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Covid testing money grab!


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Covid testing within 48 Hours of a cruise is a huge money grab. It is extremely expensive and it is a pain in the tail! You can test negative before getting on the cruise and turn around and test positive when you get off or while you're on it even. It makes absolutely no sense for people who have been vaccinated four times to go through this ridiculous testing every time they want to go on a cruise. I'm a long time Cruiser and it is extremely annoying.

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Welcome to the message boards.

Not sure "money grab" is the right term. The cruise lines aren't making any money on it since it's up to you to get a test from whatever place you can.

That being said, yes, it's a hassle.  

You have to remember, the cruise lines are held to a double standard by the media, which still reports on covid cases on them like its 2020.

The good news is testing is on its way out, but it's going to be a process, especially since the countries cruise lines visit may require the test. This puts it out of the cruise line's hands.

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Many of these Countries rely on cruise ships for over 50% some of their GDP (up to 6%). Cruise lines are in a very strong position to dictate the requirements for entry. Flex that economic muscle baby! New rule says that unvaccinated have to test up to 3 days out. So I am now officially unvaccinated and will no longer supply my vax card to have an extra day of no stress. Seriously, did I read that part right? 3 days before - unvaxxed; 2 days before for vaxxed on cruises of 6 days or more

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Keep in mind that the medical facilities on a cruise ship are no where near what you find onshore. While the policies may not keep you from getting covid, I am sure they ar e helping in reducing the risk of a major outbreak that will overwhelm the medical center. Most people that report getting covid are getting sick either after the cruise or at the very end of the cruise.

That said, I can't wait to get rid of testing. 

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One benefit of testing that I don't see discussed much is behavior modification.  Knowing you have to test negative or can't cruise can cause people to be more cautious in the weeks leading up to the cruise, thereby reducing the total number of cases on the ship, not just cases that are catchable on a test 1-3 days beforehand.  There is little incentive to behavior modify if you don't face negative personal repercussions. 

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I see where you are coming from, however, I had to test for  a  Feb cruise.  Went to walgreens and then shopping for stones slabs for our kitchen.  In the middle of the trip, I got the notification and read I was positive. Vax and Boosted. No symptoms other than a sneeze.  Had I not tested, I would not have known I had covid and got on the ship and spread it to many more people without realizing it.  I tested a a few more times to be sure and it was positive for about a week.

 

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6 hours ago, Swar said:

Many of these Countries rely on cruise ships for over 50% of their revenue. Cruise lines are in a very strong position to dictate the requirements for entry. Flex that economic muscle baby! New rule says that unvaccinated have to test up to 3 days out. So I am now officially unvaccinated and will no longer supply my vax card to have an extra day of no stress. Seriously, did I read that part right? 3 days before - unvaxxed; 2 days before for vaxxed on cruises of 6 days or more

No, you did not  read that right re testing windows  

No country receives 50% of their revenue from cruise ships. 

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12 hours ago, TXcruzer said:

Sorry but I disagree, the cruise line economic influence has been proven to be negligible the last couple years IMO

Not the case for Southampton, UK where they were losing $5000 in taxis fares each day when the port was closed to cruise traffic. That was just taxis, no mention of port crew wages, cruise ship resupplies, etc.

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13 hours ago, TXcruzer said:

Sorry but I disagree, the cruise line economic influence has been proven to be negligible the last couple years IMO

Maybe because the cruise lines were shut down or sailing at greatly reduced capacities for the last couple years?  Tough to have to economic influence when you’re closed!

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5 hours ago, Spang1974 said:

Not the case for Southampton, UK where they were losing $5000 in taxis fares each day when the port was closed to cruise traffic. That was just taxis, no mention of port crew wages, cruise ship resupplies, etc.

That isn’t economic influence, that is the reality of being out of business. 
 

Economic influence is the cruise lines telling a sovereign country “do things my way or I will take my ship elsewhere”

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On 8/2/2022 at 4:22 PM, Swar said:

Many of these Countries rely on cruise ships for over 50% some of their GDP (up to 6%). Cruise lines are in a very strong position to dictate the requirements for entry. Flex that economic muscle baby! New rule says that unvaccinated have to test up to 3 days out. So I am now officially unvaccinated and will no longer supply my vax card to have an extra day of no stress. Seriously, did I read that part right? 3 days before - unvaxxed; 2 days before for vaxxed on cruises of 6 days or more

Now the pre-cruise testing window is 3 days before for everyone on those cruises of 6 nights or more...vaccinated or unvaccinated per the recent news out there. 

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Congress suspended the Passenger Vessel Services Act for a bit and we did not have to touch Canada during our October 2021 Alaska cruise out of Seattle. Might be a good idea to suspend the PVSA a lot more for all cruises. I'm okay with not debarking 99% of the time.

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46 minutes ago, Swar said:

Congress suspended the Passenger Vessel Services Act for a bit and we did not have to touch Canada during our October 2021 Alaska cruise out of Seattle. Might be a good idea to suspend the PVSA a lot more for all cruises. I'm okay with not debarking 99% of the time.

Congress passed a bill that directed CBP not to enforce the penalties of the PVSA for a handful of specific ships sailing from Seattle.  They did not suspend the PVSA.  Technically the ships that sailed to Alaska in 2021 bypassing Canada still broke the law, they just didn't get penalized for breaking the law.  

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2 hours ago, Toby said:

We (the USA) did this to ourselves.  The Passenger Vessel Services Act requires a ship visiting US ports to stop at or originate from a foreign port.  For Alaskan cruises, Canada is the only real option and make us (US citizens) subject to their health protocols.

The PVSA exists for very good reasons.  It impacts nearly every commercial vessel anywhere in the US from water taxis to duck boats to ferry service.  The rules of the PVSA that impact the foreign flagged cruise industry are pretty minor in the big picture of the PVSA.  Repealing the PVSA just so a handful of cruisers could sail on a few specific itineraries would have a pretty significant impact on the country and tens of thousands of jobs outside of the cruise industry.  

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18 minutes ago, twangster said:

The PVSA exists for very good reasons.  It impacts nearly every commercial vessel anywhere in the US from water taxis to duck boats to ferry service.  The rules of the PVSA that impact the foreign flagged cruise industry are pretty minor in the big picture of the PVSA.  Repealing the PVSA just so a handful of cruisers could sail on a few specific itineraries would have a pretty significant impact on the country and tens of thousands of jobs outside of the cruise industry.  

I am not disputing that.

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15 minutes ago, Toby said:

I am not disputing that.

However, in thinking about the PVSA a little more, it was placed into effect in 1886.  In 1886 travel by ship was the main form of travel to distant places.  It was also used for US travel up and down the coasts as well as riverboat travel. 

Times have surely changed and maybe it is time to revisit the law in today's reality.  Not repeal but modify it to be better in line with the current times.   

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1 hour ago, twangster said:

Congress passed a bill that directed CBP not to enforce the penalties of the PVSA for a handful of specific ships sailing from Seattle.  They did not suspend the PVSA.  Technically the ships that sailed to Alaska in 2021 bypassing Canada still broke the law, they just didn't get penalized for breaking the law.  

Technical variation, same result - where you in the military lol

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59 minutes ago, twangster said:

The PVSA exists for very good reasons.  It impacts nearly every commercial vessel anywhere in the US from water taxis to duck boats to ferry service.  The rules of the PVSA that impact the foreign flagged cruise industry are pretty minor in the big picture of the PVSA.  Repealing the PVSA just so a handful of cruisers could sail on a few specific itineraries would have a pretty significant impact on the country and tens of thousands of jobs outside of the cruise industry.  

just modify it as they do with many laws every year

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2 hours ago, Swar said:

just modify it as they do with many laws every year

Several laws makers have tried but due to impacting international treaties and conventions it quickly becomes a can of worms.  We are lucky we got away with what we did in 2021. 

Most importantly why go through the motions for a handful of international companies that pay very little US tax?  These companies go to great lengths to keep their assets in foreign countries to avoid paying US tax.  Why should we help them?

There is a reason why no major cruise line and CLIA are not asking for the PVSA to be updated.  The only people who want change are a couple hundred cruisers who want to sail to Hawaii from America.  That's hardly a reason to update the law so foreign companies paying little US tax can make more money and evade more US taxes.

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7 hours ago, twangster said:

Several laws makers have tried but due to impacting international treaties and conventions it quickly becomes a can of worms.  We are lucky we got away with what we did in 2021. 

Most importantly why go through the motions for a handful of international companies that pay very little US tax?  These companies go to great lengths to keep their assets in foreign countries to avoid paying US tax.  Why should we help them?

There is a reason why no major cruise line and CLIA are not asking for the PVSA to be updated.  The only people who want change are a couple hundred cruisers who want to sail to Hawaii from America.  That's hardly a reason to update the law so foreign companies paying little US tax can make more money and evade more US taxes.

The only people?  That is a very broad generalization?  I am sure you can offer proof of that,

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