CDC - looking good for mask-free cruises - or mostly!

[Girl of the South]

Hoping this thread doesn't get 'lost' in the too long Vaccine thread . . this is big news and needs it's own discussion! Do you feel comfortable if this is the case? I'm very happy about it and looking forward to my cruise in January!

"Fully vaccinated travelers onboard cruise ships won’t have to wear masks in outdoor settings, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Passengers and crew members who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 "may gather or conduct activities outdoors, including engaging in extended meal service or beverage consumption, without wearing a mask except in crowded settings," the CDC said Wednesday in an update to its Conditional Sailing Order as reported by CruiseCritic.com."

 

[sabrecmc]

Hey, nice! Still leaves out the younger kids, but that's a lot closer to something doable.

 

[Trera]

Hoping this thread doesn't get 'lost' in the too long Vaccine thread . . this is big news and needs it's own discussion! Do you feel comfortable if this is the case? I'm very happy about it and looking forward to my cruise in January!

"Fully vaccinated travelers onboard cruise ships won’t have to wear masks in outdoor settings, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Passengers and crew members who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 "may gather or conduct activities outdoors, including engaging in extended meal service or beverage consumption, without wearing a mask except in crowded settings," the CDC said Wednesday in an update to its Conditional Sailing Order as reported by CruiseCritic.com."

except in crowded settings...................sea days around the pool, the sail away part and the shows at night are all really crowded.

 

[Cruising Engineer]

This is today's good news. By the time cruises actually resume, protocols indoors and outside could be a thing of the past. I at least hope so.

 

[onesam319]

Our next cruise is on the Dream in February. I'm "Dreaming" of a cruise without restrictions!

 

[AquaDame]

Hoping this thread doesn't get 'lost' in the too long Vaccine thread . . this is big news and needs it's own discussion! Do you feel comfortable if this is the case? I'm very happy about it and looking forward to my cruise in January!

I've always been comfortable with the idea of ditching the masks amongst vaccinated individuals (especially once the efficacy looked as good as it is). My husband took a little longer to get there, but we were actually able to enjoy Mother's Day with my family last weekend. Its been a LONG year and I'm glad the end is in sight....

That said, I'm not sure what cruise lines are going to do on the vaccinated vs. not at this point... if my option is sailing with no vaccine requirement AND no masks, I'm not in any rush to book for a few months until I see what happens on the ones that sail. Still onboard for vaccinated cruises OR mask requirements come our March cruise...!

PS if anyone is wondering it was decided to let this be its own thread rather than merge into the main 'restarting' thread as it is a very big announcement.

 

[MomOTwins]

I feel a bit funny about this because it is such a reverse from what I expected! I was so sure that they'd ditch everything else (plexiglass, distancing, sanitizer) and masks would be the last thing to go since they are the most effective safeguard. I'd rather go on a cruise where nothing at all is different in terms of entertainment etc., but everyone wears masks. I worry we'll all go back to square one if it turns out there is a variant that evades the vaccine, or we all need boosters at 6 months but supply issues will stop us getting them. I guess I can always keep wearing my mask and just be "that weirdo."

But if it gets cruises restarted, I won't complain! I feel like I would have been happy cruising with masks for a whole year now, so if they're dropping masks maybe they can drop the cruise ban now.

My kids obviously will still need to wear masks, but they are so used it we are struggling to get them to give it up in setting where it is not at all necessary (they even wear it when we get in the car even though we tell them just to hold on to it until we get it our destination, for example).

 

[Calantha]

My kids obviously will still need to wear masks, but they are so used it we are struggling to get them to give it up in setting where it is not at all necessary (they even wear it when we get in the car even though we tell them just to hold on to it until we get it our destination, for example).

It is interesting that you say that. I just had the conversation with my son (6) last night. For background, he's been in full time kindergarten since September and they wear masks all day except when outside or eating lunch. I asked him, "Would you still want to go on a cruise in the Fall if you had to wear a mask in the kid's club and in the hallways or would you rather wait until we were able to go maskless the whole time?" And he wants to cruise even with the masks. I really have to admire how well he and his friends have done this year.

 

[MomOTwins]

It is interesting that you say that. I just had the conversation with my son (6) last night. For background, he's been in full time kindergarten since September and they wear masks all day except when outside or eating lunch. I asked him, "Would you still want to go on a cruise in the Fall if you had to wear a mask in the kid's club and in the hallways or would you rather wait until we were able to go maskless the whole time?" And he wants to cruise even with the masks. I really have to admire how well he and his friends have done this year.

I do think that's it. Ours wear them all day in school too other than lunch/snacks, so it has just become part of their wardrobe now. When I tell them they don't need a mask, they look at me like all confused like I told them they don't need to wear shoes or underwear!

 

[aliceinvunderland]

My DS10 had a checkup with his pediatrician last week. When the doc got into the exam room, she asked if I was fully vaxxed (yes), told me she is fully vaxxed, and asked if I was comfortable taking our masks off. (I said yes.) She told me that she is seeing so much “mask anxiety” in her patients and that she is trying to get them used to taking off their masks in safe situations. Kids have adapted to the masks and are fully comfortable wearing them, and in some cases are more uncomfortable NOT wearing them! On the ship, we’d all much rather have masks be required in the kids clubs than have reservations/time limits be required!

That being said, mask wearing outside or on the pool deck is a definite deal breaker for us. In the theater? Sure. Waiting in line for dinner? Okay. But we will not be sailing until we can go maskless outside.

 

[Bibbobboo2u]

If a cruise line follows the cdc protocols in which 98% of personnel and 95% of guests are vaccinated, that is a higher rate than we will ever have in the general population, and masks should not be needed inside or outside for those who are vaccinated.
ETA: We still have a cruise planned with Disney later this year, and we are waiting to see if they intend to sail, and if so, what the protocols will be.

 

[Joe Brig]

We are waiting for the day when masks and social distancing are no longer required or even mentioned. If would seem that we could be there once vaccines are available to all adults. They could add testing before boarding for increased peace of mind. But once onboard we want to forget the virus and just cruise.

 

[wideeyedwonder]

Regarding being vaccinating, but mixing with others that may or may not be vaccinated:

“Health experts say that the real question to ask before deciding to mask up or not is whether you have been vaccinated. If you’re vaccinated, “You’re very safe,” Fauci said on MSNBC on Friday. And the fact is, when you go into a restaurant, store or another place, “you’re not gonna know who’s vaccinated or not,” he added. “But we felt that, all things considered, given the high degree of effectiveness of the vaccines, that you’re OK [to remove your mask indoors if you’ve been vaccinated] because your risk is very, very low.””

https://www.marketwatch.com/story/d...ld-still-wear-masks-11621026068?siteid=yhoof2

 

[soniam]

I guess I can always keep wearing my mask and just be "that weirdo."

You probably won't be the only "weirdo". Until our son is fully vaccinated (he's 15), we will wear masks, especially indoors and at the parks. Thankfully, he should be fully vaccinated before our July park trip. A cruise feels a bit different though. I have been debating about going back to gym now that I am fully vaccinated. Going without a mask is a little iffy feeling. It will take time for some of us to readjust. You have to do what feels comfortable and not worry about others.

 

[ArielRae]

Not sure if it has been discussed but do you think Disney might do something like have those who are fully vaccinated show proof at embarkation and then give them a waterproof wristband to wear the entire cruise to show who needs masks on or not? They can put the wristband on well enough they can’t slip off so can’t be transferred to anyone else. Also if your wristband does break off you have to go to guest services with photo ID and proof of vaccination to get a new band put on. If you are vaccinated and don’t want to wear the wristband you have to wear the mask then. Just a thought I had thinking about the discussions about how to tell the difference between those vaccinated and those not so you can go without masks on while cruising if you choose.

 

[DCLMP]

Not sure if it has been discussed but do you think Disney might do something like have those who are fully vaccinated show proof at embarkation and then give them a waterproof wristband to wear the entire cruise to show who needs masks on or not? They can put the wristband on well enough they can’t slip off so can’t be transferred to anyone else. Also if your wristband does break off you have to go to guest services with photo ID and proof of vaccination to get a new band put on. If you are vaccinated and don’t want to wear the wristband you have to wear the mask then. Just a thought I had thinking about the discussions about how to tell the difference between those vaccinated and those not so you can go without masks on while cruising if you choose.

Except I don’t think that will be allowed in Florida. Segregation is just a bad idea in general. It’s also no ones business if you’ve been vaccinated or not. I mean why don’t we just put a scarlet letter on all the unvaccinated. It’s all ridiculous. Millions have had Covid and have better immunity than the vaccine and many of these people have chosen not get vaccinated.

Just test people for Covid before they board. The numbers will continue to decline as we reach some kind of heard immunity and hopefully masks and vaccines won’t be an issue.

 

[JWelch62]

Godwin's law invoked. That was fast.

 

[DCLMP]

Godwin's law invoked. That was fast.

Maybe not the best comparison I’ll remove it, but I think you now what I meant. People shouldn’t be masked,marked
or braceleted for their personal health decisions.

 

[ArielRae]

Except I don’t think that will be allowed in Florida. Segregation is just a bad idea in general. It’s also no ones business if you’ve been vaccinated or not. I mean why don’t we just put a scarlet letter on all the unvaccinated. It’s all ridiculous. Millions have had Covid and have better immunity than the vaccine and many of these people have chosen not get vaccinated.

Just test people for Covid before they board. The numbers will continue to decline as we reach some kind of heard immunity and hopefully masks and vaccines won’t be an issue.

You make some good points and I see your point of view. I was trying to think of a way so those not vaccinated could cruise with the CDC’s rules for those vaccinated vs not vaccinated having to wear masks. Feeling for the Cast Members if they have to figure out who should be masked and who are allowed not to be.

Have to admit I never heard of Godwin's law and had to look it up. Thanks for the education, always learning something new.

 

[TestingH2O]

People shouldn’t be masked,marked
or braceleted for their personal health decisions.

Actually yes, people should be masked if they choose not to vaccinate. That’s exactly what the CDC says. Those people who are not vaccinated should continue wearing masks to prevent transmission.



These headlines really needs to start being written with the important information first: IF YOU ARE VACCINATED, you don’t need to wear a mask in most situations. Instead they keep writing it as: YOU DON’T NEED TO WEAR A MASK, if you are vaccinated.