When do you think P&O will drop their masks policy?

[Stu UK]

31 minutes ago, majortom10 said:

It is simple as long as the ship is at sea it is down to P&O to decide on the rules of mask wearing onboard. 

Let’s agree to disagree. 

[Selbourne]

3 hours ago, Eglesbrech said:

 

I just wish all cruise lines would be honest and up front about what they will impose so passengers can decide to cruise or not. Some won’t go if they have to be constantly masked and others won’t if masks go completely, both sides need clarity.

 

 

Agreed. I’m in the “won’t go as long as masks are required” camp. As someone said earlier, those who wish to continue to wear them can do so if they wish (my sense is that some folk will continue to wear them for years), but I won’t be cruising until they are no longer mandatory. 

[Bazrat]

13 hours ago, majortom10 said:

It is simple as long as the ship is at sea it is down to P&O to decide on the rules of mask wearing onboard. 

Correct but the countries your visiting will review what precautions your taking than decide if you dock or not.

[terrierjohn]

33 minutes ago, Bazrat said:

Correct but the countries your visiting will review what precautions your taking than decide if you dock or not.

I think they will be more interested in a ships pre cruise testing, quarantine and vaccination policy, rather than where and when mask wearing is enforced.

[Bazrat]

20 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

I think they will be more interested in a ships pre cruise testing, quarantine and vaccination policy, rather than where and when mask wearing is enforced.

You might be correct but after visiting the Caribbean we have seen the local population wearing masks, you would have to guess they would like to know what onboard precautions are being taken.

[majortom10]

3 hours ago, Bazrat said:

Correct but the countries your visiting will review what precautions your taking than decide if you dock or not.

I honestly think countries will not be concerned whether you have worn masks onboard while at sea all they will be interested in whether people have been vaccinated and that all people when leaving the ship in port adhere to the rules of that specific country i.e. if they need a test and wearing of masks if applicable.

[Selbourne]

48 minutes ago, majortom10 said:

I honestly think countries will not be concerned whether you have worn masks onboard while at sea all they will be interested in whether people have been vaccinated and that all people when leaving the ship in port adhere to the rules of that specific country i.e. if they need a test and wearing of masks if applicable.

I agree. It would be totally irrelevant whether or not people have worn masks on the ship, especially as they are only (currently) required in certain situations and not required at all at home (in England, anyway). If that was a requirement then all English residents would be unable to go overseas from now on - and not just on cruises!

[Bazrat]

1 hour ago, majortom10 said:

I honestly think countries will not be concerned whether you have worn masks onboard while at sea all they will be interested in whether people have been vaccinated and that all people when leaving the ship in port adhere to the rules of that specific country i.e. if they need a test and wearing of masks if applicable.

Just to correct you I did not originally bring up mask wearing on ship, my original post referred to the protocols onboard, but your obviously more well informed than me about the various countries processes I will say no more.

[Sonyar]

We are on Britannia at the moment. 

When out and about the majority of locals are wearing masks. 

It's really not much of a faff on board, I'm happy to wear a mask if it protects people on the ship and on the islands.

[wowzz]

4 minutes ago, Sonyar said:

We are on Britannia at the moment. 

When out and about the majority of locals are wearing masks. 

It's really not much of a faff on board, I'm happy to wear a mask if it protects people on the ship and on the islands.

Sorry - off topic - but any idea what the passenger numbers are ?

[howmuch!]

41 minutes ago, Sonyar said:

We are on Britannia at the moment. 

When out and about the majority of locals are wearing masks. 

It's really not much of a faff on board, I'm happy to wear a mask if it protects people on the ship and on the islands.

Exactly my view. 

[Sonyar]

1 hour ago, wowzz said:

Sorry - off topic - but any idea what the passenger numbers are ?

1700 on this cruise.

[Bazrat]

33 minutes ago, Sonyar said:

1700 on this cruise.

Sorry your wrong there's 1699 on board I'm not onboard 😥

[wowzz]

5 hours ago, Sonyar said:

1700 on this cruise.

So roughly 50% full. Thanks for the answer.

[devonuk]

I’m currently on the Iona and capacity was set at 75%. 

[wowzz]

13 minutes ago, devonuk said:

I’m currently on the Iona and capacity was set at 75%. 

And is the ship 75% full ?

[devonuk]

I read somewhere that the Iona passenger capacity was 5200 and I was told that there were c3800 passengers on this trip so thats 73% give or take. I’d be interested to know how many positive LFT’s there were in Southampton on departure day?

 

[fairlittle]

Having just got back from Azura where the Headliners ceased all performances after 2 appearances, rumoured to be due to Covid but with no confirmation, and to test positive myself on my return to UK, I don't want mask wearing to cease.

[Selbourne]

1 hour ago, fairlittle said:

Having just got back from Azura where the Headliners ceased all performances after 2 appearances, rumoured to be due to Covid but with no confirmation, and to test positive myself on my return to UK, I don't want mask wearing to cease.

The issue for me is about the mandatory aspect to mask wearing which, as each month goes by, will be more and more out of kilter with what we become used to at home. Nobody will ever say that you cannot wear a mask if you wish to, so those who remain anxious and feel that wearing a mask will offer them greater protection can of course continue to wear them wherever and whenever they like.
 

I have no doubt that one of the results of the pandemic will be that some people will never leave their houses again without wearing a mask, possibly for the rest of their lives, even when walking along empty roads where they could be filling their lungs with fresh air. That is, of course, their choice. I notice, however, that you wore a mask on your cruise yet unfortunately still contracted Covid, so it’s not a fail safe option.

Pre-pandemic, we always ran the risk of getting Norovirus, flu or coughs and colds on cruise ships, yet didn’t wear masks. Thankfully, for those who are fully vaccinated, the chance of becoming seriously ill (or worse) is now extremely small and very similar to these other viruses. Just as I agree with the approach that the U.K. government has now adopted in England, I feel that when the winter ends it would be a positive move if P&O let customers decide on an individual basis whether or not they wish to wear masks. 

Edited February 26, 2022 by Selbourne

[Clodia]

P and O and Cunard are now the last men standing on masks; virtually all other lines appear to have made them optional/recommended rather than Mandatory. I don't know how they get away with this under Equalities Law as they are UK based. 

Like Selbourne I will not cruise until they are optional. I am medically exempt but even seeing others wearing them upsets me, though on a ship you can just avoid those people.

[wowzz]

16 minutes ago, Clodia said:

but even seeing others wearing them upsets me

Why would that upset you ?

[Megabear2]

Normal face coverings do not do much to protect as far as I am aware, are they not to stop the wearer spreading an illness rather than to protect in the way hospital grade ones do.

 

Personally I continue to wear my mask in crowded places out of respect to others in case I might be a carrier not out of any false sense I'm protected.  Years of travelling amongst Far East people has shown it's a courtesy rather than a protection.

[Ardennais]

1 hour ago, Clodia said:

P and O and Cunard are now the last men standing on masks; virtually all other lines appear to have made them optional/recommended rather than Mandatory. I don't know how they get away with this under Equalities Law as they are UK based. 

Like Selbourne I will not cruise until they are optional. I am medically exempt but even seeing others wearing them upsets me, though on a ship you can just avoid those people.

I can’t understand why seeing others wearing masks would upset you. But I can understand why many people get upset seeing people wandering around without masks when the law still makes them mandatory in several settings here in Wales (unless they’re wearing the exemption lanyards of course). I’ve been in shops lately where staff have challenges some folks without masks and they then take them out of their pockets and wear them! So evidently not exempt. 

[Josy1953]

1 hour ago, Clodia said:

P and O and Cunard are now the last men standing on masks; virtually all other lines appear to have made them optional/recommended rather than Mandatory. I don't know how they get away with this under Equalities Law as they are UK based. 

Like Selbourne I will not cruise until they are optional. I am medically exempt but even seeing others wearing them upsets me, though on a ship you can just avoid those people.

Why would someone wearing a mask upset you ?  I have already decided that I will continue to wear one in crowded places because I feel that it is the responsible thing to do because I could potentially be unknowingly infected and so pass it on to vulnerable people.

[Presto2]

To be honest I am expecting P&O to have removed mandatory face mask wearing by the time we cruise in August, but I think that many people may decide to wear one anyway. I think mask wearing will become the new norm and some people will decide to wear one whatever the rules and for a range or reasons.