Mask Requirements Extended to April 14?

[Mapleleafforever]

As long as there are people who are willing to put up with a mask requirement there will be a mask requirement. 

 

It and the testing and vaccine policy can't last forever though. 

[bucfan2]

3 hours ago, HappyInVan said:

MO, the problem will be the Caribbean ports where less than half of the population are vax. Even Panama has a lower rate of vax than the States.

 

We are vaxxed.  We worry about us, not living life for others.

[nelblu]

10 hours ago, wolfcathorse said:

I've sailed a few times since last November and wearing a mask is no big deal. Don't wear it when I'm on the pool deck, only really wear it when I'm walking from our cabin to the show or dinner. It's a lot easier than wearing my mask from airport to ship cabin!

👍I've sailed on 3 cruises since they began sailing and enjoyed each one, masks or no masks.

[bucfan2]

39 minutes ago, Mapleleafforever said:

As long as there are people who are willing to put up with a mask requirement there will be a mask requirement. 

 

It and the testing and vaccine policy can't last forever though. 

Indeed.  Grateful for the 30% onboard that are slightly extending the race (bankruptcy vs. protocol relaxation).  'Too big to fail' is not the answer.

Edited February 4, 2022 by bucfan2

[xxHadleyxx]

9 minutes ago, bucfan2 said:

We are vaxxed.  We worry about us, not living life for others.

And the places the ships visit, where they've been unable to vaccinate everyone have every right to worry about their health and safety and not about your vacation enjoyment

[xxHadleyxx]

25 minutes ago, bucfan2 said:

We are vaxxed.  We worry about us, not living life for others.

Accidentally double posted

Edited February 4, 2022 by xxHadleyxx

[bucfan2]

13 minutes ago, xxHadleyxx said:

And the places the ships visit, where they've been unable to vaccinate everyone have every right to worry about their health and safety and not about your vacation enjoyment

When the cruise lines choose to skip those ports, I don't worry about their scheduling either....again, that would be their job, not mine.  Same with the ports that don't want ships...their choice, not mine.

Edited February 4, 2022 by bucfan2

[xxHadleyxx]

26 minutes ago, bucfan2 said:

Indeed.  Grateful for the 30% onboard that are slightly extending the race (bankruptcy vs. protocol relaxation).  'Too big to fail' is not the answer.

I think it's a hard balancing act for the lines.  For every passenger choosing not to sail if masks are required, there's probably someone who'd choose not to sail if basic safety protocols aren't in place....and of course if there are large outbreaks onboard that impacts the ability to staff sailings in the short term and bookings in the long-term.

 

While vaccines and masks remain mandatory to sail I'm happy to be onboard as often as I can.  Took two sailings last year here in Europe and have a TA and three more from Europe planned this year.   I haven't seen the CDC report referenced up thread, is hat I'm seeing in Germany says masks ARE helpful at reducing spread.  So, unless it is 100 percent vaxxed cruise (no kids, no exemptions ) with boosters for those over 6 months out or initial vaccine, or numbers drop substantially (as they might I'm spring) I'm not going to be comfortable sailing in a mask free environment.  

[not-enough-cruising]

2 hours ago, Billy Baltic said:

It will be very interesting to see how RC handle the summer season in Europe. Much of Europe has started easing restrictions already. In Ireland we are more ‘open’ than we have been since March 2020. Masks are currently to be worn in retail settings but that is being reviewed at the end of February. The current expectation / hope is that this Summer will be very normal.
If RC don’t adopt local norms when they bring Wonder to Europe, in my opinion, there will be a lot of Europeans cancelling in favour of a land based vacation. 

 

 

They have not adopted "local norms" in the US and are still filling ships to desired capacity.

Edited February 4, 2022 by not-enough-cruising

[Billy Baltic]

1 hour ago, xxHadleyxx said:

Well "local norms" in many parts of Europe are much more stringent than the USA.   Germany has had mask mandates at indoor public areas almost throughout Covid.  It became surgical or FFP2/N95 masks only several months ago and in many areas (including my state) it's FFP2/N95 masks required.   It's pretty much second nature to wear them by now.

 

In Italy this past fall many places (grocery stores, hotels, etc) had scanners out front.  It took your temperature and verified both nose and mouth were covered before the door would open.  Masks and proof if vaccinated were required mist everywhere, even to go into the cathedral in Florence.

The situation is evolving rapidly. Omicron has not been driving hospital admissions and deaths as previous waves did. Only a few weeks ago much of Europe was in tight controls. That’s started to lift. In another few months I’m hopeful that a normal holiday is possible. 

[Pandamonia]

4 minutes ago, not-enough-cruising said:

They have not adopted "local norms" in the US and are still filling ships to desired capacity.

 

Lol. RCCL is losing money on every cruise and as a business burning through cash. Ships are not filled to 'desired capacity' they are filled to the very limited capacity set out by the CDC. 

 

The UK has abandoned masks and will soon abandon isolation too. 

 

Some people put up with things short term but this isnt short term any more and people are sick to death of being told what they should and shouldnt do. 

 

Masks are dreadful. 

[Billy Baltic]

7 minutes ago, not-enough-cruising said:

They have not adopted "local norms" in the US and are still filling ships to desired capacity.

And you could be right about Europe too. I don’t think the same cruise culture is embedded in Europe. 

[2chiefs]

11 hours ago, Travelling2Some said:

Was hoping to actually take our May 1st cruise but we will keep cancelling as long as masks are a thing.

Agreed. We won't sail until masks & "social distancing" goes away. Many European countries are now dropping mandates. Why is it taking so long here?

[2chiefs]

5 minutes ago, Pandamonia said:

 

Lol. RCCL is losing money on every cruise and as a business burning through cash. Ships are not filled to 'desired capacity' they are filled to the very limited capacity set out by the CDC. 

 

The UK has abandoned masks and will soon abandon isolation too. 

 

Some people put up with things short term but this isnt short term any more and people are sick to death of being told what they should and shouldnt do. 

 

Masks are dreadful. 

I don't wear a mask now and refuse to (except as required for medical visits). We live in Georgia with no mandates. I recently went to the Chicago area and Cook County is still on major lockdown. I went to a restaurant, and they wanted to see my shot card and a photo ID to get in. Then they want you to wear a mask in the restaurant except at the table while eating. Evidently covid doesn't spread while eating but is deadly when transiting to and from the exit and bathrooms.

[bucfan2]

26 minutes ago, not-enough-cruising said:

They have not adopted "local norms" in the US and are still filling ships to desired capacity.

Ships may be being filled to 'your desired capacity'....let's hope and pray the bean counters don't agree with you.

Edited February 4, 2022 by bucfan2

[not-enough-cruising]

13 minutes ago, Pandamonia said:

 

Lol. RCCL is losing money on every cruise and as a business burning through cash. Ships are not filled to 'desired capacity' they are filled to the very limited capacity set out by the CDC. 

 

The UK has abandoned masks and will soon abandon isolation too. 

 

Some people put up with things short term but this isnt short term any more and people are sick to death of being told what they should and shouldnt do. 

 

Masks are dreadful. 

Yes "desired capacity" was not a good choice on my part, fact remains however, to my original point; Royal has not adjusted to local norms in the USA.  Is that sustainable? The Q3 earnings  call appeared to believe so in the short term, the Q4 2021 earnings call is today, it will provide more data points to consider.

[orville99]

We wear masks to protect us. Y'all can do whatever you want.

[Pandamonia]

23 minutes ago, 2chiefs said:

I don't wear a mask now and refuse to (except as required for medical visits). We live in Georgia with no mandates. I recently went to the Chicago area and Cook County is still on major lockdown. I went to a restaurant, and they wanted to see my shot card and a photo ID to get in. Then they want you to wear a mask in the restaurant except at the table while eating. Evidently covid doesn't spread while eating but is deadly when transiting to and from the exit and bathrooms.

 

Yes its ridiculous..

 

On the ship covid doesnt spread either for photos. Turns out when Royal wants to make money (photos, selling booze and chops grill) covid takes a break so you can take your mask of long enough to give RCCL some money!

 

On a serious note, i was exposed for 4 hours total and 90 mins in the car with someone who tested positive that same night after they started aching and coughing. Both me and my partner are not positive or sick and we are 36 hours later so far. 2 vax and no booster over 5 months ago. If i dont get sick after that then im never going to get it. 

 

Sadly the cruise industry is in for lots of pain because some countries are run by crazy people and those crazy people will cause the cruise to set the rules for the whole voyage. 

 

 

[Pandamonia]

9 minutes ago, orville99 said:

We wear masks to protect us. Y'all can do whatever you want.

That must make eating and drinking and swimming in the pool rather difficult? 

[BSocial]

21 minutes ago, Pandamonia said:

…, i was exposed for 4 hours total and 90 mins in the car with someone who tested positive that same night after they started aching and coughing. Both me and my partner are not positive or sick and we are 36 hours later so far. 2 vax and no booster over 5 months ago. If i dont get sick after that then im never going to get it. 

 

Currently going through it.  Don’t think 36 hours is enough to suggest  you won’t get it.   DD was exposed like you - took her 5 days for symptoms, and didn’t test positive until day 7.   I didn’t have symptoms from her exposure for 7 days, and tested positive day 8.  And we live in same house. 

Edited February 4, 2022 by BSocial

[Joseph2017China]

13 hours ago, Lorey2007 said:

What does US Ports only mean? Confusing. 

Under Biden's executive order, all transportation, you must have a mask on.  

[BeginnercruiserHD]

6 hours ago, molly361 said:

I'd like to see the testing requirment dropped.  

That's not going to happen for years.

[binro01]

Once again, a wonderful thread full of speculation but lacking in substance.

 

The cruise lines are reactionary in this decision. They can ill afford, after a long period of suspended operations, a proactive step in the reduction of health protocols that could backfire on them and cause a catastrophic outcome to their business.

 

Because of this reactionary nature with regards to health protocols we can expect masking, testing, health protocols to continue until:

1. Enough people are so put off by it that the lack of passengers booking a cruise vacation make it not profitable to sail.
2. The governments of the world decide to stop with the entry requirements (vaccination/testing) because the hospitalizations dropped to a point and or vaccination numbers / natural immunity numbers are at a certain level, where they deem it "safe" to not mandate those requirements.

The TLDR; If you want protocols to change, DON'T book a cruise. It's the only influence you have. Especially if it is with new money and not FCC. If you have to book a cruise with FCC, because it will be expiring soon, see if you can get a refund because you are not happy with current protocols.

 

It's their pocketbook in combination with mandates the port governments that place on them that will decide the health protocols. That's it. Nothing else. If enough people sail that are willing to put up with a mask, do not expect that to go away any time soon.

If enough people sail with a vaccination requirement or a testing requirement and there are port governments that require vaccination, testing, or a very low infection rate to allow entry, do not expect that to go away any time soon.

[icsys]

35 minutes ago, binro01 said:

It's their pocketbook in combination with mandates the port governments that place on them that will decide the health protocols. That's it. Nothing else. If enough people sail that are willing to put up with a mask, do not expect that to go away any time soon.

Unfortunately... you're probably correct in your assumptions 😟

[Billy Baltic]

1 hour ago, BeginnercruiserHD said:

That's not going to happen for years.

Why? Flights resumed within the EU last year based on vaccination only.