My take on staycation cruising with covid restrictions

[ScratchTheRat]

I think this all makes a kind of sense. The cruise line are putting in rules (masks, one way system) to satisfy protocols, but there's nothing to force them to enforce them. As long as they do what the protocols tell them they need to, it's kind of a "laissez-faire" deal I guess.

 

"You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink"

 

Put all the safety in place but if people wanna ignore it, they will.

[davecttr]

26 minutes ago, Snaxmuppet said:

The thing is that P&O's hands are tied... until 19th July it is the law in England to wear a mask in most public indoor settings on the ship so to comply with the law they must enforce wearing of masks...

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/face-coverings-when-to-wear-one-and-how-to-make-your-own/face-coverings-when-to-wear-one-and-how-to-make-your-own
 

 

There are some gels that do kill norovirus but getting them is difficult and you have to use enough of it each time to expose the virus for long enough (20 secs + ). Normal hand from the supermarket doesn't but AFAICS P&O do use the Purell one that is meant to kill the virus if used correctly.

I have used ecohydra hand sanitiser foam which apparently does kill norovirus, I bought mine in Boots but it might be only available online nowadays. Of course whatever hand product you use do lots of hand washes as well.

[alpha whiskey]

I did do a post way, way back, pre Pandemic when noro virus was running rife highlighting the automatic hand gel dispenser when you open a pull door. They are used in our local hospital so when you pull the door to enter a ward or department, you get a good dollop of gel, forcing you to rub your hands together to get rid of it. Perfect solution for any pull doors on a ship, perhaps? 

Edited July 18, 2021 by alpha whiskey

[TheGinBoy]

Thanks for your post @Snaxmuppet.

 

We're off on the 5th August Britannia seacation, so this was really interesting to read. With what's going on in England at the moment I think I'm going to feel safer onboard than I would popping to Waitrose!

 

Couple of questions if that's OK?

Did restrictions mean there was no, or less, live music in drinking venues onboard? 

 

How were things like swimming pools and hot-tubs negotiated? 

Cheers!

[sandancer]

On 7/16/2021 at 6:34 PM, zap99 said:

I'm a fairly tolerant person, but if the rules are masks, those folk who decide that the won't follow the rules, or modify them to suit themselves should be thrown overboard.

Just off a Marella cruise (taster for Britannia) and anyone stating they were exempt from mask wearing were not allowed to board. Don’t think I saw anyone being thrown overboard though. 

[Mad4WDW]

We got off Britannia this morning from the 15th July 3 day cruise. There was a covid case onboard. 

Edited July 18, 2021 by Mad4WDW
typo

[Guest Snaxmuppet]

3 hours ago, TheGinBoy said:

Couple of questions if that's OK?

Did restrictions mean there was no, or less, live music in drinking venues onboard? 

 

How were things like swimming pools and hot-tubs negotiated? 

Cheers!

There was some music in the venues... mainly The Atrium where they had a female singer/guitarist and a lounge pianist. They also had a short set by a sea shanty/folk band. There was also the same pianist who played the Crow's Nest in the evening. Perhaps someone else could add to this but I felt there was less music on board than last time I was on Britannia (2018).

 

The Eric & Ern tribute act was playing the Limelight Club each night.

 

There were only two acts in Headliners... a Tom Jones tribute and a comedian.

 

I shall refrain from comments on the quality of the entertainment as it is so personal 🙂 

 

Swimming was fine. Sunbeds were not really spaced apart any more than normal but it is outside. The swimming pool was limited to max 8 people and for no more than 15mins at a time although I am not sure that was policed but no one took the mickey so it wasn't a problem. Hot tubs I don't know - didn't use them - but it looked like people were using them so perhaps someone else can help with that.

 

I didn't find the swimming pool / sunbathing area a stress point at all.

[zap99]

5 hours ago, ScratchTheRat said:

I think this all makes a kind of sense. The cruise line are putting in rules (masks, one way system) to satisfy protocols, but there's nothing to force them to enforce them. As long as they do what the protocols tell them they need to, it's kind of a "laissez-faire" deal I guess.

 

"You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink"

 

Put all the safety in place but if people wanna ignore it, they will.

If people wanna ignore it, security should chucka them overboard.🤣

[ScratchTheRat]

37 minutes ago, zap99 said:

If people wanna ignore it, security should chucka them overboard.🤣

Oh I fully agree! Personally sick of all the nose/chin diaper people around! If it's not over your nose, you may as well not wear it.

 

As for the not following one way systems, I assume they're just thick 😄 I'd hate to see them driving >.>

[davecttr]

1 hour ago, SargassoPirate said:

 

 

Thanks for sharing.  Most, if not all, of the wiping down every surface is "theater" to make us feel safe.  Science has shown that there is little chance of the virus spreading from a surface to your mouth or nose UNLESS you pick your nose or stick you fingers in your mouth right after touching a surface.

 

That being said, I do appreciate a clean environment.

Apparently a study was carried out in India that showed that glasses wearers had less chance of catching COVID because they were less likely to rub their eyes!

[Waju]

3 hours ago, Mad4WDW said:

We got off Britannia this morning from the 15th July 3 day cruise. There was a covid case onboard. 

We too got off this morning but hadn't heard that there was a covid case on board.  We had breakfast in Southampton before we boarded on Thursday and were saying you could easily pick something up then and it wouldn't show up on the pre-boarding test but symptoms would probably be just starting to show as you disembarked!

 

That said, we had a good time - didn't particularly like Britannia but that's a personal thing.  We found the food, whilst a much smaller menu, was good quality and we enjoyed every meal.  A couple of little niggles we had were when having a Costa coffee you no longer get a piece of cake unless you pay and there is no longer an afternoon tea selection in the Horizon buffer 😲.  You can get it in one of the MDR but it MUST be booked, it was really nice though and we had 9 scones/cakes/tarts between two of us!!

 

 

[Camberley]

3 hours ago, sandancer said:

Just off a Marella cruise (taster for Britannia) and anyone stating they were exempt from mask wearing were not allowed to board. Don’t think I saw anyone being thrown overboard though. 

Ah good. On both counts!

Edited July 18, 2021 by Camberley

[jaydee6969]

1 hour ago, Waju said:

and there is no longer an afternoon tea selection in the Horizon buffer 😲.  You can get it in one of the MDR but it MUST be booked, it was really nice though and we had 9 scones/cakes/tarts between two of us!!

 

Thanks for that info, I would have been dismayed at no afternoon tea in the buffet.  MDR and Eric Lanlard bookings as soon as we board!!

 

I do enjoy my cakes, as anyone who knows me will testify, and I have seen that Eric Lanlard was on board recently.  Your cruise possibly?  Seen photos of him in the atrium with a trolley dishing up samples.  I hope he comes back and on to our cruise next Thursday.

[Camberley]

Looking forward to Afternoon Tea on board: the Eric Lanlard one is very nice but I have yet to experience Afternoon Tea anywhere elsewhere on board. Have previously booked this and Epicurean/Sindu etc beforehand but this time it doesn’t seem possible, so looks like will have to wait till we are on board next Sun. Or maybe we will ask the butler nicely….

 

Oh and if only P and O could hire Eric Lanlard to revamp those dreadful canapés! Ok, my Year 7s could do a better job than P and O but imagine his take on canapés…..

[debsjc]

Thanks for the interesting report.

Does anyone know what P&O's policy on masks will be after the UK rules change tomorrow? 

[ScratchTheRat]

Just now, debsjc said:

Thanks for the interesting report.

Does anyone know what P&O's policy on masks will be after the UK rules change tomorrow? 

I doubt it, but I don't know for sure. I know the NCL/Princess sailings from UK/Europe will be requiring masks.

[AndyMichelle]

30 minutes ago, Camberley said:

Looking forward to Afternoon Tea on board: the Eric Lanlard one is very nice but I have yet to experience Afternoon Tea anywhere elsewhere on board. Have previously booked this and Epicurean/Sindu etc beforehand but this time it doesn’t seem possible, so looks like will have to wait till we are on board next Sun. Or maybe we will ask the butler nicely….

 

Oh and if only P and O could hire Eric Lanlard to revamp those dreadful canapés! Ok, my Year 7s could do a better job than P and O but imagine his take on canapés…..

Not a fan of the Eric Lanlard afternoon tea. Too sweet and a bit fancy for me. 

Duck in a chocolate meringue just didn't do it for us, we are more suited to the mdr where you often get hot sausage rolls, teacakes and crumpets, along with the usual fayre.. 

Andy 

[Camberley]

1 minute ago, AndyMichelle said:

Not a fan of the Eric Lanlard afternoon tea. Too sweet and a bit fancy for me. 

Duck in a chocolate meringue just didn't do it for us, we are more suited to the mdr where you often get hot sausage rolls, teacakes and crumpets, along with the usual fayre.. 

Andy 

Oh now the basic Afternoon Tea sounds quite intriguing 

[sandancer]

5 minutes ago, debsjc said:

Thanks for the interesting report.

Does anyone know what P&O's policy on masks will be after the UK rules change tomorrow? 

In the past 2 days I have had an email from Stagecoach buses and Tesco, both requesting that masks continue to be worn after tomorrow. I have to wonder if all of the big companies, including cruise lines, will want to do this. 

[Harry Peterson]

3 minutes ago, sandancer said:

In the past 2 days I have had an email from Stagecoach buses and Tesco, both requesting that masks continue to be worn after tomorrow. I have to wonder if all of the big companies, including cruise lines, will want to do this. 

It's what the majority of the public seem to want, so it makes sense to follow their lead, rather than the government's.  Although having said that the government message is, as usual, totally confused - you don't need to wear masks, but it makes sense if you do.

 

The real problem is for the staff.  They now have no legal backing whatever, and it can only lead to confrontation and unpleasantness.  

 

The ironic thing is that the people least likely to be wearing masks are probably the most likely to be infected.

 

I'm pretty sure that all the cruise companies will continue to insist on masks.  Some friends going with Saga have said that's their policy, along with visits ashore, even to the UK, being tour group only - no individual trips.

 

 

[Waju]

14 minutes ago, AndyMichelle said:

Not a fan of the Eric Lanlard afternoon tea. Too sweet and a bit fancy for me. 

Duck in a chocolate meringue just didn't do it for us, we are more suited to the mdr where you often get hot sausage rolls, teacakes and crumpets, along with the usual fayre.. 

Andy 

Sadly Andy the MDR afternoon tea now comprises two finger sandwiches each and a small roll plus lots of cakes - all delivered to the table on a cake stand.  No crumpets or sausage rolls in sight 😕  Well that was our experience yesterday - I have to say though it was very good - just don't forget to book!

 

Another couple of things I've just remembered - the portion of fresh fruit at breakfast is now HUGE, the bread rolls are now only brown or white - no lovely pumpkin or poppy seeded ones anymore.  Yesterday evening at dinner I asked the waiter if I could have salad instead of veg with my steak, he said he would ask chef but he came back with veg, chef obviously said no 😒  That's never happened before, it was a great steak though!

 

I wonder if these little changes will go back to normal eventually?  

 

[alpha whiskey]

1 hour ago, AndyMichelle said:

Not a fan of the Eric Lanlard afternoon tea. Too sweet and a bit fancy for me. 

Duck in a chocolate meringue just didn't do it for us, we are more suited to the mdr where you often get hot sausage rolls, teacakes and crumpets, along with the usual fayre.. 

Andy 

Followed by pie, mash and liquor for the evening meal?  Now that would be a fine days dining !  😉

[zap99]

2 minutes ago, alpha whiskey said:

Followed by pie, mash and liquor for the evening meal?  Now that would be a fine days dining !  😉

And a doner kebab on the way back from Brodies.🤣

[AndyMichelle]

6 minutes ago, alpha whiskey said:

Followed by pie, mash and liquor for the evening meal?  Now that would be a fine days dining !  😉

You know me so well... 😊

Andy 

[AndyMichelle]

4 minutes ago, zap99 said:

And a doner kebab on the way back from Brodies.🤣

Not a fan of Brodies or any of the pubs, more likely to be staggering out of the Crystal Rooms, but you are right about the kebab... 🥙😊

Andy