Carnival Cruise Line Removes Pre-Cruise Testing for Vaccinated Guests and Welcomes All Unvaccinated To Sail

[Oceansaway17]

On 8/15/2022 at 7:23 PM, jimb cruisin said:

If RCL booking demand softens in relation to CCL and NCL we will most likely see them follow up from the rear. 

yup all the cruiselines are very good at being copycats.   Now if various ports of call would end testing requirements too.   Keeping track of various rules by country or cruise line is getting tiring.  need a spreadsheet.

[LATTELOVE]

Wow, Royal Caribbean just announced today that they will

be lifting the travel restrictions for everyone,

even with no testing before travel for vaccinated people, starting

September 5.  For cruises 10 days or less.

Nice!!

[pretzellover]

Royal is allowing home tests with no proctor. All the testing requirements are silly and mean nothing. Hope carnival drops the expense of a doctor or proctored test. 

[kdr69]

New Protocols for European Cruises on PRIDE and CELEBRATION are out.

 

GUEST ADVISORY VACCINATION AND TESTING REQUIREMENTS UPDATE CARNIVAL PRIDE & CARNIVAL CELEBRATION  EUROPEAN DEPARTURES - 2022     August 23, 2022 Dear Carnival Guest, We know you are looking forward to your European sailing and want to update you on vaccination and testing requirements specific to your cruise, as follows: As our protocols continue to evolve, boosters are encouraged but no longer required for guests who are eligible. All Cruises (excluding itineraries with Greece and Spain):  All unvaccinated guests, age 5 and older, must provide the negative result of a lab-administered or supervised (by a medical professional), self-administered PCR or antigen COVID test taken up to 3 days before embarkation. Cruises Visiting Greece:  All guests, 5 years and older, must present the negative results of a PCR test taken within 3 days before sailing or an antigen test within 2 days before sailing. Vaccinated guests who are eligible for a booster but not boosted are considered unvaccinated and will be subject to additional testing on board which will be provided on a complimentary basis.  Due to destination requirements, a document of recovery will not be acceptable for cruises visiting Greece. If a self-test is not supervised by a medical professional, it is not acceptable for travel to Greece. Cruises Visiting Spain: All unvaccinated guests, 12 years and older, need to present the negative results of a PCR test taken within 3 days before sailing or an antigen test within 2 days of sailing.  If a self-test is not supervised by a medical professional, it is not acceptable for travel to Spain. We are currently working on updating our Have Fun. Be Safe. COVID-19 protocols webpage but wanted to share this information with you as soon as possible.  We look forward to welcoming you on board your Carnival cruise vacation shortly.

Sincerely, Colleen Oliverio VP, Guest Services - Contact Centers

[jimbo5544]

8 hours ago, kdr69 said:

New Protocols for European Cruises on PRIDE and CELEBRATION are out.

 

GUEST ADVISORY VACCINATION AND TESTING REQUIREMENTS UPDATE CARNIVAL PRIDE & CARNIVAL CELEBRATION  EUROPEAN DEPARTURES - 2022     August 23, 2022 Dear Carnival Guest, We know you are looking forward to your European sailing and want to update you on vaccination and testing requirements specific to your cruise, as follows: As our protocols continue to evolve, boosters are encouraged but no longer required for guests who are eligible. All Cruises (excluding itineraries with Greece and Spain):  All unvaccinated guests, age 5 and older, must provide the negative result of a lab-administered or supervised (by a medical professional), self-administered PCR or antigen COVID test taken up to 3 days before embarkation. Cruises Visiting Greece:  All guests, 5 years and older, must present the negative results of a PCR test taken within 3 days before sailing or an antigen test within 2 days before sailing. Vaccinated guests who are eligible for a booster but not boosted are considered unvaccinated and will be subject to additional testing on board which will be provided on a complimentary basis.  Due to destination requirements, a document of recovery will not be acceptable for cruises visiting Greece. If a self-test is not supervised by a medical professional, it is not acceptable for travel to Greece. Cruises Visiting Spain: All unvaccinated guests, 12 years and older, need to present the negative results of a PCR test taken within 3 days before sailing or an antigen test within 2 days of sailing.  If a self-test is not supervised by a medical professional, it is not acceptable for travel to Spain. We are currently working on updating our Have Fun. Be Safe. COVID-19 protocols webpage but wanted to share this information with you as soon as possible.  We look forward to welcoming you on board your Carnival cruise vacation shortly.

Sincerely, Colleen Oliverio VP, Guest Services - Contact Centers

While it will not apply to our Greece cruise on 10/01, I am still scratching my head on the whole self test thing….

[ninjacat123]

55 minutes ago, jimbo5544 said:

While it will not apply to our Greece cruise on 10/01, I am still scratching my head on the whole self test thing….

I hope testing will be a thing of the past come Oct 2023 when we cruise on Pride to Greece.  Jimbo, I hope you are planning on posting a review! 😃

[kdr69]

3 hours ago, jimbo5544 said:

While it will not apply to our Greece cruise on 10/01, I am still scratching my head on the whole self test thing….

new advisory just out expanding on that

[LHARTWICK]

And I just chuckle when I see that unsupervised self-testing is accepted. Based on the honor system I guess!!  Doesn't matter to us since we are fully vaxxed, but it would be so easy to just submit someone else's negative test if you need it. Oh well - I guess it's a step in the right direction??  LOL!

[mz-s]

9 minutes ago, LHARTWICK said:

And I just chuckle when I see that unsupervised self-testing is accepted. Based on the honor system I guess!!  Doesn't matter to us since we are fully vaxxed, but it would be so easy to just submit someone else's negative test if you need it. Oh well - I guess it's a step in the right direction??  LOL!

 

It's just like the old health forms we used to have to fill out years ago. Nobody ever checked them to make sure you were being truthful. It was all on the honor system. And just to satisfy some bureaucrat somewhere no doubt.

[fair-winds39]

I had hoped the cruise lines wanted to keep guests safe, and still lighten up a bit on the protocols, but I was wrong. As usual, Carnival much like the other mainstream cruise lines, cares about one thing, money. Of course it’s understandable, after all the losses they had during the pandemic. Surely they can’t allow one cruise line to outdo the other, no, that wouldn’t work. After all the pandemic is all but a memory, right????

 

We are set to sail in a few weeks. Sadly, I’ll never know if the guest next to me has a fake vaccination card, or better yet, isn’t vaccinated at all, but  took a home test or his/her 4 year old took it with negative results…yay. So happy I packed the N95’s.

 

I suppose our next cruise scheduled for December 2022 will most likely be canceled as I suspect outbreaks will ramp up by early October and cruising will come to another abrupt halt. It was a good ride while it lasted.

[cruisingguy007]

7 minutes ago, fair-winds39 said:

I had hoped the cruise lines wanted to keep guests safe, and still lighten up a bit on the protocols, but I was wrong. As usual, Carnival much like the other mainstream cruise lines, cares about one thing, money. Of course it’s understandable, after all the losses they had during the pandemic. Surely they can’t allow one cruise line to outdo the other, no, that wouldn’t work. After all the pandemic is all but a memory, right????

 

We are set to sail in a few weeks. Sadly, I’ll never know if the guest next to me has a fake vaccination card, or better yet, isn’t vaccinated at all, but  took a home test or his/her 4 year old took it with negative results…yay. So happy I packed the N95’s.

 

I suppose our next cruise scheduled for December 2022 will most likely be canceled as I suspect outbreaks will ramp up by early October and cruising will come to another abrupt halt. It was a good ride while it lasted.

 

Correction, they do care about one thing more than money: survival! 

[Tropicale]

Testing will be history in a few weeks. It is a steady transition. Why would someone need to test who is unvaccinated and had covid 6 weeks ago ( better robust immunity), but someone fully vaxxed a year ago doesn't? It was stupid to begin with and made zero sense, they know it, and it will be history soon.

[mz-s]

28 minutes ago, fair-winds39 said:

I had hoped the cruise lines wanted to keep guests safe, and still lighten up a bit on the protocols, but I was wrong. As usual, Carnival much like the other mainstream cruise lines, cares about one thing, money. Of course it’s understandable, after all the losses they had during the pandemic. Surely they can’t allow one cruise line to outdo the other, no, that wouldn’t work. After all the pandemic is all but a memory, right????

 

We are set to sail in a few weeks. Sadly, I’ll never know if the guest next to me has a fake vaccination card, or better yet, isn’t vaccinated at all, but  took a home test or his/her 4 year old took it with negative results…yay. So happy I packed the N95’s.

 

I suppose our next cruise scheduled for December 2022 will most likely be canceled as I suspect outbreaks will ramp up by early October and cruising will come to another abrupt halt. It was a good ride while it lasted.

 

It's always been possible to fabricate test results or vaccination cards to cruise. Carnival never called in to verify test results or anything like that.

 

It's not March 2020 anymore. We know how to live with Coronavirus now. There is no way to control an airborne virus. And "slow the spread" was perhaps the most anti-science phrase of the past 2 plus years of all.

Edited August 24, 2022 by mz-s

[mz-s]

19 minutes ago, Tropicale said:

Testing will be history in a few weeks. It is a steady transition. Why would someone need to test who is unvaccinated and had covid 6 weeks ago ( better robust immunity), but someone fully vaxxed a year ago doesn't? It was stupid to begin with and made zero sense, they know it, and it will be history soon.

 

Pretty much the entire globe has had COVID in 2022, so we all have fairly robust immunity vs. the vaccines that are entirely ineffective against the extant strains.

[kdr69]

3 hours ago, LHARTWICK said:

Doesn't matter to us since we are fully vaxxed, but it would be so easy to just submit someone else's negative test if you need it.

What im wondering is HOW do you submit it?? is it a picture?  since you dont get a form with a self test unless you have it proctored.  Not that it matters to me as im vaxxed im just the curious type lol.

[Tink10]

2 minutes ago, kdr69 said:

What im wondering is HOW do you submit it?? is it a picture?  since you dont get a form with a self test unless you have it proctored.  Not that it matters to me as im vaxxed im just the curious type lol.

• On voyages where destinations accept self-testing, guests can provide a picture of their negative home test or present the actual negative test itself at embarkation. Guests should write their name and test date on a piece of paper, place the negative test on the paper, and take a photograph of this on a mobile device.

[fair-winds39]

On 8/13/2022 at 3:06 PM, jsglow said:

Here's what I think is being lost on some.  The bottom line is that the current Omicron BA-5 is simply not the virus that the original Covid Wuhan or later Delta variants were. In my view, one's 'obligation' is now down to the common courtesy appropriately expected from anyone who is ill.  Folks with viruses routinely leave their homes, shop, attend events, etc. And if they're good people, they'll work to minimize other's risk by not shaking hands, getting too close to others, covering their nose/mouth, etc.  And while I think the days of 'fighting through and going to school/work w/ a fever' are over as appropriate, so to are the days of multi-day enforced lock downs.  We're all responsible for our OWN health.  Anyone wanting greater assurances than customary through history will necessarily need to protect themselves.  

In today’s climate, common courtesy is rapidly becoming a thing of the past. 

[ThaNectar]

1 hour ago, fair-winds39 said:

I had hoped the cruise lines wanted to keep guests safe, and still lighten up a bit on the protocols, but I was wrong. As usual, Carnival much like the other mainstream cruise lines, cares about one thing, money. Of course it’s understandable, after all the losses they had during the pandemic. Surely they can’t allow one cruise line to outdo the other, no, that wouldn’t work. After all the pandemic is all but a memory, right????

 

We are set to sail in a few weeks. Sadly, I’ll never know if the guest next to me has a fake vaccination card, or better yet, isn’t vaccinated at all, but  took a home test or his/her 4 year old took it with negative results…yay. So happy I packed the N95’s.

 

I suppose our next cruise scheduled for December 2022 will most likely be canceled as I suspect outbreaks will ramp up by early October and cruising will come to another abrupt halt. It was a good ride while it lasted.

This would also apply to all the Vax'd people who are positive and board the ship without testing.

 

Vax'd and tested have been spreading covid on cruise ships  for months now.

[ThaNectar]

39 minutes ago, kdr69 said:

What im wondering is HOW do you submit it?? is it a picture?  since you dont get a form with a self test unless you have it proctored.  Not that it matters to me as im vaxxed im just the curious type lol.

 

[mkcurran]

57 minutes ago, kdr69 said:

What im wondering is HOW do you submit it?? is it a picture?  since you dont get a form with a self test unless you have it proctored.  Not that it matters to me as im vaxxed im just the curious type lol.

 

55 minutes ago, Tink10 said:

• On voyages where destinations accept self-testing, guests can provide a picture of their negative home test or present the actual negative test itself at embarkation. Guests should write their name and test date on a piece of paper, place the negative test on the paper, and take a photograph of this on a mobile device.

Asked and answered. Now I have an idea how this will work. 😀 Thanks!

[ProgRockCruiser]

1 hour ago, fair-winds39 said:

I suppose our next cruise scheduled for December 2022 will most likely be canceled as I suspect outbreaks will ramp up by early October and cruising will come to another abrupt halt. It was a good ride while it lasted.

While I don't think it will be that drastic, I would not be completely shocked if some level of health measures returned this fall/winter.

 

1 hour ago, mz-s said:

 

Pretty much the entire globe has had COVID in 2022, so we all have fairly robust immunity vs. the vaccines that are entirely ineffective against the extant strains.

There is still some hesitancy in certain places in the world to declare that COVID is a relative non-event.  e.g. Germany re-instating N95 masking for long distance travel (including air travel) and visiting hospitals, nursing homes, etc.

 

I guess we'll see in a few months!

[jimbo5544]

On 8/24/2022 at 5:16 PM, kdr69 said:

new advisory just out expanding on that

Yup, more head scratching

[jimbo5544]

On 8/24/2022 at 2:37 PM, ninjacat123 said:

I hope testing will be a thing of the past come Oct 2023 when we cruise on Pride to Greece.  Jimbo, I hope you are planning on posting a review! 😃

Sure hope you are right.  I will most def be doing a live review.  

[pohlerbear]

On 8/24/2022 at 2:21 PM, fair-winds39 said:

I had hoped the cruise lines wanted to keep guests safe, and still lighten up a bit on the protocols, but I was wrong. As usual, Carnival much like the other mainstream cruise lines, cares about one thing, money. Of course it’s understandable, after all the losses they had during the pandemic. Surely they can’t allow one cruise line to outdo the other, no, that wouldn’t work. After all the pandemic is all but a memory, right????

 

We are set to sail in a few weeks. Sadly, I’ll never know if the guest next to me has a fake vaccination card, or better yet, isn’t vaccinated at all, but  took a home test or his/her 4 year old took it with negative results…yay. So happy I packed the N95’s.

 

I suppose our next cruise scheduled for December 2022 will most likely be canceled as I suspect outbreaks will ramp up by early October and cruising will come to another abrupt halt. It was a good ride while it lasted.

I completely agree with you- but I think we are in the minority. Most people I've noticed (on this board and in my cruise FB group) seem to think all precautions should've been done away with. 

I do feel like i was baited and switched- I booked a cruise with protocols in place that made me feel fairly (not completely) safe.  Right after my final payment, they pulled the testing. Now the vaccinations.  No way I would have booked without both of those things. Luckily our ship was already sold out, so there should mainly be vaccinated guests.  But I won't be booking another cruise anytime soon. 

[Buckeyefrank100]

On 8/26/2022 at 4:18 PM, pohlerbear said:

I completely agree with you- but I think we are in the minority. Most people I've noticed (on this board and in my cruise FB group) seem to think all precautions should've been done away with. 

I do feel like i was baited and switched- I booked a cruise with protocols in place that made me feel fairly (not completely) safe.  Right after my final payment, they pulled the testing. Now the vaccinations.  No way I would have booked without both of those things. Luckily our ship was already sold out, so there should mainly be vaccinated guests.  But I won't be booking another cruise anytime soon. 

Good thing you don't have to go to the grocery store or malls or anything else in public where unvaccinated people might be.