When will covid test stop being required?

[B113]

What's everyone's opinion on this?

Edited February 17, 2022 by B113

[scottnkim]

Month- 2 tops.   "Mandates" and testing are being dropped more and more every day.   Certain healthcare programs are even stopping testing.

 

[klfrodo]

as long as no new variant pops up, I would expect testing requirements to stop in 2 - 3 months.

[Biker19]

14 minutes ago, B113 said:

What's everyone's opinion on this?

Do you know anyone at the CDC?

[davekathy]

My Magic 8 Ball says, "cannot predict now". 🎱

[msuspartabigten]

Keep in mind that the cruise lines also need to follow the port countries directions or they won't be able to stop there. So even if the CDC changes direction, other countries might be delayed...

[Colorado Buffalo]

I'd be happy if they would move testing out from 48 hours to 72 hours

[livingonthebeach]

A good sign came yesterday when the CDC lowered the cruise industry's risk level from 4 to 3.  A step in the right direction. Hopefully they'll stop requiring tests in a few months. 

[island lady]

8 minutes ago, davekathy said:

My Magic 8 Ball says, "cannot predict now". 🎱

 

My magic Genie is working on the answer....she promises!  Actually...isn't that Betty White??

 

 

[island lady]

delete

Edited February 17, 2022 by island lady

[FamilyCruiserUK]

I would say 1 step at a time but the UK gov have gone in two footed, bet the house and everyone elses lol. 

 

Although now offering jab to 5-12 year olds. 

[gumshoe958]

Even if tests are no longer required by the CDC and other countries’ health authorities, Royal may choose to keep them for now if it believes that would give more people confidence to book as opposed to putting them off.

 

AFAIK the UK government no longer requires cruise passengers to be tested - yet Cunard, P&O etc are still insisting on it.

[DukeASUGirl]

It's not just what the CDC says, but the cruise lines still need to follow the requirements of the countries in which they port. Wouldn't make sense to drop the testing requirement to board if it means that many passengers wouldn't be able to get off the ship on port days.

[joeyancho]

Magic Eight Ball says:

Not any time soon.

[cello56]

[Billy Baltic]

1 hour ago, gumshoe958 said:

Even if tests are no longer required by the CDC and other countries’ health authorities, Royal may choose to keep them for now if it believes that would give more people confidence to book as opposed to putting them off.

 

AFAIK the UK government no longer requires cruise passengers to be tested - yet Cunard, P&O etc are still insisting on it.

In my opinion there’s a tipping point for this where testing drives more people away, than it attracts. As time goes on, that tipping point will veer more towards relaxing testing. 

[jalves]

My prediction will be the day after my next cruise.  So, plan on April 4th.  

[smokeybandit]

I bet 2023 at the earliest. The CDC will make sure of it, even though travel testing has proven to be a huge waste of time all over the world.

[binro01]

If the governments want to have a good summer vacation season, maybe June 1st, if we get past that and there is no change to testing, I would guess beginning of next year.

Edited February 17, 2022 by binro01

[Ashland]

27 minutes ago, binro01 said:

If the governments want to have a good summer vacation season, maybe June 1st, if we get past that and there is no change to testing, I would guess beginning of next year.

I don't care what kind of summer vacation the "government" wants...they can do and go wherever they want if they have the vacation time.

[Billy Baltic]

46 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

I bet 2023 at the earliest. The CDC will make sure of it, even though travel testing has proven to be a huge waste of time all over the world.

I’m genuinely curious about the CDC influence. When it comes to sailing outside of the US, how much do you feel RC will stick to what keeps the CDC happy?

[Sunshine3601]

Another good sign is I saw online that crew members are now allowed to get off ship at certain ports and relax, shop, whatever.     They must be thrilled!

 

And if they test positive but remain asymptomatic they only have to quarantine for 3 days.   I am sure this is helping with any anxiety crew members have had about their weekly testing.

 

I predict testing will be gone by summer as long as no nasty mutants show up😁

[Biker19]

9 minutes ago, Billy Baltic said:

When it comes to sailing outside of the US, how much do you feel RC will stick to what keeps the CDC happy?

None, but as RCI has found in Hong Kong, there are places where the local gov't rules are even worse than the CDC ones.

Edited February 18, 2022 by Biker19

[xtremegk]

15 minutes ago, Sunshine3601 said:

And if they test positive but remain asymptomatic they only have to quarantine for 3 days.   I am sure this is helping with any anxiety crew members have had about their weekly testing.

 

Quarantine for a positive test hasn't changed, only their sign-on quarantine. New crew who are joining a ship and tested negative in their sign-on test need only quarantine for 3 days if they remain asymptomatic after joining the ship. They won't need a negative test to be released from their initial quarantine.

[Sunshine3601]

1 hour ago, xtremegk said:

 

Quarantine for a positive test hasn't changed, only their sign-on quarantine. New crew who are joining a ship and tested negative in their sign-on test need only quarantine for 3 days if they remain asymptomatic after joining the ship. They won't need a negative test to be released from their initial quarantine.

I guess I heard wrong then. TY for clarifying.  At least that is a step in the right direction.