CDC’s COVID-19 Program for Cruise Ships is no longer in effect

[sdnich]

I would be so relieved for testing be dropped before our first cruise since 2019. I’ve already planned on bringing Covid home test with me if we happen to be feeling sick I would definitely test myself and self quarantine  if positive .

[Gia2cats]

2 hours ago, Redtravel said:

Testing is a good thing.  I will not cruise if testing is not required.   With testing, it prevents those infected people from passing it onto to other people on the ship.  It may be an inconvenience. It's responsible to do what you can to make sure that covid isn't on the ship.  If cruise lines stop testing, you will probably get sick. Some cruiselines have a new protocol.  Get covid, get off the ship.  I have a friend that was put off HAL on July 4th in Norway.  Still trying to get home. For now, I will reconsider my future travel plans.  My cruising days may be over. 

Every cruise ship sailing at the moment is infected with COVID. To think otherwise is foolish. Anyone with health issues probably should not cruise. But this is not the COVID of 2020. You don’t have to be tested to go to a sporting event, concert,  church or anywhere, except a cruise ship. And I think most doctors will tell you that we are all going to be infected with this eventually. 

[Silkroad]

28 minutes ago, Gia2cats said:

And by the way, my husband had his second booster 32 days before our trip. So they are pretty worthless too! 

You don’t understand how Covid vaccines work. There was never a promise that they would prevent illness for 100% of us. Rather, they would prevent illness for a high percentage of us (against the original strain) and prevent hospitalization or death for most of us. I think the mRNA vaccines and boosters have done a pretty good job despite Covid mutation. Did you ever consider that your husband’s booster may have prevented him from becoming quite sick? 

Edited July 18, 2022 by Silkroad

[Cruise till you drop]

2 hours ago, Redtravel said:

Testing is a good thing.  I will not cruise if testing is not required.   With testing, it prevents those infected people from passing it onto to other people on the ship.  It may be an inconvenience. It's responsible to do what you can to make sure that covid isn't on the ship.  If cruise lines stop testing, you will probably get sick. Some cruiselines have a new protocol.  Get covid, get off the ship.  I have a friend that was put off HAL on July 4th in Norway.  Still trying to get home. For now, I will reconsider my future travel plans.  My cruising days may be over. 

I agree and wonder if they do away with testing, I hope they make it mandatory for people to be vaccinated before they board as a minimum

Edited July 18, 2022 by Cruise till you drop

[blackshirt]

2 minutes ago, Cruise till you drop said:

I agree and wonder if they do away with testing, do they make it mandatory for people to be vaccinated before they board 

It already is or has been with very few exceptions. 

[wrk2cruise]

I would also expect if testing is eliminated so will any policy for allowing refunds or FCC for having to cancel prior to sailing.

[Lena11033]

7 minutes ago, Gia2cats said:

Every cruise ship sailing at the moment is infected with COVID. To think otherwise is foolish. Anyone with health issues probably should not cruise. But this is not the COVID of 2020. You don’t have to be tested to go to a sporting event, concert,  church or anywhere, except a cruise ship. And I think most doctors will tell you that we are all going to be infected with this eventually. 

Yes, my friend a nurse said in March that the doctors in the hospital she works at said we'll all get it. But that's because it's more contagious than the 2020 one just that the symptoms are more like a cold.

 

I have been very adamant on getting vaccines and boosters, I avoided being around people for the longest time even up to early this year but even I am done. I need my life back, I sail in 21 days and right now because of the rules in place I am like avoiding everyone just so I don't get a positive test, which if I had a cold or flu no one would care about and from my understanding the symptoms now of covid are cold or flu like.

[Gia2cats]

2 minutes ago, Silkroad said:

You don’t understand how Covid vaccines work. There was never a promise that they would prevent illness for 100% of us. Rather, they would prevent illness for a high percentage of us (against the original strain) and prevent hospitalization or death for most of us. I think the mRNA vaccines and boosters have done a pretty good job despite Covid mutation. Did you ever consider that your husband’s booster prevented him from becoming quite sick? 

Actually after 45 years in health care, I DO understand how vaccines work. If you remember, when the vaccines first came out, we were told that vaccines were the Holy Grail. We would be COVID free! Could go anywhere and do anything. I couldn’t wait to get my shot. 
Then the rhetoric slowly changed. Well, maybe you wouldn’t get real sick if you got the shot. Now a lot of experts will tell you that the current vaccine does virtually nothing against the current strain. I don’t believe any of it anymore. And frankly I will not rush to get anymore boosters unless an expert I really trust proves to me that it’s absolutely necessary. 
And an interesting aside. A current medical professional just told me that they are working on another COVID treatment. But it will come with the recommendation that no one become pregnant or father a child within 6 months of the treatment. Whether this gets final approval is still uncertain . But what are we putting in our bodies!

 

 

[wrk2cruise]

I still really hate it when people get near me and cough/sneeze with a cold and get me sick.   If your sick stay home!

[Gia2cats]

3 minutes ago, Lena11033 said:

Yes, my friend a nurse said in March that the doctors in the hospital she works at said we'll all get it. But that's because it's more contagious than the 2020 one just that the symptoms are more like a cold.

 

I have been very adamant on getting vaccines and boosters, I avoided being around people for the longest time even up to early this year but even I am done. I need my life back, I sail in 21 days and right now because of the rules in place I am like avoiding everyone just so I don't get a positive test, which if I had a cold or flu no one would care about and from my understanding the symptoms now of covid are cold or flu like.

My husband said that on a scale of 1-10 in cold severity, his COVID was a 3. No fever, aches, loss of taste, etc.

[Gia2cats]

14 minutes ago, Cruise till you drop said:

I agree and wonder if they do away with testing, I hope they make it mandatory for people to be vaccinated before they board as a minimum

My husband got his second booster 32 days prior to the land tour.

 

[Host Jazzbeau]

49 minutes ago, klflote said:

Why is everyone assuming the testing requirement will end (and end quickly)? The article mentioned above (https://www.seatrade-cruise.com/environmental-health/and-just-cdcs-covid-19-program-cruise-ships-has-ended) posits this:

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Protocols not likely to go away

However, this doesn't necessarily mean an end to cruise lines' own COVID-19 protocols. Industry sources said it's unlikely lines will stop their voluntary practices that have been so successful at protecting passengers, crew and communities visited. 

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That seems likely to me. 12 days until boarding and DH is still planning on getting a certificate of recovery, and I'm hoping I'm still negative for 12 days....

OTOH, Travel Weekly noted:

Along with the end of the Covid-19 Program for Cruise Ships, the CDC has retired its color-coding system for denoting Covid-19 cases aboard cruise ships.

https://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/CDC-eliminates-Covid-19-Program-for-Cruise-Ships

 

This lowers the PR risk to cruise lines, which may accelerate the ending of pre-cruise testing.

[jelayne]

55 minutes ago, klflote said:

Why is everyone assuming the testing requirement will end (and end quickly)? The article mentioned above (https://www.seatrade-cruise.com/environmental-health/and-just-cdcs-covid-19-program-cruise-ships-has-ended) posits this:

------

Protocols not likely to go away

However, this doesn't necessarily mean an end to cruise lines' own COVID-19 protocols. Industry sources said it's unlikely lines will stop their voluntary practices that have been so successful at protecting passengers, crew and communities visited. 

------

That seems likely to me. 12 days until boarding and DH is still planning on getting a certificate of recovery, and I'm hoping I'm still negative for 12 days....

I read that Carnival is no longer accepting a COR.  Hope that the others lines don’t follow suit. 

[RichYak]

Cruise lines should and will drop testing like a hot potato. Vaccine mandates in some form will remain for a while.