COVID pre-cruise testing requirement going away?

[GreenIdScorpio]

I’m happy to see that Royal is relaxing the COVID testing for shorter cruises, no longer requiring vaccines, and was curious if anyone had heard if they are going to further relax (or at least review) pre-cruise requirement for cruises that are 6+ days?  

 

 

Edited August 16, 2022 by GreenIdScorpio

[TeeRick]

1 minute ago, GreenIdScorpio said:

I’m happy to see that Royal is relaxing their COVID policies, not requiring vaccines, etc. and was curious if anyone had heard if they are going to further relax (or at least review) pre-cruise requirement for cruises that are 6+ days?  

 

 

highly likely.

[Another_Critic]

Already several threads discussing/arguing about the topic.

[LEMJMcC]

7 minutes ago, TeeRick said:

highly likely.

One can only hope & pray they do away with both vax and testing...

[jimb cruisin]

Below recently posted to Celebrity forum, would say the pressure on RCL to relax is building.

 

 

  1 hour ago, MarinerAlex said:

In the news today, Carnival bookings are soaring after they changed their testing guidance... just saying

 

 

Yep, same just reported on CNBC, attributed to relaxed restrictions which eliminated testing up to I believe 16 nights where visiting ports allow. It would appear RCL will be under mounting pressure to align their testing with the other major lines ASAP. Has been reports on both RCL and Celebrity forums where Canadian site for I believe RCL is referencing no testing for under 9 nights, USA site does not reflect any such change. If so, RCL really appears to be falling behind the competition on the restriction lifting issue. 

[ONECRUISER]

25 minutes ago, LEMJMcC said:

One can only hope & pray they do away with both vax and testing...

Already started, going to happen

[Husky1987]

32 minutes ago, Another_Critic said:

Already several threads discussing/arguing about the topic.

 

[Concretemanstan]

Well Carnival followed P&O, which followed Cunard almost by the hour last week in announcing the testing changes so maybe Royal will follow Celebrity too?  

[firefly333]

10 minutes ago, Concretemanstan said:

Well Carnival followed P&O, which followed Cunard almost by the hour last week in announcing the testing changes so maybe Royal will follow Celebrity too?  

Lol I thought princess was first and carnival late the same day. Carnival followed princess I read. Seems all these carnival brands, people have no clue princess announced. 

 

I need it soon, next cruise sept 11. 

[Concretemanstan]

Yeah I think Carnival were last up!  I remember as I did a happy dance as we're on a Carnival cruise in October.  We have a Royal cruise the week before the Carnival one so hopefully there will be another happy dance at some point this week!

[sanchica27]

Honestly I would be relieved. I am so anxious about popping an asymptomatic positive before the cruise I've been waiting three years to go on. I've been super careful and have basically stayed home for the last week to try and make sure I don't get COVID. Having to worry about this is ruining the pre-cruise fun.  

[A&L_Ont]

 

On 8/16/2022 at 3:24 PM, Husky1987 said:

 

 

 

One gets locked and up pops another. 😂

[SargassoPirate]

1 hour ago, sanchica27 said:

Honestly I would be relieved. I am so anxious about popping an asymptomatic positive before the cruise I've been waiting three years to go on. I've been super careful and have basically stayed home for the last week to try and make sure I don't get COVID. Having to worry about this is ruining the pre-cruise fun.  

I agree that pre-cruise testing is one of the biggest hassles to cruising. Covid is everywhere and here to stay.  Most of America has moved on, but the cruise lines are scared to death of media scrutiny with the threshold of "outbreak" being so low.  All they need is some media outlet's headlines of "covid outbreak and skyrocketing cases" on a cruise ship.

[LakeTravisJK]

5 hours ago, A&L_Ont said:

 

 

 

One gets locked and up pops another. 😂

Why are they getting locked?

Lots of folks are on the edge of their seats awaiting changes/updates in policies. We come to CC to get the latest info.

[Another_Critic]

1 hour ago, LakeTravisJK said:

Why are they getting locked?

Lots of folks are on the edge of their seats awaiting changes/updates in policies. We come to CC to get the latest info.

Because they often violate the CC COVID policy ...

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/announcement/473-please-read-covid-related-discussion/

[hal2008]

10 hours ago, LakeTravisJK said:

Why are they getting locked?

Lots of folks are on the edge of their seats awaiting changes/updates in policies. We come to CC to get the latest info.

 

If folks stuck to what they claim (information exchange about current covid policy and known confirmed changes), we would be fine 

 

Problem is people love the anonymity tha social media provide and and try to lecture even experts based on twisted truths or outright lies their favorite "news" channel has spam them with.

 

And these people end up violating policy clearly outlined in Red banner at the  top on every page.  

 

 

[hal2008]

16 hours ago, SargassoPirate said:

I agree that pre-cruise testing is one of the biggest hassles to cruising. Covid is everywhere and here to stay.  Most of America has moved on, but the cruise lines are scared to death of media scrutiny with the threshold of "outbreak" being so low.  All they need is some media outlet's headlines of "covid outbreak and skyrocketing cases" on a cruise ship.

 

In absence of any regulations, Cruise lines like any other businesses are run per feedback given by their internal PR/legal/Marketing teams. 

 

Trend seems to be towards relaxation and sooner or later that will happen in absence of any unexpected developments. 

 

 

Edited August 19, 2022 by hal2008

[A&L_Ont]

18 hours ago, LakeTravisJK said:

Why are they getting locked?

Lots of folks are on the edge of their seats awaiting changes/updates in policies. We come to CC to get the latest info.

They eventually go down the rabbit hole of argument from both sides, eventually becoming  useless for any gleam of information.