Up next in 10
You're about to discover why volunteering for one of the free test cruises the lines have to run in the United States may not be as good a deal as it sounds. I explore 8 things you need to know about the test cruises that all cruise lines are required to run in the United States before they can return to running regular cruises with paying passengers. PLUS some big watch-outs to help you decide if you should volunteer.
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Show More Show Less View Video Transcript
0:00
you're about to discover why
0:02
volunteering for one of the test
0:04
cruises the lions have to run in the
0:06
united states
0:07
may not be as good a deal as it sounds
0:10
i am gary bembridge and in this episode
0:13
of tips for travellers
0:14
i explore eight things you need to know
0:17
about the test cruises
0:18
that all cruise lines are required to
0:21
run in the united states
0:22
before they can return to running
0:24
regular cruises
0:26
with paying passengers plus
0:29
i'm going to give you some big watch
0:31
outs to help you decide
0:32
if you should volunteer first off what
0:36
exactly
0:37
are these test cruises and why do lions
0:40
have
0:40
to run them test cruises are the
0:44
second stage of a four-stage process the
0:46
u.s
0:47
centers for disease control and
0:48
prevention the cdc
0:50
requires cruise lines to go through to
0:53
get approval
0:54
to resume cruising in and out of u.s
0:57
ports
0:59
the first stage covers crew safety
1:02
building laboratory cover 19 testing
1:05
capability
1:06
and putting in place other physical
1:07
changes onto ships so things like
1:09
ventilation
1:10
medical center upgrades and even
1:12
isolation cabins
1:14
so once that's all done and signed off
1:16
by the cdc the cruise lines
1:18
have to run these test cruises to show
1:20
that they are able to
1:22
as the cdc puts it mitigate the risks
1:26
of covet 19 on board its cruise ships if
1:28
they pass
1:29
these test cruises they can then apply
1:31
to resume cruising
1:33
so these are really really important now
1:36
all of the lines
1:37
have to run these so for example
1:39
carnival corporation
1:41
will be running them for all of their
1:43
lines that they plan to operate
1:45
out of u.s ports so that's going to
1:46
include things like carnival
1:48
princess holland america and then even
1:51
for lines like
1:52
cunard that call into the u.s ports
1:55
because the cdc
1:56
includes any cruise ship carrying over
1:58
250 people
1:59
entering u.s waters to have to go
2:01
through this
2:02
now although most people have assumed
2:05
these will be cruisers
2:07
they may not in fact actually be
2:09
cruisers the cdc itself
2:11
does not require ships to set sail and
2:13
go out to sea
2:15
though the lines will decide of course
2:17
that some will as i'll talk about in a
2:19
minute
2:19
the cdc calls for and requires only what
2:22
they call
2:23
simulated voyages in their framework
2:27
for conditional sailing which lays out
2:29
all the different rules they say i'm
2:30
going to quote here
2:32
simulated voyage means a mock voyage or
2:35
series of mock voyages
2:38
designed and implemented insofar as
2:40
possible to replicate
2:42
real-world onboard conditions of
2:44
cruising with measures in place to
2:46
mitigate the risk of covert 19.
2:48
so amongst all that long complicated
2:49
definition note
2:51
the repeated use of the description mock
2:55
voyages so if you do decide to volunteer
2:58
for one of these
2:59
which some lines are already allowing
3:01
people to do
3:02
you should not assume you're signing up
3:04
for an actual cruise
3:06
and my watch out here is check and
3:09
carefully understand what is actually
3:10
being proposed
3:12
line by line as you look to volunteer so
3:14
for example
3:15
royal caribbean on their facebook page
3:17
where they call for people to express
3:19
interest in taking part in one of these
3:20
they call them and again i'm going to
3:22
quote here
3:23
simulated trial sailings and not
3:26
cruisers now most
3:27
of the over 40 000 people already in
3:29
that group
3:30
clearly are thinking these will be
3:32
actual cruises based on the discussions
3:34
i'm seeing in that group
3:36
now these simulated trial sailings may
3:39
not
3:39
leave the port and the ship could
3:41
actually remain at the dock
3:43
while the lines simulate and run through
3:45
the various procedures that are
3:47
required however some definitely will
3:51
set sail
3:51
for shauna in the cdc document they have
3:54
an option for cruise lines
3:55
to test out excursion protocols using
3:58
their private island shore excursions so
4:01
it's very very likely that at least some
4:03
if not all ships will
4:05
of course set sail for the likes of half
4:07
moon key great syrup key or perfect day
4:10
at coco
4:11
key some however could remain docked
4:14
alongside
4:15
for several days something you may want
4:18
to keep
4:18
in the back of your mind as you look at
4:20
this whole area of volunteering
4:23
there are a number of restrictions on
4:26
who will be allowed to take part
4:28
in these cruises now here's what
4:30
criteria you need to fulfill
4:32
to be able to volunteer for one of these
4:33
tests firstly
4:35
the cdc requires all volunteer
4:37
passengers to be at least
4:38
18 years old so no kids and family
4:41
groups
4:42
they did not specify an upper age limit
4:45
certainly i think as of yet now secondly
4:47
they require all their volunteers to
4:49
have and again i'm going to quote this
4:51
a written certification from a health
4:53
care provider
4:54
that the volunteer passenger has no
4:56
pre-existing medical conditions
4:58
that would place that individual at high
5:01
risk for covert 19
5:02
as determined through cdc guidance so
5:05
again a complicated
5:07
definition but it is worth noting that
5:08
the cdc already lists a lot of
5:10
conditions
5:11
as high risk in covert 19
5:14
in their guidance today these includes
5:16
obesity cancer
5:17
diabetes copd pregnancy weakened immune
5:21
system asthma and even
5:23
high blood pressure they also repeatedly
5:25
across their guidance have
5:27
age as a high risk so we may see age
5:29
limits become part of the final advice
5:32
thirdly the volunteers must not be
5:34
offered participation
5:36
in return for employment or what the cdc
5:38
call
5:39
future reward so don't expect added
5:42
future perks and discounts if you
5:44
volunteer and take part because that
5:45
is not allowed personally i also predict
5:48
that volunteers
5:49
close to ports running tests like miami
5:52
port canaveral
5:53
port everglades and so on are going to
5:55
be those most likely selected
5:58
for simplicity and ease almost certainly
6:01
with the current travel restrictions and
6:03
state of the virus
6:04
these will be for usa residents only
6:08
i want to specifically call out that
6:10
volunteers will have to wear masks
6:13
on these tests as i know this is a huge
6:15
huge issue
6:16
for many cruisers this will definitely
6:18
put some of you off
6:19
volunteering both the cruise line
6:22
developed protocols
6:23
and the cdc document have masks and face
6:26
coverings
6:27
required for embarking and disembarking
6:31
for use inside the ship at all times
6:33
other than when seated
6:34
for dining and drinking and when not
6:37
possible to have a six foot
6:39
physical distancing out on deck so a lot
6:41
of potential areas for wearing masks
6:43
lines without a shadow of a doubt will
6:45
be enforcing this
6:46
on these tests because it's a really hot
6:49
topic for the cdc there will of course
6:51
be a raft of various other protocols
6:53
that i've covered in other videos
6:55
and articles that you'll need to follow
6:57
as these of course are going to be key
6:59
to the test
7:00
on seeing what works and what doesn't
7:02
work
7:04
now these tests are not designed to be a
7:07
vacation
7:08
these test voyages are exactly that
7:10
they're an opportunity for the lines
7:12
and the cdc to assess their new health
7:15
and safety protocols and all the
7:16
different
7:17
situations so don't expect a cruise
7:20
where you're going to be able to go off
7:22
and do your
7:22
own thing all the time you're going to
7:25
be required
7:26
to take part in all sorts of activities
7:28
and drills and as
7:30
you will see that's going to include a
7:33
period
7:34
where you're going to be quarantined in
7:37
your cabin
7:38
now according to the cdc these simulated
7:40
voyages
7:41
will have to include test runs for at
7:43
least six
7:44
different things which everyone will
7:47
need
7:47
to take part in number one invocation
7:50
and disembarkation procedures that's
7:52
going to include
7:54
terminal check-in and all the screening
7:56
now this will include testing
7:58
before boarding peer side and another
8:00
before being able to disembark
8:02
at the other end of the trial both will
8:05
take
8:06
much longer than pre-pandemic in europe
8:09
where cruisers were
8:11
operating with these new protocols have
8:12
been running check-ins been taking
8:14
between one and a half to three hours
8:17
two on-board activities will of course
8:20
take place including
8:21
using dining and entertainment venues
8:24
with all the new physical and social
8:26
distancing measures it might include
8:27
things like
8:28
venues having limits on capacity
8:30
possibly booking to attend
8:32
served buffet dining all those kinds of
8:34
things
8:36
three evacuation procedures this will
8:39
greatly be
8:40
changed where you'll be testing the new
8:42
e-master drill this is fantastic because
8:43
you now use
8:44
in-room video and the cruise line app
8:46
but there will of course be a drill
8:48
simulating uh having to evacuate an
8:51
emergency so that's one drill you'll
8:52
have to take part in the fourth
8:54
thing is a drill covering the transfer
8:57
of what
8:58
can be identified as symptomatic
8:59
passengers and crew from their cabins to
9:02
isolation rooms
9:03
the fifth thing is quarantining of all
9:05
remaining passengers
9:07
and non-essential crew to their cabins
9:08
they don't say yet for how long this
9:10
quarantine drill
9:11
will be on these test cruises the sixth
9:14
thing
9:14
is for those that are sailing uh testing
9:17
out the private island shore excursions
9:20
there will be a number of cover 19 tests
9:24
and screenings especially
9:26
as the cdc wants a lot of data to help
9:29
make the decision
9:30
on off if all these new protocols are
9:32
actually working
9:33
now this is going to include based on
9:35
the cdc framework a minimum
9:37
of two tests which i touched on earlier
9:40
one before boarding the ship on the pier
9:42
and again before being allowed to
9:44
disembark the ship
9:46
you may also have to do one as part of a
9:48
screening
9:49
before leaving home to join the test
9:51
cruises this is mentioned specifically
9:53
in the document now importantly these
9:56
tests will be
9:57
the laboratory-based pcr swap tests
10:00
and not the rapid tests that uh are
10:02
being spoken about a lot
10:04
now the reason being the lab tests has
10:06
much lower scope
10:07
for false negatives and positives and
10:09
they're more able to pick up
10:11
asymptomatic cases now this is something
10:13
that's really important it was
10:14
highlighted by the sea dream outbreak in
10:16
november
10:17
they were just using the abbott
10:18
laboratory fast test and it didn't pick
10:20
up
10:21
asymptomatic passengers of course one
10:24
additional thing to consider
10:26
is that the cdc say they will require
10:28
the cruise ship operator to
10:29
immediately end the simulated voyage if
10:33
covert 19
10:34
is detected during the simulation now
10:35
there's as much as we saw happen with
10:37
the outbreak
10:38
in sea dream in the caribbean in
10:40
november as soon as an outbreak
10:42
end of the cruise now despite a lot
10:45
being known about
10:46
these tests as i've covered there are
10:48
three key unknowns
10:50
that will evolve over the coming weeks
10:52
as i see it
10:54
firstly exactly when they will take
10:57
place
10:58
line by line based on the steps that the
11:01
lines are going to have to take
11:02
these voyages will almost certainly only
11:06
take place in early 2021
11:08
the sun lines are hoping to try and get
11:10
some in right before the end of the year
11:12
this is why for example we've seen lines
11:14
like carnival
11:16
cancel all their schedule cruises to the
11:18
end of january
11:19
already secondly in terms of unknowns is
11:23
how long the tests will be
11:25
at this stage despite repeated inquiries
11:27
the cdc has not publicly said
11:30
how long they will need to be so this is
11:32
something we're still waiting for
11:34
thirdly what the final numbers who and
11:37
how the volunteers will be chosen
11:39
and what costs the volunteers will have
11:41
to incur like getting tuned from the
11:42
ships and it's not actually 100
11:44
clear these will be free cruises at the
11:46
moment the lions are starting to let
11:48
people like you
11:49
sign up to show interest the royal
11:50
caribbean site has had over 100
11:53
000 people sign up so far so this is
11:56
the key watch out that you need to know
11:59
that i hope help you decide
12:01
if you should volunteer for these
12:03
required
12:04
test cruises as the opportunity arises
12:07
i hope it helped clarify things
12:10
if you found this interesting why not
12:13
enjoy another
12:14
of my tips for travelers episodes packed
12:16
full of cruising
12:18
updates tips and advice right now
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