Masks Required on Rotterdam 150th Anniversary Sailing

[Brummel]

A friend just aboard reports this was a surprise to most and not announced beforehand.

[Arizona Wildcat]

Impossible to predict levels of covid.  Mask requirements seem to be a function of number of covid cases on the prior cruise and length of upcoming cruise.  On our last cruise we began with no masking then moved to masks in casino and theatre venues then back to masks suggested in 12 days. 

[iceman93]

Same happened on my NS cruise earlier this year.  All pre-cruise indications were for no masking then BAM!  Little cards handed out at embarkation saying masks were required.  From some discussions I had onboard, it was revealed that masking requirements are jointly decided by the captain, the ship's medical officer, and HQ in Seattle.  Now that the CCL umbrella policy is to make masking optional even for crew, hopefully we'll see more pressure from HQ to eliminate mask mandates on board.

[Brummel]

Holland/CCL should make this clear. Not right to spring this on embarkation. I won't book on a cruise that has or might have a mask requirement.

[foodsvcmgr]

Brummel - Agreed.

Either the protocols are done or they are not, not continually moving back and forth.

Let the market decide.

Let the guest do what they are comfortable doing based on their personal judgments.

[AFNavigator]

35 minutes ago, Brummel said:

Holland/CCL should make this clear. Not right to spring this on embarkation. I won't book on a cruise that has or might have a mask requirement.

I wonder if the decision is at corporate level or is left to ship captain's discretion (after the CDC rules relaxed/went away)?  If ship captain, perhaps he chose to start with masking due to this being a trans-Atlantic crossing and the ship will be further away from medical divert options.   Just pondering...

[rodndonna]

Can't run a transatlantic cruise with sick crew - I expect this was a difficult decision for the Captain to make and was required to protect the crew.

[ChinaShrek]

52 minutes ago, Brummel said:

Holland/CCL should make this clear. Not right to spring this on embarkation. I won't book on a cruise that has or might have a mask requirement.

Don't forget ports can also have masking requirements announced at sudden notice.

[CruiserBruce]

HAL/CCL is a business. They may require masks if they wish. They can switch the requirements on or off as they wish. It's not like they have never had a mask requirement. 

[Brummel]

I don't think this was, nor should it be, a "last minute" decision as a ship's itinerary is known well in advance. Some lines have "enhanced" covid requirements; but as mentioned the enforcement of these appears inconsistent. 

[Brummel]

CruiserBruce:

 

Of course, but that isn't the issue. I guess now we do know a Holland America cruise might go from No-Mask to Must-Mask at embarkation - or during the cruise? - without prior notice.

[CruiserBruce]

5 minutes ago, Brummel said:

CruiserBruce:

 

Of course, but that isn't the issue. I guess now we do know a Holland America cruise might go from No-Mask to Must-Mask at embarkation - or during the cruise? - without prior notice.

If you didn't know that, you haven't been watching what is going on. It's discussed here daily.

[rodndonna]

8 minutes ago, Brummel said:

I don't think this was, nor should it be, a "last minute" decision as a ship's itinerary is known well in advance. Some lines have "enhanced" covid requirements; but as mentioned the enforcement of these appears inconsistent. 

 

Just because they know the itinerary I don't think they know well in advance if there will be a big Covid outbreak, or a big Noro outbreak ...They don't have a crystal ball...

[Brummel]

cruiserbruce:

 

I am a newbie here, didn't know. 

 

rodndonna:

 

Then by that logic they should make the mask mandate permanent and have us eat alone in our cabins.

 

 

 

[rodndonna]

7 minutes ago, Brummel said:

cruiserbruce:

 

I am a newbie here, didn't know. 

 

rodndonna:

 

Then by that logic they should make the mask mandate permanent and have us eat alone in our cabins.

 

 

 

 

There will always be Covid and Noro ..and whatever BUT  there are 'thresholds' - when you hit a certain threshold of cases of something (Covid, noro etc)  to define it an 'outbreak' then you have to do something to bring it back under control whether it be deep cleaning, mask mandates, whatever. 

 

Edit: I was on this ship disembarking Oct 2, read the roll calls for it and the cruises that followed including one .. it will give you some perspective as to why the Captain maybe have had to make that decision.

 

 

Edited October 15, 2022 by rodndonna

[sunviking90]

The Captain is the ultimate authority on the ship and can make these decisions as he/she sees fit. On any longer itinerary they are going to be extra cautious

[Brummel]

All:

 

I'm not trying to be argumentative, but prospective guest should be notified as early as possible if there will be a mask mandate, that's all. And if one is imposed at the last minute, there should be the right to a full refund. In my experience, masks and the other covid supposedly mitigation protocols ruin my enjoyment of  cruising. It certainly made my last crossing on the QM2 last January a grim affair, with no dancing with anyone except your partner.

 

Just give me the option of saying, "No thanks, I'd rather fly."

[syesmar]

13 minutes ago, Brummel said:

…but prospective guest should be notified as early as possible if there will be a mask mandate, that's all. And if one is imposed at the last minute, there should be the right to a full refund. In my experience, masks and the other covid supposedly mitigation protocols ruin my enjoyment of  cruising….

The reality of our times is that protocols may be reinstated during a cruise as needed. Sometimes things progress in such a way that a lot of advance notice isn’t possible. Cruisers should go into any sailing with this understanding, as unwelcome as it may be for some.

[Florida_gal_50]

15 minutes ago, Brummel said:

All:

 

I'm not trying to be argumentative, but prospective guest should be notified as early as possible if there will be a mask mandate, that's all. And if one is imposed at the last minute, there should be the right to a full refund. In my experience, masks and the other covid supposedly mitigation protocols ruin my enjoyment of  cruising. It certainly made my last crossing on the QM2 last January a grim affair, with no dancing with anyone except your partner.

 

Just give me the option of saying, "No thanks, I'd rather fly."

I can’t imagine things changing anytime soon.  This isn’t 2019 and I wonder if things will ever be normal again.  As one of the posters above suggested many cruising isn’t your best bet especially if you need to dance with everyone on the ship.  My last cruise was just a ridiculous jumbled mess of issues.  Even with that I wouldn’t call it a grim affair.  It was far worse that wearing a mask and not being able to dance with others.

[Destiny0315]

1 hour ago, rodndonna said:

Can't run a transatlantic cruise with sick crew - I expect this was a difficult decision for the Captain to make and was required to protect the crew.

The Captain is also the person who would make the decision about the crew and passengers wearing their life jackets if needed. Not saying that this is a similar situation but the Captain does have difficult decisions to make sometimes daily.                                  

[Sea42]

We're going on our cruise with the expectation that masks will be required. If they're not, we'll be pleasantly surprised. But I wouldn't book a cruise if the possibility of masking is a deal breaker.

[BetsyS.]

2 hours ago, ChinaShrek said:

Don't forget ports can also have masking requirements announced at sudden notice.

I agree with you. As we all know, ports can be cancelled for various reasons.

You either get a sea day or another port may be scheduled that was not on 

the original itinerary.  Each port has their own protocols.

[LMaxwell]

5 hours ago, foodsvcmgr said:

 

Let the guest do what they are comfortable doing based on their personal judgments.

The problem is some people lack any sound personal judgement, empathy, or consideration of anyone else except themselves, situation be damned. 

 

I have no doubt that there are many that board ships that would insist on carrying on without regard for other guests or crew, even if known to be ill. We often are forced in society to have to cater our actions towards protection from the most obnoxious of them.

[PACD_JG]

I haven't seen the Ocean Grandma on here, but she would have an interesting take on this situation @seaoma.  If I recall, she wanted to cancel when HAL lifted restrictions, because when she purchased it was under tight rules, and she wanted it to stay that way.  If you didn't sympathize with her then, then you shouldn't sympathize for those on the Rotterdam now.

[foodsvcmgr]

Here’s another spin on this which may be part of peoples thinking, certainly mine.

I go to work unmasked every day in New Jersey since the mandate here was lifted in June 2021.

That’s why I am highly disinclined to pay to take a cruise and wear one.

If however I worked in a medical office still masking daily, continuing to do so on ship would not be a big deal at all.