Princess Test Cruises ?

[Denmal]

With all the new CDC rules and guidance, I have yet to see if you can volunteer for the test cruises .  Has anyone heard or seen anything on this ?  I would volunteer for sure, I am fully vaccinated and would love to 'test' a cruise for free...

[Host CJSKIDS]

I don’t think Princess or any other  line has set up test cruises here in the US since they don’t have the go ahead to start sailing yet. 
 

Like you, I’m fully vaccinated and live close to the port and would be happy to test out the waters as they say. It will be interesting to see if the test cruises are actually required to start sailing ans how the lines pick the passengers who can sail. 

[voljeep]

Hey - don't you forget about me ... We're double-dosed - 10 weeks out tomorrow

 

will it be the CB out of PE ? - I did see Coral is to port on Monday - that would work for us, too 

[HBCcruiser]

Me too. March 1, 2021 - fully vaccinated with Moderna. Ready To Cruise!

[memoak]

Could a test cruise be the first test of DeSantis edit about asking for proof of vaccination?  I doubt Princess wants to test cruises and have an unvaccinated person end up in an ICU

[CineGraphic]

1 hour ago, Denmal said:

I am fully vaccinated and would love to 'test' a cruise for free...

 

What makes you think it will be free?

[Denmal]

52 minutes ago, CineGraphic said:

 

What makes you think it will be free?

The CDC states the test cruises have to be with non-paying passengers and not people dependent on the cruise line for a job 

[GonzoWCS]

3 hours ago, Denmal said:

With all the new CDC rules and guidance, I have yet to see if you can volunteer for the test cruises .  Has anyone heard or seen anything on this ?  I would volunteer for sure, I am fully vaccinated and would love to 'test' a cruise for free...

Watching this one

[OccasionalSanta]

As much as I'd like to get back on board, not sure I'd want to go if you still had to wear masks all the time.

[CineGraphic]

55 minutes ago, OccasionalSanta said:

As much as I'd like to get back on board, not sure I'd want to go if you still had to wear masks all the time.

 

This, from a man who wears a fake beard. lol.

[nocl]

6 hours ago, Denmal said:

With all the new CDC rules and guidance, I have yet to see if you can volunteer for the test cruises .  Has anyone heard or seen anything on this ?  I would volunteer for sure, I am fully vaccinated and would love to 'test' a cruise for free...

So far it does not appear as if any of the cruise lines have completed the port agreements required by the CDC.  It also does not appear as if any of the cruise lines have submitted their plans for how such cruises would operate in response to the CDC's framework.

[Cruzinnana47]

Not looking like test cruises are happening any time soon, if at all.   But...would like to be proven wrong.

 

[jennybenny]

Yes, a test cruise sound okay to me. We are fully vaccinated. I’ll play along to see how protocols are going to be and how much I do or don’t enjoy the new policies and procedures. Gives me the opportunity to decide with first hand experience if I’m willing to go on our upcoming cruises. 
I wonder how they will decide who can go in the test cruises. We could drive to any California port! 

[seapals2]

Here in the UK Princess are doing several summer cruises on Regal and Sky.  These cruises are for fully vaccinated UK only passengers only so effectively making them adult only.  The short 3/4 night sailings have no port stops and just one or two stops in the full week itineraries.  Sadly these aren’t free test cruises!  We are paying for the privilege of being the guinea pigs.  😄.  I’m guessing there will be very strict adherence to all the health requirements, Princess will not want to risk any cases causing news headlines.  Despite the port stops being in the UK passengers will still have to go ashore as part of an excursion group.  
 

Edited April 16, 2021 by seapals2

[Essiesmom]

I don't think test cruises will happen.  The requirement came down before vaccines were rolled out,  and the conclusion that being vaccinated makes a guest very unlikely to become seriously ill would make all the elaborate plans for evacuating sick cases and setting up plans with local hospitals, etc. moot.  Simply requiring vaccination of everyone makes it realistic.  The cruise lines do not need to make it mandatory, but if the ports of call do, the cruise line can refuse boarding, so it becomes a rule - just not theirs.  EM

[Daniel A]

I'm waiting to see if/when the CDC will come out with 'guidance' requiring a certain percentage of unvaccinated PAX on the test cruises.  They would be CDC's 'control group.'

[Grego]

15 minutes ago, Essiesmom said:

I don't think test cruises will happen.  The requirement came down before vaccines were rolled out,  and the conclusion that being vaccinated makes a guest very unlikely to become seriously ill would make all the elaborate plans for evacuating sick cases and setting up plans with local hospitals, etc. moot.  Simply requiring vaccination of everyone makes it realistic.  The cruise lines do not need to make it mandatory, but if the ports of call do, the cruise line can refuse boarding, so it becomes a rule - just not theirs.  EM

The test cruises are still necessary to thoroughly vett the protocols for dining, social distancing during performances, mock drills concerning possible infection and treatment, emergency drills, etc. Normally these actions could be done with the ship's personnel only, but with the impact of COVID it needs to be done with non-Princess persons to ensure that the results of the actions were not because they were trained to perform them.

 

Our interest in being a part of these trials is not just to get back on board or having a "free" voyage, it's to be a part of helping the cruise line get back in business safely and as soon as possible.

[Syracusefan44]

17 hours ago, Denmal said:

With all the new CDC rules and guidance, I have yet to see if you can volunteer for the test cruises .  Has anyone heard or seen anything on this ?  I would volunteer for sure, I am fully vaccinated and would love to 'test' a cruise for free...

I attended a Princess webinar a couple of months where it was stated they would not be seeking volunteers like Royal Caribbean instead they would send passengers an email to gauge their interest in volunteering for this test voyage.

[Roberto256]

Free?  Me! Me! Me!

 

Actually, I'm kidding.   I'm not interested until the details on whether all passengers and all crew will be vaccinated.

 

I think it's highly likely that cruises with start in the UK, before any baby-practice cruises in the US.

 

[ontheweb]

17 hours ago, HBCcruiser said:

Me too. March 1, 2021 - fully vaccinated with Moderna. Ready To Cruise!

DW and I also received our second Moderna vaccination on March1. We were actually scheduled on February 19 for the second shot, but due to weather related problems our county did not get their allotted vaccine then.

[wowzz]

16 minutes ago, Roberto256 said:

Free?  Me! Me! Me!

 

Actually, I'm kidding.   I'm not interested until the details on whether all passengers and all crew will be vaccinated.

 

I think it's highly likely that cruises with start in the UK, before any baby-practice cruises in the US.

 

UK cruises are already scheduled to start in July, with most of the major mass market lines offering cruises of up to 7 days, albeit the majority of cruises will not have port stops. 

[CruisinCouple2010]

28 minutes ago, Grego said:

The test cruises are still necessary to thoroughly vett the protocols for dining, social distancing during performances, mock drills concerning possible infection and treatment, emergency drills, etc. Normally these actions could be done with the ship's personnel only, but with the impact of COVID it needs to be done with non-Princess persons to ensure that the results of the actions were not because they were trained to perform them.

 

Our interest in being a part of these trials is not just to get back on board or having a "free" voyage, it's to be a part of helping the cruise line get back in business safely and as soon as possible.

Well said.

[wowzz]

32 minutes ago, Grego said:

The test cruises are still necessary to thoroughly vett the protocols for dining, social distancing during performances, mock drills concerning possible infection and treatment, emergency drills, etc. Normally these actions could be done with the ship's personnel only, but with the impact of COVID it needs to be done with non-Princess persons to ensure that the results of the actions were not because they were trained to perform them.

 

Our interest in being a part of these trials is not just to get back on board or having a "free" voyage, it's to be a part of helping the cruise line get back in business safely and as soon as possible.

But all the cruises starting in the UK this summer will do so without any test cruises having taken place. Why would test cruises therefore be needed when cruises from the US commence?

And in any case, would not the lessons learnt from the  UK cruises be more than sufficient to negate the  need for any test cruises?   

[voljeep]

we would gladly pay the $ 25 pp pd for drinks and wifi - to make sure those "protocols" are running correctly , and would tip like the 'old days' if grats were not included 🤑

[JF - retired RRT]

2 hours ago, Roberto256 said:

I'm not interested until the details on whether all passengers and all crew will be vaccinated.

 

I can almost (99%) guarantee that all crew will be vaccinated. I watch the vlog "Same Day Different Ship". He was recently reactivated and had to document his vax status, then tested at least 3 times while enroute to his destination ship. He joined a ship that was used to take crew to other ships and was quarantined. Once on the destination ship he was quarantined again. They're being extremely careful.