No More Pre-Cruise Testing for Vaccinated guests on voyages less than 6 nights starting August 8th!

[psac]

3 minutes ago, Sunshine3601 said:

Pretty sure the Unvaccinated have always had to test 3 days before then again at cruise terminal at check in.

They’ve said unvaccinated will only have to test once now. 
 

They haven’t said how they’ll manage that 80%. 
 

It will be really interesting to see how they’ll handle both the testing and the over 12 unvaccinated change when it comes to Bermuda, which has always had stricter requirements than the Caribbean islands. 

[psac]

1 minute ago, Sunshine3601 said:

Bunch of 5 night sailings to Bermuda and they still want testing and that darn $40 TA.

Ha I just wrote about Bermuda the same time as you. No idea how that’s going to work. 

[BND]

23 minutes ago, jerseygirl3 said:

So now they will be allowing more unvaccinated to sail "typically with 80% vaccinated " and changing the timeframe for testing from 48 to 72 hours?  

It's been three days.

 

What caught my eye was the last sentence about further relaxing testing requirements.

[xpcdoojk]

3 hours ago, RedIguana said:

It would be by day 4 or 5 18 more are infected and become contagious. Then, as you say, the factorial starts. However, it is a closed set, not an open set. R naught will decline after the first round of infections, and decline further for the second set. It is an attempt to keep the number of quarantine cabins in use or required down, and yes, off the ship it becomes someone else's problem, which is why they are dropping testing on the shorter cruises. It is economics, capitalism at work, not politics. RCL has a fiduciary duty to their shareholders. They are setting policy in such a way that they believe it is best for their company.

What if the people infected are the crew, but are asymptomatic?  The 4 day cruise infected them, they are now in day 5, and they infect the 45 people they serve dinner to?

 

We talk here as if only the people going on the cruise are Covid carriers.  Reality is, passengers are 95% vaccinated and probably boosted, crew is vaccinated.  

 

This entire discussion is just our personal bias being shared.

 

Reality is it is an endemic virus that is going to mutate (the vaccines won’t work) and it is getting less deadly (thank the lord) and no matter what we do, mask, get shots, take vitamins, it is going to continue to infect us and our loved ones. 

 

We need to put on our big boy and girl panties and get on with life.

 

JMHO and YMMV

 

jc

[Lane Hog]

9 hours ago, molly361 said:

I'm surprised that Royal was the first of the mainstream US lines to make this announcement.  Now I am curious if the others will be the same policy

 

I'm not surprised -- they already had the earnings call scheduled.  Knowing most of the trade press and many national outlets were going to be present, this announcement was probably held off to help overshadow substantive discussion of their earnings.... 

 

8 hours ago, BobNoxious said:

Waiting for Carnival to announce as all cruises 7 days or less... to try to gain market...   then Royal matching that.   Then all is well.   Meanwhile, can I wear shorts to dinner in the MDR?

Agree... Carnival will one-up RCL "out of competitive necessity" and then let the chips fall where they may for everyone else.

[rudeney]

3 hours ago, RedIguana said:

It would be by day 4 or 5 18 more are infected and become contagious. Then, as you say, the factorial starts. However, it is a closed set, not an open set. R naught will decline after the first round of infections, and decline further for the second set. It is an attempt to keep the number of quarantine cabins in use or required down, and yes, off the ship it becomes someone else's problem, which is why they are dropping testing on the shorter cruises. It is economics, capitalism at work, not politics. RCL has a fiduciary duty to their shareholders. They are setting policy in such a way that they believe it is best for their company.

 

You are going by "best case" with the 4-5 day, I am going by "worst case" with 2 days incubation. Regardless, we are also talking about the spread from only one infected passenger boarding.  If it's 10 that board, it spreads more quickly - not 10x, because of repeat close contact exposures, but much more quickly.  

 

When I say "politics" I mean "spin".  RCCL is spinning this as "we care greatly about you and are following the CDC recommendations" when in reality, they are only following CDC recommendations in order to not scare off potential cruisers and choosing 5 days to push the problem off their ships.  If they really wanted to toss out the politics, they'd just say, "We will only test where required by the ports we visit.  Please keep yourselves safe by following whatever protocols you feel are best for you."

[psac]

9 minutes ago, Lane Hog said:

 

I'm not surprised -- they already had the earnings call scheduled.  Knowing most of the trade press and many national outlets were going to be present, this announcement was probably held off to help overshadow substantive discussion of their earnings.... 

 

Agree... Carnival will one-up RCL "out of competitive necessity" and then let the chips fall where they may for everyone else.

They actually did discuss this in loose terms on the earning call this morning, and then more information came out (though still not detailed enough) as the day went on. 

The earnings themselves were fairly decent, so they didn’t really need to overshadow anything. 

 

ps — quietly Princess has already been booking a certain number of unvaccinated passengers who can request an exemption with no reason, on a first come first served basis. I don’t know when they started, but it was this way as of a few weeks ago. 

Edited July 29, 2022 by psac

[Charles4515]

50 minutes ago, psac said:

Ha I just wrote about Bermuda the same time as you. No idea how that’s going to work. 

It will continue as it has been until Bermuda changes its requirements. Travel Authorization application, $40 fee and a negative test. A destinations protocols overide Royal's. 

[vacationlover16]

I am torn. We have a cruise scheduled in October and won't have to test due to the length (barring no changes). Logistically, it makes our vacation easier as our cruise leaves on a Monday so we would have had to test on a Saturday or Sunday. But it is evident on these boards that folks will still cruise knowing they are ill. I would have hoped if Covid taught us anything it would be how important it is to stay home when sick. I get it, it sucks to miss a vacation due to illness but it is selfish and rude to still travel knowing you are sick.  And "stay home if you are scared' is a cop out. It is one thing to be asymptomatic and not know versus having symptoms and knowingly exposing others.

 

I really hope folks will still be responsible and stay home if they are sick. But I am not hopeful and it makes me frustrated, angry and sad.

[SilkySal]

9 minutes ago, vacationlover16 said:

I am torn. We have a cruise scheduled in October and won't have to test due to the length (barring no changes). Logistically, it makes our vacation easier as our cruise leaves on a Monday so we would have had to test on a Saturday or Sunday. But it is evident on these boards that folks will still cruise knowing they are ill. I would have hoped if Covid taught us anything it would be how important it is to stay home when sick. I get it, it sucks to miss a vacation due to illness but it is selfish and rude to still travel knowing you are sick.  And "stay home if you are scared' is a cop out. It is one thing to be asymptomatic and not know versus having symptoms and knowingly exposing others.

 

I really hope folks will still be responsible and stay home if they are sick. But I am not hopeful and it makes me frustrated, angry and sad.

Well said. Keep the faith!🙏 Cheers!

[vacationlover16]

2 minutes ago, SilkySal said:

Well said. Keep the faith!🙏 Cheers!

Thank you! I am trying! ❤️

[CruiserNic]

[Ret MP]

1 hour ago, vacationlover16 said:

I am torn. We have a cruise scheduled in October and won't have to test due to the length (barring no changes). Logistically, it makes our vacation easier as our cruise leaves on a Monday so we would have had to test on a Saturday or Sunday. But it is evident on these boards that folks will still cruise knowing they are ill. I would have hoped if Covid taught us anything it would be how important it is to stay home when sick. I get it, it sucks to miss a vacation due to illness but it is selfish and rude to still travel knowing you are sick.  And "stay home if you are scared' is a cop out. It is one thing to be asymptomatic and not know versus having symptoms and knowingly exposing others.

 

I really hope folks will still be responsible and stay home if they are sick. But I am not hopeful and it makes me frustrated, angry and sad.

I may have missed something but I don't remember anybody saying that they would cruise while sick with COVID.  Well, I did say that I would test myself but I don't like useless mandates.  But, I'd like to ask, how do you feel about people cruising with the flu?  There is NO test for that and even though you may not feel too bad, you could be carrying the flu and pass it on to dozens/hundreds of your fellow cruisers.  I don't see any difference between cruising and testing up to almost 3 days before embarkation, that's almost 3 days of exposure.  As stated, that time from testing to embarkation is for many people a time where there is more contact with the general public than if they weren't going on a cruise at all.   

 

I'm just saying that we need to be realistic.  Testing protocol as it is then and now really really isn't protecting anybody.  It's white wash.  

[vacationlover16]

34 minutes ago, Ret MP said:

I may have missed something but I don't remember anybody saying that they would cruise while sick with COVID.  Well, I did say that I would test myself but I don't like useless mandates.  But, I'd like to ask, how do you feel about people cruising with the flu?  There is NO test for that and even though you may not feel too bad, you could be carrying the flu and pass it on to dozens/hundreds of your fellow cruisers.  I don't see any difference between cruising and testing up to almost 3 days before embarkation, that's almost 3 days of exposure.  As stated, that time from testing to embarkation is for many people a time where there is more contact with the general public than if they weren't going on a cruise at all.   

 

I'm just saying that we need to be realistic.  Testing protocol as it is then and now really really isn't protecting anybody.  It's white wash.  

Your definition of being realistic is different than mine. I feel the same if it is the flu, a cold, etc. If sick, you shouldn't cruse. I just would have hoped people would view illness differently now. I am guilty myself. Before, if I was sick I would push through and still go to work. I don't any more. I am more cognizant of how that can impact others along with how it impacts me and my recovery time.

 

I understand people could be exposed during travel the days between testing and arriving at the port. Nothing is 100% effective but it doesn't mean we can't try to mitigate. If people wouldn't sail sick, I guess I don't understand why there is such an issue with testing. Seems folks would want to want to know if they were sick-especially if not showing symptoms.

 

Regardless, I hope you enjoy any upcoming sailings and stay healthy!

 

 

Edited July 29, 2022 by vacationlover16

[Biker19]

8 hours ago, BND said:

We will also continue to operate highly vaccinated cruises with a vaccinated population greater than society and which continues to exempt kids 12 and under and we will welcome unvaccinated guests over 12 and guests with a certificate of recovery within 90 days to travel keeping in mind our ships will typically sail with 80 percent plus vaccinated guests onboard.

Nice to see RCI ditched the CDC definition of “highly vaccinated “ as that is/was 90%. 

[welshrich]

We are on Vision Oct 1 for a b2b for 5 and then 8 nights, wonder how they will manage this if we need to test, recently did a b2b and apart from the pre board testing we did not have to test for the second week,   

[SargassoPirate]

9 hours ago, dada2199cc said:

Folks, RCL and the other cruise lines have had tens of millions of passengers sail since the restart.

 

They have tons of data on who gets sick, when, how long, etc.

 

All the cruise lines know we are already endemic with covid and it doesn’t matter anymore.  They know because their databases prove it.  Vaccinated, not vaccinated, antibodies, recent infection, boosters, whatever: the jig is up and it’s time to get back to life.

 

The big and only problem is that so many of you were suckered into believing that covid today is covid from Dec 2019.  It isn’t.  It’s nowhere close.

 

So RCL has to make an eyewash that is nothing but water, but it’ll convince people they’re slowly returning to normal, even tho they literally could return to normal tomorrow and nothing would change.

 

It’s over *except* that 30-40% of customers are still stuck in March 2020, so the corporation needs to convince them that they’ll take it slow.

 

If you haven’t had covid 2-3 times by now, you haven’t been living life.  Time to go back to normal.  I’m sure I’ll have it for my 4th time in February.  And like the prior 3 times, it’ll be a non-issue.

 

Royal’s data proves it is time to go back to normal.  So does every other cruise line and every hospital and government database.  

 

Someone posted on CC that some people have built themselves a Covid Prison, are two years into their sentence, and are afraid to breakout.  

 

In criminal justice it's called being institutionalized whereby the prison environment with everything being controlled for you is more comforting than being on your own, making your own decisions, and being responsible for those decisions.

 

Some of those folks are waiting for zero cases.  They'll have a long wait.

[BND]

9 hours ago, xpcdoojk said:

What if the people infected are the crew, but are asymptomatic?  The 4 day cruise infected them, they are now in day 5, and they infect the 45 people they serve dinner to?

 

We talk here as if only the people going on the cruise are Covid carriers.  Reality is, passengers are 95% vaccinated and probably boosted, crew is vaccinated.  

 

This entire discussion is just our personal bias being shared.

 

Reality is it is an endemic virus that is going to mutate (the vaccines won’t work) and it is getting less deadly (thank the lord) and no matter what we do, mask, get shots, take vitamins, it is going to continue to infect us and our loved ones. 

 

We need to put on our big boy and girl panties and get on with life.

 

JMHO and YMMV

 

jc

I agree.  I had a conversation on EN this past week with someone in the group we were traveling with.  She still thinks that the only reason Covid is less dangerous now is 100% due to vaccines.  While it's true the vaccines have helped keep people out of the hospital or from dying, the reality is the current strains just aren't as dangerous as the first three or so were.  It's very normal for viruses to get more contagious but less deadly.  One individual in our group didn't get to travel last week with us because she was actually sick (symptoms) and tested positive on a home test.  By the time she got a lab test, rapid was inconclusive and PCR was negative just about the time the ship sailed. 

 

On EN, the production show was cancelled due to cast illnesses.  They substituted a couple of the singers to perform with the orchestra on two separate nights.  We had some crew disappear also at the same time.  More than likely it was testing day for the crew that caught some asymptomatic cases and put them into short term quarantine.  Ship was 100% full and there were lots of kids of all ages.  It was a normal cruise for us.  We met lots of people, rode in full elevators, etc.  Not concerned at all.  Symptoms are very much like the flu.  We get vaccinated now, but even that vaccine is only about 40% effective.  I had a mild case in 2019 after being exposed to two people with it because I was vaccinated.  Sound familiar?

Edited July 29, 2022 by BND

[cruisegirl1]

10 hours ago, Sunshine3601 said:

Bunch of 5 night sailings to Bermuda and they still want testing and that darn $40 TA.

Give yourself a couple weeks to take care of the Bermuda travel authorization. Ours  took about two weeks turnaround. 
 

Of course Royal has no control over what another country might require. 
 

m

[jerseygirl3]

10 hours ago, BND said:

It's been three days.

 

What caught my eye was the last sentence about further relaxing testing requirements.

I didn't realize testing for unvaccinated was always 3 days prior to embarkation.  That doesn't even make sense.  It would be more prudent to have the unvaccinated test closer to embarkation, not later than those vaccinated, as the unvaccinated have a higher risk of contracting the virus and getting sicker (that statement is not up for debate; I'm a nurse and I get the daily totals of hospitalizations and deaths broken down by vaccinated vs unvaccinated).   I don't get that rationale;  as a vaccinated passenger I can't be tested any sooner than 48 hours, which makes things more complicated when traveling overseas. 

[BND]

7 minutes ago, cruisegirl1 said:

Give yourself a couple weeks to take care of the Bermuda travel authorization. Ours  took about two weeks turnaround. 
 

Of course Royal has no control over what another country might require. 
 

m

It's less about how long from application it takes and more that they start sending approvals back approximately between 14 and 10 days prior to cruise date.  I submitted both of ours within minutes of each other.  DH's came through on about 12 days before and mine came about 10.  The large group we were traveling with and our FB group all had theirs (with a few exceptions of those that had to call) by 7 days prior and most got them the same day I did.  Bermuda will continue to require the TA until March 2023 at least as it's in their budget.  I had posted an article from a Bermuda newspaper a few weeks ago where they talk about how they need the money.

[BND]

8 minutes ago, jerseygirl3 said:

I didn't realize testing for unvaccinated was always 3 days prior to embarkation.  That doesn't even make sense.  It would be more prudent to have the unvaccinated test closer to embarkation, not later than those vaccinated, as the unvaccinated have a higher risk of contracting the virus and getting sicker (that statement is not up for debate; I'm a nurse and I get the daily totals of hospitalizations and deaths broken down by vaccinated vs unvaccinated).   I don't get that rationale;  as a vaccinated passenger I can't be tested any sooner than 48 hours, which makes things more complicated when traveling overseas. 

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/the-healthy-sail-center/pre-cruise-testing

 

[boscobeans]

Six nights ?

Maybe the next time they roll the dice to make a choice they could at least use a die with seven sides? LOL.

[MaddyandMax]

36 minutes ago, jerseygirl3 said:

I didn't realize testing for unvaccinated was always 3 days prior to embarkation.  That doesn't even make sense.  It would be more prudent to have the unvaccinated test closer to embarkation, not later than those vaccinated, as the unvaccinated have a higher risk of contracting the virus and getting sicker (that statement is not up for debate; I'm a nurse and I get the daily totals of hospitalizations and deaths broken down by vaccinated vs unvaccinated).   I don't get that rationale;  as a vaccinated passenger I can't be tested any sooner than 48 hours, which makes things more complicated when traveling overseas. 

 

Unvaccinated passengers have to get a PCR test.  The turnaround for that is much longer.  Here in Canada it could go past 3 days.

[BillOh]

23 hours ago, Midway7934 said:

My thoughts exactly, shof515. Bermuda 5 night cruises out of Cape Liberty go through September. You can't get off the ship in Bermuda unless you pay your $40 and have a covid test. RC Was doing the checking before boarding. Now what?

You can't get ON the ship without that test and uploading the results to the Bahamian authorities. Most stressful part of our first post covid shutdown cruise.