Is Cruising Back?

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Is cruising back?  The simple answer is, yes . . . but.  Cruising is safer than ever at this point, but there are a few hoops that must be jumped through.  Almost every cruise line, whether it is an ocean cruise line or a river cruise line, is requiring proof of vaccination against COVID-19.  Of course, if you have a medical or religious reason for not being vaccinated, they are accepting some exemptions on each cruise.  The goal is that 95% of crew and passengers are vaccinated. 

Ocean cruise lines are not filling their ships to capacity.  This means the crowds will be down and it will be easier to maintain social distancing and other COVID-19 protocols.  If you are vaccinated and want to get away on an ocean cruise, this is the time to go.  There have been reports of some COVID-19 onboard the cruise ships; however, they are kept under control and are isolated incidences.  This proves that the protocols are working and so are the vaccines.  Breakthrough cases are happening among the vaccinated but the symptoms tend to be mild.

River cruise lines are also up and running depending upon their location and the local requirements.  River cruise lines are also requiring that the crew and guests be vaccinated.  They have recently stopped their Christmas Market Cruises due to the newest variant of COVID-19.  But they anticipate river cruising being back in the spring. River cruise ships already have a smaller capacity, so they have not restricted the number of passengers on their ships.  Most river cruise ships have a capacity of 200 or fewer passengers.

You may or may not be required to test before your cruise.  The location of your cruise, the destinations being visited, and the current COVID-19 protocols will all be a factor in whether you will be required to test before your cruise.  For example, all cruises going to the Caribbean are required to test before you board the ship and you may have to test again on the second day.

The United States is still requiring that all returning US Citizens from foreign travel must test before they return to the United States.  Most of the cruise lines are providing this test as part of the cruise.  The test before the cruise will be at the passenger’s expense.  The standard testing is 72 hours before your cruise departs.  In some cases that has been reduced to 48 hours before your cruise departure.  With the new Omicron COVID-19 variant the timing is a short as 24-hours before your planned travel.  The destination will dictate when the testing has to be completed.

If you don’t mind jumping through a few hoops, now is a wonderful time to be cruising.  Smaller crowds both on the ships and at the destination make this a wonderful time to be out exploring.  When you are ready to book your next cruise, contact us, your cruising specialists!

 

Please note, this blog was published on December 6, 2021.  For more up to date information, please contact us at 208-996-3269 or click on "contact us" above and fill out the Contact Us Form.  Thank you!