Bubble Tours

[LadyMac72]

Per John Heald, bubble tours will no longer be required for the unvaccinated.

 

https://www.carnival.com/legal/covid-19-legal-notices/return-to-service-faqs?fbclid=IwAR2c9YdqJ5yXHh6u-HQkPyimGX8K7slpIreK6Aqvg9Crs-CM-jYXMGdKNBQ

[dreaminofcruisin]

17 minutes ago, LadyMac72 said:

Per John Heald, bubble tours will no longer be required for the unvaccinated.

 

https://www.carnival.com/legal/covid-19-legal-notices/return-to-service-faqs?fbclid=IwAR2c9YdqJ5yXHh6u-HQkPyimGX8K7slpIreK6Aqvg9Crs-CM-jYXMGdKNBQ

 

..but...as I read it....it still sounds like you must be on a Carnival excursion.... Is that what John Heald said?

 

[LadyMac72]

Looks like it... but John is supposed to say more on it sometime soon.

 

[matymil]

1 hour ago, dreaminofcruisin said:

 

..but...as I read it....it still sounds like you must be on a Carnival excursion.... Is that what John Heald said?

 

Yeah i just got the email because we have a cruise coming up with our 3 year old. Even if it says the way it is, thats huge news. When we went last sept there was only 2 choices per port for bubble tours. The fact what we can do any tour now is awesome.

[Soxfan04]

27 minutes ago, matymil said:

Yeah i just got the email because we have a cruise coming up with our 3 year old. Even if it says the way it is, thats huge news. When we went last sept there was only 2 choices per port for bubble tours. The fact what we can do any tour now is awesome.

Totally agree. When we went las August, 2 of the ports only had 1 option. Wicked excited about our upcoming cruise to be able to pick

any. Plus they can stay in the port area as well

[vswan]

Does this mean that a child under 5 will be able to do the Amber Cove area with shopping and pool?

[Denverdonkeys]

1 hour ago, vswan said:

Does this mean that a child under 5 will be able to do the Amber Cove area with shopping and pool?

I don’t think so. Still need an excursion unless on a private island. Amber Cove is not a private island, just a controlled port area.

[cmukid87]

This was spectacular news to receive last night.  Sailing in 24 days and supposed to visit Grand Cayman.  Carnival had zero bubble tours listed.  Out of 3 ports there were 114 Carnival excursions and only 5 of them bubble tours and only 1 of those 5 sounded even remotely interesting.

[cmukid87]

10 hours ago, vswan said:

Does this mean that a child under 5 will be able to do the Amber Cove area with shopping and pool?

It does state that at the end of the Carnival Tour guests are encouraged to return to the ship but are allowed to dine and shop the port area.

[dreaminofcruisin]

32 minutes ago, cmukid87 said:

It does state that at the end of the Carnival Tour guests are encouraged to return to the ship but are allowed to dine and shop the port area.

I saw this too.....which leads one to ask why you need to purchase a Carnival excursion to get off the ship? 

Seems like a money grab to me.... 🥴

[Denverdonkeys]

24 minutes ago, dreaminofcruisin said:

I saw this too.....which leads one to ask why you need to purchase a Carnival excursion to get off the ship? 

Seems like a money grab to me.... 🥴

I would agree with that. I wonder how many ports have this tour required as part of the port contract for COVID. but it seems unnecessary.

[sunonfire]

I think this easier to understand.

 

https://www.cruisehive.com/carnival-cruise-line-ditches-bubble-tours-effective-immediately/67400

[matymil]

20 hours ago, cmukid87 said:

It does state that at the end of the Carnival Tour guests are encouraged to return to the ship but are allowed to dine and shop the port area.

I guess thats because on bubble tours they will escort you literally onto the ship whereas regular tours they just bring you back to the port so i guess they arent really stop you from hanging out in the port area with your kid.

[kelkel2]

On 3/9/2022 at 8:48 AM, Denverdonkeys said:

I would agree with that. I wonder how many ports have this tour required as part of the port contract for COVID. but it seems unnecessary.

I feel like it’s completely unnecessary too. Really, we just want to go to the beach in Grand Turk and the pool at Amber cove. My kids are young and I don’t think spending hundreds on tours they won’t care about is something we want to do. We could easily socially distance at the beach and keep to ourselves, more so than we could on a tour. 

[letstrythisplace]

On 3/9/2022 at 8:45 AM, cmukid87 said:

This was spectacular news to receive last night.  Sailing in 24 days and supposed to visit Grand Cayman.  Carnival had zero bubble tours listed.  Out of 3 ports there were 114 Carnival excursions and only 5 of them bubble tours and only 1 of those 5 sounded even remotely interesting.

Unvaccinated cruise passengers12 years and older aren't allowed to disembark in Grand Cayman. 

 

https://www.caymancompass.com/2022/03/05/unvaccinated-cruise-ship-passengers-wont-be-allowed-to-disembark-in-cayman/#:~:text=Unvaccinated cruise ship passengers%2C 12,to Tourism Minister Kenneth Bryan.

[dreaminofcruisin]

Cmon Carnival.......Royal is letting unvaccinated kids off the ship....won't you too?

Please?

🙄

 

https://www.cruisehive.com/royal-caribbean-eases-shore-excursion-requirements-for-unvaccinated-guests/67899

 

[letstrythisplace]

It still doesn't make a lot of difference if the ports are implementing restrictions for unvaccinated passengers. I believe many still either require those passengers to be on a cruise excursion or to not be allowed off at all.

[christinalvt]

On 3/11/2022 at 1:03 PM, kelkel2 said:

I feel like it’s completely unnecessary too. Really, we just want to go to the beach in Grand Turk and the pool at Amber cove. My kids are young and I don’t think spending hundreds on tours they won’t care about is something we want to do. We could easily socially distance at the beach and keep to ourselves, more so than we could on a tour. 

I read that Carnival is leaving it up to the individual ports, so I looked up ours ( Grand Turk, San Juan, and Amber Cove ) and they all say that kids under 12 are exempt. 
 

[LadyMac72]

58 minutes ago, christinalvt said:

I read that Carnival is leaving it up to the individual ports, so I looked up ours ( Grand Turk, San Juan, and Amber Cove ) and they all say that kids under 12 are exempt. 
 

That's only if Carnival lets you off the ship.  Right now, the protocols that are in place state that you cannot.

 

Shore Excursions and Destination Requirements

• Unvaccinated guests cannot go ashore in the ports of call on their own. Guests may only debark in the ports of call if booked on a Carnival tour (some exclusions apply). At the conclusion of the tour, guests are encouraged to return to the ship; however, they may also enjoy dining and shopping in the port facility area.
• In the event you choose not to purchase a Carnival tour, unvaccinated guests will have to remain on board.

[kelkel2]

8 hours ago, LadyMac72 said:

That's only if Carnival lets you off the ship.  Right now, the protocols that are in place state that you cannot.

 

Shore Excursions and Destination Requirements

• Unvaccinated guests cannot go ashore in the ports of call on their own. Guests may only debark in the ports of call if booked on a Carnival tour (some exclusions apply). At the conclusion of the tour, guests are encouraged to return to the ship; however, they may also enjoy dining and shopping in the port facility area.
• In the event you choose not to purchase a Carnival tour, unvaccinated guests will have to remain on board.

And see this is why I feel like it’s more about money than safety. So I can pay money to go sit on a beach in Grand Turk,  but we can’t go sit on a beach in Grand Turk on our own? It’s stupid! 

[jrtmouse]

On 3/9/2022 at 6:22 AM, dreaminofcruisin said:

I saw this too.....which leads one to ask why you need to purchase a Carnival excursion to get off the ship? 

Seems like a money grab to me.... 🥴

 

We're set to sail with three unvaxed children (under 12) the week before Easter.  I've been struggling with this garbage policy.  It seems to be nothing more than a COMPLETE money grab and is super disappointing.  If it were about safety, they wouldn't allow them off the ship at all.  Quite frankly, anyone, ANYONE, could get off and bring the C* back on.  Apparently, if you pay for a Carnival tour, C* magically doesn't spread and ceases to exist(?) especially within the "port area".  This right here is insanity "but are allowed to dine and shop in the port area"!  It's so inconsistent in terms of "safety", making it appear as a blatant money grab!  Hoping for a miracle and I can walk my kids off into the magical "port area" without paying Carnival any more money.  

 

Edited March 26, 2022 by jrtmouse