QM 2 new mask requirements

[bluemarble]

35 minutes ago, Alslc said:

Just to specify out the definition of orange says the threshold has been MET. 

The definition of red is threshold MET or ABOVE with public health measure in place. 

 

No idea if orange can also be assigned to ships above the threshold 

 

The threshold for the "Orange" status is "0.3% or more of total passengers and/or crew" (emphasis mine).

 

As of today's report, there are no more "Green" ships on the CDC's Cruise Ship Status Dashboard. As far as I am aware, that's a first. All 94 cruise ships operating in US waters are reporting some level of infection.

 

 

The CDC does not provide a specific percentage level that triggers the next "Red" status. What they do specify are steps they request ships carry out to mitigate being assigned the "Red" status (such as requiring masks to be worn). I haven't been monitoring the CDC dashboard since the very beginning but so far I have yet to see a ship assigned to the "Red" status. Perhaps it has happened in the past to ships that did not provide the required documentation to the CDC. That's one specific situation the CDC has said in the past will trigger the "Red" status for ships participating in their program for cruise ships.

Edited June 27, 2022 by bluemarble

[Alslc]

1 hour ago, njguy_south said:

Regardless, both ships are in the ORANGE, currently.

 

For what is worth, QM2 has always been in Orange even during the latest Norway cruise where data haven't been transmitted to the CDC. Not sure how in real time that website is updated. I'm not talking about the date at the bottom right, I'm talking when data from every single ship are received. I think we'll never know the actual number of cases onboard. 

Edited June 27, 2022 by Alslc

[Victoria2]

1 hour ago, WestonOne said:

I do not usually travel in Grills, though I have done.  This time I specifically opted for Grills because of covid risks.  If the risk is low enough I can meander all around the ship as much as I like. At the expected risk I can do some of that but mainly stay in the grills area to cut down on the number of people I meet and if is high (but not high enough to cancel entirely) I have enough space in the cabin to live comfortably for a while, relax on the balcony and eat in the room without trying to balance everything on a tiny table.

In short, a major factor in deciding to go grills this time was to be able to control the number of people I mixed with if need be while still having a great time.   Whether people are expected to wear masks or not will alter my judgement of risk, and so which approach I take,

We have a 2 on our next outing and if needs be, we'll seacation in our cabin and balcony. 

We're not onboard to meet folk and be sociable as we would have done prior to 'the virus'. We just want a holiday away from home and if it mean being a bit hermit'ish, so be it.

 

Masks 'R us! 🙂

[david,Mississauga]

11 hours ago, njguy_south said:

...

 

QM2:  3,064 passengers + 1,253 crew = 4,317 x 0.3% = 13 positive cases

 

QE: 2,116 passengers + 900 crew = 3,016 x 0.3% = 9 positive cases

 

...

 

The passenger capacity quoted is a little high, especially for the QM2. In addition, the ships are not sailing at capacity - both in passenger and crew numbers.  On my recent QE cruise there were only 1100 passengers. No-one could tell me the number of crew, but it was substantially lower than normal.

 

On a previous segment it was reported by a passenger there were fewer than 1000 passengers and up to 300 testing positive. 

[njguy_south]

13 hours ago, david,Mississauga said:

 

The passenger capacity quoted is a little high, especially for the QM2. In addition, the ships are not sailing at capacity - both in passenger and crew numbers.  On my recent QE cruise there were only 1100 passengers. No-one could tell me the number of crew, but it was substantially lower than normal.

 

On a previous segment it was reported by a passenger there were fewer than 1000 passengers and up to 300 testing positive. 

I was quoting the maximum capacity (as provided by the cruise line), since I do not have immediate access to exact numbers onboard current, past, or future cruises.

[esrs]

We are sailing 8/5 and are on the fence about going given the letters received (the day before sailing) by those traveling on 6/24 and 7/1. Trying to make up our minds given my husband's preexisting conditions.

 

Has anyone scheduled to sail after these dates (that is, someone who has NOT received a letter but who is planning ahead) successfully used the offer to transfer, postpone, or cancel their voyage?  We'll talk to our Cunard person this week about the possibilities, but curious to know if anyone has done this. 

 

Reluctant to wait until the day before to see if we get an email as there are so many other moving parts that need to be resolved if we decide NOT to go.  

 

Thanks for your thoughts!

[BklynBoy8]

We are still considering going on vacation next September 2022 up to now..

 

We are keeping an open mind and will take every precautions like at home.

 

If additional information pops up close to weeks and days ahead, we will address it.

[moses0]

2 hours ago, esrs said:

We are sailing 8/5 and are on the fence about going given the letters received (the day before sailing) by those traveling on 6/24 and 7/1. Trying to make up our minds given my husband's preexisting conditions.

 

Has anyone scheduled to sail after these dates (that is, someone who has NOT received a letter but who is planning ahead) successfully used the offer to transfer, postpone, or cancel their voyage?  We'll talk to our Cunard person this week about the possibilities, but curious to know if anyone has done this. 

 

Reluctant to wait until the day before to see if we get an email as there are so many other moving parts that need to be resolved if we decide NOT to go.  

 

Thanks for your thoughts!

Just got my letter the 4th we sail the 8th 

what to do what to do. 

[Thaxted]

2 hours ago, moses0 said:

Just got my letter the 4th we sail the 8th 

what to do what to do. 

We're in the same boat, literally and metaphorically. We don't know the number of cases onboard—it would certainly help if we did—but given the CDC's low threshold for code orange restrictions, it could well be that the risk on QM2 is no more than, and perhaps less than, the risk at the moment on these shores and on the other side of the pond. Of course, viruses do spread in confined spaces. Many of us have come to accept this in our daily lives, others stayed masked and avoid indoor settings whenever possible. No one can decide for someone else what to do under the circumstances. We're going ahead if we can, double boosted and masked. A virologist friend reassured us with a lesson he learned in medical school: "Take the necessary precautions, but remember that rare things are rare."  

[moses0]

2 hours ago, Thaxted said:

We're in the same boat, literally and metaphorically. We don't know the number of cases onboard—it would certainly help if we did—but given the CDC's low threshold for code orange restrictions, it could well be that the risk on QM2 is no more than, and perhaps less than, the risk at the moment on these shores and on the other side of the pond. Of course, viruses do spread in confined spaces. Many of us have come to accept this in our daily lives, others stayed masked and avoid indoor settings whenever possible. No one can decide for someone else what to do under the circumstances. We're going ahead if we can, double boosted and masked. A virologist friend reassured us with a lesson he learned in medical school: "Take the necessary precautions, but remember that rare things are rare."  

Yeah we are going for it unless we fail the test. Not really too bothered  about Covid I just struggle breathing through the mask. Gonna make the best of it

[ace2542]

8 hours ago, moses0 said:

Yeah we are going for it unless we fail the test. Not really too bothered  about Covid I just struggle breathing through the mask. Gonna make the best of it

This could cause a lot of bother onboard. I can imagine people sitting in the chart room and the golden lion all day nursing 2 or 3 drinks all day so they don't have to wear a mask. What I like is being in them chairs in the atrium the big ones with my beer just watching people go by.

Edited July 5, 2022 by ace2542

[bluemarble]

The trend with the CDC's Cruise Ship Status Dashboard continues. Today's update (as of Friday's reporting date) for the first time shows all the ships reporting to the CDC to operate in US waters have the "Orange" status. For the past week or so there has been one ship or another holding on with a "Yellow" status but that's no longer the case today.

 

Edited July 18, 2022 by bluemarble

[bluemarble]

How's that for timing? Not long after I posted that CDC Ship Status Dashboard updated this morning with the data as of Friday, I'm now reading that the CDC is ending it's COVID-19 program for cruise ships effective today. That dashboard with all ships in the "Orange" status is also the last one the CDC will be publishing. I'm sure there will be plenty of further discussion about the ramifications of this CDC decision in the days to come.

[techteach]

@bluemarble Wow! That is bizarre. I wonder what politics were involved in that decision.

[Lakesregion]

1 hour ago, techteach said:

@bluemarble Wow! That is bizarre. I wonder what politics were involved in that decision.

Finally a return to a level of reality rather than control.

[ace2542]

13 hours ago, bluemarble said:

How's that for timing? Not long after I posted that CDC Ship Status Dashboard updated this morning with the data as of Friday, I'm now reading that the CDC is ending it's COVID-19 program for cruise ships effective today. That dashboard with all ships in the "Orange" status is also the last one the CDC will be publishing. I'm sure there will be plenty of further discussion about the ramifications of this CDC decision in the days to come.

What does that mean then?

[bluemarble]

1 hour ago, ace2542 said:

What does that mean then?

 

It's unclear exactly what the end of the CDC's COVID-19 Program for Cruise Ships will mean in the long run. That program was technically optional but all the major cruise lines chose to opt in. And by opting in they were bound by all its rules and regulations for operating in US waters.

 

Now the CDC is saying "New guidance for cruise ships to mitigate and manage COVID-19 transmission will be available in the coming days." My understanding is those guidelines will no longer be requirements and the cruise lines will be free to decide on their own COVID guidelines for operating in US waters. Stay tuned for further developments.

[moses0]

Not mandatory right on QM2

[moses0]

1 hour ago, moses0 said:

Not mandatory right on QM2

Right now