New Masking Policy Starts 2/12

[CruisinCrow]

30 minutes ago, sakigemcam said:

I'm a little confused. Aren't they requiring vaccinations for all that can be vaccinated, ie except for children? 

 

They are probably making some exceptions (for medical or religious reasons).  I read a review from someone on Royal Caribbean who was unvaccinated and got an exception.

[CruisinCrow]

2 hours ago, DCPIV said:

Casino does make sense in that there's a lot of density and a lot of yelling. That doesn't really distinguish it from many other bars, but there's likely something else. It could be (as mentioned) that contact tracing has taught them a few things. It could be the employees. Well never know. 

 

 

What's weird is that on Royal Caribbean, the casino is one of the places where you don't have to wear a mask.  It's considered a "vaccinated-only" area.  I wonder why Celebrity went the opposite route.

[asnaleah]

3 hours ago, jsblbruce said:

Many will likely avoid the mask requirement by staying put once seated and making good use of the beverage package thereby "actively drinking"!

 

Thinking about this logically, these two locations were likely selected to maintain the mask because in the theatre it's not possible to social distance, and in the casino there is a high degree of touch.  They aren't sanitizing machines between people and they don't want someone coughing on hands and then pressing buttons.

 

We are on Silhouette Feb 14 and have a dozen bottles of hand sanitizer that will be used between slots.  And after touching elevator buttons.  And after touching a handrail.  You get the picture.  Basically we will marinade ourselves in it over 12 days.  This practice is carried forward from previous sailings as I picked up Norovirus onboard an RCCL vessel once and it was hideous...

We were just on Silhouette. There is hand sanitizer available everywhere, including outside of the elevators.

[chamima]

59 minutes ago, CalTexCruiser said:

As was explained to me by a dealer in the casino on Apex, they are quite worried about the dealers catching Covid from unmasked passengers because they are already short staffed and would have to shut down tables (read reduce casino revenue) if dealers have to quarantine.

 

They can't easily sub in a waiter from the buffet or MDR to cover a sick dealer.

 

So if that's true then they are more concerned about the dealers than they are the passengers who might pass it to each other?

[graphicguy]

33 minutes ago, chamima said:

 

So if that's true then they are more concerned about the dealers than they are the passengers who might pass it to each other?

Probably more along the lines of someone sneezing/coughing and then touching the chips.  Still, kind of really splitting hairs to differentiate between the Theater and Casino masked areas, where every place else is unmasked (except for infants).  There are no vaccination exceptions on Celebrity for any sort of reasons other than age of infants.

[CalTexCruiser]

42 minutes ago, chamima said:

 

So if that's true then they are more concerned about the dealers than they are the passengers who might pass it to each other?

 

Spot on.

 

Of course, from a marketing perspective, I'm sure they don't want a repeat of the large spread among passengers that occurred in late December early January--not good for business (i.e. future bookings).

 

 

[cruisestitch]

If too many dealers get sick, they have to actually close the casino. They can’t just use other crew members as substitutes. So they are among the most fragile of the employee

[cruisestitch]

1 hour ago, CruisinCrow said:

 

They are probably making some exceptions (for medical or religious reasons).  I read a review from someone on Royal Caribbean who was unvaccinated and got an exception.

Celebrity is not making exceptions. It’s vaccine or nothing if you are an adult.

[CruisinCrow]

39 minutes ago, cruisestitch said:

Celebrity is not making exceptions. It’s vaccine or nothing if you are an adult.

That's what I thought about Royal Caribbean too.  I was very surprised to read the review of the unvaccinated person.  She (or he) was the only adult, along with 12 unvaccinated children, on the sailing.  

[zitsky]

What sort of religion let’s you get a vaccine waiver?  Jehovah’s Witness?  I would prefer that everyone be vaccinated.

[CruisinCrow]

10 minutes ago, zitsky said:

What sort of religion let’s you get a vaccine waiver?  Jehovah’s Witness?  I would prefer that everyone be vaccinated.

Same here.  I was very surprised that someone had gotten an exception.  The person didn't say what grounds it was based on.  Maybe it was medical. 

 

Here's the link: 

 

Edited February 10, 2022 by CruisinCrow

[SeaHunt]

6 hours ago, TeeRick said:

There is some continued confusion and discussion on these boards on the mask policy due to the CDC's recent update on their "voluntary" guidelines.  Stay tuned.  

 

ITA - going to be interesting! More info in this article:

"Masks still required for 'highly vaccinated' ships

Next comes 'highly vaccinated' ships — those sailing in US waters with 95% of the onboard population fully vaccinated. This category numbers 103 ships currently.

 

For 'highly vaccinated' ships, masks would be required onboard but not distancing, along with a 10-day isolation/quarantine period — again, according to what cruise executives were told in a CDC briefing.

 

Interestingly, Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises — which have had 100% vaccination mandates but no booster requirement — have just informed they'll be doing away with masks March 1 so this wouldn't seem to sync with the new rules. NCLH said in a statement that it's reviewing the CDC guidelines. 

 

https://www.seatrade-cruise.com/environmental-health/cdc-holds-level-4-cruise-warning-new-voluntary-covid-program-has-booster-facet

[Jeremiah1212]

2 hours ago, chamima said:

 

So if that's true then they are more concerned about the dealers than they are the passengers who might pass it to each other?

 

100%.

 

You get COVID, especially this variant, you get off the ship perhaps feeling rough for a few days. The inconvenience of your quarantine, etc. is really not of concern to them. However if COVID spreads through the crew it can shut down the entire operation. That costs lost of money and has terrible optics. 

[Virginia100]

7 hours ago, TeeRick said:

There is some continued confusion and discussion on these boards on the mask policy due to the CDC's recent update on their "voluntary" guidelines.  Stay tuned.  

The CDC policy is now voluntary. The cruise lines have have now decided to loosen things a bit , not entirely like many states and schools are now doing. That is the cruise lines prerogative. That’s pretty much end of case. People are generally tired of the CDC.

[LadySpoilt]

7 minutes ago, Virginia100 said:

 People are generally tired of the CDC.

I agree completely.  In my case I'm not only tired of the CDC but also quite skeptical of most of what they say now 

[Luvcrusn]

10 minutes ago, Virginia100 said:

The CDC policy is now voluntary. The cruise lines have have now decided to loosen things a bit , not entirely like many states and schools are now doing. That is the cruise lines prerogative. That’s pretty much end of case. People are generally tired of the CDC.

Speaking only for myself, I'm tired of this awful virus and grateful for the CDC and their expertise is dealing with it. They have a tough job dealing with researching and learning as they go to try to keep people safe while the virus continues to mutate and spread.

Edited February 10, 2022 by Luvcrusn

[chamima]

26 minutes ago, Jeremiah1212 said:

 

100%.

 

You get COVID, especially this variant, you get off the ship perhaps feeling rough for a few days. The inconvenience of your quarantine, etc. is really not of concern to them. However if COVID spreads through the crew it can shut down the entire operation. That costs lost of money and has terrible optics. 

 

There are still 2500 people every day dying of this disease in the US . Not just "feeling rough for a few days" for everyone.

[Virginia100]

3 minutes ago, chamima said:

 

There are still 2500 people every day dying of this disease in the US . Not just "feeling rough for a few days" for everyone.

Ah yes, but even per all the health experts 99% of that is the unvaccinated. Then that is their choice to take the risk snd the consequences. Do not force policies on me, triple vaccinated, because of the ignorant.

[phoenix_dream]

4 hours ago, CalTexCruiser said:

As was explained to me by a dealer in the casino on Apex, they are quite worried about the dealers catching Covid from unmasked passengers because they are already short staffed and would have to shut down tables (read reduce casino revenue) if dealers have to quarantine.

 

They can't easily sub in a waiter from the buffet or MDR to cover a sick dealer.

On my recent B2B on Connie, the casino was closed one day due to lack of staff, and it was opened later on a couple of days for the same reason.  

[CalTexCruiser]

What I've learned from the "science" around this virus over the last 2 years:

 

1) a person ceases to transmit the virus when eating or drinking; however, the minute this person stops eating or drinking, virus transmission begins again and must mask up.

 

2) a person ceases to transmit the virus when smoking at a casino table.  However, the person starts transmitting again after the smoke clears his/her lungs and so must mask up.

 

3) a politician ceases to transmit the virus when doing a photo op, but all those around said politician must stay masked up because they do not have the virus cessation capabilities of the politician.

 

4) covid restrictions have kept the daily case count in the US to a manageable 1.5 million per day at the peak.  don't forget to send thank you notes to your local covid restriction bureaucrats. 

 

There must have been other lessons learned but these have stayed with me.

 

 

Edited February 11, 2022 by CalTexCruiser

[Rayhorn]

1 hour ago, zitsky said:

What sort of religion let’s you get a vaccine waiver?  Jehovah’s Witness?  I would prefer that everyone be vaccinated.

I know this is off topic but I’m one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. We’ve been strongly encouraged to be vaccinated and boosted. More than 99% are vaccinated, and the small fraction who aren’t typically have a legitimate medical contraindication like allergy to an ingredient in the vaccine or on high dose corticosteroids or immunosuppressants for another condition. As a JW, I don’t know of any JW’s requesting a religious exemption for getting vaccinated. I don’t even know what their biblical or religious argument would be. Sorry for off topic comment…just thought I’d provide my first hand experience regarding this. 😁

 

FWIW, I totally agree with you. The fact that X only allows vaccinated adults and has a policy of not making exceptions is one of the reasons I feel more comfortable cruising with them. 

Edited February 11, 2022 by Rayhorn

[Auntiemomo]

33 minutes ago, CalTexCruiser said:

What I've learned from the "science" around this virus over the last 2 years:

 

1) a person ceases to transmit the virus when eating or drinking; however, the minute this person stops eating or drinking, virus transmission begins again and must mask up.

 

2) a person ceases to transmit the virus when smoking at a casino table.  However, the person starts transmitting again after the smoke clears his/her lungs and so must mask up.

 

3) a politician ceases to transmit the virus when doing a photo op, but all those around said politician must stay masked up because they do not have the virus cessation capabilities of the politician.

 

4) covid restrictions have kept the daily case count in the US to a manageable 1.5 million per day at the peak.  don't forget to send thank you notes to your local covid restriction bureaucrats. 

 

There must have been other lessons learned but these have stayed with me.

 

 

When you walk into a restaurant, you must wear your mask so covid won't attack you.  Once you reach your table, you are immune to covid, so you may remove your mask.  If you have to use the restroom, you must put on your mask to walk around those sitting at the tables who are already immune, and then head to the restroom.  Science is a wonderful thing.  😉

[canderson]

8 hours ago, RichYak said:

I can only think of 2 reasons why they would carve out the theater and casino:

1. They've kept track of contract tracing data and these are the 2 locations generating the most positives
2. It's just for show

Hopefully it's the former.

I'd sooner suspect the martini bar for a contact teacing bonanza.  People closer there for longer duration than a stage show, and doing a lot more vigorous 'exhaling' 😄

[canderson]

1 hour ago, chamima said:

 

There are still 2500 people every day dying of this disease in the US . Not just "feeling rough for a few days" for everyone.

And most of them would not have been allowed to board a Celebrity ship, or were already in bad enough shape before catching it that cruising would be 'contraindicated'