8/12/22 PRINCESS CRUISES REMOVES VACCINE REQUIREMENT FOR MOST VOYAGES, ELMINATES PRE-CRUISE TESTING FOR VACCINATED GUESTS

[PacnGoNow]

1 minute ago, Steelers36 said:

Yes, but I do realize that they have multiple pages?  (Why can't they just summarize everything in one place simply, like some other cruise lines).  

 

This page (linked from top of Princess.com home page):  https://www.princess.com/plan/cruise-with-confidence/cruise-health/frequently-asked-questions/eu-cruises/

 

does indicate the 16-night situation, along with other special voyages such as trans-ocean.  It was last changed (in some manner) on August 15.

 

In the top paragraph on that page, there is the link to this page: 

https://www.princess.com/plan/cruise-with-confidence/cruise-health/vaccine-testing-requirements/

 

This one was last changed on August 16 - which seems primarily to be the Greece wording.  I glommed onto that odd section and have not thought about the 16-night situation.  The section on this page for >= Sep 6 date, is silent on voyage length and doesn't mention the 16+-nights as an exception case.  Was this an omission error, or was it deliberate?  YGIAGAM.

Another update will be coming.😬

 

[Steelers36]

35 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

If it is a single 16-night voyage, then yes.  That at least is pretty clear in the new protocols.

Or maybe not so clear.  

[KeepCalmBearOn]

10 minutes ago, Bwana Tom said:

Out of San Diego both on the Diamond. 

 

Good, San Diego is a much better place to deal with ICE/TSA than LA. Hopefully they will drop all requirements soon.

[ceilidh1]

29 minutes ago, Bwana Tom said:

Not necessarily. We are booked on a 16 day Hawaii cruise in January with a b2b 7 day Mexico cruise following that one and trying to figure out what Princess' rules are today. For me I have a lot of time ahead of me and expect many vague changes and confusion to follow. 

Is Hawaii not classed as Trans Ocean? I agree, it's not clear....

[PacnGoNow]

They just updated the health protocols FAQ page today, Aug 17th.  

[vjmatty]

1 hour ago, ceilidh1 said:

Is Hawaii not classed as Trans Ocean? I agree, it's not clear....

 

As far away as it seems, Hawaii is still not even halfway across the Pacific.  Same for Bermuda not being Trans Ocean.

[Daniel A]

13 minutes ago, PacnGoNow said:

They just updated the health protocols FAQ page today, Aug 17th.  

Today is August 18.  That page refers us to the Vaccination & Testing Requirements by Region page which has removed the testing requirement for vaccinated passengers not on voyages with enhanced guidelines, so they are still in conflict with each other.

 

 

"What are the testing and vaccination requirements for sailing with Princess?

Princess welcomes all guests to enjoy our one-of-a-kind vacation experience. Below you’ll find important information regarding testing and vaccination to help you plan your next cruise: View the Vaccination & Testing Requirements by Region page."

 

Tat page shows:

Effective on voyages departing on September 6, 2022 & beyond
(Voyages Departing from the United States, United Kingdom, & Europe^)

Updated: August 16, 2022

Vaccination Status	Definition by Country's Health Authority	Pre-Travel Test Type & When to Take Test Before Boarding Age: 5 Years and Up
		Voyages from the U.S., UK, EU	Voyages with Enhanced Guidelines^
Fully Vaccinated U.S. Voyages*	Received primary series of COVID-19 vaccines with final dose at least 14 days before embarkation.	Testing not required	Medically assisted Antigen or PCR within 3 days
Fully Vaccinated UK & EU Voyages**	Received primary series of COVID-19 vaccines with final dose at least 14 days before embarkation. A booster dose is required for guests 18 and older if the last COVID-19 vaccine dose in series is older than 9 months (270 days) from the date of disembarkation.	Testing not required	Medically assisted Antigen or PCR within 3 days
Not Vaccinated	Not fully vaccinated are welcome to cruise. If cruise includes a Canadian port, an additional medical exemption is needed.	Self-administered Antigen OR medically assisted PCR within 3 days	Medically assisted Antigen or PCR within 3 days

Kids under 5 do not require pre-travel testing. Minimum age to sail is 6 months or 12 months based on cruise itinerary, review Passage Contract for details.

^Enhanced Guidelines Voyages include full Panama Canal transits, Trans-Ocean crossings, special voyages, Greek guidelines (voyages departing, arriving or visiting Greece), Canadian guidelines (voyages, arriving or visiting Canada).

* Note all Alaska voyages include Canada and must follow Canadian guidelines. For voyages departing, arriving or visiting Canada, please refer to the Canada table for Vaccination and Testing Requirements.

**The Greek government has their own testing requirements. For voyages departing, arriving or visiting Greece, please refer to the Greece table for Vaccination and Testing Requirements.

Edited August 18, 2022 by Daniel A

[PacnGoNow]

3 minutes ago, Daniel A said:

Today is August 18.  That page refers us to the Vaccination & Testing Requirements by Region page which has removed the testing requirement for vaccinated passengers not on voyages with enhanced guidelines, so they are still in conflict with each other.

 

 

"What are the testing and vaccination requirements for sailing with Princess?

Princess welcomes all guests to enjoy our one-of-a-kind vacation experience. Below you’ll find important information regarding testing and vaccination to help you plan your next cruise: View the Vaccination & Testing Requirements by Region page."

 

Tat page shows:

Effective on voyages departing on September 6, 2022 & beyond
(Voyages Departing from the United States, United Kingdom, & Europe^)

Updated: August 16, 2022

Vaccination Status	Definition by Country's Health Authority	Pre-Travel Test Type & When to Take Test Before Boarding Age: 5 Years and Up
		Voyages from the U.S., UK, EU	Voyages with Enhanced Guidelines^
Fully Vaccinated U.S. Voyages*	Received primary series of COVID-19 vaccines with final dose at least 14 days before embarkation.	Testing not required	Medically assisted Antigen or PCR within 3 days
Fully Vaccinated UK & EU Voyages**	Received primary series of COVID-19 vaccines with final dose at least 14 days before embarkation. A booster dose is required for guests 18 and older if the last COVID-19 vaccine dose in series is older than 9 months (270 days) from the date of disembarkation.	Testing not required	Medically assisted Antigen or PCR within 3 days
Not Vaccinated	Not fully vaccinated are welcome to cruise. If cruise includes a Canadian port, an additional medical exemption is needed.	Self-administered Antigen OR medically assisted PCR within 3 days	Medically assisted Antigen or PCR within 3 days

Kids under 5 do not require pre-travel testing. Minimum age to sail is 6 months or 12 months based on cruise itinerary, review Passage Contract for details.

^Enhanced Guidelines Voyages include full Panama Canal transits, Trans-Ocean crossings, special voyages, Greek guidelines (voyages departing, arriving or visiting Greece), Canadian guidelines (voyages, arriving or visiting Canada).

* Note all Alaska voyages include Canada and must follow Canadian guidelines. For voyages departing, arriving or visiting Canada, please refer to the Canada table for Vaccination and Testing Requirements.

**The Greek government has their own testing requirements. For voyages departing, arriving or visiting Greece, please refer to the Greece table for Vaccination and Testing Requirements.

You’re so correct!  I clicked on the link they sent me today, regarding getting ready for my cruise!  Of course, it’s an outdated link. Well, one day, it’s outdated.
 

They really need a proofreader.

 

Thanks for catching that.

[PacnGoNow]

6 minutes ago, Daniel A said:

Today is August 18.  That page refers us to the Vaccination & Testing Requirements by Region page which has removed the testing requirement for vaccinated passengers not on voyages with enhanced guidelines, so they are still in conflict with each other.

 

 

"What are the testing and vaccination requirements for sailing with Princess?

Princess welcomes all guests to enjoy our one-of-a-kind vacation experience. Below you’ll find important information regarding testing and vaccination to help you plan your next cruise: View the Vaccination & Testing Requirements by Region page."

 

Tat page shows:

Effective on voyages departing on September 6, 2022 & beyond
(Voyages Departing from the United States, United Kingdom, & Europe^)

Updated: August 16, 2022

Vaccination Status	Definition by Country's Health Authority	Pre-Travel Test Type & When to Take Test Before Boarding Age: 5 Years and Up
		Voyages from the U.S., UK, EU	Voyages with Enhanced Guidelines^
Fully Vaccinated U.S. Voyages*	Received primary series of COVID-19 vaccines with final dose at least 14 days before embarkation.	Testing not required	Medically assisted Antigen or PCR within 3 days
Fully Vaccinated UK & EU Voyages**	Received primary series of COVID-19 vaccines with final dose at least 14 days before embarkation. A booster dose is required for guests 18 and older if the last COVID-19 vaccine dose in series is older than 9 months (270 days) from the date of disembarkation.	Testing not required	Medically assisted Antigen or PCR within 3 days
Not Vaccinated	Not fully vaccinated are welcome to cruise. If cruise includes a Canadian port, an additional medical exemption is needed.	Self-administered Antigen OR medically assisted PCR within 3 days	Medically assisted Antigen or PCR within 3 days

Kids under 5 do not require pre-travel testing. Minimum age to sail is 6 months or 12 months based on cruise itinerary, review Passage Contract for details.

^Enhanced Guidelines Voyages include full Panama Canal transits, Trans-Ocean crossings, special voyages, Greek guidelines (voyages departing, arriving or visiting Greece), Canadian guidelines (voyages, arriving or visiting Canada).

* Note all Alaska voyages include Canada and must follow Canadian guidelines. For voyages departing, arriving or visiting Canada, please refer to the Canada table for Vaccination and Testing Requirements.

**The Greek government has their own testing requirements. For voyages departing, arriving or visiting Greece, please refer to the Greece table for Vaccination and Testing Requirements.

And that’s what they are currently sending out to cruisers.  Sad

[Tedferg]

@Steelers36 did you say you had checked what other cruise lines require? A friend is sailing on Viking Ocean on Sep 29 from Vancouver and has heard nothing about testing for Canada.

[Daniel A]

1 minute ago, PacnGoNow said:

You’re so correct!  I clicked on the link they sent me today, regarding getting ready for my cruise!  Of course, it’s an outdated link. Well, one day, it’s outdated.
 

They really need a proofreader.

 

Thanks for catching that.

It's nice to see Princess is rapidly getting back to the pre-Covid norms - If you don't get an answer you like, look or ask again and get a completely different answer.  The same geniuses that handle the Medallion App must be supervising what is being posted on their website.  It's all over the place.  🤦‍♂️

[Bwana Tom]

18 minutes ago, PacnGoNow said:

You’re so correct!  I clicked on the link they sent me today, regarding getting ready for my cruise!  Of course, it’s an outdated link. Well, one day, it’s outdated.
 

They really need a proofreader.

 

Thanks for catching that.

I think they need to fire their management personnel and hire people that are actually responsible and does what they are apparently being hired to do.

[Steelers36]

1 hour ago, Tedferg said:

@Steelers36 did you say you had checked what other cruise lines require? A friend is sailing on Viking Ocean on Sep 29 from Vancouver and has heard nothing about testing for Canada.

I was only researching for any other official website that would have special Greece requirements such as Princess has outlined and I could find nothing.  I was not looking at Canada at all.  I live here, but to best of my knowledge there has been zero changes to Canada's position on cruise ship protocols.

[Tedferg]

1 hour ago, Steelers36 said:

I was only researching for any other official website that would have special Greece requirements such as Princess has outlined and I could find nothing.  I was not looking at Canada at all.  I live here, but to best of my knowledge there has been zero changes to Canada's position on cruise ship protocols.

Carnival website has the same 72 hours and 2 days for Canada. Incidentally they also still have the 16 plus days distinction, though the update is several days old.

[teacherplus]

My 16 day September 11 cruise leaves from Copenhagen. Hopefully the website will be fixed so it’s not so confusing by the time I have to test or NOT

[KeepCalmBearOn]

4 hours ago, ceilidh1 said:

Is Hawaii not classed as Trans Ocean? I agree, it's not clear....

 

Hawaii is not transocean because you do not cross an ocean. You go less than half way and then turn back.

[Level six]

22 minutes ago, teacherplus said:

My 16 day September 11 cruise leaves from Copenhagen. Hopefully the website will be fixed so it’s not so confusing by the time I have to test or NOT

We are on that cruise and the one before it.  I also hope no testing for B2B. It would make it less stressful

[Carnevale]

Like Steelers36 I have tried to see what the govt of Greece requires and cannot find anything that aligns with what Princess requires.  For those interested in this, have a look at  https://travel.gov.gr/#/ where it’s clear testing is not required by Greece.  To quote this site:

 

”Furthermore, as of Sunday 01.05.2022, all travellers arriving in Greece, regardless of their country of origin, are no longer required to display a valid certificate of vaccination or recovery from COVID-19, or evidence of a negative test result from SARS-CoV-2 infection (PCR or Rapid Antigen test).”

I can’t understand what Princess is doing!  Why do they require testing when Greece doesn’t?  What am I missing?

[phabric]

Carmen Roig, from Princess is having Connect with Princess Webinar on August 25 @ 2:00pm EST or 11 PST on Facebook or YouTube

 

"What's new? Bid for a stateroom upgrade and updated vaccinations and testings guidelines"

[PacnGoNow]

1 hour ago, phabric said:

Carmen Roig, from Princess is having Connect with Princess Webinar on August 25 @ 2:00pm EST or 11 PST on Facebook or YouTube

 

"What's new? Bid for a stateroom upgrade and updated vaccinations and testings guidelines"

And a “new” major IT error on the MedallionNet?

[PacnGoNow]

10 hours ago, Carnevale said:

Like Steelers36 I have tried to see what the govt of Greece requires and cannot find anything that aligns with what Princess requires.  For those interested in this, have a look at  https://travel.gov.gr/#/ where it’s clear testing is not required by Greece.  To quote this site:

 

”Furthermore, as of Sunday 01.05.2022, all travellers arriving in Greece, regardless of their country of origin, are no longer required to display a valid certificate of vaccination or recovery from COVID-19, or evidence of a negative test result from SARS-CoV-2 infection (PCR or Rapid Antigen test).”

I can’t understand what Princess is doing!  Why do they require testing when Greece doesn’t?  What am I missing?

The only thing I can figure is that the cruise lines have more restrictions on them due to bringing thousands of people into Greece at one time.  
We are not privy to the actual number if covid cases OB, but the Government’s are aware.  JMO

 

[Steelers36]

3 minutes ago, PacnGoNow said:

The only thing I can figure is that the cruise lines have more restrictions on them due to bringing thousands of people into Greece at one time.  
We are not privy to the actual number if covid cases OB, but the Government’s are aware.  JMO

 

So, if these restrictions exist, why can't anyone find them published online?  And why would no other cruise line be similarly impacted?

Edited August 19, 2022 by Steelers36

[PacnGoNow]

31 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

So, if these restrictions exist, why can't anyone find them published online?  And why would no other cruise line be similarly impacted?

IDK. I see RCCL and https://celestyal.com/us/greece-cruise-protocols/

as the same, test in person 2days before etc.  Don’t see visiting, stopping, etc verbage.

 

IDK why PCL would be restricted than that.  Let’s hope they update or clarify.

 

[Tedferg]

 Canada: I wonder why they make a distinction of two days for Antigen and 72 hours for PCR. I understand that they could not say 'as you board' nor 'A month before you board' and so, a relatively arbitrary time is chosen, close to departure but long enough to provide some flexibility. But why make a distinction between the tests? Why days for one and hours for the other - bureaucracy at its best.

[kirtihk]

2 hours ago, Tedferg said:

 Canada: I wonder why they make a distinction of two days for Antigen and 72 hours for PCR. I understand that they could not say 'as you board' nor 'A month before you board' and so, a relatively arbitrary time is chosen, close to departure but long enough to provide some flexibility. But why make a distinction between the tests? Why days for one and hours for the other - bureaucracy at its best.

"The left hand doesn't know what the right one is up to" (not just in Canada and for cruises only).  That's why.