CDC no longer issuing public data of Covid on cruise ships

[Virginia100]

As of Monday those publicly available color guided Covid sheets for Covid  levels on US departing cruise ships has ended. The program is discontinued. Cases will still be reported to the CDC but no public info will be issued. CDC advised passengers to directly contact the cruise lines to gain Covid information on particular ships. It appears transparency is essentially gone. With this I wonder if this is the signal to stop embarkation testing for fully vaccinated passengers and make isolation non mandatory like many countries? Interesting development for the cruise industry as one article very recently just stated for the first time there were no ships listed as green on the CDC Covid ship sheets.

[prmssk]

Personally, I never found the color coded system all that helpful because a ship turned yellow with just one single case and it turned orange with only 0.3% of passengers and crew testing positive.  Those are such incredibly tiny thresholds that it didn't really give us any transparency.  All it told us was that covid was on ships, something I could have told you without a color coded system. 

[TeeRick]

There has never been any meaningful transparency on numbers of cases on ships.  Or severity.  So the system was pretty much useless anyway.  Glad it is gone.

[AbbyCruiser45]

2 minutes ago, TeeRick said:

Glad it is gone.

Agree. I would see posts on Twitter with a screen shot showing 95% of ships in the orange zone with the user claiming mass outbreaks at sea. They did not realize/care that orange was 0.3% of all crew and passengers meaning it could be as little as 6 people out of 2,000 testing positive. Some outbreak! A shame because transparency would be nice, but the way they classified the "zone" did not make sense.

[TeeRick]

2 minutes ago, AbbyCruiser45 said:

Agree. I would see posts on Twitter with a screen shot showing 95% of ships in the orange zone with the user claiming mass outbreaks at sea. They did not realize/care that orange was 0.3% of all crew and passengers meaning it could be as little as 6 people out of 2,000 testing positive. Some outbreak! A shame because transparency would be nice, but the way they classified the "zone" did not make sense.

I have no idea how many people or workers in my grocery store or workplace or anywhere else for that matter (on land) are walking around with Covid or asymptomatic Covid.  No color codes.  No reporting.  The CDC in general reports COVID community color codes.  Also kind of useless.  Time to just get away from all of this and know we will just live with COVID around us for years to come.  Luckily it has mutated to highly infectious but mild disease (for most).  I can quite literally live with that.

[lexmiller]

https://www.cruisehive.com/norwegian-cruise-line-drops-pre-cruise-testing/75917

 

Effective August 1, Norwegian has dropped pre-cruise covid testing except where it is required by local regulations......as is Holland, even sooner.  

https://www.travelpulse.com/news/cruise/holland-america-line-drops-pre-cruise-testing-requirement-for-select-sailings.html

 

Let's hope that this is the beginning of the end of testing, period, for vaccinated guests.  I understand the requirement for guests to be vaccinated and boosted, in order to minimize severity of the sickness should they get it - it's just common sense.  But where we stand today in 2022, it is time to stop the testing, period.  In no other travel/hospitality venture is testing required, and to isolate and quarantine passengers, essentially criminalizing them through the process - because they have cold symptoms?  It's just all gone beyond the pale.  It's a bit of a broken record, but if you have health issues, are immunocompromised, etc, then you need to take your own personal precautions and do what you see is best.  But the world has moved on and the cruise industry needs to financially recover - which it cannot do if it is reimbursing passengers because they test positive for what is effectively a cold two days before their cruise or giving passengers refunds because they self-reported their runny nose.  The time is now, long past actually, for passengers to take on the 'burden' of self-reliance, take responsibility for their own health.   Vaccinate, boost and cruise - or do something else.  But testing to cruise must end.

[wrk2cruise]

50 minutes ago, lexmiller said:

The time is now, long past actually, for passengers to take on the 'burden' of self-reliance, take responsibility for their own health.

 

Add financial responsibility.   People are going to need to re-evaluate their financial risk ask well wrt travel insurance that will cover you if you do get sick with covid ( or anything else) and are unable to board.

[LGW59]

1 hour ago, TeeRick said:

I have no idea how many people or workers in my grocery store or workplace or anywhere else for that matter (on land) are walking around with Covid or asymptomatic Covid.  No color codes.  No reporting.  The CDC in general reports COVID community color codes.  Also kind of useless.  Time to just get away from all of this and know we will just live with COVID around us for years to come.  Luckily it has mutated to highly infectious but mild disease (for most).  I can quite literally live with that.

And the subway/public transport etc.  I take the subway in Boston 3x/week to get into the city.  I am closer to fellow passengers there (as in just inches from the person sitting next to me) than I would ever be on a cruise ship.  I do wear a mask on the subway, the only place that I still do, and we have no color codes, other than the color of the subway line we are riding, ironically mine is the orange line, no testing, quarantine, reporting to the CDC blah blah blah and I have ZERO idea if the person sitting next to me or standing above me has been vaccinated or not and frankly I don't really care.  Point is all this other touch feely stuff is useless, we are all (mostly) just living in our new normal and moving on with life without a bunch of non-sense, which it looks like CDC may be eliminating, hope the damn cruise lines will as well.  

[Arizona Wildcat]

3 hours ago, Virginia100 said:

As of Monday those publicly available color guided Covid sheets for Covid  levels on US departing cruise ships has ended. The program is discontinued. Cases will still be reported to the CDC but no public info will be issued. CDC advised passengers to directly contact the cruise lines to gain Covid information on particular ships. It appears transparency is essentially gone. With this I wonder if this is the signal to stop embarkation testing for fully vaccinated passengers and make isolation non mandatory like many countries? Interesting development for the cruise industry as one article very recently just stated for the first time there were no ships listed as green on the CDC Covid ship sheets.

Yawn.  The last time real numbers of cases on board were released was mid December.  The color system said little or nothing to help.  Especially when how many passengers reported testing positive immediately or shortly after disembarking?  Dozens on cruise critic alone.

Good riddance.  Agree with TeeRick. 

[TeeRick]

30 minutes ago, LGW59 said:

And the subway/public transport etc.  I take the subway in Boston 3x/week to get into the city.  I am closer to fellow passengers there (as in just inches from the person sitting next to me) than I would ever be on a cruise ship.  I do wear a mask on the subway, the only place that I still do, and we have no color codes, other than the color of the subway line we are riding, ironically mine is the orange line, no testing, quarantine, reporting to the CDC blah blah blah and I have ZERO idea if the person sitting next to me or standing above me has been vaccinated or not and frankly I don't really care.  Point is all this other touch feely stuff is useless, we are all (mostly) just living in our new normal and moving on with life without a bunch of non-sense, which it looks like CDC may be eliminating, hope the damn cruise lines will as well.  

I used to ride the Green Line to school (BU).  There was the Red Line and the Orange Line too.  They all happen to be the CDC ship color codes!  So maybe the Green Line is COVID-free?  Stay away from the Red Line.  Ha Ha.  Not sure what to think about the Blue Line!  No CDC color for that one.😁

[Oklahoma Cruiser 2012]

2 hours ago, TeeRick said:

I have no idea how many people or workers in my grocery store or workplace or anywhere else for that matter (on land) are walking around with Covid or asymptomatic Covid.  No color codes.  No reporting.  The CDC in general reports COVID community color codes.  Also kind of useless.  Time to just get away from all of this and know we will just live with COVID around us for years to come.  Luckily it has mutated to highly infectious but mild disease (for most).  I can quite literally live with that.

Reporting of "cases" has never been particularly helpful. 

[Beamafar]

1 hour ago, lexmiller said:

https://www.cruisehive.com/norwegian-cruise-line-drops-pre-cruise-testing/75917

 

Effective August 1, Norwegian has dropped pre-cruise covid testing except where it is required by local regulations......as is Holland, even sooner.  

https://www.travelpulse.com/news/cruise/holland-america-line-drops-pre-cruise-testing-requirement-for-select-sailings.html

 

Let's hope that this is the beginning of the end of testing, period, for vaccinated guests.  I understand the requirement for guests to be vaccinated and boosted, in order to minimize severity of the sickness should they get it - it's just common sense.  But where we stand today in 2022, it is time to stop the testing, period.  In no other travel/hospitality venture is testing required, and to isolate and quarantine passengers, essentially criminalizing them through the process - because they have cold symptoms?  It's just all gone beyond the pale.  It's a bit of a broken record, but if you have health issues, are immunocompromised, etc, then you need to take your own personal precautions and do what you see is best.  But the world has moved on and the cruise industry needs to financially recover - which it cannot do if it is reimbursing passengers because they test positive for what is effectively a cold two days before their cruise or giving passengers refunds because they self-reported their runny nose.  The time is now, long past actually, for passengers to take on the 'burden' of self-reliance, take responsibility for their own health.   Vaccinate, boost and cruise - or do something else.  But testing to cruise must end.

Azamara has also dropped the requirements for pre-embarkation testing from July 25th. 

[Oceangoer2]

2 hours ago, TeeRick said:

I have no idea how many people or workers in my grocery store or workplace or anywhere else for that matter (on land) are walking around with Covid or asymptomatic Covid. 

I agree with this observation and it's a scary thought. However, as you say, these people are "walking around" with it.  When we're isolated on a cruise ship where you can't get off is also a scary thought.  Being vaccinated will hopefully not be discontinued if the cruise lines make changes based on this new CDC development.  Hopefully those who do feel ill will self-isolate in their cabin.

[LGW59]

5 minutes ago, Oceangoer2 said:

I agree with this observation and it's a scary thought. However, as you say, these people are "walking around" with it.  When we're isolated on a cruise ship where you can't get off is also a scary thought.  Being vaccinated will hopefully not be discontinued if the cruise lines make changes based on this new CDC development.  Hopefully those who do feel ill will self-isolate in their cabin.

People are and have been "walking around" with many different transmissible ailments for a very long time, pre-COVID, post and will be until the end of time.  Do you isolate anytime just knowing this is the case.  I think the point was it is there, deal with it, get used to it, not have to like it, but just take the precautions we have always taken for flu, colds and the like.  Yes yes, I know COVID can be more highly transmissible, but it is manageable being vaxxed/boosted.  I agree that folks should prove being vaxxed to cruise, just like many do with their employers, but we don't need to cower and be scared, the time is well past that IMHO. 

[Oklahoma Cruiser 2012]

57 minutes ago, LGW59 said:

People are and have been "walking around" with many different transmissible ailments for a very long time, pre-COVID, post and will be until the end of time.  Do you isolate anytime just knowing this is the case.  I think the point was it is there, deal with it, get used to it, not have to like it, but just take the precautions we have always taken for flu, colds and the like.  Yes yes, I know COVID can be more highly transmissible, but it is manageable being vaxxed/boosted.  I agree that folks should prove being vaxxed to cruise, just like many do with their employers, but we don't need to cower and be scared, the time is well past that IMHO. 

True 'dat.  My guess is the cruise lines will continue to require vaccinations to sail but remove the pre-cruise testing requirement. Really, unless you test daily for 14 days before the cruise and then every day on the ship, it's a hit/miss proposition; designed as theater more than anything.  You could walk out your front door tomorrow morning and get hit by a bus.  Life is way too short to be cowering in fear. 

[AbbyCruiser45]

1 minute ago, Oklahoma Cruiser 2012 said:

My guess is the cruise lines will continue to require vaccinations to sail but remove the pre-cruise testing requirement

Agree. I don't see the vaccination requirement going anywhere. Speaking to Caribbean destinations only, most countries require a vaccine but not a test (https://www.travelweekly.com/Caribbean-Travel/Caribbean-readies-for-a-wave-of-reopenings). 

[LGW59]

8 minutes ago, Oklahoma Cruiser 2012 said:

True 'dat.  My guess is the cruise lines will continue to require vaccinations to sail but remove the pre-cruise testing requirement. Really, unless you test daily for 14 days before the cruise and then every day on the ship, it's a hit/miss proposition; designed as theater more than anything.  You could walk out your front door tomorrow morning and get hit by a bus.  Life is way too short to be cowering in fear. 

designed as theater more than anything. Spot on here!!

 

[canderson]

A return to the original approach to this disease (does anyone even remember it?) makes sense.

 

The data seem to support that vaccinations/boosters significantly reduce severity when the bug is caught.  Hence, retaining the vaccination requirement helps to assure that, no matter how many cases there are aboard, severe cases are unlikely to erupt that overwhelm the medical staff. 

 

THAT was the supposed to have been the objective per the early discussion of protocols for the pandemic, and should be the current objective, but somewhere along the way everyone responsible, cruise lines and CDC included, got sidetracked into a pseudo-zero-COVID attempt (made even more impossible to achieve with easily transmissible omicron) that has proved unworkable, untenable and inconsistent in its application. 

 

While impossible, it would all the same be fascinating to know what percentage of true positives (both symptomatic and asymptomatic) are really amongst the onboard population by the end of any given cruise.  Bet it would be revealing.

Edited July 19, 2022 by canderson

[ISABELLA]

Testing before the cruise doesn't seem to be a valid element. Being vaccinated does not prevent transmission of COVID, or getting the virus. It might prevent some people from getting severe symptoms. It is up to everyone individually evaluate your own risk, and not to expect everyone around to accommodate. Any trip we take, we evaluate the risk. At least for now - no TA or European cruises.

 

[Virginia100]

I would expect pre cruise testing to be gone by The start if the winter cruise season if up to date in vaccination and mandatory isolation to also be gone. Only requirement will be vaccination.

[WonderMan3]

7 hours ago, TeeRick said:

I have no idea how many people or workers in my grocery store or workplace or anywhere else for that matter (on land) are walking around with Covid or asymptomatic Covid.  No color codes.  No reporting.  The CDC in general reports COVID community color codes.  Also kind of useless.  Time to just get away from all of this and know we will just live with COVID around us for years to come.  Luckily it has mutated to highly infectious but mild disease (for most).  I can quite literally live with that.

“Mild disease (for most)”

 

…if you are vaccinated and boosted

[WonderMan3]

6 hours ago, lexmiller said:

https://www.cruisehive.com/norwegian-cruise-line-drops-pre-cruise-testing/75917

 

Effective August 1, Norwegian has dropped pre-cruise covid testing except where it is required by local regulations......as is Holland, even sooner.  

https://www.travelpulse.com/news/cruise/holland-america-line-drops-pre-cruise-testing-requirement-for-select-sailings.html

 

Let's hope that this is the beginning of the end of testing, period, for vaccinated guests.  I understand the requirement for guests to be vaccinated and boosted, in order to minimize severity of the sickness should they get it - it's just common sense.  But where we stand today in 2022, it is time to stop the testing, period.  In no other travel/hospitality venture is testing required, and to isolate and quarantine passengers, essentially criminalizing them through the process - because they have cold symptoms?  It's just all gone beyond the pale.  It's a bit of a broken record, but if you have health issues, are immunocompromised, etc, then you need to take your own personal precautions and do what you see is best.  But the world has moved on and the cruise industry needs to financially recover - which it cannot do if it is reimbursing passengers because they test positive for what is effectively a cold two days before their cruise or giving passengers refunds because they self-reported their runny nose.  The time is now, long past actually, for passengers to take on the 'burden' of self-reliance, take responsibility for their own health.   Vaccinate, boost and cruise - or do something else.  But testing to cruise must end.

The testing has been ineffective pretty much all along due to the lag time in the disease being detectable for some people. But of course it has also identified a number of people who were positive prior to cruising (based on many reports from cruisers here) and kept them off the ships, so that was a good thing. The selfish part of me is happy to see pre-cruise testing go away as it is one more barrier removed, but the practical part of me worries about cases now increasing onboard. Hearing that crew may no longer have to be masked is also worrisome. While I would be masked indoors onboard, having that additional protection on others definitely helps mitigate spread. Hopefully they keep the vaccination requirement in place for passengers and crew. I’m still on the fence about my B2B2B cruises next May. Want to see how the new boosters that look to be coming this fall will work. If things remain as they currently are it is an environment where I do not feel comfortable dining indoors and that makes enjoying the cruise experience that much more difficult as being able to get Luminae room service to my cabin (Royal and Penthouse) does not appear to be a guarantee and that would be a deal breaker. Not going to pay all that money for top suites only to be stuck with basic room service. Will have to see what happens…

[WonderMan3]

1 hour ago, Virginia100 said:

I would expect pre cruise testing to be gone by The start if the winter cruise season if up to date in vaccination and mandatory isolation to also be gone. Only requirement will be vaccination.

I don’t see the quarantining going away. I mean there has always been quarantining with other contagious viruses like noro or if someone is diagnosed with flu. What will probably change is people being quarantined to their own cabins versus a separate deck. Of course that requires an honesty policy where those quarantined don’t leave their cabins. But that is the same with noro; you face consequences (being booted off the ship) if you do not follow the rules. We will likely see much less quarantining though if they stop the b2b testing.

[WonderMan3]

1 hour ago, ISABELLA said:

Testing before the cruise doesn't seem to be a valid element. Being vaccinated does not prevent transmission of COVID, or getting the virus. It might prevent some people from getting severe symptoms. It is up to everyone individually evaluate your own risk, and not to expect everyone around to accommodate. Any trip we take, we evaluate the risk. At least for now - no TA or European cruises.

 

The point was to reduce the potential number of already infected people coming onboard. That’s not a bad thing.

[TrulyBlonde]

5 hours ago, TeeRick said:

I used to ride the Green Line to school (BU).  There was the Red Line and the Orange Line too.  They all happen to be the CDC ship color codes!  So maybe the Green Line is COVID-free?  Stay away from the Red Line.  Ha Ha.  Not sure what to think about the Blue Line!  No CDC color for that one.😁

Code Blue...the dead line