Cancel Majestic Alaska due to covid fears?

[Kitty Ellas Mom]

I've read tons on this Princess board and the Alaska board and I'm getting worried about my mid June, 7 day cruise from Whittier to Vancouver.  I am pretty low risk for covid and fully vaxxed and boosted but am mostly worried that if I tested positive I'd get quarantined and then I'd have to disembark at a foreign port (Canada, I'm from USA) and maybe be quarantined some more.  If anyone has any ideas specific to Majestic and / or Alaska (or really anything) I'd love to hear them.  My biggest fear is actually that I have to fly from the east coast USA over to Anchorage to start and that's a lot of flying during covid, for me, as I haven't been on a plane in many years.  This is my first cruise and I'm going with a group so I can't change the timing to 2023 or I'll miss the group.  I'm aware these same itineraries and excursions etc will probably still be around in the future.  I first booked this in mid 2019 and it was rescheduled to 2021 and then now.  I don't want to miss it, but I had counted on covid being much more over than it is.......I am already planning to spend a lot of time on my balcony, eating in my cabin, going to wear KN95, etc.  But I am wondering if this is just too much for me b/c since the pandemic started I haven't even eaten inside a restaurant except once when I could be right in front of an open door.  My life is beginning to seem sad to me though, I want to do more things---and reclaim things like this trip that were "lost."  I've tried to think of alternate trips but they all seem dull in comparison, because what I really want is this trip.  

[VibeGuy]

There’s a lot to unpack here. 
 

First off, your concerns are legitimate.  You’re probably going to get roasted here by others and I want to be the first to call that out as crappy behavior on their part.  
 

Getting back to travel might feel weird at first.   There’s a muscle memory to the rituals and a lot of people are out of practice.  Air travel is still kind of a suck and Boston to Anchorage is a long travel day at the best of times.   My advice, if it’s practical for you, might be to take an extra day in Anchorage if you’re currently arriving on the morning of your departure.   Don’t feel compelled to do anything particularly touristic, just have a lazy day and do outside things and get some fresh air and take a metaphorical breather.   

 

As for the cruise itself?  Alaska is spectacular and virtually everything worth seeing and doing is done in fresh air.   I actually struggle to think of stuff I’ve done that was inside (a couple of museums in Whitehorse and Skagway, lunch in Anchorage, the Southeast Alaska Discovery Center in Ketchikan) - almost everything else has been outdoors.  We aren’t Group Tour/shorex people by nature, so we Uber, rent a car or use public transit to get from point a to point b and don’t hang out in crowded tour buses with 54 new friends.  
 

If dining in restaurants were fatal for the vaxxed and boosted, I’d be long dead.  I didn’t eat indoors with anyone outside my bubble from before the lockdowns until after I could get the vaccine,  but I’ve made up for it with a vengeance.   I think the pleasure is worth the risk now that I’m vaxxed and boosted, and I’ve felt comfortable doing so onboard.  Ships aren’t selling out so it’s probably not an issue to get a table a little more separated from others outside your group, especially off peak times, if that would make you feel better.  
 

Getting COVID sucks - I’ve had it twice (once in the pre-vaccine era, once last month) but it was a hell of a lot more tolerable the second time around thanks to vaccination and antivirals.  So the real issue is you might get quarantined.   There are worse fates than getting stuck in a decent hotel at someone else’s expense while you catch up on Netflix and room service / food delivery.  I’m not being flip when I say I would practically lick doorknobs to get a week in Vancouver with an expense account to cover delivery via SkipTheDishes.  Like, it would be a very slothy end to my vacation but I would put up with another week of influenza-like symptoms to eat Vancouver delivery at no/limited cost to me.  
 

So yeah, there’s going to be stuff that feels weird and uncomfortable after two years of this chaos, but your instinct is correct that other trips do pale by comparison. The most likely scenario is you’re going to have a great time and come home healthy, and the most likely bad scenario is that you spend an extra week in a hotel feeling crappy and getting really good delivery.   It’s okay to feel funny about it while stepping outside your comfort zone for the first time in a long time. 
 

if you do get quarantined, come back to the thread and I will absolutely hook you up with amazing food delivery recommendations in Vancouver.  Deal?

[Moondogy]

@VibeGuy Very good response. @Kitty Ellas Mom First, please ignore those that may decide to be nasty about your concerns. I have my dream Alaskan cruise booked for over a year now. This cruise has been my retirement bucket list for I can't remember how many years. As for me, I will not let any terrorist or virus keep me from trying to go on this cruise. You have the right to feel what is best for you. I can tell you, I have also had Vax and 1st booster and will get the 2nd booster soon because I getting up in age and have underlying conditions. I have been out and about ever since I got my first shot and so far (knock on wood) have not caught it yet. I sure hope I'm not jinxing myself 🤣 I have had to take 3 trips on airlines so far and have been okay. Again, I'm not trying to say this is what you should do. Just telling you that you need to do what is best for you, no matter what anyone says.

[Tak8]

I think you need to take a few more smaller steps and see if you feel comfortable before the trip.  Start going out to restaurants more and if it leaves you feeling uneasy a cruise and plane trip may not be good at this time.

 

I have my first plane and cruise planned for next month.  I also want to get back to the enjoyment of life, but I will do it with a little concern.

 

Good luck with your decision and let us know what you decide and how it goes.

[AZjohn]

Great response from @Vibeguy. @Tak8 I think might be better advice though.

 

I don't know about anyone else but, my first flight and vacation after being isolated for a year and a half was very stressful. Mostly boarding the first flight as there was zero personal space boarding (everyone was stacked like sardines trying to get on the plane). After that trip to Hawaii, traveling became easier each time.

 

I like the baby steps first idea instead of just jumping straight into the deep end for the very first time (IMHO).

 

Cheers,

John

[PhotoGal07]

We're doing this exact trip with family in June, and I've had similar thoughts.  But at the end of the day I have a limited amount of years of traveling with my children before they leave and go off to live their own lives, so we're taking the risk of a slightly bumpy vacation now.  Everyone is vaccinated, adults are boosted, and we're all fairly healthy.  We'll mask up, we'll aim to stay away from enclosed spaces, and likely skip out on the shows this go round.  All of our excursions are private and outdoors to avoid being crammed in small spaces with lots of people.  We've done all we can to mitigate risk apart from not going.  

The thing that really helped me was having plans in place and thinking through what would happen if we did get quarantined.  What would we need?  I likely won't be able to control which hotel we end up at, but I would need to make sure we had easy access to cold and flu medicine (both adults/kids), cough drops, tylenol/advil to alternate for fevers, thermometers, pulse ox monitor.  If we're stuck for an extended amount of time, some laundry/dish soap will likely also be needed, and we'll have our insulated water bottles to keep drinks hot/cold.  We could likely have an extra toy or two for our youngest quickly shipped to relieve some boredom, and our oldest and both of us would be content reading and watching some tv.  We have back up pet-sitter plans in place, and extra of our daily Rx meds on hand.  

As luck would have it, we all just got covid two weeks ago (thanks school!), so I'm very much hoping that our latest antibodies will help keep interruptions to a minimum.  We've prepared the kids as much as we can for any bumps that might happen along the way, and our motto for this trip is "it's an adventure, let's do our best to stay healthy and see what happens".

Edited April 21, 2022 by PhotoGal07

[PacnGoNow]

All great responses.  It is normal what you are feeling.  I’m sure a lot of us have felt like this getting back out there.

We did 6 cruises in Feb and Mar and in the middle of the mask mandate change onboard the ship.  We just continued to mask, KN 95, avoided the elevator as much as possible.  Spent a lot of time on our balcony.  We didn’t go to the theatre or crowded areas. So, yes, it wasn’t like the precovid cruises, but we still had a lot of fun.  It was worth it.

 

Now, we have 4 more cruises booked in the next year.  
 

Best of luck. Let us know what you decide.

[cruzin4us]

I agree with what everyone has posted above, they offer some good advice.    

 

For me personally it's the following:   I've only got so much more sand in my hour glass as far as my life goes and I want to spend it doing things with family, friends etc.    I want to see people, I want to do things.   Covid has turned everyone's world upside down and divided friends and families.

 

Statistically, getting covid if you are fully vaccinated and boosted will be a pain and yes, you may get quarantined.   However, it's not the end of the world nor an automatic death sentence like we were all worried about in 2020.   

 

Live your life......go on the cruise.   I was on Majestic in October and Zuiderdam in April of this year.   I've also got 2 more cruises planned, Alaska in June and Hawaii in November.    

My biggest concern would be the airplane, and that's where I'd mask up.    I probably wouldn't take my mask off even to eat or drink.    (that's just me though).      When I'm on the ship, I mask up when I get on an elevator or where a bunch of people are in close confinement (theater).     Otherwise, my mask is off.

 

If I thought covid was going away, I'd stay home......but, in reality it's probably not going anywhere.    Do I want to wait 5-10-20 years before it's gone......nope.

[PhotoGal07]

Oh one other thing that might help is to start slowly widening your current activities.  Find another couple outdoor restaurants to start, and then slowly ease to an uncrowded spot eating indoors at an off-time.  Slowly increase your time people-ing to get back into that habit a bit and help ease your anxiety.  Try finding an outdoor but more crowded event, and try that, see how it feels.  

[ilovetexas]

@Kitty Ellas Mom  Valid concerns.  I tend to forget there are people who still haven’t experienced much freedom in over two years.  I moved from GA to TX several months ago and looking around, you’d never know we’re in a pandemic.  We were locked down for a month initially and still wearing masks when I moved to TX in September ‘21 but I even stopped doing that after children were allowed to be vaccinated.  I think that’s a very different experience than so many people, especially those in the NE, are having.

 

All that said, I just took my proctored covid test for my fifth cruise since the restart.  I didn’t have to mask up for the one last month and technically don’t for this next one…but I will.  My only concern with catching covid at this point is impacting future travel plans.  I don’t have to fly back from a foreign country like you do but I do have another cruise scheduled 10 days after I get back from this one.  I do NOT want to test positive and miss my first trip to Bermuda.

 

I’m going to do a lot of what you’ll be doing - masking, social distancing, more time on the balcony, etc.  I do hope you can take some steps to get more comfortable with the idea of your cruise, I’ve been on 25 of them and Alaska was by far my favorite.   Your biggest problem is most likely going to be the boredom of the flight, bring a good book!

[MISTER 67]

We have been pretty fortunate so far. When Covid started we didn't eat out for 13 months, not even takeout until the vaccine came out, since then we eat out twice a week. We have had the 2 original jabs and then the first booster and just the other day got the 2nd booster. We are 76 years old and haven't had Covid and since Thanksgiving have been on 3 cruises with another one coming up in June. The first 2 cruises on Princess, the ships were a little more than half full. In March we sailed on a sold out Rotterdam, I feel that if we didn't get Covid on that cruise we might never get it as things were pretty crowded, we were on elevators that were packed and a few nights the showroom did not have an empty seat. The bars and lounges were also crowded. We still take precautions and  wear masks while not out on deck except when eating and drinking, we are early birds and usually the first in line at the buffet for breakfast when it's pretty empty, at lunch we do the buffet again and at 11:30 but by noon it's starting to fill up unless we are in port. For dinner we dine early in the MDR, on our Princess cruises we sat in a dining room that was half full and on the second Princess cruise we were in a section where our waiter and assistant never had anyone else for the week except for 1 night. On the Rotterdam things were more crowded but we had a table for 2 not that close to other tables.

I hope this can give you some idea how things were for us and might be for you but nothing is for certain. 

 

Edited April 21, 2022 by MISTER 67

[syesmar]

6 hours ago, Kitty Ellas Mom said:

…I am already planning to spend a lot of time on my balcony, eating in my cabin, going to wear KN95, etc.  But I am wondering if this is just too much for me b/c since the pandemic started I haven't even eaten inside a restaurant except once when I could be right in front of an open door….

I haven’t eaten in a restaurant, either. I have done outdoor dining in careful restaurants, and many picnics, but nothing indoors. I have read numerous comments lately on the various Threads from some who otherwise always mask conclude they must have caught it while dining. If you’re not comfortable dining indoors, I wouldn’t feel pressured to do so, although being creative will present its hassles (as it has been for 2+ years😉). I wish you the best!

[hapster85]

We're booked on an Alaskan cruisetour at the end on June on Royal. I'd be lying if I said there wasn't a little voice at the back of my head, asking if we really want to do this. Had the same thoughts returning to the grocery store, and later restaurants. The mutation rate of covid makes one thing clear, it isn't going away. Like the flu and cold viruses, it will be endemic to the human population going forward. Like the flu, the only way we can combat it is vaccination, which you've done. As have we.

 

As far as the flight goes, yes that's a long time to be cooped up, even with layovers. Regardless of what happens with the TSA mask mandate between now and your trip, by all means wear one if it makes you feel more comfortable. You can rest assured, though, that the cabin air is continuously being turned over with fresh outside air. The odds of catching something onboard are never zero, but are greatly reduced as a result.

 

As far as the cruise, again, wear a mask if it makes you feel more comfortable, along with the other things you've probably been doing for the past two years. Especially the hand washing. We intend to take masks with us, and wear them as we feel necessary, regardless of mandates. Ultimately, you have to decide if the things you are able to do to mitigate your odds of catching covid, or anything else, are enough that you can relax and enjoy yourself. That's all any of us can do. For us, the answer is yes. 

[Cruiser933]

For us, the right decision was to cancel for now. I will note that we were booked on another cruise line with stricter payment and cancellation policies than Princess. Ultimately, the cost for what could be a less than ideal cruise experience and potential quarantine just made it not worth it. We will do a road trip instead, and consider doing Alaska next year.

[Steven_&_Daniel]

We had an Alaska cruisetour booked for June 2021 and pushed it to June 2022 due to Covid.

 

Several months ago we decided to push it once again to July 2023 because we're hoping the world will be more normal then. We feel safe now, but didn't want to deal with stressed out travelers harshing our mellow. ☺️

[PescadoAmarillo]

You’ve received some great thoughts, and thank you for voicing your concerns. I know for a fact you are not alone in having them. My first cruises were last July and August and I definitely felt like I was living life on the edge compared to my pandemic life. 
 

To add just one more thought:  if you’ve been as cautious as I was (and it sounds like you were), your resistance to everything is down right now because you haven’t been around the non-lethal germs you used to be around on a daily basis. And COVID is not the only game in town.  I did get sick on my Alaska cruises last year, a lingering virus that got me hospitalized two weeks after we returned home. And more recently my husband contracted COVID on board a ship and I didn’t…but three weeks later am still doing battle with pneumonia. These are just the hard steps I have to take to start building back some immunity. So plan on getting sick and possibly even quarantined.  And then take all precautions you can to not get COVID. 

Edited April 21, 2022 by PescadoAmarillo

[cruzin4us]

Another thing I've tended to avoid while cruising is excursions for the most part.   Being on a bus with a bunch of people is not my thing (even pre-covid).    We tend to do our own thing.    Alaska does have a lot of excursions that are worth going on, but I'm just as happy cruising in a beautiful location and wandering around the towns.   While maybe not my ideal choice but at least I can control the close contact that happens on a tour bus.

I think the bottom line is you just need to be prepared.   Bring all the items you may need in case you come down with covid (or even a cold for that matter).   We bring extra items that we normally don't cruise with for the "just in case scenario".    Oximeter, cough drops, alka seltzer cold, aspirin, motrin, etc.   Heck, we even packed snacks (which I've NEVER, EVER done in the past).    Plan or at least think about what would happen should you be quarantined.   Is the risk of being quarantined in a hotel or on the ship something you can live with?   For us, the answer is yes, for you maybe not.   We all have to make our own choices and live with the choices we make.    It's kind of like the saying:   Would you rather live to be 100 but stay in your home or would you rather live until you're 70 and do everything you want?    I know that's a stupid analogy, but that's what we decided when we chose to go back out into the world and live.

 

[ehogan]

I agree with the majority of folks on this subject.  We are sailing Alaska for  two weeks next month and apprehensively looking forward to it.   Right now I am more stressed with getting all the prelim. requirements for the cruise done than the covid exposure thing.  
 

We have been extremely careful for the last two years re Covid; we have gotten all our shots, have avoided crowded areas diligently, celebrated outdoors and on and on.  Covid has taken so much from us in so many ways.  We are now in a spot where we have had enough…we will still be as careful as we can and do what we can to prevent infection but life needs to go on.  And I am SO sick of cooking!!

 

Our provincial Public Health Officer here has basically advised that everyone get their shots and then do a personal risk assessment re covid and then get on with life in a way that is acceptable to you.  She has led us through this very carefully and well and we will follow her advice.

 

Hope OP that you do whatever you feel is right for you.

[capriccio]

21 minutes ago, cruzin4us said:

I think the bottom line is you just need to be prepared.   Bring all the items you may need in case you come down with covid (or even a cold for that matter).   We bring extra items that we normally don't cruise with for the "just in case scenario".    Oximeter, cough drops, alka seltzer cold, aspirin, motrin, etc.  

Add to that list a couple of Covid-19 tests!  Hopefully you won't need them.

[sunviking90]

I really understand how you feel. Our first trip was a land trip to Hawaii last fall. We live in a place with a 90% vax rate, and felt a little vulnerable leaving that bubble. Just being at the airport felt strange, and adding to that the hoops to jump through uploading vax certs, tests (very expensive where I live at the time). All went well though, and we decided to book a cruise when we got back on the Majestic. We took all the precautions, but I was a little nervous as we needed a negative test after the test to get back home. Once again things were fine. Both times we went with the mindset that we “could” get Covid and need to delay the return home, and were prepared for that. 2 extra weeks in Hawaii or California in winter? Not hard to put a positive spin on that.  I’ve  just decided that after 2 years of doing everything right, and recently retiring from a healthcare position, I’m ready to get out there and enjoy life, but wisely. We don’t take ship elevators, but we do eat in the dining room on the ship at a table for 2. We mask up on planes (still a requirement in Canada), on the ship, etc. More importantly use N95 masks, especially in environnements where others may choose not to mask. Just “masking” isn’t enough in those cases. I would also share your concerns with your group, and hopefully you will all be on the same page. I have read reports where someone got Covid, and then reported all in their “group” did. Pretty obvious how that happens when travelling in a group. 
Lastly, I do want to add that once you are on the cruise it is amazing how easily you forget about Covid aside from masking (which probably feels normal now anyway). You will just have a great time, and as you said you really want this trip, so you should have it.

Edited April 21, 2022 by sunviking90

[julia]

To the OP:

 

My key takeaway from your post is your statement that "your life is starting to feel sad".  That is your answer! 

 

This has been a VERY trying few years for everyone, but life must go on, and travel is part of living life fully.  Are you relatively healthy?  No underlying health issues?  If so, then go for it.  Yes, use caution (others may not) and be prepared, but do not be paranoid. Enjoy your friends, the ship, and the amazing Alaskan scenery.  It will recharge your batteries, and you will see that the world is indeed moving forward, as if this damn pandemic didn't exist.

[Kitty Ellas Mom]

Thanks everyone!  One thing I felt I should add is that I live in a suburban area next to a big city and our covid #s were some of the highest of anyone I knew, most of the time.  My kids went a full 1.5 yrs with virtual school, for example, and my husband only returned to work in person 2 weeks ago.  In fact my kids had to go back virtual in January and then again just before this Easter break b/c of an outbreak at one of the schools.  I know others' experiences are very different if they live in a different region, or out more in the countryside.

Edited April 21, 2022 by Kitty Ellas Mom

[Sunwanabe]

Lots of great responses here. We were on the fence about our upcoming Alaska cruise in July. But in talking it over with various friends, who are also on this cruise, we decided to go ahead. There is lots to be excited about for this cruise. We will take necessary precautions just before and on the cruise but still get out and explore the venues on the ship and sight see on land. You will have a wonderful time. 

[Kitty Ellas Mom]

Thanks for all the responses.  I will add that I have taken 5 trips since covid started, all by car and 2 were just to see relatives.  I found these to be not nearly as fun as past trips due to all the worry, but, at the same time, I don't regret any of them.  It was good to get out, esp when we went to the beach.  

[USCcruisecrazy]

I can only dissect the issues based upon my personal concerns or risk assessment.  So use this as one potential answer to your dilemma.  First, with the flying piece.  All I've read is that airlines circulate air every few minutes so the air you are breathing is actually much safer than walking through the grocery store or sitting in a restaurant.  To be even more safe, wear a mask, even though that mandate has been dropped.  I have flown many times since COVID and am flying from SC to Alaska again this June.  That would lead to the Risk vs. Reward of the actual Alaskan Cruise.  I lived 4 years in Alaska and can say unless you feel the threat of catching COVID will be deadly or near deadly, the risk of catching it does not supersede the opportunity of seeing Alaska.  I caught COVID pre vaccine and after the vaccine.  Luckily, I was hardly even symptomatic the first time and asymptomatic the next.  Catching COVID is no longer an issue with me.  So, that brings the real issue to the forefront...are you worried or concerned about being quarantined?  That's the real question.  Not sure of the odds you would catch COVID on the ship, but my personal take would be it's worth the risk.  Not like they would make me quarantine in a dump.  And while on the ship, it's still all you can eat...or drink...plus a nice balcony to see Alaska from.  Just a few thoughts.  I hope you decide what is best for you and then just go with it.  Good luck!!