jticarruthers

Maybe on embarkation day they’ll just gather everyone who’s interested in upgrading inside Boleros or similar venue and hold a bidding war like the art auctions. “How much am I bid for this two bedroom Grand Suite? Going once! Going twice!…SOLD!..to the inebriated deluxe-drink-package-holder who doesn’t realize what he’s just done and his wife is going to be a soooo pisssssed!”🥴

Because you really really wanted to let the CDC know that you were totally supportive of them 😉

We don't really know what it all means. 
There has long been a back channel of private communication between the cruise lines and the CDC.  Back when the original CSO had ambiguous and conflicting verbiage there was communication and direction from the CDC to the cruise lines that we never saw.
I expect the same will occur here.  The CDC will have its very official and super strict program on display but the cruise lines will work out a functioning approach through the maze using private communication that we don't get to see.
What we really need is for the public health emergency declaration to be withdrawn.  Then and only then will cruise lines be free to craft their own policies.  

Looking forward to my first cruise on Celebrity so much more ....

That would be such a huge disappointment and would set back getting back to normal (including cruise lines bottom lines) another year.

FWIW
 

Well NCL has been trying to curry favor of the CDC from the start (and it's failed every time)

Because you really really wanted to let the CDC know that you were totally supportive of them 😉

I can confirm i got an email on Friday while waiting in line to board Indy reminding me of the "great deals on upgrades still available".
i didn't do anything with said email, since it was just a weekend cruise anyway, so i cant say what would have happened if i bid but i was definitely being offered the opportunity.
 
 

I can confirm i got an email on Friday while waiting in line to board Indy reminding me of the "great deals on upgrades still available".
i didn't do anything with said email, since it was just a weekend cruise anyway, so i cant say what would have happened if i bid but i was definitely being offered the opportunity.
 
 

Florida is run by somebody with common sense ….. the CDC isn’t lol 😂 
 

Florida is wide open, cruising should be as well.
 

I can’t speak for others, but any of my posts are directly related to Covid protocols on cruise ships, not Covid in general or politics.  A lot of people have moved on and are cruising again, but there are still some of us that aren’t able to because of current protocols, or should I say choose not to jump through the hoops placed in front of us.  For those that are back to cruising…congrats.  Some who were part of this community prior to the pandemic, when shorts during formal night was the controversial discussions, are still waiting to be able to participate in this activity we all enjoy, but we aren’t able to discuss when that might become a reality.  Oh well…

It's almost as if they don't want cruise lines to opt in but want something to say "we told you so" if anything "goes wrong" on a ship that didn't opt in

I saw a YouTube blog yesterday that said NCL opted in before they saw what came out …… and that they’re rethinking it now 
 

The CDC and government needs to stay out of our lives. The past 2 years has been a perfect example of an overreach of power and the people worldwide are fed up with all of it. 

The cruise lines can't accept this. It's actually MORE strict than the old CSO. I don't know what NCL was thinking in opting in but they've made a lot of blunders throughout the pandemic.

Speaking of that, we're seeing the basis of a potential legal challenge to the Voluntary program from CLIA here:
https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/26770-clia-blasts-new-cdc-cruise-program-as-discriminatory.html
Cliff Notes: it's discriminatory. See my discussion of this above in the post I made earlier.

The world is in the process of a pandemic paradigm shift that will ultimately change major government's COVID related PH policy. Major and disruptive demonstrations are occurring world wide opposing vaccination mandates, most COVID related mandates, for that matter. The folks are fed up with and tired of the exhaustive and confusing web of protocols regulating thier lives.
PH experts are speaking loudly through research papers and public appearances showing governments how to not think in binary terms. IOW, SARS2 disease impact is not defined by one outcome over another as if it was a sure thing. Risk of infection, illness or death is not defined by one set of data is rarely fully objectifiable and involves a good deal of subjective analysis. They are also pushing the reasonable approach that questions how the huge amount of generally unreliable data is being used to decide when to lift or impose COVID mitigation measures (e.g., masking in schools).
Meanwhile, the CDC continues to operate as if this were March, 2020. I offer the new Voluntary COVID-19 Program as evidence of that. I'm personally getting behind a cruise industry effort to decline participation in the CDC's antiquated approach and thank them for stopping by.

I don't know about you all but I've read this new program the CDC just released along with the many views posted here about it. As is most COVID related PH guidance that the CDC releases it is so complex that it defies understanding and clear concise guidance.
My only qualification to make the following observation is that I followed FL's civil suit that requested and then prevailed in court that the CDC's CSO be enjoined. I'm not a lawyer let alone skilled in interpreting maritime law. I did read carefully Judge Merryday's opinion in his ruling against the CDC. It was complicated, involved complex aspects of maritime law applicable to the cruise industry and slammed the CDC for exceeding it's powers to regulate cruise ship operations in US waters granted by congress.
Nothing has changed with respect to Congress's authority granted to HHS. Yet, here we are. Another set of what I believe are regulatory standards issued by the CDC that exceed their lawful authority. The problem lies in what I perceive are punitive measures directed at the cruise lines for not "opting in" to the voluntary program. I think it's pretty clear that the CDC is saying If you don't do this, then we will label you as this and that amounts to being punished.
You may recall that Judge Merryday (3rd District Court of Middle FL), after finding in favor of FL and granting a temporary injunction of the CSO, gave the CDC the opportunity to return to the court with an updated CSO. They tried but failed. The CSO they presented, according to Judge Merryday and the arguments of FL attorneys, applied restrictions (punishments) that amounted to law making that the CDC did not have the authority to impose. 
Another aspect that pissed off Judge Merryday was that the CSO "targeted" the cruise lines. The CDC argued that the CSO was designed around applicable maritime law that didn't apply to any other similar industries. If I recall, this argument carried some legal weight and I note in this new release, the CDC is careful to point out that maritime law authorizes this new voluntary CSO. I think this may be an open legal question best left to attorneys skilled in interpreting applicable maritime law.
While all this was going on, CLIA remained in the background for reasons that none of us are privy to. There seemed to be a general consensus among industry health and safety protocol policy makers that they preferred cooperation with the CDC rather than confrontation. They left that to FL. Well, FL's argument that the CSO was unlawful prevailed all the way to the USSC. I believe Merryday, who may be called upon to review this new CDC order, would find it too is unlawful for the same reasons the original CSO was found to be unlawful. How the industry reacts collectively via CLIA or whether they navigate their COVID paths forward independently remains to be seen. 
Stay tuned.
That the new CSO may obtain the same fate as the old one may all be wishful thinking and you can be sure the cruise lines are looking at their options. My view is that it makes perfect sense for the lines to not opt in to this thing and let the chips fall where they might. IOW, they would rather live with whatever punitive measures the CDC may impose in order to preserve the ability to regulate themselves using health protocols they have proven to be successful in mitigating COVID.    

Still don’t understand the need for wrists bands for everyone. Every adult is vaccinated. Why not require wristbands for ages 16 and under…or 18 and under…to show they’re vaccinated. I mean, I understand there are times where an age cutoff could be hard to determine just by how someone looks, but let’s be reasonable. If someone mistakes me for a 12 year old, well, then they shouldn’t be allowed to operate a lawn mower.  How about a wrist band for the unvaccinated child instead…just my opinion.

Welp, I didn’t read the thing, but since the CDC put it together I have some idea what it says.  Was hoping some common sense would come into play with summer and beyond, but if the CDC is calling the shots that won’t be the case.  If Royal intends to run this vaccine thing indefinitely, they should let people cash out their FCC’s that don’t want to sail under these protocols.

I certainly hope Royal and no other cruise line opts into this mess.  Right now the CDC is nothing more than a political tool, that has lied to the American people from the very beginning under the guise of following the science and data.  I’m fully vaccinated but at this point I’m DONE, they promised we would get our lives back once a majority of the population was vaccinated right now according to the Mayo Clinic and John Hopkins over 76% of all American’s have received at least 1 dose this includes the J&J vaccine and over 64% of American have received 2 dose vaccine which is either Pfizer or Moderna.  Remember when Fauci and the CDC said the benchmark was between 60-70% vaccination rate of at least 1 dose would be considered herd immunity and once we reached herd immunity we could get back to normal. What a crock of **** that turned out to be and now they are pushing boosters, for heaven sakes where does it end? 
Cruise lines have been held to an unfair higher standard than any other form of vacation travel or vacation experience in this country and here we have the CDC at it once again. I hope the cruise lines tell the CDC to take their program and shove it some place I rather not say because they (the cruise lines) know what it takes to keep their passengers safe while onboard their ships and in ports of call.  It is hilariously frustrating to see the CDC continue to come after cruise lines when the total number of positive cases on cruise ships is less than 1% when compared to the total number of cases on land within the US. And as far as it has been reported there have been no reports of serious illness, hospitalization and no deaths related to COVID on cruise ships here in the US since the resumption of cruising. 

Yep ...... I'm getting the feeling that after the CDC got told to pound sand with their CSO, they're trying to weasel their way back in to running them where maritime health protocols are involved. We know that the reality here is that cruise ships, when it comes to COVID, have proven to be the safest congregate setting on the planet. There is no need for additional regulatory schemes of any type regarding COVID. 
Because the CDC's authority to dictate health and safety protocols has been found to have no basis in the law, the lines would be completely within their rights to say, no thanks to CDC's overtures to voluntarily comply with this new CSO they just issued.

Some of those new rules are no less ridiculous than the ones from the original CSO. Cruise lines cannot get back to full ships if they opt into the new CSO.

If you're a close contact on a ship how long you quarantine isn't dictated by science, but by whether or not there are 95%+ boosted on that cruise.  I'd doubt you'll see too many 95% boosted cruises. If any.

Specifically, if you're a close contact and there are less than 95% boosted on your cruise (even if you are) you have to quarantine 10 days (if the cruise lasts that long).  If there are 95% boosted, you only have to quarantine 5 days.  That's just downright stupid and doesn't make any medical sense with the current state of vaccines.
If you are symptomatic and seek out testing, only if the ship is 95% boosted can the cruise line give you a antigen test. Otherwise it has to be a PCR test.