12 Feb 2022. Updated mask policy

[WonderMan3]

1 hour ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

 

And there's already nearly zero enforcement at the casino unless you're at a table

Must depend on the ship. Someone just posted in the past few days about strict mask enforcement in the casino. Can't remember which one though. Maybe Constellation or Reflection?

[WonderMan3]

1 hour ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

Great news, I wonder why at Theatre?

 

Seriously?

[davekathy]

7 minutes ago, WonderMan3 said:

Must depend on the ship. Someone just posted in the past few days about strict mask enforcement in the casino. Can't remember which one though. Maybe Constellation or Reflection?

Consistently inconsistent from ship to ship, or even staff. 

[NutsAboutGolf]

3 minutes ago, WonderMan3 said:

Must depend on the ship. Someone just posted in the past few days about strict mask enforcement in the casino. Can't remember which one though. Maybe Constellation or Reflection?

Absolutely no doubt they'll be hard on you at the tables and at the cashier.  If you're just walking around or using a slot machine, odds are the only crew you'll encounter will be the drink staff and they'll most likely not say a word.  If X truly wants enforcement you'd have the security reporting violations to staff on the floor.

 

 

1 minute ago, WonderMan3 said:

 

Seriously?

 

Just had the epiphany that I'm still in the mindset they're sailing at around half capacity

[WonderMan3]

1 minute ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

Absolutely no doubt they'll be hard on you at the tables and at the cashier.  If you're just walking around or using a slot machine, odds are the only crew you'll encounter will be the drink staff and they'll most likely not say a word.  If X truly wants enforcement you'd have the security reporting violations to staff on the floor.

 

 

 

Just had the epiphany that I'm still in the mindset they're sailing at around half capacity

 

Yeah, that's true, they still are. But for how much longer?

 

As for the casino, the comment I saw I believe was referring to someone drinking at a slot and how staff were coming around and telling people to pull masks up right after they had a sip.

[johng75370]

We’re departing on Feb 12, and this does not change our plans to wear masks onboard as best we can.  Happy for those that found the previous policy too restrictive, but what works for us in feeling safe onboard right now is adhering to a more cautious approach.

Edited February 10, 2022 by johng75370

[vickykay]

Just off Apex this past Sat.  I’d say compliance was at least 95%.  The least compliance was actually in the theater.  We did not find it difficult to wear masks ( but that’s just us) and felt very safe.  Actually no Covid cases on our sailing. Omicron is decreasing but still rampant.  I Hope cruise lines aren’t jumping the gun.  It would be sad to see cases on ships rise again.  

[blueboro]

Not sure why the theatre still requires them either.  On our September cruise, there were so few people most nights you could have dropped a grenade and the shrapnel would not have hit anyone as distancing was in full force. 

[TeeRick]

IMO a good policy change reflecting what is happening in many states and countries now as Omicron rapidly recedes. Great news actually!  But of course anybody can wear whatever mask they want and wherever they want to wear it.  Just like before they made the change to indoor masking a couple of months ago.  People do what is comfortable for their own risk tolerance.  The indoor masking was kind of ineffective anyway since you did not have to wear a mask in areas of the ship most in risk of infection (eating and drinking, MDR, restaurants, indoor bars).  

[phoenix_dream]

11 hours ago, WonderMan3 said:

Must depend on the ship. Someone just posted in the past few days about strict mask enforcement in the casino. Can't remember which one though. Maybe Constellation or Reflection?

Definitely not on our recent 21 days on Connie.  I saw a number of people drop their masks as soon as they sat down at a machine - drink or no drink.   Also saw many people dancing without masks.  Never saw any staff member saying anything to them.

[phoenix_dream]

2 hours ago, vickykay said:

Just off Apex this past Sat.  I’d say compliance was at least 95%.  The least compliance was actually in the theater.  We did not find it difficult to wear masks ( but that’s just us) and felt very safe.  Actually no Covid cases on our sailing. Omicron is decreasing but still rampant.  I Hope cruise lines aren’t jumping the gun.  It would be sad to see cases on ships rise again.  

You literally had zero cases on your sailing?  Did the Captain announce that?  I just find that very, very hard to believe as our sailing just one week before yours (not Apex) had over 4%.  If it is true, then that's very encouraging!

 

[phoenix_dream]

13 hours ago, WeBcruisingMN said:

Hallelujah, that is great news for upcoming cruisers 👍🏻 …though we just missed it (cruised B2B Silhouette January 14-February 4).
 

Just last Wednesday, my husband and I were being confronted for being unmasked on the Grand Foyer dance floor, after we jumped up from our seats/drinks to have a dance. There were exactly 3 couples total on the dance floor, all spread out. Guest Relations rushed up to us with a box of masks and said we must wear one. My husband tried to point out the inconsistency (multitudes of people just one deck above at Martini Bar unmasked), but they insisted.
 

On Thursday night last week, there was a mask patrol employee working her way through the Theatre to enforce masks, even DURING the Production Euphoria performance (which we thought was rude). As many of you know, the new typical theatre attendance was 10-15% and we were all spread out. The ‘patrol’ told us that as soon as we finished our drinks we MUST put our masks back on. My husband and I were ‘good maskers’ 95% of the time, but these extra enforcements seemed over the top! 

 

Anyway, just so happy that these type of inconsistencies and confrontations are now over, and of course if anyone is still concerned or scared- they are welcome to continue wearing their mask.

 

[stepping down off soapbox, lol] 😀

If you can get on a soapbox, I guess I can too.  The rules are the rules and I for one am glad they were going around enforcing them!  If they left it to everyone to decide when they could avoid the rules and when they could not I suspect it would result in many masks not worn and a very high infection rate while Omicron was still surging.  On our recent Connie cruise people were very compliant (with a few exceptions) and we still had a 4%+ infection rate.  It was a 10 day cruise and the poor folks who were positive early on were stuck in a cabin for over a week.  That's what the masks were meant to prevent!  Maybe if you were one of those unfortunate people you might have a different opinion about adhering to the policy.

[basenji56]

More and more people have recovered from Omicron. In addition to being double vaccinated and often boosted.

 

I wish they would use the system that Royal did for the theatre in the past--masks in the upper level, no masks in the lower level.

 

[PAGA]

14 hours ago, WeBcruisingMN said:

Hallelujah, that is great news for upcoming cruisers 👍🏻 …though we just missed it (cruised B2B Silhouette January 14-February 4).
 

Just last Wednesday, my husband and I were being confronted for being unmasked on the Grand Foyer dance floor, after we jumped up from our seats/drinks to have a dance. There were exactly 3 couples total on the dance floor, all spread out. Guest Relations rushed up to us with a box of masks and said we must wear one. My husband tried to point out the inconsistency (multitudes of people just one deck above at Martini Bar unmasked), but they insisted.
 

On Thursday night last week, there was a mask patrol employee working her way through the Theatre to enforce masks, even DURING the Production Euphoria performance (which we thought was rude). As many of you know, the new typical theatre attendance was 10-15% and we were all spread out. The ‘patrol’ told us that as soon as we finished our drinks we MUST put our masks back on. My husband and I were ‘good maskers’ 95% of the time, but these extra enforcements seemed over the top! 

 

Anyway, just so happy that these type of inconsistencies and confrontations are now over, and of course if anyone is still concerned or scared- they are welcome to continue wearing their mask.

 

[stepping down off soapbox, lol] 😀

No dance floor or theater mask enforcement on Apex this week (2/5 sailing). Entertainment staff masked and dancing with full dance floor of maskless passengers during ABBA sing-along in The Club. I was informed on another thread that 2/5 marked a change in Cruise Director on Apex…not sure if mask leniency has to do with that or if ships were given advance notice of the 2/12 policy change and are kind of feeling things out this week. I’ve heard no covid announcements this week, but definitely am hearing and seeing an increasing number of symptomatic passengers as of yesterday (day 5). 

[vickykay]

Can’t guarantee that there were no cases on the Apex last week but I:did ask the cruise director the last day of the cruise and she said she had not heard of any and that the captain always lets them know.  Also

there  were no announcements by the captain and again she said the captain was very transparent about cases.  Of course there might have been some by the following day when we disembarked.