Are They Requiring Vaccinations
Most lines say they’ll require vaccinations of passengers and crew, generally for guests 16 and older. Younger passengers who don’t have the jab may be subject to restrictions — check before you book. Even with a vaccination, you’ll likely have to show a negative COVID-19 test before boarding. Sailings from Florida;are a different story, though. Vaccination requirements are running afoul of a new law there banning such mandates, and cruise lines are reacting in different ways .;
Bans or not, it makes perfect sense that cruise lines are requiring inoculations. Ships like the;Diamond Princess;and the;Grand Princess;were major coronavirus hotspots early in the pandemic, with passengers being locked in their staterooms as the disease spread quickly. Even before the pandemic, cruise ships had outbreaks of norovirus. Passengers aren’t the only people onboard a cruise, either. Remember that crew members live in cramped quarters and interact with hundreds of passengers daily.
Miami is the largest cruise port in the world, but Florida has banned vaccine mandates.
Will I Have To Wear A Mask
Despite some early noise that the agency would require masks onboard, it’s not doing so . Social distancing measures are recommended in crowded areas, but they aren’t required either. Crew members, on the other hand, are urged to wear masks when outside their cabins.
Cruise lines will likely supply masks, but definitely bring your own. Either way, the CDC still requires masks on airplanes, buses, trains, and other forms of public transportation. And you’ll probably need one when checking in for your cruise.
Is There Parking At The Cruise Terminal
Parking is available at the Long Beach Cruise Terminal parking structure for $23 per day . 0-30 minutes – No charge, 31 to 59 minutes $4.00, 1 to 2 hours $8.00. Note: The Garage Height Limti is 7’0″. Oversized vehicles cannot park in the garage but may be accommodated in the adjacent lot. Oversized vehicles are vehicles that take up more than one parking space. Long Beach hotels provide a variety of Park & Sail packages for your pre or post cruise stays. Call Carnival Cruise Lines for more information on Parking at 599-2600 ext 35015.
Hotels options and where to stay near the Long Beach Cruise Terminal.
There are plenty of hotels and accommodations convenient to the Long Beach Cruise Terminal. History buffs may wish to book a room aboard The Queen Mary. Any hotel in the greater Long Beach area will only a few short minutes away from the Cruise Terminal. Find the perfect place to stay on our website.
Are there restaurants near the Long Beach Cruise Terminal?
The Queen Mary offers several dining options on board. You will also be just a short ride from downtown Long Beach, which offers plenty of walkable . Explore Pine Avenue, The Promenade, or Shoreline Village for fresh seafood, local gastropubs, fine dining, and more!
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But Didn’t Some People On That Cruise Test Positive For Covid
Yes, two passengers who shared a cabin tested positive for COVID-19 on June 10. The passengers, who were asymptomatic, were isolated, and a few others who had come into recent contact with them had to remain in their cabins while they were tested. Kosciolek was one of the people who had contact,;and she wrote about her experience. No one else ended up testing positive by the end of the trip.
Stewart Chiron, a travel expert known as The Cruise Guy, also was onboard the Millennium. In an email he told me that despite the positive tests, he felt Celebrity’s safety protocols worked well. “The mood on Celebrity Millennium after the captain’s evening announcement didn’t change anything onboard. Passengers continued to enjoy normal activities including dinners, shows, lounges, casino, shopping and having fun.”
Following a change in federal law, Alaska cruises will be able to sail from Seattle to the Last Frontier without stopping in Canada.
When I Arrived At The Port I Went Through The Boarding Process And A Healthcare Worker Checked My Vaccination Card
Even though I arrived 20 minutes before my check-in appointment, I was ushered through the boarding process anyway.;
There, a healthcare worker checked my CDC-issued vaccination card. She studied the card, made sure the name and birthday matched my passport, and checked the date of my second dose. According to Carnival Cruise’s website, copies and photographs of your vaccine card are not accepted.;
The verification process took about 30 seconds, and then I went through the rest of the boarding process.;
Multiple passengers Insider spoke with said they didn’t feel like the vaccination verification added much time to the embarkation process, but that also concerned a few passengers who said they wished the vaccine verification would’ve been stricter.
Prior to boarding, guests are required to fill out a health questionnaire, which asks questions about recent travels and whether a person has been in contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID in the last two weeks.
Before boarding, I received a notification through the Carnival HUB App that I hadn’t completed the form.
I went to fill it out, but the app wasn’t working and I couldn’t submit the form. No one ever followed up about the COVID questionnaire, which was a bit alarming.;
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The Muster Drill Was Another Element Of The Cruise That Was Drastically Different
Before a cruise departs from its home port, every passenger goes to a muster station, where they learn about safety procedures for emergencies.;
On a pre-pandemic cruise, the muster drill takes up a significant portion of the afternoon. This time, it took just a few minutes.
Instead of going through safety procedures in person, Carnival Cruises released a safety video. The video was playing on TVs when guests arrived at their rooms and it was also available on Carnival’s HUB App.;
In theory, passengers watch the video and visit their muster station where a crew member shows guests how to wear a life jacket.;
I missed the memo to watch the safety video and no one on the ship verified that I had watched it. When I arrived at my muster station, I joined five other people, and we watched the vest demonstration.;
The whole process was smooth and took less than two minutes, but I thought it could have been a bit more thorough since I missed some of the information from the video.
Some Passengers Said The Food Was Pre
Similar to the entertainment, some passengers told Insider that they felt like the quality of food lacked a bit from the previous cruises they had been on.;
Other guests mentioned that they had expected more of an “abundance” on the first cruise back, especially when it came to food.
The buffet felt nearly identical to pre-pandemic buffets. Everything was self-serve, and the only difference I noticed was that crew members wore masks.;
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What’s Happening In Florida
Mostly what’s happening in Florida is Gov. Ron DeSantis, who emerged early as a staunch opponent of any vaccine requirements. A potential 2024 presidential candidate, DeSantis is determined;to use vaccination as another culture war battle. On April 2, he issued an executive order prohibiting businesses and government agencies in the state from requiring proof of vaccination. A month later he signed a bill passed by the Florida legislature that confirmed the ban.;
DeSantis insists that cruise lines operating from Florida will be fined “millions of dollars” if they require vaccination for passengers . It may feel odd that he’s taking on such a huge industry, but the governor has consistently resisted coronavirus lockdowns as harmful to business. Jim Walker, a maritime attorney told the Washington Post, “this stunt to me just reeks of political buffoonery.”;
Florida also sued the CDC over its cruising regulations. After mediation between the two sides;failed, US District Judge Steven Merryday;blocked the agency from enforcing the rules in Florida starting July 18. Instead, Merryday ruled that the CDC can only make recommendations.;
When Will Cruises Resume A Line
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Editors note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information.
The Great Cruise Shutdown is finally coming to an end.
A growing number of cruise ships also;are restarting operations in Europe and other destinations around the world, and small vessels;have resumed operations on U.S. rivers and intracoastal waterways.
Still, only a very small fraction of the worlds cruise vessels are currently back to sailing. It could be many months before a majority of cruise vessels are operating, and some lines already have said it could be well into 2022 before they return to normal service.
Meanwhile, the COVID-19 pandemic has thrown a wrench into the launch plans for startup lines Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection and Virgin Voyages. Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection has now pushed back its inaugural voyage to Nov. 10. Virgin Voyages has pushed back its big debut in Miami to the fall . Both lines were originally due to debut in 2020.
For more cruise news, reviews and tips, sign up for TPGs cruise newsletter.
Heres a look at when major river, ocean and expedition cruise brands that market to North Americans say theyll resume operations:
Adventure Canada has canceled sailings on Ocean Endeavour until 2022.
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Some Passengers Said They Felt Like The Entertainment Was Lacking On The Ship Compared To Pre
This was only my second cruise, and truthfully, I don’t remember the entertainment. While I had little to compare it to, a handful of experienced cruisers told me that they felt like the entertainment lacked.;
There were two main shows during the cruise, one was rock-and-roll themed and the other incorporated songs from popular movies. Each show was performed twice.;
On a typical cruise, experienced passengers told me they would expect a show every night the cruise was at sea.;
At these shows, there was no social distancing. The maskless entertainers were required to stay five feet apart from guests.
Further Changes Are Possible
The situation worldwide is changing weekly, and cruise lines are working with the relevant authorities for a safe return. Its all very fluid, and the restart dates may change even further. The CDC has been making some adjustments recently with relaxing masks and social distancing rules for vaccinated guests.
Also Read: CDC Ditches Mask and Social Distancing Rules for Vaccinated Cruises
Norwegian Cruise Line still plans to restart in August from Florida but parent company Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings recently filed a lawsuit against Florida on the states vaccine passport ban. The result of this could have an impact on any protocols the line implements.
The ongoing saga between the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Florida has still not been resolved. In fact, just recently, the CDC successfully got a hold on Florida being allowed to overrule its Conditional Sailing Order. On July 19, the Florida Governor said it will come out on top and could take its lawsuit against the CDC as far as the supreme court.
Cruise Hive will continue to monitor any new developments, so keep checking this detailed page for when cruises resume, not just this year but in 2022.
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You Can Take A Cruise Again Just Don’t Expect A 100% Return To Normal
Masks won’t be required, but some cruises will mandate vaccinations and additional restrictions for nonvaccinated passengers.
Sail away, sail away .
Cruising is making a comeback more than a year after the;coronavirus;pandemic forced the industry to go;full astern. In Alaska, the Caribbean and Europe, major lines have scheduled sailings planned through the first half of next year, and;bigger and more elaborate ships;are on the way.
There will be some changes from pre-pandemic times, and scheduled sailings may be canceled or moved as COVID-19 variants persist and regulations in ports change. Florida, which is home to the world’s largest cruise ports, has banned cruise lines from mandating coronavirus vaccinations even though most of the companies want to make inoculations a requirement. How the lines are adapting — most recently, Norwegian Cruise Line has sued over the ban — is a fast-changing story.;
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If you’ve spent the last year eager to travel and return to the high seas, here’s what you need to know.
After a COVID-19 outbreak on the Grand Princess early in the pandemic, the ship was stranded at sea for days before docking in Oakland, California, on March 9, 2020, to offload passengers.
Carnival Cruises Recent Covid Incident
Last week, 27 people tested positive for COVID-19 on a Carnival cruise just before the ship made a stop in Belize City, Belize. The ship headed back to Galveston, Texas, Friday after stopping in Mexico.
The positive cases were among 26 crew members and one passenger on the Carnival Vista, which was carrying over 1,400 crew and nearly 3,000 passengers, the Belize Tourism Board said in a statement.
All 27 were vaccinated, had mild or no symptoms and were in isolation, according to the statement. The tourism board said 99.98% of the ships crew was vaccinated, as well as 96.5% of its passengers.
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A Lineup Of Paid And Free Fitness Classes Happened Every Day In A Tiny Studio
From yoga to cycling, the Carnival Vista hosted fitness classes every day of the cruise.
The classes were held at normal capacity if enough people showed up. However, the two yoga classes I went to were deserted.;
The fitness instructor said fewer people join classes on the final days of the cruise. On the sixth day, I had a private yoga class, and on the seventh day, it was me and one other passenger.;
Port Of San Francisco
Imagine standing on the deck of a cruise ship, sailing through the San Francisco Bay, past the infamous prison island of Alcatraz, under the Golden Gate Bridge and out to the Pacific Ocean. Before leaving San Francisco, consider taking a tour of Alcatraz, eating at a seafood restaurant on Fishermans Wharf or enjoying a chocolate sundae at Ghirardelli Square. The following cruise lines use the Port of San Francisco as a departure point: Crystal Cruises, Cunard Line, Oceania Cruises, P&O Cruises, Princess Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises.
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Before Booking I Double
But in mid-June, I decided to rule out cruises leaving from Florida where lawmakers banned businesses from forcing customers to be vaccinated.
Carnival’s first cruise departed from Galveston, where vaccines would be required to board the ship. At the time of writing, Carnival requires 95% of passengers on each ship to be vaccinated. Passengers with approved exemptions and children under 12 will make up the 5% of unvaccinated passengers.;
According to Carnival Cruise’s website, there is an application process for unvaccinated guests and there’s no guarantee there will be room on the ship for all the exempted guests.;
Familiar Sounds Of Slot Machines Rang Through The Casino And Dealers Wore Masks
The gamblers Insider spoke with said the experience at the casino was similar to a cruise before the pandemic. “You win some and you lose some,” one passenger told me.
Before the pandemic, one guest said there was a bar in the center of the casino where passengers would gather to drink and smoke.;
Carnival Cruises removed the beloved bar and replaced it with a set of electronic gambling machines.;
One passenger said that the vanished bar was the most drastic difference she noticed during her entire cruise.;
But don’t worry, waiters still served drinks from a nearby bar.;
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Can I Take A Cruise Now
Yes. After a few false starts over the last year, many cruise lines are scheduling sailings well into 2022. Celebrity Cruises was one of the first lines back in action with a seven-night Caribbean cruise on the Celebrity Millennium that left St. Maarten on June 5;and required passengers 16 and older to be vaccinated.;
Most of the other major cruise lines, including Princess, Holland America, Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Disney,;Cunard;and Norwegian, also have announced sailings. See our sister site, The Points Guy, for a comprehensive breakdown of upcoming sailings.
Smaller lines are adding to their schedules as well, and some have been operating for a few months. American Queen Steamboat Company, for example, resumed with a Mississippi River voyage on March 15.
Just keep in mind that no schedule is guaranteed. Royal Caribbean postponed a sailing of its Odyssey of the Seas by four weeks to July 31 when eight crew members tested positive for COVID-19.
Of course, if you book a trip and it’s canceled or postponed, you’ll be able to reschedule or get a refund. Generally, lines also are letting you cancel ahead of time with no penalty. And as I discuss in the next question, your onboard experience will be different than before COVID-19 hit.;
The Celebrity Reflection docked in Mykonos in pre-pandemic times. Celebrity was the first big cruise line to schedule a sailing.
The Rest Of The Embarkation Process Went Like Normal
The rest of the boarding process was quick and I was on the ship in 20 minutes. After getting my vaccine card checked, I went through security, a digital face scanner, and finally, a crew member checked my boarding pass and passport.;
Throughout the entire embarkation day, the lines were not socially distanced, which foreshadowed the entire cruise.;
The passengers Insider spoke with all agreed that the vaccine verification did not add much time to the boarding process, and the lower-capacity ship also helped lines move quickly.;
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