NCL just dropped pre-cruise testing where not locally required

[RichYak]

Starting August 1, 2022. Looks like most of their European sailings will not require a pre-cruise covid test to board. This trend is gaining momentum as this to me seems like the biggest such announcement to date.

[terrydtx]

Fingers crossed Celebrity does the same by our August 5th Reflection cruise.

[RichYak]

1 hour ago, terrydtx said:

Fingers crossed Celebrity does the same by our August 5th Reflection cruise.

Crossing mine for you!

[hrhdhd]

This is good news. Thanks for posting.

[madmedic]

2 hours ago, RichYak said:

Starting August 1, 2022. Looks like most of their European sailings will not require a pre-cruise covid test to board. This trend is gaining momentum as this to me seems like the biggest such announcement to date.

Are they still doing on board testing of suspected cases? 

[KKB]

2 hours ago, RichYak said:

Starting August 1, 2022. Looks like most of their European sailings will not require a pre-cruise covid test to board. This trend is gaining momentum as this to me seems like the biggest such announcement to date.

US, Canada, Bermuda & Greece still require testing for the time being.

[Bgwest]

49 minutes ago, KKB said:

US, Canada, Bermuda & Greece still require testing for the time being.

Operative phrase, "for the time being".

[canderson]

5 minutes ago, Bgwest said:

Operative phrase, "for the time being".

Remember who we're dealing with here.

 

Bermuda has a real cash cow going for them in that they also include a $40? paperwork procedure for all pax as part of their protocol.  They won't likely be giving that up soon.

 

And although the press release says "departing from destinations", what isn't mentioned is that it isn't just cruises originating from those locations - it's when they are destinations as well.  So although it begins with a Spain departure, I fully expect our October 31 TA back to the U.S. to require testing.  Not much chance the 'guidance' on testing will change here on this end -- until perhaps after 3 January 2023.

 

[goofysmom99]

It'd certainly be nice not to have to juggle a precruise test and an overseas flight almost simultaneously.  I know I'll be tested for the 2nd leg of the B2B, though, since it goes to the US.  I'll keep my fingers crossed for the first leg anyway.🤞

[RichYak]

1 hour ago, canderson said:

And although the press release says "departing from destinations", what isn't mentioned is that it isn't just cruises originating from those locations - it's when they are destinations as well.  So although it begins with a Spain departure, I fully expect our October 31 TA back to the U.S. to require testing.

If Celebrity drops testing in the same manner that NCL did, I would expect otherwise. I see no reason that a TA that disembarks in the US would require pre-cruise testing.

[canderson]

1 minute ago, RichYak said:

If Celebrity drops testing in the same manner that NCL did, I would expect otherwise. I see no reason that a TA that disembarks in the US would require pre-cruise testing.

If the US and Canada insist on testing for all cruises touching their ports now, why would a cruise originating in Europe be any different if it terminates in Florida?  I don't expect testing to cease in either country is current agencies are staffed by the same folks in October.

[Bgwest]

9 minutes ago, canderson said:

I don't expect testing to cease in either country if current agencies are staffed by the same folks in October.

 

Will the Nanny State change its stripes?  I'm not terribly optimistic. 

[canderson]

Note regarding my usual typo - too late to correct this time.  Should read:

 

I don't expect testing to cease in either country is IF current agencies are staffed by the same folks in October.

[Bgwest]

51 minutes ago, canderson said:

Note regarding my usual typo - too late to correct this time.  Should read:

 

I don't expect testing to cease in either country is IF current agencies are staffed by the same folks in October.

Fixed it for you in my response. 😀

[mnocket]

3 hours ago, madmedic said:

Are they still doing on board testing of suspected cases? 

This is the important question!  If they are still testing on board and isolating positives and close contacts, this change will likely result in more people being quarantined on ship.  Not a good thing in my view.

Edited July 6, 2022 by mnocket

[prmssk]

13 minutes ago, mnocket said:

This is the important question!  If they are still testing on board and isolating positives and close contacts, this change will likely result in more people being quarantined on ship.  Not a good thing in my view.

I don’t think any cruise line is looking too hard for cases on board anymore and it seems a lot of people are choosing not to self-report now that people don’t need to pass a test to get back in their home country at the end of their cruise. So it may not result in more people in quarantine. 

[girlcruiser]

3 hours ago, canderson said:

Remember who we're dealing with here.

 

Bermuda has a real cash cow going for them in that they also include a $40? paperwork procedure for all pax as part of their protocol.  They won't likely be giving that up soon.

 

And although the press release says "departing from destinations", what isn't mentioned is that it isn't just cruises originating from those locations - it's when they are destinations as well.  So although it begins with a Spain departure, I fully expect our October 31 TA back to the U.S. to require testing.  Not much chance the 'guidance' on testing will change here on this end -- until perhaps after 3 January 2023.

 

Bermuda had already said they will be requiring the testing and authorization at least until next year 

[girlcruiser]

1 hour ago, mnocket said:

This is the important question!  If they are still testing on board and isolating positives and close contacts, this change will likely result in more people being quarantined on ship.  Not a good thing in my view.

I did 25 days on Princess in April, May we were not tested at all during the cruise and 

all the  positives were found when they had to test to go back to the US.   We were 

only a cruise of 1500 people by the second leg and I gather close to 20% tested positive at the end.    Keeping in mind anyone staying in Europe or like me going back to 

Canada did not though I did a week later to go to Bermuda and fortunately tested negative

Edited July 6, 2022 by girlcruiser

[ChucktownSteve]

In May we cruised from Bermuda after a three day port layover (which required testing onboard 2 days before arriving) to Canada but didn't need to test to get into Canada.  All the ArriveCAN app required was proof of vaccine.

So this is great since we're on Regent from Vancouver in September. Yay no testing. So glad the world is understanding the virus has evolved.  Hopefully Celebrity will follow suit.

 

[mnocket]

24 minutes ago, girlcruiser said:

I did 25 days on Princess in April, May we were not tested at all during the cruise and 

all the  positives were found when they had to test to go back to the US.   We were 

only a cruise of 1500 people by the second leg and I gather close to 20% tested positive at the end.    Keeping in mind anyone staying in Europe or like me going back to 

Canada did not though I did a week later to go to Bermuda and fortunately tested negative

Yeah, I guess if they don't do much testing on board there may not be an increase in quarantines.  That said......  20% positive at the end of 25 days is kinda frightening for me.  I would venture to say that if there was no pre-cruise testing this number would be even higher.  Cruising in today's world is an interesting proposition with no right of wrong answers.  Each person must make their own decision and it's no surprise that the elimination of pre-cruise testing will be met with both cheers and jeers.

[mnocket]

1 hour ago, prmssk said:

I don’t think any cruise line is looking too hard for cases on board anymore and it seems a lot of people are choosing not to self-report now that people don’t need to pass a test to get back in their home country at the end of their cruise. So it may not result in more people in quarantine. 

You may very well be right.

[ORV]

19 minutes ago, ChucktownSteve said:

So this is great since we're on Regent from Vancouver in September. Yay no testing.

I haven't looked at the Regent website, but if they're like Oceania you better check again. Here is what is on the Oceania website. 

 

FOR SAILINGS EMBARKING ON OR AFTER AUGUST 1, 2022, Oceania Cruises will no longer require guests to produce a negative covid test to embark their cruise, subject to local regulations.

Please Note: Voyages embarking from Canada and Greece as well as those sailing to Bermuda, will still require a negative covid test at embarkation, until further notice.

[prmssk]

22 minutes ago, ChucktownSteve said:

In May we cruised from Bermuda after a three day port layover (which required testing onboard 2 days before arriving) to Canada but didn't need to test to get into Canada.  All the ArriveCAN app required was proof of vaccine.

So this is great since we're on Regent from Vancouver in September. Yay no testing. So glad the world is understanding the virus has evolved.  Hopefully Celebrity will follow suit.

 

Pre-cruise testing is still required for all cruises out of Canada (and the US and Greece) on all cruise lines. Those countries need to drop their requirements for the cruise lines before that testing will go away.

[travlr21]

26 minutes ago, ChucktownSteve said:

So this is great since we're on Regent from Vancouver in September.

You will need to test to board in Canada, unless Canada changes their rules before then. You do not need a test to fly or drive into Canada but you do need one if you are on a cruise that includes a Canadian port.

[ChucktownSteve]

RATS