Haven't cruised since Dec 2021 - here are my questions

[jkx]

Hello all, I sailed Harmony back in Dec 2021. Had a great time and enjoyed some of the unique aspects due to covid but since things are getting back to pre-covid I did have some questions..

I plan to sail on Oasis this December

 

1) Are buffets still served by staff? I loved this part the most that I did not have to use the same serving utensils as everyone else?

2) Are ships understaffed?

3) Are there long waits to the MDR or Windjammer?

4) I know masks are optional now, but is anyone wearing them at all indoors?

 

Thanks!

[Joseph2017China]

The answer is NO, for all 4 of your questions.  However, wherever you go in this world, and mask are optional, that means it is your choice.  So of course, a very small percentage will wear them, and a segment of that percentage will feel the need to complain.  

[Silvery Seas Cruiser]

On Mariner this week, the buffet was self serve, but I noticed that the staff replaced tongs regularly. Yes, there were crowds at certain times in the Windjammer. No social distancing. Few masks worn except for the crew who were masked. Before you enter the Windjammer there is an area for enforced hand washing. The energetic attendant is pleasant but insistent that you "washy, washy."

 

There is no social distancing in elevators and folks just crowd in. The theater was packed for most shows.

Have to say, though, the cruise I was on this week was a Memorial Day cruise crammed with families and kids of all ages. The kids were the most I had seen at one time in over two years. An officer told Hubby Mariner had 3300 passengers, so I guess the days of sailing forty or fifty percent full are over. 

 

Had a great time though even if the crowds and noise were tiring at times for someone used to pandemic restrictions. But we had fun and I was sorry when the cruise ended.

 

 

 

[queenfrostine22]

Just got off the 8 day symphony.

I have never seen so many kids (many of them coughing & sneezing)

I would guess less than 10% in masks, more worn in the casino than anywhere else on the ship.

The elevators were overpacked and people just kept piling in.

Buffet at Windjammer was very crowded and all self serve. (however, everyone seemed patient and kind)

The crowds are back-some people have forgotten how to act in public.

Was told by multiple workers that we were under 90% capacity.

We got an extra day due to the storm and it seemed that just about everyone was happy about it.

 

 

[exm]

38 minutes ago, queenfrostine22 said:

Just got off the 8 day symphony.

I have never seen so many kids (many of them coughing & sneezing)

I would guess less than 10% in masks, more worn in the casino than anywhere else on the ship.

The elevators were overpacked and people just kept piling in.

Buffet at Windjammer was very crowded and all self serve. (however, everyone seemed patient and kind)

The crowds are back-some people have forgotten how to act in public.

Was told by multiple workers that we were under 90% capacity.

We got an extra day due to the storm and it seemed that just about everyone was happy about it.

 

 

 

Trying to figure out the relevance of the item highlighted in bold.

[taglovestocruise]

2 hours ago, Joseph2017China said:

The answer is NO, for all 4 of your questions.  However, wherever you go in this world, and mask are optional, that means it is your choice.  So of course, a very small percentage will wear them, and a segment of that percentage will feel the need to complain.  

You may be a little optimistic on your answer to # 2.  I saw a report on YouTube from a survey a week ago and the world wide cruise industry is around 40,000 members short.  That includes crew, entertainment, corporate, terminal staff and shipyard maintenance.   Most empty slots are expected to be filled by late summer.   

[Itchy&Scratchy]

3 hours ago, jkx said:

I know masks are optional now, but is anyone wearing them at all indoors?

barely anyone was wearing a mask on our cruise this week. Off the Allure today, and everybody was coughing their lungs out, sneezing, our neighbors got a visit from medical because they reported covid symptoms. It was pretty triggering. I didn't enjoy myself as much as I did in November, because nobody masked, yet everyone coughed.

I loved cruising in November and we all felt a lot safer because pretty much everyone was wearing masks, and I didn't hear nearly as much coughing and sneezing. People on this week's cruise didn't even cover up when sneezing or coughing. Once in a while someone would cough into their hand.... and then touch everything.

I saw a woman lick her fingers in the buffet and then proceed to touch all the public utensils.

 

The crew wore their masks, but only nominally. Many of them removed the masks or pulled them down to talk to us, because we had hard time understanding them. I am hard of hearing and many of them had accents and their voices were muffled a lot. I have an accent too, but I am not removing my mask, unless actively eating in MDR or buffet.

 

3 hours ago, jkx said:

Are ships understaffed?

yes, the Allure was. Needed more wait staff for sure. Sometimes we waited for 10+ minutes just to get a menu and then 15-20 minutes after we were done with one course until we got the next. We missed several shows because of this.

 

Some wait staff was missing, I am assuming - down with covid. Random waiters and assistants were serving meals and drinks.

 

P.S. We wore masks indoors at all times and in ports (taxi rides), but there was no social distancing on the ship at all. I feel that I am coming down with something now. It didn't help that the return flight was also full of coughing people. The woman in front of us was very sick - blowing her nose every 5 minutes, coughing, sneezing and wiping her nose with her hand. Yeap.

Edited June 5, 2022 by Itchy&Scratchy

[Jimbo]

20 minutes ago, Itchy&Scratchy said:

barely anyone was wearing a mask on our cruise this week. Off the Allure today, and everybody was coughing their lungs out, sneezing, our neighbors got a visit from medical because they reported covid symptoms. It was pretty triggering. I didn't enjoy myself as much as I did in November, because nobody masked, yet everyone coughed.

I loved cruising in November and we all felt a lot safer because pretty much everyone was wearing masks, and I didn't hear nearly as much coughing and sneezing. People on this week's cruise didn't even cover up when sneezing or coughing. Once in a while someone would cough into their hand.... and then touch everything.

I saw a woman lick her fingers in the buffet and then proceed to touch all the public utensils.

 

The crew wore their masks, but only nominally. Many of them removed the masks or pulled them down to talk to us, because we had hard time understanding them. I am hard of hearing and many of them had accents and their voices were muffled a lot. I have an accent too, but I am not removing my mask, unless actively eating in MDR or buffet.

 

yes, the Allure was. Needed more wait staff for sure. Sometimes we waited for 10+ minutes just to get a menu and then 15-20 minutes after we were done with one course until we got the next. We missed several shows because of this.

 

Some wait staff was missing, I am assuming - down with covid. Random waiters and assistants were serving meals and drinks.

 

P.S. We wore masks indoors at all times and in ports (taxi rides), but there was no social distancing on the ship at all. I feel that I am coming down with something now. It didn't help that the return flight was also full of coughing people. The woman in front of us was very sick - blowing her nose every 5 minutes, coughing, sneezing and wiping her nose with her hand. Yeap.

Did you do a self test the night before getting off the ship?

[Itchy&Scratchy]

1 minute ago, Jimbo said:

Did you do a self test the night before getting off the ship?

no. I am literally feeling like I am coming down with something RIGHT NOW. Not last night. And without any symptoms those home antigen tests aren't very helpful.

We got off the ship this morning.

[broadwaybaby123]

3 hours ago, jkx said:

Hello all, I sailed Harmony back in Dec 2021. Had a great time and enjoyed some of the unique aspects due to covid but since things are getting back to pre-covid I did have some questions..

I plan to sail on Oasis this December

 

1) Are buffets still served by staff? I loved this part the most that I did not have to use the same serving utensils as everyone else?

2) Are ships understaffed?

3) Are there long waits to the MDR or Windjammer?

4) I know masks are optional now, but is anyone wearing them at all indoors?

 

Thanks!

 

1.) No

2.) Yes

3.) No

4.) I did to protect the residents I work with.

[GEORGIEGIRL]

On 6/5/2022 at 3:33 PM, jkx said:

Hello all, I sailed Harmony back in Dec 2021. Had a great time and enjoyed some of the unique aspects due to covid but since things are getting back to pre-covid I did have some questions..

I plan to sail on Oasis this December

 

1) Are buffets still served by staff? I loved this part the most that I did not have to use the same serving utensils as everyone else?

2) Are ships understaffed?

3) Are there long waits to the MDR or Windjammer?

4) I know masks are optional now, but is anyone wearing them at all indoors?

 

Thanks!

01) NO

02) BIG YES

03) Not Really

04) Not Many

 

We just came off the "Mariner" 3 weeks ago and I would say very few passengers were wearing masks. In fact several people reported having caught "covid" after the cruise ended. (we actually had 5 out of our group of 8 catch it). All better now.