alamode123

3 hours ago, AshleyDillo said:

It's a shame that the CDC doesn't widely push that natural immunity can be as effective as the vaccination to where the cruise lines are able to offer that as an additional way to be considered "vaccinated" while on board.  I'm not sure what public health organization the USVI follows, but they even updated their prior policy that they no longer accept antibody tests as acceptable for entry. 

That's because it's been proven that natural immunity ISN'T as effective, unfortunately. The antibody titer is 10 to 20 times less than vaccinated people after 90 days.

1 hour ago, Ampurp85 said:

@CruiseRoyalDad I personally don't think that people who make an informed decision to not get vaccinated is irresponsible. I agree that people with herd immunity should be allowed to cruise as vax pax. The vax doesn't prevent covid, just like the flu vax doesn't prevent cases of the flu. But from a business and media standpoint, cruise lines have to do what is best in an overall sense. So the fact that there are cases isn't so much of an argument against 100% vax cruises. As far as this topic goes, the aqua shows are outside, so I don't understand why it is vax only.

Wrong. The covid vaccines are currently 85 to 95 percent effective in preventing covid infection. Unfortunately, there's a lot of misinformation out there. 

5 hours ago, CruiseRoyalDad said:

I feel horrible for people that don't accept anything but one form of action as responsible and insist on forcing their  informed decision that is best for them, on all others. The truth is there are multiple forms of success against covid and herd immunity that only considers those vaccinated part of the herd and disregards natural immunity is disingenuous.  I feel worse when I see posts that completely disregard the fact that the vaccinated population are coming down with both symptomatic and asymptomatic covid. Yet the posts read as if 90% vaccinated ship is the answer and we quickly found out and will continue to see that it's very unfortunately not. 

I accept science, as I have a degree in molecular genetics and molecular immunology. Vaccines and masks are the best way to prevent covid. There ARE no other successful forms of protection.

No one yet knows how long natural immunity lasts, but the antibody titer(amount) is at least ten to twenty times (not percent, times) less as those who have been fully vaccinated.

The reason that vaccinated people are getting infected is because, even though it's the most effective vaccine created, it's only 85 to 95 percent effective at preventing infections. With that, the more people vaccinated, the more likely there will be vaccinated people that become positive in the population.

For example, in a population with 2 million people at 50 percent vaccination. If every person was exposed, only 50,000 vaccinated people would become infected vs a million unvaccinated. Raise the vaccination rate to 90 percent for the same 2 million example. You now have 200.000 unvaccinated positives and 95.000 vaccinated infected. Now the total infected is less, but the percent of the infected that are vaccinated is higher.

Again, trust the science. If you have any questions, please ask.

13 minutes ago, AshleyDillo said:

For me personally I would have no problems with taking a vacay to Canada! I've loved my few visits there. However, I'm already in Florida and almost feel like I can escape our low vaccination rates on a cruise ship that I can easily drive to.  Canada would require a looooong drive (are the land borders open yet?) or a flight which seems riskier than being on a well under capacity cruise ship.

Fair enough.

I feel bad for people trying to be responsible in areas where it seems so many aren't being responsible

13 minutes ago, AshleyDillo said:

True, but I'm hearing numbers for Royal ships that are allowing unvaccinated to still be at around 90% or so vaccinated. I can't think of anywhere else I could vacation with those kinds of odds that allows children who can't be vaccinated.

Why not Canada? I think we're over 80 percent.

56 minutes ago, AshleyDillo said:

I'm not sure I follow here.  Each passenger is treated as an individual related to vaccination status. There are still vaccinated only areas that the under 12 set won't be allowed to enter on the 12+ vaccinated cruises.  That doesn't change.  

There's also other vacation options until things change for the better, or until kids can get vaccinated.

Starting soon, all commercial air travellers and passengers on interprovincial trains and large marine vessels with overnight accommodations (such as cruise ships) will have to be vaccinated,

Just announced.

Usually I found half the line were people who just wanted a drink, and didn't know they needed the special cup.

On 8/5/2021 at 9:10 AM, LizzyBee23 said:

There's also no "magic" percentage of vaccination that can predict when we can remove restrictions and get back to normal. We just have no idea what to expect, and would be better served by a big dose of humility.

Actually there is, and most countries are far away from that percentage. It takes a given community to be 80 to 90% immune to a virus in order to achieve herd immunity.

Currently, we do not know how long immunity is obtained from actually catching covid vs the vaccines. People who were infected with SARS seventeen years ago till have some immune response, but it's not known if that response is enough to protect the person..

As for long term side effects of the vaccine, it is degraded and removed from your body within 2 to 3 days.

Not a doctor, but I have a degree in molecular genetics and molecular immunology.

5 hours ago, JessyCruises said:

I have seen it on Broadway, on tour, and I have lost count of the number of times on Oasis. I have been know to go multiple times on a sailing.  I love those Jellicle cats

That sounds like my worst nightmare, but hey, if you like it, you enjoy it.

11 minutes ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

The only thing I see available for SC for a Christmas sailing is the Star Loft Suite ($$$$$$) on Harmony 12-19-21 for a 7 night eastern Caribbean.

Does Star Lord stay in the Star Loft?

14 minutes ago, ChrisK2793 said:

Regardless of what you hear on the news ……. Florida isn’t  doing that bad for vaccination rates ….. 98.3% of ages 65+ have received at least one does of a vaccine ….. 62.6% of ages 18 to 64 have also received at least 1 dose ….. according to the Mayo Clinic  ….  See screenshot below 

and here’s the link:

https://www.mayoclinic.org/coronavirus-covid-19/vaccine-tracker

 

52 percent 18-65 fully vaccinated is still far too low though to say remove all restrictions.

I'm hoping it gets better by my next trip in January.

With my luck, both the theatre and the movie will be CATS.

Love to see Dear Evan Hansen or Come From Away.

10 minutes ago, Jill said:

Short cruises always have higher drink packages 

Both 8 night cruises. I'm chalking it up to "why look for logic where there clearly isn't any".

10 minutes ago, Matt said:

Odyssey hasn't had a Broadway show announced (yet).

I think we should volunteer Matt. What's his hidden talent? Balloon animals?

I took the plunge at $57.99 for the drink package for Odyssey in January.

Strangely, its $61.99 on my Mariner cruise in May. You would think newer ships would be pricier.

I know Odyssey has a ton of stuff to do, everything from North Star, bumper cars, etc. 

What are the shows going to be? I've never been on a quantum class ship. Do they have Broadway shows? 

2 hours ago, ChrisK2793 said:

Here’s an interesting article on the UK and how they went from “Delta Disaster to looking better than ever” by being wide open in the middle of their Delta surge just like Florida is now …….. but they also got their vaccine rate up to 88% first dose and 73% fully vaccinated in the same time period ….. 

https://www.yahoo.com/now/england-went-delta-disaster-looking-091720666.html

Yea, Florida kinda forgot the vaccinated part.

Since the protocols have been so fluid, hopefully calling RCCL (or your agent) will get you a solution beneficial to everyone.

Our cruise isn't until May, so I know things will probably change a thousand times, but as of now, my son and his girlfriend are on the mixed vaccine naughty list. One dose of Pfizer, one dose of Moderna, 56 days apart.

If we have to cancel because of this. would we get all of our money back? I know some times a deposit is kept, and I'm not sure if they will want to cruise after all of this.

If i paid for everyone, would the deposit be kept per person, or all under my name to use later?

I like the British dollar stores, Poundland.

Freeport. Missed the opening of Coco Cay by one cruise.

40 minutes ago, AshleyDillo said:

That's been an option for a bit.  Never tried it as I'd rather do the ala carte way.  But if you look at the menu and price it out, could be somewhat of a savings over ala carte.  It's also the only way to reserve Izumi prior to sailing.  Izumi sushi on Odyssey is a small area and it's separate from the teppenyaki area.

I have the ultimate dining plan, so I cant reserve ahead of time

Even if you don't go with specialty dining, Playmakers is extremely good bar food at cheap prices.