Will Silversea follow Royal Caribbean's change in vaccination policy?

[cotto22]

Royal Caribbean just changed its Covid vaccination policy and is not requiring all adult passengers to be vaccinated for voyages less than 6 days. And there is speculation that it could be extended if the new policy is successful. Personally, I hope Silversea does not even consider it. 

[Gourmet Gal]

AFAIK the policy includes SS.  
 

I think the testing gives pax a false sense of security and they abandon strategic masking.

Edited July 30, 2022 by Gourmet Gal

[WesW]

The RCL CEO said they were considering removing pre cruise testing for longer voyages (including Silversea) in the near future, in the announcement for ceasing testing on short cruises.

Edited July 30, 2022 by WesW

[Silver Spectre]

2 hours ago, cotto22 said:

Royal Caribbean just changed its Covid vaccination policy and is not requiring all adult passengers to be vaccinated for voyages less than 6 days. And there is speculation that it could be extended if the new policy is successful. Personally, I hope Silversea does not even consider it. 

Agreed, this is a backward step when Omicron and it’s variants are as transmissible as ever. If SS remove the vaccination requirements then it’s goodbye to SS.

[A Tucson Guy]

So if all the luxury cruise lines remove the requirement of prior testing, you are going to quit cruising for a while? Just curious.

[dawntrdr]

Just to be clear, Royal Caribbean is stopping pre-cruise testing for cruises of 5 days or less IF you are vaccinated.  It is NOT changing its policy about vaccination.   With few exceptions, you still have to be fully vaccinated and up to date.  Here is the language from the July 28 press release:

 

"Starting Aug. 8, testing will be required for unvaccinated guests on all voyages and for vaccinated guests only on voyages that are six nights or longer. "

[nfcu]

And how many Silversea cruises are for 5 days or less???

[Silver Spectre]

1 hour ago, A Tucson Guy said:

So if all the luxury cruise lines remove the requirement of prior testing, you are going to quit cruising for a while? Just curious.

IMHO unless you have one of the very small number of conditions that mitigate against COVID vaccination then you shouldn’t be allowed to travel internationally and certainly not on a cruise ship.

[cotto22]

My concern is not for prior testing, it is for allowing unvaccinated people on board ship. And while obviously SS does not offer short voyages, my speculation was what would be our reaction if the policy were extended to longer voyages.

[jollyjones]

Why is anybody worrying about testing and vaccination anymore? If you are unvaxxed, it doesn’t make you much more infectious, it’s just a worry for the cruise line that you will become more ill should you get Covid. Not a problem for the pax who’ve vaxxed. 

Nothing really matters anymore.  It’s a different world. 
We will just go through repeated waves of infection until Covid “settles in”, there isn’t much point worrying about it. 
We should all just get on with living, not testing and cowering in fear. 

Edited July 31, 2022 by jollyjones

[A Tucson Guy]

47 minutes ago, jollyjones said:

Why is anybody worrying about testing and vaccination anymore? If you are unvaxxed, it doesn’t make you much more infectious, it’s just a worry for the cruise line that you will become more ill should you get Covid. Not a problem for the pax who’ve vaxxed. 

Nothing really matters anymore.  It’s a different world. 
We will just go through repeated waves of infection until Covid “settles in”, there isn’t much point worrying about it. 
We should all just get on with living, not testing and cowering in fear. 

I'll drink to that. We were both on the Moon 7-5 to 7-15 with all required tests. Had a great time. We came home and both had Covid with almost no symptoms. Covid will end up being like the seasonal flu. Will we cruise again- yes!! Off to the Dawn in Nov. 2022.

[dawntrdr]

On the Seabourn boards they are reporting that Seabourn has dropped pre-cruise testing for vaccinated passengers going on cruises of 15 days or less effective 6 Sept 2022.  Exceptions apply to departures from Canada, Australia, Greece and certain voyages including transoceanic and Panama Canal.  

[Gourmet Gal]

I have such mixed feelings about this.  On the one hand I hope SS follows suit because I don't want to be the one testing positive next month before embarkation in Southampton. On the other this means untested vaccinated passengers could easily bring Covid on board with them.  The vaccine only protects against severe illness and seems to do little to prevent the spread.  
 

I’ll be the one wearing a mask.

[Gourmet Gal]

On 7/31/2022 at 12:55 PM, A Tucson Guy said:

I'll drink to that. We were both on the Moon 7-5 to 7-15 with all required tests. Had a great time. We came home and both had Covid with almost no symptoms. Covid will end up being like the seasonal flu. Will we cruise again- yes!! Off to the Dawn in Nov. 2022.

You’re lucky and not everyone has such an easy time.  I don’t want Covid ruining my vacation.  My fully vaxed and boosted husband caught Covid on a Tauck river cruise this spring and was miserable for 10 days.  It’s still a flu — not “just” a cold.  When the medical world describes “mild” Covid symptoms they really mean “not sick enough to be hospitalized” so you can still be down and out for awhile.  Not the way I want to spend vacation.  And I guess no one cares anymore about continued infections causing Covid to mutate further as we all have pandemic fatigue.

[drron29]

Though the 2 of us had covid even after boosted. I didn't have symptoms and Rojaan felt tired for a few days.

Also people who have recovered from Covid have about the same immunity as people with the basic vaccination course.

There are now a few papers that suggest if you have recovered from covid and then have 1 vaccine shot your immunity is slightly better than fully vaccinated and boosted but haven't had covid,

 

So having had 4 shots,recovered from covid I am not worried by covid but the fact that regulations may prevent me travelling.

 

Even the CDC is now recommending not to discriminate on vaccination status.

"Both prior infection and vaccination confer some protection against severe illness, and so it really makes the most sense to not differentiate with our guidance or our recommendations based on vaccination status at this time," Dr. Massetti told reporters.

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-cdc-no-longer-recommends-students-quarantine-covid-19-exposure-2022-08-11/?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=daily-briefing&utm_term=08-12-2022

[Gourmet Gal]

What regulations would prevent you from traveling?

[drron29]

Feeling completely well but my pre boarding covid test was positive is my major worry. Would completely destroy the vacation. And I don't believe it is right to deny boarding but if I knew I was positive I would wear a mask for at least for 7 days as the only real proof with masks reducing transmission is when an infected person wears a mask.

[Lirio]

Covid is a collective problem. I was in wind 2 weeks ago. Crew was with masks all time. Expedition team wore it most of the time. Most guests didn´t.

Covid can cause symptoms even in those with 4 doses of a vaccine and symptoms can destroy your vacation (fever, headache, sore throat, cough, etc.).

We are talking about ourselves, but suppose crew gets covid and can’t work, this will also cause a lot of problem during a cruise.

I guess Silversea guests average age is over 60, who are most sensible to covid. I guess RC guests average age is lower.

Vaccination, testing and masks are so far the best option to reduce potential problems.

[labrasett]

19 hours ago, Gourmet Gal said:

I have such mixed feelings about this.  On the one hand I hope SS follows suit because I don't want to be the one testing positive next month before embarkation in Southampton. On the other this means untested vaccinated passengers could easily bring Covid on board with them.  The vaccine only protects against severe illness and seems to do little to prevent the spread.  
 

I’ll be the one wearing a mask.

Better to be the one testing positive before embarkation than becoming symptomatic on the ship and being quarantined in your cabin for day.