Mask Requirements on Celebrity

[IDL]

Now that various cruise lines are again requiring indoor masking on their ships does anyone know what Celebrity current masking policy is as the situation is very fluid.  Also if indoor masking is required are there any venues excluded such as the gym and the solarium (indoor pool area)? 

[DarrenM]

There was no mask requirements two weeks ago

[IWillGoAnywhere26]

I got off last Thursday.  While we were on the cruise the captain announced that masks would be required in the theater and casino. I asked and they told me it was fleet wide. I don't know if anything has changed in the last week. 

[JFontaine]

22 minutes ago, IWillGoAnywhere26 said:

I got off last Thursday.  While we were on the cruise the captain announced that masks would be required in the theater and casino. I asked and they told me it was fleet wide. I don't know if anything has changed in the last week. 

Hi. What ship and did people seem to comply?  Thank you 

[Silkroad]

In general, masks are not required (except in the terminal). Be prepared to mask throughout the public areas of the ship - except while eating or drinking - if the Captain announces that masks will be required due to Covid positivity rate.
 

On our April cruise (Equinox) we were required to mask beginning on day 8 or 9 of a 12-night cruise. We travel with our own KN95 and procedure masks just in case. We prefer them to the cloth masks provided by Celebrity.

Edited June 8, 2022 by Silkroad

[NutsAboutGolf]

2 minutes ago, JFontaine said:

Hi. What ship and did people seem to comply?  Thank you 

 

Just got off the 'Nox this past weekend and was on her about 6 weeks earlier.

 

Theater and casino.

 

Enforcement:

Theater, which is on two decks and therefore four entrances, there was a person at each entrance from 15mins before the start of the show to the start, once the show started they went away.  Show up right on time or a minute or two late (show rarely started right on time) and you wouldn't encounter anyone.  They handing out masks, not enforcing you're actually wearing it, many took a mask and never put it on.

 

Casino, pit bosses and to a lesser extent the dealers ensured their table players were wearing masks.  No enforcement of those walking through maskless and witness many playing slots without masks.

[NutsAboutGolf]

7 minutes ago, Silkroad said:

In general, masks are not required (except in the terminal). Be prepared to mask throughout the public areas of the ship - except while eating or drinking - if the Captain announces that masks will be required due to Covid positivity rate.
 

On our April cruise (Equinox) we were required to mask on day 8 or 9 on a 12-night cruise. We travel with our own KN95 and procedure masks just in case. We prefer them to the cloth masks provided by Celebrity.

 

They appear to have to gotten rid of the terminal mask mandate or no one choses to enforce it in FLL, on the May 29th 'Nox sailing, less than half were wearing masks, no one (outside test checking person, xray folks, check in folks, etc) said a peep.

[Silkroad]

9 minutes ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

 

They appear to have to gotten rid of the terminal mask mandate or no one choses to enforce it in FLL, on the May 29th 'Nox sailing, less than half were wearing masks, no one (outside test checking person, xray folks, check in folks, etc) said a peep.

Interesting. We’ll wear ours anyway. Our next cruise adventure is a b2b and we’re hoping to avoid testing positive between segments. 

[broadwaybaby123]

I was on Royal in April, they're owned by the same company. The rule was, anyone who's over 12 (and in Celebrity's case, 5) didn't have to wear a mask (they were optional) while onboard. If it was a port day, you had to abide by the local authorities, unless you were at a private island. When you were in the cruise terminal, masks had to be worn.

 

Fully vaccinated kids could follow the same rules as fully vaccinated adults.

[NutsAboutGolf]

11 minutes ago, broadwaybaby123 said:

I was on Royal in April, they're owned by the same company. The rule was, anyone who's over 12 (and in Celebrity's case, 5) didn't have to wear a mask (they were optional) while onboard. If it was a port day, you had to abide by the local authorities, unless you were at a private island. When you were in the cruise terminal, masks had to be worn.

 

Fully vaccinated kids could follow the same rules as fully vaccinated adults.

 

They both have had different protocols and both lines protocols have evolved over time:

 

X = More seniors, didn't encourage social distancing, didn't perform test cruises prior to the restart and therefore some ports like Cozumel required bubble tours at the beginning of the restart

RCL = More kids, encouraged social distancing, did perform test cruising and therefore ports like Cozumel allowed pax to explore on their own

 

With the private island they are still governed by a country, often the Bahamas, the Bahamas blocked all ships from visiting their private islands during the peak of Omicron 

[Arizona Wildcat]

Masking rules today are decided on a ship by ship basis generally according to the positivity rate for covid.  Thus you will know the rules after you are on board.

Be flexible and have a great time.  If being flexible is c not your thing then probably not a great time to cruie

[C4HCG]

1 minute ago, Arizona Wildcat said:

Masking rules today are decided on a ship by ship basis generally according to the positivity rate for covid.  Thus you will know the rules after you are on board.

Be flexible and have a great time.  If being flexible is c not your thing then probably not a great time to cruie

Agree entirely. If they enforce masking we won’t cruise, personal choice and we wouldn’t complain at that rule, we would respect the decision. As you say we all have to be flexible and respect that we all have our own risk appetites. I hate the inference (not here but in general) that Celebrity are being too relaxed with their approach 

[the penguins]

10 minutes ago, C4HCG said:

Agree entirely. If they enforce masking we won’t cruise, personal choice and we wouldn’t complain at that rule, we would respect the decision. As you say we all have to be flexible and respect that we all have our own risk appetites. I hate the inference (not here but in general) that Celebrity are being too relaxed with their approach 

Silhouette reintroduced indoor mask wearing once Covid cases had exceeded 3%. This was 14 to 26 May sailing. Most passengers complied. If you want guarantees don't cruise. Just go with the flow and enjoy your cruise we certainly did. Geoff and the boss (Anita).

[IZZYDAD]

I completely agree, go with the flow!!!

[IWillGoAnywhere26]

4 hours ago, JFontaine said:

Hi. What ship and did people seem to comply?  Thank you 

We were on the Summit. Most people complied in the theater but there were a number that were almost defying the request. Walked in without a mask, didn't even pretend to be "drinking." I'm of the philosophy that you should abide by the current practices. If you don't want to wear a mask, don't come into the theater. We don't frequent the casino but when we walked through, many people were maskless. ( I know you didn't ask for my opinion. lol)

[Loracpin2]

1 hour ago, IWillGoAnywhere26 said:

We were on the Summit. Most people complied in the theater but there were a number that were almost defying the request. Walked in without a mask, didn't even pretend to be "drinking." I'm of the philosophy that you should abide by the current practices. If you don't want to wear a mask, don't come into the theater. We don't frequent the casino but when we walked through, many people were maskless. ( I know you didn't ask for my opinion. lol)

Agree with your opinion 100%!!!!!👍

[Virginia100]

If many ships exceed 3% then the cruise lines have a far bigger problem brewing than wearing a cloth mask.

[yogini06]

Masking was required in theatre and casino on Constellation May 26 sailing.  

[5:00_Somewhere]

14 hours ago, the penguins said:

Silhouette reintroduced indoor mask wearing once Covid cases had exceeded 3%. This was 14 to 26 May sailing. Most passengers complied. If you want guarantees don't cruise. Just go with the flow and enjoy your cruise we certainly did. Geoff and the boss (Anita).

 

I appreciate this topic, as I'm interested in keeping up on this information, especially in light of our upcoming Summit cruise.

 

Just want to clarify regarding penguin's comment: is the relevant case level 3% or 0.3%, which is the CDC guidance?

 

As an aside, but somewhat related, we were just on an Alaska cruise 2 weeks ago (on another cruise line). Masks were not mandated, but we wore them (KN95) in all crowded public spaces and elevators aboard ship, as well as on enclosed transportation (such as vans and buses) and in airports and on planes. We know at least a dozen people who came down with Covid on the cruise or shortly after returning home, including members of the party we were traveling with, and received texts from 2 different state health departments advising that we had been in contact with people who had tested positive (we believe on excursions, based on the states that contacted us and info shared by our fellow excursion passengers). We tested ourselves twice after disembarkation over the course of 10 days and continue to be negative. Masks may not be "perfect", but we believe they help and will continue to wear them, mandate or no.

Edited June 9, 2022 by 5:00_Somewhere

[JezzaC]

Hopefully they don't enforce masks in European cruises, since we don't have to follow CDC guidelines in Europe.

[Ride-The-Waves]

Concern is that ships are chasing COVID by not mandating masking everywhere until a specific level of infection is estimated by medical.  That puts everyone at risk.  Had this happen on a recent TA (different cruise line) when following testing for flying into the US 2 days prior to arrival Southampton, the ship initiated mandatory masking.  Waaaay too late as the positive rate was over 20 percent of those tested.  COVID is not vanquished.  It has to be managed to insure everyone stays healthy.  And cruise passengers, all the them, need to adhere to masking policies.

[Mark_K]

15 hours ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

 

They appear to have to gotten rid of the terminal mask mandate or no one choses to enforce it in FLL, on the May 29th 'Nox sailing, less than half were wearing masks, no one (outside test checking person, xray folks, check in folks, etc) said a peep.

Since the federal court ruled the CDC’s public transportation mask mandate to be illegal, the only terminals (air, sea, train, etc.) with mask mandates are those where local authorities decided to do independently.

 

The Biden administration has appealed the ruling, so it may come back at some point.

[Ride-The-Waves]

1 minute ago, JezzaC said:

Hopefully they don't enforce masks in European cruises, since we don't have to follow CDC guidelines in Europe.

The EU, and the countries within he EU, appear to be more restrictive than in the US.  EU citizens, as well.

 

NOT mandating masks is just asking for a boat load of cases.  Just nuts.

[prmssk]

54 minutes ago, Ride-The-Waves said:

The EU, and the countries within he EU, appear to be more restrictive than in the US.  EU citizens, as well.

This is changing fast as EU countries drop all COVID protocols. 

[Tony UK]

10 hours ago, Virginia100 said:

If many ships exceed 3% then the cruise lines have a far bigger problem brewing than wearing a cloth mask.

and 3 % is only those who officially reported. The actual figure would be far higher from my experience of a recent sailing.