CDC says Cruises can start in July

[DCLMP]

Del Rio, the CEO of NCL, says that they believe that Florida probably doesn't have the authority to do it, but I'm betting litigating that would be costly and time consuming so I imagine that they're hoping that applying political pressure allow them to avoid litigating the issue.

As for "waiting to start sailing", Del Rio has been blustering about other aspects of the CDC guidelines which he believes are untenable at the moment, although given that the CDC just released the technical guidance for cruising on Wednesday it's not clear to me that there is "waiting" as much as there is a ramp up time to understand and figure out how to implement the guidance.

I don't believe they are going to cave to NCL over something of such magnitude. NCL needs Florida a lot more than Florida needs NCL. I don't even know how NCL is still solvent. Carnival stated long ago they didn't believe in mandating vaccines. As far as Disney goes they didn't fight to open Disneyland I don't see them taking on Florida.

I agree with Del Rio on one thing the CDC guidelines are untenable. July is just two months away. I don't foresee anyone sailing out of the states.

 

[mevelandry]

I don't believe they are going to cave to NCL over something of such magnitude. NCL needs Florida a lot more than Florida needs NCL. I don't even know how NCL is still solvent. Carnival stated long ago they didn't believe in mandating vaccines. As far as Disney goes they didn't fight to open Disneyland I don't see them taking on Florida.

I agree with Del Rio on one thing the CDC guidelines are untenable. July is just two months away. I don't foresee anyone sailing out of the states.

They said they haven’t made a final decision yet.

 

[Sykes]

I don't believe they are going to cave to NCL over something of such magnitude. NCL needs Florida a lot more than Florida needs NCL. I don't even know how NCL is still solvent. Carnival stated long ago they didn't believe in mandating vaccines. As far as Disney goes they didn't fight to open Disneyland I don't see them taking on Florida.

I agree with Del Rio on one thing the CDC guidelines are untenable. July is just two months away. I don't foresee anyone sailing out of the states.

The thing is that cruise ships aren’t high magnitude at all. The vast majority of US voters don’t care at all about cruise ships (assuming he’s posturing for a Presidential run). He can just hand wave it away by saying his lawyers say that regulation of foreign commerce is exclusively reserved for the federal government (it is), and say that he did his best and tried to fight the good flight. He gets all of the political points, it (in and of itself) doesn’t affect the ban on vaccine verification elsewhere in the state, and he gets to not be a barrier to restarting cruises in Florida. Heck, a defeat in this area might even be an asset because it’s something he could fix if he was President.

 

[DCLMP]

The thing is that cruise ships aren’t high magnitude at all. The vast majority of US voters don’t care at all about cruise ships (assuming he’s posturing for a Presidential run). He can just hand wave it away by saying his lawyers say that regulation of foreign commerce is exclusively reserved for the federal government (it is), and say that he did his best and tried to fight the good flight. He gets all of the political points, it (in and of itself) doesn’t affect the ban on vaccine verification elsewhere in the state, and he gets to not be a barrier to restarting cruises in Florida. Heck, a defeat in this area might even be an asset because it’s something he could fix if he was President.

You're trying to make this political and politics aren't allowed here. The thread will get shut down.

 

[Fldisneyfamily4321]

I would NEVER pay Disney cruise wearing masks the entire cruise including outside ! Nope .. no way ever . I can wait .

 

[jerry557]

They said they haven’t made a final decision yet.

They have not. However, Carnival has said that they don't believe the cruise lines should be treated any differently than other areas of the tourism industry.

 

[mevelandry]

They have not. However, Carnival has said that they don't believe the cruise lines should be treated any differently than other areas of the tourism industry.

If the only way to restart cruising is to mandate vaccines on board, they’ll do it. IMO, right now they are trying to avoid ruffling feathers in order to retain money for as long as possible, and then, when they are being asked to make vaccines mandatory, they will be able to put the blame on someone else...

 

[DCLMP]

If the only way to restart cruising is to mandate vaccines on board, they’ll do it. IMO, right now they are trying to avoid ruffling feathers in order to retain money for as long as possible, and then, when they are being asked to make vaccines mandatory, they will be able to put the blame on someone else...

I get your pro vaccine at all costs, but this is not going to happen. Florida is not Canada. I get you desperately want to return to a normal life, but Floridians haven't been locked down and restricted. They are not going to go for draconian mandates.

 

[Maggie'sMom]

I get your pro vaccine at all costs, but this is not going to happen. Florida is not Canada. I get you desperately want to return to a normal life, but Floridians haven't been locked down and restricted. They are not going to go for draconian mandates.

But the cruise industry does want to get back to sailing, and if they have to go with 95% vaccinated cruises to do it, they will. And there will be enough people vaccinated and wanting to travel to facilitate that. Floridians aren't the only ones that will want to get on cruises. Besides, 43% of Floridians have received at least one dose of the vaccine. So that is a significant section of the population that won't care if cruise lines require the vaccine.

 

[DCLMP]

But the cruise industry does want to get back to sailing, and if they have to go with 95% vaccinated cruises to do it, they will. And there will be enough people vaccinated and wanting to travel to facilitate that. Floridians aren't the only ones that will want to get on cruises. Besides, 43% of Floridians have received at least one dose of the vaccine. So that is a significant section of the population that won't care if cruise lines require the vaccine.

Going with 95% vaccination rate doesn't change any of the other restrictions on the cruise all it does is over ride the test cruises. You couldn't pay me to cruise with what the CDC has laid out. If you read what the CEO's are saying vaccines or no vaccines the CDC rules are untenable. Just because someone gets the vaccine doesn't mean they are for vaccine passports...two completely different things. You are making the assumption that everyone that gets a vaccine is for mandating vaccines and that is simply not the case.

 

[Maggie'sMom]

Going with 95% vaccination rate doesn't change any of the other restrictions on the cruise all it does is over ride the test cruises. You couldn't pay me to cruise with what the CDC has laid out. If you read what the CEO's are saying vaccines or no vaccines the CDC rules are untenable. Just because someone gets the vaccine doesn't mean they are for vaccine passports...two completely different things. You are making the assumption that everyone that gets a vaccine is for mandating vaccines and that is simply not the case.

No, I never said that everyone getting a vaccine is for mandating vaccines. That's not my assumption in the slightest. What I was saying is that those that are already vaccinated and want to cruise aren't going to stomp their feet and say "well, if it's mandated, then I'm not going. If only it wasn't mandated, then I'd go." Instead, they are going to say "Cool. I can go on a cruise. When do we sail?"

And you weren't addressing the other guidelines in the post I quoted, and the other guidelines weren't the subject of the post you were responding to. So to now say it's also about the other guidelines is to change the the meaning of that exchange. If you wanted to make it about the other stuff, then your post should have started with, "I get you don't have a problem with all the rules, but this isn't going to happen." But that wasn't what you said.

 

[DCLMP]

No, I never said that everyone getting a vaccine is for mandating vaccines. That's not my assumption in the slightest. What I was saying is that those that are already vaccinated and want to cruise aren't going to stomp their feet and say "well, if it's mandated, then I'm not going. If only it wasn't mandated, then I'd go." Instead, they are going to say "Cool. I can go on a cruise. When do we sail?"

And you weren't addressing the other guidelines in the post I quoted, and the other guidelines weren't the subject of the post you were responding to. So to now say it's also about the other guidelines is to change the the meaning of that exchange. If you wanted to make it about the other stuff, then your post should have started with, "I get you don't have a problem with all the rules, but this isn't going to happen." But that wasn't what you said.

I've addressed the guidelines in many posts throughout this thread. I don't know how many of the vaccinated actually cruise and if that's enough for them to be profitable. One thing I'm sure of is they need Florida to survive.

 

[Maggie'sMom]

One thing I'm sure of is they need Florida to survive.

And that's where I'm not convinced. I don't think their survival rests on Floridians. I think it rests on getting passengers back on the ships, no matter what state the passengers hail from. I think there's a lot of pent up demand right now. Ships aren't going to be sailing at 100% capacity to start, and I think there are enough people comfortable with the guidelines that they will be able to get a decent amount of passengers onboard.

What needs to happen is for them to get some ships sailing with passengers so they can show that cruising can be done without large scale outbreaks. In the beginning, that is going to mean a lot of rules on mask wearing, social distancing, and vaccines. Then as we see cruises being successful with those measures, they can tweak the rules. The absolute last thing cruise lines need is to push for fewer rules and then experience an outbreak. Because all eyes are going to be on those cruises. Just like all eyes are on the vaccines. With the J&J vaccine, the headlines were "J&J vaccine connected to rare blood clots in the brain," and not "Birth control pills cause rare brain blood clots 10 times more frequently than the J&J vaccine." With cruises, if a couple cases pop up on a cruise, the headline will be "Cruises once again a hotspot for COVID transmission", instead of "Two cruisers contracted COVID before boarding, but vaccines and COVID mitigation measures protected 99.9% of the remaining passengers and crew.

 

[mevelandry]

I get your pro vaccine at all costs, but this is not going to happen. Florida is not Canada. I get you desperately want to return to a normal life, but Floridians haven't been locked down and restricted. They are not going to go for draconian mandates.

I’m not expecting Floridians to adhere to anything.

I’m talking about cruise lines having their own measures to be allowed to sail.

We’ll see.

 

[mevelandry]

And that's where I'm not convinced. I don't think their survival rests on Floridians. I think it rests on getting passengers back on the ships, no matter what state the passengers hail from. I think there's a lot of pent up demand right now. Ships aren't going to be sailing at 100% capacity to start, and I think there are enough people comfortable with the guidelines that they will be able to get a decent amount of passengers onboard. (...)

I agree with this. I think that the number of guests willing to adhere to the health measures on board will be enough to fill up the ship (at reduced capacity) and will grow as rules get relaxed.

Plus, I’m probably not the only one but since I’m already flying to cruise... I wouldn’t mind sailing from any other east coast port. I’m only waiting for the right itinerary.

 

[jerry557]

Governor’s office released a statement reiterating that vaccine passports in Florida are not allowed and will not be.

And Norwegian is not just threatening to leave Florida, but the US ports altogether and make home ports in the Caribbean. Florida is only part of their problem. The CDC is making it impossible to sail right now. And even if they wanted to go to another state, what state will take them that will allow vaccine passports? Georgia, TX, and SC all have governors that are not friendly to the idea of vaccine passports. Other states up the eastern seaboard likely don’t want cruise ships flooding their ports during a pandemic.

According to the CDC guidelines, passengers need to stay masked the entire trip. They have to replace their masks even between bites to eat. The Norwegian CEO calls that “absurd.”

So yeah...the cruise lines are stuck. The CDC seems to be making rules so absurd that it makes the cruises impossible to sail, or sail with any profit, but will satisfy the lawsuits being filed.

 

[DCLMP]

And that's where I'm not convinced. I don't think their survival rests on Floridians. I think it rests on getting passengers back on the ships, no matter what state the passengers hail from. I think there's a lot of pent up demand right now. Ships aren't going to be sailing at 100% capacity to start, and I think there are enough people comfortable with the guidelines that they will be able to get a decent amount of passengers onboard.

What needs to happen is for them to get some ships sailing with passengers so they can show that cruising can be done without large scale outbreaks. In the beginning, that is going to mean a lot of rules on mask wearing, social distancing, and vaccines. Then as we see cruises being successful with those measures, they can tweak the rules. The absolute last thing cruise lines need is to push for fewer rules and then experience an outbreak. Because all eyes are going to be on those cruises. Just like all eyes are on the vaccines. With the J&J vaccine, the headlines were "J&J vaccine connected to rare blood clots in the brain," and not "Birth control pills cause rare brain blood clots 10 times more frequently than the J&J vaccine." With cruises, if a couple cases pop up on a cruise, the headline will be "Cruises once again a hotspot for COVID transmission", instead of "Two cruisers contracted COVID before boarding, but vaccines and COVID mitigation measures protected 99.9% of the remaining passengers and crew.

Florida is the cruise capital of the world and most of their profits come from there.

Since you think cruise lines can survive without Florida. Where do you think they can embark from that has the infrastructure of Florida, will allow vaccine passports, is a short distance to the caribbean and is easy accessible for cruise passengers? I love to hear your answer to this.

 

[sullivan.kscott]

Going with 95% vaccination rate doesn't change any of the other restrictions on the cruise all it does is over ride the test cruises. You couldn't pay me to cruise with what the CDC has laid out. If you read what the CEO's are saying vaccines or no vaccines the CDC rules are untenable. Just because someone gets the vaccine doesn't mean they are for vaccine passports...two completely different things. You are making the assumption that everyone that gets a vaccine is for mandating vaccines and that is simply not the case.

This I agree with. It's also why some lines have pulled themselves from US waters altogether. If the CDC is going to allow vaccinated cruises (and, in NCL's case, they go above even the 95/98 rule), they should allow sailings with minimal mitigations. I won't go so far as to say none, because of the rare threat of a breakthrough case. Pool decks, meals, and private islands are really a bridge too far and shouldn’t be required. The rest is an area for reasonable debate, or even test sail and see in a path to relaxation.

 

[mevelandry]

Florida is the cruise capital of the world and most of their profits come from there.

Since you think cruise lines can survive without Florida. Where do you think they can embark from that has the infrastructure of Florida, will allow vaccine passports, is a short distance to the caribbean and is easy accessible for cruise passengers? I love to hear your answer to this.

»What is Port of New York and Bayonne? »

 

[mevelandry]

This I agree with. It's also why some lines have pulled themselves from US waters altogether. If the CDC is going to allow vaccinated cruises (and, in NCL's case, they go above even the 95/98 rule), they should allow sailings with minimal mitigations. I won't go so far as to say none, because of the rare threat of a breakthrough case. Pool decks, meals, and private islands are really a bridge too far and shouldn’t be required. The rest is an area for reasonable debate, or even test sail and see in a path to relaxation.

They can’t control private island because they’re in another country...

But overall I agree with you. If everyone is fully vaccinated, wearing the mask whether indoor or outdoor should be a personal choice, especially since there will be reduced capacity, social distancing and other health measures.