Experiences wearing masks on board

[billslowsky]

1 hour ago, coffeebean said:

OK....I'll revise what I said.

 

The Omicron variant is more transmissible but is not nearly as deadly as previous variants and does cause nearly as many hospitalizations.

 

EDIT:  I just realized I quoted the wrong post. I didn't mean to reply to this post. I meant to reply to the poster who said I posted "rubbish" regarding the Omicron variant. Sorry about that.

 

This is what you said, and it's rubbish:

"The Omicron variant, from what has been reported in all news outlets is that it is extremely transmissible but does not produce illness and people are not being hospitalized."

 

People are not being hospitalized?  FALSE

Does not produce illness?  FALSE

What has been reported in all news outlets?  FALSE

[mpk218]

22 minutes ago, billslowsky said:

 

This is what you said, and it's rubbish:

"The Omicron variant, from what has been reported in all news outlets is that it is extremely transmissible but does not produce illness and people are not being hospitalized."

 

People are not being hospitalized?  FALSE

Does not produce illness?  FALSE

What has been reported in all news outlets?  FALSE

WRONG !!!   Follow the Science 😘

[bkrickles1]

1 hour ago, billslowsky said:

 

This is what you said, and it's rubbish:

"The Omicron variant, from what has been reported in all news outlets is that it is extremely transmissible but does not produce illness and people are not being hospitalized."

 

People are not being hospitalized?  FALSE

Does not produce illness?  FALSE

What has been reported in all news outlets?  FALSE

Thanks 

[MountainMermaid]

Just got off the Escape today. I would say most people complied with the mask requirements, but the rules and enforcement were somewhat loose. Yes, if you were sitting at a bar or sat down at a table somewhere the common practice was to take off your mask and leave it off until you got up again. I only once or twice heard someone be asked to put their mask on and it was walking in the hallways… but I really didn’t see many people not wearing a mask while moving around indoors.  In the theater or atrium during activities it was about 50/50.  During a show like Howl at the Moon most people were not wearing masks.  Again, no one was policing it.  I think most people complied while moving around the ship, but most then took their masks off as soon as they were settled somewhere. 

[BermudaBound2014]

14 hours ago, kruisinagain said:

On Bliss right now and enjoying being maskless most of the time (even though  signage everywhere that it is “required “) No one is wearing them in the clubs, maybe 50% in the theater. Probably 80% in the buffet. No one has asked us to put our masks on. Unfortunately Jersey Boys show was canceled due to one of the cast catching Covid. Other than that, having a blast!

 

Wow! I suspect this post will give some people severe anxiety  😉

 

Thank you for posting live about how the new mask wearing protocol is actually happening on the ship. Glad you are having a wonderful cruise, sorry about Jersey Boys. 

Edited December 24, 2021 by BermudaBound2014

[oteixeira]

7 hours ago, MountainMermaid said:

Just got off the Escape today. I would say most people complied with the mask requirements, but the rules and enforcement were somewhat loose. Yes, if you were sitting at a bar or sat down at a table somewhere the common practice was to take off your mask and leave it off until you got up again. I only once or twice heard someone be asked to put their mask on and it was walking in the hallways… but I really didn’t see many people not wearing a mask while moving around indoors.  In the theater or atrium during activities it was about 50/50.  During a show like Howl at the Moon most people were not wearing masks.  Again, no one was policing it.  I think most people complied while moving around the ship, but most then took their masks off as soon as they were settled somewhere. 

We were on the same sailing and I agree with you.  I think it will all come down to how they enforce it.  They were not on top of people about it, so I would think a less compliant crowd may have been much more unmasked, but it seemed like on our trip most people rolled with it.

I can say that the later it got each day, the more I noticed people without masks at all and no one was really asking them to go get one, or giving them one.  This was around 11PM in the casino area.

[seemoreroyals]

25 minutes ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

 

Wow! I suspect this post will give some people severe anxiety  😉

 

Thank you for posting live about how the new mask wearing protocol is actually happening on the ship. Glad you are having a wonderful cruise, sorry about Jersey Boys. 

Now is not a good time to cruise for the faint of heart.  The risk reward is that you will be rewarded with a less crowded ship. a smokeless casino in many cases, a cleaner than normal ship, and other benefits along these lines.  

 

If  one does decide to cruise, make sure you are responsible for you and don't depend on NCL to bend the rules for you.  If possible self isolate as many days as possible before cruise.  Read terms and conditions thoroughly and associated instructions so you know what to expect and be prepared to comply.  Part of that is wearing a mask.  And since you are going to make a significant investment go ahead and splurge and get high quality N95 masks.  

 

We are still in a pandemic.  The current 10 day average is over 1700 deaths from Covid every day.  Countless others are still being hospitalized.  Having said all that I felt safer the entire time on our Dec 5-12 Breakaway cruise than I did when we went to our the grocery store in the small East Texas town where we lived yesterday.  I would say of the over 100 people there, only about one in five were wearing a mask.  A large percentage were older people who have the greatest chance to get sick with Covid.  

 

And if you do decide to cruise, have a great time.  

[coffeebean]

17 hours ago, billslowsky said:

 

This is what you said, and it's rubbish:

"The Omicron variant, from what has been reported in all news outlets is that it is extremely transmissible but does not produce illness and people are not being hospitalized."

 

People are not being hospitalized?  FALSE

Does not produce illness?  FALSE

What has been reported in all news outlets?  FALSE

I revised what posted about Omicron. Did you not see that post?

[billslowsky]

4 hours ago, coffeebean said:

I revised what posted about Omicron. Did you not see that post?

 

 

Why did you do that?

[Captain_Morgan]

Currently onboard Getaway and the majority of people are wearing masks indoors; however the notion of social distancing is a laugh.  10 people jammed in a hot tub, crowds throughout the buffet of masked and non masked, crowded bars of maskless people, etc. 

yes we were all tested prior to embarking but the antigen tests are not the most accurate and as we all know by now the test is just a snap shot in time and not a guarantee to be accurate.  Add to the fact the majority of people seem to have gone ashore today in Cozumel so fingers crossed they’re not spreading or receiving some unwanted Christmas COVID…

[ECCruise]

Just got off 28 days on Getaway.  For the first 11 day sailing and for the first 9 days of the 17 day sailing, masks were required when not seated and eating and drinking.  Most people complied, but as usual, there were the "rules are for other people" scoffers. 

 

For the last 9 days or so, once we left the EU, they removed the mask mandate (but still '"highly recommended" them) and a large percentage of people couldn't wait to peel them off.  We continued as we had for the previous 21 days, wearing them when not seated and eating or drinking.  Fortunately, we were in a 9 day bubble because of itinerary changes (Punta Delgada axed due to weather and Bermuda axed due to restrictions) so everyone tested negative 2 days before disembarkation (there was nowhere to contract it). 

 

They also removed the social distancing requirements, for absolutely no reason.  The ship was sailing at about 60% and the first part of the sailing there were no overcrowding issues (except in Sid Norman's which continued after the restrictions were lifted).  That venue is just way too small.  Can't even conceive of it at full capacity. 

 

Masks are no big deal to us, at all, and just don't understand the big deal some make of them.  Heard lots of "why are you wearing that mask?  They aren't required" and similar comments.  Just don't get why some are so deeply concerned about what I do with my health concerns.

Edited December 25, 2021 by ECCruise

[Analog187]

Someone had the same question I had but no one answered it.  What about the thermal suite?   Are they requiring masks, is it open, etc?   I don't see how you go into a sauna with a mask buy maybe I'm missing so.if.This is going to be my first cruise since Feb of 2020 in 10 days (Escape)

[debenson0723]

11 hours ago, Analog187 said:

Someone had the same question I had but no one answered it.  What about the thermal suite?   Are they requiring masks, is it open, etc?   I don't see how you go into a sauna with a mask buy maybe I'm missing so.if.This is going to be my first cruise since Feb of 2020 in 10 days (Escape)

From multiple reports on this board, the Thermal Spa is open and does not require masks.  Only the crew and those doing a tour of the Spa are required to wear them. This is as of today and as with anything in regards to cruising during a pandemic, the situation is fluid. 

[familytradition]

We just got off the Breakaway today in NOLA. Masks were required.
 

Entering the buffet, we washed our hands at the sinks (no washie washie spray), and a box of masks were available for anyone who forgot theirs. 

 

We stayed in the Haven. We sat in the courtyard without masks. However, we had to put our mask on when the butler entered the room. 
 

Quite a few people did not wear their masks while sitting in the atrium. Some hosts wore masks and others did not. When audience members participated, the microphone was wiped between guests.  

I asked and did not wear a mask during a massage. 
 

As soon as people were seated in restaurants, masks were removed. All staff wore well fitting masks. 
 

Masks were off on the pool deck unless people were walking through. In that case, it could go either way. 
 

~99% of the people I saw wore masks in the elevator. Some people didn’t cover their nose. Others lowered their masks while talking. Nobody really policed it. 
 

 

 

[dawgdawg]

On 12/22/2021 at 2:31 PM, bkrickles1 said:

If I'm sitting in the theater with a drink, can I take off my mask? 

If I'm sitting in the social watching a comic with a drink, can I take off my mask? 

If I'm sitting in the Cavern Club jamming to the Beatles with a drink, can I take off my mask? 

Just thinking of different scenarios. 

Just off of the Breakaway today - to answer your questions:

yes, yes, yes.  I was asked to take my hat off of more than I was asked to put my mask on.

[alpal1993]

No body likes to wear a mask .I keep mine available and will pull it up especially if I am near people who are not. At this point I care about protecting myself and my DH

 

[UKstages]

On 12/19/2021 at 10:51 PM, Olyrachel said:

I disembarked from Breakaway today, and my husband and I were some of the few people who wore masks fairly consistently. We always wore them while getting food from the buffet and on the elevators/other crowded areas (which were rare at less than 50% capacity), but most didn’t bother. We were told that masks were encouraged but optional when we boarded, since everyone had a negative test before boarding and had to be vaccinated to travel. All employees were masked at all times. Almost everyone had a mask with them just in case, and masks were required at all ports.

 

i was on the same sailing; i wore a mask nearly everywhere, except on the jogging track on deck 16. i would say 10 or 15% of passengers wore masks. this was the sailing just before the mask mandate was implemented.

 

many of the folks that i saw who were wearing masks had improperly fitting masks or weren't wearing them properly (that includes a small number of crew members). 

 

with regard to masks being required in all ports, yes, that's true, but it is also laughable... as most of the folks that i saw wore their mask only while getting off the ship and then immediately took it off. i found that incredibly disrespectful for guests in a foreign country and contrary to local laws. but i never saw anyone reprimanded or asked to put one on by local authorities or shopkeepers or anybody.

 

except once.

 

while in cozumel, i wandered off and found myself at a warehouse club-type store (like a costco) and - at the entrance - a couple of cruise ship passengers were grumbling about being asked to put a mask on. the retort i remember was what one of them said while putting on his complimentary mask... "still playing games i see."

 

and that sort of attitude among some of the cruising public does not bode well for mask compliance. you also see a lot of people wearing masks improperly, using them as chin straps and lowering their mask to speak, because they believe people can't hear them when they speak behind a thin piece of fabric.

 

so, the good news for some is that masks are now required on board. the good news for others is that nobody seems really to be paying much attention to whether you wear it or not or how you wear it. and that is bad news for that first group who thinks it's good news that masks are required.

 

for the record, i was tested a few days after returning and tested negative. i did however develop a fungal ear infection, which may or may not have come from spending time in the hot tub, but likely did.  

 

i was told the ship had 1700 passengers on that sailing. (capacity is just under 4000.)

[raitch]

Currently onboard the Gem.  Masks everywhere.  Most guests seem compliant.  Lots of people with their noses sticking out but we just make a wide berth around them and don’t get on elevators with them.  Masks required in Haven courtyard unless the roof is open.  
 

I haven’t seen anyone be reminded by staff but there are lots of people walking around with a drink in their hand, not actively drinking, and no mask in sight.  Again, we steer clear of them.

 

Ship is pretty empty- someone said 60% but feels like maybe less.  Then again maybe that’s because we are avoiding the high traffic areas.  Whatever!  We are used to masks since they’re still mandatory where we live and they haven’t caused any problems for us. Still having fun!

[CiaraMissed]

Was on the Epic last week. Mask wearing at about 80% in public areas. Elevator mask usage was lower, maybe 50%. Howl at the Moon was probably the lowest, many people seated close to performers without masks for hours on end, all without masks. On the last night of the cruise, the four onboard COVID tester crew (for those flying to international destinations) were not wearing their masks for the entirety of the show.

 

The last-day "cruise raffle" bingo session absolutely packed in Headliners, and many were drinking, so it was at capacity shoulder-to-shoulder with nearly zero masks.

 

Like with everything else, you just have to assess risk and determine if you want to participate in an activity based on what you see and your perceived comfort level. I definitely skipped some activities if I thought they were too crowded.

 

There was not a single time I saw a crew member ask someone to put on their mask during the entire voyage. At best, they only enforced the hand sanitizer rules pre-dining.