COVID Risk - Silver Moon

[crusinbanjo]

That is for EU countries?  I believe Britain and Norway have dropped all requirements and are open to all.  If vax status is invalid after 270 days, I guess Mrs Banjo and I won’t be cruising in the EU anytime soon.

[jpalbny]

2 hours ago, crusinbanjo said:

That is for EU countries?  I believe Britain and Norway have dropped all requirements and are open to all.  If vax status is invalid after 270 days, I guess Mrs Banjo and I won’t be cruising in the EU anytime soon.

 

Cruisinbanjo, the wording has been confusing from day one WRT boosters and expiration. Boosters do not expire (yet...). The regs are saying (in a confusing way) that if your last shot of the PRIMARY series is >270 days old, THEN you are considered unvaccinated - UNLESS you have a booster. That booster can be as old as possible and isn't considered expired.

 

Yes, it reminds me of the Monty Python skit with Prince Erbert's guards...

[chrism23]

On 9/29/2022 at 2:38 PM, Silver Spectre said:

I think you are missing the point @chrism23, the COVID boosters dont absolutely stop you getting it, your risk of getting it is however significantly reduced.

I absolutely agree.  The omicron sub variants, I believe there are five with BA-5 now being dominant, popped up and achieve dominance in a couple of months and is now responsible for 85% of all COVID cases in the US.  Granted all could change again in the next few months.    I did say above that more variants will definitely arise over time

 

Granted that COVID boosters do not absolutely stop you from getting infected.  But they definitely mitigate transmission and severity.  Right now there are just two omicron specific bilvalent boosters, one from Pfizer the other from Moderna.  It seems to me that since there is or was a a vaccine required by SS for embarkation that requirement should extend to omnicron specific boosters since omnicron and its variants are by far the dominant iteration of the virus in circulation.  Granted come January that might not be the case.

 

Again, what concerns me it is the lack of clarity, that you addressed by posting the entirety of the SS vaccination policies above in response to a couple of comments that were made.  Thank you this was helpful.   Lord knows what these  policies will be after the new year,  Also of concern were the comments of Nuka and Gourmet Gal and others above that seemed to be saying that on the Moon, which is why I jumped into this thread, there seemed to be profligate disregard of basic safety guidelines,  Based on their comments I don't think I will set foot in the S.A.L.T. bar for example. 

 

Yes, I realize the last thing anyone needs is more stress and confusion when returning to the sea.  I got back in July with a Scots island expedition cruise.  All the embarking issues were handled very smoothly.  We did the pre-cruise thing and before embarking our group,, there were perhaps 15 of us, after presenting our vax cards were then give the BinX rapid test and then allowed to board.  There were no reports of anyone, pax and crew,  on board becoming sick.  Being back to sea, I felt an enormous weight lift from my shoulders.  I cannot wait to return.  Thanks for your patience.  

 

 

 

[mw8811]

We were also on the Norway cruise and compared to the Spirit last year felt very unsafe in respect to the Covid risk.     We wore the FFP2 masks whenever out of our room and out and about on the ship and if we perceived too many people in a room we did not enter.      We only ate in La Terrazza once, for dinner, and that was an uncomfortable experience as the tables for two were placed very closely together.     It was a case of eating and running and cancelling our second reservation.      The tables were much closer together than we had experienced pre Covid.

We only took one shore excursion on the Flam Railway (our sixth attempt to achieve this!).      Very few masks were worn and it was very crowded - all very unsettling.     I should have gone with my first instinct and booked independently as those carriages were far from full and it would also have meant we weren't stuck up a mountain for a forced stop for coffee and waffles for over an hour (we did not partake).

Covid risk apart this was not a successful cruise - initially our butler was conspicuous by his absence (not that we utilise the butler but I did want to ensure we had a good supply of water)  and I complained to the Hotel Director(?) after three consecutive days of the room not being touched by either the room steward or the butler until well after 2pm.       This resulted in a change of butler (the first one had 15 rooms on deck 9 and then us on deck 8).      The room steward was very forgetful in replacing towels and nearly every day I had to call for bath towels.      He also had 15 rooms elsewhere on our floor and then us.     Something wrong with the staffing and I expressed my concerns to the Hotel Director.

The general feeling we had about the ship that it had no soul and the staff really didn't want to be there.    Not a feeling we have experienced on SS before.     Is it the change in ownership I wonder.

Whether we return to Silversea I don't know but right now I am not looking at any of their cruises and possibly waiting to see what happens when Crystal returns.

[scottjeanne]

We were in the Antarctica, South Georgia, Falklands trip last February and March.  (It was extraordinary by the way).  The entire 29 days there was no crew or passengers that contracted covid.  There were passengers that did not get to board as they tested positive before boarding.  And masks were mandatory for the first half of the trip, including in the zodiacs and on shore in Antarctica.  After March 1, they relaxed the mask policy a bit.  Be cautious, but go and enjoy.  It is truly a life changing voyage.  Our weather was perfect and we had such a small number of passengers, we were able to do zodiac excursions twice a day.  If you are able, take the Shackleton hike.  It is challenging, but wonderful.

[gnome12]

18 hours ago, crusinbanjo said:

That is for EU countries?  I believe Britain and Norway have dropped all requirements and are open to all.  If vax status is invalid after 270 days, I guess Mrs Banjo and I won’t be cruising in the EU anytime soon.

Personally, I just flew to Frankfurt and there was no requirement to be vaccinated. The airline didn’t ask, and neither did immigration. Most of the EU have done away with requirements. 

[Stumblefoot]

4 hours ago, chrism23 said:

The omicron sub variants, I believe there are five with BA-5 now being dominant, popped up and achieve dominance in a couple of months and is now responsible for 85% of all COVID cases in the US.  Granted all could change again in the next few months.

Get ready for 2.75.2

[Stumblefoot]

3 hours ago, mw8811 said:

We were also on the Norway cruise and compared to the Spirit last year felt very unsafe in respect to the Covid risk.

We heard the same from acquaintances on your voyage too. Embarkation in Southampton sounded like a disaster and totally unlike SS of old.  Plus, it sounded as if mask wearing was a joke and disregarded broadly.

[mw8811]

15 minutes ago, Stumblefoot said:

We heard the same from acquaintances on your voyage too. Embarkation in Southampton sounded like a disaster and totally unlike SS of old.  Plus, it sounded as if mask wearing was a joke and disregarded broadly.

Embarkation was the start of the disasters.     It took one hour 45 mins from arrival to actually getting onto the ship - it was faster last year when we all had to await test results!     Even the lady who was organising the rows of disgruntled passengers (few of which were wearing masks) said she didn't know why the folks checking us in were so slow.      Definitely not the SS of old!

[drron29]

Times are a changing with Covid. Mask mandates are going everywhere. Even South Korea has dropped the mask mandate as well as testing to enter.

https://www.lifestyleasia.com/sg/travel/destinations/south-korea-lifts-covid-19-test-requirement-from-1-october-2022/

 

Japan actually hasn't had a mask mandate as the Japanese do it anyway. Will be interesting to see if that changes after the 11th of this month when Independent travellers again can enter.

https://www.lifestyleasia.com/sg/travel/destinations/japan-to-allow-visa-free-independent-travel-from-11-october/

 

Even Hong Kong is starting to loosen up and has dropped quarantine though still quite restrictive.

https://www.lifestyleasia.com/sg/travel/destinations/hong-kong-ends-mandatory-hotel-quarantine-from-26-september/

 

So Asia cruising should be fine soon.

 

As to masks the evidence is not clear apart from the fact that wearing a mask when infected will reduce transmission. Evidence from previous respiratory pandemics shows a properly fitted N95 mask can reduce your chances of picking up a respiratory virus. But it must be a properly fit tested mask. Having had to do this when my ward became an overflow covid ward I had to shave off my beard and still only 1 type out of 6 N95 masks the hospital had would fit properly. Naturally it was the most uncomfortable to wear.

 

 

[chrism23]

17 hours ago, Stumblefoot said:

Get ready for 2.75.2

Mr. Foot-We finally completely agree on something.  2.75.2 is the newest of Omnicron's grandchildren identified just last month.  Glad to see you are on top of things.  Thus far in testing it has evaded 12 of the 13 monoclonal antibodies.  No real data yet on severity or how it responds to bivalent boosters.  Coming soon to a theater near you.  

[SLSD]

On 9/29/2022 at 12:47 PM, chrism23 said:

  If the people here who commented above were vaxed with the omnicron specific booster,  my concern would go through the roof.  Thanks in advance for any response.  

We know quite a few people who have recently come down with the virus in spite of getting the omicron specific booster.  While the booster did not keep them from becoming infected, none were hospitalized.   

[les37b]

On 10/1/2022 at 12:10 AM, jpalbny said:

 

Cruisinbanjo, the wording has been confusing from day one WRT boosters and expiration. Boosters do not expire (yet...). The regs are saying (in a confusing way) that if your last shot of the PRIMARY series is >270 days old, THEN you are considered unvaccinated - UNLESS you have a booster. That booster can be as old as possible and isn't considered expired.

 

Yes, it reminds me of the Monty Python skit with Prince Erbert's guards...

 

I'm sure you are correct. 270 expiry if you've not had booster, with a booster, so far it does expire. So pleased the vaccine works so well. lol

 

It's great to know that it's 12 months since my booster and still as covered as I was 12 months ago! 🤣

[Silver Spectre]

More guests got home from the Moon today and brought SS COVID back with them. Apparently they were among the few who masked and had avoided all shore excursions. 

[Gourmet Gal]

On 10/1/2022 at 6:03 PM, Stumblefoot said:

We heard the same from acquaintances on your voyage too. Embarkation in Southampton sounded like a disaster and totally unlike SS of old.  Plus, it sounded as if mask wearing was a joke and disregarded broadly.

Embarkation was flawless for my group.  Not sure what you are referring to. Few people wore masks onboard except in Venetian lounge and even then many tried to flout the rules.  Enforcement on busses seemed dependent upon the guide.

 

The daily Covid case count was down to only 2 pax 2 days before Lisbon but then there was a surge overnight to 9.  On day of disembarkation while waiting in Dolce Vita it was obvious quite a lot of people were sick.  Non-stop coughing, sniffles and more mask-wearing than I’d seen on the entire cruise.  There was a large group of trial attorneys onboard and they were talking about their test results so perhaps the surge was related to their group.  Anyway, everyone was going forth into the world of hotel stays and flights without any mask requirements…

 

My group has been un-affected so far.  We masked as much as possible not just for protection but also out of respect for the crew.  

[spinnaker2]

The below excerpt  is from an infectious disease specialist.  Posted  today.

Its not just the Moon that is having pax with covid.

[Stumblefoot]

11 hours ago, Gourmet Gal said:

Embarkation was flawless for my group.  Not sure what you are referring to.

Wasn’t referring to you or your voyage as I quoted mw8811 who was on a different voyage than you.