Poll on which ports you will cruise out of during the pandemic

[cgolf1]

Hopefully this poll won't break any forum rules. We have a cruise later this year going out of FLL, but are really questioning if that is the smart thing to do with the rise of the delta variant in certain areas of the country. The decisions that the states have made that impact/change the cruislines onboard policies for the percentage of vaccinated passengers allowed onboard will also play into our decision. Curious if others are factoring this in and are changing ports or canceling cruises due to these concerns. The poll is multiple choice because I see the possiblity of people choosing at least 2 answers. Hoping the poll makes sense, but guessing I missed an option, but you all will let me know;)

 

Doing the poll because in some topics I have seen people hint that they were sailing out of one port or another due to the above reasons. Wish it were an easy decision, but it doesn't look like it will be for us. So getting a feel of how people are coming to their decisions will help us out. We tend to be lean towards being cautious, but at some point we have to live our lives too. Thanks to the Pandemic our vacation balances have really increased:).

[Fouremco]

My ideal choice would be one that avoids a port with high levels of the delta variant combined with 100% vaccination on board. Barring that choice, I'll go with #4.

[finny2]

I picked #3. If it is high, we will fly in masked. Then get room service at the hotel and not leave the room til we board the ship. However, if it’s crazy high we would cancel the cruise.

the thing with picking a low rate port is that you still have to fly there, and that can expose you to people from high rate areas.

[lv2cruisgrl]

We live in Florida and just booked a cruise for Sept. Out of Miami. We have had our vaccine shots and will take masks just in case. Both of us are in good health and over 65. We have decided to just go for it as life is short. We have 6 cruises booked over the next 12 months. 🤷

[Oceansaway17]

1 hour ago, lovrccl said:

We live in Florida and just booked a cruise for Sept. Out of Miami. We have had our vaccine shots and will take masks just in case. Both of us are in good health and over 65. We have decided to just go for it as life is short. We have 6 cruises booked over the next 12 months. 🤷

 

 

yes indeedy. I have 4 booked all out of USA ports only including Seattle (Ovation of seas), Cape Liberty NJ (Oasis of Seas) and two in Nov from Miami ( Edge and Symphony).  I would not want to deal with international flights and isolating and testing etc etc.  Give the business to our USA ports for now.

 

I will turn 66 the day I walk on the Oasis of the Seas.  yippee for me. And I can drive to the port too.

 

Enjoy your trips as well.

[K12Guy]

5 hours ago, Fouremco said:

My ideal choice would be one that avoids a port with high levels of the delta variant combined with 100% vaccination on board. Barring that choice, I'll go with #4.

Us too. Science beats politics in my book.

[K12Guy]

9 hours ago, Oceansaway17 said:

And I can drive to the port too.

Holy smoke! You turn 66 and can still drive to the port? Impressive! 😎

 

[WonderMan3]

My decision to cruise would likely look at departure port and all ports in the itinerary and how they are doing. The problem is final payment is 90 days prior and much can change between then and departure date. If the cruise is a go but you don't feel comfortable going you will be subject to cancel penalties. Most people would  likely make a decision like this close to departure and by then penalties are at 100%. I guess you would need to buy "cancel for any reason" travel insurance but I don't know if they are even selling those types of policies anymore since Covid.

Edited July 29, 2021 by WonderMan3

[cgolf1]

7 hours ago, WonderMan3 said:

My decision to cruise would likely look at departure port and all ports in the itinerary and how they are doing. The problem is final payment is 90 days prior and much can change between then and departure date. If the cruise is a go but you don't feel comfortable going you will be subject to cancel penalties. Most people would  likely make a decision like this close to departure and by then penalties are at 100%. I guess you would need to buy "cancel for any reason" travel insurance but I don't know if they are even selling those types of policies anymore since Covid.

 

We also fall out of the time window when Celebrity will send you home and pay for your trip home if you test positive onboard. That means we have to find insurance that covers if we test positive and all that goes along with it. We both are fully vacinated, but so was the latest case on the Edge.

[upwarduk]

We booked when UK staycations, were for UK residents only who are fully vaccinated.No booking for adults who were not vaccinated.

Now a PCR test is required, but although a nuisance , it adds further confidence.

Recently CelebrityCruises added that children also need a PCR test 3 days before as well as being tested at the pier. Under 18’s as yet cannot be vaccinated in UK, so Celebrity are making doubly certain that they are doing all that they can to protect their passengers.

[Smmessineo]

Number 3.

I chose this , not because we aren't worried about about the rising rates of Delta,, but because we live in the petri dish that is Florida, so we're in the middle of it anyway. The low vax rate and rising Delta positives make me resent my felliw Floridians.  I have gone back to masking every time I go to the store. And I am now thinking we may even  need masks at times on the Edge in September. But we have 4 cruises booked in the next 18 months, all out of FL.So I am optimistic about cruising. And if all goes well, I'll be safer onboard than I am at home.

[Oceansaway17]

12 hours ago, K12Guy said:

Holy smoke! You turn 66 and can still drive to the port? Impressive! 😎

 

 

um not sure what the hell you mean by this snarky remark,  the port is in NJ and I live in PA.

[TeeRick]

24 minutes ago, Oceansaway17 said:

 

um not sure what the hell you mean by this snarky remark,  the port is in NJ and I live in PA.

I think K12Guy was just trying to be funny.  Not offensive to you.  

[phoenix_dream]

11 hours ago, cgolf1 said:

 

We also fall out of the time window when Celebrity will send you home and pay for your trip home if you test positive onboard. That means we have to find insurance that covers if we test positive and all that goes along with it. We both are fully vacinated, but so was the latest case on the Edge.

I'm a little confused by your statement - I confess I have not stayed 100% on top of things constantly changing.  What time window are you referring to?  I didn't know there was such a time window as I thought that was the protocol they were following - at least on cruises out of the US.

[NMTraveller]

1 hour ago, phoenix_dream said:

I'm a little confused by your statement - I confess I have not stayed 100% on top of things constantly changing.  What time window are you referring to?  I didn't know there was such a time window as I thought that was the protocol they were following - at least on cruises out of the US.

October 31

 

 

Book a Celebrity cruise that’s sailing on or before October 31, 2021 and you’ll have the following reassurance at no extra charge:

• 100% cruise fare refund for you, and your Travelling Party, if any of you tests positive for COVID-19 within 14 days prior to the cruise or at the boarding terminal.*
• Pro-rated cruise fare refund for anyone who has their cruise cut short due to testing positive for COVID-19 or being suspected of having COVID-19 during the cruise.
• If you test positive for COVID-19 during the cruise, Celebrity Cruises will cover the costs of COVID-19 related medical treatment onboard, any required land-based quarantine, and travel home for you and your Travelling Party.

[Shadow9612]

On 7/28/2021 at 11:17 AM, Fouremco said:

My ideal choice would be one that avoids a port with high levels of the delta variant combined with 100% vaccination on board. Barring that choice, I'll go with #4.

This is what I would like to see, but because there's still so much up in the air, I'm waiting it out.  

[Nymich]

3 

[Miaminice]

Unfortunately the results of the poll show how careless people still are 😪

No, I am not saying travel or cruising can´t be done. But I am missing the sensibility in what and how it can be done. 

[cgolf1]

11 hours ago, NMTraveller said:

October 31

 

 

Book a Celebrity cruise that’s sailing on or before October 31, 2021 and you’ll have the following reassurance at no extra charge:

• 100% cruise fare refund for you, and your Travelling Party, if any of you tests positive for COVID-19 within 14 days prior to the cruise or at the boarding terminal.*
• Pro-rated cruise fare refund for anyone who has their cruise cut short due to testing positive for COVID-19 or being suspected of having COVID-19 during the cruise.
• If you test positive for COVID-19 during the cruise, Celebrity Cruises will cover the costs of COVID-19 related medical treatment onboard, any required land-based quarantine, and travel home for you and your Travelling Party.

 

That is what I would do, but living in the Midwest, the whole point of cruising is to get a break from the snow and cold temps. As of right now we have 2 cruises booked during hibernation season, 1 in 2021 and 1 in 2022. So the better half would rather cancel than switch to before October 31st. 

 

I have thought of either driving down or getting a semi private jet down to minimize our risk. Somewhere I read some of the smaller jet services can be done for around the price of a first class ticket. While this would be a huge increase over the cheap southwest fares we pay, the added safety factor of not going through the terminal and on a crowded plane may be worth it. Now I just need to find these services and price them out.

Edited July 30, 2021 by cgolf1

[NMTraveller]

For those that chose 2, which ports would you book out of?

 

https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2021/07/28/1021795290/cdc-mask-guidelines-indoors-vaccinated-by-county-covid-spread

 

Eighty percent of the US has high levels.

[RichYak]

Option 4 makes no sense to me. All Celebrity ships are sailing with a "near 100% vaccination rate".

[cgolf1]

29 minutes ago, RichYak said:

Option 4 makes no sense to me. All Celebrity ships are sailing with a "near 100% vaccination rate".

 

I tried to stay away from mentinoning Florida vs other ports to not turn this discussion that way. Right now there seem to be different rules out of Florida due to things.. For example I still follow a DCL forum and with their policy for their ships sailing out of Florida I wouldn't set foot on their ships right now.

[sanger727]

I would still take my vacation. In 2020 I hoped that covid would be "over" at some point. But it is quickly appearing that it may never be "over". I'm a little done with "playing it safe". I'm fully vaccinated so I'm safe as I can be and want to get back to living my life. A high level of delta in an area might change my activities. As in, would still cruise out of Florida but might stick to flying in late the night before, getting room service, and going straight to the port the next morning. 

[RichYak]

7 minutes ago, cgolf1 said:

 

I tried to stay away from mentinoning Florida vs other ports to not turn this discussion that way. Right now there seem to be different rules out of Florida due to things.. For example I still follow a DCL forum and with their policy for their ships sailing out of Florida I wouldn't set foot on their ships right now.

You can't compare X to DCL or even RCCL. And lets be honest, DCL's and RCCL's policies have to do with lack of authorized vaccine for children, not Florida rules.

 

Cruise ships sailing out of the US adhere to 1 of 2 separate sets of rules, both set by the CDC--not the port. DCL, like RCCL, have gone the "restricted voyage" route. X has chosen the unrestricted with >95% vaccinated on all sailings. These policies will be the same regardless of embarkation port.

 

I understand there's been lawsuits regarding the CDC's authority. Regardless, X is still following their guidelines. So, I'll say it again. There is no US port where X is not sailing "near 100% vaccinated," thus option 4 has no meaning in the context of this survey.

[cgolf1]

58 minutes ago, RichYak said:

You can't compare X to DCL or even RCCL. And lets be honest, DCL's and RCCL's policies have to do with lack of authorized vaccine for children, not Florida rules.

 

Cruise ships sailing out of the US adhere to 1 of 2 separate sets of rules, both set by the CDC--not the port. DCL, like RCCL, have gone the "restricted voyage" route. X has chosen the unrestricted with >95% vaccinated on all sailings. These policies will be the same regardless of embarkation port.

 

I understand there's been lawsuits regarding the CDC's authority. Regardless, X is still following their guidelines. So, I'll say it again. There is no US port where X is not sailing "near 100% vaccinated," thus option 4 has no meaning in the context of this survey.

 

So below is from the X website for Flordia. Sentences 3 and 4 seem a bit contradictory, but what is missing from the Florida column is the statement that at least 95% of the passengers must be vaccinated. So the current percentages may work out that way, but the way it is written makes me question the 95% rule in Florida. Am I missing something? 

 

Also to the Mods if I can't post info from the X website please delete.

 

https://www.celebritycruises.com/content/dam/celebrity/pdf/celebrity-healthy-at-sea-protocols.pdf

 

Vaccine recommended All guests 16 years and older must be fully vaccinated with all COVID-19 vaccine doses administered at least 14 days prior to sailing. Crew onboard will be vaccinated. As of August 1, 2021, all guests age 12 and older must be fully vaccinated. For sailings from Florida – Guests 16 years and older (12 and over for any sailing on or after August 1st) who decline or are unable to show proof of vaccination at boarding will be treated as unvaccinated and subject to additional protocols, restrictions, and costs for COVID-19 testing. Additional requirements for unvaccinated guests 16 + -You will need to arrive for embarkation with a negative PCR test taken within 3 days in advance of arrival to the terminal. -You will be subject to a Covid-19 test at the pier. -A mid cruise antigen test onboard will be required. -An antigen test will be required at the end of the cruise. Please do not make early travel plans on the day of debarkation to allow time for the required testing process. -The per person cost for these tests is $178 and will be applied to your onboard folio. -Masks will be required at all times onboard except while eating or drinking. -Unvaccinated guests are required to book a Celebrity curated tour, and depending on local government requirements, unvaccinated guests may be further restricted from going ashore. -Unvaccinated guests will have designated seating areas* in all venues such as the dining rooms, casino, theatre, etc. -Unvaccinated guests will not have access to gym or spa*. *Venue access is validated via Sea Pass card.