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

[bobloblaw007]

I've skimmed through this thread (reading every second page or so), trying to get a feel on the current situation aboard the ships. I remember back in June timeframe, every second or third thread here was about question/complaints about the Quarantine procedure. Some people reported busloads of people getting off the ship at disembarkation to go on busses to Quarantine hotels and I read in ANC they even booked a whole hotel to house the Quarantine folks. Princess even had a temporary masking policy for o/w Alaska trips.

 

Now, when I go through the first 4-5 pages of this forum, there's not a single thread about this topic. For folks that recently cruised, is the situation better now (less people testing +ve/quarantine)? Maybe this is why cruise lines have more confidence to loosening some of the requirements?

[eclue]

1 hour ago, bobloblaw007 said:

I've skimmed through this thread (reading every second page or so), trying to get a feel on the current situation aboard the ships. I remember back in June timeframe, every second or third thread here was about question/complaints about the Quarantine procedure. Some people reported busloads of people getting off the ship at disembarkation to go on busses to Quarantine hotels and I read in ANC they even booked a whole hotel to house the Quarantine folks. Princess even had a temporary masking policy for o/w Alaska trips.

 

Now, when I go through the first 4-5 pages of this forum, there's not a single thread about this topic. For folks that recently cruised, is the situation better now (less people testing +ve/quarantine)? Maybe this is why cruise lines have more confidence to loosening some of the requirements?

We got off the Caribbean Princess on MOnday after a 10 day New England cruise. There was a woman in quarantine very , very ill transferred to the hospital in NY wiht covid pneumonia.....It still needs to be very careful out there.

[Brummel]

I am confused. The guidelines seem to say that if a cruise departs from the US or the UK after September 5th, then a booster shot is NOT required to be considered fully vaccinated. This seems to be confirmed and not an oversight because the guidelines up to September 5th do require a booster shot if the cruise departs from the UK.

 

I'm booked on the April 23, 2023 transatlantic crossing to Southampton from Ft. Lauderdale and am planning a Southampton to Ft. Lauderdale cruise and would like to avoid all the covid testing required for the non-vacc'd. 

 

Does anyone know or when I can get a definitive answer?

[Level six]

50 minutes ago, Brummel said:

I am confused. The guidelines seem to say that if a cruise departs from the US or the UK after September 5th, then a booster shot is NOT required to be considered fully vaccinated. This seems to be confirmed and not an oversight because the guidelines up to September 5th do require a booster shot if the cruise departs from the UK.

 

I'm booked on the April 23, 2023 transatlantic crossing to Southampton from Ft. Lauderdale and am planning a Southampton to Ft. Lauderdale cruise and would like to avoid all the covid testing required for the non-vacc'd. 

 

Does anyone know or when I can get a definitive answer?

I had a chat with princess and they said a 2nd booster isn't needed, it also states that on frequently asked questions.  But then there is that random 270 days since last vaccine for UK sailing.  So, do I need a 2nd booster or not? 

I leave in a week. 

[Steelers36]

27 minutes ago, Level six said:

I had a chat with princess and they said a 2nd booster isn't needed, it also states that on frequently asked questions.  But then there is that random 270 days since last vaccine for UK sailing.  So, do I need a 2nd booster or not? 

I leave in a week. 

Never need a 2nd booster.  You need first booster if more than 270 days from final course of regular vaccine until end of voyage.  If you have had one booster, the 270 days doesn't matter.

[eclue]

10 hours ago, Level six said:

I had a chat with princess and they said a 2nd booster isn't needed, it also states that on frequently asked questions.  But then there is that random 270 days since last vaccine for UK sailing.  So, do I need a 2nd booster or not? 

I leave in a week. 

Just get the 2nd booster - it is for your benefit.

[Level six]

1 minute ago, eclue said:

Just get the 2nd booster - it is for your benefit.

I was going to wait until the next approved one.  Thanks. 

[Dan M.]

I didn't see anything about masks. On our recent Alaska cruisetour, there was a mask "mandate" that many, many people didn't follow. Why have one if it's not going to be enforced?

[KeepCalmBearOn]

16 hours ago, Brummel said:

I'm booked on the April 23, 2023 transatlantic crossing to Southampton from Ft. Lauderdale and am planning a Southampton to Ft. Lauderdale cruise and would like to avoid all the covid testing required for the non-vacc'd. 

 

Does anyone know or when I can get a definitive answer?

 

The definitive answer will change six times between now and April 2023 so I would ask again sometime in 2023.

[Kamfish642]

Why is pre-cruise COVID test required when Australia itself eliminated the need for a pre-arrival COVID test for people arriving in Australia?

[beg3yrs]

One of our upcoming cruises will make a couple of calls in Greece. The language has changed and now says the last shot in your vaccine series must have been received less than 270 days from disembarkation. The key phrase here is "last shot in your vaccine series" which to me tells me that our last booster, which was received in January of this year, will be too old. Off to Walgreen's for yet another jab ...

[Level six]

3 minutes ago, beg3yrs said:

One of our upcoming cruises will make a couple of calls in Greece. The language has changed and now says the last shot in your vaccine series must have been received less than 270 days from disembarkation. The key phrase here is "last shot in your vaccine series" which to me tells me that our last booster, which was received in January of this year, will be too old. Off to Walgreen's for yet another jab ...

As it was explained to me above, the 270 days does not apply if you have had one booster.  If you look at the Princess website it says no 2nd booster is needed. 

[Brummel]

Still confused. New guidelines seem to have dropped requirement for even one booster for UK, US, Europe departures. Who at Princess can I contact to answer?

[Brummel]

3 hours ago, scottca075 said:

 

The definitive answer will change six times between now and April 2023 so I would ask again sometime in 2023.

True enough. 

[beg3yrs]

1 hour ago, Level six said:

As it was explained to me above, the 270 days does not apply if you have had one booster.  If you look at the Princess website it says no 2nd booster is needed. 

But then you look at Greece's language and it's changed.

 

I believe "no more than 270 days (9 months) from the date of disembarkation since receiving the last dose of an approved COVID-19 vaccine" means 270 days from your last shot of any kind. I.e. if your booster is over 9 months old, you aren't fully vaccinated in Greece's definition.

[Level six]

4 minutes ago, beg3yrs said:

But then you look at Greece's language and it's changed.

 

I believe "no more than 270 days (9 months) from the date of disembarkation since receiving the last dose of an approved COVID-19 vaccine" means 270 days from your last shot of any kind. I.e. if your booster is over 9 months old, you aren't fully vaccinated in Greece's definition.

It's the same as the language in the UK sailings.  When I chatted with Princess they said no 2nd booster needed.  I hope that is true, I leave in a few days.  I have copied two chats and their own page saying no 2nd booster needed.  

But, you should get the jab if you have time.  We just booked this cruise and it leaves in a few days, no time for me and I wanted to wait for the better booster.  I hope it works out okay. 

[Steelers36]

6 minutes ago, beg3yrs said:

But then you look at Greece's language and it's changed.

 

I believe "no more than 270 days (9 months) from the date of disembarkation since receiving the last dose of an approved COVID-19 vaccine" means 270 days from your last shot of any kind. I.e. if your booster is over 9 months old, you aren't fully vaccinated in Greece's definition.

Nope.  The last sentence above should seal the deal and clarify it.   The booster is required if the last vaccine dose in a SERIES (meaning your primary vaccine shot(s) is more than the 270 days. 

 

I realize they word things slightly different in separate locations as times (wonder why?), but it is pretty clear here.  What is way off base is the testing requirements.

[Steelers36]

1 minute ago, Level six said:

It's the same as the language in the UK sailings.  When I chatted with Princess they said no 2nd booster needed.  I hope that is true, I leave in a few days.  I have copied two chats and their own page saying no 2nd booster needed.  

But, you should get the jab if you have time.  We just booked this cruise and it leaves in a few days, no time for me and I wanted to wait for the better booster.  I hope it works out okay. 

You are correct - esp. if it is the same wording.  As I mentioned, the final sentence makes it quite clear as to when a booster is required.  And once you have had one booster, no more are required, but a person could of course have more.

[beg3yrs]

4 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

Nope.  The last sentence above should seal the deal and clarify it.   The booster is required if the last vaccine dose in a SERIES (meaning your primary vaccine shot(s) is more than the 270 days. 

 

I realize they word things slightly different in separate locations as times (wonder why?), but it is pretty clear here.  What is way off base is the testing requirements.

That's where I worry, if you're correct that the series is your first two (or one J&J) doses, yes, we're good to go. However, if a series is the sum total of all your doses (which in mathematics it is), I need another. It kind of makes sense that if they authorities are worried that the efficacy of the original shots is too low after 9 months, why wouldn't the efficacy of boosters older than 9 months be OK?

Edited August 22, 2022 by beg3yrs

[Steelers36]

5 minutes ago, beg3yrs said:

That's where I worry, if you're correct that the series is your first two (or one J&J) doses, yes, we're good to go. However, if a series is the sum total of all your doses (which in mathematics it is), I need another.

No need to worry, it's not what you suggest.  I wish I could quickly find something to put your mind at ease, but when the word "series" is used in this context it is the primary series (and often the word primary is used).  I think because Princess has multiple pages on website with this info, and because they alter wording somewhat, and because they have had multiple corrections and updates, that we are over-analyzing the text like a point of constitutional law. 

 

ETA:  Does this help - direct from the European Union:

 

Vaccinated and recovered persons

Travellers should be allowed to enter the EU if they meet one of the following conditions:

• they have completed the full primary vaccination series of a COVID-19 vaccine approved by the EU or the World Health Organization (WHO) and fewer than 270 days have passed since the completion of that series
• they have received a booster of an EU or WHO approved COVID-19 vaccine
• they have recovered from COVID-19 within 180 days prior to travel

Edited August 22, 2022 by Steelers36

[beg3yrs]

2 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

No need to worry, it's not what you suggest.  I wish I could quickly find something to put your mind at ease, but when the word "series" is used in this context it is the primary series (and often the word primary is used).  I think because Princess has multiple pages on website with this info, and because they alter wording somewhat, and because they have had multiple corrections and updates, that we are over-analyzing the text like a point of constitutional law. 

You're probably right ... who at Princess would be any good at constitutional law anyway?

[Carnevale]

I want to alert Ms Swartz Re the error on the Princess website regarding testing requirements for Greece.  My hope is that they will correct this immediately or at least in time for the start of the Sept 6th new requirements.

 

The problem is that I don’t seem to have a correct email address for her.  Via a search on CC I saw that someone recently said it is jaswartz@hagroup.com.  That bounced back.  I tried janswartz@hagrouo.com with no success.

 

Does anymore have a n address that works?

 

thanks!

[Steelers36]

8 minutes ago, Carnevale said:

I want to alert Ms Swartz Re the error on the Princess website regarding testing requirements for Greece.  My hope is that they will correct this immediately or at least in time for the start of the Sept 6th new requirements.

 

The problem is that I don’t seem to have a correct email address for her.  Via a search on CC I saw that someone recently said it is jaswartz@hagroup.com.  That bounced back.  I tried janswartz@hagrouo.com with no success.

 

Does anymore have a n address that works?

 

thanks!

If the Group email works, then try JSwartz@HAGroup.com (you have an extra "a") in there.

 

AFAIK, her old email still works:  JSwartz@PrincessCruises.com.

 

You might also write or copy the HA Group Medical Team:  GuestMedical@HAGroup.com.  This Dept covers both HAL and Princess.  I did write them over the weekend and got kind of a boilerplate reply thus far that they are required to follow Greece which has adopted the EU Healthy Gateways Protocol.  Except, I believe this is all relaxed, no one can find anything where Greece is asking for this level of testing.  And HAL ships don't have same protocol as Princess - which doesn't make sense if it is a legal requirement.  I will see if I get a follow-up response to my re-direct.

 

[Carnevale]

Many thanks Steelers36.  I will give all of that a try.  Th more who raise this the better!

 

[dog]

20 hours ago, beg3yrs said:

One of our upcoming cruises will make a couple of calls in Greece. The language has changed and now says the last shot in your vaccine series must have been received less than 270 days from disembarkation. The key phrase here is "last shot in your vaccine series" which to me tells me that our last booster, which was received in January of this year, will be too old. Off to Walgreen's for yet another 

Edited August 22, 2022 by dog