HAL updates "Travel Well" Covid-19 Protocols & Procedures

[CruiserBruce]

1 hour ago, mightycruisequeen said:

AWESOME NEWS!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wonder how this would work for b2b cruises that are less than 15 days individually, but total out to more than 15 days, that are booked as a "collector cruise"?  Anybody know?

The current policy is no test on later segments on B2B. Don't see a reason to change that.

[rubytue]

Well I’ll be. There have been a couple times I’ve speculated that vaccination will be the last to go. 
 

Seriously contemplating what this means for my December trip. Two weeks til final payment. 

[zhuangcorp]

Just to confirm, my cruise is with HAL on December 3rd from San Diego to Mexican Riviera. 

 

I am vaccinated (but not boosted). Does this mean that I do not need to get covid testing before embarkation?

[Fred321]

Just got off Zaandam VOV. First cases started to show up 2 days into the trip and they rapidly ran out of quarantine rooms on deck 6. After that they quarantined you in your room for minimum of 6 days. Were not requiring masks be worn until the number of cases appeared to be well over 100 and it became a strain on things like room service. When they required masks on tenders and inside the ship the number of cases began to fall. Of course some experts cheated by removing masks in the showroom once the lights went out. Childish.

Good news was that none of the cases we heard about seemed severe so score one for the vaccines. (There were 3 medical evacuations but no idea what for and it was a VERY old demographic even by HAL standards)

As soon as the mask requirement was eliminated on the way back they started to report new cases. Interesting results from a closed population experiment.

I think the testing requirement before a cruise sounds good but in reality is likely to miss some folks in the early stages and, with no other controls once onboard, it spreads rapidly. On the other hand, eliminating the vaccine requirement seems to be asking for trouble with a severe case not being able to be tended to onboard.

Regardless of what they require we will continue to wear masks inside take the boosters when available and probably skip the tenders altogether. Just my observations after a longer voyage.

[esimon]

If you get on a ship and Do Not have covid - what good would a vaccine be.   If you live in fear of covid stay home Please -  I got vaccinated to get on a ship - I took a cruise with a mask on -  It sucked!!!!!!!!!!      I do not care if you are vaccinated or not - I'm glad to know that you got on the ship negative.!!!!

[CruiserBruce]

47 minutes ago, zhuangcorp said:

Just to confirm, my cruise is with HAL on December 3rd from San Diego to Mexican Riviera. 

 

I am vaccinated (but not boosted). Does this mean that I do not need to get covid testing before embarkation?

It would appear you don't need to test.

 

The old policy made reference to boosters, this one doesn't,  but it's a press release,  not the policy. Give it a couple of days for the fine print to appear on the website. 

 

Or just get boosted. 

[SUESEABE]

https://www.hollandamerica.com/blog/topics/news/holland-america-line-simplifies-covid-19-procedures/?fbclid=IwAR1zCtVao7suT1_82DZ3S3sheaISS8cUu19h1NYJmj0AaFJ4NqbKFmJyKHU

[crystalspin]

1 hour ago, zhuangcorp said:

Just to confirm, my cruise is with HAL on December 3rd from San Diego to Mexican Riviera. 

 

I am vaccinated (but not boosted). Does this mean that I do not need to get covid testing before embarkation?

Lots of time to get boosted. Or did you want serious complications?

[DaveOKC]

Just now, crystalspin said:

Lots of time to get boosted. Or did you want serious complications?

I would get boosted at least 14 days before any Covid testing.  My test site for this week just asked me that exact thing and I had to specify that I was boosted more than 14 days ago.

 

[lstrong]

It doesn’t specify boosters are required or did I miss anything?

[DeeniEncinitas]

🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺

I have 2 B2B Panama Canal cruises on ZAANDAM , 2 separate bookings both 14 days. San Diego to FLL and back in Jan and Feb.Just alittle confused. Sent PCC question regards will we still need to test going over and if so will HAL test us coming back? 
Thanks for a response!

Denise😊

[CruiserBruce]

5 minutes ago, lstrong said:

It doesn’t specify boosters are required or did I miss anything?

Its not clear...we haven't seen the fine print, as I mentioned a few posts ago. However, the current policy does mention boosters.

[CruiserBruce]

Just now, DeeniEncinitas said:

🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺

I have 2 B2B Panama Canal cruises on ZAANDAM , 2 separate bookings both 14 days. San Diego to FLL and back in Jan and Feb.Just alittle confused. Sent PCC question regards will we still need to test going over and if so will HAL test us coming back? 
Thanks for a response!

Denise😊

HAL has been testing those who need a test for a B2B, at no cost. That has been their policy for the entire time since re-start.

[DeeniEncinitas]

1 minute ago, CruiserBruce said:

HAL has been testing those who need a test for a B2B, at no cost. That has been their policy for the entire time since re-start.

Thanks Bruce!! Still I am hoping we do not have to test on our PC cruises since it is under 15 days!

wishful thinking!! They did test us when we did our Caribbean cruise last March.

[SUESEABE]

@DeeniEncinitas Looks like you will have to test.

Key changes for cruises up to 15 nights (Ages 5 and older, not including full Panama Canal transits, trans-ocean and designated remote voyages):

• Vaccinated guests must provide evidence of vaccination status prior to embarkation. Pre-cruise testing is no longer required.
• Unvaccinated guests are welcomed aboard and must provide results of a negative medically supervised or self-test taken within three days of embarkation.

Protocols for cruises 16 nights or longer (plus full Panama Canal transit, trans-ocean and designated remote voyages, ages 5 and older):

• All guests will be required to submit a medically supervised COVID-19 test with written negative result. The test must be taken within three days of embarkation.
• Guests must be vaccinated or request an exemption.

[Florida_gal_50]

14 minutes ago, DeeniEncinitas said:

Thanks Bruce!! Still I am hoping we do not have to test on our PC cruises since it is under 15 days!

wishful thinking!! They did test us when we did our Caribbean cruise last March.

Yes I got tested in March for my b2b but they haven’t been doing that for a while.

[Seasick Sailor]

15 minutes ago, DeeniEncinitas said:

Thanks Bruce!! Still I am hoping we do not have to test on our PC cruises since it is under 15 days!

wishful thinking!! They did test us when we did our Caribbean cruise last March.

 

Aloha Sister!! So so long since I heard from you. Sending you and David love. How's Paisley?

[DeeniEncinitas]

18 minutes ago, Seasick Sailor said:

 

Aloha Sister!! So so long since I heard from you. Sending you and David love. How's Paisley?

🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺

Our Paisley is doing great! Celebrated her 13th birthday after we came home on 7/4!! 
Miss my middle sister too! Just so much pain and sadness on The Daily that it is hard to respond!!  Love to you and Allen always joy! Always in my heart!

Mahalo

🌺Denise😊

[mightycruisequeen]

3 hours ago, CruiserBruce said:

The current policy is no test on later segments on B2B. Don't see a reason to change that.

I'm not asking about testing; I'm asking about needing to be vaccinated.

[Gray Lady]

2 hours ago, esimon said:

If you get on a ship and Do Not have covid - what good would a vaccine be.   If you live in fear of covid stay home Please -  I got vaccinated to get on a ship - I took a cruise with a mask on -  It sucked!!!!!!!!!!      I do not care if you are vaccinated or not - I'm glad to know that you got on the ship negative.!!!!

But not everyone who gets on the ship will be negative. Test within 3 days of embarkation, test negative. Travel to your port on airplanes, and you have a good chance of picking it up. A negative test before your cruise also does not grant you a suit of armor to deflect the virus for the next three days. A negative test gives many people a false sense of security. 

[TiogaCruiser]

I’m not getting the purpose ( other than “window dressing) of requiring a “self test” prior to sailing. It wouldn’t be hard to skip it totally and report a negative result.

Edited August 16, 2022 by TiogaCruiser

[jeff74]

4 minutes ago, TiogaCruiser said:

I’m not getting the purpose ( other than “window dressing) of requiring a “self test” prior to sailing. It wouldn’t be hard to skip it totally and report a negative result.

It wouldn’t surprise me if that section was wordsmithed to say something along the lines of, “medically administered or online proctored self test.”

[oakridger]

10 minutes ago, jeff74 said:

It wouldn’t surprise me if that section was wordsmithed to say something along the lines of, “medically administered or online proctored self test.”

 

That line stood out to me immediately also @TiogaCruiser and @jeff74.  It needs to be a clarified to require a proctored self-test or there's no point!  I can't see taking people's word for a negative self test result.  Sad, but true.

 

If I were Queen of Everything everyone should be vaxed not only for their self-protection but to decrease the chance of severe cases on board for HAL's medical team and possible medical evacuations, etc..  

 

I wonder when the cruise lines will eliminate masks for crew.  

 

~Nancy

[Seasick Sailor]

2 hours ago, DeeniEncinitas said:

🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺

Our Paisley is doing great! Celebrated her 13th birthday after we came home on 7/4!! 
Miss my middle sister too! Just so much pain and sadness on The Daily that it is hard to respond!!  Love to you and Allen always joy! Always in my heart!

Mahalo

🌺Denise😊

 

Almost, almost got to see your sweet face. You got home on the 4th and we arrived on the 4th. Walked by your home everyday for a month! 

[slb1949]

11 hours ago, DaveOKC said:

Good news for some, but on our Oct cruise we get stuck being 16 days AND full transit Panama Canal - oh well...............

Yes we are on this one also. Oh well…is right. Such are the joys of travel.