Virgin Voyages just dropped testing

[MouseinMelbourne]

What could possibly go wrong? Lol

​

​ Making sailing (even) easier.​

​ To create a more seamless travel experience for you, we’re updating our guidelines in tandem with the discontinuation of the CDC’s Voluntary Program for the Cruise Industry. We will no longer be requiring that Sailors test for COVID-19 in order to board both Scarlet Lady and Valiant Lady— making your pre-voyage prep even breezier. The first voyage for Valiant Lady will be 7/24/22, and the first voyage for Scarlet Lady will be 7/27/22. We’re still requiring that the majority (90%) of Sailors be vaccinated, but we’re opening up our voyages for a limited number (10%) of unvaccinated Sailors to join us. We’re excited to welcome our Sailors on board, so for now please call Sailor Services to check availability on our future voyages if this applies to you. Our Crew will remain fully vaccinated as they are now. Your well-being will always be our first priority, so we will continue to keep you updated on any changes that may come through. Be sure to check back on our website for the most up-to-date information.​

 

[mjkpreno]

Margaritaville-At-Sea also dropped their testing requirements today

 

[coast2coastmickey]

What could possibly go wrong? Lol

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	​ ​

Let's hope nothing. Let's hope Virgin demonstrates that operations are minimally impacted by the virus, such that other cruise lines look at it as one less pain point for customers. Followed by removal of vaccine mandates. Followed by a return to normal, for those willing to take the risk. Let's hope that the current surge is peaking right now.

I wanted the vaccine to be the cure-all. I wanted to be able to point at the success of it and say "there's the solution." Unfortunately it hasn't panned out that way, but fortunately the current iteration seems to be less dire compared to the initial wave and the delta wave. I've got fingers crossed for Virgin.

 

[MouseinMelbourne]

Let's hope nothing. Let's hope Virgin demonstrates that operations are minimally impacted by the virus, such that other cruise lines look at it as one less pain point for customers. Followed by removal of vaccine mandates. Followed by a return to normal, for those willing to take the risk. Let's hope that the current surge is peaking right now.

I wanted the vaccine to be the cure-all. I wanted to be able to point at the success of it and say "there's the solution." Unfortunately it hasn't panned out that way, but fortunately the current iteration seems to be less dire compared to the initial wave and the delta wave. I've got fingers crossed for Virgin.

Based on how norovirus affected cruising and the lengths DCL would go to if anyone contracted it, I again repeat ‘what could possibly go wrong?’

 

[Disneygirlxo91]

I missed the part about they’ll allow for 10 % to be unvaccinated interesting

 

[MouseinMelbourne]

I missed the part about they’ll allow for 10 % to be unvaccinated interesting

It just keeps getting better and better.

 

[nancipants]

I always wonder how they figure out they have that percentage unvaccinated. Do they make you upload the cards when you book, and if they have too many unvaxxed already, you can’t book? Seems impossible to keep track of.

 

[MouseinMelbourne]

I always wonder how they figure out they have that percentage unvaccinated. Do they make you upload the cards when you book, and if they have too many unvaxxed already, you can’t book? Seems impossible to keep track of.

I was thinking the same. I know there are very few people who cannot be vaxxed for medical reasons. Allowing them to sail makes sense, but more than that? Impossible to gatekeep.

 

[DMMarla07860]

Let's hope nothing. Let's hope Virgin demonstrates that operations are minimally impacted by the virus, such that other cruise lines look at it as one less pain point for customers. Followed by removal of vaccine mandates. Followed by a return to normal, for those willing to take the risk. Let's hope that the current surge is peaking right now.

I wanted the vaccine to be the cure-all. I wanted to be able to point at the success of it and say "there's the solution." Unfortunately it hasn't panned out that way, but fortunately the current iteration seems to be less dire compared to the initial wave and the delta wave. I've got fingers crossed for Virgin.

Hopefully it’s peaking right now, I’ll hope too, with a autoimmune disease moved our cruises to February 2023 to be safe.

 

[DMMarla07860]

I missed the part about they’ll allow for 10 % to be unvaccinated interesting

Yeah I can see ending pre-testing, but what could go wrong now is my thinking as well

 

[Donna M]

What could possibly go wrong? Lol

​

​ Making sailing (even) easier.​

​ To create a more seamless travel experience for you, we’re updating our guidelines in tandem with the discontinuation of the CDC’s Voluntary Program for the Cruise Industry. We will no longer be requiring that Sailors test for COVID-19 in order to board both Scarlet Lady and Valiant Lady— making your pre-voyage prep even breezier. The first voyage for Valiant Lady will be 7/24/22, and the first voyage for Scarlet Lady will be 7/27/22. We’re still requiring that the majority (90%) of Sailors be vaccinated, but we’re opening up our voyages for a limited number (10%) of unvaccinated Sailors to join us. We’re excited to welcome our Sailors on board, so for now please call Sailor Services to check availability on our future voyages if this applies to you. Our Crew will remain fully vaccinated as they are now. Your well-being will always be our first priority, so we will continue to keep you updated on any changes that may come through. Be sure to check back on our website for the most up-to-date information.​

What could go wrong? People will catch covid, like they are everywhere else. It is obvious that testing is not preventing covid on the ships. People will need to make the decision to cruise based on their comfort level.

We are at a point where we need to figure out how to live with covid in the world without restricting people that want to enjoy life without all the restrictions.

 

[n2mm]

I always wonder how they figure out they have that percentage unvaccinated. Do they make you upload the cards when you book, and if they have too many unvaxxed already, you can’t book? Seems impossible to keep track of.

I read on their website, it you’re unvaxed you have to call to book your cruise. Once they reach the quota it closes. But this is an adult only cruise, so that percentage is similar to having unvaxed children on other cruise lines.

 

[n2mm]

Margaritaville-At-Sea also dropped their testing requirements today

once they drink enough margaritas it won’t matter.

 

[Roughians_satchel]

The 10% comes from the CDC who changed it from 5 to 10 before they dropped the voluntary program.

 

[DCLMP]

It amazes me that some of you seem to never want things to return to normal. The question is why?

 

[dwight16]

Honestly not much more then what Disney is doing now. Covid Theater plain and simple. I tested negative this morning for Mondays cruise. I am spending 2 days in WDW then to the cruise. I am all for the way it used to be at least that gave the best chance to keep covid as low as possible. Now my family will be eating out and riding rides for 2 days. What’s the point honestly your in or your out. Just pick a side.

 

[Henlady]

We all know (or should know) it can take anywhere from 2 to 14 days to show up in your system after exposure. So you could come in contact 7 days prior to the cruise. Test negative 2 days before the cruise and end up positive the first day of the cruise without symptoms or very minor symptoms and walk around the ship for several days contagious and never know it. The testing isn’t and never was foolproof. I personally think hand washing and masks indoors is a better method than worrying about testing.

 

[Kwami]

It amazes me that some of you seem to never want things to return to normal. The question is why?

Because "normal" implies that Covid-19 is no longer hospitalizing and killing people at high rates. We just very recently (about a month ago) came out of a period of very high death rates caused by Covid-19. If we maintain the current lower levels of deaths, then sure, we can "return to normal". But if the death rate spikes again like it did in the spring? What's normal about that?

Cruise ships are unique. They're often far from medical facilities that can handle severe cases of Covid-19. The countries that they visit don't have the resources to handle more cases. And, as we saw with norovirus, disease spreads very quickly on cruise ships since everyone spends a lot of time in the same places. So, cruise ships took extra care to prevent the spread of Covid-19 last fall and winter.

Then, they gave up. They went to useless 2-day out antigen tests and removed all masking requirements. As a result, cases on the ships are significantly higher than they were before. Thankfully, nearly everyone on the ship is vaccinated and so severe cases are rare. Remove the vaccine requirements and those severe cases will go up, too.

 

[Intr3pid]

Because "normal" implies that Covid-19 is no longer hospitalizing and killing people at high rates. We just very recently (about a month ago) came out of a period of very high death rates caused by Covid-19. If we maintain the current lower levels of deaths, then sure, we can "return to normal". But if the death rate spikes again like it did in the spring? What's normal about that?

Cruise ships are unique. They're often far from medical facilities that can handle severe cases of Covid-19. The countries that they visit don't have the resources to handle more cases. And, as we saw with norovirus, disease spreads very quickly on cruise ships since everyone spends a lot of time in the same places. So, cruise ships took extra care to prevent the spread of Covid-19 last fall and winter.

Then, they gave up. They went to useless 2-day out antigen tests and removed all masking requirements. As a result, cases on the ships are significantly higher than they were before. Thankfully, nearly everyone on the ship is vaccinated and so severe cases are rare. Remove the vaccine requirements and those severe cases will go up, too.

For a vaxxed family, it's no longer about illness or hospitalization. It's this travel logistics mayhem that unfolds once you test positive. Until they stop quarantining everyone testing positive and their contacts, there is no 'back to normal'.

 

[Kwami]

For a vaxxed family, it's no longer about illness or hospitalization. It's this travel logistics mayhem that unfolds once you test positive. Until they stop quarantining everyone testing positive and their contacts, there is no 'back to normal'.

EDIT: Eh, never mind. I don't want to get a thread locked because we talk about Covid-19 too much.

I'll just say that a fully vaccinated family can still get rather sick. They likely won't require hospitalization, but they will likely require antiviral medicine and/or steroids. Hopefully, the cruise ships start packing enough medicine to handle the increased caseload.

Anyway, at least on Disney's ships, they aren't quarantining everyone that tests positive and their contacts. They're only quarantining the person that tests positive. Everyone else in the room is advised to wear masks, but otherwise they're free to enjoy the rest of the cruise. That doesn't apply to someone that tests positive before the cruise, of course. Then, sure, the whole group is denied boarding, but not quarantined.