When do we think things will become more “normal?”

[RysMomma]

I know no one knows the answer to this but while I’m thinking about my cruise (which has been rescheduled twice since 2020 and will hopefully be the Fantasy in August 2022) and reading posts on here, I’m just wondering when people think “normal” will resume? Will we always be testing from now on? Never be actually with the characters again? Always having masks on indoors? Listen, I can’t wait to go and will take every precaution I need to and follow every DCL rule, I’m just thinking and wondering what others thing, too!

 

[tvguy]

Well, Monday the CEO of Royal Caribbean said he feels the pandemic is giving way to an endemic. He added, without being specific about which...... that some protocols may become permanent.
I've been cruising for 41 years, and the best comparison I can make is to the Norovirus protocols that came into existence on cruise ships in the early 2000's. I cruised in June 2002 just before Norovirus really started to hit hard. I cruised in December 2003 at the tail end of a series of outbreaks on ships, and that was when hand sanitizer being place all over the ship and crew members offering sanitizer as you entered dining rooms. They also made a big deal about crew members using sanitizer on hand rails and commonly touched public areas.
Just like the CEO of Royal Caribbean, I have no crystal ball, but I suspect somethings will not go back to normal.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

The Parks have quietly renamed character meets to "sightings," so there is that.

 

[Intr3pid]

Here is my prediction from way back before the Delta variant came along.

https://www.disboards.com/threads/f...y-not-happen-until-2022.3825883/post-62682082
Largely unchanged - though I'm more optimistic today about cruising being more normal in summer 2023.

 

[tvguy]

Here is my prediction from way back before the Delta variant came along.

https://www.disboards.com/threads/f...y-not-happen-until-2022.3825883/post-62682082
Largely unchanged - though I'm more optimistic today about cruising being more normal in summer 2023.

I think your predictions are easily within the reasonable realm of possibility. At the restart I was getting lots of offers for cruises this year. Now they are all for 2023. Nobody has been pitching 2022 .

 

[Karin1984]

With a new variant on the rise in Europe and more European countries reinstating measures, this variant will probably get to the US as well. So, my guess is, we are here for a while. Especially because the cruise image has taken a huge hit during covid. They have to be extra out there promoting safety and cleanliness etc.

 

[Snowwhyt]

You kinda have to look at the amount of “normal” that returned after 9/11. I’m still grumpy that a idiot did the shoe bomb thing. I HATE taking off my shoes at the check point before the gates. So who knows what stays and what will go. But it’s never going all the way back to normal.

 

[Kwami]

You kinda have to look at the amount of “normal” that returned after 9/11. I’m still grumpy that a idiot did the shoe bomb thing. I HATE taking off my shoes at the check point before the gates. So who knows what stays and what will go. But it’s never going all the way back to normal.

Sign up for TSA Pre-Check or Global Entry or Clear or something. No more taking off your shoes! It's so worth the fee.

 

[tvguy]

You kinda have to look at the amount of “normal” that returned after 9/11. I’m still grumpy that a idiot did the shoe bomb thing. I HATE taking off my shoes at the check point before the gates. So who knows what stays and what will go. But it’s never going all the way back to normal.

I must be older. I used to work airport security... (1973 to 1975) ...back before metal detectors, screenings, TSA agents. Back when you could walk right to the gates without a ticket. Security at the airport was ONE Deputy Sheriff from 6 pm to 6 am. And that Deputy's primary assignment was to write parking tickets.

 

[Kwami]

I must be older. I used to work airport security... (1973 to 1975) ...back before metal detectors, screenings, TSA agents. Back when you could walk right to the gates without a ticket. Security at the airport was ONE Deputy Sheriff from 6 pm to 6 am. And that Deputy's primary assignment was to write parking tickets.

Even in the late 90s, I used to go right up to the gate to greet people flying in. It was no problem. It's only since 2001 that everything got crazy, as the other poster noted.

I actually kind of hope that some of the Covid-related changes stay. I like being served at Cabanas instead of having kids put their gross hands on the serving tongs, for instance. And the newer auto doors and elevators on the Magic are nice and hopefully come to the other ships.

 

[Karin1984]

You kinda have to look at the amount of “normal” that returned after 9/11. I’m still grumpy that a idiot did the shoe bomb thing. I HATE taking off my shoes at the check point before the gates. So who knows what stays and what will go. But it’s never going all the way back to normal.

It depends on the airport. Security systems have been developed where you do not have to take your shoes off anymore. Depending on the airport possibilities to invest in new technology, this will be a thing of the past.

 

[tvguy]

Sign up for TSA Pre-Check or Global Entry or Clear or something. No more taking off your shoes! It's so worth the fee.

I haven't flown since March 2020. I haven't signed up for TSA Pre-Check but I always get it. It is nice, but at more than one airport, when things get busy in the normal TSA line, they start pulling a few folks into the TSA Pre-Check line, so not sure it's worth the money.

 

[DLgal]

I think the vaccine or testing requirements will stay long term. I hope the masking goes away eventually, though. I am 100% supportive of masks, but feel like they are overkill when you know everyone is either vaccinated or has tested negative.

I also like the idea of no more self serve food, mostly due to norovirus concerns.

My guess is that by summer 2022, there will be more normalcy.

There is no historical precedent for a pandemic lasting for years on end. Its typically a 2-3 year thing. I don't expect this pandemic to be any different.

 

[Kwami]

I think the vaccine or testing requirements will stay long term. I hope the masking goes away eventually, though. I am 100% supportive of masks, but feel like they are overkill when you know everyone is either vaccinated or has tested negative.

The trouble is that testing negative doesn't mean much when most of the passengers spent a day in airports just before the cruise. If you look at the CDC order that extended the CSO until January, you can see that there have already been a fair number of outbreaks on cruise ships since they resumed sailing over the summer. There was a quarantine on a Disney ship just about a week ago, too. That's why they're still requiring masks indoors.

But some day, the masks will go away. That'll be nice!

 

[DLgal]

The trouble is that testing negative doesn't mean much when most of the passengers spent a day in airports just before the cruise. If you look at the CDC order that extended the CSO until January, you can see that there have already been a fair number of outbreaks on cruise ships since they resumed sailing over the summer. There was a quarantine on a Disney ship just about a week ago, too. That's why they're still requiring masks indoors.

But some day, the masks will go away. That'll be nice!

A vaccine requirement would go a long way to eliminating outbreaks on ships.

 

[Kwami]

A vaccine requirement would go a long way to eliminating outbreaks on ships.

Yes. Unfortunately, Disney isn't the kind of company that can really bar unvaccinated children from cruises since their core audience is families with children. So, until everyone can be vaccinated, we'll have to put up with some other restrictions.

 

[DLgal]

speaking
Yes. Unfortunately, Disney isn't the kind of company that can really bar unvaccinated children from cruises since their core audience is families with children. So, until everyone can be vaccinated, we'll have to put up with some other restrictions.

I was speaking more towards the future.

 

[Ikaikalani]

I must be older. I used to work airport security... (1973 to 1975) ...back before metal detectors, screenings, TSA agents. Back when you could walk right to the gates without a ticket. Security at the airport was ONE Deputy Sheriff from 6 pm to 6 am. And that Deputy's primary assignment was to write parking tickets.

I remember those simpler days as well. My how times have changed.

 

[Husker Mike]

Yes. Unfortunately, Disney isn't the kind of company that can really bar unvaccinated children from cruises since their core audience is families with children. So, until everyone can be vaccinated, we'll have to put up with some other restrictions.

As long as foreign ports require vaccinations, Disney will require vaccinations for anybody eligible to be vaccinated.

 

[RysMomma]

Wow everyone! Thanks for all your thoughts! I’m so hoping by end of August 2022 some things change a bit. I’m just missing normalcy all around (I’m a teacher and we are required to wear masks all day-which I am not against. Just miss seeing full faces and not having one on all day!) I’m hoping when we cruise again, my kids have a somewhat normal experience to what we have had before!