Type of masks required on board

[kayjay76]

For anyone who has sailed since NCL put the mask order on... can you wear any type of mask or does it have to be a disposable kind? Can it be a regular washable cloth one or does it matter? Need to get hubby some that don't touch his ears if we have to do the disposable kind.

Thanks!!

[julig22]

I don't remember anyone saying anything about type and I did see some cloth ones onboard.  There were N95 masks in the rooms when we boarded, surgical masks available at guest services and other places.

If you are flying, some airlines don't allow cloth masks.

[SpainAlien]

NCL says:

 

"Face masks that have two or more layers that completely cover your nose and mouth and fit snugly on your face are permitted. Face masks should block light when held up to bright light source. Masks with exhalation valves or vents; single layer or masks made of thin fabric that don't block light (i.e. neck gaiters) are not permitted."

[kdawg954]

All the crew wear KN95 and that is the one that is provided in the stateroom.

 

Nobody questioned the layers of the masks onboard, but that is because 99% of the folks clearly had a good enough mask  (cloth, surgical and KN95).  I think I saw a handful of guests with a thin neck gaiter type and they were never questioned.

[bassmaster150]

Cloth masks worked fine for us.  We got ours from Amazon.  Just search for washable cotton cloth masks

[CiaraMissed]

Some ports require a surgical or N95 mask (Barbados and St. Lucia required these in mid-December), but one is provided in your room to use.

[bassmaster150]

36 minutes ago, CiaraMissed said:

Some ports require a surgical or N95 mask (Barbados and St. Lucia required these in mid-December), but one is provided in your room to use.

We sailed on the Escape from 12/23/2021 - 1/3/2022 and visited the following ports:  Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, St Maarten, St Lucia, Barbados, Antigua, St Thomas, and Great Stirrup Cay.  We were required to wear masks, but no port had a specific type of mask requirement.  Only a mandatory mask requirement.  We wore cloth masks the entire time on the cruise in in the ports and they worked great.

[mking8288]

Given the highly infectious Omicron variants circulating around the world lately, I strongly recommend fitting and using a properly sized disposable KN95, KF94 or N95 "respiratory" mask - they aren't expensive and is widely available now, and can be reused by rotating them (instructions & details online - just Bing/Google the info ...) - cost as little as $1.25 to $2 when purchased in packs of 10, 25 or 50'ish.   At a minimum for personal protection, a quality 3-ply surgical face mask should be used - of course, this is just a partial element of one's PPE.  

 

While a good cotton mask is fine & acceptable in certain places and folks are still reusing them, you are exposing yourself & others and taking unnecessary risks that can be avoided.  Doctors, nurses, dentists & assistants, medical techs, EMT's, first responders and others wear masks all the time ... there are good reasons for them to do so.  Feel free to do whatever, it's your own choice to ignore some of the best, sound & practical public health guidance and recommendations. 

[roger001]

I don't like ones over my ears either.  They constantly pull my hearing aids off.  A true N95 doesn't go over the ears.  It must go around the back of the neck and head.  That's all I use...plus it gives better protection.  KN95s go over the ears usually.  

[Goldconnection]

We were on the Epic from 12/5-12/26 and we were allow to wear any type of mask. Same for the ports with the exception of Barbados. There you had to wear cloth mass..