SargassoPirate

6 hours ago, clskinsfan said:

Welcome to the modern world. Covid is endemic. Basically we will all get it every year. You and your family have to decide if you want to ruin your lives because of it. My family wont.

I just recently saw an interview with the head of the NIH talking about the new covid boosters and he said that covid shots will be an annual event in the future - just as flu shots are now.

19 hours ago, MissP22 said:

We also got blue bags them in April. They're not the greatest but can serve in a pinch.

I use them to carry my water bottle, the Patter, and my tablet around the ship.  They also come in handy to mark my territory if I get up from a table in the Horizon Court to get a refill on something.  I never use the Melanoma Deck so I can't speak to them being useful when setting up a chair hog nest for the day.

6 hours ago, molly-patch said:

I think the Captain has said there is a requirement.  I just wonder if you caught COVID on board ship whether you would declare it and isolate or would you just carry on as normal without a mask??  

If the Captain sez it's a requirement, I'd mask up when required.

To answer your question, how does one know if they catch Covid on-board unless they are showing symptoms and get tested?  I rarely get sick, including colds and the flu, and if I started getting ill on the ship especially with the motion of the ocean I would hot foot it on down to sick bay for a remedy.

Trying to convince someone to take a cruise who has had a bad experience on smaller craft is about as considerate as trying to convince someone to change their political affiliation or religion.  

7 hours ago, geoherb said:

I disembarked from the Caribbean Princess today. I filled out my survey tonight. One of the things I mentioned was the failure to provide promised things such as the upgraded bathroom amenities and canapés on formal nights. Elites finally received chocolates on the third formal night. The lotion in the pump bottle on the bathroom counter is not the same as the lotion that was in the tubes. Perhaps it's just on the CB that it's different. This one had a gardenia scent, even though the label mentioned eucalyptus and sea salt. The liquid soap and body wash also had the gardenia scent. Only the shampoo smelled right.

 

We did get a champagne waterfall on our third formal night. The cruise director mentioned it was the first one on that ship since the restart.

geoherb...I did two cruises on the Caribbean Princess this past January and it was so good that I'm doing two this coming January.  The crew was fantastic, the ship was clean, I enjoyed walking and reading on the full promenade, there was a very good classical guitarist that played in differing venues that went well with a wee dram in the evenings, and when I asked for a peatier Scotch one evening the server almost ran to another bar to retrieve a bottle of Talisker for me to try.  I really liked the Horizon Court selections and alternated the HC with the MDR for breakfasts and lunch.  My evening meals were simply some of the small tidbits in Skywalkers.

The two cruises in January were my fourth and fifth since the restart and I've enjoyed each one.  

Any questions?  See may signature line below.

I'm hoping the new bid program insulates me from unwanted "upgrades" to a less desirable location from the perfect cabin that I booked.

2 hours ago, bucfan2 said:

For sure.  But unlike when the tables were turned, you're not judged.

Good one bucfan2.  People should be able to go maskless if they so choose.  I have no problem with people who choose to wear a mask - just those who wear them selectively and even then it's their choice - just as long as they don't expect anyone else to follow their signal.

13 hours ago, Muffinz said:

Yes - but if I'm getting in a taxi / shuttle I don't want to have to fumble about with a suitcase and an overnight bag....

Sure it's not the end of the world, but I did find it a bit of a pain

It would also be a good idea to confirm, if you can, that your ship will actually dock in Sydney.   The itinerary for my next cruise in and out of Sydney shows that they will be tendering - both for embarking and disembarking passengers.  In that case they probably won't allow self-disembarkation.

14 hours ago, KansasK said:

I hope we can find information on how much the spread of Covid increases with non-vaccinated people and no testing for vaccinated people, or if it does or doesn't.  I was on the Allure July 23 8 day cruise.  My husband and I wore masks inside, and were one of the very few who did. People crammed into elevators like Covid isn't around anymore. We flew home. Five days after I got home, I tested positive for Covid. I never thought I needed to go to an emergency room, but was in bed for 4 days. I felt better on the 5th and tested negative on the 6th. No long term symptoms, fortunately.  I don't know when I got it, but I will attest that Covid is still around and not everyone has almost no symptoms, like most people on this board seem to. 

Your mild case demonstrates the effectiveness of the vaccines.  Well done.

Since as you state, covid is everywhere, did you wear your masks on the planes to and from the port?  How about the transportation to and from the port? Inside the terminal?  Pre-cruise hotel?

9 minutes ago, BabySarge said:

Covid is not over anywhere, nor will it ever be.   Unfortunately, the cases that happen on cruise ships seem to be the ones that people/the media focus on.   

People who get all worked up about covid on cruise ships should wear an N95 from the time they step out the door for the cruise until they get back home.  Covid is everywhere, such as on that airplane, train, bus, taxi, hotel, airport terminal, port terminal, and on the ship.  If they are truly concerned about catching covid, they shouldn't be selective about where they wear a mask - unless they just like to clutch their pearls and virtue signal.

I'm vaxxed and boosted and couldn't care less what those around me do as far as masking.

11 hours ago, Jimbo said:

Thank you for your dedication you bring to your profession everyday.

 

Sorry to say there are still a lot of people on this board and in this country that only care about themselves and say the heck with everyone else. It's very sad.

I care about myself and keep myself vaxxed and boosted. I wear a mask when required.  I also take care to sanitize my hands after touching common-use surfaces before touching my food, I wipe down areas I'm likely to touch on an airplane, and I wipe down touchable surfaces in hotel rooms and cruise cabins - especially the remote.  In other words, I take responsibility for my own well-being and don't depend on the actions of others to keep me from catching diseases.

People who virtue signal by expecting others to take certain actions will be constantly disappointed.

59 minutes ago, nbsjcruiser said:

Agree 100%. I have a good friend who basically hasn't left the house in 2 years. No travel, restaurants, meeting people outside his family, no gym etc. While I think he's nuts, he's decided this is the best thing to do at this point. I reached the "time to get on with life" point when despite all my precautions, I got Covid anyway. I wore an N95 everywhere, stopped going to the gym, didn't eat out - all the stuff I was supposed to do. When I got it anyway I decided, it was time to move on and get back to normal. For me it was a really bad cold for about 3-4 days. Nothing I haven't dealt with a hundred times in my life.

Once I was vaxxed, I only wore a mask when required.  I've been on five cruises since the restart, several flights, many hotels, busses, subways, taxis, a circus, concerts, and numerous grocery stores. I have never had any symptoms.  The times I was tested - pre cruise - were all negative.  With more decades behind me than ahead of me, there's no time to waste hiding.

Since a positive test is called a case and two cases in one location are an outbreak, I wonder how many people are actually symptomatic and how many are quarantined?

9 hours ago, MommaBear55 said:

You are lucky you did so well. There are hundreds in excess of usual dying each week from Covid on the US. 10% of all those who get Covid end up with long Covid. In my 40 years working in a hospital, I've never had a patient die of a cold. 

 

MommaBear55.....I have a close relative who is an ICU nurse.  She shares with me anecdotally that for months the majority of her Covid patients are the unvaxxed and those with underlying conditions such as obesity and other health issues.

Weare all strong believers in vaccinations and as world travelers we have had just about every vaccination known.  

2 hours ago, Muffinz said:

Thanks but we’ll probably book directly with the airline (Air New Zealand)

the 11:45am flight works best with the arrival time in New Zealand 

there is another flight at 3:30pm but that would mean sitting around in the airport lounge in Sydney for a few hours....

Different strokes for different folks.  The older I get, I find myself getting in less of a hurry about most things.  I would choose the later flight, have a leisurely disembarkation day breakfast and try to be among the last off the ship.  On my most recent two cruises, I even booked a hotel near the airport for that evening and took a mid-morning flight the next day.  Princess transfers makes it easy beezy.

I recognize that my leisurely approach doesn't work for everybody, but I spent too many years trying to cram vacation time into the weeks allotted and then rush back to be at work on Monday morning.

Have a wonderful cruise.

21 hours ago, MommaBear55 said:

I'm not spending a week with all those other people, however. 

When I said: "Just about as covid free as that airplane, train, bus, taxi, airport terminal, grocery store, concert, sporting event, and everywhere else."  I was pointing out that covid is everywhere and here to stay. 

If anyone is concerned about catching covid and thinks that pre-cruise testing protects them, they should be wearing an N95 in all of the situations I mentioned above for protection as well. 

Unless I'm reading this incorrectly, looks to me like testing is no longer required for vaccinated passengers for voyages from the US, UK, and EU, regardless of the length of the cruise.  Here's a cut and paste from the Princess website today:

Kids under 5 do not require pre-travel testing. Minimum age to sail is 6 months or 12 months based on cruise itinerary, review Passage Contract for details.

^Enhanced Guidelines Voyages include full Panama Canal transits, Trans-Ocean crossings, special voyages, Greek guidelines (voyages departing, arriving or visiting Greece), Canadian guidelines (voyages, arriving or visiting Canada).

* Note all Alaska voyages include Canada and must follow Canadian guidelines. For voyages departing, arriving or visiting Canada, please refer to the Canada table for Vaccination and Testing Requirements.

**The Greek government has their own testing requirements. For voyages departing, arriving or visiting Greece, please refer to the Greece table for Vaccination and Testing Requirements

CruiseHealth™ - Vaccination & Testing Requirements by Region - Princess Cruises

Try 'whatsinport.com

I use it for all sorts of port information and maps

15 hours ago, mnocket said:

I must admit I've never really understood the attraction of Club Class Dining.  People seem to like it though.

"Ruth: Will the lifeboats be seated according to class? I hope they aren't too crowded."

Titanic 1997

20 hours ago, PCWalton1 said:

Actually we didn't mind the pre-test. It meant most of the cruisers were covid free at least at the start of the cruise. 😀 

Just about as covid free as that airplane, train, bus, taxi, airport terminal, grocery store, concert, sporting event, and everywhere else.

1 hour ago, Joebucks said:

Not that most of the complaints are completely unfounded. However, this is the society we all agreed to in the name of "safety". Every time we want to chase what sounds morally right at the moment, understand that there are consequences. We will never learn this though.

 

It is easy to say cruises should stay grounded when they can't be fully staffed. Even easier when you aren't the one responsible for billions of dollars in losses. 

 

To complain about the charges onboard is odd. I can find expensive charges on any vacation. They rarely sneak up on you if you are that concerned about them. Vacationing with a family isn't cheap in the majority of major spots.

 

If you don't like the experience, that is understandable. However, I'm a firm believer most people come with a bad attitude or let a few things ruin everything. I've seen it for years, in every capacity. We've allowed a society of Karens to thrive. Those who would NEVER work in the roles that they constantly complain about aren't given perfect service. 

Put yourself on the other side of the guest relations desk and ask yourself who you would go out of the way to assist - a rude and demanding passenger or one who approaches with a smile and greeting, explains the situation, and asks what you can do for them?

Anyone who is rude to people who provide you with a service is showing what low class boors they are.  They deserve all of the bad karma that the universes send them.

17 hours ago, bmc alabama said:

I've never understood why RCCL doesn't put Laundry on their ships like say DCL, Princess, and even some CCL ships.  It is REALLY, REALLY handy for those longer cruises.  We did a 9-night Greek Isles on DCL this summer which followed a 3-night pre-stay in Rome.  We did laundry a couple of times and it was very nice to have it there, especially on these longer itineraries.

I prefer Princess for longer cruises - my personal record being 49 days - because of the guest laundromat on most all PAX decks.  HAL had laundromats at one time, but phased them out in favor of PAX cabins in those spaces.

Some people will tell you that they don't cruise to do laundry, but I prefer to do my own so that it's done right.  When I do find myself on a ship without a laundromat, I utilize more quick dry clothing that I can wash out in the sink or a bucket and use the "wear a day, air a day" approach.

It also helps to keep track of what I packed but never used over the years and pared down the packing list.

On 7/27/2022 at 1:40 PM, shamrockace said:

@BabySargehubby loved the MRE fruitcake and still talks about it today.  He'd trade the whole MRE for it.  everyone thought he was nuts in the desert 😁

Laughed out loud at the MRE fruitcake remark.  I take extended motorcycle trips and camp out about 1/3 of the time.  While I'm setting up my tent and sleeping bag, I open an MRE and lay the entree on the transmission of the Harley.  By the time I have my camp all setup, I've got a hot meal.  

After those experiences as a benchmark, an inside cabin on any ship with a full promenade, an MDR and a buffet, and somewhere to get a wee dram or three in the evening and I'm good.

Any questions? See my signature line below.

9 hours ago, Steelers36 said:

To begin to compare with Viking as described by the OP, you would for sure need to include the extra $50/pp/day for Plus Fare option.

As well as the Viking requirement to pay in full anywhere from a year to a year and a half in advance.

You can't drive an economy car and expect a luxury car experience/

On 8/27/2022 at 12:36 AM, Steelers36 said:

Bumped or not, I have little doubt the M*derators will miss a thread with the word M*derators (in CAPS no less) in the Title.  (If anyone is wondering why I am using a "*" in place of the "o", it is because the real word is like a trigger and puts a post in stasis for review before it is allowed to post and I already know I am not posting anything that would offend our esteemed gatekeepers.

Mention a specific travel agency or covid and that will get attention.