Royal Temporarily Tightens Mask Policy..Celebrity Next?

[hcat]

Balcony will be our sanctuary...

[ellie1145]

1 hour ago, Steve_MI said:

I sure hope not. We are booked on the Apex for New Years. I will cancel for sure if they pull this crap. There is no earthly way I would ever spend $7,000+ to wear a mask on vacation. 

We have recently done 5 cruises, all with masks, and it really wasn’t a problem. 
 

Had wonderful cruises, including Anthem of the Seas, Harmony of the Seas and Jewel of the Seas and had an absolute ball. Thankfully people were very cooperative.  

 

 

[rachiem]

We’ve done 3 staycation cruises this year and all 3, we had to wear masks. 
It really didn’t bother us for most parts accept found Celebrity insisting that you wear it whilst relaxing in the solarium a bit too much. it was just too hot for us. 
we are due to cruise on the Equinox next month and will wear a mask whether we are required to or not. 
I just feel a bit safer with one at the mo and would rather cruise (taking any precautions) than spend another cold dreary month back home

It’s quite hard to get used to all the restrictions  again after the U.K. had relaxed all the rules…just can’t see any end to this unless we now start to learn to live with it. 
 

[ellie1145]

24 minutes ago, cruisestitch said:

Lordy I hope Celebrity doesn’t do the same as Royal. The number-of-children factor is so different between the two lines.

 

Sailed on equinox in November with fewer than 10 children aboard, no mask requirement, it was a cruise I never wanted to end.

 

currently on a Royal Caribbean ship. There are some mask free zone for vaccinated, my sanctuariess, including Schooner bar and Casino and solarium and diamond lounge. When this goes into effect on Royal it will be masks everywhere. I already can’t wait to get off and switch over to a celebrity ship. This mask on, mask off thing is burdensome and uncomfortable.

But it could just save your life or someone else’s.

 

Having to wait for a kettle to boil is tedious. Cleaning a toilet is tedious. But mask wearing……..?

 

I am more than happy to comply with any rules and regulations just to enjoy cruising safely.  
 

But hopefully all those who won’t wear masks won’t cruise and I will feel all the safer.

 

I’d rather not be a Guinea pig to see if cruising without a mask is safe. But then I don’t think mask wearing is a political issue or a denial of my human rights. I just think it is a very small way to protect myself and others.

 

It certainly hasn’t impacted my enjoyment of the 5 cruises I have done in the last 3 months. 

[Cruise Gopher]

A lot of UK posters saying they weren’t bothered wearing a mask on recent cruises. Can I ask you where these cruises went?
 

I’ve been on two short cruises in August and November in the Caribbean and I can tell you it suuuuuuuucks big time wearing a mask in 90 degree Caribbean temps with extremely high humidity.  

[rachiem]

1 minute ago, Cruise Gopher said:

A lot of UK posters saying they weren’t bothered wearing a mask on recent cruises. Can I ask you where these cruises went?
 

I’ve been on two short cruises in August and November in the Caribbean and I can tell you it suuuuuuuucks big time wearing a mask in 90 degree Caribbean temps with extremely high humidity.  

[rachiem]

6 minutes ago, rachiem said:

8 minutes ago, Cruise Gopher said:

A lot of UK posters saying they weren’t bothered wearing a mask on recent cruises. Can I ask you where these cruises went?
 

I’ve been on two short cruises in August and November in the Caribbean and I can tell you it suuuuuuuucks big time wearing a mask in 90 degree Caribbean temps with extremely high humidity.  

Expand  

We’ve sailed with Viking…older clientele and we all wore masks. Very strict! 
celebrity…everyone stuck to the rules, a few people forgot here and there (even the cruise director)

MSC- loads of idiots who refused and challenged the staff when asked to comply. 
The MSC cruise was during a heatwave week (so 75 degrees) 

I can’t see it making much difference with the weather though as once below deck, the Air Con kicks in. 
 

I think that if you are not prepared to comply with the rules, don’t go. It makes it impossible for the staff and causes animosity with the passengers. 
We witnessed several altercations and a few evictions on MSC. 

Edited December 17, 2021 by rachiem

[ellie1145]

8 minutes ago, Cruise Gopher said:

A lot of UK posters saying they weren’t bothered wearing a mask on recent cruises. Can I ask you where these cruises went?
 

I’ve been on two short cruises in August and November in the Caribbean and I can tell you it suuuuuuuucks big time wearing a mask in 90 degree Caribbean temps with extremely high humidity.  

We had three British cruises plus a cruise round the Greek Islands where the weather was hot, as it was in Barcelona and on Harmony to Italy and Spain. The ships are air conditioned so not a problem, onboard. 
 

Masks required on excursions, and some countries had stricter mask wearing rules in the open air, but it was just lovely to be on vacation and visiting such wonderful places. 
 

Cruise with a mask or not cruise, it’s a no brainier for me!

[Cruise Gopher]

1 minute ago, rachiem said:

We’ve sailed with Viking…older clientele and we all wore masks. Very strict! 
celebrity…everyone stuck to the rules, a few people forgot here and there (even the cruise director)

MSC- loads of idiots who refused and challenged the staff when asked to comply. 
 

I think that if you are not prepared to comply with the rules, don’t go. It makes it impossible for the staff and causes animosity with the passengers. 
We witnessed several altercations and a few evictions on MSC. 

My question wasn’t about which cruise line etc, it was about the destination/region people were sailing in.  I also didn’t mention anything about not being willing to comply. 
 

My whole point is there is a VERY big difference between sailing with masks in the Caribbean heat and humidity vs. a cruise in Europe or Alaska, etc. with milder temps. 

[ellie1145]

2 minutes ago, Cruise Gopher said:

My question wasn’t about which cruise line etc, it was about the destination/region people were sailing in.  I also didn’t mention anything about not being willing to comply. 
 

My whole point is there is a VERY big difference between sailing with masks in the Caribbean heat and humidity vs. a cruise in Europe or Alaska, etc. with milder temps. 

Temperatures were high in the Greek Islands, Cyprus (blisteringly hot) and in Barcelona, Italy and Palma.

 

But the ship was air conditioned so no problem there, and the coach was also air conditioned. 
 

Believe me, temperatures can be as high as the Caribbean in the Mediterranean in summer,

[bigtony22127]

Works for me. We're supposed to be on the Celebrity Equinox on Jan 3. We are from Canada and this will be our first international travel since Covid. I have no problem with a mask mandate. I would just be thrilled to be on the ship! 

 

Maybe it's a Canadian thing but we aren't at all fussed by masks. We've been wearing them for 2 years! With the omicron outbreak, why wouldn't you want to be safe while on vacation?

Edited December 18, 2021 by bigtony22127
Date of cruise was incorrect

[LGW59]

2 hours ago, BigAl94 said:

I assume CDC

If the CDC asked them to return, they would 

[sayvan]

2 hours ago, Steve_MI said:

I sure hope not. We are booked on the Apex for New Years. I will cancel for sure if they pull this crap. There is no earthly way I would ever spend $7,000+ to wear a mask on vacation. 

instead you could always pay that $7000 in medical bills... with no vacation! 

[Babr]

6 minutes ago, LGW59 said:

If the CDC asked them to return, they would 

I think someone misspoke.  Likely the ship was refused entry at a port because of positive cases on board - not that the ship was refusing to return.

Edited December 18, 2021 by Babr

[neverlaysup]

1 hour ago, hcat said:

Balcony will be our sanctuary...

We just upgraded in the Family Veranda on our next cruise (Millenium) so that 250 sq foot balcony will be our refuge!

[Steve_MI]

6 minutes ago, sayvan said:

instead you could always pay that $7000 in medical bills... with no vacation! 

Considering I’m 40, in good health, vaxxed, and boosted, I’d say there is a bigger chance of falling overboard and being eaten by sharks than of suffering serious problems from Covid. 

[sayvan]

1 hour ago, cruisestitch said:

I already can’t wait to get off and switch over to a celebrity ship. This mask on, mask off thing is burdensome and uncomfortable.

A ventilator would be even more burdensome and uncomfortable...  

[cruise kitty]

I'm not surprised, expect this will be a requirement through March....  a big surge is predicted to last through March, & after that we should have some relaxing of rules until late Fall.   

 

Like everyone else, I'm tired of it, & would love a mask free vacation, but will go forward regardless...

 

have zero clue as to what ports we will actually get to go to...  no idea if we'll be masked on board or not...  all I do know is that Luminae will be wonderful, the retreat will have my drinks ready, & we get to go ba k to Europe 🙂

[sayvan]

11 minutes ago, Steve_MI said:

Considering I’m 40, in good health, vaxxed, and boosted, I’d say there is a bigger chance of falling overboard and being eaten by sharks than of suffering serious problems from Covid. 

Then think of the other passengers who may not be in such good health or have some underlying condition. Being fully vaxxed and boosted may keep you off the ventilator but you can still pass it around. A mask protects you and others... its called a community...the more we all work together on this the quicker we get out of this.  I for one have a B2B in February that I cant wait to get on mask required or not.   I'll be at the martini bar... I'll use a straw under my mask if need be! 

Edited December 18, 2021 by sayvan

[Steve_MI]

10 minutes ago, sayvan said:

Then think of the other passengers who may not be in such good health or have some underlying condition. Being fully vaxxed and boosted may keep you off the ventilator but you can still pass it around. A mask protects you and others... its called a community...the more we all work together on this the quicker we get out of this.  I for one have a B2B in February that I cant wait to get on mask required or not.   I'll be at the martini bar... I'll use a straw under my mask if need be! 

And there are plenty of other cruise lines where masks are mandatory. Most of them, actually. Can’t those of us with a better risk tolerance have one outlet where we can enjoy ourselves? Apparently not it seems. 

[neverlaysup]

At the end of the day, I will not be cancelling the 4 cruises we have over the next 3 months if masks are mandated. Will I be happy about it......NO. I will certainly adjust how I operate on the ship but I will not cancel and stay home. If wearing a mask allows the cruises to keep operating, then so be it. 

[canderson]

44 minutes ago, sayvan said:

A ventilator would be even more burdensome and uncomfortable...  

Good thing it appears that omicron isn't nearly as likely to cause someone to need one as prior variants.

[esther e]

2 hours ago, rachiem said:

We’ve sailed with Viking…older clientele and we all wore masks. Very strict! 
celebrity…everyone stuck to the rules, a few people forgot here and there (even the cruise director)

MSC- loads of idiots who refused and challenged the staff when asked to comply. 
The MSC cruise was during a heatwave week (so 75 degrees) 

I can’t see it making much difference with the weather though as once below deck, the Air Con kicks in. 
 

I think that if you are not prepared to comply with the rules, don’t go. It makes it impossible for the staff and causes animosity with the passengers. 
We witnessed several altercations and a few evictions on MSC. 

I was booked with Viking and as soon as I found out masks were mandatory, I cancelled.  I live in a state where masks are voluntary.

[nocl]

4 hours ago, BigAl94 said:

I assume CDC

If you do not know probably should not assume.

[Fredric22]

4 hours ago, BigAl94 said:

Reports that on Symphony of the Seas there are 36 cases of covid and that the medical facility of one doctor and two nurses are overwhelmed. Also being reported is that the ship is refusing to return to port.

Huh? This makes no sense. No cruise line would refuse to return to port if requested to do so by the CDC.

 

3 hours ago, Covepointcruiser said:

Considering the U.S. just had the largest number of new infections since the Pandemic began today, 12/17, I can see new restrictions taking place.   Though not ideal, I will wear a mask as long as I can cruise.

This is literally false information.  The us recorded around 163,000 cases today.  On Jan 8th of this year, the US recorded over 300,000 cases. 

 

1 hour ago, sayvan said:

A ventilator would be even more burdensome and uncomfortable...  

This is a silly comparison.  It is not March 2020. 

Edited December 18, 2021 by Fredric22