Will Carnival Follow RCI and End Testing for Under 6 Days?

[ProgRockCruiser]

53 minutes ago, topaz123 said:

You are correct Vaccinations dont cure.....why not require everyone to have up to date vaccinations, and drop the Pre Cruise Barrier.....what would be the point of the pre cruise test if everyone is up to date on vaccinations?

Because some of the destinations still require it.  See my earlier post hypothesizing that RCI can do this for cruises 5 days and under because those itineraries don't visit the islands that still require a test.

 

This isn't something Carnival can do unilaterally across the board.  But they may be able to do it the same way RCI has done, if none of their current destinations for 5-day and under cruises require a pre-arrival test.

[ProgRockCruiser]

15 hours ago, RW20 said:

The banner with COVID requirements on the top of Carnival.com is gone. Looks like they are going to announce something soon. To find the COVID protocols I now have to search for them.

 

11 hours ago, rrraydon said:

I just checked again for the 6th time today…still at the top of the page “get the latest information on our health protocols and requirements for sailing”. 

Indeed, still there for me too.  RW20, you must have "hidden" it in the past.

[Roscoe13]

Yes

[Dthomas1]

2 minutes ago, ProgRockCruiser said:

Because some of the destinations still require it.  See my earlier post hypothesizing that RCI can do this for cruises 5 days and under because those itineraries don't visit the islands that still require a test.

 

This isn't something Carnival can do unilaterally across the board.  But they may be able to do it the same way RCI has done, if none of their current destinations for 5-day and under cruises require a pre-arrival test.

I'm hoping that Carnival will follow RCI's new protocol.

[Lee Cruiser]

1 hour ago, topaz123 said:

You are correct Vaccinations dont cure.....why not require everyone to have up to date vaccinations, and drop the Pre Cruise Barrier.....what would be the point of the pre cruise test if everyone is up to date on vaccinations?

Don't look for this one to happen anytime soon.  Cruise lines have seen the results that even the booster doesn't prevent the spread.  They know that requiring anything else would just further cut the number of people going on cruises.  They are looking to go in the opposite direction, which the RCI rep all but said yesterday.

[crazy4themouse]

1 hour ago, topaz123 said:

You are correct Vaccinations dont cure.....why not require everyone to have up to date vaccinations, and drop the Pre Cruise Barrier.....what would be the point of the pre cruise test if everyone is up to date on vaccinations?

 

To me that would be the very smartest thing to do. The whole point of the vaccine and boosters are to keep people from dying, keep them from getting seriously ill, and as far as the cruise industry is concerned to keep people (passengers and crew alike) from overwhelming both ship and port community health facilities and services -- which the vaccines have proven to be spectacularly good at doing. The number of cases don't really "matter" in the sense that the systems on both the ships and the islands are easily manageable.

 

The best way to keep it that way is to update the vaccine requirements to include every eligible booster and close to zero exemptions, and then drop the inconvenient and expensive testing requirements completely. The ships are sailing full -- they're not hurting for any of that unvaxxed business. 

 

[Lee Cruiser]

1 minute ago, crazy4themouse said:

The best way to keep it that way is to update the vaccine requirements to include every eligible booster and close to zero exemptions, and then drop the inconvenient and expensive testing requirements completely. The ships are sailing full -- they're not hurting for any of that unvaxxed business. 

They may be sailing full, but for how long?   How many of those people are people like myself, who had only the first round of vaccine over a year ago and have no plans to get another one.  Cruise lines are looking to move in the opposite direction now that the CDC has gotten out of the way.

 

Jason Liberty said as much yesterday: 

 

“This means that we’re transitioning to the point where everyone will be able to vacation with us while always working with our destination partners to meet their regulations."

 

[chrisnasah]

Hi,

 

Seems like royal caribbean have dropped testing from 8th August, will Carnival follow soon?

Although strangely this is dropped for cruises 5 nights and less only.  It seems they think if you cruise for less you will not catch it but on 6th day you will catch it.

what a load of #@%$
Just scrap the whole testing, money making useless waste of time.

 

[bguppies]

Talked about it all day yesterday.

Enjoy

Edited July 29, 2022 by bguppies
typo

[chrisnasah]

1 minute ago, bguppies said:

Talked about it all day yesterday.

Enjoy

opps didnt see it

[dallasdan]

I think requiring everyone to be vaccinated and up to date with booster shots will hurt their business.  I am vaccinated but have no plans on getting a booster shot.  Based on the number of people just on this board that ask about the 2 day or 3 day testing period I think a lot are like me only vaccinated no booster.

[Lee Cruiser]

I figured it would be coming in a matter of days.  Here is the official news:

 

NEWS ON TESTING.

Carnival Cruise Line is pleased to announce that we are adjusting certain protocols to reflect the lifting of CDC requirements for the US cruise industry. We remain, as always, committed to the health and safety of our guests, crew and the communities we serve. These changes will be made in phases, with the first of these updates effective on Thursday, August 4, 2022 and focused on short cruise itineraries of 5 nights or less. More changes will be announced shortly and all changes are subject to any requirements of destinations on the itinerary.

Effective for embarkations on or after Thursday, August 4

• No pre-cruise testing for fully vaccinated guests booked on cruises with itineraries 5 nights or less.

• Pre-cruise testing for itineraries 6 nights or longer can be conducted up to three (3) days before departure.

• There will be no in-terminal testing for unvaccinated guests (with exemption approval) on day of departure, but all unvaccinated guests, age 2 and older, must provide proof of a negative result of a lab-administered or supervised self-administered antigen COVID test taken within three (3) days before embarkation.

Thank you all for helping get us to where we are now and your loyalty and your desire to cruise and have FUN is extraordinary.

Cheers

[Lee Cruiser]

"More changes will be announced shortly and all changes are subject to any requirements of destinations on the itinerary."

[Joe817]

3 minutes ago, Lee Cruiser said:

"More changes will be announced shortly and all changes are subject to any requirements of destinations on the itinerary."

👍

[Lee Cruiser]

I guess now the speculation will be about what NCL does  😀

[KendallGator]

52 minutes ago, Lee Cruiser said:

"More changes will be announced shortly and all changes are subject to any requirements of destinations on the itinerary."

In other words, we will be a follower and make any announcements after the industry leaders do.

[Lee Cruiser]

Just now, KendallGator said:

In other words, we will be a follower and make any announcements after the industry leaders do.

😀

[wdowns9]

5 hours ago, Lee Cruiser said:

They may be sailing full, but for how long?   How many of those people are people like myself, who had only the first round of vaccine over a year ago and have no plans to get another one.  Cruise lines are looking to move in the opposite direction now that the CDC has gotten out of the way.

 

Jason Liberty said as much yesterday: 

 

“This means that we’re transitioning to the point where everyone will be able to vacation with us while always working with our destination partners to meet their regulations."

 

Same with me, booster is a reccomendation and not a requirement

 

[canes20]

1 hour ago, wdowns9 said:

Same with me, booster is a reccomendation and not a requirement

 

So if you have had the first 2 shots but time for a booster and have not had it, are you still considered fully vaccinated?

[tpooleinjax]

3 minutes ago, canes20 said:

So if you have had the first 2 shots but time for a booster and have not had it, are you still considered fully vaccinated?

Yes.  Both vaccines are considered "fully vaxxed" and if you have the booster it's considered "up to date".

[Lee Cruiser]

3 minutes ago, canes20 said:

So if you have had the first 2 shots but time for a booster and have not had it, are you still considered fully vaccinated?

Yes.  This is from John Heald's FB page:

 

Fully vaccinated ( with the exception of some of the specified longer cruises which can be found on our website) means that you have had both shots of your vaccine or the one shot Johnson and Johnson.

Boosters are not required unless specified for these longer Cruises again mentioned on our have fun be safe protocols.

[Lee Cruiser]

6 minutes ago, canes20 said:

So if you have had the first 2 shots but time for a booster and have not had it, are you still considered fully vaccinated?

Another good change is that on 6 day plus cruises that still currently require testing, those who are vaccinated, but haven't had the boosters can go back to testing up to 3 days out instead of two.

[CruizinSusan70]

2 hours ago, KendallGator said:

In other words, we will be a follower and make any announcements after the industry leaders do.

Could not have said it better myself.  Once again, Carnival is never an innovator unless you like self propelled sky bikes or a roller coaster.

 

[pc_load_letter]

12 minutes ago, CruizinSusan70 said:

Could not have said it better myself.  Once again, Carnival is never an innovator unless you like self propelled sky bikes or a roller coaster.

 

 

Innovator? W*T*F are you talking about? This is not some new tech or bullcrap biodegradable straw. These are policies that have to be carefully considered and worked through. It's not race.

Edited July 29, 2022 by pc_load_letter

[BlerkOne]

16 minutes ago, CruizinSusan70 said:

Could not have said it better myself.  Once again, Carnival is never an innovator unless you like self propelled sky bikes or a roller coaster.

 

You simply choose to ignore Carnival's innovations whether the smoke free Paradise or the first mass market line to require masks and everything in between.