Are you ready to cruise again

[mevelandry]

They don’t even have approved vaccines for kids yet. Even though testing is underway for that I can’t see kids getting vaccinated by September. Actually fall is probably going to be spent getting second doses into people.

In my province, adults are currently scheduled to be all vaccinated with their 1st shot before June 24. We’ll receive even more vaccines this summer which will most likely give us the chance to reduce the 16 weeks delay between the two doses. The goal is currently to have every adult vaccinated by Sept 21st and it looks like we’ll reach that goal.

A few weeks ago, none of us was expecting to be eligible for vaccination before June. Now, it looks like most of us will be vaccinated before the end of May.

 

[mab2012]

Depends on which kids we're talking about. Pfizer will likely be approved for use in 12-15 year olds in Canada and the US inside the next month or so. The approval application was submitted to Health Canada at least a couple of weeks ago.

In Canada, we'll have enough vaccine supply by the end of June to cover the entire (currently) eligible population with a single dose, and two-thirds with both. Assuming supply doesn't slow down significantly into July, I 100% expect vaccinations to open up to 12+ year olds in the summer. Probably pretty early in the summer.

Just to close the loop on this, this news has probably been posted elsewhere by now, but the headline on this particular article sums it up nicely:

"COVID-19: Canada becomes first country in world to approve Pfizer vaccine for kids age 12 to 15; Ontario plans to fully vaccinate youths before next school year"

I think we can reasonably assume that if Ontario expects 12-15 year-olds to be fully vaccinated before September, the rest of the country will too.

Christine Elliott (Ontario's Minister of Health) said in a news conference today that the province is looking at first shots in-school this year (nice to hear, since that would imply that they do, in fact, expect kids to go back to school this year - something they've carefully avoided admitting to this point), with second shots scheduled over the summer.

Meanwhile, Alberta has just thrown prioritization to the wind and announced that they will shortly open bookings to everyone 12+.

 

[mevelandry]

Just to close the loop on this, this news has probably been posted elsewhere by now, but the headline on this particular article sums it up nicely:

"COVID-19: Canada becomes first country in world to approve Pfizer vaccine for kids age 12 to 15; Ontario plans to fully vaccinate youths before next school year"

I think we can reasonably assume that if Ontario expects 12-15 year-olds to be fully vaccinated before September, the rest of the country will too.

Christine Elliott (Ontario's Minister of Health) said in a news conference today that the province is looking at first shots in-school this year (nice to hear, since that would imply that they do, in fact, expect kids to go back to school this year - something they've carefully avoided admitting to this point), with second shots scheduled over the summer.

Meanwhile, Alberta has just thrown prioritization to the wind and announced that they will shortly open bookings to everyone 12+.

Quebec projects to vaccinate kids 12-17 yo before next school year as well.

 

[TinkNanny]

We are ready to cruise! My husband and I had Covid in Feb so we can't vaccinate until June. I think vaccinations will be mandated, so that would be our only hold up. I am actually more confident in DCLs protocols than the CDC because, lets face it, DCL seems to be a step above when it comes to cleaning and germ prevention on the ships. I fully expect cruise capacity to be a low percentage 30-40% at first and open to US only who are vaccinated- (all on board wearing mask), but who knows what the mandates will be. I am a nurse and feel very comfortable with the ability of DCL to keep passengers safe. If the ships have a lower capacity, there will be less likelihood of spread with mask and sanitizing measures, I believe.
Definitely ready to get on board, even if we only have "Sea Days" and Castaway Cay. We have a trip to WDW booked for OCT, but if DCL are cruising, I may just cruise instead!
STAY SAFE MY FRIENDS!

 

[JWG]

Yes.

 

[CaseyCruiser]

Yes

 

[kathi]

I am ready - but no under any condition. I don't want to have so many restrictions that significantly change the cruise experience. I wouldn't sail unless vaccinations are required. Too many chances of an outbreak and getting turned around (or worse - stuck somewhere). No thank you to that! We are supposed to sail in September on the Fantasy in concierge. I don't want to spend concierge prices for a diminished concierge experience and I suspect, if ships are sailing in September it will be too restrictive for me to want to go. Time will tell....hopefully DCL makes an announcement soon about their plans.

 

[MomOTwins]

We are ready to cruise! My husband and I had Covid in Feb so we can't vaccinate until June.

Why? I got a vaccine less than 2 months after my last active infection (have had it 3 times... lucky me!). Did not want to wait and risk getting sick a fourth time. Unless you had monoclonal antibody treatment the CDC says no need to wait after an infection to get the vaccine.

 

[mevelandry]

Why? I got a vaccine less than 2 months after my last active infection (have had it 3 times... lucky me!). Did not want to wait and risk getting sick a fourth time. Unless you had monoclonal antibody treatment the CDC says no need to wait after an infection to get the vaccine.

I am not the previous poster but it depends on where they live.

Here in Canada, they ask people to wait at least three months before getting a shot. They believe you have some kind of immunity until then. Then the vaccine acts as a booster shot.

 

[MomOTwins]

I am not the previous poster but it depends on where they live.

Here in Canada, they ask people to wait at least three months before getting a shot. They believe you have some kind of immunity until then. Then the vaccine acts as a booster shot.

Ugh, sorry. If that were the case people like me would never get vaccinated!

I just try to make myself a cautionary tale whenever possible because I see so many people near me say they won’t get the shot because they have “natural” immunity, and don’t realize that is not always the case.

 

[Southern Pirate]

Generally, I’ll cruise as soon as they’ll let me. However....I’m MUCH more concerned by the restrictions they’ll have ON board than those they may have prior to boarding.

I don’t want to have to wear a mask on board, but I’ll get vaccinated to sail.

I don’t want to have to reserve kids club, but I will get my kid a PCR test before we board.

I want my vacation to feel like a vacation!! Things to check off the to do list before sailing - cool - but I’d rather not be getting temp checks and health surveys once I’m there.

When you go out and about with your mask on, do you smell different smells even though you have a mask? If so, how does that mask keep the virus out, or in? We were told that the virus was so small that nothing but an N95 mask would stop it. So unless these smells you can smell while wearing a cloth mask are smaller that the virus, the masks do nothing.

 

[John VN]

I am ready - but no under any condition. I don't want to have so many restrictions that significantly change the cruise experience. I wouldn't sail unless vaccinations are required. Too many chances of an outbreak and getting turned around (or worse - stuck somewhere). No thank you to that! We are supposed to sail in September on the Fantasy in concierge. I don't want to spend concierge prices for a diminished concierge experience and I suspect, if ships are sailing in September it will be too restrictive for me to want to go. Time will tell....hopefully DCL makes an announcement soon about their plans.

r.e. bold Even with restrictions we are good to go on another cruise line since the "Concierge Perks" are far beyond those of DCL at a lower cost and thus would not really impact our required experience needs.

 

[MomOTwins]

When you go out and about with your mask on, do you smell different smells even though you have a mask? If so, how does that mask keep the virus out, or in? We were told that the virus was so small that nothing but an N95 mask would stop it. So unless these smells you can smell while wearing a cloth mask are smaller that the virus, the masks do nothing.

Because the virus is not free floating--it enters the air from your mouth and nose on aerosols that are tiny droplets, and those are largely blocked by masks. Of course, not all masks are as good as others--should be tight-fitting around your nose and mouth, no "vents" or "mesh," and more than one layer.

 

[JWG]

Given the complete lack of a flu season around the world and various studies, yes I believe masks help but this isn't really the place for that debate. If I had to wear one on board I'd get over it. It would be rare as usually I'm either at a bar drinking, table eating, or doing something water related. It would be those rare times I'm in a shop, theater, or show that I'd have to deal with it.

I'd prefer not, but I'd cope. Though, we won't be cruising anytime before summer 2022 for other reasons, so I don't think I'm too worried.

 

[n2mm]

We are ready to cruise, but dont want to be on first. We moved our November 2021 cruise, so our cruise is late February 2022. We are all vaccinated to included my 16 year old granddaughters. Rumor that 12-16 will be released next week. Two more granddaughters, 12 & 14 will get their shots started then. We’ve had 3 family members get covid in February, and got their vaccines in April.

 

[mostlytraveling4food]

My family... Which will not be fully vaccinated until the end of August for sure.

But while I think about it: there is also Canada's "mandatory two weeks quarantine involving a mandatory hotel quarantine ($$$) until negative tests results" that we have to take into account. Definitely won't travel until they remove that.

A lot of Canadians have been flying to vacation in the USA, and then flying to Buffalo,NY and walking across the border back into Canada, or taking a taxi.

There’s no mandatory quarantine at a designated hotel by the government like when you fly in.

 

[mevelandry]

A lot of Canadians have been flying to vacation in the USA, and then flying to Buffalo,NY and walking across the border back into Canada, or taking a taxi.

There’s no mandatory quarantine at a designated hotel by the government like when you fly in.

Yeah. I wouldn't do that. I see this as cheating and I think it's pretty lame.

 

[kathi]

r.e. bold Even with restrictions we are good to go on another cruise line since the "Concierge Perks" are far beyond those of DCL at a lower cost and thus would not really impact our required experience needs.

I’m really talking about the lounge and sun deck. I want all those perks and I don’t want to have to reserve my time to be in there.

 

[Freeman867]

When you go out and about with your mask on, do you smell different smells even though you have a mask? If so, how does that mask keep the virus out, or in? We were told that the virus was so small that nothing but an N95 mask would stop it. So unless these smells you can smell while wearing a cloth mask are smaller that the virus, the masks do nothing.

If you haven't done your research to see how masks really do work and why by looking at dozens of independent studies from the Mayo Clinic, Stanford, Oxford, Harvard, and other top scientific and medical scholars, I'm really not sure how to help you. You don't want to believe they work, so you don't. Your lack of belief and ability to quote Facebook memes does not equate to truth, however.

 

[John VN]

I’m really talking about the lounge and sun deck. I want all those perks and I don’t want to have to reserve my time to be in there.

At Concierge $$$ I agree but I'm thinking that on Seaside, Meraviglia and other ships (not DCL) with a reduction in the numbers of passengers allowed to cruise there might not be much of an issue. e.g.-- Seaside ship passenger numbers say 5,000 so if 50% capacity to start sailing is 2,500 the "Yacht Club" only allows 280 passengers so down to 140 for entire restricted YC Decks.

The Lounge, Sun Deck, Private Restaurant were never crowded with full cruising numbers so maybe no issue with reduced numbers.