Avalon's COVID requirements

[dtenel]

After reading horror stories of people on board different Viking river cruises being tested daily and if positive taken off the ship right away to a hotel where they are, I am a bit worried about that happening on Avalon.  Does anyone know if daily testing happens each morning on Avalon?  We are due to be on the Romantic Rhine with Mount Pilatus, 1 night in Lucerne, and 3 nights Lake Como river cruise at the beginning of June and now I am a bit nervous.  I do not want to be nervous Every. Single. Day. after taking a daily test wondering if either my husband or myself will test positive.  That is not a vacation to me.  Also, what is the mask policy on board?  My understanding is that masks are only needed when up at the buffet, and all other times they are not needed.  Is this true?  

[Gourmet Gal]

You have just described the hazard of travel during Covid. Testing is designed to protect people and to help prevent further spread.  Would you prefer no testing protocol and run the risk of unknowingly spreading Covid and helping to create a new variant?

[lorif]

We are booked on Avalon as well, and I am hoping that they have strong masking policies, and I will bring rapid tests if they aren't doing testing. 

Wearing a mask does not limit my enjoyment, but getting covid could.

[dtenel]

Of course I would prefer no testing....that would mean COVID is gone.  I totally understand the pre-boarding test, having to be fully vaccinated and boosted and mask wearing at the buffet.  I do not, however, want to wear a mask while walking around the ships decks, etc.  We have travelled internationally very extensively through out COVID.  Being cautious of course, but we still travelled.  I always pack rapid antigen tests just in case.  However, I wouldn't test myself daily.  I would test myself if I started to not feel well.  I personally think testing passengers daily is over kill.  And stressful.  We can not test all the people around us while on an excursion or on all the different transportation.  I feel as if COVID is something we are going to have to live with forever...it's not going anywhere any time soon.  We can not continue testing healthy people every day looking for it.

[lorif]

I don't plan on testing everyday, that on an individual level seems unnecessary, but if I notice any symptoms, or if there are a lot of people around me exhibiting symptoms I might test more frequently.  There are advantages for flights home if you  identify a case earlier and can start your count down to fly sooner.  If you don't have any time pressures for your return, it might not matter as much.

For masks, I have found comfortable(ish) N95 masks and don't mind wearing them indoors or in crowded areas outdoors depending on overall case activity.  It's an easy fix that has allowed our business to continue to function, and our lives to go on. 

[Gourmet Gal]

Just walking past people in open spaces or outdoors probably is low risk but being confined on public transportation, busses and small river boats is significantly higher risk. So it’s not really fair to equate the two scenarios.

[lorif]

After seeing people posting CO2 readings on planes, while not in flight, that looks like a high risk time of travel.  If only they could or would turn on their ventilation for that time it would reduce risks.  Definitely wearing my mask during the flights.  I am curious about the air ventilation on the river boats. 

[Gourmet Gal]

I haven’t heard any river cruise company talk about ventilation but the dining areas, bar areas are small, can be crowded, the ceilings are low and usually no windows are open.  Of course there’s heating and cooling but I doubt the air exchange is as high as on airplanes.  Our recent Tauck cruise was a petri dish with quite a few sick people on board, some having tested positive for Covid, others having same symptoms but not yet tested.  So even if they didn’t have Covid it tells you that a virus can spread very easily on a river cruise.

[notamermaid]

Ventilation. The cabin part is always separate from the restaurant/lounge part of a ship. Additionally from what I have read it is standard to have each cabin having their own closed ventilation system. They are very aware of contamination in such systems. But they (articles and airlines) do say planes have better systems as such.

 

On a river cruise ship like Gourmet Gal said it is the low ceiling, no windows are open, things that are not favourable. The crucial thing I would say is the talking, eating together for hours, meeting the same people for breakfast, lunch and dinner. And being on a coach together potentially. That way you meet an infected person four times, if not more, before you can notice something is not right with them.

 

The inherently problem with such a way of travel. To be accepted - or not.

 

notamermaid

 

 

 

 

Edited April 22, 2022 by notamermaid

[*Miss G*]

There is an aircraft mechanic who sometimes posts on the HAL board.  He says this about air circulation on a plane:

 

“Watch the flight attendant's hands. They touch the hands of 50 other people and then put their fingers on the lip of the plastic cup they give YOU to drink out of with your mask OFF. Rubbish. And anyone who believes that the air is replenished every 3 minutes hasnt sat back in their seat at night and watched the dust particles floating around the reading lights. The Pilot and copilot on Boeing aircraft get fresh air from the HVAC packs. YOU get half fresh and half recirculated flatuance with decreased O2 and increased C02.  If it gets too stuffy, the flight attendants tell the capt and he/she turns off the two recirculation fans so that everyone gets fresh air for awhile (costing the company a few bucks).”

[*Miss G*]

On 4/21/2022 at 1:39 PM, dtenel said:

Does anyone know if daily testing happens each morning on Avalon?

 

Also, what is the mask policy on board?  My understanding is that masks are only needed when up at the buffet, and all other times they are not needed.  Is this true?  

 

It doesn’t appear they test each day as they only mention taking the temperature of their crew each day.  

 

 

Masks are required onboard except when seated in the dining room.

 

 

 

 

1 hour ago, Gourmet Gal said:

I haven’t heard any river cruise company talk about ventilation 

 

Avalon’s ventilation policy:

 

 

Link to Avalon’s Protocols & Procedures

[dtenel]

Like I said....we travel carefully.  I prefer to be out in then open air so we will be taking as many meals as possible on the upper deck.  We will sit out there during sailing time, too, if we are not in our cabin.  Most lunches when we are docked will be eaten on shore more than likely.  We will do our best to stay in open air places. We are not doing any of the optional excursions that are a lengthy bus ride~ Not only due to COVID, but I hate being on a long bus ride.  I do not underestimate COVID....I just think we need to learn to live with it now and stop going out of our way to test every single person.  Test when symptomatic.

[*Miss G*]

18 minutes ago, dtenel said:

Like I said....we travel carefully.  I prefer to be out in then open air so we will be taking as many meals as possible on the upper deck.  We will sit out there during sailing time, too, if we are not in our cabin.  Most lunches when we are docked will be eaten on shore more than likely.  We will do our best to stay in open air places. We are not doing any of the optional excursions that are a lengthy bus ride~ Not only due to COVID, but I hate being on a long bus ride.  I do not underestimate COVID....I just think we need to learn to live with it now and stop going out of our way to test every single person.  Test when symptomatic.

 

Sorry. I thought you were looking for an answer to your questions.

[dtenel]

1 hour ago, *Miss G* said:

 

Sorry. I thought you were looking for an answer to your questions.

I absolutely was.  No idea why you would even say this.

[Gourmet Gal]

1 hour ago, dtenel said:

Like I said....we travel carefully.  I prefer to be out in then open air so we will be taking as many meals as possible on the upper deck.  We will sit out there during sailing time, too, if we are not in our cabin.  Most lunches when we are docked will be eaten on shore more than likely.  We will do our best to stay in open air places. We are not doing any of the optional excursions that are a lengthy bus ride~ Not only due to COVID, but I hate being on a long bus ride.  I do not underestimate COVID....I just think we need to learn to live with it now and stop going out of our way to test every single person.  Test when symptomatic.

Sounds like a good strategy but most people on board will not be doing the same.  The trouble with waiting until someone is symptomatic is that others could already be exposed.  
 

i like that Avalon is actually increasing the number of dining venues to allow for more social distancing.  On my recent Tauck cruise, they did the opposite.  They reduced the number of venues.

 

 

[dtenel]

5 minutes ago, Gourmet Gal said:

Sounds like a good strategy but most people on board will not be doing the same.  The trouble with waiting until someone is symptomatic is that others could already be exposed.  
 

i like that Avalon is actually increasing the number of dining venues to allow for more social distancing.  On my recent Tauck cruise, they did the opposite.  They reduced the number of venues.

 

 

We are new to river cruising so it is good to know that Avalon has multiple dining areas.  We fully plan in the evenings while sailing to enjoy a bottle of wine while sitting in our room watching out the opened window!  Or up top!  Glad to know we won't be tested every single day and we will be happy to wear a mask while in the buffet lines.  For dinners, is there another option besides the long sit down dinner with everyone?  

[Daisi]

@dtenelthere is a lounge in the "bar" area, where there will be a light meal put out.  We never ate up there, but I think it's like a tasting menu of whatever they have on the full dining menu for the day. If the weather is good, you can even sit outside at the same level to enjoy your meal.  Just remember...when you are sitting in your room, you may be rafted to another ship, or tied up against the concrete wall, so you may not have much of a view. 🙂

 

[*Miss G*]

1 hour ago, dtenel said:

I absolutely was.  No idea why you would even say this.

Sorry.  A translation issue. 

[dtenel]

6 minutes ago, Daisi said:

@dtenelthere is a lounge in the "bar" area, where there will be a light meal put out.  We never ate up there, but I think it's like a tasting menu of whatever they have on the full dining menu for the day. If the weather is good, you can even sit outside at the same level to enjoy your meal.  Just remember...when you are sitting in your room, you may be rafted to another ship, or tied up against the concrete wall, so you may not have much of a view. 🙂

 

Thanks!  I thought we would be sailing through out the night so we would have a view of the land going by😊. You can tell I am new to river cruising!!!

[Gourmet Gal]

4 minutes ago, dtenel said:

Thanks!  I thought we would be sailing through out the night so we would have a view of the land going by😊. You can tell I am new to river cruising!!!

That’s usually true except for the port overnights and sometimes the ship may not be sailing until after dinner.  Also, there’s no nighttime sailing on the Douro.  Not sure if there are any other rivers that restrict nighttime sailing.

[Daisi]

Our Rhine cruise usually sailed during dinner, and it also depends on the time of year.  We went in early May, so darkness fell around 8:00, when dinner was over. Cologne we were in port until 11:00 or so.

[Canal archive]

On the Rhine and the Danube you will sail during the hours of darkness, apart from anything else due to the distances involved. On the Douro, Bourdeaux and Seine routes no night cruising or on the last two maybe a little early evening. It is pleasant occasionally to dine or have your after dinner drink in your cabin. Your not always moored up with no view and some of the night skies over the rivers in Europe can be spectacular.

[KSPlum74]

On 4/23/2022 at 9:13 AM, Canal archive said:

On the Rhine and the Danube you will sail during the hours of darkness, apart from anything else due to the distances involved. On the Douro, Bourdeaux and Seine routes no night cruising or on the last two maybe a little early evening. It is pleasant occasionally to dine or have your after dinner drink in your cabin. Your not always moored up with no view and some of the night skies over the rivers in Europe can be spectacular.

I'm  currently on a Seine Tauck tour. We did almost all our cruising at night.

[eileendk29]

I was on an Avalon Danube cruise in March 2022.  Fortunately we were only 30 people on our sailing & everyone was vaccinated & most were even boosted.  There was no daily testing only the last day when only the Americans had to be tested pre-flight back to the states.  Masking was required to walk into the restaurant then off at your table & back on when you went to the buffet.  The policy was more do what you are comfortable doing, probably because there was so few of us on that sailing that we could keep our distances from each other.  At that time the countries we were visiting were ending their strict COVID rules so mask were optional.