Social distancing on a cruise: what changes would you actually enjoy?

[jane01jp]

True. Hand sanitizing must be non-negociable now.
it basically takes an extra 10sec out of our vacation !

I agree totally. But, after sanitizing my hands on previous cruises, my waiter always wanted to shake my hand. I hate having my hand shaken.

 

[mevelandry]

EDIT : Buffets with CMs that are serving us instead would be good too. - I'm cool with that but why not give those paper-y disposable gloves they have at the WholeFoods food bars. Also, only adults allowed to self serve (kids are not as mindful about washing hands/distancing)

This. 100%.

 

[squirk]

They might reduce the food offer a little bit... or add more staff to make sure the service is fast enough.

I’ll come back to what I said earlier. There will be change. At this point, we have to be open minded and trust them... or we rebook for 2022 or 2023, hoping things might come back to what they were. But it’s important to remember that they might never be the same.

I don’t disagree. There will definitely be change in the short term, if only to do anything and everything possible to have initial sailings go off without a hitch and with no cases reported on-board.

 

[Matrix21]

I agree totally. But, after sanitizing my hands on previous cruises, my waiter always wanted to shake my hand. I hate having my hand shaken.

i don't mind a handshake when it's the last dinner.
or taking a picture with both waiter and asst. waiter at the end.

 

[tvguy]

i don't mind a handshake when it's the last dinner.
or taking a picture with both waiter and asst. waiter at the end.

We have carried our own hand sanitizer with us since our 2003 cruise, so no big deal with shake then sanitizer.

 

[jlwhitney]

Hasn't been an issue the last 20 years, Most cruise lines have had plenty of staff to serve folks at the buffet when norovirus issues come up.

and that is only a handful of cruises they have to do it. Thankfully we have not had to deal with it. If all the self serve becomes staffed we would probably think hard about returning . If I can do it for myself I much rather. Just l
If there is self serve check outs I always use them and are usually faster that way.

but I don’t see staffed buffets being a long term thing anyway .

 

[disneyland_is_magic]

As somone who hsan't been on my first DCL yet, I just have to say I am startled by how many people are mentioning babies in the family pool! That's crazy that wasn't enforced pre-covid.

 

[jane01jp]

i don't mind a handshake when it's the last dinner.
or taking a picture with both waiter and asst. waiter at the end.

Same. Its just that on some cruises, I would clean my hands and walk in, and the waiter is there ready to pump my paw. Every time. I would usually get up and go to the restroom to wash my hands.

 

[rjb123]

Honestly they ned to have less people on those ships. The pools are horrifying, and when you add in the amount of fecal material plus vomit its frankly revolting. CM don't enforce much once you are on board in our experience. On our last cruise the pool was closed 50% of the time due to this. We witnessed one kid literally vomit ALL over the place on the slide and it didn't even get shut down. Gag.

 

[Matrix21]

As somone who hsan't been on my first DCL yet, I just have to say I am startled by how many people are mentioning babies in the family pool! That's crazy that wasn't enforced pre-covid.

My wife and I always said we're gonna take a Disney cruise when our kids be potty trained.
Because it's supposed to be the rule

 

[mevelandry]

As somone who hsan't been on my first DCL yet, I just have to say I am startled by how many people are mentioning babies in the family pool! That's crazy that wasn't enforced pre-covid.

I have cruised three times on DCL and I haven’t swam even once in any of the main pools (only in the adult pool). I call them »children soup ». I noticed they ended up being closed a few times too.

My experience is that some cast members seemed scared to offend guests sometimes which lead some guests to voluntarily ignore them/ignore the rules sometimes.

 

[squirk]

My experience is that some cast members seemed scared to offend guests sometimes which lead some guests to voluntarily ignore them/ignore the rules sometimes.

I hope that DCL takes this opportunity to recalibrate and level-set guests' understanding that they will be called out if they ignore or otherwise fail to follow the rules, especially where health and hygiene are involved.

 

[Matrix21]

I have cruised three times on DCL and I haven’t swam even once in any of the main pools (only in the adult pool). I call them »children soup ». I noticed they ended up being closed a few times too.

My experience is that some cast members seemed scared to offend guests sometimes which lead some guests to voluntarily ignore them/ignore the rules sometimes.

I've been on 4 DCL trips now and I never once went to Donald's or Mickey's pool. Too crowded...really crowded, you just can't swin lol

 

[bbel]

Salad bar? Condiments? Ice cream toppings? Oatmeal/muesli with all of the add-ins? That sounds like an efficiency nightmare if you have to ask a CM to do all of that for you vs. doing it yourself.

I was in charge of Ketchup on a wonder poop cruise. Just Ketchup, no mayo. Best job I ever had...

Hasn't been an issue the last 20 years, Most cruise lines have had plenty of staff to serve folks at the buffet when norovirus issues come up.

Yes and no. They pull us in from all over. As youth staff my hours went up from 10/11 hours a day to 13 hours a day. And it also means your actual department is short staffed because we're elsewhere. Its survivable for a cruise or two, but not forever.

 

[squirk]

I was in charge of Ketchup on a wonder poop cruise. Just Ketchup, no mayo. Best job I ever had...

Dare I ask what a "poop cruise" is? A cruise with a noro outbreak? Or a cruise where the plumbing stops working?

 

[tvguy]

Yes and no. They pull us in from all over. As youth staff my hours went up from 10/11 hours a day to 13 hours a day. And it also means your actual department is short staffed because we're elsewhere. Its survivable for a cruise or two, but not forever.

I think the number of staff to passengers is going to have to go up to keep people safe in the post covid era. Whether they do it by increasing staff, or decreasing passengers remains to be seen.

 

[bbel]

Dare I ask what a "poop cruise" is? A cruise with a noro outbreak? Or a cruise where the plumbing stops working?

Noro. Always fun.
Luckily never been on one with no plumbing. Toilets might not flush for a little bit but nothing that bad.
Although my toilet did overflow once and flood my cabin...that was the wonder too...

 

[bbel]

I think the number of staff to passengers is going to have to go up to keep people safe in the post covid era. Whether they do it by increasing staff, or decreasing passengers remains to be seen.

It will have to be decreasing passengers.
There already weren't enough crew cabins on the classic ships pre covid (returning crew would be in a guest cabin for their first cruise or two back), and now they want crew in single cabins....

 

[squirk]

Noro. Always fun.
Luckily never been on one with no plumbing. Toilets might not flush for a little bit but nothing that bad.
Although my toilet did overflow once and flood my cabin...that was the wonder too...

Was it madness in Cabanas (or was it still Beach Blanket Buffet back then?) having to dole out everything to everybody during the breakfast/lunch rushes?

 

[DisneYE]

As somone who hsan't been on my first DCL yet, I just have to say I am startled by how many people are mentioning babies in the family pool! That's crazy that wasn't enforced pre-covid.

It's crazier when an incident happens (babies/toddlers dripping) they close the pool for disinfection for the entire day...imagine being a kid and looking forward to a nice time in the pool after lunch or breakfast only to see it closed until the next day...I get incredibly upset when I see it closed & want to complain but then I turn around, look at the ocean and I'm instantly chill.. I just let it go.