Disney Cruise Line: Simulated Test Sailings With Volunteers Beginning June 29

[Southern Pirate]

Just saw elsewhere that the test cruise was cancelled with no additional explanation given. I am looking for a news/press release source for it.

It sounds like a crazy story but here is what was reported about the cancellation.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/...pandemic-inconsistent-COVID-test-results.html

 

[AquaDame]

It does seem logical that if you can't trust the test you don't... want to trust the test. Especially when a false positive can do so much damage. The only trips we have booked until at least March of next year (DCL - still waiting for official confirmation on what will be required) do not force us to take a test.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Bottom line is that with the ship entering red status, there is simply no clear way to take passengers on board knowing that tests are showing positives. Doesn't matter if it is a test cruise or a revenue sailing. If there is any problem with the sailings, it is piles of bad publicity and months of additional delay, plus potential liability.

It is not just the CDC but anywhere they are to port that is part of that liability. The Bahamas are requiring health visas for travelers, for instance.

 

[kathi]

I’m curious why you have kept so much money tied up with them. Why not cancel.

Because I LOVE TO SAIL with DCL - Isn't that why we are all here?

 

[Lilsia]

They seem to have no trouble hanging onto all of our money without telling us much of anything. Celebrity is sailing now out of FL and Carnival and RCl are about to follow. I'm so very angry right now (and yes, I have a cruise coming up in September that seems pretty certain not to sail now and over $25K tied up with DCL right now).

So DCL is not giving you a refund when you asked? I don't understand.

 

[kathi]

It sounds like a crazy story but here is what was reported about the cancellation.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/...pandemic-inconsistent-COVID-test-results.html

Thank you - this was helpful in better understanding what is going on. Does "next month" mean July? Seems to me they would be better off skipping the test sailings and going with the 95% vaccinated for at least the initial cruises. Guess time will tell.

 

[kathi]

So DCL is not giving you a refund when you asked? I don't understand.

I never said I asked for my money back. I have had 5 cruises cancelled since last June and have 4 booked (3 this year and one in 2022). I've taken 20 DCL cruises and I wand to sail. I just want them to be more forthcoming with their plans. Other cruise lines have given far more information to manage expectations.

 

[Lilsia]

I never said I asked for my money back. I have had 5 cruises cancelled since last June and have 4 booked (3 this year and one in 2022). I've taken 20 DCL cruises and I wand to sail. I just want them to be more forthcoming with their plans. Other cruise lines have given far more information to manage expectations.

Oh, you said they were "hanging onto your money" so I thought that they were refusing to return it for some reason. You sounded angry about it. Thanks for the clarification.

 

[Clojel]

I see 2 possibilities, although I'm sure there are scads more.

1) They are being upfront and some of the crew COVID tests came back either positive or inconclusive. They will reschedule the test cruise for in a couple weeks.

2) They are fairly certain that after July 18th, the test sailings won't be necessary and they will be able to sail with revenue passengers. So they cancel the test sailing and wait until the 18th to announce they are going forward with the cruises scheduled.

I’m putting my money on #2. I don’t think this is the kiss of death others believe it to be. If the CDC is unsuccessful in their appeal (which I believe they will be), test cruises go away. Why risk having negative press for any hiccups when you get just wait it out? I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, DCL is cruising by mid-September barring another variant/massive outbreak.

 

[cvjw]

Dropped 5K yesterday on 2 august dream sailings. Still thinking they will sail. With the new ruling against the CDC, not sure why test cruises are even being done. Just skip right to cruising. We are willing to be guinea pigs on one of the first sailings.

 

[tvguy]

I’m curious why you have kept so much money tied up with them. Why not cancel.

After 18 years on these boards my impression is that for many Disney cruisers, it isn't "so much money". They will eventually get to take their cruise, and given that Disney fares usually go up, they may get their cruise for less than the current going rate.

 

[DCLMP]

Because I LOVE TO SAIL with DCL - Isn't that why we are all here?

If your frustrated and have a lot of money tied up I was just wondering why you didn't get your money back and then just rebook when things are back to normal.

 

[DCLMP]

After 18 years on these boards my impression is that for many Disney cruisers, it isn't "so much money". They will eventually get to take their cruise, and given that Disney fares usually go up, they may get their cruise for less than the current going rate.

I cancelled my cruises and did other vacations, but I'm not in the income bracket to keep that kind of money tied up. If it wasn't for my 17 year old son wanting to do a couple more cruises before he's 18 I would probably not cruise again for several years. I've gotten to appreciate land trips and there a lot less stressful. You don't have to tie up thousands of non-refundable dollars on an unknown experience.

I've cancelled Royal and Carnival. I'm so appalled by the way they have handled this whole situation I'm not sure they'll ever get another dollar out of me. I'm still holding out hope for MSC and DCl, but not optimistic. I'm leaning towards river cruising next year.

 

[DCLMP]

I never said I asked for my money back. I have had 5 cruises cancelled since last June and have 4 booked (3 this year and one in 2022). I've taken 20 DCL cruises and I wand to sail. I just want them to be more forthcoming with their plans. Other cruise lines have given far more information to manage expectations.

They may give out info, but they flip flop all over the place and change protocols daily. Carnival just announced no kids clubs. I'm sure that's thrown some parents for a loop.

 

[BartmanLA]

Consider this, the tests appeared to be faulty or at the least flawed, returning false positives, as was eventually discovered, BUT under the Current CSO if they were to sail on the test cruise and they got postive tests returned during or at the end of the cruise, the CDC would "fail" DCL on the simulation cruise and they would lower their status. By cancelling they can potentially regain a green status after long enough quarantine, which very probably by then the CDC's Conditional Sail Order will change from Manatory conditions to "Recommended" ones, and opens the door to potentially getting them to resume cruising under the recommended 95/98% Guest/Crew vaccination requirements. And possibly following RCCL's policy of requesting voluntary proof of vaccination, and those that aren't vaccinated (with the exception of children under 12) would be subject to stricter protocols and possible bear the cost for testing on boarding, mid cruise and before embarkation at the end of the cruise. That hopefully encourages those unvaccinated to get the shot as it would economically would benefit them. Although Disney sails with a significant number of children, many under 12, hopefully they would be able to conduct reduced capacity sailings under the CDC's recommended vaccinated guidelines. We shall see.

 

[Sykes]

The CDC color guide seems to not have a ton of relevance to passenger sailings. There are restrictions for the test cruises, but they’re not built into the revenue sailings. The Celebrity Edge sailed under CDC jurisdiction 3 days ago despite turning Red earlier in the week.

 

[Southern Pirate]

Consider this, the tests appeared to be faulty or at the least flawed, returning false positives, as was eventually discovered, BUT under the Current CSO if they were to sail on the test cruise and they got postive tests returned during or at the end of the cruise, the CDC would "fail" DCL on the simulation cruise and they would lower their status. By cancelling they can potentially regain a green status after long enough quarantine, which very probably by then the CDC's Conditional Sail Order will change from Manatory conditions to "Recommended" ones, and opens the door to potentially getting them to resume cruising under the recommended 95/98% Guest/Crew vaccination requirements. And possibly following RCCL's policy of requesting voluntary proof of vaccination, and those that aren't vaccinated (with the exception of children under 12) would be subject to stricter protocols and possible bear the cost for testing on boarding, mid cruise and before embarkation at the end of the cruise. That hopefully encourages those unvaccinated to get the shot as it would economically would benefit them. Although Disney sails with a significant number of children, many under 12, hopefully they would be able to conduct reduced capacity sailings under the CDC's recommended vaccinated guidelines. We shall see.

My understanding of the "test cruise" is not to see whether or not passengers have the virus but to see how the ship handles someone testing positive for the virus. If I am correct, then Disney did the right thing by canceling so they could determine if their crew was infected.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

The CDC color guide seems to not have a ton of relevance to passenger sailings. There are restrictions for the test cruises, but they’re not built into the revenue sailings. The Celebrity Edge sailed under CDC jurisdiction 3 days ago despite turning Red earlier in the week.

The color coding refers to crew cases. So they do relate to revenue sailings since potentially having positive crew and having to quarantine them definitely impacts operations.

DCL or any other line also do need to test crew to tie up in the Bahamas. Bahamian rules.

 

[mcd2745]

I see 2 possibilities, although I'm sure there are scads more.

1) They are being upfront and some of the crew COVID tests came back either positive or inconclusive. They will reschedule the test cruise for in a couple weeks.

2) They are fairly certain that after July 18th, the test sailings won't be necessary and they will be able to sail with revenue passengers. So they cancel the test sailing and wait until the 18th to announce they are going forward with the cruises scheduled.

That one seems to be very plausible to me. They probably said to themselves, why bother going through with the test cruise - and incur all the costs associated with it - when, after July 18, we can resume operations without having needed to conduct a test cruise? So they came up with an excuse to cancel the test cruise.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

So they came up with an excuse to cancel the test cruise.

Sending their xcrew status to red is a... bad excuse? Nassau will care a lot about crew status.

I think the testing is real. You don't want to come out and say "we are seeing positive crew tests" as a pretext. Good pretexts include "supplier delay in getting whatever whatever on board." Or "embarkation delays for crew beyond our control." Not "positive tests and a need to retest," since that is more central to the overall issue of sailing in a pandemic and doesn't inspire confidence, and inspires additional scrutiny from ports of call.