Mask policy changed effective Feb 14th

[pcur]

3 minutes ago, UNCFanatik said:

 

Of course it is. Its all mask theater. Always has been. Its also to placate those neurotic people who you see wear masks in their car when all alone or you see walking outdoors with a mask on. 

Some people have reason to do this:  

 

I live in an apartment building that requires masks inside the building, unless in one's apartment. I wear glasses.  I wear hearing aids, and when I walk outside I can stream music from my phone through them.  So, putting a mask on with two other items competing for the same behind-the-ear real estate, it's easier sometimes to keep the mask on.

 

In the car, it's easier to keep the mask on if I'm going to be somewhere that requires a mask inside, and it's only a few minutes drive.

 

So, neurosis doesn't always come into play; sometimes it's just more practical and convenient.

[UNCFanatik]

1 minute ago, crewsweeper said:

Well you can't eat or drink through a mask.  But COVID is an aerosol so it does spread through the air and tends to go a bit further than the so-called mucus viruses as it's particles are lighter.  Whether or not it hangs around on surfaces for any length of time is subject to debate.  But yes inside once you are finished eating or drink you should probably replace you  N-95 mask.to your nose and mouth.  However, that doesn't necessarily mean after every bite or sip, like airlines try to enforce.  Masks are best for people with COVID and for people in high risk of infection categories.  Most of the rest of us could go without them.  But how do you or i know that you or I have or don't have COVID and are or are not high risk?

 

So, its ok to dine for 2 hours in the Main Dining room but then when you finish eating put a mask back on? Multiply this process for the times you are sharing indoor public dining spaces a day. How is putting your mask back on going to stop you from getting or spreading an aerosolized virus in the mean time? And you realize that the cruise lines do not require N-95 masks? You realize that cloth masks are ineffective? And I am sure you realize that for an N-95 mask to be truly effective, it needs to be fit tested, create a tight seal on your face with no gaps and that facial hair can affect a good seal? AND n-95 masks are not meant to be wore multiple times? 

 

And why does it matter if we know who is at high risk or has Covid? If you want to wear 5 n-95 masks layered all over your face and a space helmet on top of it, no one is stopping you but dont ask others to wear masks that are not effective in scenarios like indoor dining with 100s of others in close proximity and then claim that masks are anything but theater

[Retired LEO]

37 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

Unfortunately for some I have also heard through a rep that read me an e mail that smoking in the casino would also start to be allowed

Awesome news 

[crewsweeper]

8 minutes ago, bucfan2 said:

DaveKathy posted above (#17) the link.  It does allow for unvaxxed based on # of persons in fitness center.  (I think I'll stick w/ the 'varies from ship-to-ship' philosophy though lol)

You can expand that to varies by fitness center staff on any ship 🙃

[bucfan2]

6 minutes ago, UNCFanatik said:

 

So, its ok to dine for 2 hours in the Main Dining room but then when you finish eating put a mask back on? Multiply this process for the times you are sharing indoor public dining spaces a day. How is putting your mask back on going to stop you from getting or spreading an aerosolized virus in the mean time? And you realize that the cruise lines do not require N-95 masks? You realize that cloth masks are ineffective? And I am sure you realize that for an N-95 mask to be truly effective, it needs to be fit tested, create a tight seal on your face with no gaps and that facial hair can affect a good seal? AND n-95 masks are not meant to be wore multiple times? 

 

And why does it matter if we know who is at high risk or has Covid? If you want to wear 5 n-95 masks layered all over your face and a space helmet on top of it, no one is stopping you but dont ask others to wear masks that are not effective in scenarios like indoor dining with 100s of others in close proximity and then claim that masks are anything but theater

We're not going to change the opinion of pro-maskers, nor do we want to (unlike when the discussion was flipped).  Like you say, to each their own - happy for anyone who decides to wear them anywhere/anytime.  Just going to be awesome to follow the worn-out 'agree to the protocols or stay home'...gonna have an entirely different feel.  (And yes, this is like winning the wildcard game...only the first step to success).

Edited February 9, 2022 by bucfan2

[CruisingSince1982]

34 minutes ago, bucfan2 said:

Correct me if I'm wrong...they informed me (on at least 2 of the 4 cruises we took) that there were times for unvaxxed.  If I was told incorrectly, I apologize, as I don't want to pass along incorrect information to those that it may affect.

Yes!!! That is correct! There is usually one or two times a day scheduled for unvaxxed with masks. 

Edited February 9, 2022 by CruisingSince1982

[UNCFanatik]

2 minutes ago, bucfan2 said:

We're not going to change the opinion of pro-maskers, nor do we want to (unlike when the discussion was flipped).  Like you say, to each their own - happy for anyone who decides to wear them anywhere/anytime.  Just going to be awesome to follow the worn-out 'agree to the protocols or stay home'...gonna have an entirely different feel.

 

Oh I agree, these are the same people that would love to see children stay masked in schools forever. But Royal needs to stop catering to this anti-science and anti-data crowd and look at the data for themselves. Have health protocols that are grounded in reality and data from the last 2 years and not just have protocols because they want to project safety. The US national pivot is already happening because of politics and Royal needs to drop masking protocols all together. 

 

And again, if individuals want to wear masks, I am all about their freedom to do so

 

[CruisingSince1982]

24 minutes ago, UNCFanatik said:

 

Of course it is. Its all mask theater. Always has been. Its also to placate those neurotic people who you see wear masks in their car when all alone or you see walking outdoors with a mask on. 

 

As I said before, if you want to wear a mask or even a full blown hasmat suit on a cruise, feel free. You do you. But if you lack the common sense and logic to see the illogical masking in the MDR and Windjammer but want to lecture others about wearing a mask in other areas of the ship, I really cannot help but you think your mask is a magic talisman and somehow an aerosolized virus is somehow magically suspended while one dines in the MDR for close to 2 hours. 

 

We know why the masks rules are there. Its to appease the CDC and make a show that the mask means that they are doing all they can to prevent the spread of Covid. But January blew all that up that even with stricter masking rules, there were still outbreaks across the fleet

Definitely not an all mask theater. There is one time for the unvaxxed, and the rest of the times are vaccinated only. Minus the stores, there are more vaccinated only areas than unvaxxed. 

[Colorado Buffalo]

Maybe wrong place to post this...

 

If my ship leaves on a Saturday at 4:30 p.m. when is the earliest I can get tested?

Our flight leaves for Florida on Thursday the 26th of May.

[xpcdoojk]

Wow…. Not touching this thread with a ten foot pole!  🤪😂

[xpcdoojk]

1 minute ago, Colorado Buffalo said:

Maybe wrong place to post this...

 

If my ship leaves on a Saturday at 4:30 p.m. when is the earliest I can get tested?

Our flight leaves for Florida on Thursday the 26th of May.

Thursday any time.  They don’t go on hours, just days.  And yes, I would say this is the wrong place!😆

Edited February 9, 2022 by xpcdoojk

[pcur]

Let's be careful here, posters.  This thread is getting a little too far over into political statements, and the thread may get pulled.  There's good info here to educate people on the new protocols RCCL is using.

[bucfan2]

Just now, xpcdoojk said:

Thursday any time.  They don’t go on hours, just days.  

Good job...you made it less than a minute w/o 'touching this thread' lol.

[WestLakeGirl]

2 minutes ago, xpcdoojk said:

Wow…. Not touching this thread with a ten foot pole!  🤪😂

Too late

[CruisingSince1982]

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/questions/are-there-any-experiences-that-are-closed

[pcur]

4 minutes ago, xpcdoojk said:

Wow…. Not touching this thread with a ten foot pole!  🤪😂

Hi, JC!!  Haven't heard much from you, or maybe we just post on different threads..........

[soremekun]

Since I have a feeling this thread will be locked, is this an appropriate time to initiate my post-count optimization?

[pcur]

Just now, soremekun said:

Since I have a feeling this thread will be locked, is this an appropriate time to initiate my post-count optimization?

Yes, go for it!!!

[bucfan2]

4 minutes ago, pcur said:

Let's be careful here, posters.  This thread is getting a little too far over into political statements, and the thread may get pulled.  There's good info here to educate people on the new protocols RCCL is using.

Concur.   However, unlike the media, there is good news flowing and it will continue to resurface if this one gets the ax.

[Readytogo]

1 hour ago, Ourusualbeach said:

Unfortunately for some I have also heard through a rep that read me an e mail that smoking in the casino would also start to be allowed

Maybe this will trigger a “smoking thread.” We can always use a current one!

[bucfan2]

9 minutes ago, CruisingSince1982 said:

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/questions/are-there-any-experiences-that-are-closed

(repeat of another post)...good stuff here, but may be technically outdated (or not).  No thanks to RCG for keeping their stuff current.

[CRK9313]

1 hour ago, soremekun said:

Perfect timing for my March cruise.

I leave 2/13, ugh. 

[bucfan2]

3 minutes ago, CRK9313 said:

I leave 2/13, ugh. 

Bummer...play along on day 1...you'll be good to go the remainder of the cruise (my understanding it'll be fleet wide on 14Feb).  Hopefully more good news comes along as well.

[cruiselvr04]

Thanks for the update.  I’m glad to see they are letting up a little.

[CruisingSince1982]

25 minutes ago, bucfan2 said:

(repeat of another post)...good stuff here, but may be technically outdated (or not).  No thanks to RCG for keeping their stuff current.

It was posted in a new thread because this one will surely go bye bye. Since they updated it to read "For cruises departing February 15, 2022 and later, " I'm going to assume it's current!