New mask requirements for crew

[julie3fan]

I'm on the Ruby, currently in Juneau, and I just heard from our waiter that they are no longer required to wear KN95 masks, they only have to wear the disposable surgical masks, and if they're working on an outside deck, they don't have to wear any mask at all.  That is huge news!  I'm not sure if this is fleet wide or just on the Ruby, but it surely will make life easier for the crew.

[wowzz]

1 hour ago, julie3fan said:

it surely will make life easier for the crew.

It will surely make life more dangerous for the crew. Hopefully they will still be allowed to wear masks if they wish to do so.

[julie3fan]

Hard to think they wouldn't be "allowed" to wear a higher quality mask than what's required if they were so inclined.  Of course, with all (for the most part) passengers and crew being vaxxed and testing negative, I imagine the danger has been deemed lessened and therefore the current regulations reflect that.

[antsp]

50 minutes ago, wowzz said:

It will surely make life more dangerous for the crew. Hopefully they will still be allowed to wear masks if they wish to do so.

Oh brilliant, it was so nice last cruise our room steward came in to talk to us, shook our hands etc. All small steps

[cr8tiv1]

1 hour ago, julie3fan said:

Hard to think they wouldn't be "allowed" to wear a higher quality mask than what's required if they were so inclined.  Of course, with all (for the most part) passengers and crew being vaxxed and testing negative, I imagine the danger has been deemed lessened and therefore the current regulations reflect that.

but…testing isn’t required for many voyages.  Oh right, all you have to do is “say” you are negative and you are cleared to board.

 

but…many passengers are way overdue for a booster

 

but…ships are still reporting high numbers of Covid / quarantined

 

Personally, I do not trust sneezers and coughers are reporting to medical center for testing.  
 

BTW, I’m not afraid of Covid.  I’m just cautious and pro-active.It is what it is.

 

[Honolulu Blue]

3 hours ago, julie3fan said:

I'm on the Ruby, currently in Juneau, and I just heard from our waiter that they are no longer required to wear KN95 masks, they only have to wear the disposable surgical masks, and if they're working on an outside deck, they don't have to wear any mask at all.  That is huge news!  I'm not sure if this is fleet wide or just on the Ruby, but it surely will make life easier for the crew.

Thanks for sharing.  This is good news, and progress.  I wonder if there's a plan to get the crew access to the new bivalent booster shot.

[latebloomer56]

40 minutes ago, cr8tiv1 said:

but…testing isn’t required for many voyages.  Oh right, all you have to do is “say” you are negative and you are cleared to board.

 

but…many passengers are way overdue for a booster

 

but…ships are still reporting high numbers of Covid / quarantined

 

Personally, I do not trust sneezers and coughers are reporting to medical center for testing.  
 

BTW, I’m not afraid of Covid.  I’m just cautious and pro-active.It is what it is.

 

We are bringing test kits and masks. My husband gets a cold 9 out of 10 times we fly, don't want him quarantined for a head cold. We will mask on the plane maybe that will help. The kits are so if the unthinkable happens we will call medicall.

Be safe with what works for you.

[MissP22]

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[Grego]

A good forward step.  Mask if you want.  Still see folks wearing a mask in a car when they are the only one.........maybe it comes in handy during allergy time.

[MissP22]

1 minute ago, Grego said:

A good forward step.  Mask if you want.  Still see folks wearing a mask in a car when they are the only one.........maybe it comes in handy during allergy time.

It does make me wonder if they wear it in their own homes as well. 

 

[geoherb]

1 hour ago, Grego said:

A good forward step.  Mask if you want.  Still see folks wearing a mask in a car when they are the only one.........maybe it comes in handy during allergy time.

 

Perhaps they are going to pick up someone. 

[minabruuke]

4 hours ago, cr8tiv1 said:

 

 

Personally, I do not trust sneezers and coughers are reporting to medical center for testing.  

 

 

I would agree that many people who have some symptoms that warrant testing are not going for testing.

 

But I get so confused when people mention sneezing. I have bad environmental allergies; I seriously doubt I ever go a day without sneezing multiple times. It is absolutely not a sign of illness for me so it would be completely asinine for me to test because I was sneezing and this would be the case for many people.  I would never be concerned about anyone else who was sneezing unless they were showing other symptoms and/or did not cover their nose and mouth. Do people really get nervous around people who sneeze and cover? 

[MissP22]

35 minutes ago, minabruuke said:

Do people really get nervous around people who sneeze and cover? 

In the past not many people would even give it a glance unless it happened near food at the buffet. Today, I think a few people might turn you in for being a Covid carrier. 

[rjack22]

"I have bad environmental allergies; I seriously doubt I ever go a day without sneezing multiple times. It is absolutely not a sign of illness for me so it would be completely asinine for me to test because I was sneezing and this would be the case for many people."

 

I agree.   In my case I have a slight chronic cough,  I have had this for YEARS.   It is related to a side effect of my blood pressure medication.   People might think I am sick because of it.

[RKSue]

5 hours ago, latebloomer56 said:

We are bringing test kits and masks. My husband gets a cold 9 out of 10 times we fly, don't want him quarantined for a head cold. We will mask on the plane maybe that will help. The kits are so if the unthinkable happens we will call medicall.

Be safe with what works for you.

So the basic medical mask may not help him stay away from a cold. I might suggest a N95 mask for the flight. Make sure the air vents aren’t pointing directly at him. The filtered air as they call it just pushes the unfiltered air directly to you. Colds on board a cruise are not fun and like any kind of illness is easily passed into others. 

[Bollycats]

55 minutes ago, rjack22 said:

"I have bad environmental allergies; I seriously doubt I ever go a day without sneezing multiple times. It is absolutely not a sign of illness for me so it would be completely asinine for me to test because I was sneezing and this would be the case for many people."

 

I agree.   In my case I have a slight chronic cough,  I have had this for YEARS.   It is related to a side effect of my blood pressure medication.   People might think I am sick because of it.

And I have a chronic wet cough from post nasal drip. It's especially bad after I eat. I hate eating out because I constantly cough in public. I don't want everyone thinking I have covid. 

[Cruise Raider]

I, for one, will be happy to see these restrictions loosened for the crew.  I look forward to the day when they can ditch the masks completely and I can once again see their smiling faces.  I'm not even anti-mask.  If a close contact prefers I wear one, I have no problem doing so...just ask and I will wear one.  Oftentimes, if in an uber, I will ask the driver if they prefer that I put on a mask.  And I always wear one on a plane regardless of the rule to do so has been dropped.  

But, just recently having come off a cruise, I noticed that only about 1% of the passengers were masking while 100% of the crew was.  I could tell they were growing weary of having a mask on for so many hours during the day / night.  Progress is being made.  

[seekatz]

Everyone has their own thoughts, which we all have known for the past few years on this subject. From reading comments on this board, some have thought room stewards may have infected them, and other cabins. I have no way of knowing, but my vote is to keep the 95 masks on as they are protecting a wide range of guests. Seeing how some cruises talk about "lines" of COVID guests getting off the ship I would say what is the harm to play it safe for the sake of those they serve.