If 100/0, does Carnival even need to test onboard?

[BlerkOne]

If it hasn't already changed, I suspect testing will be recommended for vaccinated people who are exposed to the virus, whether or not they are symptomatic.

[deweytrader]

For the cruise lines sake 100 percent is the eay to go for now.  Minimize the amount of onboard testing, the testing is leading to problems.  Again I will stress there was zero social distancing and mask wearing on the Carnival Cruise.  Unfortunately I was at sea with no internet when the CDC released the new guidelines about masking up.  I would have masked up.

[deweytrader]

it will be interesting to see what happens on the Mardi Grasas with 4,500 passengers including 200 plus unvaccinated exceptions.  Only astute cruisers know how to check to see CDC color level, the general cruiser most likely not.  Maybe Carnival is not sharing the information publicly on covid cases on board because they don't want any bad press due to the Mardi Gras's inaugural run today.  (ironically the only reason I was on the Breeze is because I was originally scheduled for the 7/24 Mardi gras sailing, was bummed I missed by one week!)

Edited August 1, 2021 by deweytrader
wrong word

[BoozinCroozin]

4 hours ago, Lee Cruiser said:

That's not really an option since the CDC apparently said this week that vaccinated people can spread the virus as well. When a person takes a cruise they are accepting there is an inherent risk, health and or, financial. 

I completely disagree. There is no inherent financial impact. There is no need for testing on a 100% vaccinated cruise ship. The financial burden for vaccinated people should be held by the unvaccinated. That is the inherent risk they are taking exposing vaccinated people. 

 

54 minutes ago, ScottsSweetie said:

I'm a little confused. You just got back from Florida - the epicenter of the Delta breakout. You went to the theme parks under all these circumstances. But cruising on a 95% vaccinated cruise is a bridge too far for you??

I can agree, but going to a theme park is not going to put anyone in quarantine for 10 days upon exiting. The issue here is the unvaccinated requiring testing to take place. Testing is not necessary if 100% of the people onboard are vaccinated. It is extremely unlikely any vaccinated person would show any signs over the course of 7-days.

[surfone]

3 hours ago, TNcruising02 said:

Anyone can get the virus.  It seems to me that the biggest risk is with families traveling with an unvaccinated person who will be required to get a covid test before returning to the home port.  If positive, that will trigger tests for the entire family.  I don't know why anyone would go on a cruise and take this huge risk by traveling with an unvaccinated person. I would rebook.

If testing is required for everyone in the future, then it would make a lot more sense to have everyone submit a negative covid test before boarding.  Vaccinated people do not need to be tested again unless they seek medical care on the ship.  If people who have unvaccinated family members would wait until next year to cruise, that would help a lot.  It's bad enough that airlines will let anyone fly and don't require tests.  That will be the highest risk situation I will be in when I cruise in a few weeks.

I agree, why would a family want to cruise with someone in their family unvaxxed knowing the virus is still not under control.  It ruins the entire cruse for them if they get infected and now with the huge increase in cases and more of the children seem to be prone to this delta variant vs other so far.  I would postpone a cruise if there were a unvaxxed in my group.  Not worth the risk.  

[Lee Cruiser]

3 minutes ago, BoozinCroozin said:

There is no need for testing on a 100% vaccinated cruise ship. The financial burden for vaccinated people should be held by the unvaccinated. That is the inherent risk they are taking exposing vaccinated people. 

You are still making the assumption that it's only the unvaccinated that are spreading the virus, which is not the case. Vaccinated people are still getting and spreading the virus.  If vaccinated people can carry the virus, then it can spread on a 100% vaccinated cruise as well. Though testing everyone before a cruise really doesn't help with people being exposed just before boarding (say, on a flight) or in a port, etc.

In RCI's case, everyone was tested before getting onboard, yet they still had six cases onboard, with four of those being vaccinated. 

[ScottsSweetie]

24 minutes ago, BoozinCroozin said:

 

I can agree, but going to a theme park is not going to put anyone in quarantine for 10 days upon exiting. The issue here is the unvaccinated requiring testing to take place. Testing is not necessary if 100% of the people onboard are vaccinated. It is extremely unlikely any vaccinated person would show any signs over the course of 7-days.

That's absolutely not true. Someone could have been exposed 4 days before the cruise and become symptomatic hours after boarding. If they present themselves at medical, then others will be tested from contact tracing methods.

Edited August 1, 2021 by ScottsSweetie

[Lee Cruiser]

1 hour ago, Bookbug53 said:

Can you give more information on this as I have not read about it and can't seem to find any info?

There's no information, because much of it is based on assumptions and not facts.

[deweytrader]

Testing before the cruise will certainly help and weed out anyone at the pier but if somebody does show symptoms on board they will have to test them in their immediate contacts.  

[deweytrader]

33 minutes ago, surfone said:

I agree, why would a family want to cruise with someone in their family unvaxxed knowing the virus is still not under control.  It ruins the entire cruse for them if they get infected and now with the huge increase in cases and more of the children seem to be prone to this delta variant vs other so far.  I would postpone a cruise if there were a unvaxxed in my group.  Not worth the risk.  

When we traveled on the adventure in June the virus was much more under control and we felt much more comfortable. now with the Delta variant and the new CDC guidance I would not travel right now with my unvaxxed children and am in the process of canceling our next cruise.  

[surfone]

33 minutes ago, deweytrader said:

When we traveled on the adventure in June the virus was much more under control and we felt much more comfortable. now with the Delta variant and the new CDC guidance I would not travel right now with my unvaxxed children and am in the process of canceling our next cruise.  

I think many will follow your lead for now.  I know we all here on CC wish you and your family a quick recovery and safe travels very soon back  to your home 🙂 

[BlerkOne]

44 minutes ago, deweytrader said:

Testing before the cruise will certainly help and weed out anyone at the pier but if somebody does show symptoms on board they will have to test them in their immediate contacts.  

People showing signs that could be covid are tested.

[TNcruising02]

1 hour ago, deweytrader said:

When we traveled on the adventure in June the virus was much more under control and we felt much more comfortable. now with the Delta variant and the new CDC guidance I would not travel right now with my unvaxxed children and am in the process of canceling our next cruise.  

I appreciate your posts on your experiences on the ship and at the hotel.  I think this should be a huge wake up call to those traveling with an unvaccinated person, who will be required to have a covid test before the end of the cruise.  People should be prepared for this scenario and the possibility of quarantining after the end of the cruise unless they drive to  the port

[BlerkOne]

2 minutes ago, TNcruising02 said:

I appreciate your posts on your experiences on the ship and at the hotel.  I think this should be a huge wake up call to those traveling with an unvaccinated person, who will be required to have a covid test before the end of the cruise.  People should be prepared for this scenario and the possibility of quarantining after the end of the cruise unless they drive to  the port

Why do people need wake up calls? Carnival has said all along if you test positive you will have to quarantine at your own expense?

 

"If you traveled by air to join your cruise and test positive at embarkation and are not able to cruise – or test positive during the debark testing – you may be required to quarantine before traveling home. While Carnival will help make quarantine arrangements, all guests are responsible for expenses associated with quarantine. "

[deweytrader]

6 minutes ago, BlerkOne said:

Why do people need wake up calls? Carnival has said all along if you test positive you will have to quarantine at your own expense?

 

"If you traveled by air to join your cruise and test positive at embarkation and are not able to cruise – or test positive during the debark testing – you may be required to quarantine before traveling home. While Carnival will help make quarantine arrangements, all guests are responsible for expenses associated with quarantine. 

Just be prepared if it happens to you.  Carnival seems to be in vast contrast to all the other cruise lines with regards to informing guests, arranging accommodations, and/or transporting them home.  Caveat Emptor!  

[BlerkOne]

6 minutes ago, deweytrader said:

Just be prepared if it happens to you.  Carnival seems to be in vast contrast to all the other cruise lines with regards to informing guests, arranging accommodations, and/or transporting them home.  Caveat Emptor!  

Carnival has joined others in now requiring insurance for unvaccinated passengers. That wasn't the case with the first cruises. It is a learning process and will evolve as time goes on. Cruising during a pandemic is new for all.

[Earthworm Jim]

2 hours ago, deweytrader said:

Minimize the amount of onboard testing, the testing is leading to problems.

 

Testing doesn't lead to problems. Testing just reveals problems. If you don't test, you still have the same number of problems. You just don't know about them.

[kleibo]

Viking Ocean is 100%, no kids - test everyday, masks onboard except when eating and they have positives. There will always be positives.  

 

I do prefer the 100% model though.   The big upside for 100% is "most likely" the person will be asymptomatic or have mild symptoms.   I do worry about an unvaxxed person getting covid and not being able to get the treatment they need.  I would not cruise if I was unvaxxed.

 

 

[keels81]

I guess what I'm missing is why the poster that tested positive on the Breeze had to take a test. It's not like the AOTS where you have to take a Covid test to fly back to the states.

 

Carnival's exemption policy for unvaccinated requires PCR and Antigen before boarding, but for a July sailing there was no requirement for an unvaxxed child to have to test to get off the ship if I'm reading the protocols correctly.

[Dadofsix]

20 minutes ago, keels81 said:

I guess what I'm missing is why the poster that tested positive on the Breeze had to take a test. It's not like the AOTS where you have to take a Covid test to fly back to the states.

 

Carnival's exemption policy for unvaccinated requires PCR and Antigen before boarding, but for a July sailing there was no requirement for an unvaxxed child to have to test to get off the ship if I'm reading the protocols correctly.

Per Carnivals guidelines unvaxxed are to be tested within 24 hours of debark with cost charged to sail and sign.

 

.Presenting a negative PCR COVID-19 test at check-in, taken between 72 and 24 hours prior to the sailing date, taking an antigen test at embarkation, and testing again within 24 hours of debarkation on all cruises longer than 4 days. We must also now provide testing information and reporting to the destinations we visit. A US$150 per person charge will be assessed to the guest’s onboard Sail and Sign account to cover the cost of testing, reporting and health and safety screenings. Children under two are exempt from testing requirements

[keels81]

7 minutes ago, Dadofsix said:

Per Carnivals guidelines unvaxxed are to be tested within 24 hours of debark with cost charged to sail and sign.

 

.Presenting a negative PCR COVID-19 test at check-in, taken between 72 and 24 hours prior to the sailing date, taking an antigen test at embarkation, and testing again within 24 hours of debarkation on all cruises longer than 4 days. We must also now provide testing information and reporting to the destinations we visit. A US$150 per person charge will be assessed to the guest’s onboard Sail and Sign account to cover the cost of testing, reporting and health and safety screenings. Children under two are exempt from testing requirements

 

I was under the impression that was with sailings starting on the 31st. I'll have to go back and look at the emails about protocols prior to that.

[BlerkOne]

Carnival states protocols are subject to change without notice

 

Please refer to our Return to Service FAQs for a complete list of our protocols and requirements, which continue to evolve and may change without prior notice.

[Earthworm Jim]

2 hours ago, keels81 said:

I guess what I'm missing is why the poster that tested positive on the Breeze had to take a test. It's not like the AOTS where you have to take a Covid test to fly back to the states.

 

Carnival's exemption policy for unvaccinated requires PCR and Antigen before boarding, but for a July sailing there was no requirement for an unvaxxed child to have to test to get off the ship if I'm reading the protocols correctly.

 

My impression was the Breeze poster was vaccinated, but were tested because they were a close contact to their unvaccinated child who tested positive. The child had to be tested because they were unvaccinated.

[picantel]

Quick question before I make a decision on a cruise with carnival. I am fully vaccinated, live in florida, and would sail out of port canaveral. I just cancelled my Odyssey of the seas cruise because they require testing even on vaccinated and I am tired of RCL changing their rules all the time. Does carnival require any testing at all on vaccinated passengers. My son and I would be going and both of us are vaccinated. thanks

[tallnthensome]

9 minutes ago, picantel said:

Quick question before I make a decision on a cruise with carnival. I am fully vaccinated, live in florida, and would sail out of port canaveral. I just cancelled my Odyssey of the seas cruise because they require testing even on vaccinated and I am tired of RCL changing their rules all the time. Does carnival require any testing at all on vaccinated passengers. My son and I would be going and both of us are vaccinated. thanks

No