Face Mask update

[Maitaivegas]

[smokeybandit]

 

[sandc4e]

Email I just received.

 

Updated protocols for sailings departing the U.S. and Puerto Rico on or after February 25, 2022   Royal Caribbean International will participate in the U.S. CDC's voluntary COVID-19 Program for Cruise Ships Operating in U.S. waters, beginning with sailings departing on or after February 25th, 2022 from the U.S. (including Puerto Rico). We will be operating under the Highly Vaccinated category defined by the CDC.   To be considered Highly Vaccinated, requirements include sailing with 95% of crew members fully vaccinated, which we already meet with 100% of our crew. And, 95% of guests eligible for the vaccine must be fully vaccinated as well.   The updated protocols will include face masks being optional for all fully vaccinated guests and expected for unvaccinated children. All kids will be required to wear face masks during Adventure Ocean youth program activities.   We are thoughtfully working through the details and other changes to our health and safety measures to share with our guests and travel advisors before February 25, 2022.  As a reminder, our health and safety protocols are subject to change.

 

Edited February 19, 2022 by sandc4e

[PTC DAWG]

25 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

 

That would be awesome. 

[landerslp]

What is fully vaccinated?

[Biker19]

1 minute ago, landerslp said:

What is fully vaccinated?

Two weeks after final dose. RCI (or any other line) has not opted into the Standards of Excellence, which require boosters.

Edited February 19, 2022 by Biker19

[davekathy]

We only wear our masks if it's mandatory no matter the business. Glad to read that RC is doing away with the mandatory mask wearing for those of us that are vaccinated. Perfect timing for our March B2B cruise.  👍👍 Hopefully before our March cruises RC will change the required testing from 2 days back to 3 days for those of us that are vaccinated and also have had the booster.

[karena1]

2 hours ago, davekathy said:

We only wear our masks if it's mandatory no matter the business. Glad to read that RC is doing away with the mandatory mask wearing for those of us that are vaccinated. Perfect timing for our March B2B cruise.  👍👍 Hopefully before our March cruises RC will change the required testing from 2 days back to 3 days for those of us that are vaccinated and also have had the booster.

Same here, we only wear them when it is required.  Have been that way since this started.   I agree, hope they either move the testing to 3 days or eliminate it all together which would be my preference.

[LGW59]

13 minutes ago, karena1 said:

I can tell you FOR SURE I will not be wearing a mask now.  So happy we don't have to wear them anymore.  Next step - stop making us get the stupid Covid test before a cruise.

 

I do believe that day is coming and soon.  Cruise lines seem to be ready, though doing it incrementally, hey it is a good start.  They need the business and the current capacities are not a long term solution to staying in afloat (LOL).  There are still quite a few who want masks on board but there are far more who say come on already, I am living my live on land and we can do it on a ship and safely!  The virulent maskers, who def have their personal reasons of course, may not like, but they are now in the minority and they can stay home.  Jeez I am from Boston you'd think I lived in Florida or Texas 🥂

Edited February 19, 2022 by LGW59

[vacationlover_mn]

While I will forever wear a mask on airplanes, and for the near future wear one indoors in public places, it will be nice to cruise without one 🙂

[Sobro]

I would accept testing pre- cruise over the masking requirements. We just finished two weeks at sea on Feb 6 and spending a couple of hours total taking three tests was much less onerous than wearing a mask everywhere indoors.

 

Test 1 to enter Puerto Rico.

Test 2 to board NCL Epic

Test 3 to board Explorer

[Computer Nerd]

2 hours ago, karena1 said:

I can tell you FOR SURE I will not be wearing a mask now.  So happy we don't have to wear them anymore.  Next step - stop making us get the stupid Covid test before a cruise.

 

That would be awesome!

[Saab4444]

This is all a very American view. Many ships will sail in Europe soon and some countries like Germany will keep the indoor mask requirement for an undefined period. I wonder how Cruise Lines adapt to this?

[ReneeFLL]

I'm happy they are changing the mask requirement, but would prefer they keep the testing at least for now.

[molly361]

2 hours ago, ReneeFLL said:

I'm happy they are changing the mask requirement, but would prefer they keep the testing at least for now.

NO  NO

[sgmn]

2 hours ago, Saab4444 said:

This is all a very American view. Many ships will sail in Europe soon and some countries like Germany will keep the indoor mask requirement for an undefined period. I wonder how Cruise Lines adapt to this?

I hope at the very least they keep the 95% or higher vaccination requirement. Its extremely easy to catch even if you are careful. We have to learn to live with it though.

[bucfan2]

1 hour ago, sgmn said:

I hope at the very least they keep the 95% or higher vaccination requirement. Its extremely easy to catch even if you are careful. We have to learn to live with it though.

We’re vaxxed, and not concerned what others do….zero effect on us.

[sgmn]

53 minutes ago, bucfan2 said:

We’re vaxxed, and not concerned what others do….zero effect on us.

I agree to a certain point,  but I am also vaxxed and boosted and fairly careful, no wild parties, public transport or big gatherings 

But even so I am currently isolating after catching it last week. Tested positive yesterday.  Caught it from my SIL at a very small birthday supper, (just 4 of us) she tested positive the day after the supper. 

She had been to clubs the weekend before, so though I'm not blaming her, what others do does affect you even if you are fully protected. 

Edited February 20, 2022 by sgmn

[bucfan2]

All the best in your recovery. We are also ‘fully protected’, which is nothing more than somewhat protected to some - to us it’s simply the best we felt we could do. What others choose to do to protect themselves (or not) is great - no concern on our part.

[davekathy]

5 hours ago, bucfan2 said:

All the best in your recovery. We are also ‘fully protected’, which is nothing more than somewhat protected to some - to us it’s simply the best we felt we could do. What others choose to do to protect themselves (or not) is great - no concern on our part.

...🍻

[PerferWarmWeather]

Great news!

[davekathy]

I should have kept my M-17 mask. ☠️

[BND]

10 hours ago, Saab4444 said:

This is all a very American view. Many ships will sail in Europe soon and some countries like Germany will keep the indoor mask requirement for an undefined period. I wonder how Cruise Lines adapt to this?

Well, this is a discussion about Royal Caribbean and the US CDC.  Germany can do what they want.  How often does a Royal ship go to Germany?

 

For the last two + years we have only worn masks when and where required.  Which now is in medical facilities only.    We're very happy that on our April b2b we can go maskless.  We had to wear them a lot on our HOTS b2b last Nov/Dec.  Hoping for no test soon too.  We're vaxxed and boosted and living a normal life.

Edited February 20, 2022 by BND

[Saab4444]

2 minutes ago, BND said:

Well, this is a discussion about Royal Caribbean and the US CDC.  Germany can do what they want.  How often does a Royal ship go to Germany?

 

For the last two + years we have only worn masks when and where required.  Which now is in medical facilities only.    We're very happy that on our April b2b we can go maskless.  We had to wear them a lot on our HOTS b2b last Nov/Dec.  Hoping for no test soon too.  We're vaxxed and boosted and living a normal life.

Well, this is a discussion about mask requirements on Royal ships and I am curious how this will work out on their ships this summer in Europe. In summer there are about the same number of Royal ships in Europe than in the Caribbean. Germany is just one example of a European country who will continue to require masks and this will apply also to ships who leave or stop in the country. We are travelling in April on Royal to Denmark, Sweden and Norway and the No Mask on Royal ships might not be applicable. Similar situation highly possible in Greece, France Spain or Italy. We are also vaxxed and boostered and prefer a normal live but unfortunately rules in some European countries might still require masks on cruise ships. 

[gadaboutgal]

There are still many Caribbean islands that require masks to be worn no matter what the rules are on the ship.  One masks up on leaving the ship for the day.  So European cruises will most likely be the same.