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CDC updates some of its rules for cruise ships


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  • Vaccinated passengers are no longer required to wear a mask outside (except in crowded spaces), but unvaccinated passengers still must, including while sunbathing on lounge chairs spaced 6 feet apart and in between bites and sips during outdoor meal service.  (Common sense)
  • All passengers (vaccinated or not) must still wear a mask in between bites and sips while dining indoors.  (Dumbest statement I have ever heard) 
  • The ban on independent shoreside exploration for all passengers (vaccinated and not) has been moved from a requirement to a recommendation 
  • Buffets are still prohibited, even on fully vaccinated sailings. 
  • The new update continues to treat vaccinated sailings the exact same as sailings that include a mix of vaccinated and unvaccinated passengers. It treats vaccinated and unvaccinated passengers differently in some scenarios, but continues to impose the same requirements for cruise ships that require 100% vaccination as compared to those that will allow a mix.

 

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings CEO Frank Del Rio called the CDC's guidelines "unfair" and "never consistent."

He specifically called out the rule requiring vaccinated patrons to put their masks back on between bites in a restaurant., "Even though everyone onboard would be vaccinated, in between bites of your meal and in between sips of your beverage, you have to put on your mask, take off your mask."

"Nobody should order soup because your mask might get sloppy. That to me is just preposterous."

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We've all agreed that the CDC guidance is ridiculous and unnecessary.  This just reinforces it.

For me the real question is what will RCG do with the summer sailings that don't touch the US. i.e. Adventure out of Bahamas, Vision out of Bermuda and Celebrity Millennium out of St. Maarten.

I'm booked on 2 of these sailings and haven't really heard anything. One of my sailings is less than 30 days out.

I'll let everyone know my experience once on board.

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15 minutes ago, steverk said:

I'm booked on 2 of these sailings and haven't really heard anything. One of my sailings is less than 30 days out.

I'll let everyone know my experience once on board.

I'm eagerly waiting to learn what the onboard protocols will be.  I'm holding off booking for now. 

Between the elusive possible July restart and the unknown offshore protocols something has to give.

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16 minutes ago, twangster said:

I'm eagerly waiting to learn what the onboard protocols will be.  

And the protocols that come out a month from now will probably be different than 5 months from now. It's going to be ever changing for who knows how long. 

 

Happy Cruising!

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7 minutes ago, twangster said:

Presumably easing as time goes by so the initial protocols should be worst case scenario.  

Agreed. 

I'll let everyone know what I experience and everyone can draw their own conclusions. 

Since I'm on the first RCG sailing in the Caribbean, I'm expecting it to be pretty restrictive.

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7 minutes ago, twangster said:

Presumably easing as time goes by so the initial protocols should be worst case scenario.  

Let's all hope that is the case, but we are talking about a government agency. If they don't make themselves important and relevant, who will?

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42 minutes ago, twangster said:

I'm eagerly waiting to learn what the onboard protocols will be.  I'm holding off booking for now. 

Between the elusive possible July restart and the unknown offshore protocols something has to give.

Same. I only have one cruise booked in September but a final payment quickly approaching. Wife and I are considering cancelling before payment then waiting to see what happens over the summer before making plans with our FCCs (only two cruise deposits, nowhere near what some here probably have). Her starting a new job does help the decision too, "now you don't have to awkwardly ask for time off already" LOL.

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19 minutes ago, PPPJJ-GCVAB said:

I truly think the rule regarding indoor dining is totally insane...might end up having to dine on my balcony if rules are not relaxed by November!   Or perhaps chow down my dinner in one bite????   

 

          joey chestnut eating GIF by ESPN

and how is that even enforceable? is there going to be an attendant standing at each table to be the mask police while people eat? There is ZERO science to support this kind of nonsense and it does not match what is happening at indoor dining now in the US. 

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41 minutes ago, UNCFanatik said:

and how is that even enforceable? is there going to be an attendant standing at each table to be the mask police while people eat? There is ZERO science to support this kind of nonsense and it does not match what is happening at indoor dining now in the US. 

They'll have stopwatches timing how long it takes to take the bite off your fork to when you put your mask back on.

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8 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

They'll have stopwatches timing how long it takes to take the bite off your fork to when you put your mask back on.

I see. Better yet..they need to have someone on PA system coordinating when all the diners can take a bite. 

"Prepare for bite one

Remove masks

4 chews and thats it

Countdown for placing masks back on...5..4..3..2..1"

 

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There's nothing (in the actual guidance not the editorialized version above) that says between bites you have to remask except for people taking "extended meal service" to absurd extremes.

The guidance is outdated / ridiculous enough already, especially with a fully vaccinated ship, without that.

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12 minutes ago, joshgates said:

There's nothing (in the actual guidance not the editorialized version above) that says between bites you have to remask except for people taking "extended meal service" to absurd extremes.

The guidance is outdated / ridiculous enough already, especially with a fully vaccinated ship, without that.

 

The only extended meal service on a cruise ship is the MDR.  One could interpret that as putting your mask on in between courses, but that's as absurd as in between bites.

 

Plenty of studies have shown no tangible increase in covid cases from dining at a restaurant.  And that was before vaccines.

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11 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

 

The only extended meal service on a cruise ship is the MDR.  One could interpret that as putting your mask on in between courses, but that's as absurd as in between bites.

 

Plenty of studies have shown no tangible increase in covid cases from dining at a restaurant.  And that was before vaccines.

I'm not disputing that, as I said, I find masks on a fully vaccinated cruise fairly absurd anyways.  My point is there's been no definition of "extended meal service" given so jumping to it meaning masking between bites or courses in the MDR is pointless.  I'd rather focus on the actual issues with it, not one that people made up based on their interpretation.  *shrugs* you do you though, long as I can get on the ship and they still stock gin for me to drink I'll tolerate the absurdity for awhile.

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10 minutes ago, joshgates said:

I'm not disputing that, as I said, I find masks on a fully vaccinated cruise fairly absurd anyways.  My point is there's been no definition of "extended meal service" given so jumping to it meaning masking between bites or courses in the MDR is pointless.  I'd rather focus on the actual issues with it, not one that people made up based on their interpretation.  *shrugs* you do you though, long as I can get on the ship and they still stock gin for me to drink I'll tolerate the absurdity for awhile.

The cruise lines have been actively in talks with the CDC about these requirements. You can bet if Del Rio is saying that's the expectation it's not just his interpretation or a guess, it's likely they've told them it actually means just that in those calls.

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11 minutes ago, 0_0 said:

The cruise lines have been actively in talks with the CDC about these requirements. You can bet if Del Rio is saying that's the expectation it's not just his interpretation or a guess, it's likely they've told them it actually means just that in those calls.

What any executive or politician says publicly is also largely used as PR or to sway public opinion and often has no basis in reality.  I wouldn't make any assumptions based off of that. 

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29 minutes ago, joshgates said:

I'm not disputing that, as I said, I find masks on a fully vaccinated cruise fairly absurd anyways.  My point is there's been no definition of "extended meal service" given so jumping to it meaning masking between bites or courses in the MDR is pointless.  I'd rather focus on the actual issues with it, not one that people made up based on their interpretation.  *shrugs* you do you though, long as I can get on the ship and they still stock gin for me to drink I'll tolerate the absurdity for awhile.

It's the CDC. Always assume the most strict interpretation of anything

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Just heard on the news that CDC now says if you’re vaccinated no more masks indoors. 
 

Good grief. Good news but just enforces how they change stuff like people change their underwear 

i wonder what tomorrow will bring? Heck, something else may change next hour! 

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16 minutes ago, Jill said:

Just heard on the news that CDC now says if you’re vaccinated no more masks indoors. 
 

Good grief. Good news but just enforces how they change stuff like people change their underwear 

i wonder what tomorrow will bring? Heck, something else may change next hour! 

Doesnt surprise me after the week the CDC has had and losing advocates on both sides of the political aisle. They have been taking a beating and people are starting to wake up to the fact that the CDC is adding to vaccine hesitancy. 

I just dont know when CDC guidance somehow turned out to be law in some peoples minds? I mean to these same people never eat their red meat at medium temp, eat raw cookie dough, etc?

Do they follow all CDC guidance with their diet? Smoking? 

Amazing how some people ignore all CDC guidance in their lives except when it comes to Covid. then the CDC guidance becomes Gospel which must strictly be adhered to

People are funny animals

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48 minutes ago, Jill said:

Just heard on the news that CDC now says if you’re vaccinated no more masks indoors. 

https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-masks-cdc-guidelines-9d10c8b5f80a4ac720fa1df2a4fb93e5?utm_source=twitter&utm_campaign=socialflow&utm_medium=ap

 

"The CDC will also no longer recommend that fully vaccinated people wear masks outdoors in crowds."

OK, time to totally rewrite those CSO requirements.

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11 minutes ago, wordell1 said:

They equate cruise ships to prisons and other institutions.

Yes, which is strange because people staying at casinos for a weeks vacation experience very similar conditions to cruise ships. Eat at hotel buffets, gamble on crowded casino floor, see shows all without leaving hotel. And they arent outside as much as people on a cruise typically

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8 minutes ago, UNCFanatik said:

Yes, which is strange because people staying at casinos for a weeks vacation experience very similar conditions to cruise ships. Eat at hotel buffets, gamble on crowded casino floor, see shows all without leaving hotel. And they arent outside as much as people on a cruise typically

They see it as a high risk situation because we are "trapped" on the ship. Its ridiculous. Being on a cruise is no different than staying at all all inclusive resort,  or to your point, a casino.

There are ways to deal with the unlikely event that someone does come down with Covid. The cruise lines have a great plan for this.

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13 minutes ago, Gears said:

Looks like the CDC is contradicting themselves again...

People vaccinated against Covid-19 can go without masks indoors and outdoors, CDC says:

https://www.cnn.com/2021/05/13/health/cdc-mask-guidance-vaccinated/index.html

Not contradicting. The political winds have changed this week. Bad job numbers, inflation, gas shortage, Middle East crisis. The terrible showing of CDC and Walensky in the Congressional Hearings this week. The administration ordered the CDC to do this today. Its all political and has nothing to do with science

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WooHoo...my mask is now history!!  Of course, I will keep it handy for certain circumstances...per CDC: The requirement to wear masks during travel -- on buses, trains, planes and public transportation -- still stands, Walensky said, and guidance for travel will be updated as science emerges.

#Gears...thanks for providing the updated info!

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