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

[Horizon chaser 1957]

12 hours ago, DCThunder said:

Cruises to Alaska from Vancouver will still require a test, as that's what the Canucks require.

I really don’t think it was the Vancouver hockey team who made that decision. 😉

[Euby]

Figures...  I just received the 3 Binax eMed test kits that I ordered for my 3 upcoming cruises.  Ah well, sounds like I'll have to use it for my Alaska cruise at least since we have a stop in Victoria.

[Stakeout]

no testing requirement sure makes our next set of 5 back to back cruises-64 days out of Barcelona on the Oosterdam a lot easier to manage ..just don't like the UNVACCINATED part of that notice..

[Fred321]

Testing seems to be a waste of time. You can pick up the virus and not test positive till you are onboard or you can get it on the first port stop. On the other hand masking and vaccine seem to work at both cutting down the spread and limiting the severity of the infection. Just my opinion after 35 days on the Zaandam.

[albingirl]

Personally, I think the TSA lines in the airports are your biggest risk.  You can stand in line for hours in close proximity to the crowds.  And you have no choice about the matter.

[Cruise NH]

10 hours ago, oakridger said:

 

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

Cunard is already doing this for departures from the UK.  People have been lying on those boarding health forms for years.  

[DCThunder]

28 minutes ago, albingirl said:

Personally, I think the TSA lines in the airports are your biggest risk.  You can stand in line for hours in close proximity to the crowds.  And you have no choice about the matter.

TSA PreCheck or CLEAR will help with that, at least domestically.

[jeff74]

54 minutes ago, Fred321 said:

Testing seems to be a waste of time. You can pick up the virus and not test positive till you are onboard or you can get it on the first port stop. On the other hand masking and vaccine seem to work at both cutting down the spread and limiting the severity of the infection. Just my opinion after 35 days on the Zaandam.

IMO, I think that proctored testing would still catch a small subset of folks that otherwise wouldn’t give a care about others and are more than willing to go in a trip while knowingly having Covid just so their own trip isn’t postponed.  It should also catch asymptomatic cases where people are totally unaware.  Agreed that it won’t catch those people who are still in the incubation period.

 

 My own personal standpoint is that I’m fine with putting up with a few minor hassles like testing if that increases the safety of everyone especially those at higher risk. 

 

 I’m not in fear of Covid but I’m also not afraid of the flu and I can guarantee you that I don’t want to pick up either on a vacation.  I think my biggest fear was testing positive while on a trip and getting stuck abroad somewhere in a government designated quarantine hotel.  Thankfully that is no longer a concern now that the return flight testing protocol has been removed.

[AKJonesy]

45 minutes ago, DCThunder said:

TSA PreCheck or CLEAR will help with that, at least domestically.

Not really depending on airport.  I've stood in line in MSP 30 min recently.  SEA and SLC was also busy.  You still have to put all your stuff on the conveyor belt and wait in line.  I agree that the airport and plane is the likely place to pick it up.  It's been easier to keep distance from people on the ships than the airports and planes IMHO.

[BermudaBound2014]

Based on their most recent update; the CDC is no longer treating the unvaccinated differently than the vaccinated in terms of Covid protocols and I think it's wonderful to see that the cruise lines are following all of the new data that is emerging!!!! 

 

I do think it's a bit odd that some lines are requiring self administered (but not proctored testing). It's back to the honor system where we just checked off boxes on the health questioner. How does that even work? Do you just show up with the negative test strip? I'm interested to see how this part pans out. 

 

 

 

 

[Horizon chaser 1957]

Given how new this is, I wonder if they mean a proctored self test, and messed up the wording? If so, there could be some unhappy moments at check in on Sept.6.

[BermudaBound2014]

1 hour ago, Horizon chaser 1957 said:

Given how new this is, I wonder if they mean a proctored self test, and messed up the wording? If so, there could be some unhappy moments at check in on Sept.6.

 

I agree. The wording does leave room for interpretation which is never good in these situations.

[NVRae]

We are scheduled for a back to back cruise in Nov-Dec.  One cruise is 10 days and the other is 11 days.  This appears to fall under the new guidelines for 16 days or under cruises released yesterday, but now I wonder if HAL will consider our b2b cruises as 1 cruise of 21 days, instead of the 2 individual cruises - which is how we booked them.  If so, then we will still need the negative COVID test.  So confusing and no one at HAL has an answer.

[Cruising-along]

1 minute ago, NVRae said:

We are scheduled for a back to back cruise in Nov-Dec.  One cruise is 10 days and the other is 11 days.  This appears to fall under the new guidelines for 16 days or under cruises released yesterday, but now I wonder if HAL will consider our b2b cruises as 1 cruise of 21 days, instead of the 2 individual cruises - which is how we booked them.  If so, then we will still need the negative COVID test.  So confusing and no one at HAL has an answer.

IMO if you have two separate booking numbers (as we do for our b2b this fall) they should consider them as one 10-day cruise and one 11-day cruise.  

Unfortunately our first one (14 days) is out of Canada, so this doesn't help us. 😞  

[mightycruisequeen]

50 minutes ago, NVRae said:

We are scheduled for a back to back cruise in Nov-Dec.  One cruise is 10 days and the other is 11 days.  This appears to fall under the new guidelines for 16 days or under cruises released yesterday, but now I wonder if HAL will consider our b2b cruises as 1 cruise of 21 days, instead of the 2 individual cruises - which is how we booked them.  If so, then we will still need the negative COVID test.  So confusing and no one at HAL has an answer.

We're waiting for a definitive answer to the b2b question too.  Ours was booked as a collector cruise, but it's still a b2b.

 

[cruisemom42]

5 hours ago, Horizon chaser 1957 said:

Given how new this is, I wonder if they mean a proctored self test, and messed up the wording? If so, there could be some unhappy moments at check in on Sept.6.

 

I don't think it is a mistake, as Celebrity have done the same thing and they make it quite clear that a self-test is acceptable without need for oversight/proctor.  See, for example:  

 

Sailing Testing Requirements:

All guests ages 2 and older must present a negative COVID-19 test result to board their sailing. A negative test result from any commercially available test, including self-tests, will be accepted. Tests do not have to be monitored or proctored. Test results may be presented as a printout, screenshot or photo of the test result or the actual test.

 

Updated Italy Travel Requirements (celebritycruises.com)

 

 

[BermudaBound2014]

6 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

I don't think it is a mistake, as Celebrity have done the same thing and they make it quite clear that a self-test is acceptable without need for oversight/proctor.  See, for example:  

 

Sailing Testing Requirements:

All guests ages 2 and older must present a negative COVID-19 test result to board their sailing. A negative test result from any commercially available test, including self-tests, will be accepted. Tests do not have to be monitored or proctored. Test results may be presented as a printout, screenshot or photo of the test result or the actual test.

 

Updated Italy Travel Requirements (celebritycruises.com)

 

 

 

In other words, the honor system. I believe RCL has the same wording. This is about giving the elusion of doing something that matters to those who are still apprehensive of the virus. Clearly this policy says that Celebrity doesn't feel pre-testing matters all that much. It's only a matter of time before all protocols are dropped across the board. 

[cruisemom42]

3 minutes ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

 

In other words, the honor system. I believe RCL has the same wording. This is about giving the elusion of doing something that matters to those who are still apprehensive of the virus. Clearly this policy says that Celebrity doesn't feel pre-testing matters all that much. It's only a matter of time before all protocols are dropped across the board. 

 

I agree it's about providing the illusion of safety but with a big wink (or maybe middle finger to those who are truly concerned about safety). 

 

Having read these boards for years I am under no illusion myself that any "honor" will be applied by most in this "honor system".

 

In turn, I am most "disillusioned" by the cruise lines carrying on as they always do, with the least regard for safety that they can possibly get away with. It was the same attitude that got them into such hot water with regards to the initial wave of COVID on ships and it would seem they have learned little.

 

 

[Nymich]

47 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

I agree it's about providing the illusion of safety but with a big wink (or maybe middle finger to those who are truly concerned about safety). 

 

 

 

 

Sorry to chop your post but this paragraph is priceless. 

 

I always say tell it like it is and I think you accomplished that!

 

[Horizon chaser 1957]

1 hour ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

Sailing Testing Requirements:

All guests ages 2 and older must present a negative COVID-19 test result to board their sailing. A negative test result from any commercially available test, including self-tests, will be accepted. Tests do not have to be monitored or proctored. Test results may be presented as a printout, screenshot or photo of the test result or the actual test.

 

Updated Italy Travel Requirements (celebritycruises.com)

 

 

So, a family of five could self test. If one person (or a friend if needed) tests negative, they take five photos with each person holding the same negative stick?

Why bother asking for a test at all?

I’m not arguing with your interpretation. I’m just saying if that’s the case, then they aren’t really asking for tests from anyone.

Edited August 16, 2022 by Horizon chaser 1957

[jeff74]

24 minutes ago, Horizon chaser 1957 said:

So, a family of five could self test. If one person (or a friend if needed) tests negative, they take five photos with each person holding the same negative stick?

Why bother asking for a test at all?

I’m not arguing with your interpretation. I’m just saying if that’s the case, then they aren’t really asking for tests from anyone.

I agree that the new protocols are just theatre.  I’ll probably just save a photo of an old negative test in the event I accidentally misplace my vaccine card smh.  This is pretty much a joke and they might as well just drop any requirements altogether in my opinion instead of wasting everyone’s time.

[PACD_JG]

For the worried…consider Disney.  They apparently now have the strictest Covid policy.

[Florida_gal_50]

2 hours ago, Horizon chaser 1957 said:

So, a family of five could self test. If one person (or a friend if needed) tests negative, they take five photos with each person holding the same negative stick?

Why bother asking for a test at all?

I’m not arguing with your interpretation. I’m just saying if that’s the case, then they aren’t really asking for tests from anyone.

Exactly, maybe someone could use a crayon to color in the negative.  Why go through all the work of taking a test 🙄?  I used to do cruises twice a year.  I’ve got mega constraints on me now and if nothing changes I don’t think I’ll be taking a spring cruise because nothing “works” with my constraints.  I’m thinking it might be a good thing after all to do a land vacation or something else. 

[Mary229]

1 minute ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

Exactly, maybe someone could use a crayon to color in the negative.  Why go through all the work of taking a test 🙄?  I used to do cruises twice a year.  I’ve got mega constraints on me now and if nothing changes I don’t think I’ll be taking a spring cruise because nothing “works” with my constraints.  I’m thinking it might be a good thing after all to do a land vacation or something else. 

I don’t think you should expect anything different on a land vacation.  In June 2020 I took a road trip when Covid worry and Covid strength was at its height.  As experienced road travelers we carried our own food and only booked cabins, condos or retro motor court motels.  One trick we learned was to add the criteria “golf” to our hotel search.  Those golf course condo hotels were real gems.  But if you choose typical vacations with lots of eating out, elevators and communal living like most hotels you might as well have cruised.  

[Florida_gal_50]

4 minutes ago, Mary229 said:

I don’t think you should expect anything different on a land vacation.  In June 2020 I took a road trip when Covid worry and Covid strength was at its height.  As experienced road travelers we carried our own food and only booked cabins, condos or retro motor court motels.  One trick we learned was to add the criteria “golf” to our hotel search.  Those golf course condo hotels were real gems.  But if you choose typical vacations with lots of eating out, elevators and communal living like most hotels you might as well have cruised.  

Yeah but you aren’t in such close proximity to others as you are on a cruise.  That said, I don’t enjoy the production shows and I don’t take tons of excursions.  My idea of a good night is curling up in bed and watching a movie or sitting on my balcony with a lovely drink enjoying the ocean.  The last few months have been like a 2 by 4 to the head about 10 times a day and I just want to be and rest for a bit.