End Crew Masking Please

[TheSoccerCoach]

November 12, 2022 ... 

 

1. Everyone around the World has had more than ample chance to respond to the "health concern" that has been the focus of the world the past few years in whatever manner they have decided. 

 

2. Other major cruise lines like Carnival, Royal, NCL, etc. have unmasked their crew. 

 

3. There is already a power differential between passengers and crew that to keep crew masked while the guests are unmasked is uncomfortable and sends a demeaning, unintended message. 

 

Not sure what MSC's time table is on ending this practice. But, hoping we can share with them that we miss seeing the crew's lovely faces and it is time to un mask them. 

[8420PR]

A crewmember told me last week there is a pilot on some ships where crew no longer need to wear masks.  

[Georgia_Peaches]

Agree it’s time to at least make masking optional. 

[MaisonRose]

Hmmm. On QM2 last Dec all pax were tested in the Terminal. Two days later our waitress camedown with CoVid, making me suspect that crew are far more exposed than passengers.

My doctors and their staff are still masking and require that I do so.

So I’m  Ambivalent but I look forward to the day when we can stop worrying about this: aren’t you?

[styles27]

Agree it should be optional for everyone. 
 

[nikkiw60]

I actually don’t agree with this. The crew are on board for 6 months plus at a time, they need to stay healthy for theirs and their families sake. If they are taken il. With Covid they can miss a lot of extra money by way of tips. Covid is still out there. 800 people on A Princess ship (Majestic?) tested positive for Covid last week. People wanting crew not to wear masks are just being selfish in my opinion.

[sidari]

3 hours ago, nikkiw60 said:

I actually don’t agree with this. The crew are on board for 6 months plus at a time, they need to stay healthy for theirs and their families sake. If they are taken il. With Covid they can miss a lot of extra money by way of tips. Covid is still out there. 800 people on A Princess ship (Majestic?) tested positive for Covid last week. People wanting crew not to wear masks are just being selfish in my opinion.

MSC have said it is up to individual crew members to decide what is best for them and as posted further up the page it is being trialed on some ships.

[styles27]

4 hours ago, nikkiw60 said:

800 people on A Princess ship (Majestic?) tested positive for Covid last week. 

With 800 people testing positive for Covid on one cruise ship I’m thinking this would have made the news…

Just checked and it did. 
https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2022/11/13/australia/australia-covid-majestic-princess-cruise-passengers-intl-hnk/index.html

 

I really hope this isn’t the beginning of more restrictions again. That’s a high percentage of positives. 

Edited November 13, 2022 by styles27

[mawvkysc]

On Meraviglia right now. No masks on crew

[ready2cruzagain]

12 minutes ago, mawvkysc said:

On Meraviglia right now. No masks on crew

Great news! Thank you!

[racephoto]

I kind of feel like non-crewmembers shouldn’t be trying to dictate what the crewmembers do. Last month I had to listen to my poor room steward getting a 10 minute harangue in the hallway from some woman who wanted to vent about how horrible it was that he had to wear a mask. And what can the guy even say to that. He’s got to just stand there and nod his head and make non-committal noises whether he agrees or not. He’s not going to argue with a guest, especially about something he has absolutely nothing to do with, and he’s not going to criticize company policy in the middle of a hallway when he has absolutely nothing to do with it. It was just a really cringey situation. I really don’t understand why other people wearing a mask is so troublesome to people that aren’t.

[Cruisewilm]

I, for one, am tired of hearing we should be tolerant about the choice of masking or not.  I choose to wear a mask and have done so on each of the 5 cruises we have sailed on in 2022.  Plenty of people who were obviously sick and still walking around with no mask on.  How long do you think it will be before crew members get sick and suffer loss of income, followed by more crew getting sick until the quality of service is affected during the sailings.  Note to cruise lines: that's your reputations for quality on the line.  The Majestic Princess is just the first to be reported.  The will be a snowball effect here.  How can there not be when we are in close quarters with crew who interface with new guests every week?  Give it a rest, people.  I would like to see those friendly faces too.  But not at the risk of people getting sick and limiting the industry again.  The crew members and cruise lines literally can't afford for this to happen again.

[deliver42]

Why is it anyone's business what the crew members wear or not wear a mask? In fact it's none of anyone else"s business if I, as a passenger, want to wear a mask.

[peder]

It's pretty clear that OP meant forced masking of crew. So it's not telling crew what to do; making masks optional is actually dictating less. But I suspect the recent posters already knew this and so are not arguing honestly.

[perakcruiser]

1 hour ago, deliver42 said:

Why is it anyone's business what the crew members wear or not wear a mask? In fact it's none of anyone else"s business if I, as a passenger, want to wear a mask.

Absolutely. And the boring mask discussion in US or Europe has anyway limited to zero relevance for the crew that comes mostly from Philippines and Indonesia. Where it is totally common to wear the mask and actually nobody complains.

[sidari]

15 hours ago, Cruisewilm said:

I, for one, am tired of hearing we should be tolerant about the choice of masking or not.  I choose to wear a mask and have done so on each of the 5 cruises we have sailed on in 2022.  Plenty of people who were obviously sick and still walking around with no mask on.  How long do you think it will be before crew members get sick and suffer loss of income, followed by more crew getting sick until the quality of service is affected during the sailings.  Note to cruise lines: that's your reputations for quality on the line.  The Majestic Princess is just the first to be reported.  The will be a snowball effect here.  How can there not be when we are in close quarters with crew who interface with new guests every week?  Give it a rest, people.  I would like to see those friendly faces too.  But not at the risk of people getting sick and limiting the industry again.  The crew members and cruise lines literally can't afford for this to happen again.

Even with masks people caught COVID! Wear one if you feel you must but you have no right to demand others do the same.

[neptuno]

7 hours ago, sidari said:

Even with masks people caught COVID! Wear one if you feel you must but you have no right to demand others do the same.

Gosh, after millions of deaths internationally over the past years, and the cruise industry struggling to survive and make a come-back, it does not seem unreasonable to require masking of employees/crew, especially for their own safety and welfare of their livelihoods and families abroad who depend upon their incomes, much less the whims of their guests.

[les37b]

13 hours ago, sidari said:

Even with masks people caught COVID! Wear one if you feel you must but you have no right to demand others do the same.

 

Anything that reduces the risk of transmission is a good thing.

 

Next you'll be saying it's not anyone's business if crew don't wash their hands serving food.

 

Once you catch covid on board and locked up for 10 days, you might have a different opinion.

 

800 cases on one ship tells its own tale..... as did their quarantine hotel bills when they disembarked.

[graphicguy]

This thread is misplaced.  There’s nothing here that anyone can do about those who wear masks.  If you feel strongly about it, send a letter to MSC.  We can’t help you in here, as we aren’t the ones who make policy (if it is policy).  If someone wants to mask, I respect their right to do so.

[HipHipOnAShip]

There was a note on the book of faces this morning saying that MSC has updated the crew masking policy and that is was now optional.  Cannot confirm, but just wanted to say that I saw it.

[Georgia_Peaches]

On 11/17/2022 at 3:40 PM, mawvkysc said:

On Meraviglia right now. No masks on crew

Awe, good for them.  They must have started for your sailing.  Last week they were masked and many of the crew that we spoke with commented that they were ready to remove them.  I have to say that I applaud MSC for taking things slowly.

[CruisingFox27]

9 hours ago, HipHipOnAShip said:

There was a note on the book of faces this morning saying that MSC has updated the crew masking policy and that is was now optional.  Cannot confirm, but just wanted to say that I saw it.

I saw a similar update on a UK book of faces cruise page. I didn't see any official link with the post to confirm either.