CDC Clarifies Advice

[ECCruise]

26 minutes ago, rucrazy said:

This is great news! While CDC recommends that people who are not fully vaccinated avoid travel on cruise ships, I read posters who just like others are trying to compare Airlines to Cruise Ships.. That is ridiculous.. like comparing apples to watermelon .. One does not "live" on a plane for days at a time...

 

In addition, on a plane you are usually less than an hour from a diversion and medical attention.  Even on long-haul over ocean flights, because of Great Circle routing, you are often only a few hours from medical attention. 

On a long ocean voyage, you can be days away from full medical attention.

[graphicguy]

The comparison of planes to ships is interesting.  I think airlines are requiring EVERYONE to wear a mask while on board.  Plus, as others have pointed out, there's a major difference between being on a 2-3-45 or more hour flight with 150 others than being on a ship with 2,000+ passengers where you'll be clustered for 4-5-6 or 7 days.

 

That's why the "unvaccinated" passengers will be required to wear a mask, while the vaccinated passengers are getting the go ahead to cruise safely in a non-masked and comfortable manner.

 

I do believe that FL will either ignore those cruise lines who are requiring vaccines, or come t some sort of "saving face" exemption for cruise lines from their publicity stunt.  The cruise lines have clearly found ways around the FL posturing.  I don't think anyone who is unvaccinated wants to cruise while paying more for testing and wearing masks.  So, given that choice, I say. they stay home.

 

Matter of fact, I've yet to hear of anyone on any of these threads who are planning to cruise in the next 30-60-90 days who is doing so unvaccinated.  

 

I think all of that is a good thing.  

 

If you're that vehemently the "anti-vax" type, wait 3 or more months and you may be able to cruise without the vaccination (maybe).

 

But, the health and safety of sailing with the vaccination is overwhelmingly positive and what the overwhelming amount of passengers want.

Edited June 17, 2021 by graphicguy

[harkinmr]

2 hours ago, Denny01 said:

Not tracking what the complaints are. CDC is now saying its OK for vaccinated to cruise. And the air travel comparison is more than a bit off: air travel Does have restrictions: masks required for all flights in and to US. Testing within 3 days of flying to the US. And there is a bit of a difference between spending a few hrs (US flights) in an airplane and a week inside an ‘enclosed building’, a cruise ship. 

 

So the restrictions are opened up and a poster thinks CDC is trying to kill cruising??? I give up. 

 

Den

The "air travel is being treated differently" trope has been going on for months and no matter how many ways its explained that it is a very different experience and not subject to the same level of control  or oversight by the CDC, the trope will live on.  It's getting boring.  If I recall correctly, back in February HHS and the CDC suggested a COVID-19 testing plan for domestic flights and people threw a conniption so the idea was panned. As it is, most everyone complains about the COVID test to reenter the US after an international trip. Folks probably should be thankful that the airlines are not further restricted because they wouldn't be able to travel to a cruise, never mind any of the other vacations they may have been on in the last year or have planned for the future.  Be careful what you wish for.

[nocl]

47 minutes ago, Denny01 said:

Yes it does work. The ‘less likely to’ get COVID is close to 90% or better. And if you get COVID, it approaches 100% (as close as it can be measured) that you’ll have no/mild symptoms. One US State reported none, again None, of those hospitalized in the entire State with COVID had been fully vaccinated. All COVID patients were not vaccinated. 

 

And yes, we will be living with COVID for a long time because even in a ‘1st world country’ such as the US, we have a relatively large percentage who find some excuse not to properly vaccinate to protect themselves And their communities. And by the way, they could very well help COVID mutate to a more dangerous form, but what the heck, it’s ‘our’ right to kill off others. 

 

Den

According to most market studies it reduces mortality with the original strain and B.117 by 98%, hospitalization by 94%.  So if hospitalization rate was 10% without vaccination one would expect it to be about .6%.  With mortality the .65% rate without vaccination would be .013%.  Or another way if everyone had been vaccinated we could have expected 12,000 deaths in the US not over 600,000 that we did have.

[baldilocks]

Confused. I read that the CDC is now putting the mask mandate back on cruise passengers. Any info on that?

[nocl]

21 minutes ago, baldilocks said:

Confused. I read that the CDC is now putting the mask mandate back on cruise passengers. Any info on that?

The only thing I have seen is with the 95% protocol any unvaccinated passengers will need to mask, vaccinated do not.

 

Have not seen anything yet for the cruise lines taking the test cruise route.

[abbydancer2003]

4 hours ago, baldilocks said:

Confused. I read that the CDC is now putting the mask mandate back on cruise passengers. Any info on that?

I haven't heard that.  I did read that Freedom of the Seas will require masks for everyone, although they're also saying there will be some things that won't be available to unvaccinated passegers.

 

[mayleeman]

4 hours ago, baldilocks said:

Confused. I read that the CDC is now putting the mask mandate back on cruise passengers. Any info on that?

 

If you read it, you might want to provide the source. Otherwise you are asking people to verify something that might just be a rumor offered up by someone trying to stir things up. You could even do some research and let people know what you find out.

[def0715]

I can’t remember what the CDC guidance said earlier but someone pointed this out. Found this after several news reports linked it.

 

https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices/covid-3/coronavirus-cruise-ship

 

 

Edited June 18, 2021 by def0715

[keels81]

A cruise ship is a congregate setting, whereas a plane is a form of transport. 

 

If a cruise has a level of "herd immunity" for the duration of the sailing, then masks shouldn't be required. That's why the vaccination requirement is there.

 

For a plane? It's transportation, not a congregate setting. Just wear your mask for the few hours you're on there and you're done. 

 

If people would stop thinking of cruises as floating hotels and look at the granular level at what they really are -- fancy, vacation versions of vessels that used to transport people in steerage and before the time of vaccines, the reason for vaccination in this climate would make sense.

[baldilocks]

22 hours ago, mayleeman said:

 

If you read it, you might want to provide the source. Otherwise you are asking people to verify something that might just be a rumor offered up by someone trying to stir things up. You could even do some research and let people know what you find out.

 

I apologize. I was just trying to see if anyone heard anything. I wasn't trying to stir up anything. I was reading some of the CDC info that just didn't seem to make sense. Again, I apologize if I offended anyone.

[mayleeman]

28 minutes ago, baldilocks said:

 

I apologize. I was just trying to see if anyone heard anything. I wasn't trying to stir up anything. I was reading some of the CDC info that just didn't seem to make sense. Again, I apologize if I offended anyone.

 

Actually, someone did post something after you that seems to be close to what you said. I reject your apology but only because it was unnecessary!  Very gracious, though, and a far cry from most of what we see. in most posts!

 

In my last line in my original reply to you, I may have sounded snippy, so now it's my turn to apologize. I was only suggesting you could do some research on it because you could focus on what you remembered reading.....

Edited June 19, 2021 by mayleeman