NCL Has Dropped Their Mask Mandate Beginning 3/1. Will Royal follow?

[topnole]

4 minutes ago, Virginia100 said:

Since nearly all fully vaccinated with booster are not hospitalized and most health experts now say the number of cases is irrelevant it’s hospitalizations,  why not let those willing to show the three shots documents forgo any testing? St Martin, PR and the UK now do, others may also.

Your comparing countries to self contained ships.  Not exactly apples to apples.  But per your logic, nearly all unvaccinated young kids are not hospitalized either.  So would we stop testing them to?

To me, testing is the only thing that really can make a big impact. Vaccination does little to stop omicron. It is not a good substitute for testing.  

[chill6x6]

This SURE puts the idea into my head to cancel my Royal cruise for the end of March and book one with NCL!

[topnole]

6 minutes ago, OSUZorba said:

Based on the current CDC numbers, it is about 31.5% with one shot, and 23.2% with two. The kid shot rates will likely keep slowly increasing as kids get to their annual appointments.

I doubt it.   It will plateau at a low rate.   Most I know will not vaccinate their kids for Covid.   Everything else, yes.  Covid, no.   Plus, so many already have had omicron.  Why vaccinate them when the already have natural immunity?  

Edited February 9, 2022 by topnole

[alfaeric]

12 hours ago, Sunshine3601 said:

I doubt that, it makes no sense to test someone 3 or 4 days before they board.     If they did that - why bother testing at all IMO.    Plus there are so many available testing options that can be done within the required time such as the proctored at home test kits why would they loosen up the testing requirement.

So you really think they will eliminate the vaccine requirement BEFORE relaxing the testing requirement?  

 

The testing requirement was added after the vaccine requirement was put in, and it was tightened when the spread got worse.

 

Sorry, but I see that way before the vaccine requirement is ended, the testing requirement will end.  

Given the population, as long as there's any spread, I don't see the vaccine requirement ending anytime soon.

[MommaBear55]

8 hours ago, topnole said:

I doubt it.   It will plateau at a low rate.   Most I know will not vaccinate their kids for Covid.   Everything else, yes.  Covid, no.   Plus, so many already have had omicron.  Why vaccinate them when the already have natural immunity?  

Because natural immunity wanes more quickly than immunity after Covid. That's why even those who've had Covid should be vaccinated. 

[Rayhorn]

Royal updated their Healthy Sail Center page with the requirements. Looks like masking is going back to pre-omicron guidance of not required in vaccinated only venues starting Feb 15.
 

“

Masks are NOT required to be worn:

• At venues designated for vaccinated guests only, such as select bars, lounges, restaurants, shows and Casino Royale. NOTE: For cruises departing through February 14, 2022, masks must be worn in vaccinated-only venues

”

[topnole]

45 minutes ago, MommaBear55 said:

Because natural immunity wanes more quickly than immunity after Covid. That's why even those who've had Covid should be vaccinated. 

Antibody duration varies a lot by age (older folks it wanes faster as an example) so for many in the older range they have no antibodies post vax shot after 90 days.  But immunity is much more than antibodies and the scientific community knows very little at this point on the entire immune system and Covid.  
 

Regardless, omicron evades vax immunity quite easily.  I know tons of folks boosted that got omicron.  So how exactly is it any better than prior infection which then teaches your body to fight every aspect of the virus and not just one aspect (the spike).   T cell memory is going to last for kids with prior infection regardless of when the antibodies wane. Just like for those who are vaccinated.  

Edited February 9, 2022 by topnole

[Hutcha]

52 minutes ago, MommaBear55 said:

Because natural immunity wanes more quickly than immunity after Covid. That's why even those who've had Covid should be vaccinated. 

Natural immunity is better than the shot alone. Best protection is having covid and the shot. I should be good had two rounds of both...

 

https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/prior-covid-infection-more-protective-than-vaccination-during-delta-surge-us-2022-01-19/

 

[nelblu]

19 hours ago, Sunshine3601 said:

We sailed on Anthem for an 11 night sailing and masks really didn't bother me going from cabin to MDR, WJ, etc.    The only place onboard I found annoying was in the Casino while playing slots almost every night.

Get a drink and nurse it😀

[Sunshine3601]

1 hour ago, alfaeric said:

So you really think they will eliminate the vaccine requirement BEFORE relaxing the testing requirement?  

 

The testing requirement was added after the vaccine requirement was put in, and it was tightened when the spread got worse.

 

Sorry, but I see that way before the vaccine requirement is ended, the testing requirement will end.  

Given the population, as long as there's any spread, I don't see the vaccine requirement ending anytime soon.

I did Not say the vaccine requirement would end for cruises nor do I believe the testing requirement will end anytime in the near future.

My post you responded to I was saying I dont see them relaxing testing requirements and going to 3 or 4 days precruise.  Imo testing that far out would be a waste of time.

 

In response to other posts regarding children under 12.  I was saying that vaccines became available for 5 to 11 yrs old in November and Royal has not required this group to be vaccinated as of yet .  I dont think they will require since they cater to families especially during summer and holiday cruises.  

 

[CruisingHogFan]

None of us on this site knows. Protocols could change tomorrow for the better or worse.

 

I don’t get why some of you are even on this site. Many seem to hate everything RCG does so why even cruise with them?

[bucfan2]

1 minute ago, CruisingHogFan said:

Protocols could change tomorrow for the better or worse.

 

Good news for some...protocols are slated to change Feb 15.  And there's hope they'll continue to change for the better...and soon.

[alfaeric]

1 hour ago, Sunshine3601 said:

I did Not say the vaccine requirement would end for cruises nor do I believe the testing requirement will end anytime in the near future.

My post you responded to I was saying I dont see them relaxing testing requirements and going to 3 or 4 days precruise.  Imo testing that far out would be a waste of time.

 

In response to other posts regarding children under 12.  I was saying that vaccines became available for 5 to 11 yrs old in November and Royal has not required this group to be vaccinated as of yet .  I dont think they will require since they cater to families especially during summer and holiday cruises.  

 

 

My original point that you seemed to disagree with was that the testing requirements will be loosened before the vaccine requirement.  However you see it, my point is that one will happen before the other.

Sorry that you seemed to miss that.

[edrussell]

Sadly RCCL's decision on the mask mandate situation means little for us Canadians as the strict PCR testing requirements for returning Canadians trumps our feeling on the mandate or not.  If the GOC relaxes the restrictions on returning to Canada then I would personally welcome relaxing or eliminating the masks.  With that said any individual can always choose to continue to wear one and that is absolutely fine by me.  Things like will continue to evolve and change quickly over the next few months.

[The Scurvy Pirate]

Pure speculation, but if we don't see another significant variant after omicron by April/May, I could see RCI removing the mask mandate by June/July, but keeping testing/vaccine card.  In the fall, if there is still no spike, I could see them dropping the vaccine card, as at that point it will have been 20+ months since initial shots started and a year+ for boosters (I am not sure of the effectiveness of vaccines one to two years after dosing, especially after omicron seemed to easily infect even those who were vaccinated).  I still see them keeping the 2 day testing requirement well into 2023 as I would think that would be the best way to limit risk of exposure at that point.

[bucfan2]

7 minutes ago, The Scurvy Pirate said:

Pure speculation, but if we don't see another significant variant after omicron by April/May, I could see RCI removing the mask mandate by June/July, .

I hope your speculation is off by about 3 months...and in a good 'direction'.  I do realize some hope you are off by several years/eternity in the 'wrong' direction.

[travelhound]

22 hours ago, CruisingHogFan said:

Royal stated that protocol changes would be announced soon during their earnings call last week. No idea what soon means.

Let's hope RCL updates their protocols to be competitive with NCL.  

[Sunshine3601]

3 hours ago, alfaeric said:

 

My original point that you seemed to disagree with was that the testing requirements will be loosened before the vaccine requirement.  However you see it, my point is that one will happen before the other.

Sorry that you seemed to miss that.

No, I didn't miss that.    My response to your original post,  why bother testing at All if relaxed to 3 or 4 days?    I am not about to guess when and if they will remove testing or vaccine requirements.    personally I hope they keep both requirements in place for now.    

[TheMastodon]

On 2/8/2022 at 1:13 PM, sandc4e said:

Difference is the 100% vaccination status, so I suspect RCCL will keep masks, not being at 100% vaccinated.

 

LOL.  Madness 

[spooky981]

The pre-cruise testing is a backbreaker when you're bringing a kid under five. My son got COVID last week from daycare and is 100% recovered. But we don't know if he'll be testing negative by our cruise in early March. And with a timeframe of just three days there's barely enough time to cancel flights and hotels if he comes back positive.

 

I just wish they'd switch it to rapid tests to remove some uncertainty.

[topnole]

5 hours ago, spooky981 said:

The pre-cruise testing is a backbreaker when you're bringing a kid under five. My son got COVID last week from daycare and is 100% recovered. But we don't know if he'll be testing negative by our cruise in early March. And with a timeframe of just three days there's barely enough time to cancel flights and hotels if he comes back positive.

 

I just wish they'd switch it to rapid tests to remove some uncertainty.

I read another post on CC about a test that is accepted that isn’t PCR.  Pretty sure it was in reference to unvaccinated.    I forget what they called it, but it wasn’t antigen either. Might have started with a U.  Can’t remember.  Look around some of these threads.  I wish I book marked it, but maybe someone else on here can recall.  I swear they referenced cvs doing it but I could be wrong on that.  

[CruisingHogFan]

19 minutes ago, topnole said:

I read another post on CC about a test that is accepted that isn’t PCR.  Pretty sure it was in reference to unvaccinated.    I forget what they called it, but it wasn’t antigen either. Might have started with a U.  Can’t remember.  Look around some of these threads.  I wish I book marked it, but maybe someone else on here can recall.  I swear they referenced cvs doing it but I could be wrong on that.  

Walgreens has the rapid diagnostic test (id now) that you get back in hours that works for kids (unvaccinated)

[topnole]

32 minutes ago, CruisingHogFan said:

Walgreens has the rapid diagnostic test (id now) that you get back in hours that works for kids (unvaccinated)

Thanks.  Hopefully that helps spooky.