Will you still wear a mask?

[LGW59]

40 minutes ago, davekathy said:

I'd like to see the cruise lines do away with the pre cruise covid testing to go along with the masks requirement being eliminated. 

The pre-cruise test is now beyond ridiculous.  I do not believe they are doing this because they want to though, something behind the scenes maybe, IDK, but it is now pure nonsense. 

[SWFL Cruisers]

[AbbyCruiser45]

48 minutes ago, davekathy said:

I'd like to see the cruise lines do away with the pre cruise covid testing to go along with the masks requirement being eliminated. 

Agree. People seem to forget that testing was not a thing this past summer. We sailed Edge with 95% fully vaccinated, no masks, and no pre-cruise test. Zero people tested positive during the duration of the sailing. My next cruise is in July and I sure hope it'll be gone by then, especially since its a family trip (so many logistics). 

[LGW59]

1 minute ago, SWFL Cruisers said:

I am going with my son and DIL, to a resort in Mexico, first two weeks of April.  Proof of COVID shots, not required, (we are all fully vaxed and boosted) masks not required.  I plan to make full use of everything this all-inclusive resort has to offer, pool, pool bar, beach, restaurants, NO mask.  Upon returning to US, we all need to have a COVID test, 2 days prior to return, as required by the US/CDC???, at this point I don't even know who is making these rules.  

[Dreamcruise27]

1 hour ago, TeeRick said:

I know it is a personal choice and everybody has a comfort and risk level.  But a related question for those still choosing to wear a mask on cruise ships.  Not judging but just very interested.  What will change your mind if anything?  What sign are you looking for?  And when?  If COVID becomes truly an endemic or circulating virus (like influenza, other cold viruses, etc) never to be gone completely, for perhaps decades or forever, will you always wear masks on your cruises?  Even if COVID vaccines and boosters protect you from serious illness?  My questions assume that COVID is here to stay but becomes entirely manageable.

 

Thank you everyone for your answers/reasons! It gives me an idea of what to expect on the cruise. 

 

For me, I will choose to still wear a mask because of the following reasons:

1. Travelling with an unvaccinated child: My DD is a COVID baby who has grown up in a world wear she thinks putting on a mask is the same as putting on a jacket. At age 1 (almost 2), one of her first words was "ma mask". If she has to continue wearing a mask, then we will too, because she probably won't want to keep it on if we aren't wearing ours. Until there is a vaccination for 5 and under, I don't think we will have a choice wherever we choose to travel. 

 

2. Risk of not being able to fly back home: Canada requires a negative test to enter and won't let us enter if we test positive for 10 days. In my opinion, wearing a mask (not all the time but whenever necessary) and social distancing is a tradeoff to make sure I can get home.

 

Growing up in Asia, masks were common things we put on when pollution was bad or when there were colds/flus going around. As a parent with a child at school, this is the first year he has not caught ANYTHING (knock on wood) and I believe it is 100% due to the fact he has to wear a mask and kids have to stay home when they are sick.

 

I remember catching a cold on an Alaska cruise. It was TERRIBLE!! I'm sure many cruisers will agree that lots of people do catch colds and other illnesses on-board and it definitely can ruin your much deserved vacation. If masking while sick becomes the "norm", think about how many more happy days at sea you can enjoy 🙂 

 

I truly hope that people will respect everyone's decision on whether or not they chose to wear a mask. 

[dgoz]

No way, no how. Where I live, we've been going maskless everywhere--including crowded places like churches and sporting events and classrooms for the past 2 years. Everything has been just fine. There is probably a greater risk to our mental health in living in fear of this disease and in being worried about exposure to other members of the human race. I want to see the big smiles of the crew and my fellow cruisers. No masks for the win!

[JFontaine]

I just got off Edge.  I wore a mask, with about 5% of the guests, give or take. I noticed people coughing everywhere - far more than a pre-pandemic cruise.  And we saw the hazmat team cleaning a cabin on 9.  

[zitsky]

3 minutes ago, dgoz said:

No way, no how. Where I live, we've been going maskless everywhere--including crowded places like churches and sporting events and classrooms for the past 2 years. Everything has been just fine. There is probably a greater risk to our mental health in living in fear of this disease and in being worried about exposure to other members of the human race. I want to see the big smiles of the crew and my fellow cruisers. No masks for the win!

 

Everything has been fine for 2 years?  Are you saying that there have been no cases of COVID for that whole time?  Or that no one has died?

[LGW59]

4 minutes ago, Dreamcruise27 said:

 

Thank you everyone for your answers/reasons! It gives me an idea of what to expect on the cruise. 

 

For me, I will choose to still wear a mask because of the following reasons:

1. Travelling with an unvaccinated child: My DD is a COVID baby who has grown up in a world wear she thinks putting on a mask is the same as putting on a jacket. At age 1 (almost 2), one of her first words was "ma mask". If she has to continue wearing a mask, then we will too, because she probably won't want to keep it on if we aren't wearing ours. Until there is a vaccination for 5 and under, I don't think we will have a choice wherever we choose to travel. 

 

2. Risk of not being able to fly back home: Canada requires a negative test to enter and won't let us enter if we test positive for 10 days. In my opinion, wearing a mask (not all the time but whenever necessary) and social distancing is a tradeoff to make sure I can get home.

 

Growing up in Asia, masks were common things we put on when pollution was bad or when there were colds/flus going around. As a parent with a child at school, this is the first year he has not caught ANYTHING (knock on wood) and I believe it is 100% due to the fact he has to wear a mask and kids have to stay home when they are sick.

 

I remember catching a cold on an Alaska cruise. It was TERRIBLE!! I'm sure many cruisers will agree that lots of people do catch colds and other illnesses on-board and it definitely can ruin your much deserved vacation. If masking while sick becomes the "norm", think about how many more happy days at sea you can enjoy 🙂 

 

I truly hope that people will respect everyone's decision on whether or not they chose to wear a mask. 

100% totally respect your or any other persons decision to wear a mask, it is now to me a purely personal choice, no matter the reason one decides to do so.  It is all about respect.  My husband is born and raised in China, he grew up with many of his elders wearing masks, though he did not have to unless they went to Beijing and it was a particularly smoggy day.  That said, he never fully understood the resistance to masks here in US in early stages of COVID.  He chalked it up to cultural differences.  He is currently in China and I am in US, neither of us are wearing masks, unless required, we respect that of course. 

[LGW59]

6 minutes ago, JFontaine said:

I just got off Edge.  I wore a mask, with about 5% of the guests, give or take. I noticed people coughing everywhere - far more than a pre-pandemic cruise.  And we saw the hazmat team cleaning a cabin on 9.  

bringing a hazmat team is, IMHO, over the top dramatic.  Where is Bette Davis when we need her!

[LGW59]

4 minutes ago, zitsky said:

 

Everything has been fine for 2 years?  Are you saying that there have been no cases of COVID for that whole time?  Or that no one has died?

@zitskyyou clearly have your reasons for wanting to mask, as is your right!  I must say the poster was pointing our their experience, as you have done yours.  They mentioned nothing about covid cases or deaths, you are trying to introduce something to the conversation contradictory to what I believe this poster was saying re their own personal experience.  

[Oville]

59 minutes ago, phoenix_dream said:

An excellent point.   One year between December and March I cruised a number of times and ended up catching colds not one, not two, but SIX times in one year - a new record for me as I usually have a pretty strong immunity!  Since I have been masking I haven't caught one.  I am sure many (of not most) of those colds were actually caught on the airplane where we have to mask up anyway.  

Don’t be so sure.  We drive to ports and I can’t think of any cruise we’ve been on where one or both of us didn’t came back sick.

[IceChick]

I will be wearing one for upcoming cruise when near ppl.  I am immune compromised and have not been sick for two years due to the recent measures that have been taken.  The last time I had pneumonia was on my last cruise in 2020, so  I am hoping masking might help in preventing other infections.

 

[canderson]

4 minutes ago, Oville said:

Don’t be so sure.  We drive to ports and I can’t think of any cruise we’ve been on where one or both of us didn’t came back sick.

And my wife and I have a stack of sea-pass cards about 6" tall (need to figure out what to do with them all some day), and have never once been ill on a cruise.  Which of our anecdotal reports should those here listen to?  I'd say neither.

 

One thing that I'm noticing, though probably related to the thread title, is that almost everyone here is attributing any health positives to the use of masks aboard ship.  Meanwhile, there are a zillion other protocols and behaviors that had no impact?  NO one knows which of the various attempts at mitigation is really having a significant impact, and if the CDC refuses to release what data they have from the cruise lines, there will never be any way of comparing infection rates to protocols in effect at a particular time.

[canderson]

1 minute ago, IceChick said:

I will be wearing one for upcoming cruise when near ppl.  I am immune compromised and have not been sick for two years due to the recent measures that have been taken.  The last time I had pneumonia was on my last cruise in 2020, so  I am hoping masking might help in preventing other infections.

 

Am guessing you have been more diligent in other areas as well.  In the end, I suspect we'll find that masking is more of a transmission preventer than an infection preventer, but many of us have been doing other things to protect ourselves as well that might make a difference.

 

As I said to my wife when all of this started, "You see those hands there?  Remember, they stay away from your face unless you've just disinfected them".  We have used masks as little as possible throughout this ordeal, and have still avoided the possible seasonal illnesses, but therefore attribute it to being careful in other ways.  Gas pump handles, shopping carts, etc. all became suspect.  Assume hands are contaminated until you've tidied up after the fact with your favorite solution.  And keep those fingers out of your nose!

 

[mfs2k]

20 minutes ago, Oville said:

Don’t be so sure.  We drive to ports and I can’t think of any cruise we’ve been on where one or both of us didn’t came back sick.

 

One or both of us has gotten sick on most of our vacations.  Whether it's a cold on a cruise;  "Montezuma's revenge" in Cancun or a hangover in both places. We never liked getting sick, but it wasn't an unusual event.  Thankfully, we've never ended up in a hospital on a ventilator or died. 

We're vaccinated and boosted and will get more Covid boosters if allowed. I believe exposure at this point isn't a bad thing and will boost our immunity even more.  I'm OK with no masks unless you're sick.  Then wear a mask to protect others.  

[mfs2k]

14 minutes ago, canderson said:

And keep those fingers out of your nose!

 

 

Oops 😍

[LXA350]

4 hours ago, vac4fun said:

I will, I am high risk, and you can test negative, and still end up catching it on shore.

It is a choice to do so or not, but for my safety and that of my grandchildren at home, who are too young to be vaccinated we will do so every time we go into indoor spaces.

 

This is the way to go, its really not a big deal wearing those masks and it prevents you from getting sick and others.

[zitsky]

16 minutes ago, canderson said:

Am guessing you have been more diligent in other areas as well.  In the end, I suspect we'll find that masking is more of a transmission preventer than an infection preventer, but many of us have been doing other things to protect ourselves as well that might make a difference.

 

As I said to my wife when all of this started, "You see those hands there?  Remember, they stay away from your face unless you've just disinfected them".  We have used masks as little as possible throughout this ordeal, and have still avoided the possible seasonal illnesses, but therefore attribute it to being careful in other ways.  Gas pump handles, shopping carts, etc. all became suspect.  Assume hands are contaminated until you've tidied up after the fact with your favorite solution.  And keep those fingers out of your nose!

 

I drink scotch all day and never get sick.  Therefore alcohol keeps you healthy.  Sounds as good as everybody else’s idea.

[IDLnyc]

I’ll wear a mask in crowded situations.  Being over 70, I feel more vulnerable to possible problems if I do get sick (and even though vax’ed/boosted getting sick remains a possibility).  I’ve already had one breakthrough case before I was boosted, necessitating a hospital visit for antibodies.
Although the situation in the US is good, I don’t know the situation (variants, prevalence) in the ports we’ll be visiting, or in the places from which fellow travelers will be coming.  I could look them up now, but what if things change?  (And I’m lazy!)
Where I live, I’m around crowds, from all over the place, all of the time.  So I’m going to be cautious until Covid is not just endemic, but infrequent.  To each his own….

[Grandmaanne7]

We will have masks with us when we cruise again in July.  Whether we wear them or not will depend upon the situation.  I don't have a problem wearing one if necessary.  We wore them while cruising in December and it wasn't an issue at all.  Our comfort level and current requirements will dictate our actions.

[mason525]

No

[Ken the cruiser]

1 hour ago, LGW59 said:

The pre-cruise test is now beyond ridiculous.  I do not believe they are doing this because they want to though, something behind the scenes maybe, IDK, but it is now pure nonsense. 

I've always wondered how many positive cases the pre-testing caught, but chances are we'll never know. But you would think it was catching quite a few, otherwise they would stop it I would think.

[mfs2k]

1 minute ago, Ken the cruiser said:

I've always wondered how many positive cases the pre-testing caught, but chances are we'll never know. But you would think it was catching quite a few, otherwise they would stop it I would think.

It likely caught many when Omicron was surging in December and January.  Now, not so many. 

[JFontaine]

4 minutes ago, Ken the cruiser said:

I've always wondered how many positive cases the pre-testing caught, but chances are we'll never know. But you would think it was catching quite a few, otherwise they would stop it I would think.

And maybe it forces people to be ultra careful the week or two before the cruise.  "Caught" or not, the goal is to keep sick people off the ship.