fireclan

Ohio has now, after CDC made more changes, that vaxed can ditch masks 100% (nursing homes still the exception I think).  I tested this update over the weekend.  My wife and I went to a Home Depot walked in talked to staff about purchases we were looking to make etc.  No one mentioned needing masks.  
We decide to have lunch at Panera.  We are ordering food and then while taking our order the cashier asks us if we have masks.  I politely stated we are vaxed.  She then says we still need to have masks on and walks to get, I am guessing the manager.  I am not trying to be on a YouTube "worst customer" video so we went ahead and just left.
I will say my wife was a little annoyed with me because she really likes one of the salads they have, whoops ?! 
I am wondering how businesses are going to do when June 2nd rolls around when everyone can ditch their masks here.  
Edited:  I want to make sure that it is known the Panera cashier was not snotty or rude to us when asking about us having masks.  I fully believe they were just doing their job and there is nothing wrong with that in my eyes.

We've been doing exactly this for a long time down here. Won't spend money in a place that requires a mask, there were and are to many places that don't. 

Most capacity limits and mask requirements are being lifted today in North Carolina, effective immediately. No specific mention of individual businesses having the right to require masks, but unless requiring them were to violate a law they should be free to do so. 
If a place of business requires a mask and I don't like it (I don't) I have the option to not frequent that business.

I know a husband and wife who after a full year still have antibodies. Both had mild cases

Can someone let me know when cruising resume with NO masks required. Nothing cruise wise matters for me till then.
 
Hopefully by then(if and when it ever happens) I will be allowed to leave my country and not be sent to a Covid camp upon return and fined thousands.
 
But seriously, I cant keep track of all the changes and rules. So when things are back to normal for the Royal and the cruise industry..there should be something pinned to the top of this site to let everyone know and to cut back and prevent on going questions and what ifs!
 
 
 
 

We have cruised 35 times, favorite and ONLY vacation since 1996. Masks and vaccines - absolutely will NOT be cruising. Actually we have one booked on CCL, RCL and NCL we are getting ready to asks for refunds.  Masks in 90 degrees what idiot thinks that is okay, experimental vaccines NOT approved by the FDA (only approved for emergency use) nothing okay with that either,  the CDC is just trying to shut cruising down permanently. But yet people are in Vegas gambling in casinos and as we know they are allowed to smoke in the buildings, but that is okay because the US benefits from that directly.  Go to any restaurant and no one is sitting and taking and bit and putting a mask back on. It is ridiculous what they are requiring.  My heart breaks that this is being done the cruise lines, I believe so much in them I also hold the stock.  That could be the next thing to go.  I certainly hope enough cruisers speak up to help the cruise lines fight this fight!
 

As long as there are spending bills to be passed, the longer the pandemic panic will continue. 
Return to cruising signals end of pandemic in some politicians minds. 
You know the political saying, "never let a crisis go to waste"

Why on earth should the CDC be regulating anything, cruising or otherwise?

I sure hope your armor is in place, knowing what arrows will be coming your way very soon.  I find solace knowing that at least, in a few cases, the scales are being lifted from some peoples’ eyes.
Not to worry though.  I’m sure this thread will be locked down soon enough or your post erased permanently.  Thanks for having the courage to post it though.  Good luck.

Its very easy to criticize scientists when you have no idea what they di day to day  Without scientists there wouldn't be vaccines in the first place.
As for the CDC, remember there was a recent change in US government, and the previous administration stifled their ability to regulate many industries properly. We dont know how much of the higher ups in the CDC are new. or leftover from the previous administration, which appear to have drastically different priorities. 
Im not saying one administration is better or worse, just that the adjustment to a new administration is probably not yet complete.

I am fully vaccinated but I 100% disagree with your position on this.  No disrespect but COVID is a virus nothing more and as much as they would have people believe it is so different from the flu it really isn't.  There are so many variants of flu which is why scientist have to change the flu vaccine every year and encourage people to get their flu shot.  COVID is no different it is here to stay and will continually mutate requiring booster shots but it should be a choice not a requirement and keep in mind 99% of people who contracted COVID survived just like the flu. 
The idea that we now need vaccine passports to keep people safe from a virus is ludicrous and vaccine passports will just strengthen the antivax movement.  The government state or federal should not have the power to take away peoples freedoms or restore freedoms based on a persons vaccination status.   

My understanding is that skipping the simulated voyages still requires cruise lines to follow these requirements in what's being called "Restricted Voyages" under the CSO. It is also my understanding that these are required even if the cruise lines meet the 95/98% vaccination requirement.
IMO, some of these are not possible (at least not with a full ship), and others essentially diminish the cruise experience to the point of it not being worth it. If you travelled to a city where 95%+ of the people were vaccinated and you still had to do these things I think we'd all call that absolutely ridiculous. Even the CDC estimates that if 70% of the population was vaccinated Covid would likely no longer be a threat. ?
https://www.cdc.gov/quarantine/cruise/covid19-operations-manual-cso.html
I'll call out the ones I believe are the most impactful here from the various "requirements" sections. Quotes from CDC site are in plain text. My opinion is Italicized 
While the Order permits temporarily removing a mask for brief periods of time while eating or drinking, removal of the mask for extended meal service or beverage consumption would constitute a violation of this Order.
(This means wearing a mask the whole time you're in the MDR and not currently eating) Ensure bathers wear masks while congregating outside of recreational water facilities (RWFs) and while seated on the pool deck area. Masks do not need to be worn in the water, e.g., in RWFs or while swimming in the ocean. A wet cloth mask can make it difficult to breathe and likely will not work correctly. This means it is particularly important for bathers to maintain social distancing of at least 6 feet (2 meters) when in the water with others who are not traveling companions or part of the same family. Reduce the bather load for each facility to meet social distancing When social distancing of at least 6 feet (2 meters) between bathers is not possible, such as in small whirlpool spas, RWFs should be used by the same family or traveling companions only. This can be accomplished by close monitoring.
(Social distancing in pools and hot tubs mean very few people will be able to use these facilities at the same time) Place seating area items located in or around RWFs, such as tables, chairs, loungers, sun beds, and poufs, 6 feet (2 meters) apart from each other to adhere to social distancing These items can be grouped together for families and traveling companions.
(Again significantly reduces available capacity) Elevators and Stairwells, Limit capacity, provide floor markings, and provide marked queuing areas to eliminate congregation
(Elevators were difficult to get before, with limited 6ft distancing or only 1 party/each, impossible) Change restaurant and bar layouts to ensure that all customer parties remain at least 6 feet (2 meters) apart (such as removing tables, stools, and chairs or marking any that are not for use). Limit seating capacity to allow for social distancing of at least 6 feet (2 meters). Eliminate self-service food and drink options, such as self-service buffets, salad bars, and beverage stations.
(I assume you'll need an attendant for any self service like freestyle or soft serve. Or they'll be closed) Prohibit self-guided or independent exploration by passengers during port stops.

Ensure all shore excursion tour companies facilitate social distancing to allow for at least 6 feet (2 meters) between individuals who are not traveling companions or part of the same family, mask wearing, cleaning and disinfection, and other COVID-19 public health measures throughout the tour.

Restrict passenger attendance so that proper social distancing of at least 6 feet (2 meters) between individuals who are not traveling companions or part of the same family, and risk mitigation protocols can be met.
(This one takes the cake. Can't get off the ship without paying for an excursion, and the excursion can't bring parties within 6 feet of each other. Since when does the CDC control what a person does when they get off an airplane or any other conveyance for that matter in a foreign country?) TLDR: The CDC requirement are still ridiculous, and laughable. It's as if they really don't believe the vaccines are effective. That's what these rules really suggest.

I did it folks.  Just like I said I would.
I went to a bar, drank a beer and ate a grilled mahi sandwich.  
In retrospect reading CDC guidance I realize my life is now over.  I didn't wear a mask for the entire meal.   I ate bite after bite, drinking swig after swig of glorious food and beverage indoors at a bar.  Even though I'm fully vaccinated and even though I left a nice tip my life is over per CDC guidance.
Apparently I vaccinated for no reason. 
In case I am whisked off tomorrow and placed on a ventilator you'll know why I haven't stopped by the message boards.  
At least I'll go knowing the CDC saved me from a cruise ship given their guidance didn't save me from myself.

If they don't take this approach then only path forward for Royal is the CSO.
Like someone else pointed out this is all about optics and of course it isn't fair to the cruise industry to see them subjected to this kind of scrutiny.  If we are honest from July or whenever cruising resumes until November or perhaps even January  the cruise industry is going to be subjected to an unfair amount of scrutiny from both those in media and unfortunately those in politics.  It wouldn't surprise me to see all the major news outlets at Port Miami or Port Everglades the weekend cruising resumes and then right back out there the moment the cruises return looking for one passengers with a negative story so they can splash it across the 11 pm or 10 pm news.  Lord forbid if CNN shows up they will find any reason they can to criticize the cruise industry and run the story as breaking news every hour on the hour.
People should have a choice to get vaccinated or not but I think for those who choose no vaccination they may not be able to cruise until November maybe even January because the pressure and scrutiny cruise lines will be under for those first few months is going to be intense.

The CDC staff making up these requirements while they sat maskless in a bar must have been laughing their asses off.

A restart is coming but with every passing day July is looking less and less likely.  I'm not confident all August cruises will sail so I've booked Mariner and Navigator for these months hoping if a restart does happen it may start with these ships doing short Bahamas cruises.  Even then, these cruises are "on the bubble" IMO.  

Onboard, the elevators. 4 elevators in one cluster, yet only 1 ever seems to be in use.
 
Online, the lack of detail on a reservation given. Can't look up FCC, can't view the full invoice.
 
 
 

I wish it was easier to do "mock bookings" online to plan out cruise costs.
First, you can't get to the breakdown of the "final cost" of the cruise (including the total cost of the prepaid gratuities, fees, taxes, etc and any discounts applied) without putting in personal info. I just put in fake info just to get past this page but it's annoying nonetheless. And the annoyance continues when you try to re-price after booking since you have to go through that process all over again when there is a sale. Also, you can't get the cost of things like beverage, dining, or spa packages until you actually book and see the prices in the cruise planner. You can make guesstimates, but prices for these things vary ship-to-ship, sailing-to-sailing. I'll happily concede my points if these are no longer the case.
My wife and I watch every single penny that goes into and out of our lives so we like being able to get the "big picture" cost.

FCC reinstatement and the fact that there is no central place to look up FCCs based on C&A numbers or your name.

Unfortunately, the CDC is guided more by politics than public health and science. The CDC has become another hammer to wield by whatever administration is in control in order to match their agenda.
And its sad to see the hypocrisy of those that ignore most of CDC guidance and suggestions on other matters (smoking, obesity, etc) but yet take CDC Covid recommendations as 100% Gospel that is never to be questioned and strictly adhered to 
 

He is doing exactly what he did with the mask mandate, leaving it up to the people, local government and businesses to decide. He is just telling the CDC you have no power here. Let the people and businesses make their own decisions and take whatever risk they want to based on the current situation. 
Before Covid we all took the risk that the Norovirus would not break out on the ship, so we washed our hands and sanitized. The businesses will adapt and this outright closure of an industry like this is ridiculous.

Come on down to Florida ... barbecuing since July .... 2020 !!  ?

It's a good thing there are community guidelines on this blog to prevent me from typing up how I feel about this statement.