jticarruthers

Cant comment on the unvaxxed experience but it definitely felt like the policy was "dont ask/dont tell" on the last couple of cruises.

Finally made it back to Labadee 2 weeks ago specifically for this. Did it and the newer Superman version 🙂

Cant comment on the unvaxxed experience but it definitely felt like the policy was "dont ask/dont tell" on the last couple of cruises.

Finally made it back to Labadee 2 weeks ago specifically for this. Did it and the newer Superman version 🙂

For what it's worth at this point, my husband and I just finished HoTS 7-night Eastern Caribbean out of Port Canaveral.  We haven't cruised since February 2020 and are both unvaxxed.  I'll be honest, we were very leery of taking this trip, but couldn't move our Future Cruise Credits any further forward.  We both tested at home using a home antigen test kit.  We had photos of the negative results on our phones when we arrived at the port.  Everything thing was normal (i.e. pre-covid) all the way through security check-in.  When we arrived upstairs at the check-in desk, we were both asked to confirm that we were unvaxxed and unboostered.  We were then asked to show our negative test results.  We showed the photos of the negative results on our phone, and that was it.  From that point on, covid or vax status did not come up for the rest of the trip.  We were so relieved and had an awesome trip!  Hope that helps!

Mariner was officially mask free when we boarded last week. Most of the staff seemed to be happy with the change with a handful that preferred to keep wearing their masks.

Mariner was officially mask free when we boarded last week. Most of the staff seemed to be happy with the change with a handful that preferred to keep wearing their masks.

Nothing like waiting for the storm to pass before setting up the umbrellas…
Nonetheless….good news…

@twangster Thanks, I know that information because I've had internet on the ship before.  It is just that they give you a discount on internet that can only be used on the ship which is 98% of the time more expensive then ordering it ahead of time.  Or, it breaks down to almost exactly the same price so really it isn't a discount.  That is more of why I wondered, I was hoping it MIGHT be a better deal. 

And which pet cat did you swab for your test?

Very hard to predict what will/wont be available in Playmakers.
Just did Independence over the weekend and there was a lot of grumbling with the Florida game not being shown on Saturday night (despite being the ESPN game) and then the FSU/LSU game not being planned to show on Sunday night.
Weekend cruises from Florida have a high % of Florida residents so there were a fair number of people expecting to see their team.
They seem to be sticking with the ESPN Caribbean feed more at the moment.

Very hard to predict what will/wont be available in Playmakers.
Just did Independence over the weekend and there was a lot of grumbling with the Florida game not being shown on Saturday night (despite being the ESPN game) and then the FSU/LSU game not being planned to show on Sunday night.
Weekend cruises from Florida have a high % of Florida residents so there were a fair number of people expecting to see their team.
They seem to be sticking with the ESPN Caribbean feed more at the moment.

Very hard to predict what will/wont be available in Playmakers.
Just did Independence over the weekend and there was a lot of grumbling with the Florida game not being shown on Saturday night (despite being the ESPN game) and then the FSU/LSU game not being planned to show on Sunday night.
Weekend cruises from Florida have a high % of Florida residents so there were a fair number of people expecting to see their team.
They seem to be sticking with the ESPN Caribbean feed more at the moment.

Self testing is effectively equal to no testing.  Not much of a point to it.

So true!! The picture could be of anybody's test, including the family pet!! It's time to just rip off the Band-Aid and let's get it on!!!

I wonder how long that lasts. Seems a waste of time at the pier to look at pictures since there's zero way to verify.

wearing masks outdoors is hygiene theater anyways, it makes no sense to require that of the crew. 

...and what about crew masks?  
Gotta suck being outside in the heat and wearing a mask.  Or inside for that matter.
I'm hoping the crew can choose for themselves soon.

Honor system.  I guess they are willing to believe we'll do the right thing.  

(Not for Bermuda or Canada stops)
For All Sailings Departing on or after September 5, 2022 from U.S. Homeports with No Stops in Bermuda or Canada 
If your cruise visits Bermuda or Canada, test protocols for your cruise are in the next section. 
Guests 5 years of age and older who are not fully vaccinated must bring a negative test result for a COVID-19 antigen or PCR test taken within the 3 days before boarding day, regardless of the duration of their cruise.
Fully vaccinated guests 5 years of age and older must bring a negative test result for a COVID-19 antigen or PCR test taken within the 3 days before boarding day on sailings that are 10 nights or longer only. Testing is not required for fully vaccinated guests on shorter itineraries. 
Guests younger than 5 do not have any testing requirements.
Required testing for all guests, regardless of vaccination status, can be completed using any type of PCR or antigen test. It can be professionally proctored by a healthcare professional, such as your doctor or pharmacist, or you can use a home test kit. Home test kits are not required to be conducted under live video supervision. 
Tests must be arranged on your own and are at your own expense. 

The biggest news here, (IMO) is that you can use a home non-proctored test !  Who is going to go to a pharmacy to get tested if you can home test ?!
Still waiting for unvaxxed to cruise w/o a test but this is still a nice big step forward !

Hey, crap happens, you can't live under a rock your whole life and I won't. Just off Oasis yesterday to Coco cay where the entire family had an absolute blast! I mean this was one of the best cruises we have ever taken. 
Well yesterday afternoon I felt just a slight tickle in the throat and I'm very in tune with my body and I pretty much knew. Took two tests and I'm positive. It is so mild, in fact what is lower than mild? It's just a slight, slight tickle in my throat and a cough once in a while.  Sneezing a bit but I sneeze a million times a day because of my allergies. Anyway this feels like barely anything so far. I'm triple vaccinated too, that's what I call it because I hate the word booster shot. 
Well this trip, this vacation, and cruise was worth it! It was absolutely worth it! I can't tell you how much fun my family had on this cruise. We are booked on Oasis for May 28th to Canada and can't wait. We will go and oh well if I get Covid again. 

Carnival has a great chart on their website that lists different ports and their vaccine or testing requirements. I wish RC would just rip the band-aid off and let unvaxxed be responsible for what ports require what when disembarking. Or just let me stay on the ship… I’m ok with that too. 

Booked when testing was the norm, that's no longer the case and with my last couple of testing "runs" being frustrating as the pharmacies wind down, etc. trying to decide whether i want the hassle or just cancel it and do something else that doesn't require that extra step any longer.
Being the last option to require something is good if there is demand, bad if there isnt.