Cruising still not that appealing . .
 

From a posting on another site:
My dad's currently on a cruise round the mediterranean. And in isolation in his cabin after he and 125 other guests tested positive for COVID. Bear in mind that everyone on that boat needed to be triple vaccinated (and provide a negative test result) in order to set sail.


For those thinking that now is a great time for a cruise, you might spend your money and not quite get the experience you want, even with your YOLO attitude. . .

cautious spending guy

We know quite a few people from here who have cruised in past 4 months (us included) very successfully. We are sticking to Caribbean for now though.

We are taking our first cruise in probably 10 years + in Sept. Flying out to Seattle and going to Alaska for the first time. Hope everything works out for us. We have a balcony and we insured the trip including the flight.

I currently have Covid myself along with my wife, daughter and grandson. So far for us it is like having the flu. Today was day 8 for my wife, the rest of us it is 2-4 days. My oncology team is worried about me and keeps checking but all is good.

Anyway I guess if you get quarantined you miss an entire 7 day cruise, defiantly would not want to be in an inside cabin. We are just hoping for the best come September.

Many cruise lines have a designated "isolation area" of balcony cabins, and will move you there if you need to be quarantined

Cruise
 

Just returned from a Panama Canal cruise. No issues. Masks were not required, but about 20% of the people wore them.

If the current status of the "pandemic" holds or evolves to endemic we are going the week after Thanksgiving.
We are vaccinated and boosted and will have our second boost by then.

If masking should revert back to being required we will cancel (again).....this is our third attempt since 2020.

Princess cruise line cancellation policy has been very good about either refunding or future cruise crediting paid monies.

Sounds a bit high, but may be in the ballpark for a cruise. I was at the Sharon last week and out of 900+ attendees, I could only spot 5 with a mask, although there could have been more. So my question to these 1-20% minority who are wearing the paper masks is this: Are you so incredibly altruistic that you believe you are protecting the other 99% from yourself, or are you so incredibly stupid that you still believe a paper mask is protecting yourself? I think 99% of us know that answer. And please, no idiotic responses such as "any protection is better than none" or "I feel safer wearing one" , you would just be making the point. People with legitimate medical concerns are exempt.

I just got back from a cruise and only the staff worse masks. There was the occasional masked passenger, but counted maybe 3-4 during the entire 8 day cruise.

We've done two since January with both being in the Caribbean. The only difference noticed between now and pre-COVID is there was more of an emphasis on hand washing and the buffet is not self-serve.

It is a personal decision.

Whether or not you choose to use the topic as an excuse to be offensive to others - well, that is a personal decision for you.

I do believe you are a medical doctor. Yes? Is it your professional opinion that wearing a mask is ineffective and a waste of our time? What advise can you give us to avoid Covid in addition to vaccines and boosters. My husband and I were at the Sharon about a month ago to see Jay Leno. We and one other man were the only ones wearing a mask. Including the staff. I am high risk.

Like I said, legitimate medical reasons are exempt. If you are high risk, just wear a N-95 mask when in public, probably unnecessary for you when housesitting unless someone else is there. My comments were directed at those useless paper masks. And the best advice to avoid COVID besides vaccination is social distancing of at least 6 feet. For anyone who is moderately or severely immunocompromised (ANC <500), they probably should avoid crowds totally.

But it's not a personal decision, it's a scientific/medical decision. Which means that decision should be made on the facts, NOT "feelings". And what you call "offensive" might just as easily be considered "educational", in a rather harsh manner. If someone wants to wear a paper mask on a cruise, fine, they have that right. But they also have the right to wear their life preserver 24/7 or wear a helmet on the flight to the departure port. I'm sure someone will retort that those are ridiculous analogies, but in reality, they are exactly the same-----the illusion of safety where no actual safety exists. In fact, I could make a better case for the life preserver or helmet, since the former will give protection in case the ship sinks or you fall overboard, and the latter in case of a low speed crash such as while taxiing.

I am going on a Cunard ship tomorrow, and the current rules are:

Cunard requires cruisers to wear face masks that cover their nose and mouth when indoors and when seated in the theater. When seated in other venues, masks may be removed, even if passengers are not eating or drinking. Face coverings are also not required outdoors, in cabins or while exercising (indoors or outside).


Whatever your "facts" and "feelings", I am required to wear a mask under those circumstances. You may consider it pointless (many other medical professionals would disagree with you) but that won't carry much weight with Cunard, or other carriers that require the wearing of a mask.

And to claim that your calling the minority who chose to wear a mask at the Sharon "incredibly stupid" is educational! Thank goodness you went into medicine, not teaching.

First of all, I didn't call ANYONE incredibly stupid. I posed a question, of which that was one possible answer. That answer ONLY applies to those that go into a crowded venue with a paper mask and believe/think/feel that they are protecting themselves. BTW, the "medical professionals" that would disagree with me are WRONG. As far as your cruise goes, of course you have to follow the rules of the cruise line, no one would suggest that you shouldn't (of course, when you get there, you will probably run into quite a few that will ignore that rule. Too bad, since a recent cruise that required 2 shots, a booster, and a negative test 72 hours prior STILL had 100+ passengers come down with COVID. I have no idea if any of them were sick and no idea why they would test anyone during the cruise that wasn't sick, but it goes to show nothing is 100% safe) Finally, have a great time on your cruise!!!! Bon Voyage!!!!

We totally agree that wearing a paper mask would not give us the protection we are seeking while surrounded by many people not wearing masks in an indoor space. Our solution is simple, we stay away from those situations. Easy peasy.

We've been on a number of cruises....but on the small ships, like Windstar

IMHO, the smaller ships are more to my liking for a number of reasons

- there's usually less than 300 passengers on board
- the ratio of staff to passenger is higher
- they dock at smaller ports, so you're not unloading with 5 other huge ships
- the food and the service

...okay, you don't get the big Broadway Shows, but the entertainment is always great

"Are you so incredibly altruistic that you believe you are protecting the other 99% from yourself, or are you so incredibly stupid that you still believe a paper mask is protecting yourself? I think 99% of us know that answer."

So did you mean that the 99% of people who "know that answer" believe that those wearing a mask at the Sharon are incredibly altruistic? If not, then you are saying that they are incredibly stupid.

"Oh what a tangled web we weave when our intent is to deceive."

It's never too late to apologize.

I'm not saying it, it would be the 99% IF that was the reason. You know what they say when you ASSUME. Nevertheless, please have a great time on your voyage!

My understanding on smaller ships you get one choice of entertainment each night. On larger ships you have a number of choices. For example on our last cruise which was on Carnival we saw a show in main theatre or you have a choice of cover band, piano bar entertainer or comedy show each night.

Since many or most Villagers never believed that Covid existed and refused to protect themselves or others from day 1 I can understand a comment like this.

What ever the case may be ever week when I walk into the hospital I am handed a new mask and asked to toss my old mask in the trash. Every employee and patient must wear a mask if in the building. I guess if you refuse you will be sent outside to remain sick or possibly die. Your choice.

You did ask if people are incredibly stupid which I guess makes you incredible brilliant but we know that is not correct.

All I can say is that some people lack reading comprehension and clearly don't know when they are comparing apples to oranges. Also, since you do not know me you can't possibly know if I'm incredibly brilliant or not. Other than that, you two comments, well, res ipsa loquitur

First I have read previous comments from you so I know brilliant is not the word to use

Also good for you to admit you have been shown negligence in your comments here.

Finally, here is the comment you made that you claim you didn’t: are you so incredibly stupid that you still believe a paper mask is protecting yourself?

So believe what you want but we all know what the problem is.

Cruises are an actual incubator and breeding ground for all kinds of illnesses. Anyone who hasn't figured this out by now is wearing rose-colored glasses 24/7.

Glad to know you are such an expert on medical issues. If you don't agree with something going on that is not hurting you or anyone else, why attack others for their beliefs. You must be miserable to live with...

Thanks for speaking the truth!

Masks mandatory
 

As a UF Health employee it is MANDATORY to wear a mask at every moment you are in the hosp. They only exception is while eating in cafeteria.
I will forward your response to them about your opinion that masks are ridiculous. Oh, and not all masks are N 95. The majority of masks are Just plain
Low grade “medical” masks. So maybe you could help us get this ridiculous policy reversed.

Alex, I'll take partial quotes out of context for $400 please. Or do you work for the news media that does that all the time? So here is the WHOLE question posed: "So my question to these 1-20% minority who are wearing the paper masks is this: Are you so incredibly altruistic that you believe you are protecting the other 99% from yourself, or are you so incredibly stupid that you still believe a paper mask is protecting yourself?"
Note the word "OR", it really isn't that hard to understand.

As far as the hospital mask policy goes, what does that have to do with cruising or a performance at the Sharon???? Answer----NOTHING (unless it is a cruise of immunocompromised patients).

So yes, we do know what the problem is, and you stayed up to 2:15 to post that nonsense.

Wow---yet another poster that wants to equate the hospital setting with a cruise or show. Amazing. Let's try this a different way. Could you please list the differences between an inpatient setting with hospital employees in direct contact with potentially immunocompromised patients and a cruise ship. If you can't, please refrain from posting garbage.

Another who wants to state it is a "belief", as if masks were Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny. It is a fact, not a "belief", so follow the science. There are people who belong to the Flat Earth Society who "believe" the world is flat. That "belief" isn't hurting anyone else either, but everyone retains the right to ridicule it. Just because there are more misguided people who "believe" a paper mask protects them doesn't make it any different. And BTW , I AM an expert on medical issues.

Yup. We went on a cruise over Thanksgiving, then Christmas/NewYear, our Blue Stone Vircle cruise fell apart but we are now heading out on a Panama transit in April. At 75 not going to hang up one of the outlets we enjoy due to the China virus.

Animal House
 

IMHO, the smaller ships are more to my liking for a number of reasons

- there's usually less than 300 passengers on board
- the ratio of staff to passenger is higher
- they dock at smaller ports, so you're not unloading with 5 other huge ships
- the food and the service

- they let you jump off the side and do canon balls
-tap beer is self serve and is 24/7
-captain let’s you drive the ship
- elephant walks at 3am right after panty raids

wow...you really believe that "Many or most" don't believe COVID exists? WRONG. Perhaps we just didn't believe all the HYPE around it. There is a difference between being "careful" and being obsessed and terrified.

wow
 

wow...you really believe that "Many or most"here don't believe COVID exists? WRONG. Perhaps we just didn't believe all the HYPE around it. There is a difference between being "careful" and being obsessed and terrified.

Well said Arctic Fox

We just returned from Panama Canal Cruise and no problems.

What line is he on? We are booked for mid May on Viking and I have COVID concers.

anger always finds a way.

So does stupidity

[QUOTE=Garywt;2077900]Since many or most Villagers never believed that Covid existed and refused to protect themselves or others from day 1 I can understand a comment like this.

I see this obvious spin from many. I doubt that any Villagers doubted that the Rona existed as stated. What I and many others believed was that the REACTION to the Rona was massively overblown and harmful to the world economy and personal health. There is a huge difference, and we know what damage was wrought on the world’s economy. The damage to so many lives is starting to be known, and it is already extreme, and I expect it will be shocking as we learn more.