New vaccine requirements - 180 days within 14 days of embarkation

[Franken]

We received these new guidelines via email this morning.  My 1st booster was end of August so greater than 180 days. Luckily I was able to make an appt for a 2nd booster this week to ensure I’m within 14 days before embarkation.  
 

Fully Vaccinated* or Up to Date** Guests: Must present a negative Antigen test taken within 2 days prior to sailing.

Unvaccinated Guests: Must present a negative RT-PCR Covid-19 Test taken within 3 days prior to sailing and take an antigen test at the Terminal prior to boarding. The PCR and antigen test may not be taken on the same day.

*Definition of Fully Vaccinated: vaccinated with a full dose of a primary series vaccine over 6 months (180 days) prior to sailing and NOT boosted. The last primary dose must have been administered at least 14 days prior to embarkation.

**Definition of Up to Date: vaccinated within 6 months (180 days) of final dose in a primary series OR boosted. The 180 days must extend to the end of the sailing. The last primary dose must have been administered at least 14 days prior to embarkation.

[yogini06]

2 minutes ago, Franken said:

We received these new guidelines via email this morning.  My 1st booster was end of August so greater than 180 days. Luckily I was able to make an appt for a 2nd booster this week to ensure I’m within 14 days before embarkation.  
 

 

**Definition of Up to Date: vaccinated within 6 months (180 days) of final dose in a primary series OR boosted. The 180 days must extend to the end of the sailing. The last primary dose must have been administered at least 14 days prior to embarkation.

Up to date means vaccinated within 6 months OR BOOSTED.  The boosters do not expire.

[prmssk]

Those requirements don't require a second booster.  There is no time limit on the booster.  There also is no difference in requirements (at least in what you posted) for those who are up-to-date and those who just have their primary series of the vaccine so it doesn't look like the booster is actually a requirement.

[Salt Lifer]

Pardon me if I am misreading this, but it still sounds like Celebrity considers you vaccinated for their purposes as long as you have both shots (booster not required).  Though their wording does make it sound like they may eventually tighten the requirements.    Is this how others are interpreting this?

[yogini06]

Just now, prmssk said:

Those requirements don't require a second booster.  There is no time limit on the booster.  There also is no difference in requirements (at least in what you posted) for those who are up-to-date and those who just have their primary series of the vaccine so it doesn't look like the booster is actually a requirement.

Correct.  The booster is not required.  However in the EU if you are not up to date you are required to take multiple tests at your expense to go to many ports

[Franken]

It’s the up to date definition that is confusing me.  
 

vaccinated within 6 months (180 days) of final dose in a primary series OR boosted. The 180 days must extend to the end of the sailing. 

[RichYak]

5 minutes ago, Franken said:

It’s the up to date definition that is confusing me.

What about it is confusing you?

[TFree]

We are doing B2B cruises on Celebrity over the next 4 weeks and did not receive such an email.  This is of no consequence to us personally, since we just got second boosters 2 weeks ago.  But it might be helpful for others to identify what the timing and destination of your itinerary is.

 

@Franken: for whatever it is worth, I also think you are misreading this.  To be considered "up to date" you need to have had your last (should we call it "primary"?) dose within 180 days OR have a booster, in which case you are up to date without (currently) any expiration of your up to to date status.  So you were already "up to date" whether you get a second booster or not.

 

Tom & Judy

[Franken]

11 minutes ago, TFree said:

We are doing B2B cruises on Celebrity over the next 4 weeks and did not receive such an email.  This is of no consequence to us personally, since we just got second boosters 2 weeks ago.  But it might be helpful for others to identify what the timing and destination of your itinerary is.

 

@Franken: for whatever it is worth, I also think you are misreading this.  To be considered "up to date" you need to have had your last (should we call it "primary"?) dose within 180 days OR have a booster, in which case you are up to date without (currently) any expiration of your up to to date status.  So you were already "up to date" whether you get a second booster or not.

 

Tom & Judy

Sailing to Alaska out of Seattle on May 6th.  I think all of you may be interpreting it correctly.  Just don’t want to be turned around at the pier because my booster was over 6 months ago. I was planning on the 2nd booster anyway so I’m just going to get it now to ensure I’m good to go. 

[RichYak]

15 minutes ago, Franken said:

Sailing to Alaska out of Seattle on May 6th.  I think all of you may be interpreting it correctly.  Just don’t want to be turned around at the pier because my booster was over 6 months ago. I was planning on the 2nd booster anyway so I’m just going to get it now to ensure I’m good to go. 

You don’t need ANY booster on your sailing. 

[amyhphoto]

1 hour ago, Franken said:

 

Fully Vaccinated* or Up to Date** Guests: Must present a negative Antigen test taken within 2 days prior to sailing.

Unvaccinated Guests: Must present a negative RT-PCR Covid-19 Test taken within 3 days prior to sailing and take an antigen test at the Terminal prior to boarding. The PCR and antigen test may not be taken on the same day.

 

I was under the impression everyone boarding the ship over 5 must be vaccinated? I apologize I’m new to this topic, haven’t cruised in quite a while.

[RichYak]

1 minute ago, amyhphoto said:

I was under the impression everyone boarding the ship over 5 must be vaccinated? I apologize I’m new to this topic, haven’t cruised in quite a while.

You are correct. And those under 5 follow the instructions for unvaccinated guests in the post you quoted. 

[amyhphoto]

Ah ok, I was hoping I was misunderstanding something. Appreciate everyone’s input. 

[jwlane]

10 minutes ago, amyhphoto said:

 I’m new to this topic

You'll find 10 different interpretations on CC---go to the source.  https://www.celebritycruises.com/health-and-safety

[runningtide]

Not to add to the confusion, below is Celebrities "Ready to Board " Alert I received on checkin for our May 6th Equinox ABC cruise. Its also attached to my express pass documentation. This alert states 270 days or less is considered "up to date" . I wish Celebrity would get their act together.

 

Health & safety: Keeping you safe is our top priority

Vaccination

The final primary vaccine dose must be given at least 14 days before (not including) embarkation day for guests: - 5 and older from the U.S. - 12 and older from countries other than the U.S. Vaccines approved by the World Health Organization (WHO) or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will be considered valid. To be considered up-to-date, guests must have received all doses in their vaccine series and their booster if the second vaccine dose was administered over 270 days (9 months) ago. Boosters are highly recommended. Guests must bring documentation of all vaccines and boosters.

 

Edited April 19, 2022 by runningtide

[Arizona Wildcat]

2 hours ago, Franken said:

It’s the up to date definition that is confusing me.  
 

vaccinated within 6 months (180 days) of final dose in a primary series OR boosted. The 180 days must extend to the end of the sailing. 

Your definition is correct for certain European ports and the ABC islands.  In general Celebrity requires you to be "fully vaccinated".  2 shots except for J &J.  

Not complicated except the few areas with different rules and those change often.  Canada changed its rules twice this month - none effecting cruisers.

Edited April 19, 2022 by Arizona Wildcat

[WonderMan3]

They can't require 180 days on your last booster shot as many (most?) of us can't get a second booster yet. Here in the U.S. it's only for people 50+ and those with compromised immune systems age 12+.

[5waldos]

My reading is that if your vaccination was more than 180 days ago by the end of the cruise, you must have had a booster. And the booster (or vaccinations if they were recent) must have been at least 14 days before sailing. But no requirements on how long ago the booster was- just that you have had one. 
 

And yes, as is often the case, the Celebrity website seems to have somewhat conflicting information in different places. I just take the most restrictive instructions and go with those. 
 

in the case of boosters- I think that they only began giving them in September of last year so nobody’s booster can be more than 7 months ago anyway. 

Edited April 19, 2022 by 5waldos

[upwarduk]

2 hours ago, WonderMan3 said:

in the U.S. it's only for people 50+ and those with compromised immune systems age 12+.

In the UK, the2nd  Booster is for age  75+, although there is no expiration date, they are being given as a precaution.

 

[cublet]

Hello,

 

What I think is that someONE is made solely responsible for publishing all testing and vaccine requirements on all media.

 

I also think that as punctuation is a lost art, X should not post in sentences but bullet points and each bullet point is no longer than one page width and has a logic that stands by itself.

 

Regards,

 

Cublet

[Jeremiah1212]

8 hours ago, runningtide said:

This alert states 270 days or less is considered "up to date" . I wish Celebrity would get their act together.

 

 

….which is a correct statement. Fully Vaccinated and Up to Date are not the same thing. 

 

5 hours ago, 5waldos said:

My reading is that if your vaccination was more than 180 days ago by the end of the cruise, you must have had a booster. 

This is not correct. Boosters are not required. However - if you are not Up to Date (ie more recent primary does OR boosted) depending on the cruise, you may have to test, at your expense, multiple times throughout the cruise. 

[5waldos]

36 minutes ago, Jeremiah1212 said:

….which is a correct statement. Fully Vaccinated and Up to Date are not the same thing. 

 

This is not correct. Boosters are not required. However - if you are not Up to Date (ie more recent primary does OR boosted) depending on the cruise, you may have to test, at your expense, multiple times throughout the cruise. 

I don't see where it says that BUT- the Celebrity website is a total chaotic mess in serious need of careful editing, It contradicts itself, often in a single paragraph. So it might well say something about repeat testing someplace- just not where I read. On a single webpage it says testing must be completed within 24 hours, then in the next paragraph it says 2 days. Children over 12 must be vaccinated, then children over 5. It is no wonder that people are confused and have different interpretations of Celebrities rules and regulations.And apparently calling and asking for clarification of what is required will result in the same contradictory statements. 

[Guppy99]

12 hours ago, Franken said:

We received these new guidelines via email this morning.  My 1st booster was end of August so greater than 180 days. Luckily I was able to make an appt for a 2nd booster this week to ensure I’m within 14 days before embarkation.  
 

Fully Vaccinated* or Up to Date** Guests: Must present a negative Antigen test taken within 2 days prior to sailing.

Unvaccinated Guests: Must present a negative RT-PCR Covid-19 Test taken within 3 days prior to sailing and take an antigen test at the Terminal prior to boarding. The PCR and antigen test may not be taken on the same day.

*Definition of Fully Vaccinated: vaccinated with a full dose of a primary series vaccine over 6 months (180 days) prior to sailing and NOT boosted. The last primary dose must have been administered at least 14 days prior to embarkation.

**Definition of Up to Date: vaccinated within 6 months (180 days) of final dose in a primary series OR boosted. The 180 days must extend to the end of the sailing. The last primary dose must have been administered at least 14 days prior to embarkation.

You are reading this incorrectly. As long as you have received a booster you are Up to Date. As long as you have received a booster (at any time), you are fine

 

[39august]

There is already a long thread on this wording. You may be "fully vaccinated" or " up to date" vaccinated in order to board in the US. No change except additional defiintion of the "up to date" designation....and boosters are not required. 

[TeeRick]

The wording might be confusing to some.  And Celebrity does not require a booster at this time.  But here is the bottom line.  If you are traveling and cruising, and want to have a nice vacation,  at least get the first booster dose of vaccine to protect yourself and those around you. Regardless of the current Celebrity requirement.  For our cruise end of August, I plan to get a second booster dose in June.