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Even when cruising resumes....


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We know that ships are stopped, ports aren't allowing cruise ships now and airlines have stopped for general travel.  Eventually things will start up again, but there will still be the fear of a ship getting hit, etc.  But one thing people don't talk about much...do you think they'll be a stigma for anyone who decides to cruise?  We have a cruise in August + a few days at Disney beforehand.  Today DH questioned that even if cruises are back and the park is open...can we even go?  His concerns are things like....Will school let our kids back or will we need to stay home another 2 weeks?  Will their friends' parents let their kids see our kids for 2 weeks after? etc.  Anyone else think concerns like these may also prevent you from cruising (at least within the first while when things are back)?

 

 

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I, thankfully, don't have some of the same concerns that those who don't work from home all the time or those who have kids are facing, and I'm sorry you're having to think about these things!

I've really been wrestling in recent days with the idea of cruising. When there was talk of a bailout for cruise lines, the vitriol against the cruise companies, cruisers, and cruises was scathing. I'm honestly keeping a very small circle of people informed that I'm planning on cruising in June if my cruise goes ahead. I sadly think a lot of people who haven't taken a cruise look at it as some big luxury, and yet they don't bat an eye at folks who take any other sort of travel and book hotels or travels or ski vacations or anything like that

Bluntly, it flat-out sucks that cruisers are being seen as some privileged class who are just being careless in deciding to take their trips on what people are basically calling giant petri dishes. ?

I wish I had answers about how people will react post-cruise, but I think everybody's gonna be viewed with suspicion for a while -- though yeah, I worry cruisers are going to see additional scrutiny. ?

I wish you the best in whatever y'all decide!

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There will always be people that live in extremes.  It will take time before some people think sporting event, theatre performances, and even movies are safe and acceptable.  The issue today is the threat of TOO many people being sick at once and there not being enough resources to manage it. When that time has clearly past, most reasonable people will slowly resume their normal lives. The extremists will judge and argue that people should not be doing what they do and the fools may start doing it all too soon ? 

We can’t always make everyone happy and as much as some say we’re in this together it doesn’t really feel like that’s 100% true... on my neighborhood Facebook group there people arguing about what’s acceptable while walking in the neighborhood or kids riding their bikes. They feel that since other people’s actions could impact their health that it gives them the right to tell others what’s acceptable and what’s not. Most people don’t react well to others telling them what to do or not to do.  It’s divisiveness and it’s going to get worse before it gets better.

My wife and I will be patient and probably wait longer to use the impending FCC than some others but when we do cruise next year we will enjoy ourselves and won’t be thinking too much about who may or may not like it. I just believe that  life’s too short to waste time judging or being judged. 
 

 

 

 

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My parents are appalled that we are booked for two more cruises.  They say ships are dirty.  Honestly, after going on one I think going to the grocery store is 100 times worse- there’s just no way to track it since everyone is not in the same place for a week plus.  Not once did I go into the bathroom and there wasn’t some attendant cleaning it and it seemed like the second I touched something on the ship someone was right behind me wiping it down.  Our stateroom bathroom was cleaned twice daily.  One of the cleanest places I have ever been!  Much judgement towards my husband and I are from people who have never been.  

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Those people who have stigmatized cruising are living in either stupidity or ignorance*. I guess the idea of being with the same people in a moving unit brings the idea of recycling germs. But it almost no different from any other type of vacation....in fact it is better. It is much easier to pinpoint any sort of outbreak on a ship. Hundreds of thousands of people can visit an amusement park like Disney or Universal each day.  The same can be said for museums, hot spots in foreign countries and airplanes. How often are these places cleaned thoroughly? Look at the current rate of infection in the US or any country. The only issue is with the ships inability to handle such a huge thing like an influx of people with a illness.  If employers chose to force quarantines or places restrictions on cruise vacations, they would have to place those same restrictions on a lot more options.

*I am in no way calling you fine folks stupid. Ignorance is literally a lack of knowledge, while stupidity is people who know the cruise industry had nothing to do with COVID-19 but even with all the information still choose to blame it.

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Good responses.  I'm even questioning if for the next while, if every 1 week vacation will turn into a 3 week vacation because places such as school and work won't let us back for 2 weeks and will want us to quarantine?  That is obviously not realistic.  Our next cruise is end of August and if things are back, we can't have our kids miss the start of school. The next one is first week of Dec holidays.  So we have some room there...as there is a second week of holidays but then to miss the first week back in the new year?  Really hope that all eases up if (or when!) cruising resumes.

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10 hours ago, Ampurp85 said:

Those people who have stigmatized cruising are living in either stupidity or ignorance*. I guess the idea of being with the same people in a moving unit brings the idea of recycling germs. But it almost no different from any other type of vacation....in fact it is better. It is much easier to pinpoint any sort of outbreak on a ship. Hundreds of thousands of people can visit an amusement park like Disney or Universal each day.  The same can be said for museums, hot spots in foreign countries and airplanes. How often are these places cleaned thoroughly? Look at the current rate of infection in the US or any country. The only issue is with the ships inability to handle such a huge thing like an influx of people with a illness.  If employers chose to force quarantines or places restrictions on cruise vacations, they would have to place those same restrictions on a lot more options.

*I am in no way calling you fine folks stupid. Ignorance is literally a lack of knowledge, while stupidity is people who know the cruise industry had nothing to do with COVID-19 but even with all the information still choose to blame it.

We have 4 days at Disney prior to our August cruise and to me, this is worse.  You go on a ride, touch the handle bar to keep you in place, which x people have touched before you.  Much easier to spread than a cruise ship.  And likewise as you say with other places.  Cruise ships get a bad rap as they can count the number of cases as everyone is still there.

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At least on RCCI there is "Washy, Washy"......... at a lot of places you have kids who sneeze on everything, scratch their butt, touch everything after touching something filthy...the list goes on. These are tiny humans that don't always have the mental capacity to know better. Real size humans know better and often don't do better...the same kind that are charging for parties and throwing bon fires during a shelter in place pandemic.

I definitely think that with a lot more knowledge and insight we will become less prone to hyperbole. If is is true that we become more immune after having COVID-19, then is will become something like Noro or the Flu. Like we take the proper precaution but don't have to automatically be put on a 2 week quarantine upon returning from a cruise or vacation. At least that is my hope, because mama needs her cruises.

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What about the stigma about people flying again? How many more people are exposed to God knows what from flying everyday compared to cruising? What about going to a concert or sporting event?

When all this is said and done, if people refuse to fly and/or cruise, that just leaves better cruise and flight selections for me.

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I know that there will be other diseases, and that things can get out of hand at any time and that there will be yet another virus that will hit us in the future.  That being said I will continue to do what I have been doing.  I will wash my hands, I will carry and use hand sanitizer, and be more careful about where I eat, I will do far less of the Windjammer and go to the places that I am served, that way I now that there have not been a lot of other peoples hands that have been near it.  I am looking forward to going back onboard and can not wait until they start sailing again.  I will have to admit that I have no desire to cruise until things calm down substantially, and am looking forward to them finding a vaccine or SOMETHING that helps to keep this thing at bay.  Lord knows this thing had had us working overtime and being extra cautious at work, and I am in desperate need of a vacation!!

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3 hours ago, WannaCruise said:

Good responses.  I'm even questioning if for the next while, if every 1 week vacation will turn into a 3 week vacation because places such as school and work won't let us back for 2 weeks and will want us to quarantine?  That is obviously not realistic.  Our next cruise is end of August and if things are back, we can't have our kids miss the start of school. The next one is first week of Dec holidays.  So we have some room there...as there is a second week of holidays but then to miss the first week back in the new year?  Really hope that all eases up if (or when!) cruising resumes.

I suspect that some number of employers will require a 14-day quarantine after cruises for the foreseeable future.  Many of us here would probably consider that to be unfairly judgmental or even irrational, but given the generally negative impression of cruising among the public at large, I believe such restrictions are likely.  

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We have a number of friends that think we are nuts to even think of going back on a ship, We are booked for 2 more cruises Nov 30 2020, Dec 2021, and if they come up with deals, we will be booking another on.  I hope this is calmed down soon so we can all get back to the new normal. The friends that tell us this have been saying it for long time, not just for this outbreak.  We call them ¨Never Cruisers¨ We tell them not to knock it till you try it. It is what we look forward to. They all go to Disney World or Universal,  We think there is just as good a chance of catching something  there as on a ship. I agree it will be different getting back on board but I think it will be comforting knowing that most people will still be in the mode of social distancing and extra washy, washy.

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I've honestly given up arguing with people about it. I'll say my point, to a point, but a lot of those who claim how you're doomed to be in a sardine can with thousands of people and guaranteed to get norovirus either let the media fear them, or aren't big cruise fans anyway. I personally figure my chances of getting sick on a cruise ship or on land is about the same. Either I come in contact with some virus or I don't. Either my body puts up a good fight or it doesn't. I don't judge you and don't care if you judge me. :)

 

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I’ve never really cared what other people think anyway. ?

As far as cruising, people who ask me about it get an explanation of why we enjoy it so much. I’ve actually been able to educate some people who knew nothing about cruising but had all kinds of opinions. 
 

We will have no concerns going on our next cruises (first is in November).  
 

I’m considered “essential” since I’m a butcher/meat cutter for a large regional grocery chain.  Our reality is that I’m risking exposure to all kinds of things daily.  I’m probably safer on a ship. ?

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I've had a lot of friends over the years question cruises because of the norovirus outbreaks.  I always point out to them that norovirus outbreaks happen often in a lot of different places.  The difference is that WHEN a major outbreak occurs out on a cruise ship, you hear about it because people connect the dots.  When a major outbreak happens at Disney or a sporting event or any number of social gathering places, you don't hear about it because the people disperse before the symptoms manifest and often to very diverse regions (hence no connecting the dots).  

The only reason the cruise industry got associated with COVID-19, in particular, is because of the high-profile nature of one of the early hot spots being on a cruise ship.  In reality, very few cruise ships were a problem initially, and even the ones that had some reported problems it was often handled quickly and efficiently (isolating sick passengers, additional safeguards like sanitation stations, no more self-serve buffets, etc.) - lessons from handling norovirus over the years! Check out sites like https://www.ship-technology.com/features/coronavirus-outbreak-2019-ncov-impact-cruise-operators-measures-tourism/ which show only a handful of ships with known or suspected outbreaks of coronavirus.  Yes, as expected, there were also some deaths and some even after the cruisers were back home.  That's the nature of this virus.  

I still feel the value of a cruise compared to other vacations makes it the best choice, at least for me.  If others choose not to cruise, well, more likely an upgrade for me!  My only hope is that enough people will still cruise to get the cruise lines back into the black ink.  I'd gladly give up an opportunity for an upgrade if it means the industry is back to full-swing.

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2 hours ago, mathbees said:

I've had a lot of friends over the years question cruises because of the norovirus outbreaks.  I always point out to them that norovirus outbreaks happen often in a lot of different places.  The difference is that WHEN a major outbreak occurs out on a cruise ship, you hear about it because people connect the dots.  When a major outbreak happens at Disney or a sporting event or any number of social gathering places, you don't hear about it because the people disperse before the symptoms manifest and often to very diverse regions (hence no connecting the dots).  

Yep. I've said that too, most have gone their separate ways or don't report it to anyone. They stay in the hotel room complaining how they should have never had X (insert bad food they are blaming).

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@WannaCruise if you wannacruise just do it. By the time people can start cruising the virus should be way down. Don't think the cruise industry would risk it's reputation by having more news stories about more people getting the virus. The thing that concerns me is if there's a vaccine by next year. If not then this could happen all over again according to a medical report I was reading. The virus could mutate that would be bad for everyone. But If I had a cruise this year I'd go and enjoy myself, life is too short to worry about everything, use common sense and you should be fine. Happy cruising!! 

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Well me for one, don't really care about what others think. I just want to go and enjoy myself while they fret over everything. Life is short and want to enjoy what there is to it.

The use of commonsense is just all you need. Even when the cruise lines were having the problem with the noro I would see people leaving the restroom without washing their hands. And believe me, I didn't mind telling them about it. That's part of the problem with today's society it's all about me and no consideration for others. 

So as soon as I get my fcc I am booking my cruise and enjoy and relax on my next cruise. Hope I meet some good people.

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I'm of the type who wants to go once it's up and running ( after a small grace period to make sure they dont take 3 steps back). But my husband does keep mentioning what scares him is being quarantined because 1 person is sick of 6000 passengers. 

Juat want this all to be over.

Work in healthcare and I'm getting more depressed by the day...

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I know personally I won’t be cruising until a vaccine is out. Therefore I will be eyeing an October 2021 cruise as the earliest possibility that will coincide with getting time off. As long as me and mine are safe I will gladly enjoy cruising. 

I go see my grandmother every week I could never go on a cruise knowing I possibly could put her in jeopardy. And it’s not just the cruise obviously. It’s the plane ride to Florida or Texas as well. 

Fun times will resume. And I can certainly wait till that happens. 

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1 hour ago, J-Fitz said:

I go see my grandmother every week I could never go on a cruise knowing I possibly could put her in jeopardy. And it’s not just the cruise obviously. It’s the plane ride to Florida or Texas as well. 

God forbid, but how do you know you wouldn't spread a future Covid virus to your grandmother from visiting the local grocery store, movie theatre or sporting event?

It's not just contracted on airplanes and cruise ships.

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2 hours ago, FManke said:

God forbid, but how do you know you wouldn't spread a future Covid virus to your grandmother from visiting the local grocery store, movie theatre or sporting event?

It's not just contracted on airplanes and cruise ships.

I can limit my interactions with people and mitigate my chances of getting Covid-19 at the local grocery store with proper measures. I will definitely not being going to a sporting event or the movie theatre anytime soon I can surely tell you that. Luckily they pushed back all the good releases so I won’t be missing much anyway.

I also unfortunately won’t be seeing her for months anyway considering what is going on. I had a cruise planned May 24th. Even if somehow it wasn’t cancelled no way I would be going on it. 

The hope is by the end of 2020 we have a vaccine and things can start to get back to normal. Until then we wait. 

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25 minutes ago, J-Fitz said:

I had a cruise planned May 24th. Even if somehow it wasn’t cancelled no way I would be going on it. 

The hope is by the end of 2020 we have a vaccine and things can start to get back to normal. Until then we wait. 

We're all having to make very difficult, very personal decisions, and honestly, I don't think there's a wrong way to approach this, as long as you're making the most informed, conscious decision for yourself and those in your life.

I certainly don't fault the people who, like you, are deciding not to cruise...and I certainly can't blame the people who *will* decide to cruise if their cruise goes ahead. I'm one of those people, and I know I will be taking the utmost precautions while aboard, and I'm going to be very thankful for the aft balcony that I'll have. Between now and then, since I'm on work-from-home status for what is likely a very long stretch through the end of the year, I'm being very conscious of where I go and how I interact with the people and environment when I get there. And 99.4% of the time, it'll be the grocery store, and only with an "attack plan" -- list, awareness of what aisles everything is in, and self-scan app on my phone ready so I can immediately bag things and then go to self-checkout and do contactless payment.

I'm making the decision to cruise if I'm able for the sake of my mental health...but if anyone or anything gives me any indication that it is a very obvious risk, I will not hesitate to cancel. 

I wish you and everyone the best of luck in all of this!

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18 minutes ago, Chadster said:

We're all having to make very difficult, very personal decisions, and honestly, I don't think there's a wrong way to approach this, as long as you're making the most informed, conscious decision for yourself and those in your life.

I certainly don't fault the people who, like you, are deciding not to cruise...and I certainly can't blame the people who *will* decide to cruise if their cruise goes ahead. I'm one of those people, and I know I will be taking the utmost precautions while aboard, and I'm going to be very thankful for the aft balcony that I'll have. Between now and then, since I'm on work-from-home status for what is likely a very long stretch through the end of the year, I'm being very conscious of where I go and how I interact with the people and environment when I get there. And 99.4% of the time, it'll be the grocery store, and only with an "attack plan" -- list, awareness of what aisles everything is in, and self-scan app on my phone ready so I can immediately bag things and then go to self-checkout and do contactless payment.

I'm making the decision to cruise if I'm able for the sake of my mental health...but if anyone or anything gives me any indication that it is a very obvious risk, I will not hesitate to cancel. 

I wish you and everyone the best of luck in all of this!

I just hope everyone is safe. For those who will be cruising when the cruise lines come back I truly hope the best. I’ll be watching all the videos anticipating my turn. 

 

Me and my girlfriend are extremely disappointed we can’t go on our first cruise. Such a bummer. I do eagerly look forward to when we can go again for sure though. 

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On 3/30/2020 at 7:17 PM, Ampurp85 said:

Those people who have stigmatized cruising are living in either stupidity or ignorance*. I guess the idea of being with the same people in a moving unit brings the idea of recycling germs. But it almost no different from any other type of vacation....in fact it is better. It is much easier to pinpoint any sort of outbreak on a ship. Hundreds of thousands of people can visit an amusement park like Disney or Universal each day.  The same can be said for museums, hot spots in foreign countries and airplanes. How often are these places cleaned thoroughly? Look at the current rate of infection in the US or any country. The only issue is with the ships inability to handle such a huge thing like an influx of people with a illness.  If employers chose to force quarantines or places restrictions on cruise vacations, they would have to place those same restrictions on a lot more options.

*I am in no way calling you fine folks stupid. Ignorance is literally a lack of knowledge, while stupidity is people who know the cruise industry had nothing to do with COVID-19 but even with all the information still choose to blame it.

??????

 

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