jticarruthers

I'm not betting on any changes to US posture until 2024.   Think we're stuck with it.

I have never seen anyone id'd in the solarium but with that said (as noted above) if you look/act like you belong you should be fine ... if you stand out chances of getting checked are higher.
Personally, age doesn't bother me, behavior does ... but i rarely get to be in charge of making the rules 😉
 

I have a couple of friends who work in the Travel Industry and after hearing all their tales of woe trying to shepherd people through the ever changing rules from country to country, I decided there was no way I was going to mess with international travel until all this stuff is done, not worth the hassle.
Bad enough dealing with the machinations of our government never mind having to worry about what all the other ones are thinking.

I have never seen anyone id'd in the solarium but with that said (as noted above) if you look/act like you belong you should be fine ... if you stand out chances of getting checked are higher.
Personally, age doesn't bother me, behavior does ... but i rarely get to be in charge of making the rules 😉
 

I have a couple of friends who work in the Travel Industry and after hearing all their tales of woe trying to shepherd people through the ever changing rules from country to country, I decided there was no way I was going to mess with international travel until all this stuff is done, not worth the hassle.
Bad enough dealing with the machinations of our government never mind having to worry about what all the other ones are thinking.

I have never seen anyone id'd in the solarium but with that said (as noted above) if you look/act like you belong you should be fine ... if you stand out chances of getting checked are higher.
Personally, age doesn't bother me, behavior does ... but i rarely get to be in charge of making the rules 😉
 

I have never seen anyone id'd in the solarium but with that said (as noted above) if you look/act like you belong you should be fine ... if you stand out chances of getting checked are higher.
Personally, age doesn't bother me, behavior does ... but i rarely get to be in charge of making the rules 😉
 

They'll take it at the port.  Don't lose any sleep over it.

I would amend this to some societies have learned to live with the virus and are getting tired of waiting for those that haven't.
I do get that it is a process that everyone has to go through to get to their comfort level but kind of like the vaccines, those that haven't gotten them at this point never will and those that aren't getting comfortable with living with may never get there either.

For me, its the exact opposite.
I've done 5 cruises since July 2021 and have one final shutdown/FCC/lift-shift related cruise happening in August and then nothing else booked until mid 2023.  Over the last few post cruise surveys, I have shared my thoughts to Royal on the protocols/requirements and that this August cruise will be my last cruise while the protocols are in place.  I currently have two booked in 2023 and one booked in 2024, but I have had enough of it all and will not go on them if protocols are still in place.  I certainly hope things change sooner than later.  

I would amend this to some societies have learned to live with the virus and are getting tired of waiting for those that haven't.
I do get that it is a process that everyone has to go through to get to their comfort level but kind of like the vaccines, those that haven't gotten them at this point never will and those that aren't getting comfortable with living with may never get there either.

I wouldn't cancel anything. I do things all day long out in public with tons of people and never consider whether or not they are vaccinated, sick, etc. 

I    would concede that opting out doesn't immediately influence cruising capacities or booking demand.  There are many factors impacting the current status (pent-up demand, got to get out whatever the cost mind set, money to burn, threat of FCC expiration).  Eventually that will level out and RCCL knows it and by that time will pull out or the CDC will drop it.  They are probably betting on CDC dropping it....which they should.  Having said that....nothing surprises me on the behavior of government controlled institutions.
The question I    have is, would anyone participating in this blog NOT cruise if RCCL dropped from the CDC voluntary program?  Would anyone actually cancel their cruise or NOT book one because of dropping the protocols of the CDC program? 

Doubtful....
Remember cruise lines did not have to opt into the program but they all did so voluntarily because it is better for cruise lines to work with the CDC than work against them.  Keep in mind although the rest of travel industry in the US has long put covid behind them the cruise industry in this country is still in a precarious situation in their relationship with the CDC.  For lack of a better way to explain it cruise lines and the CDC are like frenemies and at the end of the day the CDC not the cruise lines still has the ace in the hole.  
It is doubtful that at this point in time any cruise line sailing out of the US would voluntarily opt out.

Biden Administration to Again Extend the Covid Public-Health Emergency - Bloomberg
That is what Bloomberg is reporting.

Since we're not allowed to cruise, we are heading to the Dells tomorrow for vacation!

Yeah no, that wont work either. I wouldn't fly through Toronto right now if you offered me a free cruise..lol.
 
 

Not what i wanted to hear...its a logistical nightmare between flying, cruising, testing etc to try and make a vacation work. After 3 years of not cruising, I was really hoping to make it work in 2022, but its looking less and less likely at this point. At least with Royal.
 
May have to start looking at other cruise lines that don't require it unfortunately if this remains much longer in place.

Royal opted into the CDC framework which is where testing comes from.  They can't pick and choose which CDC protocols in the framework to follow.  All in or all out.  So for sailings that involve US water the CDC still creates the testing policy.
Personally I think the CDC is using cruise testing to gain insight into what is going on in our country.  Now that the federal government in the US has been giving out home tests that don't get recorded or noted anywhere and inbound flight testing for international is gone the CDC has few other windows to the world.  So they use cruise testing as one of their insights to what is really going on.  

I hope Royal follow soon..its a huge stress and risk for anyone who has to travel to cruise. Never mind the huge financial implications!
 
I would think Royal will have to follow soon??!

Then to get rid of the Vax requirement... 

🤞

They were really comfortable on Freedom .. on a crowded sea day i might pay for one ... wouldnt be interested on a port day though.

Maybe it was soccer charter cruise?

Not to mention the reporters that look for the person with the scariest recollection.  They never quote the person that says "I dunno, I didn't really notice anything"