Masks Not Required in Most Areas Beginning March 1

[JT1962]

Carnival Cruise Line confirmed that it will participate in the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated program for cruise ships operating in U.S. waters, and is advising guests of the following changes: 

 

• Effective with cruises departing Mar. 1, masks on board will be recommended but not required. There may, however, be certain venues and events where masks will be required. 

• Carnival will continue to meet the standard of vaccinated cruises, but children under five years old will not be included in any vaccinated guest calculation, and thus will not be required to receive an exemption to sail. 

• Effective with cruises departing Mar. 1, some additional flexibility in pre-cruise testing requirements will become available. Please visit the Carnival Have Fun. Be Safe. web page for more information.

 

https://carnival-news.com/2022/02/18/carnival-cruise-line-will-participate-in-cdc-cruise-updates-provides-update-to-guests/

[WKUTopperFan]

Is this the news we've all been waiting for???

[BlerkOne]

As expected, Carnival will continue to follow CDC guidance.

[Duanerice1]

Yahoo!  A step in the right direction!!

[mz-s]

Oof, my cruise departs on Feb 28.

[CruisinTrkrs3]

51 minutes ago, JT1962 said:

Carnival Cruise Line confirmed that it will participate in the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated program for cruise ships operating in U.S. waters, and is advising guests of the following changes: 

 

• Effective with cruises departing Mar. 1, masks on board will be recommended but not required. There may, however, be certain venues and events where masks will be required. 

• Carnival will continue to meet the standard of vaccinated cruises, but children under five years old will not be included in any vaccinated guest calculation, and thus will not be required to receive an exemption to sail. 

• Effective with cruises departing Mar. 1, some additional flexibility in pre-cruise testing requirements will become available. Please visit the Carnival Have Fun. Be Safe. web page for more information.

 

https://carnival-news.com/2022/02/18/carnival-cruise-line-will-participate-in-cdc-cruise-updates-provides-update-to-guests/

Lol, just our luck! Finally snagged our dream cabin-CS on Sunshine and we're sailing for 5days tomorrow🙄. Hopefully the ship will be able to dock in Bimini this time. Haha guess we'll be spending  a LOT of time in our cabin & on the balcony.  Oh well, any cruise is a great cruise!

[spookwife]

Sweeeet.  We sail the 8th

[TNcruising02]

7 minutes ago, mz-s said:

Oof, my cruise departs on Feb 28.

Mine starts on the 26th.  It figures.  However, it is good news going forward.  

[mz-s]

2 minutes ago, TNcruising02 said:

Mine starts on the 26th.  It figures.  However, it is good news going forward.  

 

I mean it's not like anything major is going to change with the virus between now and then. But it gives the staff time to set up new signage, change out the slideshows on the in-cabin TVs, etc. I get it even if I would have preferred it to be immediate. After all, when they re-instated smoking it took effect two days later.

 

My guess is Carnival is seeing depressed bookings after their earlier announcement that all sailings until further notice would be under their COVID guidelines, and after NCL and RCL made their announcements, Carnival had to do something quick. Competition is a good thing.

[crazy4themouse]

Mine starts the 26th as well, and there's zero difference to me between that and March 1st. I doubt they will be enforcing them, and you will likely not see a mask on my face unless I am at the buffet or in the elevators.

 

[BlerkOne]

14 minutes ago, mz-s said:

 

I mean it's not like anything major is going to change with the virus between now and then. But it gives the staff time to set up new signage, change out the slideshows on the in-cabin TVs, etc. I get it even if I would have preferred it to be immediate. After all, when they re-instated smoking it took effect two days later.

 

My guess is Carnival is seeing depressed bookings after their earlier announcement that all sailings until further notice would be under their COVID guidelines, and after NCL and RCL made their announcements, Carnival had to do something quick. Competition is a good thing.

The old signage will likely just be put in storage until needed again.

 

I don't need to guess that Carnival is following CDC guidelines, as they have all along. Should CDC reverse course, I expect Carnival to continue to follow.

[mz-s]

1 minute ago, BlerkOne said:

The old signage will likely just be put in storage until needed again.

 

I don't need to guess that Carnival is following CDC guidelines, as they have all along. Should CDC reverse course, I expect Carnival to continue to follow.

 

Where in the CDC guidance does it say that it's safe to smoke, let alone unmask to smoke?

 

I am being cheeky but you get my point I hope!

[mz-s]

Does anyone know if this means staff can unmask if they want? I know it's got to be uncomfortable for them to work their difficult jobs in a KN95 all day, let alone the ones working at say Guy's Burgers over that hot grill all day.

 

And I wonder when things like the galley tour of Chef's Table will come back, etc.

[BlerkOne]

Just now, mz-s said:

Does anyone know if this means staff can unmask if they want? I know it's got to be uncomfortable for them to work their difficult jobs in a KN95 all day, let alone the ones working at say Guy's Burgers over that hot grill all day.

 

And I wonder when things like the galley tour of Chef's Table will come back, etc.

I doubt it. Even last July when fully vaccinated guests could remove masks as soon as on the ship, the crew was fully masked. They are still tested regularly and if they test positive, they won't be working at all.

[BlerkOne]

4 minutes ago, mz-s said:

 

Where in the CDC guidance does it say that it's safe to smoke, let alone unmask to smoke?

 

I am being cheeky but you get my point I hope!

The CDC does have quite a bit on smoking on their website.

https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/index.htm

 

 

 

[SOCACRUISEGUY]

27 minutes ago, crazy4themouse said:

and you will likely not see a mask on my face unless I am at the buffet or in the elevators.

 

🙄 go figure. Someone who feels rules don’t apply to them. 

[mz-s]

1 minute ago, BlerkOne said:

The CDC does have quite a bit on smoking on their website.

https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/index.htm

 

It may not be the CDC, it may be the NIH, that says there is no safe level of tobacco smoke intake. But my point was just that Carnival is running all these CDC etc guidelines through a "is this good for the company" filter.

 

4 minutes ago, BlerkOne said:

I doubt it. Even last July when fully vaccinated guests could remove masks as soon as on the ship, the crew was fully masked. They are still tested regularly and if they test positive, they won't be working at all.

 

I think you are probably right. I just feel bad for them being required to wear masks, especially in tropical weather doing hard work.

[travelplus]

1 hour ago, JT1962 said:

Carnival Cruise Line confirmed that it will participate in the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated program for cruise ships operating in U.S. waters, and is advising guests of the following changes: 

 

• Effective with cruises departing Mar. 1, masks on board will be recommended but not required. There may, however, be certain venues and events where masks will be required. 

• Carnival will continue to meet the standard of vaccinated cruises, but children under five years old will not be included in any vaccinated guest calculation, and thus will not be required to receive an exemption to sail. 

• Effective with cruises departing Mar. 1, some additional flexibility in pre-cruise testing requirements will become available. Please visit the Carnival Have Fun. Be Safe. web page for more information.

 

https://carnival-news.com/2022/02/18/carnival-cruise-line-will-participate-in-cdc-cruise-updates-provides-update-to-guests/

I understand the March  1 departure date but what if your cruise leaves February 26th and you will be on your cruise March 1st can you "ditch the masks"? 

[crazy4themouse]

5 minutes ago, SOCACRUISEGUY said:

🙄 go figure. Someone who feels rules don’t apply to them. 

 

You cannot with a straight face tell me that masks aren't necessary on that Tuesday, but somehow are critically necessary on that Monday. 

[mz-s]

6 minutes ago, travelplus said:

I understand the March  1 departure date but what if your cruise leaves February 26th and you will be on your cruise March 1st can you "ditch the masks"? 

 

No, this is for cruises that depart on March 1 or later. If you are already on the cruise as of March 1 then it is not in effect for your sailing. That's the letter of the law. Spirit of the law depends on the individual ship I would presume.

[aggie182]

Great news!

[travelplus]

Just now, mz-s said:

 

No, this is for cruises that depart on March 1 or later. If you are already on the cruise as of March 1 then it is not in effect for your sailing. That's the letter of the law. Spirit of the law depends on the individual ship I would presume.

I got it does not make a difference for me as I wear my mask  without a problem but I am more afraid of the people on my cruise who will see this date and be like"Oh yea its March 1st whoop dee doo no mask indoors or at other venues' I sure hope that announcements will be made before and on March 1st about the continued mask wearing on this cruise.

[BlerkOne]

4 minutes ago, crazy4themouse said:

 

You cannot with a straight face tell me that masks aren't necessary on that Tuesday, but somehow are critically necessary on that Monday. 

A lawyer could.

[mz-s]

Just now, travelplus said:

I got it does not make a difference for me as I wear my mask  without a problem but I am more afraid of the people on my cruise who will see this date and be like"Oh yea its March 1st whoop dee doo no mask indoors or at other venues' I sure hope that announcements will be made before and on March 1st about the continued mask wearing on this cruise.

 

I'd imagine that enforcement will be very lax, if it exists at all, from now through March 1.

[Saint Greg]