Lizofwisconsin

Thanks for these posts.  We just signed up to the September 2024 tour- it is fun reading what you liked last year.

Any disadvantages to September other than shorter days and puffins are gone?

Andy, reading your blog about your Covid shortened World Cruise influenced me to try Viking.  So sorry about your bad experience; hope someone higher up in Norway is paying attention. You have been a Viking ambassador till now. I enjoy your posts, for their content and for the Scottish sea type language. Always know it’s you!

We did postpone our Jan 2 Panama Canal cruise, 4 days before, due to concerns re: omicron.  Agent said we will get FCC. It has not yet showed up in our account, but she said 2-5 weeks.  Agent told us we could use it for Jan 2023 cruise, but she sounded very new and unsure of some things, so hoping that is true, and watching for the FCC to show up.

NMCruiser

Have you seen this story?

https://news.yahoo.com/shame-fish-filets-diary-comedian-193905601.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAHgGAm2JkyizP3tyd3IYmZFFysfmp414_l_Q56QbsKmWUjsrzUQAzn10J9ZNYZqjKJYCLKF5yCtc4NE0yX6S0eAKjNgnF0LaAYrzLn6X-f7DdEGlzvn881NU0zhYZclQwyRmabOVUgcrHCg7AiNXRtBFcQODA1ku9c5zQEDcJKwQ

Hope the link works.  Comedian talking about her quarantine experience.  I think you'd find it interesting.

28 minutes ago, NMCruiser123 said:

I am actually booked on the Eurodam Feb 6 -16.  Anyone joining me?  Better question, should I go?  Or is this experience a life lesson of some sort I’m supposed to learn?

I'd guess you are unlikely to get Covid in February....

5 hours ago, NMCruiser123 said:

This is such an amazing experience.  I don’t mind being isolated on my balcony at all today.

So glad you are enjoying the canal transit!

4 hours ago, NMCruiser123 said:

 He told me his wife tested positive yesterday and they moved them in together down there.

Oh my!  I sense that could have been us if we had gone.  Or maybe we would have been like Tim, snorkeling off the Huatulco coast.  What might have been....

Hope you are doing as well as you can.. If you haven't started reading The Path Between the Seas, I can also recommend the audible version.  We listened to the abridged version, which was plenty of info.

8 minutes ago, NMCruiser123 said:

Thought I would add to the information about what the isolation/quarantine experience is like on HAL.

Thanks for sharing your experience. Glad you are at least not feeling sick! We were scheduled to be on this trip, but due to concerns about the potential Omicron, decided to cancel and try again next year, for fear of this happening. Hope they maybe decide to shorten your quarantine.

2 hours ago, sassy~one said:

I'm also very happy you were allowed to get your money back.

Just to clarify. We get future cruise credits rather than actual money back. But very happy HAL allowed this. These are unusual times. 
 

when I booked our January cruise a year ago, I foolishly thought pandemic would be in the rear view mirror by now! Goes to show my ability to predict the future is murky. 

1 hour ago, zelker said:

Where is this new 48 hr cancellation policy ?  I don’t see it on HAL’s site?

I haven’t seen it written down. Just something the agent said when I talked to her yesterday. “This just came out yesterday “

Just cancelled Jan 2 zuiderdam yesterday. Did not have HAL insurance, had outside company for better medical coverage, but that wouldn’t cover this kind of thing. HAL gave me FCC that agent said would be good to cover a 2022 or 2023 cruise (but haven’t seen it in my account yet…a few weeks they said. Agent told me HAL policy had just changed day before, Wednesday, to allow cancellation up to 48 hours before. 
 

kind of sad.  Should be driving to Minneapolis today for flight tomorrow. Didn’t want to take chance of ending up in quarantine though, rather go when less stressful. 

On 12/29/2021 at 8:40 PM, Loreto said:

We will be on our favorite excursion, Estuaries and Bird Watching

How was the bird watching?

31 minutes ago, ilv4cruising said:

That was my thinking as well so was quite surprised at the PCC response.  Hopefully that decision by HAL will be soon.

I’m recalling HAL was not saying whether they’d require Covid vaccine in 2022 as of October 4, my final payment for Jan 2 cruise.  First they changed final payment to November 4, then sometime before then, extended the vaccine requirement. 

Happy HAL decided to extend Covid vaccine requirement at least through February. I get to go on my January Panama Canal cruise 😀

Updated October 13, 2021

Your health and safety are our highest priorities.
Our cruises through February 28, 2022 are available for guests who have ALL of the following:

• Received their final dose of an approved COVID-19 vaccine at least 14 days prior to the beginning of the cruise
• Proof of vaccination
• Proof of a negative, medically observed, viral COVID-19 test (PCR or antigen) taken within 2 days of their embarkation. 

On 10/8/2021 at 7:14 PM, Lizofwisconsin said:

my final payment date for Jan 2 cruise still says Oct 4. (I am hoping to hear what they decide about requiring covid vaccine before I send the $$) 🤞

Today rep on chat told me my final payment date changed to Nov 3, and sure enough, it is! Now 🤞they announce soon Covid vaccine required. 

39 minutes ago, TiogaCruiser said:

Um, is this a typo?

Nope. Final payment date October 4, they say “grace period” of some days, so I haven’t paid yet. Waiting to see if vaccines still required, I don’t want to go if not. So wait and see. 

Thanks for the info. Sadly, my final payment date for Jan 2 cruise still says Oct 4. (I am hoping to hear what they decide about requiring covid vaccine before I send the $$) 🤞

57 minutes ago, mightycruisequeen said:

hope you get some sort of answer from HAL, because all the opinions of people on this board aren't helping you one bit.

Actually, I am finding it helpful to hear what everyone has to say, while waiting for HAL to make their decision. So, thanks everyone. 

1 hour ago, CruiserBruce said:

But the OP wants to know exactly what decisions will be made at least 90 days in advance.

I just want to know before I pay, so I’d be OK If they said OK not to make final payment till they decide. They did not say that. 

I'm guessing none of you know what HAL's Covid vaccine policy will be in 2022.  I am so frustrated that I have a cruise booked for Jan 2, 2022, and am supposed to make a final payment today, and HAL has not yet decided what vaccination policy will be for that cruise.  I've talked to HAL reservations, and HAL guest relations, neither has any info and no idea when this decision will be made.  I only want to be on a ship where everyone over 12 yo is vaccinated.  Now I guess I have to wait and see how long I can wait before making the final payment.  I so much want to look forward to this cruise, but maybe it's not meant to be!

I am waiting on hold to find out about the vaccination requirement in 2022.  We are supposed to sail on the Zuiderdam January 2.  I had talked to HAL last week and was told that policy for our sailing would be announced 90 days before cruise date, which would be today, which is also final payment date.  So far, they don't seem to know, which surprises me.  Agent on the phone is "talking to my supervisor".  I also will not go if vaccinations are not required, but have so much been looking forward to this cruise.

2 hours ago, bandp407 said:

Has there been any mention onboard about HAL extending the 100% vaccination requirement into 2022? We are sailing on the Rotterdam in March, but will not go if the vaccination requirement is lifted.

5 hours ago, 57redbird said:

Quick ? --  where do these get mailed to for testing?  We did the Covid kits from Costco for our trip to Hawaii & since we are in Washington State & they got overnighted to Georgia, we didn't have our results in time.  Thank heaven for Kaiser - they came through.

You actually do the Binax test wherever you are, observed by the camera on your phone or computer, so results in a few minutes. No mailing once you’ve received the test. 

Called HAL to ask about 2022 vaccine policy.  We have Zuiderdam Panama Canal cruise Jan 2, final payment next week. “We don’t know what vaccine policy will be next year, and don’t know when that will be decided”.  Very frustrating. 

I would prefer a requirement that all adults be vaccinated, as that might decrease the chance that everyone’s cruise could be disrupted when a case occurs.