No More Pre-Cruise Testing for Vaccinated guests on voyages less than 6 nights staring August 8th!

[Uncwmark]

Per RCCL's latest earnings release: 

"Starting Aug. 8, testing will be required for unvaccinated guests on all voyages and for vaccinated guests only on voyages that are six nights or longer. "

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/royal-caribbean-group-reports-second-120000818.html

Hey - it's a start!! 

[cruisellama]

And positive operating cash flow!

[smokeybandit]

 Starting Aug. 8, testing will be required for unvaccinated guests on all voyages and for vaccinated guests only on voyages that are six nights or longer. "

 

Kind of a disappointing change.  Booze cruisers get rewarded.

 

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/royal-caribbean-group-reports-second-120000818.html

[ellcee]

I don't think I understand the logic here but okay. Maybe this is phase 1?

[JustMeJoe]

Wonder how they treat B2B for 3,4 and 5 night cruises?

[smokeybandit]

The article also suggests there won't be an adult vaccine requirement anymore

 

"This means that we're transitioning to the point where everyone will be able to vacation with us while always working with our destination partners to meet their regulations. "

[smokeybandit]

17 minutes ago, ellcee said:

I don't think I understand the logic here but okay. Maybe this is phase 1?

One can only hope. Don't want to upset the CDC apple cart.

[The Fox]

Shucks. My cruise on August 13 is 8 days. Still, very glad to hear the news.

[smokeybandit]

I wonder what kind of trial balloon this is. Surely they're going to get a lot of feedback from higher C&A status people that avoid the short cruises.

[Matt]

I'm not a doctor or health expert, nor do I have access to any kind of data.

It seems this is a phase one approach to test things out and see how it goes.

If I had to bet, there almost certainly has been less covid cases on short sailings vs longer sailings.

They picked "6" because there really aren't many 6 nights. They wanted to exclude 7+ nights, so this really applies to 3 and 4 nighters, with a few 5 night cruises that got included.

[jticarruthers]

Its a start, one less thing to have to deal with pre-cruise and should really speed up the check-in process since we wont have to show and check the results over and over ...

[smokeybandit]

17 minutes ago, Matt said:

If I had to bet, there almost certainly has been less covid cases on short sailings vs longer sailings.

 

Certainly. But that will continue to be the case with or without pre-cruise testing.

I hope RC gives some more expanded info (ie, this is just phase 1) and data (ie, X percent of booked passengers test positive prior to a cruise) to support why they picked 5 nights as the cutoff.

[djandyb]

Stupid - makes no real logical sense.

Guess assumption is that they try this and see what happens then move it to 7 day etc... Hoping this is the case by September as this is causing a major headache for testing having to fly to New York from the UK.  Need to sort out testing when we are there to potentially risk not being able to go on the cruise. 

[function12]

Sweet.  We have a 5 night mid August!!!

[Matt]

Jason Liberty said in earnings call testing for longer cruises will change "not too distant future"

https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2022/07/28/royal-caribbean-will-drop-covid-19-testing-vaccinated-cruisers-shorter-sailings

[coneyraven]

36 minutes ago, djandyb said:

Stupid - makes no real logical sense.

Guess assumption is that they try this and see what happens then move it to 7 day etc... Hoping this is the case by September as this is causing a major headache for testing having to fly to New York from the UK.  Need to sort out testing when we are there to potentially risk not being able to go on the cruise. 

I totally agree, we're on Oasis on 9/18...... the stress release that would occur would be tremendous if we didn't have to do the pre-test.

[smokeybandit]

12 minutes ago, Matt said:

Jason Liberty said in earnings call testing for longer cruises will change "not too distant future"

https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2022/07/28/royal-caribbean-will-drop-covid-19-testing-vaccinated-cruisers-shorter-sailings

Ah there we go. I can get off the ledge that I'm on for irrational reasons now.

[Bradinmississippi]

Hopefully by the time I board Wonder in Barcelona September 25th seven day cruises will be included 

[Vancity Cruiser]

18 minutes ago, Matt said:

Jason Liberty said in earnings call testing for longer cruises will change "not too distant future"

https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2022/07/28/royal-caribbean-will-drop-covid-19-testing-vaccinated-cruisers-shorter-sailings

Fingers crossed for my Sept 23rd sailing.

[Ampurp85]

I have a B2B in September, 5 nights on Nav then 3 nights, this would mean I wouldn't have to test at all! Since each cruise is its own thing and B2B testing was done away with, no stress. Although I continue to self-test with all my free government test, as to not go to waste. I have a group 6 night on Odyssey in Nov, and I hope we won't have to test then. 

[ak810]

How about European sailings? Nothing mentioned for them!

[kelblue23]

21 minutes ago, ak810 said:

How about European sailings? Nothing mentioned for them!

I was thinking the same. On their website it says for cruises departing from the US. I wonder if we’ll still have to do supervised tests as well. 

[Patchy]

Not trying to start a debate here about vaccinations …. But I think this would / should be an opportunity for Royal to tweak their guidance on vaccination status in conjunction with lifting the testing requirement.  Eg, testing is only required for those who are unvaccinated (except ineligible children) or not up to date with their boosters.   Just looking out for Royal because they don’t want to be in a situation where they have someone vaccinated two years ago, not boosted, and gets very sick or worse on the ship.   

[Done]

1 hour ago, The Fox said:

Shucks. My cruise on August 13 is 8 days. Still, very glad to hear the news.

August 12, 7 nights, oh well......

[Pattycruise]

Can't wait until this is for ALL cruises.  I wonder if they will still be setting aside quarantine cabins on those shorter cruises....I imagine they wouldn't need many, if any, but the longer cruises.....still a loss of revenue by setting them aside.

 

[Paid4c4]

It is being reported this morning during the quarterly business briefing RCCL stated effective August 8th, 2022 on cruises six nights and less will not require pre-cruise covid testing for vaccinated passengers.  I'm sure more will be coming out.

Bill

[Lynn McKee]

10 minutes ago, Paid4c4 said:

It is being reported this morning during the quarterly business briefing RCCL stated effective August 8th, 2022 on cruises six nights and less will not require pre-cruise covid testing for vaccinated passengers.  I'm sure more will be coming out.

Bill

Only for cruises 6 days or less, from what I read

 

[Cruisegirl1976]

It's a start.

[GatorCruiser]

I just hope people dont bellyache on message boards when they feel like they contracted covid onboard. Covid is everywhere and can be contracted anywhere anytime. People assume some level of risk when they decide to cruise to begin with. My point is, i hope that if cases go up on ships, it doesnt lead to a reversal of these positive steps royal has now taken. 

[Done]

Per their website, Celebrity Cruises (and a part of Royal Caribbean Group) is following suit with the same testing requirements as RC.  No surprise there.

[CruiserNic]

1 hour ago, Ampurp85 said:

I have a B2B in September, 5 nights on Nav then 3 nights, this would mean I wouldn't have to test at all! Since each cruise is its own thing and B2B testing was done away with, no stress. Although I continue to self-test with all my free government test, as to not go to waste. I have a group 6 night on Odyssey in Nov, and I hope we won't have to test then. 

While I am happy for you, this exact situation is why this makes absolutely no sense.  

[smokeybandit]

Since these type of changes tend to cause domino effects with the other lines, I'll be curious if NCL/Carnival mirror the staggered approach or they go all out right away

[twangster]

I'm impressed Royal was first to jump.  That's not like them.  

[Brenna]

I'm glad to see them taking a slower response. Gives them time to really find the sweet spot of what works best without going too far too fast. 

[CruisingNewb]

3 hours ago, Matt said:

I'm not a doctor or health expert, nor do I have access to any kind of data.

It seems this is a phase one approach to test things out and see how it goes.

If I had to bet, there almost certainly has been less covid cases on short sailings vs longer sailings.

They picked "6" because there really aren't many 6 nights. They wanted to exclude 7+ nights, so this really applies to 3 and 4 nighters, with a few 5 night cruises that got included.

If i were a betting man, and I am, I would bet that the "shorter than 6 night" thing is likely because it typically takes about 5 days from initial infection to show symptoms and/or test positive.  Meaning, an unvaxxed person tests negative and gets on board to Mexico or where ever, they get covid, they wont really know until they are off of the ship.  RCCL does not have to worry about quarantining that person, prorating or refunding them, etc.  

[Done]

1 hour ago, Lynn McKee said:

Only for cruises 6 days or less, from what I read

 

Cruises 5 nights or less.  The statement says for cruises 6 nights or greater vaccinated guests will need to perform pre-cruise testing.

Starting with August 8, 2022 departures, our protocols will include:
 

• • Requiring testing for unvaccinated guests on all sailings, and for vaccinated guests on sailings that are six nights or longer.

[Ampurp85]

51 minutes ago, CruiserNic said:

While I am happy for you, this exact situation is why this makes absolutely no sense.  

It makes some sense, not complete sense. Testing to start a cruise is different than requiring a test when all you have done is cruise on the same ship. If you had to test to cruise that means everyone has, which lowers the "risk" factors. You might get off at port, but you are mostly in a bubble. At home you are going any and everywhere without any protocols. So, I could see the initial test but not testing again to stay on a ship. 

[FionaMG]

Would be nice to know what's happening for sailings from outside the US. I don't mind being a guinea pig for no testing on longer cruises.

[Cakemeister]

Great news, I'm tempted to book a 5+4 back-to-back cruise for my next one, but I am guessing that the testing requirement will be dropped altogether soon.

[Done]

35 minutes ago, Cakemeister said:

Great news, I'm tempted to book a 5+4 back-to-back cruise for my next one, but I am guessing that the testing requirement will be dropped altogether soon.

I'm hoping for our October cruise.