CRUISE NEWS - CRUISE LINE ENDS PRE CRUISE TESTING

CRUISE NEWS - CRUISE LINE ENDS PRE CRUISE TESTING
Viking cruise line has decided to end pre-cruise testing because of the CDC's decision to end testing for international flights. Holland America mandates masks again for all Alaska cruises.
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check out another video here: • CRUISE NEWS - CARNIVAL... orway.

[@ginaerickson6838]

Still requiring to be vaccinated to cruise is ridiculous. My doctor just told me over this past winter that 79% of people who contracted the Omnicron variant were vaccinated. Everyone is living again and the cruise lines are still acting like it’s April 2020

[@DianeRoma1]

Thanks for update, Don. I’m so tired of all these pre cruise tests.

[@vacationcruiser1899]

Come on Royal You can do it I believe in you

[@richardg8651]

Gosh I hate that expression , an abundance of caution . I allows people to trample on others rights and feel virtuous doing so .

[@grahameames5871]

Due to this Mask policy, we have cancelled three Princess Alaska cruises and have now cancelled our two week holiday in Canada. We shall now be spending our time and money at land based resorts in Bali and Fiji. We have two Cunard cruises booked for March next year and if their current Mask policy is still in place by cancellation date they will be gone as well. There is no way that we are paying for a holiday where masks have to be worn.

[@34jrock1]

It's about time.

[@TheFtm22]

Glad you mentioned the cruise contract, Don. More good reasons for me not to cruise. Land vacations are much less restricted. Maybe one day.

[@karlreichert9051]

Time to follow the lead. Back to normal!!

[@sarakeith5480]

Great news but of sort of!! Some of this confusing and crazy!! I guess for now I will do my traveling by car in the USA!! Thanks Don!! Happy Tueday!!

[@bohemondantioch5600]

Florida has been free for a long time. Enjoy freedom

[@sarakeith5480]

@@bohemondantioch5600 that is wonderful!

[@texasboy5117]

I’m sooooo happy! We sail on Viking on the 25th out of England. We will have our two proctored test kits just in case. This is long overdue.

[@oceanViews64]

Thanks for all your help.

[@cathysimmons8484]

Hope you drop shots. Does not help anyone.. been on over 20 cruises since I was 24 years old and have great memories. If things don't change, many other opportunities to travel.

[@dawnherrmann2734]

It’s happening!!!!

[@pugmalley]

Now end jab requirements.

[@Masterchief68]

Let’s hope the other cruise lines follow suit! SOON!

[@kathyray9666]

Just get rid of the testing! Open up travel so done with Covid.

[@pb1963]

I would rather do testing than being forced to wear masks.

[@TheJscottbpsmith]

I'll do what I can to not get sick. I recently cruised, tested, and am vaccinated; we still wore masks.

[@Catchyalater_Fishing_Co]

how bout just wait them out and dont do either

[@patriciamurray7312]

Thank God!!!

[@larrykarger6930]

We need all the other cruise lines to follow suite.

[@TrevorHumpy]

Hope other cruise lines do the same! Then more people may cruise.

[@davedove67]

It's still a step in the right direction. Hopefully, other lines will soon do the same.

[@daveray8585]

Just got a message from Holland america regarding masks and they added in all indoor venues on board

[@ghjcmo]

I suppose it’s “out there” but as best I can tell this doesn’t apply to any US sailings. So I don’t think this is as big of a deal as Don or other KZbinrs make it out to be, at least with regards to the US market.

[@warpshield]

Yes!!!

[@ChloeBensonBeautyBoxes]

I would purposely pick one that I do not have to be tested to get on.

[@splatmacpuffin]

Supposed to cruise on Holland out of Vancouver Aug. 27th. Checking now to see if I can pull out. No more masking is necessary.

[@davebarry228]

I looked at the CDC website and it sure does not look like cases are going crazy there.

[@ferdinandusschouten4570]

Thanks for the news Don, we won't be cruising until the COVID rules are gone. In fact probably not until the Small Print reads "Full Refund if Covid Rules Put Back On Place"

[@ms.teej.3841]

It's a start 🎉🎉🎉

[@bstaton67]

'Out of an abundance of caution' means 'this isn't based on science'

[@cmaur811]

Happy for you Don!

[@amandamoore3470]

Thank you for the updates Don! When is your next sailing?

[@douglasbray3563]

Good Afternoon Don!

[@Sotweetie]

Next up: the vaccine mandate?!

[@Catchyalater_Fishing_Co]

my guess is another year

[@moemama]

Celebrity cruise in Europe this summer, the cruise line has dropped its vaccination requirements for passengers 17 years old and under. It is coming sooner than later I believe.

[@mercyrodriguez5780]

Great news!

[@j.g7506]

I don't mind wearing a mask...I'm just tired of testing before every cruise, gets expensive.

[@susandhifaoui]

same. although testing still free and really hassle-free where I live, it is just one more thing to have to schedule for (and I do it one week prior to needing it because i want to be able to get an appt), but it is just one more thing to have to tick off the box of in that 48hr lead up to the travel which is already a busy down-to-the-wire time as far as prepping the home, etc.

[@Keep-on-ok]

$50 in Texas and Florida but in Seattle they want around $200 per person!

[@j.g7506]

@@Keep-on-ok dang! Expensive!!

[@Keep-on-ok]

@@j.g7506 Just creeps taking advantage of a bad situation

[@j.g7506]

@ Angie that's how they nickel and dime us. 😠

[@darlenesims3027]

Oh gee darn. Was hoping it was carnival.

[@johngilson3500]

Thanks Don for this latest update!!!

[@brutusvk2]

Just scheduled my test for a cruise next weekend in Iceland. Was hoping to end that annoyance. Oh well.

[@mereniecrosby7120]

I hope to see celebrity and Norwegian follow this too

[@safari79]

What a mess. Can we just 🛑 already?!

[@moemama]

Celebrity cruise in Europe this summer, the cruise line has dropped its vaccination requirements for passengers 17 years old and under. It is incoming!

[@FraserAtSea]

Oh, now THIS is the update I’ve been waiting for!

[@jameswade7550]

Thank you Don, Very good information, But agree it can be a very confusing thing.

[@Drjanetta]

Great news!!!

[@stephenmorrison3002]

The Government of Canada just put up on their website it says water, air and land. Pre-entry testing is not required Pre-entry tests are not required for fully vaccinated travellers entering Canada by land, air or water. You must still use ArriveCAN within 72 hours before your arrival to Canada. Unvaccinated and partially vaccinated children under the age of 12 are not required to provide a valid pre-entry test result, if they are accompanying a fully vaccinated adult. Children who are less than 5 years old are not required to test, regardless of their vaccination status.

[@TheJscottbpsmith]

The cruise lines can still require testing and vaccinations before being allowed to board.

[@jimsalmon5158]

And, the waiting continues.

[@demmolitionman9244]

I have no problem if I'm escorted off and fly home.. but I won't spend a dime on Princes or Holland to cruise...

[@theworldthatkristysees]

My guess would be that it's Princess and HAL trying to scramble because of the number of ships in the orange status and the age of their typical clients. None of the Alaskan ports we visited have required masks.

[@GentlemanMcmike]

It’s Official. All Pre-Cruise testing is now SNAFU.

[@PCMeg1]

Cruising next week out of Fort Lauderdale (Princess). Would love not having to deal with testing. Thanks for the update!

[@susanwestfall2051]

It will be interesting to see if there is any fallout from the CDC. It would be great for us. We are cruising from Copenhagen later this summer, and we will be leaving 2 days prior to embarkation because of the overnight flight. We would have to test very early on the day we fly because we certainly don’t want to go all the way to Copenhagen just to find we test positive. Denmark ended its pre-arrival testing requirement.

[@kitBGfan2024]

Hi - small world. We are doing the same thing, from the same port this summer - also in Copenhagen for 4 days prior to cruising. Which means we will need testing at the port upon embarkation - crazy time to find out we are denied boarding. Here's hoping the line we are taking will follow along. It's an impossible situation and very disheartening. Such an inconvenience for guests and cruise line staff also. Maybe testing for unvaccinated guests ONLY?? CRUISE LINES ARE YOU LISTENING?? Appreciate the effort to keep us healthy but...a deterrent to future cruising. Enjoy your cruise - good luck!!!

[@ghjcmo]

As best I can tell this does NOT apply to the 2 Viking ships sailing out of the US. So for European or other itineraries, the CDC has no say so.

[@philiplindley7384]

Hopefully, by October, when I go cruising, all this stupidity will be over. But I'm not gonna hold my breath.

[@michaelfoster5612]

Heard NCL is eliminating testing too

[@kennarbowman5558]

Where?

[@leonardocastelaoalvarez9958]

These are the news I like to hear 👏👏👏👏👏👏

[@michaelkish2733]

Thanks Don, great news, ... we love cruising, but until all this BS is cleared up we're not going anywhere.

[@nancyc387]

Viking went from testing every day to no testing. I leave next week for my Viking cruise. Had already scheduled my PCR test. Will still have it done even though it is no longer required. You never know if Viking will change their policy or that of the country I am flying into. Don't want to take any chances.

[@monkeyb1820]

just be aware that probably half the positives are false positives.

[@williamd9205]

Thanks for the update Don. Wonder why they bothered to make the change at this time.

[@monikagylys8817]

Don you wore a mask everywhere on your last cruise and still got covid!

[@patriciahardin748]

The test just need to go away

[@franandericharman2088]

If you are leaving from cruise port in Rome there is a pharmacy in town offering COVID tests for 20 euro .. just not open on Sunday.. worked well for us in May .. cheaper then ship testing

[@kaptainsLogCruise789]

Just got back from Alaska on Princess Discovery and my wife and I just tested positive for COVID. A lot of people had the sniffles towards the end of the cruise. Seems like this current strain is very similar to the common cold. I think the best approach is to limit elevator traffic and simulcast live shows on the room television. It was crazy how many people were stuffing elevators.

[@BibtheBoulder]

Emigrate to the moon and covid will still get you. We just need to get on with having a life.....and pretending sanctions will stop the spread is akin to using a chocolate fireguard...

[@anakerose]

I would agree about the shows. We wanted to see a lot of them, but the only one we could make was the late one. We have a younger kid and they were too late for him. Would have been nice to sit and watch while he was sleeping

[@elguapo7318]

Give it a rest. Stop thinking of more restrictions

[@NeedtoSpeak]

Same as the common cold? Wow………Forest Gump said it best…”stupid is as stupid does.”

[@Catchyalater_Fishing_Co]

@@NeedtoSpeak yes.... common. cold.

[@luciam6098]

What a nightmare

[@E-K2019]

I got THE WORST cold of my life back about 12 years ago on an Alaska cruise . It was about 20 times worse than COVID for me . All of this to say … y’all be careful of that Alaska cruise cold as well . It’s brutal 😐

[@nancyvos7736]

Talk about a fluid situation. I'm not even worrying about the rules for my September cruise until closer to that that (although I am fully vaccinated).

[@mdduet]

Every thing still depends not only the cruise line but also the countries you are visiting. If those countries have restrictions on testing then the cruise line would have to follow those requirements or do a different itinerary.

[@mikeenright6375]

That means it's going to depend on the ship you're going on and the date of embarkation. And that means that trying to transfer knowledge, e.g. "Joe's cruise didn't need masks so mine doesn't" won't work unless all the details match.

[@dawnherrmann2734]

I got too excited and spoke too soon….I’ll wait for no testing on Royal Caribbean. It can’t be too much longer, right? Ugh

[@TheJscottbpsmith]

I've been cruising Royal because of testing and Vaccination requirements. Others are doing the same and many are also letting them know that is why we are cruising.

[@elguapo7318]

Yes just two more weeks until they flatten the curve.

[@Catchyalater_Fishing_Co]

@@elguapo7318 lmao

[@Catchyalater_Fishing_Co]

i give it another year

[@ryanm4013]

@@TheJscottbpsmith You will be replaced in a heartbeat by those who are NOT cruising due to testing and vaccination requirements should those be lifted. Royal won’t miss you

[@cruisingnurse5443]

Oh WOW!! I leave Sat on HAL for 2 cruises to AK out of Seattle (2 different ships). While I have NO qualms whatsoever about a mask mandate (I am a nurse and work with a mask on daily) I bet some people will be up in arms over it!! Good!! Less people on board for my cruises!!!

[@TheJscottbpsmith]

I haven't seen much affect on passenger levels due to the rules. The ships are still filling up. One good sign is no reports of large scale numbers of cases. Let's keep it that way.

[@Catchyalater_Fishing_Co]

it must be unpleasant to live inside a delusion every day

[@monkeyb1820]

wow, that's scary that you don't comprehend that masks have only been used to stop liquid splash in a positive-pressure oxygen rich environment. People are *not* walking around cruise ships doing surgery on other people. They are not medical devices and do not stop anyone from getting sick. Amazing that you don't grasp these simple concepts.

[@patrickmoore3095]

Really done you’re talking about a cruise ship company that doesn’t even sale in North America

[@zzzland1]

We just came back from a cruise on Celebrity and while they were areas on the ship where masks were required…they did not enforce it. We wore masks.

[@loriparham6570]

I'm on Celebrity to Alaska for July 1st hope they don't change that. Doing a tour on the 24th. Haven't heard anything about that yet.

[@JohnSmith-pq3xl]

yes at last

[@sylviaturner364]

Hoping Holland Will End Pre-Cruise Testing !! Its' very,very stressful,very confusioning,and "Very Expensive !!.. Testing needs' to stop !!.

[@lyleme1951]

We got a email this morning from Holland America stating that they will require a pre embarkation negative test out of Vancouver to Alaska next month. Nothing has changed for them......

[@daveray8585]

Masks also in all indoor spaces

[@karenjensen2345]

I wish they all would!

[@dianeomans3743]

Just got back from a National Geographic/Lindblad cruise in Alaska. We had to provide proof of vax & boost status, have negative PCR test results (3-5 days prior to embarking), negative quick test just before embarking, and wear a mask indoors on ship except when eating and drinking or in stateroom. Also required to mask while on tours when inside transport and buildings. Conversing with independent tour operators and learned that they were all vaxed as well.

[@Winterseve86]

For our Alaska cruise next month on Celebrity Millennium we have to test 2 days before boarding AND test at the port before we board. Oi

[@TheJscottbpsmith]

And there is a good chance there won't be any massive numbers of cases.

[@COLINJELY]

In April flying from Australia to UK to board QM2 for a Transatlantic to New York. Will just have to wait and see nearer to the date?

[@stephenmiller6690]

My understanding is that it's Canada's requirement to get tested before a cruise.

[@JJCloud1974]

How you like them falling stock prices? You all keep discussing sold out cruises. Stock values don't lie. Eliminate restrictions and mandates. Stock values will rise. Money is the driving factor. Why don't you discuss this Don?

[@gregwike2105]

No different than some countries requiring visas to visit their ports ( such as Vietnam and Cambodia). The cruise line lets you know ahead of time.

[@elguapo7318]

Really how did they manage without this bullshit for 100 years?

[@johnrentz2113]

Now get rid of vaccine mandates for cruisers.

[@safari79]

This 💯

[@paulj4228]

Holland America should look at their stock it's down 50% . It's trading at a 9 or $10 a share

[@judydale9661]

Geeze. We are going to Alaska in August. No way of knowing what the rules will be by then ?????

[@mgweir3252]

Just came back from a river cruise in Europe. Everyone was vaccinated and almost everyone got COVID.

[@russellvirgin2443]

crazy that the cruise line is getting rid of the testing mandate. Won't be a line I travel on. I've been vaccinated and had two boosters and got COVID. Had to quarantine for 10 days after testing positive. Just a mild case of flu like symptoms but at least not in the hospital and didn't ev en go to the Doctor. Called him to let him know. I believe masking and testing should stay for awhile.

[@ramonlicha3881]

They are moving slowly in the right direction. Other lines will soon do the same soon, Thanks for sharing this information,

[@DeniseBond1984]

Well Don.. the reason it "sounds funny" to you is because it is. Most of us see the absurdity of it all. At least those of us with common sense.

[@LaurenH-im7zp]

I'm going on a cruise in August on Holland America to Alaska and we're not thrilled with the new mask mandate, but we're still going.

[@cagedtigersteve]

This is good news.

[@karenknicely6583]

Viking will send passengers a detailed notice regarding their specific requirements 2 weeks before their cruise.

[@kimlindell4709]

We’ll, I’m on the Majestic Princess in Alaska right now and I can tell you that there are A LOT of people NOT wearing their masks or wearing them ‘half way’ and NOTHING is being done to them. Employees are not stopping them and telling them that they are required to wear them properly or anything. Everyone on the Northbound cruise wore them, but now we are on the Southbound portion of a 14 day cruise and that group of people are not “following the rules”. I guess they feel if they can get away with it and there’s no consequence then why should they??? I don’t know…

[@Catchyalater_Fishing_Co]

good for them. glad they arent participating in the bs

[@leonardocastelaoalvarez9958]

Stop arguing and be happy

[@monkeyb1820]

thanks to people more like them, you may one day get your rights back. But the uninjected like me are better: we would just put these medical fascist cruise lines out of business for supporting all these lies.

[@ghjcmo]

Could be they just recognize the absolute pointless stupidity of wearing a mask part of the time and not having to when you have a drink or are eating. There’s absolutely no logic to their policy.

[@Keep-on-ok]

Personally, I think masks should come with straws installed. I don’t want to have to remove my mask every time I want to take a sip of my drink.

[@daleharmer4601]

We’re on the ISLAND PRINCESS on our way to Norway 🇳🇴 and masks 😷 are required indoors also. Norberto says “HI” to you and your group who sat at Table 219 in Provence Dining Room for your Panama Canal Cruise. We had a huge COVID-19 outbreak on this ship during the last segment, FLL to Southampton and at least 300 passengers were forced to disembark and are now in quarantine in hotels near LHR. We a big fans of your KZbin channel and have been waiting for you to report on this…

[@andreibunea3410]

Hello I have a booking with ISLAND PRINCESS in July , are travelers tested daily?And from what I've seen on the radar, the ship wasn't allowed to dock in Ireland, is that true?

[@daleharmer4601]

@@andreibunea3410 we did not dock in Ireland because of the weather… captain’s decision! We we only tested once on the segment from FFL to Southampton…

[@lesw3803]

I would have no problem boarding a ship as a cruise to nowhere. I would just never get off the shit until we got back to port.

[@patoconnor8595]

Wonder what RCC will be doing it would be nice not to do pre covid tests keep on the good work Don enjoy your videos. But i do agree if in close spaces except cabins masks should be worn :)

[@nonnierob5007]

Seems to just get more confusing about which countries, which cruise lines, require what today/ tomorrow/ next week!!!!

[@elguapo7318]

If test are going so should everything else. Don where's your mask? 😷

[@todds9746]

We are leaving on an MSC Mediterranean cruise on June 25th. We have to take a test 48hrs before we board...We will be arriving in Barcelona 72hrs before. So bought tests we can take at the hotel before hand...We are terrified on testing positive and not being able to go. We had covid, had the 2 shots and the booster.

[@jonkeese5825]

Out of an abundance of caution don’t sail those lines

[@TheJscottbpsmith]

The ones with no testing or vaccination requirements, I won't sail. I'll even continue wearing a mask when I do sail.

[@ryanm4013]

If you are so scared…stay home! People are getting COVID no matter what testing or requirements are in place. Remember March 2020 when we were told this would be over in a matter of weeks if we have mandatory quarantine? Or when we were told masks will end this? Or when we were told the vaccine will end this? Or when we were told the second vaccine will end this? Or when we were told the booster(s) will end this?

[@TheJscottbpsmith]

@@ryanm4013 That's the thing, I don't have to stay home. I have been cruising because of the requirements. So those who won't wear a mask, vaccinate, or test; they can stay home. And it is helping. There have been no new large scale breakouts on cruise ships thanks to these rules.

[@jonkeese5825]

@@ryanm4013 couldn’t agree more, i hope you understood my comment was satire, kind of. This isn’t medical anymore it political

[@suew41]

Hi Don we are just about to make mask wearing at Australian airports optional, from midnight on Friday. We still need to do testing to board the ships, trying to get my head around the rules regarding that.

[@grahameames5871]

Hello Sue At the moment we have to wear a mask at all times while on a cruise ship leaving from an Australian port. We had booked a cruise with P&O for December (Elvis cruise) but they came out with Australian protocols we cancelled. Hopefully it will change but at the moment we are out! Going to Bali instead now on Jetstar’s $175 flights. Until things are completely back to normal, our cruising days are over.

[@mikecress7665]

Good news. I hope that the others follow suit soon. I think if you show you been vaccinated and boosted it should be sufficient. Now that you don’t have to test to fly back to the U.S.A. It should help the cruise lines bottom line. My wife tested positive last month in Southampton with no symptoms and had to quarantine in London for five days at the cruise lines expense. Stop the nonsense and get on with life. Thanks for all the info you put out

[@E-K2019]

Were you traveling with her ? If so what did you do while she was in lock down ?

[@mikecress7665]

@@E-K2019 I was with her on the ship. However, I did fly home. Once she was at the hotel the authorities told her since she had no symptoms she did not have to stay in her room and she was free to come and go as she pleases. She tested negative on the fourth day and again the morning of the fifth day and flew home within 4 hours of her test. English authorities told her that the quarantine was a US requirement and not theirs. Really strange.

[@E-K2019]

@@mikecress7665 glad all is well 😊

[@tomcheung9532]

We are on island princess from los angles thru Panama Canal trans Atlantic to norway. We are now kicked out from the ship due COVID 19 positive and quarantine in London hotel. They are over 100s test positive, try to arrange this amount of people to hotel and waiting for transport is a mess. all positive passenger had to get 6 in the morning and wait for escort out.we finally reached our quarantine hotel at 1600. But there is no one monitor the case. Princess provided 5 days free hotel and $100 per person meal allowance

[@monkeyb1820]

and many of the positives are false positives.