CDC No Sail Order extended to Sept 30?

[Katy H]

We decided to lift and shift.  Fingers crossed, we will now be sailing on the Harmony Oct 2021 for a transatlantic.  This will be our first time on a larger ship!  Of course, if cruising starts back up this winter, we will absolutely be sailing!

[cruisellama]

1 hour ago, princevaliantus said:

Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line already does.

 

Thanks - found the article - guess they'll start end of August

https://www.travelweek.ca/news/bahamas-paradise-cruise-line-to-return-to-sea-in-late-august/

[SandyW]

I am going to sail on 10/4 on Harmony.  I have watched the prices starting to go through the roof.  Right now, same category is almost $600 more than I paid (ocean view balcony).  If the sea dee sea does not stop regulating and ordering the ships, I predict the ships are going to pull out of all US ports and go somewhere else.  This one agency is doing a great job at destroying an entire industry.  They are also destroying the economies of countries the ships sail to.  The other problem associated with this is the countries visited by the ships are following the sea dee sea and incorporating the rules in their country.  Not just masks and social distancing either.  They are putting people who get there in quarantine for 14 days and then they have to get tested at the end of the 14 days.  If they are negative, they can get out of the quarantine.  How are these countries with these regulations in place going to allow thousands of people to infiltrate their land for a day?  Even the private islands, like Cocoa Cay are a problem because it is the locals that work on the island.  

If the ships do sail out of US ports, they probably will just be sailing at sea and not visiting anywhere if the regulations are not removed.  

And, what is going to go on while being on the ship is a whole other topic.  Cruising is the ultimate social gathering experience like no other.

[bretts173]

On 7/18/2020 at 2:36 AM, Mrs. Thomas said:

Even though cases have went up, the death rate continues to go down. Which I think is fabulous. I don't know about Canada, but in the US we don't ever look at flu cases. We look at flu deaths (well that's what the media reports on). Is this different because it is new? I understand that this can be really bad, but why are we confining the healthy in fear instead of quarantining the sick? I have a Feb. sailing booked. If it is canceled due to all of this, then I will get a full refund and not cruise again until I know that this insanity is over. That means I may never cruise again, which is sad. I will adjust though. There are plenty of beautiful places in the US that I haven't seen yet.

Rubbish, deaths are double what they were 2 weeks ago. Currently death rates are lower than the peak because the cases are spread further around the country. Hospital capacity is being stretched in more and more places and if it continues numbers will explode again. Sorry but there is no justification in cruising until numbers turn around. Americans may see it as OK and say it is our right to have freedom and live our lives but what country would accept them as tourists.

[WAAAYTOOO]

41 minutes ago, crisgold52 said:

talk of freedoms and rights which is unique to the US itself. Even in Canada we have no such talk to such a level hence we have done a good job controlling the death and case rate.

What a sad statement !

[Zambia-Zaire]

On 7/17/2020 at 11:36 AM, Mrs. Thomas said:

We look at flu deaths (well that's what the media reports on). Is this different because it is new? I understand that this can be really bad, but why are we confining the healthy in fear instead of quarantining the sick?

To answer your question....Politics & Extortion. Reporting as a whole(cases, death rates, severity) has all been hugely manipulated, "mostly" for political reasoning from both sides. Numbers been reported are highly suspect, because of the method of the reporting...as @PattiHere has shared, which is a mere microcosm of what's happening in every region or state across the country. There has been a number of reports questioning the validity of the method, of information being release to the public, in order to highlight, highly inflated numbers...to what gain. The numbers has never justified wrecking an already tenuous economy. As far as the CDC apparent bias against the cruise industry....well, I suspect a case of extortion. At some point, if these cruise lines wish to operates in the United States, its largest customer by far, they are going to have to flag some ships, pay into the system, & hire American workers(which is so ironic given "Guess Worker Program")...something the industry has refuse to do, for a long time...are now being "pressured" to decide what direction to take. Drip drip drip them to death.  

[TempoGL]

On 7/17/2020 at 9:17 AM, Jill said:

Interesting article about the no sail order: 

“In its last extension of the No Sail order, dated April 15, the agency asked all major cruise lines to issue a response plan to the order, stipulating precisely what that needed to entail. As of July 10, the agency said only one cruise line — Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line — has come up with a plan that adequately meets all the requirements. It added that the “difficulty of cruise ship operators in submitting appropriate [No Sail Order] response plans was compounded by several instances of potential non-compliance with the requirements of the April 15, 2020 Extension.” These include alleged improper disembarkations of crew and crew not adhering to social distancing on board.“ 

Almost appears the CDC is “punishing” the industry because of what happened early on. The disembark debacle (didn’t follow CDC) and the alleged partying by crew after ships were cleared of passengers. 
 

Full article here: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/cdc-extends-no-sail-order-210532606.html?soc_src=hl-viewer&soc_trk=ma

I don't think it was alleged partying.  This video (time shifted to the relevant section) clearly shows the crew socializing after the ship was empty of guests.  I don't think it was really a big deal that they were doing this, FYI, but it's probably obvious that there was a lot of socializing going on at that point.

 

[SandyW]

I am not bashing RCCL at all.  But if my 10/4 sailing is cancelled, I will defer to get my money back.  My email box gets about 2 emails a day with offers from them to book a cruise.  I do not want to put any more money out until I see people actually getting on the ship.  I know that they are following the rules governed by the port home country, but this is ridiculous.  Enough is enough.  Florida has had a false spike in cases.  Fox station in Orlando caught the state red handed with the fake numbers.  And seriously, anyone with a runny nose is going to get cited for having the virus.  This is having a devastating effect on a lot of the economy.  Perhaps if everyone held on to their money instead of booking, we might see a change.

Loyal to cruising since 1990, but this has crushed me.

[Jill]

12 hours ago, TempoGL said:

I don't think it was alleged partying.  This video (time shifted to the relevant section) clearly shows the crew socializing after the ship was empty of guests.  I don't think it was really a big deal that they were doing this, FYI, but it's probably obvious that there was a lot of socializing going on at that point.

 

Carnival apparently had big parties. I wasn’t singling out RC it was the cruise lines as a whole. Mostly carnival 

[twangster]

17 hours ago, Zambia-Zaire said:

As far as the CDC apparent bias against the cruise industry....well, I suspect a case of extortion. At some point, if these cruise lines wish to operates in the United States, its largest customer by far, they are going to have to flag some ships, pay into the system, & hire American workers(which is so ironic given "Guess Worker Program")...something the industry has refuse to do, for a long time...are now being "pressured" to decide what direction to take. Drip drip drip them to death.  

The CDC isn't extorting anyone.  Is NCL's Pride of America sailing right now?  Are the American crew on that ship impervious to the virus?  If all cruise lines had all American fleets with all American workers the CDC would produce the same no sail order.   

To be exempt from PVSA and Jones Act does not equate to being exempt from the CDC.   To be exempt from the coastwise trade restrictions on foreign flagged vessels ships have to be built in America using US steel.  They can't take a foreign built ship and register it in America to qualify.  There are no US shipyards that can build large ships other than those that build US Navy ships.  Our federal tax dollars pay the significantly inflated prices for those.  

 The one ship that the CDC is allowing to sail is not a US flagged ship and that ship wasn't built in America.  If the CDC had a political agenda, which it has proven time and again that it does not,  the CDC would allow the Pride of America to sail and yet it doesn't, because it isn't political or driven by a political agenda.

 

[cruisellama]

On 7/16/2020 at 7:11 PM, Ampurp85 said:

Regardless if it is 68 or 77 days it is still possible for them to sail this year. I think about it this way....Canada isn't allowing ships to possible come in into port until Nov. So if the US doesn't start until October then maybe more ports will be open. More ports means that itineraries don't have to change too much. That means that Thanksgiving and Christmas cruises should be unchanged and roaring to go. 

Positive!

 

[TempoGL]

1 hour ago, twangster said:

The CDC isn't extorting anyone.  Is NCL's Pride of America sailing right now?  Are the American crew on that ship impervious to the virus?  If all cruise lines had all American fleets with all American workers the CDC would produce the same no sail order.   

To be exempt from PVSA and Jones Act does not equate to being exempt from the CDC.   To be exempt from the coastwise trade restrictions on foreign flagged vessels ships have to be built in America using US steel.  They can't take a foreign built ship and register it in America to qualify.  There are no US shipyards that can build large ships other than those that build US Navy ships.  Our federal tax dollars pay the significantly inflated prices for those.  

 The one ship that the CDC is allowing to sail is not a US flagged ship and that ship wasn't built in America.  If the CDC had a political agenda, which it has proven time and again that it does not,  the CDC would allow the Pride of America to sail and yet it doesn't, because it isn't political or driven by a political agenda.

 

Well said.  I am continually disappointed by seeing people here allow their passion for cruising to get in the way of the reality of this virus.

[GrandmaAirplane]

On 7/18/2020 at 7:19 PM, princevaliantus said:

Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line already does.

And the Bahamas just closed their border to American citizens again...

[ehw51]

11 hours ago, crisgold52 said:

Eventually someone has to give.

I sure hope so

.

 

[SandyW]

On 7/16/2020 at 6:03 PM, Scrumps said:

I still believe that Oct 1st is going to be make or break for the industry. I know they have cash available until next year, but they are not going to wait until they run out. If the CDC refuses to hear their plans and just extends to 2021, and they lose all the holiday income too, at least 1 of the 3 will reorg, or worse. I just can't see status quo continuing through the end of the year.

What I do not understand is the mixed messages coming from the gov. They want kids in school and parents back to work, but have shutdown an industry that employees hundreds of thousands and brings in billions into the tourist industry. 

There is a lot of people that are not working right now because of this.  Each port has a lot of people that work there from port staff, porters, pier agents, security personnel and others.  Then, the hotels surrounding the port whose great percentage of income is the influx of people coming in the day before.  Shuttle vans and drivers that take passengers from hotel to terminal and back.  Off-site parking lots are empty and all their staff are without work.  Restaurants in close proximity to port are hurting.  Shops that people would visit for last minute essentials are hurting.  Car rental companies are hurting.  Airlines are hurting.  Food suppliers are hurting for the lesser amount of food they would be bringing to the ships.  Other suppliers who provide other types of supplies  the ship would need are hurting.  And many more.

The Sea Dee Sea has made rules governing the ships and the current crew on the ships.  It is on their website what they are requiring.  https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/crew-disembarkations-commercial-travel.html

[SandyW]

14 hours ago, crisgold52 said:

Yep, both air and sea borders have been closed to Americans till Oct. 1 which is the presumptive date of cruises resuming which at this point isn't very likely. This will put a damper on the 3 and 4 nighters at this point. If we quantify this in terms of months one would be hard pressed to figure out what would change in 12 months from now other than maintaining the current status quo. Eventually someone has to give.

And here we are again, another flu season is right around the corner.  I anticipate that alone will make them shut down until next year.  But if not, here is what you might expect at check-in:

Have you in the last 7 days had any flu-like symptoms such as cough, runny nose or fever?  Have you been exposed to anyone who has had any flu-like symptoms?  Have you in the last 48 hours had any vomiting or diarrhea?  Have you transited through the following countries (might as well say "planet") in the last 14 days?  Have you tested positive for COVID-19 or been exposed to anyone who has tested positive for COVID-19?

If you answered no to any of those questions, may I please see your boarding pass and passport?  And through the plexiglass they go to the pier agent who is required to wear a mask for hours on end and wear gloves to handle all that paperwork and id's.  So much for the WOW at check-in.