Mask policy not strictly enforced?

[cruisestitch]

Just a couple of ethics problems there……😁

 

not to mention poor methodology and and inability to replicate the experiment 

 

 

[CruiseRQA]

1 hour ago, cruisestitch said:

Just a couple of ethics problems there……😁

 

not to mention poor methodology and and inability to replicate the experiment 

 

 

No ethics problem.    If you are a passenger that wants to be on a ship with a mask mandate you can be so informed and sign up for the mask mandate cruise.   If you want to be on a ship without a mask mandate you can be so informed and sign up for that one.  

 

The two groups are likely to be similar and all will have been vaccinated and tested negative pre-cruise.  

 

Poor methodology?    Not any worse than most masking studies.    And should be easy to replicate.  

 

 

[LGW59]

3 hours ago, CruiseRQA said:

This statement is false.    It is simply not true that mask wearing is 100% effective in preventing outbreaks.   Does not mean you shouldn't wear one but there is no 100% means at present to prevent COVID.    Risk reduction is possible by vaccination, mask wearing and proper hygiene but risk elimination whether on a cruise ship, at a grocery store or even at home is not currently possible.  

where did they say 100%???

[cruisestitch]

Will both ships have identical itineraries?

 

how to account for the number of pax who might chose to wear face coverings even though they are on the uncovered ship?  
 

how to replicate that?

 

will you issue identical coverings to all?

 

will all be boosted or only two-shotted?

 

sorry but there are just too many confounding variables

 

 

 

 

[Texter2]

Keep in mind that anyone flaunting the masking requirements might find themselves in a difficult situation if they test positive for Covid. Here is the language from the Celebrity website…

 

Celebrity will cover the costs of accommodations for isolation and private air transfer costs for guests who have fully complied with all Celebrity Cruises and Royal Caribbean Group COVID-19 Policies and Procedures in effect at the time of voyage. 

 

I will follow the masking (and other requirements) since I would hate to be put off the ship in a foreign port with little recourse. 

 

 

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

3 hours ago, sakigemcam said:

When I'm at the gym and masks aren't enforced I get so frustrated. I imagine I'd be triply frustrated on our cruise. Hope enforcement picks up.

I live in Florida (nuff said? lol). At Planet Fitness they only had a sign on the door for a couple of months (early/mid 2020) regarding masks. Apparently most people can't read... Even though we're in a heck of a surge, it would seem that most gym goers here feel that they're "fit enough" to either not catch COVID or fight it off. The place is more concerned about wiping down equipment before and after each use (with their unknown liquid substance) than the air we breathe.

 

Enforcement is exceptionally rare - in most any place, as we're all too aware of the belligerent in-your-face attitude that might be forthcoming. It's like driving, one needs to be careful, as that guy on your bumper or next to you might have a hot temper.

 

On the three cruises we've been on (Carnival and Royal) post restart, I never saw mask enforcement... well, once on Royal in the theatre. The most blatant was a guy at the $25 BJ table - no mask, and a profane shirt referencing the vaccine. He had about five grand in front of him. I asked the dealer if masks were required at the table and was told "yes". I then asked if it was enforced.... crickets. We left!

 

Tom

[cruisestitch]

One thing that hasn’t been mentioned yet it’s how the officers are pretty scarce, at least on silhouette. Celebrity has been known for the friendliness of the officers, how accessible they are, how often you see them around the ship, how they stop by your table to say hello, things like that. But not on this cruise. There are plenty of cleaners, plenty of bar staff and waiters, pool attendants, and such, but hardly any officers out amongst the passengers.  So very few personnel might be available for “enforcement” on a regular basis.

 

 

 

[Jeremiah1212]

43 minutes ago, Tom-n-Cheryl said:

I live in Florida (nuff said? lol). At Planet Fitness they only had a sign on the door for a couple of months (early/mid 2020) regarding masks. Apparently most people can't read... Even though we're in a heck of a surge, it would seem that most gym goers here feel that they're "fit enough" to either not catch COVID or fight it off. The place is more concerned about wiping down equipment before and after each use (with their unknown liquid substance) than the air we breathe.

 

Funny you mention this...I tried our local Planet Fitness in the early COVID days because it's always dead. They clean with regular old Fabuloso which is not a disinfectant at all. Judging from the color in the spray bottle, they took it an extra step further and diluted it. You were probably better off using your used disposable mask as the cleaning rag 🤢 

[keesar]

48 minutes ago, cruisestitch said:

One thing that hasn’t been mentioned yet it’s how the officers are pretty scarce, at least on silhouette. Celebrity has been known for the friendliness of the officers, how accessible they are, how often you see them around the ship, how they stop by your table to say hello, things like that. But not on this cruise. There are plenty of cleaners, plenty of bar staff and waiters, pool attendants, and such, but hardly any officers out amongst the passengers.  So very few personnel might be available for “enforcement” on a regular basis.

 

 

 

On my cruise, the Captain was more intent on making announcements of selling items at shops and having photos taken.  Priorities...

[cruisestitch]

Different strokes.  Nothing like that from Captain Michael.

 

in his afternoon announcement he again said there are “a few” new cases among crew and passengers, after none yesterday.

[CC Help Jenn]

Reading this and the replies made me realize that not everyone interprets the mask policy the same way, and also what actively eating / drinking means.  

 

Example sitting at the martini bar and none of us are masked. I remove mine when I get my drink but I don’t put it back on in between sips. That’s how I’ve been doing it at home and didn’t even think that I may or should be masking between sips.  Same at dinner.  I’m generally actively eating and/or drinking in my mind but maybe between courses when I’m just drinking wine I should cover?  I don’t know but I would be willing to bet the infrequent masking seen at the lounges / restaurants could be due to differences in that interpretation.  

 

That said I did notice the pretty much full on absence of masks in the theater and solarium.  However I myself walked through the solarium  maskless “forgetting” that it’s actually indoors.  I had it with me of course just forgot I was inside.  

 

The mask policy was just put in place days before we sailed so could be staff is also adjusting to what the acceptable interpretation of the rules are. 

[davekathy]

I hope all of you make comments on your PCS that the mask policy isn't being followed by guests and some staff and not being enforced by the staff. No matter when this policy was put in place. Hopefully going forward the staff will have the stones to enforce the mandatory face mask policy. If it offends those not complying with the simple mask mandate, to bad!  

[Alakegirl]

I remember being told repeatedly “don’t touch your mask, don’t touch your mask”. So how to reconcile that with a scenario that would have you takeoff your mask, have a sip of wine, put the mask back on, say something to your neighbor, takeoff your mask, have a sip of wine, put the mask back on, talk to the bartender, take off you mask, have a sip of wine, put the mask back on.  
 

Or…..at breakfast, take off your mask, pick up your piece of bacon, take a bite, put your mask back on while you chew and clean your hands off, take off your mask, have a bite of eggs, put your mask back on….etc. etc. etc. etc.  

 

it’s just not feasible.  
 

i go with “touch your mask as little as possible.”  Take it off at the table while enjoying your meal and don’t put it back on until you get up from the table, take it off at the bar while sipping your drink and don’t put it back on until you are finished with the drink,

[LGW59]

1 minute ago, Alakegirl said:

I remember being told repeatedly “don’t touch your mask, don’t touch your mask”. So how to reconcile that with a scenario that would have you takeoff your mask, have a sip of wine, put the mask back on, say something to your neighbor, takeoff your mask, have a sip of wine, put the mask back on, talk to the bartender, take off you mask, have a sip of wine, put the mask back on.  
 

Or…..at breakfast, take off your mask, pick up your piece of bacon, take a bite, put your mask back on while you chew and clean your hands off, take off your mask, have a bite of eggs, put your mask back on….etc. etc. etc. etc.  

 

it’s just not feasible.  
 

i go with “touch your mask as little as possible.”  Take it off at the table while enjoying your meal and don’t put it back on until you get up from the table, take it off at the bar while sipping your drink and don’t put it back on until you are finished with the drink,

Agree but what if they say the rule is mask off when taking a bite or a sip, mask on between each.  Crazy times for sure.  Just whatever the policy is or will be, just follow it already, it's not difficult, we are two years into this damn mess already.

[Alakegirl]

2 minutes ago, davekathy said:

I hope all of you make comments on your PCS that the mask policy isn't being followed by guests and some staff and not being enforced by the staff. No matter when this policy was put in place. Hopefully going forward the staff will have the stones to enforce the mandatory face mask policy. If it offends those not complying with the simple mask mandate, to bad!  

But which staff?  The bartender is working for tips, he’s not going to get in your face over it.  The barista who brings my tea to the table at AlBacio isn’t likely to either.  The pool attendant who brings a towel in the Solarium has too low a pay grade to ask a lounger who fell asleep and his mask slipped off to wake up and remedy it………

[teacherman]

We are going on Reflection for a 10 night cruise January 19, IF we test negative,  I go to Planet Fitness here in Michigan.  All of our gyms were closed for several months, and when they re-opened, there were capacity limits and masks were required.  We ALL wore them.  I am 74 years old and have asthma (controlled by medicine).  I did my complete workout, so am somewhat skeptical of people who say they "can't breathe" when wearing a mask.  Now, we do not have to wear mask in the gym, but some people do.  The easiest way to keep from catching a disease is to be vaccinated, and simply stay away from people. That is what we now do at the gym, just exercise away from others.   We do not feel the need to sit at a bar when we can enjoy a drink at a table for 2 located away from others.  It would seem that reduced capacity on ships is allowing us the opportunity to socially distance.  So maybe we should all try to do it.  Safe travels.

[Alakegirl]

16 minutes ago, LGW59 said:

Agree but what if they say the rule is mask off when taking a bite or a sip, mask on between each.  Crazy times for sure.  Just whatever the policy is or will be, just follow it already, it's not difficult, we are two years into this damn mess already.

Yes, two years, but mask off, eat, mask on, chew, mask off, sip, mask on, over and over will only serve to contaminate the mask and it might even be a choking hazard

[asnaleah]

8 hours ago, cangelmd said:

If mask wearing where it is needed, indoors and in any congregate setting, is not enforced by someon, then there will be an outbreak. It could be hard to judge at 25% occupancy- did that person pull their mask down just now to take a drink or has it been down for 30 minutes?

Even at 25%, if people are sitting at a bar shoulder to shoulder, masks down because they are drinking, while talking and laughing - that’s bad, and can be seen by even a casual passerby.

We sail Jan 24, and don’t require much social interaction to have a good time, but it looks less and less like the ship will be allowed to sail.

Why do you think the ship won’t be allowed to sail?!

[davekathy]

23 minutes ago, Alakegirl said:

But which staff?  The bartender is working for tips, he’s not going to get in your face over it.  The barista who brings my tea to the table at AlBacio isn’t likely to either.  The pool attendant who brings a towel in the Solarium has too low a pay grade to ask a lounger who fell asleep and his mask slipped off to wake up and remedy it………

All employees working on the ship. If cruisers (no matter their age) would comply with the simple mask mandate then the staff wouldn't have to be mask police. Too bad. It's their job along with the captain down to ensure our safety and well being (health) is number one priority. 

[Islandhop9]

20 minutes ago, Alakegirl said:

Yes, two years, but mask off, eat, mask on, chew, mask off, sip, mask on, over and over will only serve to contaminate the mask and it might even be a choking hazard

If someone chokes on their mask they have bigger issues...

 

Sitting at a table with your SO is different than being crowded around a bar or casino table with strangers.  

 

[LGW59]

54 minutes ago, Alakegirl said:

Yes, two years, but mask off, eat, mask on, chew, mask off, sip, mask on, over and over will only serve to contaminate the mask and it might even be a choking hazard

the mask and it might even be a choking hazard - when where has this happened??

[keesar]

25 minutes ago, LGW59 said:

the mask and it might even be a choking hazard - when where has this happened??

If someone has had too many beverages , they could confuse the mask and attempt to eat it.  Not good and a choking hazard. 

[CC Help Jenn]

To circle back to the sailing being talked about, I will say I was in the casino a few minutes ago lending them $20 while wasting time and a couple was told to mask up. So perhaps it’s being enforced and we just don’t see it!

 

[occasional cruiser guy]

I work in an environment where there is much debate on the benefits of making wearing and the benefits of doing so.  This new variant is extremely contagious and mask wearing is minimally effective.  Wearing a cloth mask is simply just being compliant and has little effectiveness.   If you are going to any Mayo Clinic building, who know a thing or two about this topic, you are required to wear a surgical mask or better. 

 

With a that being said, please don't ask the staff for compliance to the policy.  They are not the "mask police" and shouldn't be put in that situation.   Mask wearing can and is a personal matter that we all have our own beliefs on.  Statistics can be made to sway either side of the debate.  If you are on the side of 100% compliance,  then make the decision to be more socially distant.  If you are more of a "let 'er rip" type, then please be cognizant and respect others.

 

 I think we can all agree that we just want a nice vacation with minimal inconviences.

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

40 minutes ago, CC Help Jenn said:

To circle back to the sailing being talked about, I will say I was in the casino a few minutes ago lending them $20 while wasting time and a couple was told to mask up. So perhaps it’s being enforced and we just don’t see it!

 

 

It was interesting to watch the protocols in the casino on our Independence of the Seas sailing over Christmas. When they'd change dealers at the BJ table, they'd place the plexiglass cover over the chips. The new dealer would come in and use a wipe on the cover and then wipe the CSM (continuous shuffle machine). Then it was cover off, and back to everyone handling their chips. I wonder why they even when to the trouble of their little "show" to begin with !

 

Tom