Experiences of Post-Covid cruises please

[captain102]

Our last cruise was pre-covid, and the cruise bug is beginning to bite again. However, my wife is less enthusiastic as she fears endless mask wearing / distancing  / rules / restrictions / testing / not serving yourself at buffets etc etc. She feels that she woud not be able to relax fully because of the inconsideration of other passengers, and their expectations of her etc. So - is post covid cruising still relaxing or is it best avoided ??

[CruiserBruce]

There are "Live from" discussions on every one of the cruise boards here, describing activities on resumed cruises. Seem pretty relaxing to me. The stress (and we are feeling it as well, given we are sailing two weeks from today), is passing the pre-boarding Covid test.

 

Go to the board for the cruise line of your choice, and read the many "Live From" threads for first hand reports. Start here:

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/

 

[Corby114]

I just returned from a ten day Holland America Caribbean cruise. The ship which holds twenty seven hundred passengers double occupancy had only sixteen hundred scheduled to sail. The Thursday before our January 2nd sailing the CDC announced that even vaccinated passengers shouldn’t sail. When we arrived at the terminal it was a ghost town at 12:30PM. We were told that between the latest CDC notification and the various airline cancellations we sailed with only six hundred thirty eight passengers. The cruise was wonderful but I felt bad for the passengers that didn’t sail with us. We had to wear masks while inside of the ship and didn’t have to when we were outside. The crew was happy to see us and told us how hard it was for them when the companies canceled service during the beginning of the pandemic.

[klfrodo]

I feel it's a bit premature to say we are currently in a "post Covid" society yet.

There are still some restrictions and I feel the decision to cruise today or next year is up to each individuals level of comfort.

[CPT Trips]

6 minutes ago, klfrodo said:

I feel it's a bit premature to say we are currently in a "post Covid" society yet.

There are still some restrictions and I feel the decision to cruise today or next year is up to each individuals level of comfort.

That was my first impression reading the thread title. But after reading the post, it seems clear that the OP is concerned about procedures on board after Covid precautions were implemented. 
With some 2,300 Americans dying of Covid daily and almost a million dead since the pandemic began some two years ago, we are clearly still a Covid society. Many may be suffering Covid fatigue, but it’s still with us. 

[Pudgesmom]

Could you please clarify how the other passengers will cause your wife to feel fear of other passengers’ expectations? Is she worried she won’t be able to correctly comply with the rules or is her worry that she doesn’t want to be judged for not following them?

Edited February 13, 2022 by Pudgesmom

[AKJonesy]

I have been tracking and following some of the you tubers who are in the travel industry and who keep an eye on all things cruising.  In addition, I have cruised once in Sept 2021 and now have a back to back in February.  When cruising first started up, I watched the posts here and on other boards about their experiences.  It seemed the initial cruises went pretty well, and then it's been up and down in terms of what I call the hurdles.  For myself, in September we were required to be vaccinated and then we had 3 days in advance to test before embarkation.  We wore masks everywhere on board, except in the pool, walking on the promenade and when outside at the various ports.  Skip forward to today and IMHO I think its getting worse in terms of hurdles.  We will test before we leave home, we've heard that we will mandatory test at the pier and then we will test again on board before going through the panama canal.  That is all in addition to being vaccinated.  However, due to what I think is the Omicron and the other hurdles as of lately, we've seen the numbers on the ships being a lot lower, which might be great for some people.  When I was on board, the mask wearing didn't bother me because I could take it off in the restaurants, at the pool, walking on deck and in the ports.  This time, I'm not sure about some of those ports where we are going in the Caribbean.  I think some require outside mask wearing which is going to be difficult because it's going to be hot and humid.  So, we'll see this time how things are different, but it's still very much a moving target.  

[Ashland]

We just sailed on Navigator 7 nights and I must say it was great...masking wasn't a problem at all.

[pris993]

Just completed a 10 Ruby Princess cruise to Mexico out of San Francisco.  Enjoyed getting away.  ONly 1500 passengers on board so not a typical cruise, less choices relative to entertainment and food options.  Staff on board fantastic, would do again and we are booked to go in December to Hawaii over Christmas and New Year's.  Hopefully by then more typical with a full ship of passengers. 

[evandbob]

OP doesn't say when they are cruising or what line they will be on.  That only makes others' past experiences less likely to mimic what the OP may face on their sailing.

 

We sailed in Sept, Oct and Nov on Celebrity and Carnival MG, and our experiences aren't what others are going thru now.  It's a rapidly changing environment, and having said that, it's also highly reliant on whether one is sailing with a mostly compliant or loudly resistant group of fellow cruisers. There is no way to predict what the OP will encounter.

 

Even the roll call for the OP's sailing might give a skewed preview; if there are 100 posters, that's less than 10% of the bookings on a reduced capacity sailing of say 1,500.  Out of that 100, possibly only 20 may have strong opinions one way or the other about the OP's issues.  That would not be an accurate portrayal of what to expect once on board.  

[Hlitner]

We have taken 3 post COVID cruises (Jul-Aug, Oct, and Dec) on two different lines (Seabourn and Princess).  All three cruises (totally 48 days) were terrific and we lucked-out since none of our voyages had significant COVID issues.  There are some advantages and also disadvantages when compared to the old norms.  The biggest advantage is most ships are sailing with far fewer passengers then normal which means no crowding, few queues, terrific service, and no problem getting deck chairs, seats in the theater, etc.  Yes there are some masking rules but we never found this a big deal.  The biggest down side is that some ports have restrictions such as "excursions only."

 

We tend to socialize a lot when on cruises and our two Seabourn cruises did involve lots of socializing.  On those Seabourn ships there were no cut-backs in venues or service (i.e. everything was open, entertainment was normal, etc).  On the Enchanted Princess one of the 3 MDRs was closed since the ship was only at 55% of capacity.  Princess also did a pretty good job having most venues operating at somewhat close to normal (although they did require masking in some indoor venues).  

 

One irony about all of our socialization is that COVID was seldom a topic of discussion.  Nearly all the folks we met were "beyond COVID" and simply living their lives (our own attitude).  The usual cruise discussion topics seemed to revolve around "where are you from,"  "talking about kids and grandkids" and lots of talk about travel/cruising.  Another big plus was the attitude of the crew which was simply fantastic.   Every crew member we met (on both lines) expressed delight at being back to work and it showed in nearly everything they did for the passengers.  I think there was an overall feeling that "we are all in this together and its great."

 

Hank

[shipgeeks]

We just got back from 12 nights on Enchantment of the Seas, our first cruise in two years.  It was one of the best cruises of all we've done.  Apart from the stress of the pre-cruise testing, and waiting for results, and then weather worries re getting to the port, it seemed that all the stars aligned for cruise perfection.

We had 100 passengers and 700 crew.  Only once did a group crowd into an elevator.  With so few passengers, we had no waiting for food or a table in the buffet, no crowds in the theater or lounges or dance floor.  Crew had time to chat as well as to provide especially good service.

I was somewhat surprised to find mask-wearing not much of a burden, although I had never done so for more than 45 minutes previously.

We did have to take cruise card, vax card, and photo ID ashore in all ports, and to wear a mask both outdoors and indoors in ports.  (Not sure about beaches and such, as we didn't do that.)

We are exceedingly glad that we decided to cruise at this time.  I believe that those who like cruising but put it off til everything is perfect or guaranteed will miss out on a unique opportunity to experience sailing at a high level of service.

Interestingly, we passed Guest Services regularly.....and never once saw any passengers lined up there.  How often did that happen in the past?

[J&J 01375]

Got back from San Diego to Hawaii r/t on Konigsdam. Except we whitenesses someone turn in a list of names of officers and staff that were not actively enforcing masks. The following 16 days were wasted. The staff tried desperately to please us, but the ‘pull your mask up’ ruined it all. When we returned we cancelled Alaska and stopped looking at transatlantics. 
Wait until restrictions are dropped. 

[shipgeeks]

I'm not sure I understand the post above.  Turning in names?

On our recent RC cruise, I never saw anyone being told to pull mask up, but neither did I see any passengers who did not keep their masks in place, voluntarily.  It's what we signed up for.

[lissie]

4 hours ago, J&J 01375 said:

Got back from San Diego to Hawaii r/t on Konigsdam. Except we whitenesses someone turn in a list of names of officers and staff that were not actively enforcing masks. The following 16 days were wasted. The staff tried desperately to please us, but the ‘pull your mask up’ ruined it all. When we returned we cancelled Alaska and stopped looking at transatlantics. 
Wait until restrictions are dropped. 

You mean you thought you could walk around wearing a mask around your chin and not get challenged on it? Really? I think we've all had long enough to find a comfortable mask by now 

[Aquahound]

5 hours ago, J&J 01375 said:

Got back from San Diego to Hawaii r/t on Konigsdam. Except we whitenesses someone turn in a list of names of officers and staff that were not actively enforcing masks. The following 16 days were wasted. The staff tried desperately to please us, but the ‘pull your mask up’ ruined it all. When we returned we cancelled Alaska and stopped looking at transatlantics. 
Wait until restrictions are dropped. 

 

I'm having a hard time understanding what you said, but are you saying you went on a cruise knowing what the rules were, and then was upset that you were being told to raise your chin diaper?

[klfrodo]

On 2/20/2022 at 10:16 AM, J&J 01375 said:

Got back from San Diego to Hawaii r/t on Konigsdam. Except we whitenesses someone turn in a list of names of officers and staff that were not actively enforcing masks. The following 16 days were wasted. The staff tried desperately to please us, but the ‘pull your mask up’ ruined it all. When we returned we cancelled Alaska and stopped looking at transatlantics. 
Wait until restrictions are dropped. 

and here I thought the latest motto was "just comply"

[happy cruzer]

On 2/20/2022 at 4:55 PM, lissie said:

You mean you thought you could walk around wearing a mask around your chin and not get challenged on it? Really? I think we've all had long enough to find a comfortable mask by now 

You are making a big assumption; just like some do when they think the mask policies will not be enforced.  There are areas that have had no mask mandate for more than one year and they were only in place for less than 2 months.  People from those areas look at masks alot differently than you do.  Some people never wore a mask, they stayed home, shopped online, exercised outdoors, etc. for those 2 months. 

 

I do agree that one should follow the protocols set in place for one's cruise.  Being told to pull up your mask is very annoying to some who do not agree with the need for that protocol since so many places they visit have no mandate at all.

 

What will evolve next?  Will the testing policies change?  The proof of vaccination?

 

We will return to cruising soon as a vacation.  However, cruising as a way to travel and see the ports still has away to go IMHO.

 

Cruising seems to be surviving mainly on repeat cruisers who loved it and/or had credits to us as well as by great discounts from the lines or casinos.  How the lines evolve and get toward a profitable operation will the interesting.

 

Time will tell how things change.  Change is certain what kind and when not so certain.

[Hlitner]

I suspect that some are not aware that quite a few cruise lines are dropping (with possibly a few exceptions) mask mandates next week.  Our own experience on 3 cruises (2 of which had mandatory mask mandates) last year was darn good.  In practice what we saw was that most folks did wear masks when moving around inside the vessels, but those masks came off once they sat down (usually with a drink or food at hand).   

 

Hank

 

 

[lissie]

5 hours ago, happy cruzer said:

You are making a big assumption; just like some do when they think the mask policies will not be enforced.  There are areas that have had no mask mandate for more than one year and they were only in place for less than 2 months.  People from those areas look at masks alot differently than you do.  Some people never wore a mask, they stayed home, shopped online, exercised outdoors, etc. for those 2 months. 

 

New Zealand has only had any mask mandates since Aug last year. I stayed home for the first week or 2 because masks I tried fogged my glasses continously. Masks became commonly used in cafes and similar last Nov and I finally found a mask that worked for me. 

 

I still hate wearing them - and never wear them outside (which many people do here) - I wear them the absolutely mandated minimum.  

 

I see masks as an essential health requirement while cases are climbing. Given that its now very clear what happens if you don't mask up - its not that hard to justify. 

 

That said I'll be surprised if we have to wear a mask anywhere except on  flights when we go cruising in July 

[Flatbush Flyer]

7 hours ago, lissie said:

New Zealand has only had any mask mandates since Aug last year. I stayed home for the first week or 2 because masks I tried fogged my glasses continously. Masks became commonly used in cafes and similar last Nov and I finally found a mask that worked for me. 

 

I still hate wearing them - and never wear them outside (which many people do here) - I wear them the absolutely mandated minimum.  

 

I see masks as an essential health requirement while cases are climbing. Given that its now very clear what happens if you don't mask up - its not that hard to justify. 

 

That said I'll be surprised if we have to wear a mask anywhere except on  flights when we go cruising in July 

Wearing a mask? Small price to pay to protect yourself and those around you.

[J&J 01375]

On 2/21/2022 at 4:11 PM, klfrodo said:

and here I thought the latest motto was "just comply"

Perhaps they can designate some ships unmasked. Or mask optional. Even in FL there are some people who drive alone still masked. 

[J&J 01375]

On 2/20/2022 at 6:21 PM, Aquahound said:

 

I'm having a hard time understanding what you said, but are you saying you went on a cruise knowing what the rules were, and then was upset that you were being told to raise your chin diaper?

You are right, I knew the rules, it was those obsessed with compliance that spoiled it. In the main theater, when the cruise director recited the rules, there were those in the audience pointing (just short of standing and shouting) at those without their masks up. 
Our cruise was the most days for us,18. The last 5 sea days back broke me. I’m done until it is STATED I can go with no mask. I feel sorry for those who have this fear, just don’t make live like you. 

[J&J 01375]

On 2/20/2022 at 5:55 PM, lissie said:

You mean you thought you could walk around wearing a mask around your chin and not get challenged on it? Really? I think we've all had long enough to find a comfortable mask by now 

It is not the comfort of the mask. I wore a mask more on any single day on this cruise than I had the previous 12 months. I really feel sorry for those who cower. Notice how wrong the ‘science’ will be exposed to be. 

[lissie]

4 hours ago, J&J 01375 said:

You are right, I knew the rules, it was those obsessed with compliance that spoiled it. In the main theater, when the cruise director recited the rules, there were those in the audience pointing (just short of standing and shouting) at those without their masks up. 
Our cruise was the most days for us,18. The last 5 sea days back broke me. I’m done until it is STATED I can go with no mask. I feel sorry for those who have this fear, just don’t make live like you. 

Its not effing fear  - its I just don't want to know that Ive made some one else sick!  The mask protects others more than it protects you. 

 

Did you try walking around the ship wearing nothing below the waist - I bet a lot of people would have  pointed that out to crew too - and that doesn't even spread a deadly disease 

Edited February 24, 2022 by lissie