HAL Posts 2022 European Covid Requirements

[VMax1700]

It possibly implies that testing will be at embarkation point and will be supplied by HAL, similar to last year in Europe.

[Torquer]

I see children are no longer required to be vaccinated.  From the HAL PDF:

 Children under 5 years of age do not need to be vaccinated.

 

Is this new news?  I thought all HAL cruises were fully-vaccinated only, at least for now.  Looks like that changed.

[dfish]

33 minutes ago, VMax1700 said:

It possibly implies that testing will be at embarkation point and will be supplied by HAL, similar to last year in Europe.

Why don't they just say that?   The problem is that this was very poorly written and totally lacks clarity.  

[syesmar]

12 hours ago, Torquer said:

I see children are no longer required to be vaccinated.  From the HAL PDF:

 Children under 5 years of age do not need to be vaccinated.

 

Is this new news?  I thought all HAL cruises were fully-vaccinated only, at least for now.  Looks like that changed.

I noticed it recently on HAL’s website, and then saw there was a Thread started here on 3/12, so it’s been at least since then. 

 

[iceman93]

My whole family is hoping that section on masking is a cut-and-paste error.  We're all vaxxed and boosted, and don't care about testing, but we won't sail if the expectation is masking everywhere.  Of course our final payment is due next week, so it would be really nice to have clarity on that to help us decide whether to go or cancel!

[FlorenceItaly]

1 hour ago, iceman93 said:

My whole family is hoping that section on masking is a cut-and-paste error.  We're all vaxxed and boosted, and don't care about testing, but we won't sail if the expectation is masking everywhere.  Of course our final payment is due next week, so it would be really nice to have clarity on that to help us decide whether to go or cancel!

I understand what you are saying, but, keep in mind things can change while you are on board.  This is what is happening with some Princess ships.  I had this conversation with my husband this morning because we are booked on a 24 day trip in August, and final payment is in May.  If you will be unhappy with mandatory masking it is best not to cruise at this time.  We too are vaxxed and boosted.  At this time we are leaning toward putting our cruise off until 2023.

[Florida_gal_50]

Things can change in a heartbeat.  There is no way to know now if 60 or 90 days down the road if masks will be required.  If that’s a deal breaker I think it’s clear what the answer is.  I am vaxxed and boosted as well.  

[FlorenceItaly]

Just now, Florida_gal_50 said:

Things can change in a heartbeat.  There is no way to know now if 60 or 90 days down the road if masks will be required.  If that’s a deal breaker I think it’s clear what the answer is.  I am vaxxed and boosted as well.  

Right!  There is no way to even predict tomorrow.  I think through the end of 2022 things will be uncertain.

[Florida_gal_50]

5 minutes ago, FlorenceItaly said:

Right!  There is no way to even predict tomorrow.  I think through the end of 2022 things will be uncertain.

I’m afraid you are right.  I was hoping things would be different this year.  Not looking that way.

[syesmar]

6 hours ago, FlorenceItaly said:

I understand what you are saying, but, keep in mind things can change while you are on board.  This is what is happening with some Princess ships….

Are you saying some Princess ships have reinstated some protocols? I’ve been keeping up with the CDC Cruise Ship Color Status for HAL ships and more are Orange again, so I’ve wondered about this.

[FlorenceItaly]

1 hour ago, syesmar said:

Are you saying some Princess ships have reinstated some protocols? I’ve been keeping up with the CDC Cruise Ship Color Status for HAL ships and more are Orange again, so I’ve wondered about this.

Yes, Ruby returned today to SF with 100 plus cases.  Also, it is said the Sky is returning to the UK with 600 plus, but, this seems hard to believe.  It has been reported multiple places.  You may want to check out the Princess board.

[Mary229]

The update also says 

 

Holland America Line does not require testing for travel to/from/within Europe above……

 

does that mean I don’t need a test for my transatlantic which embarks in Florida but has no port visits in the US?

[syesmar]

12 hours ago, FlorenceItaly said:

Yes, Ruby returned today to SF with 100 plus cases.  Also, it is said the Sky is returning to the UK with 600 plus, but, this seems hard to believe.  It has been reported multiple places.  You may want to check out the Princess board.

Thanks for the info. I checked it out and this feels like December again. Sky Princess guests were informed at embarkation this morning in the UK that masks are required on board. Will be interesting to see how HAL responds to this latest uptick.

Edited March 28, 2022 by syesmar

[terrydtx]

Thank you for posting this information.  We will be boarding the Oosterdam on August 21 in Venice and it looks we will not have to scramble to find a testing site in Venice the day before. We got our boosters in February. I do hope the masking requirements goes away by August, but it will not keep us from our travel plans. Masking seems a little ridiculous when Italy and Greece do not require them.

 

We have a pre cruise with Celebrity from Rome followed by 6 land days in Italy before we board the Oosterdam. Celebrity has not released their new protocols for Europe cruises this summer, but I hope they are in line with HAL. We will be gone for a total of 34 days and plan on taking some home test kits with us in case we feel the need to test ourselves. We will also test at home the day before we fly to Rome.

Edited April 1, 2022 by terrydtx