Is it safe to cruise right now?

[crusingrightnow]

As in December.

[sparks1093]

It depends on what you consider safe. I know that all of the cruise lines are following strict protocols. Before we boarded our cruise last month every passenger had to provide proof of vaccination status and a negative test and I believe the only exemptions made for not having a vaccine were kids. As for being on the ship itself I felt as safe there as anywhere. Being in the port was no different than being at home as far as COVID protocols went.

[crusingrightnow]

1 minute ago, sparks1093 said:

It depends on what you consider safe. I know that all of the cruise lines are following strict protocols. Before we boarded our cruise last month every passenger had to provide proof of vaccination status and a negative test and I believe the only exemptions made for not having a vaccine were kids. As for being on the ship itself I felt as safe there as anywhere. Being in the port was no different than being at home as far as COVID protocols went.

Thanks do you know if they are filling cruises to the max ? 

[sparks1093]

Just now, crusingrightnow said:

Thanks do you know if they are filling cruises to the max ? 

I don't know. I do know that our sailing was at about 70% capacity with the subsequent sailing being similar. The sailing that we were on (Carnival Legend) was the first for that ship since the shutdown. The itinerary was changed from Bermuda to the Bahamas a couple of months before sailing, which may have impacted the number of pax, I know that some people cancelled or rescheduled this cruise. We'll be cruising on the same ship in February, so we shall see.

[ontheweb]

1 hour ago, crusingrightnow said:

Thanks do you know if they are filling cruises to the max ? 

They have to leave some cabins, actually a section of cabins, open for use for quarantine. So, no not 100%.

[iancal]

You might not know the answer until 7-10 days after disembarking.

[lenquixote66]

6 hours ago, crusingrightnow said:

As in December.

Friends of ours left yesterday on the Anthem.Nothing would deter them from cruising.

I am waiting till the pandemic ends and masks are only used by bank robbers.

[sverigecruiser]

 

Compared to what?

 

It's probably safer than going to work but less safe than staying at home.

[ldubs]

8 hours ago, sparks1093 said:

It depends on what you consider safe. I know that all of the cruise lines are following strict protocols. Before we boarded our cruise last month every passenger had to provide proof of vaccination status and a negative test and I believe the only exemptions made for not having a vaccine were kids. As for being on the ship itself I felt as safe there as anywhere. Being in the port was no different than being at home as far as COVID protocols went.

 

Thanks for sharing.  Actual experience is worth a lot.   

[MCC retired]

Where else can you go to be where 95%+ of your contacts are vaccinated?

 

[sparks1093]

22 minutes ago, MCC retired said:

Where else can you go to be where 95%+ of your contacts are vaccinated?

 

And with a recent negative test as well.

[marco]

Actually, on some lines 100%.  We were on HAL and everyone, crew and pax had to be vaccinated and also have a negative Covid test within 48 hrs prior to departure. Probably safer then going to the mall.

[KEN W]

5 hours ago, lenquixote66 said:

Friends of ours left yesterday on the Anthem.Nothing would deter them from cruising.

I am waiting till the pandemic ends and masks are only used by bank robbers.

Same here.....Not wearing a mask every time I go inside except for eating. That would not be enjoyable.

[slidergirl]

The only thing is if you worry that the CDC has all cruise ships, both ocean and river, as level 3.  And several of the Caribbean islands are listed as level 4 - Barbados and Cayman Islands.  Caribbean level 3 are Aruba, Dominican Republic, Granada, St. Kitts & Nevis.  Jamaica is level2...

[Nebr.cruiser]

We just returned from a cruise on Celebrity.  I didn't feel unsafe at all--many protocols in place on the ships and the islands.  We are vaccinated and had the booster.  

 

Our ship was half full and had 3 children--1,3 and 8.  Everyone else was vaccinated and had had a negative Covid test.  Celebrity does not require masks on the ship at all for vaccinated guests.  Crew wore masks at all times.  A very few passengers wore masks--less than 5% I would say.

 

Excursions could be with Celebrity or in some cases taxi tours that were allowed by the islands' governments.  In all ports masks needed to be worn on leaving the ship and in the shopping areas.  They were worn on taxi tours but not required at beaches.  Most islands required us to bring our vaccination records  and they were checked a couple of times.

 

The Captain reported that one person tested positive for Covid.  I assume they were quarantined as we made no extra stops.  They were doing contact tracing.

 

I felt as safe on the cruise as at home; little to no masking here in Nebraska for many months.

 

[cruise kitty]

I've done two with Celebrity, one with HAL since fall... on Celebrity you did not have to wear masks on the ship at all, which was wonderful

 

HAL, masks on indoors except when eating or drinking...  

 

in both cases I felt pretty safe, but honestly felt safer on Celebrity, as the PAX numbers were a fraction of what HAL's were... less than 650 on one and about 825 on the other... I don't know what HA:L's numbers were, but the MDR was packed every night with people having to wait....  On Celebrity, we didn't eat in MDR, but looked at it each night, & it was more or less empty.

 

That said, I wouldn't hesitate to do it again....  if I had major risks I might feel differently.  

[donaldsc]

Safer than your drive to the cruise port or the taxi ride from the airport to the terminal.  No chance of being hit by a drunken driver or a large truck or being shot by random gun violence there.  

 

DON

[navybankerteacher]

4 hours ago, donaldsc said:

...  No chance of being hit by a drunken driver or a large truck or being shot by random gun violence there.  

 

DON

I’ve seen some erratically speeding scooters leaving bars late it the evening.

[Hlitner]

There is not a good answer to the safety question since much depends on your personal risk tolerance.  We are on our third cruise (14, 14, and 20 day) since late July and do not even concern ourselves with the safety issue.  We simply follow the protocols and have a great time.  Funny thing is that when we have been traveling and cruising there is seldom any talk about safety although you do hear some grumbling about the various protocols on the ships and in the ports.  I am starting to think that the folks concerned about safety are home and those of us who have learned to live with COVID have returned to our normal lives.  That scenario is likely to continue for many years.

 

Hank

[lynncarol]

Four of our family were on Odyssey of the Sea out of Ft Lauderdale the first week of November. Total passengers less than 1200 on a ship with capacity for over 4300. Yes, masks required in most places inside the ship (not on deck or solarium or while eating though). We all felt wearing a mask was a small price to pay for no lines anywhere: flowrider, bumper cars, virtual trampoline, sky pad etc. We had a great cruise and disembark ing was the easiest ever!! We had carryon luggage only. Nobody checked anything except to scan our seapass cards when leaving. We were at the airport by 8:30 in the morning and able to change our Southwest flight home to a much earlier one.

[ldubs]

8 hours ago, lynncarol said:

Four of our family were on Odyssey of the Sea out of Ft Lauderdale the first week of November. Total passengers less than 1200 on a ship with capacity for over 4300. Yes, masks required in most places inside the ship (not on deck or solarium or while eating though). We all felt wearing a mask was a small price to pay for no lines anywhere: flowrider, bumper cars, virtual trampoline, sky pad etc. We had a great cruise and disembark ing was the easiest ever!! We had carryon luggage only. Nobody checked anything except to scan our seapass cards when leaving. We were at the airport by 8:30 in the morning and able to change our Southwest flight home to a much earlier one.

 

Sounds nice.  I had to google virtual trampoline.   I've worn the VR goggles before.  Interesting experience to say the least.   

[lynncarol]

12 hours ago, ldubs said:

 

Sounds nice.  I had to google virtual trampoline.   I've worn the VR goggles before.  Interesting experience to say the least.   

My husband and I didn’t try the virtual trampoline but our daughter and grandaughter loved it. You wear a harness, hop on the trampoline with the goggles and start jumping up and down to grab candies, they told us. 

[George C]

We did two cruises this year and definitely felt safe first beginning of July last one two weeks ago. In both cases every adult needed to be vaccinated , very few children. Looking forward to our February cruise.

[sverigecruiser]

23 hours ago, Hlitner said:

 

I am starting to think that the folks concerned about safety are home and those of us who have learned to live with COVID have returned to our normal lives.  That scenario is likely to continue for many years.

 

 

 

As I said before I'm not concerned about safety, because it's more likely that I'm infected at work than on a cruise, but as long as I can't take a "normal" cruise I'm not interested in going on a cruise. A normal cruise for should mean no masks, no tasting, no extra distance to other guests and staff, freedom to go everywhere I want in the ports  and no reduced capacity.

 

For me it's not my normal life if I have to live with COVID, at home or on a cruise. 

[ontheweb]

1 hour ago, sverigecruiser said:

 

As I said before I'm not concerned about safety, because it's more likely that I'm infected at work than on a cruise, but as long as I can't take a "normal" cruise I'm not interested in going on a cruise. A normal cruise for should mean no masks, no tasting, no extra distance to other guests and staff, freedom to go everywhere I want in the ports  and no reduced capacity.

 

For me it's not my normal life if I have to live with COVID, at home or on a cruise. 

I have an internet friend who also does cruises that just loves typos that totally change the meaning. I am sure you do not want a cruise with NO TASTING. The food would be quite boring.

 

I actually wholeheartedly agree with you about NO TESTING.