CDC Updates Requirements for International Travel to US

The CDC’s updated COVID-19 testing requirement for international travel to the U.S. go into effect Monday, November 8 …

Statement
On October 25, 2021 CDC amended its January 25, 2021 Order, titled, “Requirement for Proof of Negative COVID-19 Test or Recovery from COVID-19 for All Air Passengers Arriving in the United States.” This amendment updates COVID-19 testing requirements for air passengers 2 years or older boarding a flight to the United States, depending on COVID-19 vaccination status.

Effective November 8, 2021 at 12:01am EST (5:01am GMT), before boarding a flight to the US from a foreign country, all air passengers- 2 years or older – are required to present a negative COVID-19 viral test result, within a time period based on their vaccination status (see table below), or present documentation of having recovered from COVID-19 in the last 90 days. Air passengers will also be required to confirm in the form of an attestation that the information they present is true.

Time Period for Testing for Air Passengers to Obtain a Negative COVID-19 Viral Test

Type of Air Passenger (2 years or older)	Number of Days to get a COVID-19 Viral Test Before a Flight’s Departure to the US
Fully vaccinated	No more than 3 days
Not fully vaccinated	No more than 1 day

For the full list of requirements and exemptions, please review the language in the Order.

Resources

• CDC COVID-19 International Travel
• Requirement for Proof of COVID-19 Vaccination For Air Passengers
• Travel Assessment
• International Travel Information for U.S. Citizens, U.S. Nationals, Lawful Permanent Residents and Immigrants
• Non-U.S. citizen, Non-U.S. immigrants: Air Travel to the United States

 

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Vaccination Role in Cruise Restart

 Crew & Passenger Vaccinations

In CDC's recent letter to the cruise lines, they outlined necessary procedures to resume sailing from U.S. ports of call.  One of the options has cruise lines and passengers scrambling, if they want to move up the timeline for the resumption of operations.

One of the conditions is for the cruise ship to sail with 98% of the crew vaccinated and 95% of the passengers also vaccinated.  What that would mean is all adults 18+ would be vaccinated and the 5% would consist of children who have yet to be allowed access to vaccines in most states.

Without meeting these conditions, the cruise line would need to perform test cruises and petition the CDC to grant them permission to sail after successfully completing those cruises.   The CDC would have 5 days to respond (down from 30 to 60 in original plans).

Vaccinating Crew

As you can imagine that it is no small task, to get tens of thousands of crew, who live all over the world, vaccinated to meet this requirement.   

Royal Caribbean International CEO Michael Bayley said "It is going to be extremely important that our crew are vaccinated," in an April 30 Facebook post. 

 He went on to say "We are working to help make this possible and have been assured vaccine availability will significantly improve in the coming weeks and months globally," Bayley wrote. "I encourage all crew to get vaccinated at home if possible and to be guided by their national health authority."

Ports Helping

PortMiami is among U.S. ports that have stepped up to help provide vaccinations to crew coming from ships docked in their port.   Navigator Captain Angel Oviol (pictured above) was among crew vaccinated this week in the PortMiami. 

Port Canaveral is another Florida port that is making arrangements, via cooperation among a local healthcare center, the fire department and cruise ship medical personnel, to provide up to 1,000 vaccines a day to crew members and shoreside and waterside support workers.

Florida Governor Sending Mixed Signals 

Governor Ron DeSantis appears to want cruising to resume out of Florida ports of call.  He sued the CDC and the Biden administration to get cruising started immediately. The suit asks the court to “set aside the CDC’s unlawful actions and hold that cruises should be allowed to operate with reasonable safety protocols.” 

“We don’t believe the federal government has the right to mothball a major industry for over a year based on very little evidence and very little data,” DeSantis said in a news conference at Miami’s seaport. He went on to say, “I think we have a good chance for success.” 

One of the safety protocols, at least for initial sailings, is to have fully vaccinated crew and passengers. Governor Ron DeSantis Signed Landmark Legislation, Senate Bill (SB) 2006, to ban vaccine passports and stem government overreach. The legislation codifies the prohibition of COVID-19 vaccine passports. Governor DeSantis enacted this prohibition through an executive order last month, blocking any business or government entity from requiring proof of COVID-19 vaccination.

On one hand he wants to get cruising started immediately, but it appears this legislation would block the cruise line for requiring proof of vaccination.  Without that proof they will be unable to satisfy the CDC requirement for speeding up the resumption of sailing.

There is more positive news regarding vaccines coming out of Florida legislations:

A Florida Public Health Advisory approved by Governor Ron DeSantis and the state's surgeon general and issued on April 29 that expands vaccine eligibility to include "individuals who are in the state for purpose of providing goods or services for the benefit of residents and visitors of the state of Florida."

PortMiami and Port Canaveral were therefore able to provide the vaccinations to the crew under this health advisory, which the governor approved.

All eyes are on the Florida State Capital to see how these actions play out and help or hinder the resumption of cruising out of Florida.  The lines have stated that they will move more ships if this isn't sorted out soon.  Florida stands to lose more jobs and millions of dollars in revenue if the cruising pause continues.  Hopefully this won't require the courts to get further involved; doing so would only further delay things.

We continue to monitor all our travel providers current plans and requirements for travel which they plan to implement.  Follow us on any of our social media platforms to stay informed.

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I recently completed extensive training and have become Travel Safety Verified. As your dedicated Travel Advisor, your safety is our priority, and it's our job to ensure you have the necessary information you need to give you confidence and peace of mind when making your future travel plans. Click the link to review our Travel Safety program with valuable resources that will answer many of your questions.

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Travel Alert: Computer Problem Halts American Airlines Flights

American Airlines grounds flights until 5pm

American Airlines flights across the country are grounded because of computer problems.

 

American asked the Federal Aviation Administration to halt its flights until 5 p.m. EDT. Flights on regional affiliate American Eagle heading to Dallas, Chicago or New York's LaGuardia Airport have been stopped until 3:30 p.m. EDT.

Some passengers are stuck on planes while others can't make reservations.

American Airlines spokesman Kent Powell said that the airline is trying to resolve the issues as quickly as it can.

The company is providing updates on their website and Facebook page. 

UPDATE as of 3:30pm CDT: Our systems have been fully restored, however we expect continued flight delays and cancellations throughout the remainder of the day. We have made several options available to our customers:

If customers must travel today and are already at the airport, they can rebook on another airline by visiting an American Airlines agent or by going to the other airline’s ticket counter with their electronic ticket number.

If customers must travel today and are not yet at the airport, they can rebook through American Airlines reservations or through another carrier and American will honor the fare difference.

If a customer chooses not to travel today, there will be no charge for reservation changes or a full refund will be provided.

It is important to note we see no evidence that today’s technical outage is related to the tragic events in Boston.

We will continue to provide more information throughout the day as we make progress in resolving this issue. We apologize to our customers and our people for this inconvenience.

Carnival Triumph Truth or Dare

Were You There?


For about a week, we have been hearing the media's interpretation of what it was like onboard Carnival Triumph in the aftermath of the engine fire.   This post will bring you stories from people who were there.

In typical fashion, two people on the same cruise, even at the same dining table, could have a different opinion, so you'll just have to make your own judgement calls.

We have been scouring Facebook and other sources for information from people who were actually there.  Here is the start of the story.

If you have pictures, videos, or stories to share, please contact us privately.

From Triumph to Tragedy

Perhaps this video will best depict what it was like, since a picture is worth more than a 1000 words as they say.  Thank you to Lance Winder for making this video and sharing it with the world.

This 6 minute documentary highlights the Carnival Triumph before, during, and after the disaster. From the engine fire at 5:15 AM to 4 days adrift, this short 6 minute film highlights the events of those days. Special thanks to Nine Inch Nails for releasing Ghosts under Creative Commons to enhance the texture.

      From An Agent Escorting a Group 
 
Hello - My wonderful Facebook friends. thank you so much for the thoughtful prayers and kind words. I love you and I am so truly grateful for all of your love and support. Actually.... this event is not as "horrific" as the media is reporting. I led a group of 110 people on the carnival Triumph.. We had an abundance of food - so much - that food was being thrown away. we had grilled shrimp, steak , fresh fruit, vegetables Yes - we had long lines... but people got in line before the meal was served and waited 2 hours before it opened and 30 minutes as it was being served . I always got in line towards the end and never waited - and still was served a full wonderful hot meal. - my choice.... There was never a shortage of water. We had Juice, water and soda available to us at all times - no lines. We had coffee, tea, and hot chocolate everyday , except on Sunday - when the engines caught on fire.

(Editor Note) They went on to say that they had been texting with a news reporter while on the ship and as soon as they said it wasn't as bad as was being reported, the conversation was terminated. We'll let you draw your own conclusions.

Carnival Past Guest Perspective

This is in reply to recent very negative comments about the crew members by one of our local TV stations from one of my clients. While I am devastated at the news of the Triumph cruise ship and all of its problems, I am more concerned about the 1,100 crew members aboard the crippled ship.  Nearly 100% of the crew is of international descent, and they won't be getting off of the boat in Mobile to  take a bus ride or airplane flight anywhere that is home.  Their home is aboard the ship -for a solid 6 months.  They will be the ones left aboard the ship to clean up all of the mess after the passengers debark. For New Year's Eve, I took a cruise aboard the Triumph to Progresso and Cozumel. I was with 5 friends, and had never been on a cruise before this one.  I cannot say enough about the kindness and efficiency of the crew members, everywhere we went aboard the ship.  On the last morning, our party took a "Behind the scenes" tour of the parts of the ship the general public does not see.  We met everyone from the Captain to the head Chef, to the laundry room workers.  Every single crew member was working as hard as they could as expediently as they could, and all the while showing nothing but utmost kindness and hospitality to those of us who were on "vacation."   I know first hand that the crew's quarters are much smaller and less ventilated than any of the passenger rooms, yet they are having to endure the same stench and sewage problems that the passengers are.  They may not be staying in a clean hotel in Mobile tonight; most of those rooms were given to passengers.  The food problems were resolved; no one went hungry.  The lines are long for the deliciously prepared foods when the cruise is perfect, so having a long line for short supplies of food should be expected. I hope that those who have dragged their pillows and mattresses to the decks, or their balcony, realize that those will have to be completely replaced., along with whatever linens have been ruined The upset passengers are trashing the entire boat; instead,  they should be a little more understanding of the dire straits that everyone is in.  Those poor crewmen are having to tend to all of the passengers, many times ignoring their own inconveniences, illness and pain. My heart goes out to everyone aboard the Triumph, and I am thankful that there were no serious injuries.  If I were a passenger today, I would be very grateful that the Carnival parent company refunded the entire cost of my cruise, especially since I was less than 12 hours from the end of it.  I would be eternally gratefull that they expunged my "Ship & Sail" card and that I received an additional cruise voucher.  I am sure there are plenty of other gestures as well that the company is doing to help the stranded passengers. Again, though, I am more worried about the condition of the crew and staff.  The next several cruises aboard the Triumph have been cancelled, and they are out of a job.  No job means no income.  I hope that you will turn a 'victim/passenger' story into an empathetic compassionate outreach for those crew members.

Two New Safety Policies Announced

GLOBAL CRUISE INDUSTRY ANNOUNCES TWO NEW SAFETY POLICIES Latest Safety Measures Reflect Ongoing Commitment to Continuous Improvement

On behalf of the global cruise industry, Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) and the European Cruise Council (ECC) announced that the cruise industry has adopted two new safety policies. These new policies were adopted in the wake of the Costa Concordia disaster in January of this year.

The policies address issues related to the recording of passenger nationality and the common elements of musters and emergency instructions, result from the Cruise Industry Operational Safety Review launched in January 2012.

Passenger Nationality

The Nationality of Passengers policy was developed in response to the request of governments at the May meeting of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Maritime Safety Committee meeting.  This policy prescribes that the nationality of each passenger onboard is to be recorded and made readily available to search and rescue personnel as appropriate.

Muster Drill 

The 12 common elements mandated by the Common Elements of Musters and Emergency Instructions policy are:

• When and how to don a lifejacket
  
• Description of emergency signals and appropriate responses in the event of an emergency
  
• Location of lifejackets
  
• Where to muster when the emergency signal is sounded
  
• Method of accounting for passenger attendance at musters both for training and in the event of an actual emergency
  
• How information will be provided in an emergency
  
• What to expect if the Captain orders an evacuation of the ship
  
• What additional safety information is available
  
• Instructions on whether passengers should return to cabins prior to mustering, including specifics regarding medication, clothing and lifejackets
  
• Description of key safety systems and features
  
• Emergency routing systems and recognizing emergency exits
  
• Who to seek out for additional information

References for Further Reading:

A full version of the Nationality of Passengers policy 

The Common Elements of Musters and Emergency Instructions policy 

All CLIA policies

 Blog Posts:

Cruise Industry Safety Standards Changes

Cruise Industry Adopts New Muster Policy

Carnival Corp Taking Steps to Address Safety Concerns 

Judge Holding Carnival Triumph In Galveston

Legal Motion

Filed in Galveston

Carnival Triumph

Departure Held

In a bizarre turn of events, a Federal Judge issued an order  holding the Carnival Triumph in the port of Galveston.

UPDATE:  Carnival Triumph to Sail on Schedule after Carnival Corp. reaches an agreement with the Federal Court

Result of Costa Concordia Litigation

The litigation in question relates to a $10M lawsuit brought about by a passenger who sailed on the Costa Concordia in Italy this past January. The Costa Concordia is a vessel operated by Costa Cruises. Carnival Cruise Lines and Costa Cruises are both part of a global organization called Carnival Corporation & plc, however, the two cruise lines operate completely independently.

Port of Galveston Director Mike Mierzwa recommended passengers continue on with plans to sail today in the event Carnival can resolve legal issues.

A federal judge Friday ordered the cruise ship held in Galveston as part a $10 million lawsuit filed by the family of a German tourist who died aboard the Costa Concordia shipwreck off the Italian coast, according to Bloomberg news service.

The Triumph apparently was ordered held because it is home-ported in Galveston, which is in the U.S. District Court system's Southern District of Texas. It was not clear why the litigation was filed in Texas rather than in some other federal district. 

“The court finds that the conditions for an attachment of defendants’ joint and collective property within this district, mainly the MS Carnival Triumph, appear to exist upon an admiralty and maritime claim,” U.S. Magistrate Judge John Froeschner of Galveston said in the warrant, Bloomberg reports.

The Carnival Triumph would be allowed to unload passengers and cargo and move between berths within the port until a “prompt hearing” can be scheduled, at which “the plaintiff shall be required to show why the attachment and garnishment should not be vacated,” according to the order, Bloomberg reports.

Source: Galveston Daily News: Carnival 'optimistic' Triumph will sail on time today

Senior Carnival Cruise Director, John Heald writes on his blog:

"We want to assure you that we are working diligently through the appropriate legal channels to get this matter resolved as soon as possible. We are optimistic the issues regarding the Carnival Triumph will be resolved and the ship will depart on its scheduled voyage later today.

In the meantime, we are proceeding with our normal embarkation process."

Carnival Triumph is scheduled to depart at  6 PM local time on a five-day cruise to Yucatan and Cozumel.

According to John Heald,  the safety briefing has been held and the U.S. Marshall's should be clearing the ship for an on-time departure.   2012 continues to be an abnormal year for the cruise industry.

We will do our best to bring you the latest news, so we do hope you bookmark this blog and also become fans on our Facebook Page.