Covid protocols reduced to 'standard' across the fleet

[arxcards]

32 minutes ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

That post is old. Since then Princess has made changes to its protocol site.

Nothing in Australia has changed in the 3 weeks since that post. There has been no announcement about any forthcoming changes to the Australian East Coast Cruise Protocols. The status quo is in play until those government protocols are changed. At this stage for the Carnival brands in Australia,vax and pre-cruise testing remain in place until at least the end of August.  As this is a HAL thread, it is somewhat irrelevant to them until they return to Sydney in October, and it is hoped that everything will be relaxed by then. 

 

We are rolling into winter now, and few ships remain - Carnival Splendor plus 3 x P&O Australia ships. Coral Princess is about to depart on a world cruise, but with Australian based rules at the time of departure. She will be away for 3 and a half months, so they are also hoping the Australian rules will be lifted before they return on 20th September. This is why they have no protocols listed going forward, but do have these general comments on their CruiseHealth page:

It’s easier than ever to prepare for your cruise. All guests are welcome – regardless of vaccination status – and vaccination and testing requirements have been lifted!

 

This applies to itineraries to all destinations except where government regulations may vary like Australia voyages that have their own vaccination and testing requirements.

 

[boeckli]

7 hours ago, Mary229 said:

The WHO declared the pandemic over May 5

 

Technically I don't think they have declared the pandemic over but that it no longer constitutes a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC)

https://www.who.int/news/item/05-05-2023-statement-on-the-fifteenth-meeting-of-the-international-health-regulations-(2005)-emergency-committee-regarding-the-coronavirus-disease-(covid-19)-pandemic

 

 

[Mary229]

3 hours ago, boeckli said:

 

Technically I don't think they have declared the pandemic over but that it no longer constitutes a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC)

https://www.who.int/news/item/05-05-2023-statement-on-the-fifteenth-meeting-of-the-international-health-regulations-(2005)-emergency-committee-regarding-the-coronavirus-disease-(covid-19)-pandemic

 

 

A pandemic, in this context and the context of cruising, is a legal term. It carries  legal implications by international treaty.  

[boeckli]

"What's the difference between Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) and pandemic?"

 

 

 

[BermudaBound2014]

And then there were three. In addition to Australia/NZ, it looks like Brazil is also a holding out on removing covid protocols for ships. Some ships are also requiring covid vaccines for trans-ocean cruises.