Viking no longer requires pre-departure COVID-19 test. RCCL next...?

[craig01020]

1 hour ago, alfaeric said:

Someday, testing will end- but that will be when the number of people getting sick would end up less than the number of people getting sick with testing.

Testing positive and "getting sick" are now two different things. Covid-22 is not Covid-19. If everyone is vaxxed, then who really cares?

[time4u2go]

57 minutes ago, alfaeric said:

We interpret their messages differently.

 

Especially bearing in mind that masks are not required, but ships are starting to require them on some sailings.

 

I would read that they want less direct involvement from the CDC, but that does not mean the stop of anything.  Heck, I would wager that the cruise lines would keep requirements longer than the CDC would recommend just to prove they are responsible.

 

Given how full ships are right now, testing isn't exactly lowering the passenger count.

That's how I see it as well.

[Bound4Bermuda]

13 hours ago, Lane Hog said:

Thanks for that.  So essentially cruises to the following don't require testing:

Antigua, Barbados, Aruba/Bonaire/Curacao, Barbuda, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Martinique, Mexico, Puerto Rico/USVI, St. Barts, St Martin, and Turks & Caicos

Seems like a decent set of destinations that already make up many existing itineraries...

Notably, Bahamas still requires it, as do Anguilla, Antigua, Barbuda, Barbados, BVI, Cuba, St. Lucia, St. Kitts/Nevis, and Nicaragua... 

Something says if the cruise industry suddenly started canceling port stops, some of those islands would re-think their testing requirements.  Bahamas?  Go ahead and test if you're not going to a private island...

So this is slightly off topic but, I knew that Bermuda had all kinds of extra testing, which is why we didn’t bother looking at a Bermuda cruise and risk not being allowed off the ship. However, the Bahamas is new information for me—especially seeing that they say you must be tested no more than 72 hours before arriving…but Oasis stops in Nassau on day 4. (And perhaps Coco Cay on day 5 is exempt?) Considering that I haven’t heard any outrage or complaints about it, lol, can I assume they’re making special allowances on the number of days of testing for cruise ships that require testing of passengers before boarding?

[time4u2go]

52 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

What ships are requiring masks? 

 

Several Princess Alaskan cruises are.

[xpcdoojk]

29 minutes ago, Robo1098 said:

I think that this more of an attention grab on Vikings part. Lots of talk and publicity for them and no signifcant change as many of their cruises and all out of the US still require testing. Gets lots of people on their side. Also stirs up a lot of confusion though. 

Hmm… so any attention is good?  I am thinking it is an attention grab because MOST people think the time to move on has arrived.  

 

If you are at high risk, by all means you should take care to avoid infection, but for most of the population we are going to just have to live with it.

 

JMHO

 

jc

[rudeney]

33 minutes ago, alfaeric said:

And I'm not sure how you conclude that they should part with testing when it's not impacting passenger count.  Given that it reduces the risk of sick people without impacting passenger count, seems to me that it would stay longer, not shorter.  People are sailing WITH the current restrictions, so removing them won't have any significant impact on passenger numbers.

 

 

Except that for each positive test, the cruise line ends up refunding the cruise and sailing with an empty cabin.  That affects the bottom line and could be the motivation for them to end testing.

[smokeybandit]

9 minutes ago, rudeney said:

 

Except that for each positive test, the cruise line ends up refunding the cruise and sailing with an empty cabin.  That affects the bottom line and could be the motivation for them to end testing.

And each positive test on board ends up being a cost, too, for transportation reimbursement. Yet little actual medical cost.

[ace2542]

2 hours ago, Ourusualbeach said:

From the person who said we'd be wearing masks forever....🤣

I am surprised the CDC hasn't ripped up the VSP and required crews to be rotated out after every sailing given the lies the cruises lines tell about outbreaks.

[Funky Fusion FoodsJ]

1 minute ago, ace2542 said:

I am surprised the CDC hasn't ripped up the VSP and required crews to be rotated out after every sailing given the lies the cruises lines tell about outbreaks.

That's a great idea........it would also help the Cruise line's current staffing problems.......oh wait, it would make them worse............quite the quandary.......

[ace2542]

9 minutes ago, Funky Fusion FoodsJ said:

That's a great idea........it would also help the Cruise line's current staffing problems.......oh wait, it would make them worse............quite the quandary.......

 It would force the industry to leave the U.S I think.

[meg1021]

We are booked on a Viking river cruise, leaving Amsterdam on July 31st.  I follow the message boards on river cruising, since this is our first experience with Viking or with river cruising.  There were many posts on the number of people testing positive for Covid, and being sent to quarantine hotels.  TBH, it was concerning for me, but after 2 years of having trips canceled because of Covid, we decided to go ahead with it. We took B2B on Odyssey OTS in Jan/Feb, during omicron.  We followed Royal's Covid protocols, and managed to get through the cruise, and afterwards, with no Covid.  Viking, up until last Saturday, had some of the strictest protocols out there.  We would have had to do a pre-cruise test, then have a PCR test every day of our 14 night cruise, plus a negative test to fly back to the US.  When the CDC lifted the negative test requirement to fly back to the US, Viking posted on their website last Saturday, that all tests would be recommendations, but not requirements.  Because European river cruises are so near land based medical facilities, they don't have the same limitations as ocean cruises would, in order to get passengers urgent care, if needed.

 

BTW, we are in our 60s, have 2 doses of vaccines and 2 boosters.  I still managed to get Covid in mid-May, probably from an unmasked exercise class.  I managed to be Covid free for the first 2 years, 3 months of the pandemic.  Fortunately, my symptoms were very mild, a stuffy nose for 4-5 days, very similar to seasonal allergies.  We'll be smart when traveling, and mask up in the airports, airplanes, or in large indoor crowds, but feel that we've come a long way in treating Covid, and we must move forward with life!

[RedIguana]

1 hour ago, craig01020 said:

Testing positive and "getting sick" are now two different things. Covid-22 is not Covid-19. If everyone is vaxxed, then who really cares?

The countries that do not have a high percentage of their population vaxed yet, and may not have the medical infrastructure to handle covid cases, nor have the herd immunity most of the US has built up.  It is not just the ship passengers at play here, it is all exposed to them.

[rudeney]

1 hour ago, smokeybandit said:

And each positive test on board ends up being a cost, too, for transportation reimbursement. Yet little actual medical cost.

 

My guess is that all the COVID protocols on cruises will go away, but it will come in small steps.  We've seen a return to 100% occupancy, lifting of mask mandates, and RCCL ending CWC.  Next will be the removal of the pre-cruise testing requirements, then the end to quarantines when a passenger tests positive without severe symptoms or a fever.  They will treat it like hospitals do now - just wear a mask.  The last thing that will likely occur is for these protocols to be lifted for the crew.  Again, just my guess - I could be totally wrong.

[MrsKMB]

I'm annoyed, but not because I have to test. I pre-purchased four tests via RC for our cruise next week from Rome, planning on two for the return to the US and two to board the ship. I don't need two of them now, so I figured I'll use those for my September Viking river cruise. Well, I don't need those any longer. 

 

Aside from the waste of money, I really don't want to get sick while on board the ship. I know that testing is only good for a given moment in time and can lead to a false sense of security.  I'll still be careful and make good decisions. I've been masking and avoiding people the past couple weeks because we fly out tomorrow. I am NOT missing this trip! Of course, the people on the flights are another story...

[hazeleyes46]

1 hour ago, meg1021 said:

We are booked on a Viking river cruise, leaving Amsterdam on July 31st.  I follow the message boards on river cruising, since this is our first experience with Viking or with river cruising.  There were many posts on the number of people testing positive for Covid, and being sent to quarantine hotels.  TBH, it was concerning for me, but after 2 years of having trips canceled because of Covid, we decided to go ahead with it. We took B2B on Odyssey OTS in Jan/Feb, during omicron.  We followed Royal's Covid protocols, and managed to get through the cruise, and afterwards, with no Covid.  Viking, up until last Saturday, had some of the strictest protocols out there.  We would have had to do a pre-cruise test, then have a PCR test every day of our 14 night cruise, plus a negative test to fly back to the US.  When the CDC lifted the negative test requirement to fly back to the US, Viking posted on their website last Saturday, that all tests would be recommendations, but not requirements.  Because European river cruises are so near land based medical facilities, they don't have the same limitations as ocean cruises would, in order to get passengers urgent care, if needed.

 

BTW, we are in our 60s, have 2 doses of vaccines and 2 boosters.  I still managed to get Covid in mid-May, probably from an unmasked exercise class.  I managed to be Covid free for the first 2 years, 3 months of the pandemic.  Fortunately, my symptoms were very mild, a stuffy nose for 4-5 days, very similar to seasonal allergies.  We'll be smart when traveling, and mask up in the airports, airplanes, or in large indoor crowds, but feel that we've come a long way in treating Covid, and we must move forward with life!

Do you wear a mask everywhere you go at home? 

[Funky Fusion FoodsJ]

13 minutes ago, MrsKMB said:

I'm annoyed, but not because I have to test. I pre-purchased four tests via RC for our cruise next week from Rome, planning on two for the return to the US and two to board the ship. I don't need two of them now, so I figured I'll use those for my September Viking river cruise. Well, I don't need those any longer. 

 

Aside from the waste of money, I really don't want to get sick while on board the ship. I know that testing is only good for a given moment in time and can lead to a false sense of security.  I'll still be careful and make good decisions. I've been masking and avoiding people the past couple weeks because we fly out tomorrow. I am NOT missing this trip! Of course, the people on the flights are another story...

I am annoyed......I prepurchased tests for 28 family members (2 tests each plus some spares) for our Wonder of the Seas trip from Barcelona on June 26......very, very annoyed.......

[the penguins]

17 hours ago, time4u2go said:

Several Princess Alaskan cruises are.

Celebrity on any that has over 3% testing positive eg Silhouette 

[the penguins]

16 hours ago, ace2542 said:

I am surprised the CDC hasn't ripped up the VSP and required crews to be rotated out after every sailing given the lies the cruises lines tell about outbreaks.

What lies? Proof please.

[ace2542]

Just now, the penguins said:

What lies? Proof please.

How about I was on NCL Pearl and noro ripped through the ship to such an extent that the ship was dead like no one walking around because they all got sick and it was just a few cases. Like no tracing on NCL ships or making announcements about outbreaks.

[Coralc]

15 hours ago, hazeleyes46 said:

Do you wear a mask everywhere you go at home? 

We do here in our county in the SF Bay Area, because we are under a recently reinstated mask mandate. 

Edited June 17, 2022 by Coralc

[Funky Fusion FoodsJ]

2 hours ago, ace2542 said:

How about I was on NCL Pearl and noro ripped through the ship to such an extent that the ship was dead like no one walking around because they all got sick and it was just a few cases. Like no tracing on NCL ships or making announcements about outbreaks.

Wow.......alternate universe?...........

[ace2542]

5 minutes ago, Funky Fusion FoodsJ said:

Wow.......alternate universe?...........

April 2019 on the TA. A very great number of people got Noro on that crossing far more than was known to CDC. The numbers of people walkig around dropped and dropped then went back up again towards the end once everyone recovered. The cruise director on the Bliss was in quarantine for the last day of May 21st-28th cruise. Yet the rest of his entertainment team weren't. Should they be isolated as close contacts?

Edited June 17, 2022 by ace2542

[Funky Fusion FoodsJ]

14 minutes ago, ace2542 said:

April 2019 on the TA. A very great number of people got Noro on that crossing far more than was known to CDC. The numbers of people walkig around dropped and dropped then went back up again towards the end once everyone recovered. The cruise director on the Bliss was in quarantine for the last day of May 21st-28th cruise. Yet the rest of his entertainment team weren't. Should they be isolated as close contacts?

Hmmmmm.......the Cruise Director was in quarantine.........entertainment continued......an obvious case of dereliction of duty by NCL management.

[ace2542]

54 minutes ago, Funky Fusion FoodsJ said:

Hmmmmm.......the Cruise Director was in quarantine.........entertainment continued......an obvious case of dereliction of duty by NCL management.

Considering the entertainment team probably has what? A morning meet every day in the office below decks with the cruise director surely in attendance? Then if he was in quarantine they should be as close contacts?

[BND]

6 minutes ago, ace2542 said:

Considering the entertainment team probably has what? A morning meet every day in the office below decks with the cruise director surely in attendance? Then if he was in quarantine they should be as close contacts?

I don't remember quarantining "close contacts" for Noro.  Also, Noro tends to last 24-48 hours at most.