Revised NCL/Oceania COVID Guidelines Out Today: Drops Pre-Cruise Testing for the Vaccinated

[MEFIowa]

"

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings today announced revisions to its SailSAFE health and safety protocols for its Norwegian, Oceania and Regent brands. Vaccinated guests aged 12 and over will no longer have any pre-cruise COVID-19 related protocols and unvaccinated guests may embark with a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours prior to departure, subject to local regulations. According to a press release, this policy will go into effect across Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises for all sailings that commence on or after September 3, 2022. Requirements may differ for guests traveling on voyages departing from or visiting destinations with specific local regulations, including but not limited to Canada, Greece and Bermuda."

 

Norwegian Cruise Line Drops Pre-Voyage COVID-19 Testing - Cruise Industry News

Edited August 8, 2022 by MEFIowa
Clarified Title

[ORV]

Well, this could be interesting. I'm sure some here will be pretty disappointed. Others elated.  They still need to update the section in the middle of the page. 

[Flatbush Flyer]

56 minutes ago, MEFIowa said:

"

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings today announced revisions to its SailSAFE health and safety protocols for its Norwegian, Oceania and Regent brands. Vaccinated guests aged 12 and over will no longer have any pre-cruise COVID-19 related protocols and unvaccinated guests may embark with a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours prior to departure, subject to local regulations. According to a press release, this policy will go into effect across Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises for all sailings that commence on or after September 3, 2022. Requirements may differ for guests traveling on voyages departing from or visiting destinations with specific local regulations, including but not limited to Canada, Greece and Bermuda."

 

Norwegian Cruise Line Drops Pre-Voyage COVID-19 Testing - Cruise Industry News

At least for O and Regent, this is a MAJOR mistake - particularly the “no vaccine” requirement! 
In any case, the sure-to-increase onboard Covid numbers will eventually reverse that decision. 

[ShopperfiendTO]

10 minutes ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

At least for O and Regent, this is a MAJOR mistake - particularly the “no vaccine” requirement! 
In any case, the sure-to-increase onboard Covid numbers will eventually reverse that decision. 

 

Based on the SailSafe effective for sailings after September 2, it looks like Oceania is also not covering you any longer even if you take and have a negative test before travelling: https://www.oceaniacruises.com/sites/default/files/2022-08/sail-safe-new.pdf

 

These are not the terms we signed up for when we booked the cruise and we are past final payment!  How does Oceania expect people to get coverage this late in when travel cancellation/interruption insurance usually has to be bought shortly after the booking is made?

[rheasue38]

Hi!

 Quick question` If you are leaving in Oct. from NY and will arrive in Canada 4 or more days later do you need a covid test at embarkation? 

Rhea

[WESTEAST]

Another change noted in the updated SailSafe document:

If a guest tests positive for COVID-19 while on board, what costs are covered?

Guests should travel with adequate insurance coverage for costs incurred for COVID-19 relates illness and treatment. 

[Flatbush Flyer]

11 minutes ago, rheasue38 said:

Hi!

 Quick question` If you are leaving in Oct. from NY and will arrive in Canada 4 or more days later do you need a covid test at embarkation? 

Rhea

Let’s hope so.

[rheasue38]

There are going to be many more cases onboard if passengers are not tested before embarkation.

          Rhea

[Andee]

We're in the disappointed camp because we worry that this will lead to more cases on board and put passengers at risk.

 

[Pvbgirl]

I wonder if fully vaccinated is one or two boosters for cruises departing from the US?

[ShopperfiendTO]

15 minutes ago, Pvbgirl said:

I wonder if fully vaccinated is one or two boosters for cruises departing from the US?

According to the SailSafe document, you don't even need a booster to be considered "fully vaccinated" for US or Canada (I assume this means for sailing from these countries): 

https://www.oceaniacruises.com/sites/default/files/2022-08/sail-safe-new.pdf

 

"United States’ and Canada’s definition of fully vaccinated means to have completed the full brand vaccination protocol at least 15 days prior to embarkation. Therefore, two administered doses/shots of AstraZeneca, Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, Sinopharm or Sinovac, etc; or a single shot of a single dose vaccination + 15 days equals fully vaccinated. A single shot of a dual dose vaccine or antibodies from Covid-19 recovery is NOT considered being fully vaccinated."

 

However, O does at least give this caveat:

 

"PLEASE NOTE: Guests must ultimately comply with all destination-specific vaccination requirements and definitions which may change without notice. All guests are strongly recommended to get a covid-19 booster prior to traveling. Oceania Cruises cannot be held responsible for any guests who are denied entry to a destination or denial of boarding due to lack of proper vaccination documentation or failing to meet a specific destination’s covid vaccination definitions or requirements."

Edited August 8, 2022 by ShopperfiendTO

[1985rz1]

54 minutes ago, rheasue38 said:

Hi!

 Quick question` If you are leaving in Oct. from NY and will arrive in Canada 4 or more days later do you need a covid test at embarkation? 

Rhea

Yes.  Canada's embarkation requirements have not changed.  Within 72 hours prior to boarding for PCR; within 2 days for antigen.

Edited August 8, 2022 by 1985rz1

[chloemonkey]

Wow.....as if I wasn't already confused about the Covid test requirements reimbursement etc...We are leaving August 28th on a 17 day trip from Rome to Istanbul.  BUT this is also TWO separate cruises....although ours "seems" to be booked as one.  But now I wonder if they will treat this as TWO different cruises and the terms will be different for each of the portions of the trip?

And I am confused as to whether or not we will be reimbursed if we have to be quarantined?  Or has this been taken off of the table as well?  To make matters MORE confusing.....we WILL of course be in both Turkey AND Greece...which seem to have more stringent protocols....

Wish I had cancelled this a long time ago.......

[Nymich]

It's almost fitting that Del Rio drops this news as he likes to be first.  He seems to march to the beat of his own drum.  

[pinotlover]

Disappointed! IMO there is zero reason to drop the vaccination requirements.

[ORV]

It seems they want to get out of the Covid policing business and get back to the business of cruising. It's obvious from the wording they're putting the responsibility for pretty much everything on the customer. 

[ToxM]

As unvaccinated people are more likely to experience severe symptoms, my only observation is that if you are unvaccinated make sure your trip insurance will cover you for all medical eventualities and their subsequent costs. 

[PhD-iva]

2 minutes ago, ToxM said:

As unvaccinated people are more likely to experience severe symptoms, my only observation is that if you are unvaccinated make sure your trip insurance will cover you for all medical eventualities and their subsequent costs. 

Up to and including death….

[ToxM]

Just now, PhD-iva said:

Up to and including death….

I am surprised that they are opening bookings to unvaccinated people, but it’s a business decision I suppose. I will be 4x jabbed by the time I go in December. Still not caught covid yet either. 

[Flatbush Flyer]

Just now, ToxM said:

I am surprised that they are opening bookings to unvaccinated people, but it’s a business decision I suppose. I will be 4x jabbed by the time I go in December. Still not caught covid yet either. 

Yes - very surprising - especially since it will surely increase crew illness due to exposure to an ever changing passenger base. 

[MarkWiltonM]

So glad vaccinated guests no longer have to be tested. So bummed that unvaccinated people may be on board.  

[Redtravel]

Getting nervous about the new lack of safe protocols.  Even with testing, some people got Covid on cruises.  My spouse did.   Now we are not looking forward to cruising again. We have one future cruise booked using fcc. We may just skip it.  We loved cruising before the pandemic. 

[JoePDX]

3 hours ago, chloemonkey said:

Wow.....as if I wasn't already confused about the Covid test requirements reimbursement etc...We are leaving August 28th on a 17 day trip from Rome to Istanbul.  BUT this is also TWO separate cruises....although ours "seems" to be booked as one.  But now I wonder if they will treat this as TWO different cruises and the terms will be different for each of the portions of the trip?

And I am confused as to whether or not we will be reimbursed if we have to be quarantined?  Or has this been taken off of the table as well?  To make matters MORE confusing.....we WILL of course be in both Turkey AND Greece...which seem to have more stringent protocols....

Wish I had cancelled this a long time ago.......

 

Turkey has no entry requirements as of 6-1-2022, you don't need to show that you are vaccinated and you don't need a negative COVID test.   https://tr.usembassy.gov/covid-19-information-2/

 

Greece also changed their masking requirements on 6-1-2022.   https://greekreporter.com/2022/06/01/face-masks-greece-coronavirus/

 

BTW - we get on Riviera when you get off.   Take good care of her for us!  😀

 

Joe

[Debbers]

4 hours ago, rheasue38 said:

There are going to be many more cases onboard if passengers are not tested before embarkation.

          Rhea

Absolutely.  No question.  Even more important, UNVAXED passengers will be permitted to board if they test negative, but they are much more likely to pick up the virus in port and bring it aboard.

 

 

Edited August 8, 2022 by Debbers
unfinished

[Debbers]

3 hours ago, ToxM said:

 I will be 4x jabbed by the time I go in December. Still not caught covid yet either. 

We were the same--double jabbed and double boosted--and still caught the virus aboard.  We were not very ill, but spent 11 days in covid jail.