I totally agree with....Eliminate any self-serve food or drink options, such as buffets, salad bars, and drink stations. This limits the use of shared serving utensils, handles, buttons, or touchscreens .....as many people have gotten sick over the years and outbreaks on ships have occurred because of what is stated. However you know that the 6 ft distancing and all the mask wearing will not be adhered to - it's not in the real world on land in restaurants now and many venues. At first it may be strict but that will lessen over the months when COVID is less and less and possibly we get herd immunity. As they say don't get your shorts in a bunch over this!

Yep, I’m really impressed by criticism of the recommended travel restrictions issued by the CDC by a travel agent. I’m sure your qualifications equal those of the doctors and epidemiology experts at the CDC.

TOTV readers should be reminded that as of this morning less than 1/3 of Americans have been vaccinated.

Exactly. To paraphrase the governor, if you're been vaccinated, ACT LIKE IT.

That's fine. No one is forcing you to go on a cruise. You can stay home and enjoy yourself in the comfort of familiar terrain, sans mask, sans vaccine. That is 100% allowable, no one is taking that away from you.

HOWEVER - if you want to go to "this" store, or visit "that" doctor, or go on "that" cruise, you have to respect THEIR rules. And if their rules say wear a mask, you have to wear a mask at THEIR establishment.

Well, thanks for repeating pretty much exactly what I wrote. I am willing to follow the BS rules but I won't spend voluntary vacation $$ and be subject to those BS rules. Not sure what the point of your post was since you are saying the same thing. I didn't say I was being forced. I was pointing out the loss of my business due to those rules.

Yes, open up the cruise lines and close down the restaurants...???????????????

That’s a slippery slope. If people are afraid to go because there is no requirement to be vaccinated then don’t go. It’s a free country, or at least it use to be.

As he SHOULD!

The governor does not have a say
 

He cannot over rule the Federal Government as this involves maritime regulations and international trade; cruise ships are foreign flagged vessels. This is up to the Centers for Disease Control and the United States Coast Guard.

The way I see it is no matter who mandates the rules, it is the cruise lines business and their employees that dictates their decisions. Not sure, legally, what control DeSantis has over federally owned US ports. The CDC guidelines are just that. I had a cruise planned for the Baltics on a luxury cruise line in September. The cruise line cancelled our cruise last week. Six of the nine countries have their borders closed. They are doing a test run on one ship in the Mediterranean in August to see what happens. They said they may sail that one ship as long as their are no outbreaks. They said all passengers and crews, 100 % must be vaccinated. Most countries they will visit have a mask mandate. This is a world wide dilemma. Like everything else, a new frontier that needs to be dealt with an abundance of caution. I personally, would not board a ship unless everyone was vaccinated. It would eliminate 95% of the risk of an outbreak and avoid the need to wear a mask or social distancing. Still have to look at the risk once you get off the ship in the ports you visit. Maybe the cruise lines should market their sailings with itineraries that are “vaccinated” only passengers and other itineraries where “ unvaccinated passengers” only. What a great way to test whether it really matters or not! Then everybody will be happy and they capture 100% of future cruisers business!

Sorry i don’t agree people should decide if they want the vaccine or not.
It should not be mandatory. This vaccine is experimental and some people have allergies
To many things so should not be forced on anyone. For those who chose to have it
that’s fine but for those who chose not to should also be fine.

The CDC guidelines are overly restrictive for a ship full of vaccinated people, and no one wants to do grab and go food, sit at the pool with a mask on, or take bits of food with mask wearing in between while having a three course dinner in the dining room on a cruise ship. If it’s the intent of the CDC to keep the industry shut down, then these measures will certainly accomplish that goal. I will get on a cruise ship again when these rules are lifted.

The vaccine is not mandatory; nobody is forcing you be vaccinated. However, you may soon find traveling outside the US and it's territories to be more difficult, or nearly impossible, without a vaccination. I fully understand why things will be moving in this direction: cruise lines and foreign countries do not want the burden of providing healthcare in case you develop COVID. Things are going to be different from now on.

It's a matter of free choice. It's also a matter of precautions that are so restrictive that no one can enjoy themselves. If a vaccine is effective against the virus and vaccines are now available to everyone, then it's a personal choice to take a vacation on a cruise ship. They are not trapped, they chose it!

The same goes with masks. Since we all have access to get vaccinated, those who choose not to wear a mask, shouldn't have to. Those who make a personal choice not to get vaccinated should be allowed to make that choice. We should all be able to accept the consequences of our personal decisions. It feels as if the government is being restrictive to the point of absurdity. The politicalization of our freedom of choice feels scary and many feel that our personal freedoms are being threatened.

It would then follow that those who choose not to get vaccinated will not object to cruise lines (or any other business) that requires vaccination to participate.

Same as "requiring" a passport.
NO PASSPORT.....NO GET ON SHIP!!