Posted on 02/11/2021 7:38:14 AM PST by Capt. Tom
Will I need a vaccine to cruise? It’s one of the biggest questions regarding the return of sailing.
Our opinion? Vaccines will come to cruising. With the vaccine rollout there is lots of optimism that the dose can get us over the health crisis and back to some semblance of normal. At the same time, some people have worries about the vaccine, aren’t eligible to receive it, or simply can’t get a shot due to lack of availability.
In other words, even if cruise lines do require passengers to get the vaccine, there could still be headaches in actually enforcing that requirement.
So far cruise executives for major lines have been tight-lipped about any possible requirements. Many have simply punted on the issue, not giving definitive answers one way or another.
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. (parent of Norwegian Cruise Line), told NBC News recently, “We will continue to partner with global and domestic authorities and the Healthy Sail Panel, our team of leading expert advisors, to explore all options necessary to protect guests, crew and the communities visited. We will share additional updates as they are available.”
Carnival CEO Arnold Donald told investors in mid-January, “Well, you know, as you are very well aware, the whole vaccine thing is at the very beginning here. So we’re monitoring, we’re in dialogue, with not only CDC but lots of other equivalent organizations around the world for other destinations. And so we’ll let it evolve over time and we’ll make the most prudent decision when the time comes.”
That said, we expect in the weeks ahead to hear more about vaccine requirements from cruise lines.
In fact, it is our opinion that the lines will end up requiring vaccines in order to sail (for most passengers). It is far from a sure thing, but in our eyes there are a number of signs that point toward requiring a dose for passengers before they get on the ship…
If you’ve followed the return cruising, you know that it’s been a broken record of cancelling cruises over and over again. In fact, the CDC put in place a “No Sail Order” that was extended multiple times in 2020.
In late October that order was replaced with a new framework to return to sailing. The CDC laid out steps for cruise lines to take to keep passengers healthy. This includes undertaking simulated voyages to test new procedures and receiving a certificate to resume sailing from the health agency.
It’s now been more than three months since that framework was announced, but cruises don’t seem to be departing anytime soon. To date there have been no simulated test cruises announced.
Just weeks ago Carnival Corporation CEO Arnold Donald was asked about the timing of test cruises, responding his company would “need additional guidance from the CDC.”
Cruise lines also continue to push back return dates. As of now, all the major cruise lines have paused U.S. sailings through at least April.
At the same time, the vaccine began distribution in December and is steadily ramping up, despite hurdles in the rollout. But by May, it’s possible that a large portion of the United States will have been vaccinated and shots are available for anyone that wants one.
Given the slow return of cruises, we think it is no coincidence that the anticipated return date is also when the vaccine will have had time to be distributed.
While simply having much of the population vaccinated will help reduce risk, we can envision cruise lines making the call to require vaccines (possibly under pressure from health authorities) given that they should be readily available in the coming months.
Some Cruise Lines Have Already Announced Vaccine Requirements Being the first to make the call on requiring vaccines will no doubt be newsworthy and possibly make some potential passengers happy while upsetting others. But for the major cruise lines, they wouldn’t be the first to make the decision. Multiple smaller lines have already said they will require vaccines for both passengers and crew.
Most recently, American Queen Steamboat Company and Victory Cruise Lines — two smaller lines that sail with predominantly older cruisers — announced they are requiring passengers and crew to all be vaccinated starting July 1.
In other words, there is already a precedent for some cruise lines to require a vaccine.
While it’s certainly much less of an issue to require the jab for smaller ships with just a couple of hundred passengers compared to mega-ships with thousands onboard, large cruise lines would not be the first to require it.
Major Negative Consequences if an Outbreak Occurs At the start of the pandemic, cruise lines seemed to be at the forefront of the news cycle. Ships with cases were quarantined and made headlines around the world.
Meanwhile, the CDC has warned the public against travel on cruise ships and even highlights a study in its order that the reproduction rate aboard the Diamond Princess was nearly 15 before quarantine was enacted — much higher than what was seen in the epicenter of Wuhan, China.
The CDC has also laid out that if a “threshold” of cases are found, then the cruise will be ended and future sailings paused until given the green light to resume by the agency.
That’s not to mention the large amount of negative press that would no doubt come with any cases being found on a cruise.
The simple truth is that there are major ramifications if there is an outbreak on a cruise. Even with universal testing, there’s still no guarantee that a case can’t be missed before getting on the ship. In fact, we’ve already seen this happen with a cruise in Europe.
For that reason, requiring a vaccine is the strongest step a cruise line could make to return safely. And given the consequences of an outbreak, to us it seems worth it.
Other Countries Might Require Visitors Be Vaccinated There has been talk of things like “vaccine passports” — essentially a document that confirms you’ve had a COVID vaccine. There is also the possibility of some countries requiring visitors to show proof of vaccination before entering.
For instance, countries like Australia and New Zealand have largely avoided outbreaks due to requiring visitors undergo a strict 14-day quarantine upon arrival. These measures have been effective, but could they be replaced with proof of vaccination instead? That should allow countries to open up to foreign tourists without the need for the quarantine.
Meanwhile, airlines have also mentioned the possibility of vaccines for passengers flying internationally.
If there are enough countries that require vaccines for visitors, then cruise lines might have no choice but to require passengers to vaccinate in order to comply.
Vaccines: Easier Said Than Done So will major cruise lines require vaccines? As we said at the beginning of this article, no one knows for sure, but in following the crisis in cruising, we consider the chances good. Of course, that also leads to a number of hurdles and questions that must be answered.
For instance, what about kids? Vaccines aren’t approved yet for children. Meanwhile, other people may have a health reason they can’t receive the vaccine or simply have concerns about taking a new vaccine.
While it may seem easy to simply require everyone to have received a vaccine and get back to cruising, the truth is that like so many other things in this crisis, it’s easier said than done.
But there’s little doubt that requiring the shot to sail would be the biggest step in improving the safety onboard and in port. That’s a big reason our opinion is that vaccines will end up being required to set sail.
Yes I know many will get vaccinated to go on a cruise, but some cruisers won't.
From the Cruise Line perspective, if vaccinations are in fact required, there will be chaos in which some vaccines are acceptable.
Many will be available, and acceptable in many countries. And what Govt. agency will decide which are OK for Cruise ships?
Looks to me like a "Todays solution is Tomorrow's problem" is shaping up for the Cruise lines, again. -Tom
The governments can keep this going indefinitely through variant virus scaremongering. Wash, rinse, repeat.
At the heart of it is the restriction of travel and movement.
If you take that vaccine you might as well go on a cruise. Enjoy it and then jump overboard.
Another rung on the ladder pointing toward mandating vaccines for all.
See what American frontline doctors have to say about these vaccines and hcq.
See what Bill Gates real mission is
Find out why there has been a mea culpa on a cheap and highly effective treatment known as hcq
A video you need to see. Pay close attention beginning at the 22:30 point
https://www.bitchute.com/video/BLfw5ROCffa9/
Globalists-vaccines & population control
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Q63Gagog0Fk
I have never understood why people would pay good money to go sailing on a boat where the quarters are cramped and you are bobbing up and down on the Sea trying to play shuffle board or some other stupid recreational games. Now that we have the Covid Pandemic it even makes the idea more ridiculous.
There has been talk.of needing a vaccine passport to fly on domestic airline flights, in addition to international flights.
Stay tuned.
Will they also require the passport to travel on buses and trains? Then if you want to avoid that and drive your car instead, will there be border checkpoints at state lines on interstate highways?
A crazy irony here is that if these things happen, we will see major restrictions on all.of us honest citizens, while illegal aliens can just walk into our country with no expectation on them to have been vaccinated.
Part of the attraction is that cruise ships are like floating hotels, and you get to.visit various ports of call without having to pack and unpack as you travel.
Well I guess I won’t ever be cruising again. Small price to pay to avoid that witches’ brew of a vaccine
How is this going to effect inter-country travel in the Schengen area? If I fly to Amsterdam and then take Eurostar to Paris do I have to quarantine before flying to London to pick up a Cruise in Southampton?
Each country seems to have a different restriction on travel.
I had Covid-19, as did my wife. It was nothing, Less than a cold - way less.
So my immunity is better than a vaccine.
And I’m not getting the vaccine.
So no cruise for us I guess.
Yup. Illegals every where get a pass.
At the heart of it is the restriction of travel and movement.
No doubt restricting people mobility has been a success.
Also making some healthy people hypochondriacs. -Tom
You’ve obviously never been on a cruise ship if that is your impression.
The ships are huge. You don’t feel them rocking or bobbing.
Then you have, gourmet restaurants, balcony views, attentive crew and wait staff, good casinos, Broadway shows, interesting shore excursions, and the total cost is cheaper than an air ticket and hotel.
And please, don’t rely with the trope “They’re Petri dishes!” when statistically they are less so than many places you go everyday. Cruise ships, at least the ones owned by major cruise cruise lines are really clean.
My wife and I have a daughter and grandchildren in Europe. We take a re-positioning (Trans Atlantic) cruise rather than flying every year. The 14 to 17 day cruise is less that ONE business class airline ticket.
I guess I just have an opinion based on my travels around the world. There isn’t any so called “Port of Call” that I would pay a dime to visit. If people want to experience changes and see interesting places, I suggest they get in their cars and start visiting different towns around America.
Think of all the mandates, shutdowns, control, power grabs, election thefts, bancruptsies, etc. That have been implemented on the basis of a virus that is 99 percent recoverable. They have used this farce to nearly bancrupt this country. They have used it to nearly replace Capitalism with marxism *see cloward and piven strategy
At the same time they have demonized effective low cost treatments like hcq. This has manufactured agenda written all over it in an effort to achieve THEIR objective.
The “leaders” are treating folks like rats in a maze.
The key to improving the human condition is to throw the sociopath “leaders” in the maze so the rest of us can be free.
Yes! The Vaccinated will be the new master race.
Vaccinated Only, cruises, flights, hotels, shops.
Covid Free Zones!
Call your travel agent today!
Demand Vaccinated Only vacations!
Leave the filthy infected anti-vaxxers to their ghettos, come fly with us!
Where do I sign?
Also making some healthy people hypochondriacs.“
This is absolutely true. Some have abandoned all ration. The hysteria has taken root with many.
We’ve gone about 12 over the last few years. Never got sick. It’s the most relaxing way to travel. And women DON’T HAVE TO COOK. EVER.
Of course, we avoid the hot tubs and pools where the homosexuals spend all day lolling around. I’d be much more worried about HIV than WuFlu. Just sayin’.
The Vax wont stop anyone from getting the Wu Hu Flu...its like the regular flu shot ...you can still catch it but not as bad...
Oh if you have the virus even though youve had the shot...you can pass it on to others...
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