Current Mask Protocols

[Sparky74]

We’re sailing out of Brisbane on Quantum OTS next week. 
Does anyone have any idea if masks will be required on the ship?

[valantine80]

We got off on Quantum last Monday. No masks required on board but are supposed to be worn on tenders and shuttle buses. The fist day using tenders they were handing them out and most people wore them. The next day on tenders maybe ten percent wearing them and even fewer on shuttle buses in Noumea.

[valantine80]

1 hour ago, Sparky74 said:

We’re sailing out of Brisbane on Quantum OTS next week. 
Does anyone have any idea if masks will be required on the ship?

As a matter of fact by the end of the cruise we noticed fewer crew were wearing masks and believe that it was optional whether crew wanted to wear masks or not.

[arxcards]

Very limited mask protocols coming from government.

At 3% (tier 2) all crew are required to wear masks indoors.

At 10% (tier 3) all passengers are required to wear masks indoors.

 

Other than that, it is at the discretion of each ship/line. Royal seem to be in control of things, enough to not be needing masks.

[subaru94]

2 hours ago, arxcards said:

Very limited mask protocols coming from government.

At 3% (tier 2) all crew are required to wear masks indoors.

At 10% (tier 3) all passengers are required to wear masks indoors.

 

Other than that, it is at the discretion of each ship/line. Royal seem to be in control of things, enough to not be needing masks.

Do you know if this is for all cruise lines?  

[arxcards]

28 minutes ago, subaru94 said:

Do you know if this is for all cruise lines?  

Government wise, it applies to all cruise lines - since late October.

Most of the Carnival brands have still been requesting masks, but I think I read recently that P&O and Carnival were relaxing masks on shorter cruises. I haven't heard anything yet about the other Carnival brands, to whether they are heading the same way.

[seashell77]

33 minutes ago, subaru94 said:

Do you know if this is for all cruise lines?  

I was on NCL Spirit a couple of weeks ago and there was no requirement for crew or passengers to wear masks, but there were a few crew and passengers that still chose to wear them

[Aus Traveller]

Currently with some cruiselines, it seems that the mask protocol varies depending on the number of infections. We were on the Coral Princess from the 16th January. Apparently there were quite a few infections on the previous cruise so our boarding was delayed while the crew carried out a deep clean of the ship. Everyone was asked to wear masks on the 16th-26th January cruise unless they were eating or drinking. When we all took a RAT test on the third day, only a handful of cases were detected. For our boarding today, we have been asked to wear masks for embarkation etc. We will see after we board if masks are required all the time.

[TrixieBel]

9 hours ago, subaru94 said:

Do you know if this is for all cruise lines?  

Princess cruises out of Australia have more stringent on board masking and testing requirements that have been communicated to anyone sailing. It might seem onerous to some, but to others who might be wary of COVID infections for various reasons, it’s reassuring I’m sure. 
 

As I’m not a narcissist I’m happy to follow any protocols on our sailing that are designed to protect other individuals or the community… 

[Aussieflyer]

12 hours ago, arxcards said:

Government wise, it applies to all cruise lines - since late October.

Most of the Carnival brands have still been requesting masks, but I think I read recently that P&O and Carnival were relaxing masks on shorter cruises. I haven't heard anything yet about the other Carnival brands, to whether they are heading the same way.

QE short cruise last week only recommended masks onboard indoors or where social distancing was difficult. Masks were required on shore excursion transport and also in the terminal for embarkation/disembarkation. Cruises over 10 days required masks on board inside.

[Ozwoody]

hy.

Had to go for some medical tests and see a specialist recently, it was at major city hospital, we took with us our masks to wear as we entered. Nobody was wearing masks at all, as we walked around, people glanced at us as if we doing something unusual. We spoke to an information desk person and they told us masks are not required anywhere in the hospital, unless you were self-isolating.
As we passed ward areas, there was a sign requesting people with flu or similar symptoms not to enter.

This is a major city hospital! No health protocols for covid at all!
When you think about it, you can go to concerts, pubs, sports events, cinemas, restaurants, in fact any crowded events without any restrictions, every day of the week.
BUT not go on a cruise without jumping through hoops, and paying for covid insurance. WHY?

It doesn’t make sense! I’m beginning to think, why are we doing something on a cruise, that we don’t have to do in any other environment? A number of other environs we think nothing of entering, are much higher risk that the cruise environ.
Before covid we did not think twice about cruising, even though gastroenteritis from time to time flared up, people would go into isolation for 4 to six days and allowed out once they showed no symptoms.
What is the difference? Some people got really sick from gastro, but that was accepted and they were looked after, and covered by their travel insurance. Why is it different now?

Maybe its time to return to pre-covid travel times?

Maybe its time to treat covid symptoms like gastro, and only isolate if your showing symptoms?

Just my thoughts, but I believe it should be discussed.
 

Regards

[arxcards]

The cruise protocols, being government rules, only require masks when there is an elevated number of cases aboard. We cruised on Majestic in October, and no masks were required, as the state governments had largely dropped the mask mandate from their protocols. Then the following cruise had 800 infections and they reinstated masks on their ships to match the perceived risk.

 

Hospitals have similar responses as the ships have with their tiers and will adjust requirements to match the level of infection around them. As the infections on land are coming down, the Carnival branded ships are gradually removing their mask requirements.

 

As for the pre-cruise testing and vaxx requirements, who knows how long that will apply. When covid first broke, the cruise ships said that their experience with mitigating influenza and gastro outbreaks made them safer than being on land - but for all their expertise, they couldn't control covid without these extra imposed layers. When the summer fleet has departed, it is likely the few remaining ships will start peeling back those layers. If all goes to plan, and strain xyz doesn't surface at the wrong time, next season will be a much more relaxed experience.

 

 

[Pushka]

I don't expect any of these protocols to be operating next cruise season unless, as they say, major devastating new strain etc, in which case, well, who knows. Unlikely. Virus mutation doesn't usually work like that. 

[possum52]

8 hours ago, Ozwoody said:

hy.

Had to go for some medical tests and see a specialist recently, it was at major city hospital, we took with us our masks to wear as we entered. Nobody was wearing masks at all, as we walked around, people glanced at us as if we doing something unusual. We spoke to an information desk person and they told us masks are not required anywhere in the hospital, unless you were self-isolating.
As we passed ward areas, there was a sign requesting people with flu or similar symptoms not to enter.

This is a major city hospital! No health protocols for covid at all!
When you think about it, you can go to concerts, pubs, sports events, cinemas, restaurants, in fact any crowded events without any restrictions, every day of the week.
BUT not go on a cruise without jumping through hoops, and paying for covid insurance. WHY?

It doesn’t make sense! I’m beginning to think, why are we doing something on a cruise, that we don’t have to do in any other environment? A number of other environs we think nothing of entering, are much higher risk that the cruise environ.
Before covid we did not think twice about cruising, even though gastroenteritis from time to time flared up, people would go into isolation for 4 to six days and allowed out once they showed no symptoms.
What is the difference? Some people got really sick from gastro, but that was accepted and they were looked after, and covered by their travel insurance. Why is it different now?

Maybe its time to return to pre-covid travel times?

Maybe its time to treat covid symptoms like gastro, and only isolate if your showing symptoms?

Just my thoughts, but I believe it should be discussed.
 

Regards

Visitors at Victorian hospitals are still required to wear masks as well as at medical centres and aged care settings. My husband was at an appointment at our local hospital last week and had to wear a mask, they were provided for those who didn't have one.

 

 

 

 

[Ozwoody]

2 hours ago, arxcards said:

The cruise protocols, being government rules, only require masks when there is an elevated number of cases aboard. We cruised on Majestic in October, and no masks were required, as the state governments had largely dropped the mask mandate from their protocols. Then the following cruise had 800 infections and they reinstated masks on their ships to match the perceived risk.

 

 

Yes, but why is there any government protocols for cruising, but not for anything else, not even hospitals?
Gastro is just as contagious, even in some cases result in deaths, same as covid but no protocols for it?
State government can instigate what ever health measures they think necessary on health risks at the time, why can’t cruise ships be able to do that if a risk is identified?

 

I wonder if there would be less infections, if the people didn’t feel they didn’t have to cover it up, because they fear going into a week or more of isolation, until tested negative, rather than just have no symptoms.

 

Biggest problem with health on ships, is people refusing to wash their hands, especially when entering the buffet areas. Wouldn’t it be better if cruise companies policed hand hygiene more actively, making it a condition of travel, and making the failure to comply a cancellation of cruise, after say two-three warnings about not complying, and disembarkation at the next port, same as they do with other serious misbehaviour? If you get agro at someone and behave badly, they will disembark you at the next port, isn’t disregard to other cruise’s health just as bad?

 

I may be having a bit of a rant, but I believe people should be made to be responsible, when their behaviour can seriously affect other people.
 

[Ozwoody]

17 minutes ago, possum52 said:

Visitors at Victorian hospitals are still required to wear masks as well as at medical centres and aged care settings. My husband was at an appointment at our local hospital last week and had to wear a mask, they were provided for those who didn't have one.

 

Hmm I wonder what other states are doing, in Qld, masks are required in Doctors clinics, but that is a condition of their surgeries, not a government requirement.

[subaru94]

35 minutes ago, Ozwoody said:

 

Yes, but why is there any government protocols for cruising, but not for anything else, not even hospitals?
Gastro is just as contagious, even in some cases result in deaths, same as covid but no protocols for it?
State government can instigate what ever health measures they think necessary on health risks at the time, why can’t cruise ships be able to do that if a risk is identified?

 

I wonder if there would be less infections, if the people didn’t feel they didn’t have to cover it up, because they fear going into a week or more of isolation, until tested negative, rather than just have no symptoms.

 

Biggest problem with health on ships, is people refusing to wash their hands, especially when entering the buffet areas. Wouldn’t it be better if cruise companies policed hand hygiene more actively, making it a condition of travel, and making the failure to comply a cancellation of cruise, after say two-three warnings about not complying, and disembarkation at the next port, same as they do with other serious misbehaviour? If you get agro at someone and behave badly, they will disembark you at the next port, isn’t disregard to other cruise’s health just as bad?

 

I may be having a bit of a rant, but I believe people should be made to be responsible, when their behaviour can seriously affect other people.
 

Agree with you about the hand washing one of the most important things and a lot of the ships, don't enforce it the only one that seems to is Royal Caribbean.

[subaru94]

33 minutes ago, Ozwoody said:

 

Hmm I wonder what other states are doing, in Qld, masks are required in Doctors clinics, but that is a condition of their surgeries, not a government requirement.

In South Australia, hospitals masks are required, when it comes to doctor surgeries, depends on the surgery themselves as to whether they require you to wear masks.

[Pushka]

39 minutes ago, Ozwoody said:

 

Yes, but why is there any government protocols for cruising, but not for anything else, not even hospitals?
Gastro is just as contagious, even in some cases result in deaths, same as covid but no protocols for it?
State government can instigate what ever health measures they think necessary on health risks at the time, why can’t cruise ships be able to do that if a risk is identified?

 

I wonder if there would be less infections, if the people didn’t feel they didn’t have to cover it up, because they fear going into a week or more of isolation, until tested negative, rather than just have no symptoms.

 

Biggest problem with health on ships, is people refusing to wash their hands, especially when entering the buffet areas. Wouldn’t it be better if cruise companies policed hand hygiene more actively, making it a condition of travel, and making the failure to comply a cancellation of cruise, after say two-three warnings about not complying, and disembarkation at the next port, same as they do with other serious misbehaviour? If you get agro at someone and behave badly, they will disembark you at the next port, isn’t disregard to other cruise’s health just as bad?

 

I may be having a bit of a rant, but I believe people should be made to be responsible, when their behaviour can seriously affect other people.
 

 

Two reasons I believe. We are still suffering from the impacts of Ruby Princess which effectively brought Covid to Australia and awful loss of life, significant at that time.
 

Second, cruises by their nature are groups of people spending long times together from a variety of different backgrounds and habits.  Masks are still required on crew on ships in Spain and Portugal and on excursion buses. It makes sense but think the current regime will be completely different next season. This season only has a month to go. It wasn't going to be changed until it's over. At least the media have moved on from reporting 'horror' outbreaks on cruises now. 

[Ozwoody]

12 minutes ago, Pushka said:

 

Two reasons I believe. We are still suffering from the impacts of Ruby Princess which effectively brought Covid to Australia and awful loss of life, significant at that time.
 

Second, cruises by their nature are groups of people spending long times together from a variety of different backgrounds and habits.  Masks are still required on crew on ships in Spain and Portugal and on excursion buses. It makes sense but think the current regime will be completely different next season. This season only has a month to go. It wasn't going to be changed until it's over. At least the media have moved on from reporting 'horror' outbreaks on cruises now. 

 

Your right I think, the Ruby thing has caused a lot of the over reaction.

And yes are groups of people in close contact, how be it, very small groups compared to a lot of other venues, and also a good reason we should be able to police good health practices.

 

[arxcards]

Ruby has only made sure that borderforce and state authorities are thorough when they are clearing the ship in port. The protocols were based on what the CDC were doing in the US, and Ruby had nothing to do with CDC's cruising framework. It is only really some parts of our media that treats every ship with covid as another Ruby Princess.

 

The protocols were/are about the safe operation of the ship, and their ability to control an outbreak. Our authorities are happy for passengers to be unmasked until the ship hits tier 3, but the cruise lines aren't so keen on tier 3. When the media puts their ship on the front page it is bad for business, and it is their choice to continue with masks and an additional screening test. It must be working as planned, with no tier 2's or 3's and no media outrage.

 

I am happy that pre-boarding tests are still required. To me, that means there is less chance of me spending a large chunk of my cruise in isolation because of someone knowingly bringing it aboard. If unvaxxed travellers want to cruise, that is fine by me. That is a bit of the leftover carrot & stick that was used to promote vaccination - if you are vaxxed, you can go to work, go to the pub, travel etc. Those days have long gone and should no longer prevent anyone taking a cruise.

 

 

[OzKiwiJJ]

 

12 hours ago, Ozwoody said:

When you think about it, you can go to concerts, pubs, sports events, cinemas, restaurants, in fact any crowded events without any restrictions, every day of the week.
BUT not go on a cruise without jumping through hoops, and paying for covid insurance. WHY?

It doesn’t make sense!

It does make sense though. Most people don't go to those places several times each day, every day. On a cruise ship you essentially do that: breakfast, lunch and dinner in the MDR or buffet; maybe trivia or bingo; the theatre or a lounge for a show, lecture, or other type of entertainment; and bars. And on port days buses and tenders.

 

Most people would be in far greater contact with other people on a ship than in their every day lives. And ships are relatively small enclosed spaces so the chances of Covid spreading is greater. 

 

I wish each ship would announce the daily Covid cases like they did on Westerdam. It might make some people more cautious, especially if they also stress that people who catch it can be infectious a couple of days before they develop symptoms or test positive.

 

But the current Covid wave appears to be subsiding so maybe the restrictions will be eased soon. I'd still like to see masks being mandatory in theatres, and crowded lounges where things like trivia and bingo are held. Not just for Covid but for all the other respiratory illnesses that spread rapidly on cruise ships. I've been on enough longer cruises (12+ days) now to have noticed how often the dreaded cruise cough ramps up as the cruise progresses. 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 7, 2023 by OzKiwiJJ

[Ozwoody]

As always Geoff & Julie you make good points, however if cruises were to be made safer from covid if that's the main concern, then supervised rat tests should be mandated by cruise lines.

The current system is so full of holes, I doubt that anyone who tested positive confirms that, they just get someone to do a test for them, submit that.

Who wants to find out the day before and willingly forfeits their holiday?

 

And as Julie points out, there are a heap of other things that can be passed on during a trivia session, not just covid.

But pre covid we just accepted the risk and generally had great cruises.

Although I can see your points, I still wonder if we are continuing to over react to covid.

Next year may see changes, and in the mean time I plan to abide by what is requested by the cruise lines. Just wonder, if I can walk through a major hospital, including ward areas full of sick people, with out wearing a mask, why can't we do it on a ship?

[snoozer of the seas]

With the current covid variants floating around, you can have covid for days before you test positive on a RAT. That is assuming people are doing RATs properly; not many people go that deep into the nose.

 

Where I work, you can still work while covid positive as along as you don't display symptoms.

25 minutes ago, Ozwoody said:

with out wearing a mask, why can't we do it on a ship?

 

'Tick a box' compliance, it a bit of theater to make the authorities and the worriers happy.

[OzKiwiJJ]

41 minutes ago, snoozer of the seas said:

With the current covid variants floating around, you can have covid for days before you test positive on a RAT. That is assuming people are doing RATs properly; not many people go that deep into the nose.

 

Where I work, you can still work while covid positive as along as you don't display symptoms.

 

'Tick a box' compliance, it a bit of theater to make the authorities and the worriers happy.

Which is crazy as people can be infectious without symptoms.