Anyone been onboard Azura since the restart?

[DS_Dean]

Asthma I think. However whatever it was, senior officer found it acceptable, overriding Manhatten staff.

[Megabear2]

On 5/20/2022 at 1:21 PM, Selbourne said:

I suspect that the objections were something to do with the fact that it isn’t common sense at all. It’s completely illogical. 

Perhaps you should visit the Celebrity CC boards and read of the literally hundreds caught out on the transatlantic and early European sailings, many of whom are spending 10 days in quarantine onboard or worse reaching their destinations and quaranting ashore due to local rules.  As Azura is fly cruising it would appear to be common sense to follow the local rules and not end up in a predicament.

[Selbourne]

41 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

Perhaps you should visit the Celebrity CC boards and read of the literally hundreds caught out on the transatlantic and early European sailings, many of whom are spending 10 days in quarantine onboard or worse reaching their destinations and quaranting ashore due to local rules.  As Azura is fly cruising it would appear to be common sense to follow the local rules and not end up in a predicament.

I completely understand that there are - and will continue to be - outbreaks on cruise ships. As we know, cruise ships are ideal vectors for viruses. Always have been, always will be. My point is that you don’t catch Covid by just walking past someone. Wearing masks whilst moving around the ship might reassure some, but it’s more kidology than infection control. 

[purplesea]

2 hours ago, Megabear2 said:

Perhaps you should visit the Celebrity CC boards and read of the literally hundreds caught out on the transatlantic and early European sailings, many of whom are spending 10 days in quarantine onboard or worse reaching their destinations and quaranting ashore due to local rules.  As Azura is fly cruising it would appear to be common sense to follow the local rules and not end up in a predicament.

Having recently return from Azura (beginning of the month) what is stated on board did not seem to be what was expected at our ports of call (Croatia and Italy). In Italy we were told that we needed to wear masks at all times indoors. We entered a restaurant and it wasn't required. Later on I went to enter a shop and realised I had left my mask in my bag which I had left with my husband so I stopped at the door and said I had forgotten my mask to which the shop assistant replied it was only needed in crowded areas. Croatia rules were the same as ours, not compulsary indoors but recommended. I entered a shop wearing a mask and was thanked by the assistants.

[DS_Dean]

Yes we have found exactly the same today in Italy. P&O Horizon saying masks needed indoors in Italy but our tour guide confirmed it is not the case. 

 

I think there are some staff on here in some senior positions who just do not have correct understanding of protocols. 

 

 

P&O Azura is mask obsessed. Be it announcements and text in Horizon / shore experiences. Just not sure where it is coming from. If it is just from the Captain we will avoid ships where Luca is captain. But I am not sure. 

 

 

 

Edited May 21, 2022 by DS_Dean

[gsmt47471015]

3 hours ago, Selbourne said:

I completely understand that there are - and will continue to be - outbreaks on cruise ships. As we know, cruise ships are ideal vectors for viruses. Always have been, always will be. My point is that you don’t catch Covid by just walking past someone. Wearing masks whilst moving around the ship might reassure some, but it’s more kidology than infection control. 

As airlines are now dropping the mandatory wearing of masks it does make you wonder why Azura is been so strict , if you can sit next to 350 people on an eight ,nine or ten hour flight there is as much chance of the virus been passed around a relatively small cabin as on a ship

[DS_Dean]

We had to wear masks on TUI flight to Malta cabin crew said TUI removed masks a while ago and they only enforce them at P&O's request. I assume we won't have to wear them on the way back, hopefully!

[purplesea]

10 hours ago, DS_Dean said:

We had to wear masks on TUI flight to Malta cabin crew said TUI removed masks a while ago and they only enforce them at P&O's request. I assume we won't have to wear them on the way back, hopefully!

We also flew with TUI and were not aware of that request. Difficult to impose as not all passengers on the flight were with P&O. 

[MX-Drew]

On 5/22/2022 at 7:31 AM, purplesea said:

We also flew with TUI and were not aware of that request. Difficult to impose as not all passengers on the flight were with P&O. 

I was under the impression when selecting our seats the P&O crowd are assigned to a block on the plane therefore easy to identify. 

[purplesea]

1 hour ago, MX-Drew said:

I was under the impression when selecting our seats the P&O crowd are assigned to a block on the plane therefore easy to identify. 

When I went to book my seats on the plane it was nearly empty, and I had the whole plane for choice. I booked seats and then a few weeeks later changed my mind and moved them and the plane was still looking empty for both the outward and return journeys. The plane was not empty when we boarded it was full with other passengers on TUI holidays.

 

[DS_Dean]

Ah. We flew from London Gatwick, our plane was entirely P&O from what cabin crew said so maybe a bit different.

[DS_Dean]

It seems like the rules are changing on Azura today to match P&O policy. Masks recommended only but not mandatory. Just as we are leaving.

 

So gutted we had to endure masks and now as we leave it goes back to mask free. 

 

Good news for you @MX-Drew!

Edited May 26, 2022 by DS_Dean

[DS_Dean]

For info:

 

 

[Waju]

4 hours ago, DS_Dean said:

For info:

 

 

Really???  That's made my day ☺️

[MX-Drew]

6 hours ago, DS_Dean said:

It seems like the rules are changing on Azura today to match P&O policy. Masks recommended only but not mandatory. Just as we are leaving.

 

So gutted we had to endure masks and now as we leave it goes back to mask free. 

 

Good news for you @MX-Drew!

Yes we are onboard and found masks only mandatory in the casino and medical center.

[DS_Dean]

23 minutes ago, MX-Drew said:

Yes we are onboard and found masks only mandatory in the casino and medical center.

Maybe it's all down to you! Have a great cruise!

[molecrochip]

Azura may be obsessed with mask wearing… but that’s cause they have a Covid problem at present.

[dunnster1965]

11 minutes ago, molecrochip said:

Azura may be obsessed with mask wearing… but that’s cause they have a Covid problem at present.

You can't leave us hanging with half a story @molecrochip!!🤫

[Megabear2]

1 hour ago, molecrochip said:

Azura may be obsessed with mask wearing… but that’s cause they have a Covid problem at present.

????? Really, do tell ...

[molecrochip]

1 hour ago, dunnster1965 said:

You can't leave us hanging with half a story @molecrochip!!🤫

There has been an higher incidence of Covid on board over the last couple of weeks. Quarantine resource significantly used.

No mandatory offloading though.

 

Cleaning procedures stepped up. Public reminded more frequently to wash hands & wear masks. 
 

Not at stage that procedures need to be mandatory or intrusive but clearly taking extra work by crew. Procedures had been toned down to me more discreet compared to the very visible extra cleaning originally in place.

 

It is one problem when you have rolling cruises in that you never get a fire break where you change all your passengers.

[Megabear2]

3 hours ago, molecrochip said:

There has been an higher incidence of Covid on board over the last couple of weeks. Quarantine resource significantly used.

No mandatory offloading though.

 

Cleaning procedures stepped up. Public reminded more frequently to wash hands & wear masks. 
 

Not at stage that procedures need to be mandatory or intrusive but clearly taking extra work by crew. Procedures had been toned down to me more discreet compared to the very visible extra cleaning originally in place.

 

It is one problem when you have rolling cruises in that you never get a fire break where you change all your passengers.

Thank you for the information.  Reading the sagas of NCL and Celebrity in the past days I applaud P&O for their handling of all this.

[gsmt47471015]

8 hours ago, Megabear2 said:

Thank you for the information.  Reading the sagas of NCL and Celebrity in the past days I applaud P&O for their handling of all this.

Not read about NCL and Celebrity problems , could you enlighten me ?

[Megabear2]

The transatlantic voyages into Europe brought with them in some cases upwards of 100 passengers per ship. This has fed through to the crew on a lot of the ships and the subsequent staff shortages have risen as a result.

 

Both lines have returned to maximum occupancy.  The first Silhouette cruise out of Southampton after the transatlantic was severely hit by covid passengers, including many Americans who have been forced to quarantine in the UK, Amsterdam and Barcelona as a result of needing negative tests to fly home.

 

Both cruise lines have allowed some passengers to remain in quarantine onboard, particularly those arriving in Italian ports where a positive covid test can result in anything up to 21 days in quarantine for anyone (and nationality).

 

Celebrity also stopped their support programme effective 1 May and do not offer assistance to get passengers home.  Those disembarked before 1 May were given maximum 5 days accommodation and food costs. Now there is no help whatsoever and passengers are finding themselves in non English speaking hotels with little or no WiFi to contact insurers, airlines etc.

 

One last and her husband remained on Celebrity Edge for 3 voyages before they tested negative and were allowed to leave the ship in Rome.

 

Hundreds have also tested positive on returning home from these vessels and the vicious circle Molecrochip describes P&O trying to avoid is now deeply entrenched it appears on the Celebrity and NCL vessels.

 

There are threads, some locked, on CC running in one case to over 100 pages for NCL and averaging 20 to 30 pages for various Celebrity ships.

 

I am booked on the Edge from Rome on 18 June so are following it all extremely closely!

[gsmt47471015]

Thank you Megabear for the update , luckily for us none of our next six cruises are with either of these companies , however it is obvious that if it gets hold the consequences for any cruise line could be dire, and also for the affected passengers, much as none of us like certain restrictions if it stops these mass outbreaks we would happily accept them

[Megabear2]

On 5/26/2022 at 8:32 PM, molecrochip said:

There has been an higher incidence of Covid on board over the last couple of weeks. Quarantine resource significantly used.

No mandatory offloading though.

 

Cleaning procedures stepped up. Public reminded more frequently to wash hands & wear masks. 
 

Not at stage that procedures need to be mandatory or intrusive but clearly taking extra work by crew. Procedures had been toned down to me more discreet compared to the very visible extra cleaning originally in place.

 

It is one problem when you have rolling cruises in that you never get a fire break where you change all your passengers.

As a matter of interest is there any indication that Azura may be faring worse than the other vessels due to guests having to fly to join her? Clearly the exposure at airports is going to be very high with the pressures they are under, that without the unmasked flights shared with passengers who may not have been required to undertake as stringent testing as the cruise passengers.