No more masks for the crew on QV starting today (Oct 20, 2022)

[HeinBloed]

This is wonderful! We can see their smiles again!!! No more masks for the crew from today!!! I need to reshot all selfies to catch the most, I was missing: their smiles!!!
 

[ace2542]

When they get removed for the staff on QM2 do you reckon?

[Bell Boy]

6 minutes ago, ace2542 said:

When they get removed for the staff on QM2 do you reckon?

It was announced ( via several folks at present on QM2)  that it came into effect on the 17th October . 

[Minnie29]

So are all the staff onboard vaccinated?

[NavyPanda]

Brilliant news, I bet most of the staff are delighted. They all work long hours and mask wearing would have made things that little bit more unpleasant for them than was really necessary. 

 

Hopefully the removal of this most prominent remaining restriction on the staff and crew will also mean the return of the beloved cocktail parties!

Edited October 20, 2022 by NavyPanda

[mcloaked]

I am not so sure about the return of cocktail parties - we are at the cusp of autumn, Covid cases are nudging upwards and there are the gatherings of Halloween and Thanksgiving in the next few weeks, which will inevitably add to transmission of Covid, as well as people preferring to go to indoor events rather than outdoor events as the weather turns to winter. The UK has had a good start to the autumn booster campaign with over half of all over 50s in the UK population having had their autumn bivalent Covid booster jab now achieved in the past month or so. People in other countries may not have been part of such a rapid programme of getting the jab as soon as it is available. Given there are a few new 'variants of concern' starting to cause a rise in cases (XBB and a couple of others like BA.4.6), and with higher transmissibility than Omicron BA.5 which is the current predominant variant (around 80% of all cases at present), so will likely grow as a fraction, and even vaccinated/boosted people may have more susceptibility to the new variants, I would imagine Cunard will be cautious in taking additional steps that might give rise to bigger case numbers on board - of course others may know more than me!

Edited October 20, 2022 by mcloaked
typo

[carlmm]

1 hour ago, NavyPanda said:

 

Hopefully the removal of this most prominent remaining restriction on the staff and crew will also mean the return of the beloved cocktail parties!

I hope my source at Cunard was wrong, but here are the bad news:

I was told that it isn't about Covid anymore but the various onboard department managers and responsible cruise director etc.  regard these parties as to much work. They are glad they are gone, they do not want to bother.

[ClefsDor]

I'm so happy to hear the crew no longer need to wear masks. I assume as this is happening on both QM2 and QV that the same applies for QE - we board in about 2 weeks and it will be wonderful to see the crew mask free.

[Bell Boy]

6 hours ago, Minnie29 said:

So are all the staff onboard vaccinated?

Yes, this question re crew vaccination  has been covered somewhere on these boards  before. 

[Lanky Lad]

1 hour ago, carlmm said:

I hope my source at Cunard was wrong, but here are the bad news:

I was told that it isn't about Covid anymore but the various onboard department managers and responsible cruise director etc.  regard these parties as to much work. They are glad they are gone, they do not want to bother.

Plus they must be saving on drinks. One small glass of Pol Aker per person, rather than 2 or 3 at a party.

[lissie]

9 hours ago, ClefsDor said:

I'm so happy to hear the crew no longer need to wear masks. I assume as this is happening on both QM2 and QV that the same applies for QE - we board in about 2 weeks and it will be wonderful to see the crew mask free.

Don’t assume that qe is currently in Oman heading to Asia and Australia. For a long cruise I’m surprised that they are allowing guests to not wear masks this week 

[HeinBloed]

[Se1lad]

12 hours ago, NavyPanda said:

Brilliant news, I bet most of the staff are delighted. They all work long hours and mask wearing would have made things that little bit more unpleasant for them than was really necessary. 

 

Hopefully the removal of this most prominent remaining restriction on the staff and crew will also mean the return of the beloved cocktail parties!

Some of my friends are currently on a Saga cruise - first one where the cocktail party has been reintroduced .

[Host Hattie]

After my recent experience I have mixed feelings about this decision, I hope it doesn't lead to too many ruined holidays (or worse).

 

[exlondoner]

23 minutes ago, Host Hattie said:

After my recent experience I have mixed feelings about this decision, I hope it doesn't lead to too many ruined holidays (or worse).

 

I agree. It must be a relief for the staff, who in my experience, were assiduous in their adherence to the mask wearing rule. On the other hand, it must increase the possibility of people becoming quite ill. I would feel happier if they reintroduced serious testing before boarding for passengers,  I am assuming the crew are being tested often.

[Jacqueline]

Testing the crew often is a good idea. The problem is that they will be short staffed very quickly once they get an outbreak. good thing is I am sure that there is now plenty of dedicated space for quarantine. 
Almost three years ago we were in Vietnam, February 2020 and the staff at the hotel started wearing masks (right after the border to China was closed at the beginning of Covid), we thought it was the oddest thing. Our guides started to offer us masks on tours and we were like, don’t need them, we are good! And of course this was the deadliest strain.. live and learn!!! We had three weeks in Southeast Asia, including Cambodia which stayed open to China. 
Our upcoming cruise is to the Caribbean and we will be outdoors a lot. The dining room is probably the most risky place but at least there is precruise Covid testing on it.  We both got the bivalent vaccine and I guess will see how well it works.

 

 

[Bell Boy]

This probably won't please everyone, but it looks as if good times may be coming back.

Just seen on social media photos of a couple of Cunard snr officers enjoying pre dinner drinks with various guests in the public venues. It appears the good old times are back , time to get those Cocktail Receptions and Club Word receptions organised again especially for the upcoming World Cruises. 

 

No doubt there will be a barrage of replies from folks who will say they wouldn't dream of attending these events, that's perfectly ok,         More room for me to work the floor.   

 

 

[Se1lad]

1 hour ago, Bell Boy said:

This probably won't please everyone, but it looks as if good times may be coming back.

Just seen on social media photos of a couple of Cunard snr officers enjoying pre dinner drinks with various guests in the public venues. It appears the good old times are back , time to get those Cocktail Receptions and Club Word receptions organised again especially for the upcoming World Cruises. 

 

No doubt there will be a barrage of replies from folks who will say they wouldn't dream of attending these events, that's perfectly ok,         More room for me to work the floor.   

 

 

That’s excellent- hopefully Cunard will follow suit seeing other lines such as Saga have already reinstated the cocktail parties!

[Bell Boy]

Well unfortunately it didn't last long 🥲 Masks for crew members are back on with effect from today 25th.

[LittleFish1976]

24 minutes ago, Bell Boy said:

Well unfortunately it didn't last long 🥲 Masks for crew members are back on with effect from today 25th.

 

That's interesting.

 

[HeinBloed]

My partner left the ship with positive Covid-19 self-test result on the morning of debarkation. Confirmed by another self-test of another producer and PCR external laboratory.

 

After four self tests since then, I am still negative although I left the ship with thousands of positive impressions.

 

But it was nice to see a few days the smile of the crew members again.

 

We informed the ship and told them the crew members we were in contact the day before debarkation.

 

Wishing all the crew to stay safe and healthy. And the following fellow-cruisers as well.

[Host Hattie]

Sorry to hear that, I hope your partner is feeling better soon.

 

[HeinBloed]

15 hours ago, Host Hattie said:

Sorry to hear that, I hope your partner is feeling better soon.

 

 

Thanks - he is "well" - like he has a cold/flu.

 

I am still lucky: negative. But I was the "lucky" one after REGAL PRINCESS in April 2022. So obviously I have more antibodies now.

 

Maybe we should all go soon to a cruise and come back with infection... and hopefully with more antibodies to have the best protection the following cruises after for better relaxation.

 

I am sure: so many guests caughing around in MDR etc. but without keeping an eye on self-tests like we did.

 

The most dangerous place was the queue before restaurant opening: here we had our masks on since the ceiling is extremely low and you cannot spread.

 

I hope the situation will releax when now they have flexible dining and so not many are queuing up anymore.

[Victoria2]

HeinBloed A good point re 'confined' areas and a small crowd/queue.

We kept our masks on all the time apart from eating and drinking and were usually the only ones in the lifts wearing them.

 

There is no right or wrong answer but if everyone who had a sniffle or a cough, 'kept away' from others and masked up it would help the majority but sadly, the attitude for many will be me me and no one can be forced to take a test.

 

Perversely,  I think the masks should stay  but equally, I think it should be a personal decision.

I do think proctored testing is still the way to go but then, when do we stop? 

 

I hope your partner recovers quickly and how sensible, to let the ship know.