Fall 2021 restart- Masks required, even for vaccinated

[basyedad]

Was getting to ready to book 12 day cruise on MSC Divina for Nov 20. I called to complete reservation to use a FCC, we had already picked our room made travel plans, etc. Fortunately they were very busy with a long hold time during which they said to read the covid info on the website. I read the notices and the very last one stated that Fully Vaccinated guests would be required to wear a mask inside and all public places. I then asked the representative if this is still the case. She replied YES. I said No thank you. We wont go on a cruise that requires passengers to wear a mask.

[DCGuy64]

31 minutes ago, basyedad said:

Was getting to ready to book 12 day cruise on MSC Divina for Nov 20. I called to complete reservation to use a FCC, we had already picked our room made travel plans, etc. Fortunately they were very busy with a long hold time during which they said to read the covid info on the website. I read the notices and the very last one stated that Fully Vaccinated guests would be required to wear a mask inside and all public places. I then asked the representative if this is still the case. She replied YES. I said No thank you. We wont go on a cruise that requires passengers to wear a mask.

I assume you mean November 2021? Or maybe 2022? Your post says November 20. 
 

Edited July 21, 2021 by DCGuy64

[wallyj]

I think many people just type dates for current year with just month and date, so my guess is Cruise is Nov 20, 2021, did not check before posting if  Divina scheduled for Nov 20, 2021 sail date.

[basyedad]

34 minutes ago, DCGuy64 said:

I assume you mean November 2021? Or maybe 2022? Your post says November 20. 
 

Nov 20,2021

[basyedad]

Yes It is Nov 20, 2021

[zekekelso]

If you don’t want to wear a mask, this is not the time to be sailing. Even if the current rules said no masks anywhere, that could change tomorrow. Happy cruising when all this is over. 

Edited July 21, 2021 by zekekelso

[deliver42]

My guess is masks indidee for quite a while, especially with this Delta variant.

[cruiseguyinorl]

The latest information can be found here, https://www.msccruisesusa.com/health-and-safety-measures/caribbean-cruises which is where I'm guessing you saw the mask requirement. Things could change so keep an eye on it. The information has changed several times already since they first posted this page several weeks ago.

Bret

[KennyFla]

The guy on La Lido Loca said it best.  The re-start is going to be rocky.  If you don't want to risk exposure to the virus, if you don't want to take the precautions on board (masks, distancing), if you don't want to be tested at embarkation, now is not the time for you to cruise.

 

I choose to cruise.

 

Edited July 22, 2021 by KennyFla

[DCGuy64]

2 hours ago, KennyFla said:

The guy on La Lido Loca said it best.  The re-start is going to be rocky.  If you don't want to risk exposure to the virus, if you don't want to take the precautions on board (masks, distancing), if you don't want to be tested at embarkation, now is not the time for you to cruise.

 

I choose to cruise.

 

Well said! The risk-averse should stay home for the time being.

[MotownVoice]

And somehow, the more the risk-averse avoid travel these days, the less risk there is to travel for those willing to do whatever it takes to not only protect ourselves, but those around us.

So everyone wins.

[CruiseMH]

18 hours ago, basyedad said:

 I read the notices and the very last one stated that Fully Vaccinated guests would be required to wear a mask inside and all public places. I then asked the representative if this is still the case. She replied YES. I said No thank you. We wont go on a cruise that requires passengers to wear a mask.

 

If you don`t like to wear masks on a ship don`t book it but please don`t let everybody know it.

Vaccination does NOT mean 100% safety. Based on the delta-type of the virus the effectiveness of the vaccines is between 65 and 80%. It is way to insecure to waive the mask requirement.

As far as i know MSC allows unvaccinated passengers on board(they need a test instead) In this case it is even more risky.

If 100% of the passengers are vaccinated then this is something different and mask can be removed.

 

 

Edited July 22, 2021 by CruiseMH

[Huntingdon1701]

Suit yourself. I've already done one cruise under those conditions and it wasn't an issue in the slightest. Very happy to have lower priced cabins from all those chosing not to sail at the moment.

[no1talks]

37 minutes ago, Huntingdon1701 said:

Suit yourself. I've already done one cruise under those conditions and it wasn't an issue in the slightest. Very happy to have lower priced cabins from all those chosing not to sail at the moment.

My concern is the possibility of the cruise business contracting, with cancelled cruises used to redirect passengers and fill fewer ships.

[Paphillyguy]

There are many people that will fill the spots of people that don't want to wear a mask. 

[Huntingdon1701]

1 hour ago, no1talks said:

My concern is the possibility of the cruise business contracting, with cancelled cruises used to redirect passengers and fill fewer ships.

 

It's a definite possibility, given that we've already seen a number of ships sold. However, the early sailings suggest there are still strong levels of demand; and MSC was commenting on the UK sailings that about half the passengers were cruising for the first time, which wasn't what anyone expected.

[KennyFla]

I have done a little research.

 

Here are the covid incidents on ships since the re-start last August that I can find:

Msc last Aug/Sept had 4 passengers test positive.

Seadream Nov  -5 passengers

Seaside June - 2 passengers

RC Adventure  June - 2 passengers

Celebrity June -2 passengers

RC Singapore June - 1 passengers

 

That is a count of 16.  Let's say I missed some, so lets  make it 25.

 

It is estimated that 600,000 people have cruised since last August.

 

That is an infection rate of 0.0041%

 

Statistically speaking you are safer on a cruise ship than in the general population.

[capriccio]

2 hours ago, KennyFla said:

I have done a little research.

 

Here are the covid incidents on ships since the re-start last August that I can find:

Msc last Aug/Sept had 4 passengers test positive.

Seadream Nov  -5 passengers

Seaside June - 2 passengers

RC Adventure  June - 2 passengers

Celebrity June -2 passengers

RC Singapore June - 1 passengers

 

That is a count of 16.  Let's say I missed some, so lets  make it 25.

 

It is estimated that 600,000 people have cruised since last August.

 

That is an infection rate of 0.0041%

 

Statistically speaking you are safer on a cruise ship than in the general population.

You missed a much smaller cruise line (American Cruise Lines) doing Alaska cruises that had an outbreak with numerous cases last month that resulted in passengers being disembarked early.  Since it is a smaller company it didn't get much publicity.  A thread on their forum by a passenger details his/her experience and it isn't pretty.  I know statistically this won't move the numbers but it is what many of us fear.

 

 

 

The cases being tracked by Juneau from this cruise is now up to 16. This does not include any passengers who returned home after the 10th and later tested positive after being exposed on the cruise. My parents, both fully vaccinated with Pfizer and both in their 70s, started coughing Thursday and tested positive on Friday the 16th.

 

Dad is getting monoclonal antibodies infusion today and we are looking into it for Mom.

 

ACL-related cluster isolating in Alaska now up to 16

 

If anyone reading this has a cruise coming up, be aware breakthrough cases are happening and ACL crew is NOT all vaccinated, nor do they always wear their masks correctly. On our cruise this particularly applied to the dining staff which is a huge problem considering passengers obviously aren’t wearing masks while eating so are at increased risk of exposure.

 

Edited July 23, 2021 by capriccio

[KennyFla]

I was concentrating on the main lines and their protocols. 

[ortech]

On 7/21/2021 at 5:22 PM, basyedad said:

Was getting to ready to book 12 day cruise on MSC Divina for Nov 20. I called to complete reservation to use a FCC, we had already picked our room made travel plans, etc. Fortunately they were very busy with a long hold time during which they said to read the covid info on the website. I read the notices and the very last one stated that Fully Vaccinated guests would be required to wear a mask inside and all public places. I then asked the representative if this is still the case. She replied YES. I said No thank you. We wont go on a cruise that requires passengers to wear a mask.

Good for you … 

[Até]

On 7/23/2021 at 6:07 AM, KennyFla said:

I have done a little research.

Not even close, actually because media coverage in many countries is very difficult the actual number remains well hidden.  The only source I know that has tried to track the worldwide numbers seems to have given up over the last couple weeks, their last number I saw was around 270.  They seem to have recently stopped tracking because the number of recent cruise ship re-starts has caused a flood of new cases.  You'd have to look through dozens of their past articles to see all their individual ship reports.

 

https://www.cruiselawnews.com/2021/07/articles/disease/positive-covid-19-cases-plague-cruise-ships-as-they-resume-sailing/

[KennyFla]

3 hours ago, Até said:

Not even close, actually because media coverage in many countries is very difficult the actual number remains well hidden.  The only source I know that has tried to track the worldwide numbers seems to have given up over the last couple weeks, their last number I saw was around 270.  They seem to have recently stopped tracking because the number of recent cruise ship re-starts has caused a flood of new cases.  You'd have to look through dozens of their past articles to see all their individual ship reports.

 

https://www.cruiselawnews.com/2021/07/articles/disease/positive-covid-19-cases-plague-cruise-ships-as-they-resume-sailing/

Again, I am talking about the major lines. I think most of those cases are reported

[Bluewake]

All this controversy over the CDC regs/guidelines and masking got me wondering what would happen if a cruise line offered two almost identical cruises...same ship, same length, same itinerary but with the following differences:  Cruise A requires 100% vaccinated passengers and some basic onboard precautions such as social distancing and masking in certain areas of the ship.  Cruise B is open to anyone, vaccinated or not, and no onboard masking or other precautions are required.  How full might each ship be?    Of course, I know that most people want a combination of vaccinated passengers and no masking but I'm curious what might their choice be if that middle ground was unattainable.

[MotownVoice]

1 hour ago, Bluewake said:

All this controversy over the CDC regs/guidelines and masking got me wondering what would happen if a cruise line offered two almost identical cruises...same ship, same length, same itinerary but with the following differences:  Cruise A requires 100% vaccinated passengers and some basic onboard precautions such as social distancing and masking in certain areas of the ship.  Cruise B is open to anyone, vaccinated or not, and no onboard masking or other precautions are required.  How full might each ship be?    Of course, I know that most people want a combination of vaccinated passengers and no masking but I'm curious what might their choice be if that middle ground was unattainable.

 

I’m not sure what your comparison hopes to accomplish.  If success is determined by what ship has the most passengers, that’s easy.  The unregulated ship will, by definition win.  Because the regulated ship will require social distancing which would equate to fewer passengers.   If your standard of success is which ship has the most survivors, I think sane people will agree it won’t be the one that’s more concerned with the self involvement of personal freedoms and less about the safety and well being about the people around you.  The unregulated ship will, without doubt produce more corpses.  

Edited July 25, 2021 by MotownVoice

[Bluewake]

9 minutes ago, MotownVoice said:

 

I’m not sure what your comparison hopes to accomplish.  If success is determined by what ship has the most passengers, that’s easy.  The unregulated ship will, by definition win.  Because the regulated ship will require social distancing which would equate to fewer passengers.   If your standard of success is which ship has the most survivors, I think sane people will agree it won’t be the one that’s more concerned with the self involvement of personal freedoms and less about the safety and well being about the people around you.  The unregulated ship will, without doubt produce more corpses.  

Thanks for responding.  Not really trying to accomplish anything or define success, just personally wondering how much of a market there would be for an unregulated cruise... despite what some public figures assert.  It may, indeed,  be that an unregulated cruise would attract many potential passengers.  However, based on what I read on CC I guess I'm not so sure.  (of course, CC may not be representative of the entire cruising world, so there's that) A lot of people bluster about the loss of personal freedom but when it comes down to it, I think many of them would opt for the safer cruise scenario rather than operationalize their beliefs by sailing on the unregulated one.   Ahh...but what do I know.