Posted on 07/06/2021 11:20:22 AM PDT by Capt. Tom
I just disembarked Royal Caribbean’s Freedom of the Seas, the line’s first cruise ship to sail from a U.S. port in more than 15 months.
When I arrived at the Port of Miami, I had to pass through a checkpoint. At this checkpoint, an agent told me that if I wanted to present a vaccine card, now was the time to do so. I showed mine and the agent gave me a purple rubber bracelet to wear.
Passengers who didn’t voluntarily show proof of vaccination, were directed to a testing area. In the testing area, they were each given an on-site rapid antigen test. Staff would later identify these passengers by holes punched in their SeaPass cards.
All cruisers — regardless of vaccination status — had to wear masks in indoor spaces unless the space was explicitly designated for vaccinated cruisers.
Those with the vaccine were able to go anywhere onboard. And areas specially allotted for passengers who had their shots had no mask-wearing rules. When I learned that the line would be creating some separate spaces and mandating masks, I wondered if the rules would be enforced and, if so, how strictly. Long story short: They were, very strictly. I saw a couple of crew members nicely ask passengers to pull their masks up over their noses in public spaces (and they complied). As part of the requirements for unvaccinated passengers, they must undergo two more tests after embarkation:
This three-day voyage included calls on Nassau and Perfect Day at CocoCay, Royal Caribbean’s private island, in the Bahamas.
In Nassau, vaccinated passengers were allowed to explore however they wished, but unvaccinated cruisers were required to take ship-sponsored excursions to leave the ship.
On CocoCay, everyone was allowed to go ashore on their own and no masks were required.
(Excerpt) Read more at msn.com ...
Never been on any cruise. Worst case was a two hour ferry ride.
Seriously you might enjoy a USA river cruise on a big river boat.
The American Queen Steamboat Company is a river cruise line a friend goes on every year with his wife, and enjoys it. Check them out. -Tom
I was hooked after the 1st cruise. My then fiance, later to be wife, had already gone on one cruise, and she talked me into going on my first cruise. Before that I had this picture in my mind of a congested with people ship rocking and bobbing in ocean, and had never imagined the unlimited wonderful cuisine. The live Vegas style shows every evening were another pleasant surprise. All this without having to drive and park, no tickets to buy, and no restaurant bill no matter what you order. And they made our beds twice every day with mint chocolates on the pillows LOL.
Wait until September to read my first hand report from the MSC cruise. I will compare this covid era cruise conditions with all my previous cruises, and post a realistic report.
Also, you are unnecessarily restricting your cruising by being afraid of the vaccines. Those are nothing burgers for 99.99% of people.
I’m doing my first cruise on MSC in Dec.
MSC is my daughters favorite Cruise Line'
She says they have the best ships and are kept very clean.
She worked for many years in a travel agency and continues to Cruise.
Hope you have an enjoyable trip. -Tom
So much for rest and relaxation. Seems cruisers have other goals by going on these prison barges.
Will you have to fly to all those cruises?
This was a glitch by the IT at Carnival today but many people received this questionnaire for all their upcoming cruises and were able to access and fill them in...
_______________________________________________
Are you, or will you be fully vaccinated with a WHO or FDA authorized COVID-19 vaccine at least 14 days before boarding? Fully vaccinated means you received the final dose of a vaccine series at least 14 days before embarkation
Please select
Yes
No - I am not fully vaccinated , but I have a Covid-19 Vaccination Exemption Letter
No - I am not fully vaccinated , and I do not have a Covid-19 Vaccination Exemption Letter
I understand this questionnaire may be reported to public health authorities. I attest that the answers contained herein are true and correct. I further agree that in the event I have not accurately represented my responses I may be subject to penalties listed in the passenger protocols including but not limited to cancellation without a refund.
_____________________________________
Is our government using this info to find out which doors to knock on ???
Not of I sail out of my favorite port of Port Canaveral, which is easy driving distance from my house. One of the many good reasons to live in Florida :)
It is like cheating on your tax return. It is easy to do. But better not get caught by IRS. The penalties are not trivial.
Ditto with filing false information of Vaccine form.
The government has the database to check your answers via your pharmacist who filed the person’s vaccination details to CDC.
“This was a glitch by the IT at Carnival today but many people received this questionnaire for all their upcoming cruises and were able to access and fill them in...”
Carnival has made it clear they don’t want unvaccinated people onboard.
But read below what just came out. -Tom
He continued, “More to the point, this action is not about what health precautions against COVID-19 are necessary or helpful aboard a cruise ship; this action is about the use and misuse of governmental power.”
There it is. And not just on a cruise ship, but in other contexts as well. This is about power and control, NOT health.
There it is. And not just on a cruise ship, but in other contexts as well. This is about power and control, NOT health.
That's why you never know how a judge is going to decide in "his" court.
Looking a little better for unvaccinated cruisers now. - Tom
Thus the “glitch” excuse from Carnival...they had to take the questionnaire down again...Jumped the gun...
By the time I learned about it from other cruisers and checked mine it was no longer there...
Other passengers are saying now that theirs have disappeared too...
Its been political all along...
A little anecdote here: When I was a kid I cursed out my next door neighbor in Boston who was my age and also of Irish decent. It got so hot and heavy it brought out my Irish grand mother who called me into the house.
I was reprimanded for being such hot head, swearing and losing my temper. Then in her Irish brogue she said to me "you have to learn how to practice "Irish diplomacy".
I was puzzled..D i p l o m a cy ..That was the longest word I ever heard.
So I asked what is "Irish diplomacy"? She told me to learn how to tell my next door neighbor to "GO TO HELL!!" but, do it in such a way he looks forward to the trip!
It looks to me like some of the Cruise Lines didn't learn that lesson, and have alienated many of their unvaccinated cruising passengers, that they will need to get back to full capacity. -Tom
My first cruise on MSC in coming September. If I like the cruise, I will do more with them. Their prices are very competitive. And the ships are large, which I like.
I intend to post a thread with photos of actual conditions on ship.
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