Tracking Cruising Restart: News and Updates

[brentm77]

Well, both of these settings are quite likely on cruise ships.

I agree with the article's general conclusion, but it would have been true a year ago as well - and, yet, we ended up with Diamond Princess and a half dozen other petri dishes.

Except that Diamond Princess and the others happened before we were doing anything, or much, to protect people. There is no indication that the infections happened outdoors, and given the data, it is unlikely that is where they occurred. These were people packed inside on essentially normal cruises, without masks, without spacing, and most of all, without vaccinations.

People sitting on the sundeck are going to be spaced anyway, with lots of fresh air moving by them at all times. And, as the article says, we don't know of a single transmission happening in those situations. People should at least be able to take off the masks outdoors when spaced.

 

[Intr3pid]

Except that Diamond Princess and the others happened before we were doing anything, or much, to protect people. There is no indication that the infections happened outdoors, and given the data, it is unlikely that is where they occurred. These were people packed inside on essentially normal cruises, without masks, without spacing, and most of all, without vaccinations.

People sitting on the sundeck are going to be spaced anyway, with lots of fresh air moving by them at all times. And, as the article says, we don't know of a single transmission happening in those situations. People should at least be able to take off the masks outdoors when spaced.

Every successful cruise currently in operation with a safety record to boast is requiring masks on board regardless of decks. RCL in Singapore and MSC in Italy are actually being used as examples to make the case to the CDC.

The only cruise line that tried to do away with masks requirements was SeaDream - and this is what happened to it.
https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/caribbean-cruise-seadream-1-covid/index.html
The NY Times article isn't a scientific study - though I agree with most of its content. It is referring to truly outdoor places such as in the picture showing a sidewalk by a Miami beach. Further, it attempts to qualify the outbreak data (in a Singapore study) by referring to workers ducking under shades during breaks. Well, that's exactly what the pool deck of a cruise ship is - under the shade of the promenade deck (deck 10 on Magic) with bottlenecks and uncontrolled openings into indoor spaces with potentially thousands of people around. It is not a sidewalk on a beach.

The cruise lines' own health panels want masks on board regardless of decks. The cruises currently sailing - or about to sail, say, in the UK - are asking for masks everywhere on board. No mainstream health jurisdiction in the world - not just CDC - is currently allowing cruises to sail with a patchwork of exemptions "by decks".

Let's assume we can make the case. How would a cruise line enforce it? Particularly on a subset of the ship where the offenders - like with everything else - will bend the rules to their hearts' desire? Which rule is actually possible to enforce: (A) masks required, or (B) masks required in X if you distance by Y, in A if you do B, at C if you limit yourself to D?

Given time and experience with actual sailings - and assuming the virus doesn't flare up again - the restrictions will start to go away. Patience is key. We are starting from 0 - let's get to 50 first before putting foot on the pedal for 100!

 

[mostlytraveling4food]

If they’re going to require masks on open areas of the ship, like the highest decks, they’re gonna have to require it for simply sitting out on your verandah.

I am not a proponent of forcing people to wear masks when they’re sitting 20 feet away from another family, but if you’re going to enforce one kind of insanity, you can’t allow guests to be unmasked on their balcony. There’s someone right next to you, above and below you.

 

[mevelandry]

If they’re going to require masks on open areas of the ship, like the highest decks, they’re gonna have to require it for simply sitting out on your verandah.

I am not a proponent of forcing people to wear masks when they’re sitting 20 feet away from another family, but if you’re going to enforce one kind of insanity, you can’t allow guests to be unmasked on their balcony. There’s someone right next to you, above and below you.

I’m 99.9% positive that they won’t force people to wear masks on verandahs because there is a physical barrier between all of them.

Plus, it isn’t mentioned anywhere.

 

[Princess Merida]

Comparing what happened on a cruise prior to vaccinations and so many now having been infected with covid is apples to oranges. If I'm correct that said 7 cases, yes with not many on the ship, but could have been two staterooms. It also doesn't say whether or not any of these people were traveling together. These boats are also much smaller than DCL's with far less room to distance. And again no vaccines and likely minimal immunity. So today is the beginning of the hearing. Does anyone know how long these hearings typically last?

 

[mostlytraveling4food]

I’m 99.9% positive that they won’t force people to wear masks on verandahs because there is a physical barrier between all of them.

Plus, it isn’t mentioned anywhere.

Not when you’re standing up and looking out on your balcony

 

[FightingIrishman]

Well, this thread has degraded.

 

[ahain]

Well, this thread has degraded.

Yup. Like so many others, it is turning political.....I suspect it will soon be shut down like so many others. :-(

 

[jrapps]

Yup. Like so many others, it is turning political.....I suspect it will soon be shut down like so many others. :-(

Yep, so let's try to pause the political rhetoric and get this thread back on track.

Cruise restart news and Updates! Carnival has made news today cancelling most cruises in July except for 3 ships. Seems like they are planning for July even if they aren't that confident yet.

Does anyone have news on how fast DCL is re-crewing their ships? I know they vaccinated the crew recently but those were just skeleton crews, right?

Has DCL sent anyone a survey about their preferences on cruising? I know RCL has begun sending surveys to guests asking them questions about masks and vaccines.

 

[BadPinkTink]

Yep, so let's try to pause the political rhetoric and get this thread back on track.

Cruise restart news and Updates! Carnival has made news today cancelling most cruises in July except for 3 ships. Seems like they are planning for July even if they aren't that confident yet.

Does anyone have news on how fast DCL is re-crewing their ships? I know they vaccinated the crew recently but those were just skeleton crews, right?

Has DCL sent anyone a survey about their preferences on cruising? I know RCL has begun sending surveys to guests asking them questions about masks and vaccines.

DCL are probably focusing on The Magic and The UK sailings right now. Once they start sailing, DCL will have a huge amount of real time real world data that they can use for the other ships. Right now The Magic crew are being recalled and retrained and DCL are busy setting up port arrangements and getting contracts for all the restocking at the home ports.

 

[mevelandry]

Not when you’re standing up and looking out on your balcony

View attachment 574631

I'm pretty sure people are sitting on chairs most of the time. The walls between the verandahs will do a great job.

 

[jrapps]

DCL are probably focusing on The Magic and The UK sailings right now. Once they start sailing, DCL will have a huge amount of real time real world data that they can use for the other ships. Right now The Magic crew are being recalled and retrained and DCL are busy setting up port arrangements and getting contracts for all the restocking at the home ports.

So the UK sailings begin July 15th right? It will take a lot for us to be patient enough to wait until then to hear SOMETHING from DCL about July or Aug sailings from Port Canaveral.

 

[Intr3pid]

Not sure how many here look at cruising down under, but we had the plans. Australia and New Zealand have controlled the virus very well - yet they are expecting to keep their borders closed until mid to late 2022!

https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-...ot-fully-reopen-until-mid-to-late-2021-05-06/
I anticipate some of the ships to be re-deployed elsewhere. RCL, Celebrity, Princess, and NCL take one or more of their ships to Australia/NZ every year. We could see some new, interesting itineraries closer to this side of the world.

 

[anjuan]

Yep, so let's try to pause the political rhetoric and get this thread back on track.

Cruise restart news and Updates! Carnival has made news today cancelling most cruises in July except for 3 ships. Seems like they are planning for July even if they aren't that confident yet.

Does anyone have news on how fast DCL is re-crewing their ships? I know they vaccinated the crew recently but those were just skeleton crews, right?

Has DCL sent anyone a survey about their preferences on cruising? I know RCL has begun sending surveys to guests asking them questions about masks and vaccines.

I still have a 6 night cruise booked on the Fantasy at the end of July and I haven't heard a peep from DCL.

 

[sabrecmc]

DCL hasn't canceled my July 2 cruise yet. I'm sure it will, but not yet. Keep thinking they are waiting until after Wish bookings maybe?

 

[DVCkidsMOM]

Yep, so let's try to pause the political rhetoric and get this thread back on track.

Cruise restart news and Updates! Carnival has made news today cancelling most cruises in July except for 3 ships. Seems like they are planning for July even if they aren't that confident yet.

Does anyone have news on how fast DCL is re-crewing their ships? I know they vaccinated the crew recently but those were just skeleton crews, right?

Has DCL sent anyone a survey about their preferences on cruising? I know RCL has begun sending surveys to guests asking them questions about masks and vaccines.

I received Disney surveys in March and April, but not from DCL specifically. They did include a question matrix with type of travel or vacation vs. type of situation in which you might be comfortable with that type of travel. It's been a while, but I remember options similar to "when we have effective treatments," and "when we have vaccines." Anyhow - that's what I remember about the surveys I've seen. I, too, would like to know if anyone has received a DCL specific survey.

 

[diablodancer]

I received Disney surveys in March and April, but not from DCL specifically. They did include a question matrix with type of travel or vacation vs. type of situation in which you might be comfortable with that type of travel. It's been a while, but I remember options similar to "when we have effective treatments," and "when we have vaccines." Anyhow - that's what I remember about the surveys I've seen. I, too, would like to know if anyone has received a DCL specific survey.

In case you haven’t seen my post on the previous page, I received a DCL specific survey that included a couple of questions on my motivations for booking one of the UK Staycation sailings.

 

[brentm77]

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has seemingly lightened up on its complex cruise regulations, releasing an update to its COVID-19 operation guidelines for cruise lines wanting to operate from U.S. ports under the agency's Conditional Sail Order.

While the CDC stressed its mask order remains in effect, it said that "cruise ship operators, at their discretion, may advise passengers and crew that—if they are fully vaccinated—they 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 also noted that cruise lines may allow fully vaccinated passengers to go ashore on their own, instead of having to participate in organized group tours.

"Cruise ship operators, at their discretion, may advise passengers and crew that—if they are fully vaccinated—they may engage in self-guided or independent exploration during port stops, if they wear a mask while indoors. The cruise ship operator is additionally advised that foreign jurisdictions may have their own requirements," said the guidelines.

More news is expected to follow on Wednesday afternoon.

https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/...ens-up-on-cruise-mask-and-shore-ex-rules.html
Glad to see the CDC looking at reasonable changes.

Another report from the Royal Caribbean blog (which may be overinterpreting some of the requirements based on the debates I have read here - its blog has a generally negative tone towards the CDC requirements, so keep that in mind):

In the CDC's email, they outlined a few key areas of change:

• 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.
• All passengers (vaccinated or not) must still wear a mask in between bites and sips while dining indoors.
• 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.

https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2021/05/12/cdc-updates-some-of-its-rules-cruise-ships
I am trying to envision how this would work on lines that don't require vaccinations - people would have to wear some sort of "I am vaccinated" identifier, and no line is going to go there.

 

[sabrecmc]

Isn't the CDC supposed to update indoor mask guidelines soon?

 

[brentm77]

Isn't the CDC supposed to update indoor mask guidelines soon?

That is what Fauci said a few days ago. But I don't expect the CDC to do that on cruise ships, as they are being extra cautious in that area.