruise ships.

[canderson]

Just now, TeeRick said:

Yes I have seen this before.  But it is for simulated or restricted voyages under the CSO.  Still nothing on fully vaccinated cruise ships.

Um... these ARE "Restricted" voyages under the CSO that Celebrity is currently conducting.  "Restricted" refers to the protocols in place for vaccination & etc on these ships.  That Celebrity chose to go full vax to satisfy local port requirements doesn't change that classification.

[Guppy99]

21 minutes ago, TeeRick said:

I find it very troubling.  What the heck is going on with cruise ship testing requirements?  Why was there a shift other than increased caution by cruise lines even though there was no data to support 2 days over 3 days? Again we are speaking about fully vaccinated passengers and crew.  The cruise lines made this change- let's be very clear about that. 

 

CDC recommends testing within 1-3 days of cruise travel.

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/cruise-travel-during-covid19.html

or

https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices/covid-3/coronavirus-cruise-ship

 

Nor will you see anything other than 3 day testing for airlines or international travel on the CDC site.  So where exactly did this 2 day change come from and based on what science (actual data, not speculation)?   Are cruise lines putting more stringent requirements in place than necessary? 

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/international-travel-during-covid19.html

 

Here is the very recent CDC updated testing guidance in detail for workplaces.  Updated October 6th.  You will not see any mention of 2 day testing requirements at all. 

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/organizations/testing-non-healthcare-workplaces.html

This is not rocket science here. The message changed, not the requirement. Instead of saying 3 days before departure, they now say 2 days before cruising not counting the departure day.   Just a different (and hopefully clearer)  way of saying the same thing..

[TeeRick]

3 minutes ago, Guppy99 said:

This is not rocket science here. The message changed, not the requirement. Instead of saying 3 days before departure, they now say 2 days before cruising not counting the departure day.   Just a different (and hopefully clearer)  way of saying the same thing..

No the requirement actually changed.  And then the message was garbled.

[canderson]

5 minutes ago, Guppy99 said:

This is not rocket science here. The message changed, not the requirement. Instead of saying 3 days before departure, they now say 2 days before cruising not counting the departure day.   Just a different (and hopefully clearer)  way of saying the same thing..

I think you are confusing the 72 hours vs. 3 days requirement with the new 2 day requirement.  The difference really is one full day less of window for testing compared to what it had been.

 

@TeeRick

Nothing was garbled in the 3 day to 2 day messaging.  The CDC pulled a switch on the lines, and they responded accordingly.  It was all very clear when it happened.

[TeeRick]

3 minutes ago, canderson said:

I think you are confusing the 72 hours vs. 3 days requirement with the new 2 day requirement.  The difference really is one full day less of window for testing compared to what it had been.

 

@TeeRick

Nothing was garbled in the 3 day to 2 day messaging.  The CDC pulled a switch on the lines, and they responded accordingly.  It was all very clear when it happened.

I am saying Celebrity garbled the messaging not CDC.  I was getting emails still saying 3 days.  There were a lot of others reporting the same on here.  Their web site was inconsistent too and finally corrected.  It was a mess.

Edited October 14, 2021 by TeeRick

[canderson]

1 minute ago, TeeRick said:

I am saying Celebrity garbled the messaging not CDC.  I was getting emails still saying 3 days.  There were a lot of others reporting the same on here.  Their web site was inconsistent too and finally corrected.  It was a mess.

That is certainly true.  Email took forever to catch up with reality.

 

The important thing from the above is that it wasn't the lines who chose to switch from 3 to 2 days on their own (you can bet they didn't want the extra hassle for an already nervous customer base!) and when following all of this, it's important to understand the voyage classifications haven't changed.  At the moment, all lines with pax are operating as "Restricted".

[jelayne]

Does it really matter whether the change was determined by the Ruiz’s line or the CDC, it is what it is.  The Celebrity is footing the bill for quarantine, medical expenses and transportation home if you test positive on the ship.  Changing from 3 days to 2 reduces the potential cases.

Home proctored tests make the 2 day window easier than 3 days with test done at a clinic.

[TeeRick]

Just now, canderson said:

That is certainly true.  Email took forever to catch up with reality.

 

The important thing from the above is that it wasn't the lines who chose to switch from 3 to 2 days on their own (you can bet they didn't want the extra hassle for an already nervous customer base!) and when following all of this, it's important to understand the voyage classifications haven't changed.  At the moment, all lines with pax are operating as "Restricted".

OK thanks for your comments.  I was of the impression that the 'Restricted" or test cruise guidelines or simulated cruise guidelines were different than for fully vaccinated ships.  But anyway the testing shift still has no data to support it - particularly on fully vaccinated ships cruising now with no issues.

[bikerunner]

All part of what will become a new norm for a while

[rachiem]

I'm so confused with the rules as on the UK site when I've tried to look at the requirements for a US sailing it blocks me (Bad Gateway)!!

So, I assume that I can test at Heathrow before my flight (test at 7am on the Friday)

Then board on the Sunday (afternoon) and this all counts as two days?

I'd much rather test before departing the UK than running around FLL to find a test centre.

We will use a rapid antigen test.

 

 

[Jeremiah1212]

7 minutes ago, TeeRick said:

OK thanks for your comments.  I was of the impression that the 'Restricted" or test cruise guidelines or simulated cruise guidelines were different than for fully vaccinated ships.  But anyway the testing shift still has no data to support it - particularly on fully vaccinated ships cruising now with no issues.

 

I don't think they were looking for hard data to say 2 days was better than 3. You can say it doesn't help but it also isn't hurting anything either. When Delta became an issue they were looking for any chance to lessen the risk of exposure between testing and boarding day. The ideal scenario is to test everyone on embarkation day. But that has proven to be a huge logistical issue, especially with increasing capacity. Carnival even went as far as announcing they were going to attempt it then backtracked two weeks later when they realized it just isn't feasible. 

[RichYak]

15 minutes ago, TeeRick said:

OK thanks for your comments.  I was of the impression that the 'Restricted" or test cruise guidelines or simulated cruise guidelines were different than for fully vaccinated ships.  But anyway the testing shift still has no data to support it - particularly on fully vaccinated ships cruising now with no issues.

X is not fully vaccinated. Under 12yo can sail. That said, I think even fully vaccinated cruises fall under the CDC "Restricted" category. 100% vaccinated falls under the >95% vaccinated. I'm not aware of any CDC category for 100% vaccinated ships.

[Turtles06]

6 minutes ago, Jeremiah1212 said:

The ideal scenario is to test everyone on embarkation day. But that has proven to be a huge logistical issue, especially with increasing capacity. Carnival even went as far as announcing they were going to attempt it then backtracked two weeks later when they realized it just isn't feasible. 

 

Apparently, it IS feasible, as NCL is doing it. 

[canderson]

6 minutes ago, Jeremiah1212 said:

 

I don't think they were looking for hard data to say 2 days was better than 3. You can say it doesn't help but it also isn't hurting anything either.

There are some folks with more difficult itineraries that might (and have) express a different view on that, but the primary problem, especially at the outset, was that it shut down a lot of testing options with longer result times at a point where rapid testing options weren't the norm.

[Bo1953]

1 hour ago, TeeRick said:

Yes for sure.  Not disputing that at all.  And I do understand that they have a huge Bullseye on their collective backs.  Just questioning how they actually got to 2 days.  Will they go to 1 day next? 

t - is it possible that they have seen a trend which we have not?

 

Guidelines say 1 - 3 days, which is a range that they are taking advantage of for some unknown, to us, reason.

 

In health and bon voyage