New CDC Guidance 5/26, significant changes for masks and dining

[jrapps]

The CDC posted new guidance today (5/26) specifically for vaccinated travelers, and cruises with 95% vaccinated passengers). There are major changes in here. Buffets are back! Masks are gone!

 

Masks

• Cruise ship operators, at their discretion, may advise passengers and crew that—if they are fully vaccinated—they may gather or conduct activities outdoors, including engaging in extended meal service or beverage consumption, without wearing a mask.
• Cruise ship operators, at their discretion, may advise crew who are fully vaccinated that they do not have to wear a mask or maintain physical distance in areas of the ship that are inaccessible to passengers.
• Cruise ship operators, at their discretion, may designate areas as only accessible to fully vaccinated passengers and crew where masks and physical distancing are not required (e.g., casinos; bars; spas; entertainment venues; and dining areas, including self-serve buffets).
• For ships with at least 95% of crew and 95% of passengers fully vaccinated, cruise ship operators, at their discretion, may advise passengers and crew that they do not have to wear a mask or maintain physical distance in any areas.

 

Physical Distancing

• Cruise ship operators, at their discretion, may designate areas only accessible to fully vaccinated passengers and crew where masks and physical distancing are not required (e.g., casinos; bars; spas; entertainment venues; and dining areas, including self-serve buffets).
• For ships with at least 95% of crew and 95% of passengers fully vaccinated, the following requirements are recommendations only.
• I wont type it all here but basically if 95% vaccinated, no long er need to space out elevators, theaters, dining, etc. Also no more required restrictions for outdoor water facilities

 

Food Service (Buffets are BACK!)

• Cruise ship operators, at their discretion, may designate areas as only accessible to fully vaccinated passengers and crew where masks and physical distancing are not required (e.g., casinos; bars; spas; entertainment venues; and dining areas, including self-serve buffets).
• For ships with at least 95% of crew and 95% of passengers fully vaccinated, the following requirements are recommendations only.\
• Same, I wont post the whole thing here but no longer need to limit or re-layout dining, they can have buffets, no barriers required, etc.

[taglovestocruise]

Had a good feeling things would get back to near normal quickly.  Went to the Bacchanal buffet at Caesars last week. Pretty much back to normal, every body sharing tongs and utensils, a few items served on small plates.  Here in CA we are slated to drop all protocols on June 15. happy cruising

[Sunshine3601]

I'm doing the Happy Dance 😂

Now if Royal would just get sailing and announce their official plans other than 1 ship scheduled for a test cruise later in June.    

 

[Jeremiah1212]

Celebrity and the few others committed to the 95% plan should definitely take advantage of this. 

 

Get on an unvaccinated cruise with a bunch of restrictions or get on a almost fully vaccinated cruise where it's nearly like pre-COVID cruising? Easy decision for me. 

[Tree_skier]

19 minutes ago, jrapps said:

The CDC posted new guidance today (5/26) specifically for vaccinated travelers, and cruises with 95% vaccinated passengers). There are major changes in here. Buffets are back! Masks are gone!

 

Masks

• Cruise ship operators, at their discretion, may advise passengers and crew that—if they are fully vaccinated—they may gather or conduct activities outdoors, including engaging in extended meal service or beverage consumption, without wearing a mask.
• Cruise ship operators, at their discretion, may advise crew who are fully vaccinated that they do not have to wear a mask or maintain physical distance in areas of the ship that are inaccessible to passengers.
• Cruise ship operators, at their discretion, may designate areas as only accessible to fully vaccinated passengers and crew where masks and physical distancing are not required (e.g., casinos; bars; spas; entertainment venues; and dining areas, including self-serve buffets).
• For ships with at least 95% of crew and 95% of passengers fully vaccinated, cruise ship operators, at their discretion, may advise passengers and crew that they do not have to wear a mask or maintain physical distance in any areas.

 

Physical Distancing

• Cruise ship operators, at their discretion, may designate areas only accessible to fully vaccinated passengers and crew where masks and physical distancing are not required (e.g., casinos; bars; spas; entertainment venues; and dining areas, including self-serve buffets).
• For ships with at least 95% of crew and 95% of passengers fully vaccinated, the following requirements are recommendations only.
• I wont type it all here but basically if 95% vaccinated, no long er need to space out elevators, theaters, dining, etc. Also no more required restrictions for outdoor water facilities

 

Food Service (Buffets are BACK!)

• Cruise ship operators, at their discretion, may designate areas as only accessible to fully vaccinated passengers and crew where masks and physical distancing are not required (e.g., casinos; bars; spas; entertainment venues; and dining areas, including self-serve buffets).
• For ships with at least 95% of crew and 95% of passengers fully vaccinated, the following requirements are recommendations only.\
• Same, I wont post the whole thing here but no longer need to limit or re-layout dining, they can have buffets, no barriers required, etc.

Excellent!!! Can't wait to get aboard now.  

[lovelife]

Woo Hoo!!  Thanks for sharing.

[CroozFanatic]

How interesting...may designate areas only accessible to fully vaccinated passengers and crew.

[BOOKBOOKBOOK]

This is the way. The vaccines are our path to normal cruising!

[shutterbug63]

Good news!  I wonder how are they going to police this and make sure anyone who's not vaccinated is wearing their mask when they're supposed to be.  Now I realize this is probably only going to be kids under 12 (based on their current vaccination policy) or people who have a legitimate medical reason to not be able to get the vaccine, but I wonder what their plans are as far as that.

 

Also, anyone got a link to the actual announcement? I find the CDC site difficult to navigate.

Edited May 26, 2021 by shutterbug63

[Marygracie C.]

what percent of vaccine is RCL stating for their ship passengers and crew?

[McCruiser33]

This is good news! 

[BOOKBOOKBOOK]

4 minutes ago, shutterbug63 said:

Good news!  I wonder how are they going to police this and make sure anyone who's not vaccinated is wearing their mask when they're supposed to be.  Now I realize this is probably only going to be kids under 12 (based on their current vaccination policy) or people who have a legitimate medical reason to not be able to get the vaccine, but I wonder what their plans are as far as that.

 

Also, anyone got a link to the actual announcement? I find the CDC site difficult to navigate.

 

https://www.cdc.gov/quarantine/cruise/covid19-operations-manual-cso.html

 

I think policing will be a minor issue because cruise operators have tons of flexibility on ships with 95% of passengers/crew vaccinated. Hence the "For ships with at least 95% of crew and 95% of passengers fully vaccinated, the following requirements are recommendations only." clause. In other words, it won't matter who the 5% unvaccinated consist of.

[CruiseBride926]

1 minute ago, Marygracie C. said:

what percent of vaccine is RCL stating for their ship passengers and crew?

In the video Richard Fain made he said crew will probably be 100% and for passengers I think he said everyone that can be vaccinated will be but taking in account medical exemptions and children they didn’t seem to be requiring the 95%

[lv2cruisgrl]

8 minutes ago, shutterbug63 said:

Good news!  I wonder how are they going to police this and make sure anyone who's not vaccinated is wearing their mask when they're supposed to be.  Now I realize this is probably only going to be kids under 12 (based on their current vaccination policy) or people who have a legitimate medical reason to not be able to get the vaccine, but I wonder what their plans are as far as that.

 

Also, anyone got a link to the actual announcement? I find the CDC site difficult to navigate.

https://www.cruisecritic.com/ab/agents/variation-a/news/6150/

[lv2cruisgrl]

8 minutes ago, Marygracie C. said:

what percent of vaccine is RCL stating for their ship passengers and crew?

Good question as I read that RC won't be able to do 95 percent of vaccinated guests because of kids. 

[shutterbug63]

3 minutes ago, BOOKBOOKBOOK said:

 

https://www.cdc.gov/quarantine/cruise/covid19-operations-manual-cso.html

 

I think policing will be a minor issue because cruise operators have tons of flexibility on ships with 95% of passengers/crew vaccinated. Hence the "For ships with at least 95% of crew and 95% of passengers fully vaccinated, the following requirements are recommendations only." clause. In other words, it won't matter who the 5% unvaccinated consist of.

 

Thank you for  the link. I just read it and it seems like they're saying that cruise ship operators have discretion even when it comes to unvaccinated passengers (even as small as that percentage may be) as to whether or not they have to wear a mask.  To be honest, even though my household is protected, that makes me feel a little less safe.  I don't know - maybe I'm reading it wrong.

[Marygracie C.]

I really hope if RCL can’t guarantee 95 percent we won’t be made to wear masks even if vaccinated!!?!

[klfrodo]

To reach the 95% threshold,,,, anyone over 11 years old MUST be vaccinated.

Edited May 26, 2021 by klfrodo

[harkinmr]

22 minutes ago, shutterbug63 said:

Good news!  I wonder how are they going to police this and make sure anyone who's not vaccinated is wearing their mask when they're supposed to be.  Now I realize this is probably only going to be kids under 12 (based on their current vaccination policy) or people who have a legitimate medical reason to not be able to get the vaccine, but I wonder what their plans are as far as that.

 

Also, anyone got a link to the actual announcement? I find the CDC site difficult to navigate.

It's all mixed in with the operations manual.  Have to search through to find it, but here's the link:

 

https://www.cdc.gov/quarantine/cruise/covid19-operations-manual-cso.html

[harkinmr]

2 minutes ago, klfrodo said:

To reach the 95% threshold,,,, anyone over 11 years old MUST be vaccinated.

It's a little bit more than that.  The 95% is based on reported sailing capacity, so there is a 5% gap for unvaccinated cruises, including children not eligible to be vaccinated.  Not an indefinite number of children under 12 or 16 depending on any vaccine requirements.  For example, with 2000 passengers, that would mean 100 passengers could be unvaccinated.

[luckyinpa]

is any testing required before/after/during a cruise?

[harkinmr]

9 minutes ago, shutterbug63 said:

 

Thank you for  the link. I just read it and it seems like they're saying that cruise ship operators have discretion even when it comes to unvaccinated passengers (even as small as that percentage may be) as to whether or not they have to wear a mask.  To be honest, even though my household is protected, that makes me feel a little less safe.  I don't know - maybe I'm reading it wrong.

I think the discretion on mask wearing is only as to vaccinated passengers.  It even says that separate areas could be designated as non-mask wearing only open to the vaccinated.  I don't think it would be easy to police this unless they went fully vaccinated.

[smokeybandit]

Just as long as kids don't have to wear masks.

[harkinmr]

2 minutes ago, luckyinpa said:

is any testing required before/after/during a cruise?

Vaccinated cruisers no.  Unvaccinated yes.

 

Testing of Embarking and Disembarking Passengers for Restricted Voyages

Screening Testing of All Embarking and Disembarking Passengers for Restricted Voyages

	Not Fully Vaccinated Passengers	Fully Vaccinated Passengers
Embarkation Day Testing	Viral (NAAT or antigen)	Not Applicable*
Disembarkation Testing ^	Viral (NAAT or antigen)	Not Applicable
Back-to-Back Sailing¥ Testing	Viral (NAAT or antigen)	Not Applicable

* While embarkation testing is not required, international travelers arriving in the U.S. are recommended to be tested 3-5 days after arrival, including those who are fully vaccinated. Cruise operators may follow this recommendation at their discretion.

^ Disembarkation testing is only required for voyages of more than 4 nights.

[jrapps]

I forgot to mention in my OP that @Jeremiah1212 was the one that first saw this and posted on another thread. Wanted to give credit where credit is due!