Mrs. Thomas

I agree. I dare say that most people need some time to relax. A "staycation" at home doesn't work for Moms, just saying. I need SOMEONE ELSE doing the cooking and dishes. I will gladly have a shirt made that says to keep your distance or wear a flipping pool noodle on my head showing the proper distance to stay back if it will mean that we can all get back to enjoying the open ocean. @Cruisin4ABruisin I don't know if you have children, but it's not easy to even keep "normal" children "under control" all the time. All I'm saying is that people need to be forgiving and understanding that kids are kids. I can only beat mine so much before people call the cops.

Legally I don't think they can drop someone off at a port with no way home. That seems a bit intense too. However, people are "quarantined" to their rooms for sickness as a basic policy. I hope that fellow cruisers remember to continue to be kind through all of this. It will take some extra effort for some and as I said in my OP, kids don't always understand due to age or mental/behavioral conditions.

After reading the new post, I was wondering how many people will actually have a problem with social distancing on a cruise. I know many people have a problem with masks (PLEASE LETS AVOID ANY CONVO ABOUT THIS), but as I have found in my area, social distancing is an ok if not welcomed idea. I am a pretty social person, but I actually don't mind the idea of having to social distance. I know this will mean less people in the theater to watch the shows and dining may be more of a hassle. I'm not sure how this will work in the pool area though. Let's face it, pools aren't the best places for social distancing and kids (especially my youngest) aren't very good at it. I wonder what will happen with Adventure Ocean as well. I hope they keep it open because many parents use it to have an hour or two to themselves. So is social distancing a "no go" for anyone or is it a "no problem"?

Thank you for your post. It has made my day! I think being part of the TROPICAL PARTY is great idea! Lots of umbrella drinks, the sound of the ocean and laughter, and the smell of sunscreen (cause skin cancer sucks).

Good for you. Glad you don't. However, for a long time people with egg allergies had problems. Every time my husband has gotten the flu vaccine (yes more than once) it caused him to develop pneumonia. After DECADES of development and usage the flu vaccine is only effective from 19% to 53% of the time, per the CDC website. I don't distrust EVERY institution, just those with a history of being a bit shady in their practices. Also, you can't deny that pharma companies are FOR PROFIT companies. If they weren't the prices of things like insulin, epileptic meds, or epi-pens wouldn't be so expensive that people either cut down on their dosage (which is dangerous) or can't buy it at all. However, this is a new VACCINE and not a tried and tested drug. I know for a fact that some are already trying human testing. It is too early for that. Human trials should never be done in only knowing about a virus for 3 or 4 months. It just isn't safe! I'm not saying that a safe vaccine can't or won't be developed. I just don't think there has been enough information about how the virus acts in humans to make a safe one yet. We are getting new information all the time about how this virus effects different people, especially people with underlying conditions. While it may be ok for me, who is relatively healthy, my dad who has other issues, or my kids who are still developing, may have major reactions to it. It is just too early for people to be lining up for this thing. As far as the governor, YES he knowingly put sick people into nursing homes. He didn't do it by accident, so yes it was on purpose. What the heck did he think was going to happen?! If he didn't do it to make them sick, then he was negligent and just didn't care if our most vulnerable in those places got sick and died.

I believe that a certain governor, knowing that people in nursing homes were and are the most at risk, put people testing positive into nursing homes as a "quarantine". This resulted in many of them getting sick, dying, and one (that we know of) being abused by one of those quarantined people. No, I don't think scientists will rush into anything. They will do as they are told. I believe that pharma companies, politicians, media, and the panicked public will push those scientists to rush into something that could potentially harm people. When a cancer patient has to pay $25,000 for ONE treatment and a meth head gets their "treatments" for free, there is a greed problem with pharma companies. Yes, there is a special treatment that uses UV light on surfaces and was being looked at for use internally as well. (See article in the Washington Post) However, I don't just blindly trust people. I look at all aspects of things. Ask yourself this, how is it that we can't find a cure for cancer, diabetes, or even a flu vaccine that works 60% or more of the time, and yet they want to have a vaccine for this within a few months of even knowing what this is? If they can, then maybe it really has been around ALOT longer than just 4 months or so.

How about some demographics for those people in the hospital? The mainstream media doesn't tell us how many of those people have underlying conditions that cause ANY sickness to be a big deal. According to the statistics that I found the is percentage is at least 90%. Also, when you have governors purposely putting sick people into nursing homes, that number is going to go way up. I agree that this sickness will never go away. It is the new flu in the idea that there will always be someone who has it at some point. People get the flu all the time, even if they get a vaccine. I'm not saying ignore it. I'm saying that people are acting like this is the black death and it isn't. Politicians are trying to use it to control people. People are easy to control when they are afraid. @RCIfan1912 No, I really trust politicians or greedy pharmaceutical companies. I also know the rigors of what it takes to make a trusted vaccine and making it in only a few months doesn't cut it for me. However, I also believe in the human body. It was created to learn how to fight off most sicknesses. If you are relatively healthy, then according to what we have seen, you should have no problem getting over having COVID. I know multiple people, myself and children included, that had it and kicked it within one or two weeks (it differed for each person). My biggest issue with the vaccine is that it is rushed. People should NOT be taking or even being part of trials yet until the scientists have had a lot more time. It took decades to perfect the flu vaccine.

Honestly it made me a happy fat girl! LOL If Windjammer is going to be going then El Loco Fresh is too. I'm the fat girl weirdo that would cruise just for the food, as long as it's free. LOL

You said "As long as it is deemed by federal agencies and I hear from private industry that is producing this vaccine that it went through very thorough and rigorous testing I will get it especially if it gives me peace of mind and can cruise." in your other post. Those are the ones that I don't trust as a whole. There may be specific people that are telling the truth, but I'm very skeptical of most in power anymore. I don't care what side of the political isle they are on.

I'm not saying the virus is the same because it isn't. However, the average Joe freaking out is because of the deluge of negative information being thrown at us on a regular basis. Also, H1N1 was stopped earlier because the world had known about it longer. Things were different then. A treatment was found sooner, but the media also wasn't giving numbers every 5 minutes like now. The local hospitals aren't full and the numbers show that deaths are down even though cases are up, which I believe is due to more tests being done and positives given by people who had it but no longer do. Personally, I'm tired of hearing about it, or at least all the negatives. Why can't they give the number of those who have recovered already which is over 50% and pushing 60%+ in some places.

According to the CDC it can be anywhere from 19% to 53% effective. @jaredhamburg I agree. There is no way that they could have done enough tests and such in this small amount of time. You can't even get an allergy medicine without risking crazy side effects, even if the risk is slight. The reason that people are acting different now as opposed to when it was H1N1 is due to the media coverage. You are much more trusting then I am of people. I've seen too many lies to believe what they have to say at this point. They have too long of a track record of lying to the public.

That worked. Thanks!

I have a scheduled sailing in Feb. 2021 on Navigator. I was trying to get into the cruise planner to look at the prices for the beverage packages, but it kept saying that my booking couldn't be found. Anyone else having problems?? TIA

It actually doesn't. I have no contact with him at all. I have looked at the paperwork and you are supposed to show how many times you tried to contact them. I don't have his email address. He doesn't have a social media that I am aware of, and yes I've looked. They never say how many times I'm supposed to mail a letter to him or phone him for it to be approved, if I can access his information in the first place. I need to know if anyone else has had to do this and how many times was required to try and contact the other parent before being able to turn in the paperwork and it be approved. I want to make sure that I get this right and not have to go back and forth with the State Department. That is why I asked if anyone else had to actually do this. I have been on the state department's website many times looking over what they say. @Ampurp85 We were never married (not a shining part of my life) and my husband hasn't adopted her, though we looked into it. For more purposes than just a passport, I am looking at getting legal sole custody of her. I haven't done it yet due to money and wasn't sure if it was truly necessary.

Ok, so I know that passport offices are just getting back up. I'm not looking at going on a vacation that needs a passport anytime soon. HOWEVER, I would like to take one with my family at some point. This poses a problem for me as, after reading the passport website, getting one for my daughter may be a problem. She is currently 11 years old. My husband is not her biological father. Her biological father is on her birth certificate. In order for her to get a passport I need his consent. That wouldn't be so bad, but he hasn't had contact with her for about 9 years and is not in the same state as us. I do know where he lives (sort of) and the internet is great for getting information like that and his phone number. I have no idea if I did try to contact him if he would even reply at all (and I honestly doubt he would). Has anyone ever had to deal with this? What steps did you take to get the passport? How long did the process take? I would love to take her to all kinds of places, but this is a hurdle we would have to get over first. TIA!!

Same! I was like "umm....what?"

That's the way! You get to have a different adventure and maybe even an extra cruise! WooHoo!!

SURPRISE THEM!! My kids don't even know we are going on a cruise. So the fact we have balcony rooms now is going to make it better when they find out. I'm even going to surprise them special with the excursions I have for them as they are things they love.

Thanks Eeyore. I guess there is always that one person that must rain on a person's parade and pop the balloons at the party. This was supposed to be a POSITIVE post about seeing the GOOD and finding the BRIGHT SIDE of things. I hope you find something to make you happy because staying pessimistic isn't healthy.

YAY! I'm happy for you!!

With all of the bad going around I have been able to find a silver lining. I got in contact with my TA and let him know that I wanted to use my FCC for a rebooking in October. He said that it was already there to use and we are all set. We even get to upgrade from interior rooms to balcony rooms! My mom will now get an ocean view balcony to sit on and drink coffee in the mornings. My MIL and son will have a central park balcony. All I have to do now is wait on the cash refunds, which will probably take longer than I prefer. Now to just hang in there and pray that we ALL are back cruising again soon!

Agreed! Cruise or not, my kids aren't going to be getting some untested or tried vaccine because they MIGHT get something that has a 96%+ recovery rate in people of good health, especially children. @Ampurp85 I agree. The cruise lines could get away with it, but I don't think they want to do that considering how many people from different countries may not be able to get it. The cruise industry has a very diverse consumer base.

I just hope that they don't make it mandatory. A rushed product is dangerous, but what happens if it causes a worse problem with side effects and allergic reactions? The flu vaccine was like that at one point before they stopped using eggs and such for it. Unfortunately, when most things first appear on the scene, whether it is vaccine or a new electronic device, there are a few "bugs" in it. I say let them take it first and we see what happens to them. THEY can be the guinea pigs if they decide to make it mandatory.

The flu vaccine is only effective between 19% and 53% of the time, depending on the flu season. (I got this info from the CDC website) So, I'm not putting my faith in a new vaccine that hasn't even went through the same rigors as the flu vaccine. I also know that every time my husband has gotten the flu vaccine he has gotten pneumonia (and yes it was more than once). He now refuses to get it. I much prefer to use other means of not getting sick, ya know like washing my hands and not licking strangers. That is just my preference. You do what you think is right for you.

I take what he says with a grain of salt, but what he said about the CDC made me think a bit. I know all of this is sort of new, but they should have been able to tell the industry SOMETHING by now as far as guidelines. This isn't their first rodeo with an illness and they have had things shut down for 3 months (ish). Just a thought.