Social distancing on a cruise ship

[Sunseeker810]

So, I just got off the phone with NCL.  I asked if they were planning on sailing with a lesser capacity in order to social distance on the pool deck.  The answer was no.  They do however plan to space out the chairs.  I said that it can be impossible to get a chair as it is.  I was told to go out earlier.  I am usually out there by 7AM.  Perhaps I should go out at 3AM???

[Georgia_Peaches]

Wish NCL would publish a plan of what they do intend to do when sailing resumes.  If I have to social distance on a cruise, then I'm not cruising.  

 

Sounds like you won't be cruising for a while. 

[HaveWeMetYet]

Hopefully there will not be any social distancing requirements on cruises or requirements to wear a mask. About 95 percent of the people I see wearing masks either have something like a scarf that is about useless or they are constantly pulling the thing up and down to scratch their face.

[Comi.uy]

On the first cruises there will be "lesser capacity" since most people wont get right away on a cruise atm. I hope they dont just implement it or else that will mean higher prices for all of us...

[mking8288]

Most millenials will be too busy in the next few months trying to catch up with their mortagage, car payment, housing maintenance, property taxes, and credit card bills; and have zero vacation days to take in 2020 to cruise - of course, some have a hefty cash reserve to weather this global pandemic.  Air travel is going to be fun as airlines aren't planning or forecasting demands to gradually return in the near future.  

 

By definition, anyone 50 years and over with comorbidity are facing above average risk for Covid-19 infection, traveling & cruising with the added exposure.  Retirees, seniors & older adults that are financially established are in the best position to continue cruising, if they choose to.  

 

Get used to the new protocol when going outside as folks in Asia are accustomed to wearing a mask, on top of other social distancing measures.  We haven't shop at our local grocery stores in more than 7 or 8 weeks and finally went earlier - geared up and upon coming home, went thru the decon routines ... our groceries wiped down & out of quarantined.  Nobody really like or enjoy all these extra measures and is free to ignore them; and roll the dices with living smartly.

 

Hmmm, what's that breaking news earlier about another staff member testing positive for Covid-19 at the West Wing of the WH.  Nah, fake news, right ... LOL.  It will fade and go away, a success story.  

 

Edited May 8, 2020 by mking8288

[DublinFC]

1 hour ago, HaveWeMetYet said:

Hopefully there will not be any social distancing requirements on cruises or requirements to wear a mask. About 95 percent of the people I see wearing masks either have something like a scarf that is about useless or they are constantly pulling the thing up and down to scratch their face.

100% agree with this.  Every time I see people with actual masks they are tugging at them, wearing them down on their chin or not covering their nose.   They are becoming pointless.  I hope cruise ships do not implement requirements for the masks.  With eating and drinking there is no point to have them on.

[Fido Chuckwagon]

1 minute ago, DublinFC said:

100% agree with this.  Every time I see people with actual masks they are tugging at them, wearing them down on their chin or not covering their nose.   They are becoming pointless.  I hope cruise ships do not implement requirements for the masks.  With eating and drinking there is no point to have them on.

The purpose of these face masks isn't to protect the wearer.  They're to protect everyone else.  And for that purpose they work.  

[DublinFC]

Just now, Fido Chuckwagon said:

The purpose of these face masks isn't to protect the wearer.  They're to protect everyone else.  And for that purpose they work.  

Not if the wearer is messing with it all the time.  

[Loucat]

It would have been great if the CDC or many  health department ads told how to use a mask. If someone is not familiar with the fact the mouth and nose should be covered, they make masks useless . How many times do you see masks only covering the mouth or even worse, not covering the mouth and nose.

On social distancing, how would cruise lines limit pax in elevators? We are packed in like sardines and the elevator cab does not seem to allow 6' of distance between pax.

[Gershep]

Social distancing on a cruise ship would be very hard to do. Most people aren't doing it here in NY, I went food shopping and couldn't believe how people are so close to one another. They are supposed to be wearing face masks and they are not following that either. There are those people who still want to do what they want to do.

[Outerdog]

50 minutes ago, Fido Chuckwagon said:

The purpose of these face masks isn't to protect the wearer.  They're to protect everyone else.  And for that purpose they work.  

 

They help. They do not "protect everyone else" -- they offer some protection.

[SeaShark]

53 minutes ago, Fido Chuckwagon said:

The purpose of these face masks isn't to protect the wearer.  They're to protect everyone else.  And for that purpose they work.  

 

Actually, one of the most important purposes of the mask is to stop the wearer from touching their own face. Touching something and then touching your face is a HUGE cause of transfer of any bacteria or virus. 

[podgeandrodge]

1 hour ago, mking8288 said:

We haven't shop at our local grocery stores in more than 7 or 8 weeks and finally went earlier - geared up and upon coming home, went thru the decon routines ... our groceries wiped down & out of quarantined.  Nobody really like or enjoy all these extra measures and is free to ignore them; and roll the dices with living smartly.

 

 

 

That's pretty tough going!  Where did you get your groceries etc. during that period, was it deliveries?  For us, in Ireland, we have been going to the local store a couple of times a week (like most people) and it doesn't seem that supermarket staff or indeed the community has got too sick from doing that i.e. community transmission is practically zero at this stage from social distancing and other measures.  There have been conflicting advices relating to wiping down groceries, most of which said there isn't really any need once you don't touch your fact after touching them, and leave them be for a day or two.  But we do ensure that if we get a takeaway delivered, or do the shopping, that we wash our hands before doing anything else.  I think that's sufficient.  

[BirdTravels]

3 hours ago, Sunseeker810 said:

So, I just got off the phone with NCL.  I asked if they were planning on sailing with a lesser capacity in order to social distance on the pool deck.  The answer was no.  They do however plan to space out the chairs.  I said that it can be impossible to get a chair as it is.  I was told to go out earlier.  I am usually out there by 7AM.  Perhaps I should go out at 3AM???

So,,, FDR clearly said that NCL did not have their final plans to reopen yet in interviews yesterday. And they had some very reputable consulting helping them with the plan.

 

You are talking with the minimum wage call center person who has zero, none, nada knowledge or information on reopening plans. And you are taking that information as gospel. The person you are talking to is saying anything that comes to mind, because there is no information to give out. And it makes them feel important  to be making unsubstantiated statements. 

Edited May 9, 2020 by BirdTravels

[BirdTravels]

1 hour ago, Fido Chuckwagon said:

The purpose of these face masks isn't to protect the wearer.  They're to protect everyone else.  And for that purpose they work.  

Going to the store, I would say at least 1/3 of the masks being worn are N95 masks that protect the people wearing them from those who could care less. 

[Loucat]

Bird Travels- Where do you shop that real N 95 masks are available? How do you know they are really N95 masks approved by the CDC? I ask this as direct care providers report shortages of the real N95 masks. Would love if there were enough for all!

[Fido Chuckwagon]

2 hours ago, DublinFC said:

Not if the wearer is messing with it all the time.  

False.

[Fido Chuckwagon]

2 hours ago, Outerdog said:

 

They help. They do not "protect everyone else" -- they offer some protection.

Right, they obviously don't offer 100 percent protection.  But they help.  The idea that we shouldn't wear face masks because "a lot of people don't do it properly or fidget with them" is really stupid.

[Fido Chuckwagon]

2 hours ago, SeaShark said:

 

Actually, one of the most important purposes of the mask is to stop the wearer from touching their own face. Touching something and then touching your face is a HUGE cause of transfer of any bacteria or virus. 

False.

[ColeThornton]

1 minute ago, Fido Chuckwagon said:

False.

 

 

.........because?

[Outerdog]

1 minute ago, Fido Chuckwagon said:

Right, they obviously don't offer 100 percent protection.  But they help.  The idea that we shouldn't wear face masks because "a lot of people don't do it properly or fidget with them" is really stupid.

 

I agree. I've chosen to use a ninja-style black balaclava which can be worn as a half face (nose/mouth) or full face and head leaving only the eyes exposed. I pair this with dark shades. This way, I'm prepared for Covid, and I'm also prepared to rob a bank should the mood be right.

[Fido Chuckwagon]

4 minutes ago, ColeThornton said:

 

 

.........because?

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/in-depth/coronavirus-mask/art-20485449

 

https://www.info-coronavirus.be/en/facemask/#face-masks

 

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20200504-coronavirus-what-is-the-best-kind-of-face-mask

 

The purpose of facemasks is to protect other people.  If everyone wears them, it cuts down on the overall infection rate.  

Edited May 9, 2020 by Fido Chuckwagon

[ColeThornton]

1 minute ago, Fido Chuckwagon said:

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/in-depth/coronavirus-mask/art-20485449

 

https://www.info-coronavirus.be/en/facemask/#face-masks

 

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20200504-coronavirus-what-is-the-best-kind-of-face-mask

 

The purpose of facemasks is to protect other people.  If everyone wears them, it cuts down on the infection rate.  

 

Sorry, I was asking why you said False in response to Sea Shark.

[NutsAboutGolf]

From the CEO's interview:

 

"

Social distancing on ships

There’s been a lot of speculation in recent weeks over what it’ll look like on ships when cruising resumes. Will passengers be required to follow social distancing rules? Will they be required to wear masks?

Del Rio said passengers should expect the same sort of procedures that they find on land — whatever that is at the time they cruise.

“Early on as we open our doors again, assuming that we are still working with the same general guidelines that society is working with today — social distancing, wearing masks and so forth — that will translate into shipboard life itself.”

[Fido Chuckwagon]

5 minutes ago, ColeThornton said:

 

Sorry, I was asking why you said False in response to Sea Shark.

Because the purpose of face masks is not to get the wearer to stop touching their own face.  In fact, it probably causes most people who are not used to wearing face masks to touch their own face more.  The purpose of face masks is to protect other people from people who don't know they're infected.