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The United States government has this week made it, for many, all but impossible to get a fall COVID-19 booster vaccination and if you can get one it could cost you $225 per shot. My wife and I have kept up our yearly booster, along with a flu shot, since they both became a 1x a year offering. Clearly neither shot will prevent us from getting sick but we have never required hospitalization when sick with either so I count that as a win.
I can tell you, when we took our first cruise back after the pandemic, one of the most stressful moments of the trip was waiting to test negative before we boarded the ship. While masks were a bit of a pain, between the two precautions the chance of getting COVID-19 on our one week cruise was greatly reduced. Now that masks are optional (I favor this btw) I can feel free to wear one if I want to as well as others and I sometimes do on longer voyages as I walk around the ship and especially on crowded elevators. After all a properly fitting N95 is a real protection against airborne virus and not just COVID-19.
This week on REDDIT in the cruise thread someone asked if COVID tests were still required to board the ship. Clearly, for many years now, they have not been. But I have an opinion that I bet most would be against and that is, I would love to see a requirement for a COVID-19 negative testing before you are allowed to board the ship and weekly testing for the crew as well.
To me, the extra effort would be a huge benefit to dramatically reduce the chance of me, as well as my fellow cruisers, getting really sick on the voyage. Plus, considering the age and health issues of many cruisers, reducing the risk of COVID-19 spreading onboard and having possible lasting impacts would be well worth it. There is also a long thread on REDDIT with a question if the cruiser should worry about getting COVID onboard and in a shock to no one a bunch of readers expressed that they did get sick onboard.
Now I know many will comment that this is not worth it because someone could board negative and then in port get sick and bring it back onboard. That is true and I agree but on shorter sailings the chance of spreading onboard is still reduced compared to boarding the ship sick and shedding virus. Even on longer voyages it would help to at least slow the chance of getting sick.
So who pays? Clearly the passengers but there are so many fees already I would not have an issues paying a few bucks more for the peace of mind that, at least at boarding, all my fellow guests are not putting my vacation at risk.
I guess I would love your thoughts on my idea. Is it too much to ask before boarding? Would it impact your choice of taking a cruise if the cruise line required this before sailing? Would it make you MORE likely to take a cruise knowing, at least at boarding, all your fellow guests and the crew had tested negative for COVID -19? Let us know! – René
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I no longer fear covid and don’t know if I could even distinguish it form a bad cold or the flu at this point. What has always made me nervous on cruises is getting a stomach bug.
@dave – With very few ending up on venerators anymore it is less about fear than the chance to have a long planed and expensive vacation ruined. We always wash our hands with soap and water before visiting any buffet onboard as well as after before we eat. Norovirus is no joke.
+1 to Norovirus being no joke. Source: me, who contracted it several years ago during a trip to Las Vegas. (Insert joke here about what other viruses can be contracted during visits to Vegas.)
The issue is what happens to the funds if you test positive? I would have to think at this point testing positive for Covid probably is not a covered illness on most travel insurances. That means the family of 5 that spends $10k on a Disney cruise is completely [nuked] if little Timmy gets Covid 2 days before travel.
I think the only way testing before boarding would work is if the cruise lines were on board. If cruise lines required testing the only way I would consider a cruise is if they had a generous re-booking policy. I would want a voucher with a 24 month expiry. I also would hope they would offer their own travel insurance policy just for Covid that offered a full refund.
I was 100% team mask/Covid vaccine in the beginning. I was fine at the time with everything the the gov’t mandated in 2020…mostly because we didn’t know how it was going to turn out. Now, I am still in favor of people getting boosters if they want or wearing masks anytime they feel it makes them, or those around them, safer. But I think the days of mandatory testing/masking/vaccines should be behind us….especially for something like a cruise. Everyone has to weigh the risk/reward of something like an optional vacation. They need to look at their own medical situation and weigh the risks. But making everyone test is bringing us back to a place we don’t need to be for the overall population.
I’d be more concerned about food poisoning, where you have hundreds of people all touching the same serving spoons/tongs at the buffet. And there is no mandatory hand washing. Not to mention all the other thousands of touch points that are all shared on a cruise.
@Aaron – Your point is why I avoid the buffets as much as possible.
René,
I am torn on this one. But at this point, why not test for Flu as well? This year is a heavy cruise year with us doing a 10 this past xmas, 8 day in May a 12 day Greek cruise in July and an upcoming cruise for both the week of Thanksgiving and Xmas. We also went on a cruise last year and I had gotten Covid the week before when traveling to NY for a quick trip. Fortunately, I got on some covid meds and tested negative the day before sailing.
I wanted to get a booster, but they said the current booster is the same one I got last November when I did both the Flu and Covid shots at the same time.
I am currently more worried about the Flu and not Covid, as I have already had Covid 3 times.
I took many cruises where we had to take Covid tests prior to boarding. I would not be against this at all. It would be much easier and give us some security while on the ship. I would be glad to know that upon boarding none of the passengers or crew had Covid.
A little bit of precaution is always a good idea.
On cruise ships, we’re so much people are so close together? Yes. On long haul flights? Maybe. I would also appreciate testing for conventions.
The point about buffets is also valid.
I still believe in people: if someone feels sick, his place is not on a ship, plane or at work.
Just my five cents…
I am 75 and have health issues. I have had Covid but very mild due to continued vaccines. I would never ever be without them. People are still getting ill and some dying due to Covid, especially the elderly and with co morbidity.