ChrisK2793

I'm not ok with allowing smoking in the casinos again!

so many of these stories and press releases and news items like these are all just about the company covering themselves from the Karen's and the media, it's about public perception so as to not hurt the stock price, it's PR from the people at HQ in Miami.  who among the staff on the actual cruise ship trying to keep actual customers happy wants to go around telling people to pull their masks up?  you could take the position of "most masks are not very effective so why mandate them at all" but you could also say "if Royal was 100% committed and serious about it they would mandate only the more expensive k95 or n95 masks or even supply them to every passenger" but at the end of the day, if this were a real out of control pandemic the ships wouldn't be running.  if they didn't have strict 'protocols' in place they would be getting dragged all over social media and in DC and in Tallahassee and they just don't want the noise.
my folks are on oasis this week -  these rules how it is already, most people are being courteous about it, wearing them in the promenade and elevators, but in bars and restaurants once you get to your seat/table there's not many wearing and no enforcement which is exactly how it was downtown Chicago a couple weeks ago at most bars/restaurants and perfectly fine by me.  if people want to wear them, great.  they sure can.  if people are not sure if they'll feel safe, they don't have to go to restaurants or shows or fly or go on cruises.  life is full of risk assessment and everyone is different.  

I don’t smoke and hate cigarettes so that part I’m ok with lol 
 

Yeah, I wish the casino would remain no-smoking too. We used the casino as a convenient cut-through on Adventure last month when we needed to get from one side of deck 4 to the other. 

Media coverage:  Cruise ship banned from sailing for littering.

On Day 3, everyone stands at the back of the ship, rips their masks off, and lets them fly away in to the sky

I'll go one step further... I'm hoping by May, the coronavirus and all its variants will no longer be public health issues.

Can you change the title to "Beginning February 15th Non-Smokers Need Masks in the Casino to Breath"
Just kidding, just kidding

Personally, I’d rather both masks and testing to be gone as requirements for cruising.  I’m just saying IF I was forced to keep one of the 2, I’d prefer the pre-cruise testing over the masks.
 

We will be Diamond after getting off the same sailing 🙂

If I had to keep one of the other …… I’d prefer to keep the pre-cruise testing and then have no masks ……. Even with masks, a bunch of Covid positive people getting on the ship won’t have a good outcome.
 

Personally, I’d rather both masks and testing to be gone as requirements for cruising.  I’m just saying IF I was forced to keep one of the 2, I’d prefer the pre-cruise testing over the masks.
 

That’s just their way of saying that you only need to 14 days after ONE dose to board the ship if you were vaccinated with Johnson & Johnson ……. Only the others require 14 days after 2 doses to board.
 

NCL  is dropping mask mandates across the board starting March 1, hoping others follow soon!
 
 

covid hyper fear is over everywhere except in major cities and for major corporations (including the media).  says a lot.

I think it may be happening sooner than later. many of the last remaining states with mandates, I believe 9 in all announced today plans to roll them back. Here in California, with some of the strictest rules throughout the pandemic we are throwing in the towel February 15th, no more masks in all but hospitals and mass transit, no testing needed to visit in hospitals or nursing homes or mega events and more rollbacks to come including schools but no date announced today on that.  While it isn't the center of the universe, it is about 1/8 of the US population. With New Jersey rolling back soon it almost covers all the states with cruise ports since Texas and Florida are mandate free. I think Royal will trail behind but stay near what is happening on land. I have a mid March cruise and hoping to at least go back to pre-omicron protocols of vaccinated areas and pretty much just wearing them in hallways and elevators and most people barely following those rules. But I've had 3 shots and got covid three weeks ago so I will be particularly crabby about wearing a mask since I am statistically the lowest possible candidate to spread or catch it no matter what study you look at. I think the odds  of me catching or spreading it are near the same as winning the powerball since I have three modernas and an omicron circulating in me. I caught it a week after getting off a cruise, tested negative every day for a week after and none of the other couples we traveled with caught it and we were maskless together at meals, outside and on excursions and in cabs. I got it wearing a mask back home, probably at a store or at work, following all of the rules which to me seem silly since it didn't protect me but no matter, it was just like a cold.

Another tidbit in the original article is beginning in March NCL will allow unvaccinated children 5 years old and under to cruise with them.  
I think that policy reversal is interesting given NCL's stance and public statements just a few months ago towards cruise lines that were allowing unvaccinated passengers onboard. 
I think we all knew at some point NCL would have to give in, you can't continue to turn away families with small children who can't get vaccinated and think it will not impact your bottom line especially when your cruise line is geared toward family vacations including families with small children.  I applaud NCL for trying this but there is no way NCL could enter into what is expected to be a busy spring and summer season for the cruise industry with this policy still in place.  The policy alone would cost them millions of dollars by turning way thousands of potential guest. 

Masks would be my first protocol to get rid of, but testing healthy people is just bad practice. 

If I had to keep one of the other …… I’d prefer to keep the pre-cruise testing and then have no masks ……. Even with masks, a bunch of Covid positive people getting on the ship won’t have a good outcome.
 

If I had to keep one of the other …… I’d prefer to keep the pre-cruise testing and then have no masks ……. Even with masks, a bunch of Covid positive people getting on the ship won’t have a good outcome.
 

We all have different tolerances to different protocols.  
The testing doesn't bother me.  The Abbott at home test kits have been a game changer.  So easy and convenient.  If I test positive I shouldn't cruise.  That's pretty obvious.  So be it.
It's a not a fool proof protocol.  Yes there is a gap and potential for exposure in between testing and boarding.  No single protocol by itself will ever be 100% mitigation against the virus.  However in terms of impact to me, testing is pretty minor thanks to Abbott and eMed.
Masks on the other hand are another story.  I'm not going to introduce my own thoughts here because this is a cruise forum.  I tolerate masks because I have to in order to cruise. 
If I had the ability to pick a protocol to drop, it would be masks.   

I respectfully disagree.  I did a cruise under the old guidelines were masks were not required indoors at all venues if you were vaccinated, only in the hallways and they didn't even ask people to where their mask on the Royal Promenade on Symphony back on my October 29th sailing.  We are currently on Anthem on our way back to New York and this cruise with the mask requirement everywhere you go while indoors is absolutely terrible.  The one complaint everyone on this ship has is the masks even at 35% capacity every adult and teenager that I've seen has the vaccination bracelet on their arm and I've only seen a few children under 5 years old.  Wearing a mask at all times while indoors except while eating or drinking really takes a toll on you.
I'd rather they keep the testing policy in place and get rid of the mask mandate than the reversal.  If you know you are going on a cruise 1 week or 2 weeks before your cruise be careful who you interact with, who you get close to without a mask so you can pass the test. This is what we did in both cases before our cruises and we've tested negative every time.  But this CURRENT masking policy has got to go before we set foot on Wonder of the Seas in April it is simply ridiculous and it changes your cruise experience.

‘This morning DBP for the 3/25 Wonder OTS sailing was 30% off at $61/day …… it’s the cheapest I’ve seen it ….. same price we’d get on board as our first time being Diamond Plus for that sailing.

Carnival is now accepting proof of positive and recovery within 90 days in lieu of pre-cruise testing. In a way both things are happening, I expect royal to announce something soon. I did notice on their healthy sail section it looks like Feb 15th will be the end of the masks everywhere and back to vaccinated areas only for no masks.
Under "do I need to wear a mask" in the faq, it's much more bold on ther website where it says departing through February 14th masks in vaccinated areas. Not sure of they just left that there when they extended it but in their extension they didn't mention it. That is 6 days away so I guess we will see soon.
Masks are NOT required to be worn:
In open-air areas of the ship, unless you are in a crowded setting In the pool or any activity where they may become wet At venues designated for vaccinated guests only, such as select bars, lounges, restaurants, shows and Casino Royale. NOTE: For cruises departing through February 14, 2022, masks must be worn in vaccinated-only venues. In your stateroom when you are with your traveling party While visiting our private destinations, unless you are in a crowded setting By any guest under the age of 2

If I had to keep one of the other …… I’d prefer to keep the pre-cruise testing and then have no masks ……. Even with masks, a bunch of Covid positive people getting on the ship won’t have a good outcome.