Beware of others--A mask isn't always protecting anything!!

[12cruise2]

We are on board Nieuw Amsterdam now 10/2-23/21 sailing for three weeks from Seattle to Fort Lauderdale.  It's only two days into the cruise.  Yesterday was our Mariners' luncheon.  As we were waiting for the doors to open, I noticed an attractive mask (turquoise with glittery stones) on a lady and complimented her on it.  She gets right up close to my right ear, puts her arm around my waist and tells me, breathing right into my face next to my cheek "Amazon on sale."  THEN, she proceeds to pull the mask away from her face to say, I can finally breathe, see, it's not really a mask!" She was so proud to show me!  It was like a huge holed mesh window screen, single ply.  You could see right through it!  I was astonished and said, "What are you doing?  We're on a three-week cruise now and need to protect each other.  You realize that that mask is to protect me from your germs, right?"  She says, "Oh, I've been tested."  I reply yes, but that was four days ago; you could have become infected since then.  I said I can't believe you're doing this and I don't want to talk with you at all.  I told her I was walking away from her, and I turned my back and moved several steps away.  

 

Of course I should have walked inside the dining room and told the Captain who, along with the entire "official" crew was standing there waiting to just allow us to see them, no contact, before the Mariners' luncheon.  But I told the front desk later, though I couldn't identify the woman.  The front desk said oh, we can educate, we can advise, but we're not police. 

 

I can assure you my son, a commercial airline captain, would certainly put someone off an aircraft if they misbehaved.

 

Anyway, I wanted to give others a heads up that a mask isn't always a protective mask, though it's being passed off by the wearer as a protective mask.  Beware of folks who want to cheat at everyone else's expense.

 

FYI, we all are being covid tested--using the Abbott Binax covid ag (antigen) at home medically monitored test over the next several days.  Front desk says it's being done for all passengers because the cruise is longer than 20 days.  No charge to us.  No news is good news within 24 hours of taking the test.

[HappyInVan]

Lots of that going around. 🙄

 

The Germans now recommend FFP2 masks (equivalent to KN95). They're inexpensive, lightweight and widely available in Germany.

 

At this time, there's just no reason to use an inferior mask or fake mask.

[57redbird]

11 minutes ago, 12cruise2 said:

We are on board Nieuw Amsterdam now 10/2-23/21 sailing for three weeks from Seattle to Fort Lauderdale.  It's only two days into the cruise.  Yesterday was our Mariners' luncheon.  As we were waiting for the doors to open, I noticed an attractive mask (turquoise with glittery stones) on a lady and complimented her on it.  She gets right up close to my right ear, puts her arm around my waist and tells me, breathing right into my face next to my cheek "Amazon on sale."  THEN, she proceeds to pull the mask away from her face to say, I can finally breathe, see, it's not really a mask!" She was so proud to show me!  It was like a huge holed mesh window screen, single ply.  You could see right through it!  I was astonished and said, "What are you doing?  We're on a three-week cruise now and need to protect each other.  You realize that that mask is to protect me from your germs, right?"  She says, "Oh, I've been tested."  I reply yes, but that was four days ago; you could have become infected since then.  I said I can't believe you're doing this and I don't want to talk with you at all.  I told her I was walking away from her, and I turned my back and moved several steps away.  

 

Of course I should have walked inside the dining room and told the Captain who, along with the entire "official" crew was standing there waiting to just allow us to see them, no contact, before the Mariners' luncheon.  But I told the front desk later, though I couldn't identify the woman.  The front desk said oh, we can educate, we can advise, but we're not police. 

 

I can assure you my son, a commercial airline captain, would certainly put someone off an aircraft if they misbehaved.

 

Anyway, I wanted to give others a heads up that a mask isn't always a protective mask, though it's being passed off by the wearer as a protective mask.  Beware of folks who want to cheat at everyone else's expense.

 

FYI, we all are being covid tested--using the Abbott Binax covid ag (antigen) at home medically monitored test over the next several days.  Front desk says it's being done for all passengers because the cruise is longer than 20 days.  No charge to us.  No news is good news within 24 hours of taking the test.

😡

[AncientWanderer]

That is one strange story, 12cruise2.  At least when they put them below the nose, there's some honesty involved.  What a world.

[oaktreerb]

40 minutes ago, 12cruise2 said:

 

 

Of course I should have walked inside the dining room and told the Captain who, along with the entire "official" crew was standing there waiting to just allow us to see them, no contact, before the Mariners' luncheon.  But I told the front desk later, though I couldn't identify the woman.  The front desk said oh, we can educate, we can advise, but we're not police. 

 

I can assure you my son, a commercial airline captain, would certainly put someone off an aircraft if they misbehaved.

 

 

 

The front desk can't do anything, especially since you could not identify the woman.  If you had told the captain at the time and identified the woman and the mask he would have handled the situation, just as your son would have done.  If you see her in the mask again, please contact a ship officer and clearly identify her and the mask.  She can be confined to her stateroom if she does not comply with ship regulations.

[dockman]

1 hour ago, 12cruise2 said:

We are on board Nieuw Amsterdam now 10/2-23/21 sailing for three weeks from Seattle to Fort Lauderdale.  It's only two days into the cruise.  Yesterday was our Mariners' luncheon.  As we were waiting for the doors to open, I noticed an attractive mask (turquoise with glittery stones) on a lady and complimented her on it.  She gets right up close to my right ear, puts her arm around my waist and tells me, breathing right into my face next to my cheek "Amazon on sale."  THEN, she proceeds to pull the mask away from her face to say, I can finally breathe, see, it's not really a mask!" She was so proud to show me!  It was like a huge holed mesh window screen, single ply.  You could see right through it!  I was astonished and said, "What are you doing?  We're on a three-week cruise now and need to protect each other.  You realize that that mask is to protect me from your germs, right?"  She says, "Oh, I've been tested."  I reply yes, but that was four days ago; you could have become infected since then.  I said I can't believe you're doing this and I don't want to talk with you at all.  I told her I was walking away from her, and I turned my back and moved several steps away.  

 

Of course I should have walked inside the dining room and told the Captain who, along with the entire "official" crew was standing there waiting to just allow us to see them, no contact, before the Mariners' luncheon.  But I told the front desk later, though I couldn't identify the woman.  The front desk said oh, we can educate, we can advise, but we're not police. 

 

I can assure you my son, a commercial airline captain, would certainly put someone off an aircraft if they misbehaved.

 

Anyway, I wanted to give others a heads up that a mask isn't always a protective mask, though it's being passed off by the wearer as a protective mask.  Beware of folks who want to cheat at everyone else's expense.

 

FYI, we all are being covid tested--using the Abbott Binax covid ag (antigen) at home medically monitored test over the next several days.  Front desk says it's being done for all passengers because the cruise is longer than 20 days.  No charge to us.  No news is good news within 24 hours of taking the test.

There is no shortage of selfish stupid people around...covid has given them a stage to demonstrate to all that they care only for themselves.

[kazu]

8 minutes ago, dockman said:

There is no shortage of selfish stupid people around...covid has given them a stage to demonstrate to all that they care only for themselves.

 

Sad, but ever so true.

This story by 12cruise2 is just plain sad and a demonstration of selfishness by the person they encountered 😞 

[SonomaMountain]

Thanks for alerting the rest of us, it would never of occurred to me that someone would wear a mask with a bunch of concealed holes. Cheaters are going to cheat, even if it endangers others

[Florida_gal_50]

1 hour ago, oaktreerb said:

The front desk can't do anything, especially since you could not identify the woman.  If you had told the captain at the time and identified the woman and the mask he would have handled the situation, just as your son would have done.  If you see her in the mask again, please contact a ship officer and clearly identify her and the mask.  She can be confined to her stateroom if she does not comply with ship regulations.

I’d LOVE to see any of the ships officers do this.  Knowing hal the way I do they would prefer to “educate”.  If the op does get some action if the situation presents itself I hope to hear otherwise.

[AFNavigator]

Even those abiding by wearing a mask correctly can unintentionally spread COVID.  Those cheap "surgical" masks leak far too much air to be effective. 

 

I normally telework but was in my office the Thurs before last for a few hours for a meeting.  A co-worker of mine had contracted COVID from a family gathering the weekend prior--he didn't know it at that time though.  He was coughing lightly during our meeting but I never thought much about that because he often coughs a lot in the fall due to allergies stirred up by local crop harvesting machines.  Both of us are fully vaccinated and were wearing those cheap masks.

 

Long story short, I started coughing 3 days later.  I was notified the following morning that he had tested positive.  I got a rapid test at a local urgent care clinic and tested positive too.  Luckily, both of our cases haven't progressed beyond the symptoms of a common cold...hopefully we can thank the Pfizer vaccine for that.  Both of us have total loss of taste and smell senses though.  Hope that comes back soon.  Will be able to stop quarantining later this week.

 

Now I need to shop for more effective masks....to protect against the well intended, as well as the unscrupulous ones like the lady on your cruise.

[oaktreerb]

35 minutes ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

I’d LOVE to see any of the ships officers do this.  Knowing hal the way I do they would prefer to “educate”.  If the op does get some action if the situation presents itself I hope to hear otherwise.

Education is fine.  I sincerely can imagine the stern voice of the Captain announcing throughout the ship the importance of wearing appropriate masks along with hand sanitizer and hand washing “ in order to protect your fellow travelers.”. The lady in question obviously doesn’t comprehend the importance.  I hope she also didn’t fake the proof of vaccination.  

Edited October 4, 2021 by oaktreerb

[rkacruiser]

There are idiots among us as this woman demonstrated.  Maybe some Homo sapiens inherited a more "generous dose" of the genes of the Neanderthals than others?  

 

It's disappointing to me that so many of our fellow citizens just don't seem to understand why reasonable precautions need to be followed at this point in time with regard to Covid.  Would these same people get in their car and drive well over the speed limit?  Doing such imperils themselves and others on the road with them?  I just don't understand their "thinking".  

Edited October 4, 2021 by rkacruiser

[Brentt_M]

I just got off the N.A. on 10/2 and any given night in Billboard onboard at least 50% probably closer to 2/3 of the venue had their masks removed for the entire performance once they were seated. In the casino is was absolutely common place to see masks below the nose or even removed for extended periods of time as well.

 

Not one time did any crew member of any rank say something to anyone when I was around.

 

Just sharing my experience as an FYI

[Boytjie]

34 minutes ago, AFNavigator said:

Even those abiding by wearing a mask correctly can unintentionally spread COVID.  Those cheap "surgical" masks leak far too much air to be effective. 

 

How do you define "effective"? Sure, they are not 100% fool proof but do regular use, even by people not quite properly wearing them, reducing the spread of the corona virus?

[Florida_gal_50]

25 minutes ago, Brentt_M said:

I just got off the N.A. on 10/2 and any given night in Billboard onboard at least 50% probably closer to 2/3 of the venue had their masks removed for the entire performance once they were seated. In the casino is was absolutely common place to see masks below the nose or even removed for extended periods of time as well.

 

Not one time did any crew member of any rank say something to anyone when I was around.

 

Just sharing my experience as an FYI

This doesn’t surprise me one bit.  If I manage to go on my cruise next month I’ll be staying away from people more than usual.  Thank you for sharing your experience.

[regnig]

You just can't fix stupid!😏

[Trapper44]

24 minutes ago, regnig said:

You just can't fix stupid!😏

Not even with duct tape or super glue!

 

 

[recruiter 28]

5 hours ago, 12cruise2 said:

We are on board Nieuw Amsterdam now 10/2-23/21 sailing for three weeks from Seattle to Fort Lauderdale.  It's only two days into the cruise.  Yesterday was our Mariners' luncheon.  As we were waiting for the doors to open, I noticed an attractive mask (turquoise with glittery stones) on a lady and complimented her on it.  She gets right up close to my right ear, puts her arm around my waist and tells me, breathing right into my face next to my cheek "Amazon on sale."  THEN, she proceeds to pull the mask away from her face to say, I can finally breathe, see, it's not really a mask!" She was so proud to show me!  It was like a huge holed mesh window screen, single ply.  You could see right through it!  I was astonished and said, "What are you doing?  We're on a three-week cruise now and need to protect each other.  You realize that that mask is to protect me from your germs, right?"  She says, "Oh, I've been tested."  I reply yes, but that was four days ago; you could have become infected since then.  I said I can't believe you're doing this and I don't want to talk with you at all.  I told her I was walking away from her, and I turned my back and moved several steps away.  

 

Of course I should have walked inside the dining room and told the Captain who, along with the entire "official" crew was standing there waiting to just allow us to see them, no contact, before the Mariners' luncheon.  But I told the front desk later, though I couldn't identify the woman.  The front desk said oh, we can educate, we can advise, but we're not police. 

 

I can assure you my son, a commercial airline captain, would certainly put someone off an aircraft if they misbehaved.

 

Anyway, I wanted to give others a heads up that a mask isn't always a protective mask, though it's being passed off by the wearer as a protective mask.  Beware of folks who want to cheat at everyone else's expense.

 

FYI, we all are being covid tested--using the Abbott Binax covid ag (antigen) at home medically monitored test over the next several days.  Front desk says it's being done for all passengers because the cruise is longer than 20 days.  No charge to us.  No news is good news within 24 hours of taking the test.

Is the ship providing masks throughout your cruise?

[RGEDad]

2 hours ago, recruiter 28 said:

Is the ship providing masks throughout your cruise?

We were on the NA several weeks ago up in Alaska. When we got into the cabin there were two double layer cloth masks with the HAL Logo on them waiting for us. I put mine away and used those. 

 

For the most part I thought people were mainly compliant - I will note that I did not go into the crowded venues at night - Not very much party people. People tended to be covered up when waling around, but masks off when seated. Not much sip & Cover going on. Same for the MDR.

 

One Mask Oddity I will note the as I was leaving the Lido one afternoon a young lady stepped out of the elevator past me wearing a mask in the shape of a surgical N95 mask - but it was just fine steel like mesh. I could see right into her facial features. I was shocked but before I could react - the elevator doors closed. I did wonder why she even had that thing on...

[ontheweb]

15 hours ago, 12cruise2 said:

We are on board Nieuw Amsterdam now 10/2-23/21 sailing for three weeks from Seattle to Fort Lauderdale.  It's only two days into the cruise.  Yesterday was our Mariners' luncheon.  As we were waiting for the doors to open, I noticed an attractive mask (turquoise with glittery stones) on a lady and complimented her on it.  She gets right up close to my right ear, puts her arm around my waist and tells me, breathing right into my face next to my cheek "Amazon on sale."  THEN, she proceeds to pull the mask away from her face to say, I can finally breathe, see, it's not really a mask!" She was so proud to show me!  It was like a huge holed mesh window screen, single ply.  You could see right through it!  I was astonished and said, "What are you doing?  We're on a three-week cruise now and need to protect each other.  You realize that that mask is to protect me from your germs, right?"  She says, "Oh, I've been tested."  I reply yes, but that was four days ago; you could have become infected since then.  I said I can't believe you're doing this and I don't want to talk with you at all.  I told her I was walking away from her, and I turned my back and moved several steps away.  

 

Of course I should have walked inside the dining room and told the Captain who, along with the entire "official" crew was standing there waiting to just allow us to see them, no contact, before the Mariners' luncheon.  But I told the front desk later, though I couldn't identify the woman.  The front desk said oh, we can educate, we can advise, but we're not police. 

 

I can assure you my son, a commercial airline captain, would certainly put someone off an aircraft if they misbehaved.

 

Anyway, I wanted to give others a heads up that a mask isn't always a protective mask, though it's being passed off by the wearer as a protective mask.  Beware of folks who want to cheat at everyone else's expense.

 

FYI, we all are being covid tested--using the Abbott Binax covid ag (antigen) at home medically monitored test over the next several days.  Front desk says it's being done for all passengers because the cruise is longer than 20 days.  No charge to us.  No news is good news within 24 hours of taking the test.

And it's amazing that such a product as a mask with holes is allowed and sold. What a world we have become.😢

[ontheweb]

14 hours ago, AncientWanderer said:

That is one strange story, 12cruise2.  At least when they put them below the nose, there's some honesty involved.  What a world.

And even more honesty when they are worn as a chin strap.

[KirkNC]

One of the main reasons we are not cruising now is our assumption that some number of a$$hat passengers will cheat or just ignore the rules.  We also know based on past experiences with HAL rules that they will not enforce them.  This would just create an endless opportunity for aggravation versus our attempt to enjoy the cruise.  I know some will say, just ignore the rule breakers, unfortunately my DNA doesn’t allow that.

[Daniel A]

13 hours ago, AFNavigator said:

Even those abiding by wearing a mask correctly can unintentionally spread COVID.  Those cheap "surgical" masks leak far too much air to be effective. 

 

I normally telework but was in my office the Thurs before last for a few hours for a meeting.  A co-worker of mine had contracted COVID from a family gathering the weekend prior--he didn't know it at that time though.  He was coughing lightly during our meeting but I never thought much about that because he often coughs a lot in the fall due to allergies stirred up by local crop harvesting machines.  Both of us are fully vaccinated and were wearing those cheap masks.

 

Long story short, I started coughing 3 days later.  I was notified the following morning that he had tested positive.  I got a rapid test at a local urgent care clinic and tested positive too.  Luckily, both of our cases haven't progressed beyond the symptoms of a common cold...hopefully we can thank the Pfizer vaccine for that.  Both of us have total loss of taste and smell senses though.  Hope that comes back soon.  Will be able to stop quarantining later this week.

 

Now I need to shop for more effective masks....to protect against the well intended, as well as the unscrupulous ones like the lady on your cruise.

The mask didn't make you test positive, the co-worker who didn't stay home when he was ill and coughing did.

[esimon]

i have soooooo much to say here but I won't cause people who fear like fear -   now you can all rant about how stupid I am -   

[syesmar]

16 hours ago, AFNavigator said:

Even those abiding by wearing a mask correctly can unintentionally spread COVID.  Those cheap "surgical" masks leak far too much air to be effective. 

… A co-worker of mine had contracted COVID from a family gathering the weekend prior--he didn't know it at that time though.  He was coughing lightly during our meeting…Both of us are fully vaccinated and were wearing those cheap masks...

Now I need to shop for more effective masks....to protect against the well intended, as well as the unscrupulous ones like the lady on your cruise.

So sorry this happened to you. I wish more would take their coughs outside. I know it can be difficult when it comes on from nowhere, but with so many unknowns, it’s better to be safe than sorry. Another reason to keep the  premium mask on, we have no idea who’s been doing what in the room before we got there. Even at that, as you mentioned, nothing is 100%. Frustrating.

 

Sincere best wishes and prayers for you @AFNavigator! Get totally well soon.

Edited October 5, 2021 by syesmar