No More Masks

[Red-Sol]

5 minutes ago, JamieLogical said:

 

The video that NCL released a few weeks ago about the return to sailing indicated that ALL passengrs will be required to do electronic check-in prior to embarkation day. My assumption would be that proof of vaccination will be a part of that process. I am sure we will know soon, as the Joy and Gem sailings out of the Caribbean ports begin in August.

 

Here's how I envision it. We recently took a trip to Cancun once we were fully vaccinated. In order to return to the US, we had to test negative for COVID within 72 hours of our departure. Once we got our tests, we were able to upload our results to the United Airlines website. Shortly after that, I got notification that our test results had been accepted. Then, when we got to the airport to check in, we didn't have to show our test results to anyone again, because they were already on file.

 

I suspect NCL will do something similar, where you have to upload your proof of vaccination during the online check-in process. Alternatively, as you mentioned, there are many companies developing vaccine passport apps. NCL may partner with one of those, have them do the vaccine verification, and then just attach the info to your online check-in. Either way, I sincerely doubt they will be waiting until boarding to verify vaccine status. Can you imagine the confrontations that would happy if they waited that long and then had to turn people away at embarkation?

Don't think that would be a pretty scene AT ALL. If I couldn't be the first person trying to board I would wait and be the last. (give them time to clean up the crime scene 😉)

[Old & Retired]

17 hours ago, Shidah said:

Everything is falling into place perfectly.  My only prayer is that NCL keeps with their current guideline of 100% vaccinated cruises through the end of the year.  I really don’t want to be around people on a ship that are not vaccinated, and we don’t cruise until December.

No confidence in your shot huh?

[JamieLogical]

11 minutes ago, Old & Retired said:

No confidence in your shot huh?

 

I think it's more that the current guidance is that fully vaccinated people don't have to wear masks or socially distance. If NCL allows unvaccinated people onboard, masks and social distancing may still be required. Otherwise there will have to be some policing of who is vaccinated and who is not. Capacity in the theatre or public areas might still have to be restricted to allow more room for social distancing. Capacity on the whole ship may have to remain reduced. And a whole host of other potential hassles that might make cruising feel less "normal."

Edited May 14, 2021 by JamieLogical

[MacMarauder]

28 minutes ago, Old & Retired said:

No confidence in your shot huh?

 

My main concern if there was a high percentage of unvaccinated people on board would be that an COVID outbreak would occur and the whole ship would have to go into quarantine. Luckily (?) I'm not planning to cruise until at least 2022 so it's a moot point for me, but if I was going this year a 100% vaccinated cruise would be much more assuring that we would actually get through the whole thing without a COVID issue. Also, if after a couple months of sailings it's proven there are no issues with unvaccinated PAX I would be fine with it.

[sugcarol]

Hawaii refuses to accept the CDC masking policy for fully vaccinated people. They have the lowest count of Covid cases and the most vaccinated people in the USA. Will Pride of America EVER sail?? I'm beginning to wonder, you can't even fly there without testing.

[JamieLogical]

7 minutes ago, sugcarol said:

Hawaii refuses to accept the CDC masking policy for fully vaccinated people. They have the lowest count of Covid cases and the most vaccinated people in the USA. Will Pride of America EVER sail?? I'm beginning to wonder, you can't even fly there without testing.

 

I don't think they are "refusing to accept" the CDC's *guidance* (not "policy"). They are simply recognizing the challenges in enforcement if they alter their mask mandate to exclude vaccinated people. I suspect a lot of governments and private companies will keep mask requirements in place for everyone until it is safe to drop the mask mandate altogether. Otherwise, enforcement will be nearly impossible.

[coffeebean]

3 hours ago, Old & Retired said:

No confidence in your shot huh?

The confidence in the shot is most certainly there for me but I'm just one person who feels absolutely protected. The main reason I will not sail unless 100% of the passengers and crew are vaccinated is the uncertainly of the cruise line's protocols if there is a Covid outbreak on board. I believe there have been countless people who have voiced their same concerns and have also said they trust the vaccine.

[BermudaBound2014]

24 minutes ago, coffeebean said:

The confidence in the shot is most certainly there for me but I'm just one person who feels absolutely protected. The main reason I will not sail unless 100% of the passengers and crew are vaccinated is the uncertainly of the cruise line's protocols if there is a Covid outbreak on board. I believe there have been countless people who have voiced their same concerns and have also said they trust the vaccine.

So, this means you will cancel all reservations on cruise ships that don’t require 💯 vaccination, correct? 

[BermudaBound2014]

2 hours ago, sugcarol said:

Hawaii refuses to accept the CDC masking policy for fully vaccinated people. They have the lowest count of Covid cases and the most vaccinated people in the USA. Will Pride of America EVER sail?? I'm beginning to wonder, you can't even fly there without testing.

Poa will Sail again, but not anytime soon. Are you still

Planning to just island hop in the fall? 

[BirdTravels]

3 hours ago, sugcarol said:

Hawaii refuses to accept the CDC masking policy for fully vaccinated people. They have the lowest count of Covid cases and the most vaccinated people in the USA. Will Pride of America EVER sail?? I'm beginning to wonder, you can't even fly there without testing.

There is no policy. The CDC has only published guidelines that help improve the image of the current administration. Hawaii responded very quickly yesterday that their mask policy has not changed. And that tourist violating the policy will be ticketed. 
 

Hawaii’s biggest challenge is that they do not have the infrastructure to respond to a major outbreak. You can’t just drive a sick person to the next county of your ICU beds are full. Only 42% of the population of Hawaii has been fully vaccinated,,, well short of what would be required to attain herd immunity within the local population, let alone the 15K to 20K of travelers that arrive each day. And not the highest percentage of vaccinations in the country. 

[CI66774]

7 hours ago, JamieLogical said:

 

I think it's more that the current guidance is that fully vaccinated people don't have to wear masks or socially distance. If NCL allows unvaccinated people onboard, masks and social distancing may still be required. Otherwise there will have to be some policing of who is vaccinated and who is not. Capacity in the theatre or public areas might still have to be restricted to allow more room for social distancing. Capacity on the whole ship may have to remain reduced. And a whole host of other potential hassles that might make cruising feel less "normal."

Question - did you ever wear a mask after getting the flu/ polio, etc. vaccine or any vaccine? Even if you were around people who weren’t vaccinated?

[CI66774]

6 hours ago, MacMarauder said:

 

My main concern if there was a high percentage of unvaccinated people on board would be that an COVID outbreak would occur and the whole ship would have to go into quarantine. Luckily (?) I'm not planning to cruise until at least 2022 so it's a moot point for me, but if I was going this year a 100% vaccinated cruise would be much more assuring that we would actually get through the whole thing without a COVID issue. Also, if after a couple months of sailings it's proven there are no issues with unvaccinated PAX I would be fine with it.

If you’re vaccinated, why would those people have to be quarantined? I mean - what are we getting the vaccine for if nothing changes if we get it?

[sugcarol]

3 hours ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

Poa will Sail again, but not anytime soon. Are you still

Planning to just island hop in the fall? 

Yes, I have alternates in place for land trip. I have rebooked both cruise and air twice and everytime i do the fares are higher. I wont rebook air again. Cruise with confidence ends 11/1, so my crujse in late November has final due 120 days ahead, 7/29. 

[skywonder]

On 5/13/2021 at 7:49 PM, Shidah said:

Everything is falling into place perfectly.  My only prayer is that NCL keeps with their current guideline of 100% vaccinated cruises through the end of the year.  I really don’t want to be around people on a ship that are not vaccinated, and we don’t cruise until December.

Don't worry you will get over it.

[skywonder]

12 hours ago, DCGuy64 said:

Only a matter of time, @BirdTravels. Only a matter of time.

And anyone who thinks the cash-starved cruise industry won't use this "guidance" to get rid of the mask requirement ASAP so people can sail again LIKE NORMAL, is living in a fantasy world!

Exactly! The frightened ones can stay home, I'm all for no mask.

[JamieLogical]

42 minutes ago, CI66774 said:

Question - did you ever wear a mask after getting the flu/ polio, etc. vaccine or any vaccine? Even if you were around people who weren’t vaccinated?

 

No, because polio was eradicated by the time I was born and we, as a society, deemed the number of hospitalizations and deaths in a normal flu season to be at a tolerable level. Also, the level of a-symptomatic spread of the flu is much lower than COVID. Typically, if I had the flu, I would know it and I would naturally just try to self-isolate in order to not get others sick. I honestly didn't know about the value of masks to prevent spreading your illness to others prior to COVID. Dumb of me having had several surgeries and understanding that other people in the operating room wear masks to protect the patient. But I never really thought about or extrapolated out how that could be effective in the real world at preventing the spread of disease.

 

In any case, we now know that vaccinated people are highly unlikely to spread COVID, so I no longer feel a need to wear a mask to protect others from myself when it comes to COVID. I have already decided that if/when I am sick with any respiratory illness in the future, I will definitely wear a mask if I need to be out in public, in order to protect others.

Edited May 15, 2021 by JamieLogical

[BermudaBound2014]

15 minutes ago, sugcarol said:

Yes, I have alternates in place for land trip. I have rebooked both cruise and air twice and everytime i do the fares are higher. I wont rebook air again. Cruise with confidence ends 11/1, so my crujse in late November has final due 120 days ahead, 7/29. 

oh man... that’s brutal to make the decision at the end of July. Things in Hawaii change so rapidly. I know I have said this to you before, but please do your research before island hopping (i know you will, but it’s so fluid). I left Maui 2 weeks ago and the line to get into the island was nearly 3 hours long and that was before the extra testing started. Last week, new testing mandates went into effect- not only do you need to do the state approved covid testing 72 hours prior, but you now need a second test at OGG upon arrival in Maui. And I know Kauai just tightened things back up too. My niece is headed to Maui in October (lucky dog won 7 nights at the ritz in a sales competition)... anyway they were going to island hop and I talked them out of it. Plus, they only have 10 nights total and that’s just not a lot of time to try to do multiple islands. I do wish you the best! Im Missing Maui terribly- 7 months until I return.

[CaptainWoody]

On 5/13/2021 at 8:32 PM, BirdTravels said:

While we hope that the cruise lines can relax the mask and distancing requirements if they sail fully vaccinated cruises, worldwide, the number of new cases each day continues to be at near record highs since the start of the pandemic. If the cruise lines relax their vaccination policies, the potential of having COVID-ships that shutdown the entire industry again will be high. 

 

 

What??  That looks nothing like the official CDC chart.  Did somebody just make this up??

[winterbliss]

 

11 hours ago, JamieLogical said:

 

No, because polio was eradicated by the time I was born and we, as a society, deemed the number of hospitalizations and deaths in a normal flu season to be at a tolerable level. Also, the level of a-symptomatic spread of the flu is much lower than COVID. Typically, if I had the flu, I would know it and I would naturally just try to self-isolate in order to not get others sick. I honestly didn't know about the value of masks to prevent spreading your illness to others prior to COVID. Dumb of me having had several surgeries and understanding that other people in the operating room wear masks to protect the patient. But I never really thought about or extrapolated out how that could be effective in the real world at preventing the spread of disease.

 

In any case, we now know that vaccinated people are highly unlikely to spread COVID, so I no longer feel a need to wear a mask to protect others from myself when it comes to COVID. I have already decided that if/when I am sick with any respiratory illness in the future, I will definitely wear a mask if I need to be out in public, in order to protect others.

When I worked as an RN in the operating room, we wore masks to help prevent bacterial contamination of our field...not viral contamination.

 

Oops, think I may have responded to wrong quote.

Edited May 15, 2021 by winterbliss

[KennyFla]

Things are starting to move fast now:

 

New policy also applies to employees, takes effect Saturday

 

and last updated 8:45 PM, May 14, 2021

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Publix is no longer requiring masks for shoppers who are fully vaccinated.

A spokeswoman for the Florida-based supermarket told WPTV that masks will no longer be required for fully vaccinated customers or employees starting Saturday.

However, "individuals who are not fully vaccinated are required to use face coverings over their noses and mouths while inside any Publix store," spokeswoman Maria Brous said in a statement Friday.

She didn't say how Publix would verify whether or not shoppers are fully vaccinated.

[graphicguy]

21 hours ago, JamieLogical said:

 

I don't think they are "refusing to accept" the CDC's *guidance* (not "policy"). They are simply recognizing the challenges in enforcement if they alter their mask mandate to exclude vaccinated people. I suspect a lot of governments and private companies will keep mask requirements in place for everyone until it is safe to drop the mask mandate altogether. Otherwise, enforcement will be nearly impossible.

Yep....the path of least resistance regarding any potential dropping of "mask wearing requirements" has to be full COVID vaccinations for crew and passengers.  Trying to divide those who have had the vaccine, and not requiring them to wear masks, and policing those who have not had the vaccine and enforcing they do wear a mask would be difficult, if not impossible.

 

Better to be safe than sorry and require 100% COVID vaccines for everyone.

[graphicguy]

15 hours ago, CI66774 said:

Question - did you ever wear a mask after getting the flu/ polio, etc. vaccine or any vaccine? Even if you were around people who weren’t vaccinated?

I know when I visited my uncle and parents (all have passed) in the hospital, I was required to wear a mask in the hospital they were staying during flu season, whether I said I had the flu or not.

 

Long and short, any time you're around those who are vulnerable to any virus, or bacteria, or infection, you'll find mask wearing to be recommended, if not required.

 

I wasn't around for polio, as it had already been eradicated by the populace getting the polio vaccine.

 

Same goes for the 1918 influenza pandemic...every picture I have seen from that era shows everyone wearing masks in public.

[CaptainWoody]

3 hours ago, graphicguy said:

Trying to divide those who have had the vaccine, and not requiring them to wear masks, and policing those who have not had the vaccine and enforcing they do wear a mask would be difficult, if not impossible.

 

It would have to be like that Titanic movie, where the unvaccinated had to stay on the lowest decks behind locked gates.  🤣  I could live with that (I've been fully vaccinated for about six weeks now 😎)

[CaptainWoody]

On 5/14/2021 at 10:54 AM, sugcarol said:

Hawaii refuses to accept the CDC masking policy for fully vaccinated people. They have the lowest count of Covid cases and the most vaccinated people in the USA.

^^this, doesn't agree with my next quote below..

[CaptainWoody]

23 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

Hawaii’s biggest challenge is that they do not have the infrastructure to respond to a major outbreak. You can’t just drive a sick person to the next county of your ICU beds are full. Only 42% of the population of Hawaii has been fully vaccinated,,, 

 

Edited May 15, 2021 by CaptainWoody