Wearing masks onboard

[BirdTravels]

8 hours ago, NeedsVitaminSea said:

We just booked our first cruise since 2019 and we’ll be wearing KF94 in all indoor spaces outside of our cabin. We will also avoid crowds and eating indoors.  I’m the only person masking at work anymore so I’m used to not caring what others think of my educated decision to protect myself. Masking is much more acceptable to me than having to stay home forever. 

We have been on 8 post-restart cruises. You will not be able to avoid crowds. You will not be able to avoid eating indoors except if you order room service each days.

 

You are going on a cruise. Be on a cruise. Enjoy the total experience. Wearing a mask on board is not an issue.

 

Unless you are doing the 5 hour drive to Galveston, an airport and plane is probably involved which is the prime place to catch covid. 

Edited January 21, 2023 by BirdTravels

[CFLRetired]

Recently sailed Jewel.  Most crew didn't wear masks.  I did see a few senior officers with masks on.  Very few passengers wore masks.  I think I only heard one person cough on the entire cruise.  Wear a mask if you feel more comfortable.  It's your cruise, your choice.  

[MommaBear55]

I'm happy to be wearing a mask and places like the theater or any other crowded venues. I know I'm in the minority. But since I've been given both covid and influenza a in the last 3 months by people who were thoughtless and were going out and about while sick and not masked, I'm fine with doing my own thing.

[Mum2Mercury]

3 hours ago, Tatka said:

Last January everyone was wearing masks at all times and many still got infected/sick including us. Then we were on 5 maskless cruises during which each of us got sick once.

Not sure about direct connections between masks and getting sick.

Oh, the connection between staying well and masking WAS quite direct -- but now the vaccine is a much more "sure thing".  

 

I was still teaching when Covid was raging (pre-vaccination), and I was very strict about masks in my classroom -- I didn't allow kids to be sloppy with them; for example, I wouldn't allow them to sit in my classroom with their mask under their nose (making the mask completely useless), and every half hour I opened the windows and let the air circulate.  For 1 1/2 years I avoided Covid, as did the majority of my students ... then we went mask-optional, and I came down with Covid one week later.   

2 hours ago, time4u2go said:

Some ships have outdoor seating areas for their Windjammers.

Yes, and you can eat on your balcony too -- but unless you're going to limit yourself to room service (and empty your pocketbook in the process), you're going to have to venture out to get food.  

 

Does this mean you'd also skip the pool, activities, shows?  Well, I guess Movies Under The Stars would still be available to you if you weren't going to be in groups.  

 

No, avoiding crowds altogether sounds impossible.  I mean, you've gotta be in a crowd just to board.  

51 minutes ago, Tatka said:

No logic whatsoever.

That's a virus for you.  It's quite possible for you to behave exactly the same way every day for a year and -- through luck -- avoid the virus, then catch it without any changes.  

 

Scientists are saying that this newest variant is easier to catch, but also easier to recover from.  That's also the nature of viruses -- they dilute as time goes on.  

[time4u2go]

3 minutes ago, Mum2Mercury said:

Yes, and you can eat on your balcony too -- but unless you're going to limit yourself to room service (and empty your pocketbook in the process), you're going to have to venture out to get food.  

 

Does this mean you'd also skip the pool, activities, shows?  Well, I guess Movies Under The Stars would still be available to you if you weren't going to be in groups.  

 

No, avoiding crowds altogether sounds impossible.  I mean, you've gotta be in a crowd just to board.  

I never said anything about not venturing out, or about skipping other activities, or about avoiding crowds.  I was simply answering the question, "How can avoid eating indoors? (sic)"

[Mum2Mercury]

8 minutes ago, time4u2go said:

I never said anything about not venturing out, or about skipping other activities, or about avoiding crowds.  I was simply answering the question, "How can avoid eating indoors? (sic)"

Ah, then I misunderstood, though I still don't understand how eating outdoors (or in your cabin) will be helpful if you go into crowds for other parts of the cruise. 

4 minutes ago, davekathy said:

We haven't and still don't live in a bubble. We only wore our masks (no matter where or what we were doing) if it was mandatory and we still haven't had covid. 

You've been fortunate, and I'm glad for you -- but I don't think your experience is typical. Perhaps you're made of more sturdy stuff than the average person?  

[livingonthebeach]

Avoiding crowds on a ship (especially at full capacity as they seem to be running these days) is impossible. Wearing a mask at all times while indoors on a ship is not only extremely uncomfortable, it also interferes with the whole cruising experience. I understand why someone would wear a mask if they are at high risk but there are also other vacation alternatives that are far less crowded and just as enjoyable. 

 

The pandemics that have become endemic (like Covid) or completely eradicated such as the Asian flu, the swine flu, Spanish flu, SARS, MERS, H1N1 etc., etc. are much the result of effective vaccines and not face masks. But if one needs double protection, why not? To each their own. 

 

[davekathy]

25 minutes ago, Mum2Mercury said:

You've been fortunate, and I'm glad for you -- but I don't think your experience is typical. Perhaps you're made of more sturdy stuff than the average person?  

If we are, glad to be. We just hope if we do ever get covid we aren't traveling.  

[Oceansaway17]

1 hour ago, midwife1021 said:

Last month, few masks seen.  

Someone posted in our roll call about a bunch of people in their large group having active covid at the time of the sailing and still went on the ship 🤬.

 

Thankfully, none of us from my group brought any "viral souvenirs" home from our sailing. 

Wow knowing you have covid and still sailing is rather disappointing to hear.

 

[sft429]

31 minutes ago, Mum2Mercury said:

39 minutes ago, davekathy said:

We haven't and still don't live in a bubble. We only wore our masks (no matter where or what we were doing) if it was mandatory and we still haven't had covid. 

You've been fortunate, and I'm glad for you -- but I don't think your experience is typical. Perhaps you're made of more sturdy stuff than the average person?  

 

Their experience is typical of most of the people I know.  Most are unvaccinated, too.

I've been vaccinated but I'm not sure I'd do that again.

[davekathy]

49 minutes ago, sft429 said:

 

Their experience is typical of most of the people I know.  Most are unvaccinated, too.

I've been vaccinated but I'm not sure I'd do that again.

We are vaccinated inluding 3 boosters. 

[Sunshine3601]

2 hours ago, Oceansaway17 said:

Wow knowing you have covid and still sailing is rather disappointing to hear.

 

I believe it happens a lot more than we know.   Most people figure it is just a cold and not going to let it ruin their vacation.