Mask requirements on QM2

[Jack E Dawson]

What are the current mask requirements onboard the QM2?

Thinking that there might be an update today, I went to the Cunard website (US) and found the following on their COVID Hub - "Whilst we highly recommend that guests wear masks on board, they are only required in the theater, cinema, or if you visit the medical centre. Your mask must cover your nose and mouth and be of good quality (ideally medical grade). Re-usable masks should be washed regularly, and visors and face shields aren’t accepted as a substitute for a face mask." 

Is this what is actually being practiced? Based on some of the current threads, I was under the impression that masks were required everywhere inside the ship except when eating or drinking. Does anyone have a first-hand answer?

Thanks

Jack 

[mcloaked]

Whilst we were on board QE on a Norway voyage that returned three days ago, the mask requirement was in place when we started our cruise, but during the voyage we were told that Cunard is relaxing the on board mask requirement as of cruises that started a few days before we got back. So as far as I know there will not be a mask 'requirement' on any Cunard cruise from now, but instead there will be a suggestion that people can opt to wear masks, but no mask wearing will be enforced. Of course as on land in the UK, in certain settings, such as in medical facilities, a mask requirement may still be in place.  In general Covid rules are becoming more relaxed as time passes, and this is the case on Cunard cruises too now.

[exlondoner]

This may not be correct. There is a post on a thread about QE's current voyage which implies masks have been reinstated. I'm sorry, I don't know how to insert it here.

[North West Newbie]

31 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

This may not be correct. There is a post on a thread about QE's current voyage which implies masks have been reinstated. I'm sorry, I don't know how to insert it here.

 

 

[Jonem2001]

4 hours ago, exlondoner said:

This may not be correct. There is a post on a thread about QE's current voyage which implies masks have been reinstated. I'm sorry, I don't know how to insert it here.

Yes, I can’t speak for the QM2, but here on the QE2 at present people who have forgotten to don masks in public areas are being asked to put them on by staff. I believe this is a reversal of the relaxations permitted on the previous cruise. 

[exlondoner]

1 minute ago, Jonem2001 said:

Yes, I can’t speak for the QM2, but here on the QE2 at present people who have forgotten to don masks in public areas are being asked to put them on by staff. I believe this is a reversal of the relaxations permitted on the previous cruise. 

 

It will be interesting to see what happens tomorrow, when we hope to be on board.

[ace2542]

From what is on Cunard website roll backing happening now on QM2 and April on QE

[Victoria2]

53 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

 

It will be interesting to see what happens tomorrow, when we hope to be on board.

I hope your cruise is uneventful for you and enjoyable. Keep masking up!

[FritzG]

We're on a 21 day fjord cruise from NYC on QM2 in May, and I hope masks are required--and enforced.  What I'm reading about high numbers of covid cases on other lines who have relaxed their mask requirements worries me. I'll do whatever is necessary to keep cruising. This is the 3rd time we've booked this itinerary--I want to sail!

[rakkor]

1 hour ago, Jonem2001 said:

Yes, I can’t speak for the QM2, but here on the QE2 at present people who have forgotten to don masks in public areas are being asked to put them on by staff. I believe this is a reversal of the relaxations permitted on the previous cruise. 

 

There was no relaxation on the wearing of masks on QE for the Northern Lights cruise, they were required everywhere where you weren't sat down and at all times in the theatre. In fact the Covid precautions of this cruise were greater than those in place on our November QE cruise (4 in a lift, blocked seats in the theatre) and the same for the initial post Covid cruises in August

[Victoria2]

6 minutes ago, rakkor said:

 

There was no relaxation on the wearing of masks on QE for the Northern Lights cruise, they were required everywhere where you weren't sat down and at all times in the theatre. In fact the Covid precautions of this cruise were greater than those in place on our November QE cruise (4 in a lift, blocked seats in the theatre) and the same for the initial post Covid cruises in August

That's jolly good news. Unfortunately, Cunard FAQs don't seem to have been told there's no relaxing of mask etiquette, hence the frequent comments on this board.

One of my main concerns being a lift user, would be in lifts.

 

 

Whilst we highly recommend that guests wear masks on board, they are only required in the theatre, cinema, or if you visit the medical centre. Your mask must cover your nose and mouth and be of good quality (ideally medical grade). Re-usable masks should be washed regularly, and visors and face shields aren’t accepted as a substitute for a face mask.

 

[mcloaked]

It looks like there is a planned policy on masks but that in the event that positive case numbers rise on a particular cruise then the captain has the choice to bring back more policies to stem the rise in cases. Certainly on the Northern Lights cruise crew members did say that the policy was being relaxed for cruises following that one. On the other hand talking directly to staff the change to having no dance classes was going to be extended for two weeks from when cases started to rise, and there would in that period be dance classes on deck if the weather was suitable until case numbers came down again. The same applied to line dancing and zumba.  Clearly the captain can bring back a mask requirement if he feels it it needed, even if there is a Cunard wide policy in place to ease back on that requirement.  Even though the mask requirement was in place for the Norway cruise, and the vast majority of people did keep masks on as requested, there were some people who persistently wore one below the nose or as a 'chin hammock' which of course defeats the protection from wearing masks properly! Equally the majority would have stuck to the letter of the law on vaccination certification, and on the health declaration at embarkation - but a few may well have not been fully open about contacts in the fortnight before they embarked.  That is always going to be  a risk to the rest of the passengers on any particular cruise.  On the other hand if passengers are genuinely fully vaccinated as required then very few would become very ill if they are infected whilst on board.

[Windsurfboy]

Masks are an emotive topic. 

 

Looking at policy , then theatre cinema are not only crowded places , lifts and lift queue certainly are.

 

However it's always struck me as strange, you can sit down in a bar for 2hrs with no mask , even with an empty glass in front of you, but a 2 minute stroll to toilet past tables of people without mask you have to put it on.

 

Interesting to see if masks stop omicron b2 spreading I doubt it. 

[navybankerteacher]

20 minutes ago, Windsurfboy said:

Masks are an emotive topic. 

…

 

Interesting to see if masks stop omicron b2 spreading I doubt it. 

Masks might if widely used - but few venues have 100% compliance.

[exlondoner]

4 minutes ago, navybankerteacher said:

Masks might if widely used - but few venues have 100% compliance.

 

And properly used, not drooping round the chin. Nonetheless, I'm sure there are very few of us who wouldn't wish to do our utmost to avoid passing the virus on. Regrettably, there do seem a very few who don't care.

[Bell Boy]

I have friends and family members onboard QM2 at present  (2/4/2022)  I received the following message  yesterday.  "Despite  the  recent info Cunard put out, re Mask wearing onboard , there is now no relaxation at the moment, probably due to new passengers & Americans who recently boarded in New York "

Edited April 2, 2022 by Bell Boy

[mcloaked]

There is a good reason to ramp up protocols, including masks, if cases start to rise on a voyage. Of course Cunard, and all of us as passengers, want to have the maximum number passengers have an enjoyable time on a cruise, and being cooped up in isolation for much of a voyage is not as much fun as having the freedom to use the ship's facilities, enjoy the theatre, ballroom or dining room, or the drinks venues, and decks. So keeping the number of passengers isolating as low as possible is clearly important and a primary aim, irrespective of a small number of those who do get infected needing medical treatment. Also once cases reach only a percent or so of the total passenger (and crew) numbers, then some ports will not allow the ship to dock, which would really wreck passenger enjoyment if they can't go ashore.  Masks are effective in keeping transmission at bay, and real world data shows that when protocols are eased, such as the various times in the UK when this has happened, then a rise in cases follows in the days and weeks after the rules are eased. So it is not hard to see why Cunard does need to be flexible in when, and if, to tighten the rules as case numbers change.

[Lakesregion]

Based on the general level of fear etc. I would imagine that by the tenth day of the WM2 2023 world cruise the entire ship will be in quarantine lock down for the remainder of the cruise . Sounds like a great way to spend $30 plus thousand NOT!

[roscoe39]

3 hours ago, Lakesregion said:

Based on the general level of fear etc. I would imagine that by the tenth day of the WM2 2023 world cruise the entire ship will be in quarantine lock down for the remainder of the cruise . Sounds like a great way to spend $30 plus thousand NOT!

yes watching what is happening now that cruising is underway very closely from the safety of NZ.  I'm not keen on spending 101 days on a ship and the preceding   24 hours in a steel tube even and then spending the internment  worrying about the possibility of catching covid  and being isolated and possibly sent home. At this stage there will have to be a vast improvement on the pandemic situation before I proceed with my booking......

[Victoria2]

8 hours ago, Lakesregion said:

Based on the general level of fear etc. I would imagine that by the tenth day of the WM2 2023 world cruise the entire ship will be in quarantine lock down for the remainder of the cruise . Sounds like a great way to spend $30 plus thousand NOT!

Normally, we would be looking to book a couple of W.C. sectors. No way for a year or two.  We will be going ahead with our  booked holidays, but with a certain amount of trepidation and a willingness to keep ourselves to ourselves if that's what it takes to try and stay  virus free.

 

More than two weeks, forget it.

Edited April 3, 2022 by Victoria2

[ace2542]

6 hours ago, roscoe39 said:

and the preceding   24 hours in a steel tube even

I don't understand what this means?

[Host Hattie]

Just now, ace2542 said:

I don't understand what this means?

Flying to join the ship

[mcloaked]

7 hours ago, roscoe39 said:

yes watching what is happening now that cruising is underway very closely from the safety of NZ.  I'm not keen on spending 101 days on a ship and the preceding   24 hours in a steel tube even and then spending the internment  worrying about the possibility of catching covid  and being isolated and possibly sent home. At this stage there will have to be a vast improvement on the pandemic situation before I proceed with my booking......

 

From what we experienced, and much the same for a number of our friends, becoming infected if you are fully vaccinated, including the booster jab, seems to mean at worst three to four days of having cold-like symptoms, with possible headache and nausea, and possibly not as bad as that for many, and then simply waiting for the tests to become negative by which time you have already been largely recovered back to normal.  On a long world cruise, even if infected it would mean up to 10 days at worst of isolating, and the rest of the many weeks on board would be enjoying the cruise life to the full.  It seems that as time goes by there are less and less countries who would require positive cases to disembark. So at worst it would be a week and a bit isolating on board and then getting back to enjoying the rest of the voyage.  Of course if you have already had Covid then the risk of getting it again with the same variant is very low.  If a new variant emerged that was more infectious than Omicron that might be a different ball game.  But in general at the moment it seems that the overall risk is pretty low, and for the most part Cunard is managing protocols and risks extremely well.

[Victoria2]

10 minutes ago, mcloaked said:

 

From what we experienced, and much the same for a number of our friends, becoming infected if you are fully vaccinated, including the booster jab, seems to mean at worst three to four days of having cold-like symptoms, with possible headache and nausea, and possibly not as bad as that for many, and then simply waiting for the tests to become negative by which time you have already been largely recovered back to normal.  On a long world cruise, even if infected it would mean up to 10 days at worst of isolating, and the rest of the many weeks on board would be enjoying the cruise life to the full.  It seems that as time goes by there are less and less countries who would require positive cases to disembark. So at worst it would be a week and a bit isolating on board and then getting back to enjoying the rest of the voyage.  Of course if you have already had Covid then the risk of getting it again with the same variant is very low.  If a new variant emerged that was more infectious than Omicron that might be a different ball game.  But in general at the moment it seems that the overall risk is pretty low, and for the most part Cunard is managing protocols and risks extremely well.

and we have had two healthy,  vaccinated friends who have been very poorly and on the verge of hospital admittance. Yes, most of us will be fine, but inexplicably, some won't. It's a weird virus.

 

It's up to individuals to assess their own stance on the whole Covid situation and I completely understand those on the W.C who are having serious thoughts at the moment  continuing with their booking when payment is required.

[cdwise]

21 hours ago, FritzG said:

We're on a 21 day fjord cruise from NYC on QM2 in May, and I hope masks are required--and enforced.  What I'm reading about high numbers of covid cases on other lines who have relaxed their mask requirements worries me. I'll do whatever is necessary to keep cruising. This is the 3rd time we've booked this itinerary--I want to sail!

We are in the QM2 returning to NT May 29. If masks are required I won’t be leaving out stateroom. I’m low oxygen and I can manage at sea level without a mask. Since I. won’t be able to bring my oxygen compressor per Cunard rules . Without which I cannot wear a mask. This is one reason we are taking Cunard from Southampton to NY as I I won’t fly with a mask even though I could take my portable oxygen compressor on it. If wearing a mask is something you need to do to feel safe then by all means wear one but that isn’t an option for me as 15 minutes in a mask drops my oxygen to 88.