Yesterday, Royal Caribbean's Splendor of the Seas left the Port of Seattle for Alaska. Holland America's Niew Amsterdam leaves on Saturday and the Majestic Princess, pictured above leaves on Sunday! Silversea, Norwegian, Celebrity and Carnival will follow in the next few weeks.
I will follow the first passengers on the Majestic Princess on Cruise Critic. A good friend of mine has booked the Majestic Princess on August 15th. He's flying to Seattle if they don't allow Canadians to drive across the border. He will get a COVID test before he leaves if it is still required. Princess are covering all COVID costs on the cruise, including the COVID 72 hour test required now for returning to Canada. This could change in the next four weeks but he's prepared to do it and anxious to cruise.
On Princess and Holland America the crew is 100% vaccinated. I believe almost all the passengers will be vaccinated. Should you have a medical reason not to get the vaccine you can cruise but the cruise lines will double check with your family doctor and it's at their discretion. Unvaccinated for medical reason passengers have a lot of rules to follow.
Will I cruise? Not as things are right now but if changes come and cruises are shown to be safe I will. I would only book last minute to Alaska if I decide to go.
On Saturday new vaccine rules came out for cruises out of the US. NCL says no mixing of any vaccines. If you've mixed your vaccines you cannot sail. Holland America and Princess say if you got two mRNA vaccines (Pfizer & Moderna) you are considered vaccinated. If you've received AstraZeneca and an mRNA vaccine you are not considered vaccinated. That makes our Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau not able to cruise on NCL! Other cruise lines have not released any information on vaccines but it should come out in the next few days.
