Diver2014

Why do you think we are reading this? Purely for the entertainment! (at least I am). You have to take most everything on Cruise Critic with a grain of salt or a bag of popcorn, whichever you choose.

which I highly doubt but again, we'll just have to wait and see.

No one snorkels on the north side of Aruba. Try Red Sail Sports on Eagle Beach if you don't want to take a boat ride to snorkel but the wreck of the Antilla (within sight of the hotels) is worth a boat trip. Been there twice scuba diving and loved it. There is also a fabulous reef (Bari Reef) just off shore on Bonaire that is an easy swim from shore and is one of the most colorful reefs you'll ever see. Snorkeling in Curacao is not as easy.

I'm betting the cruise lines won't be making or enforcing rules like the ones you are advocating and there will be 'that many ignorant people onboard' but we shall have to just wait and see because no one knows at this point.

Can't wait to see crew escorting thousands of people off a ship in the first port for not wearing a mask or social distancing....and I will be one of them.

You don't know that as a fact. It will be unenforceable.

We just returned from eating brunch at a local restaurant. Not ONE person wearing a mask. Every other table removed and no condiments on the table were the only things I saw different from pre-virus. Tourists are flocking in by the car and boat load. Restrictions have been lifted in most of South Carolina except for bowling alleys, movie theaters and bars and non private swimming pools. It's almost as if people are saying 'what virus?'. Very few masks being worn in the stores as well. While living on an island does eliminate a lot of the risk, I'm surprised that things have returned to pre-virus normal so quickly. I elected to stay home the last month and a half due to my age (although we did take our camping trailer to a state park in Georgia two weeks ago - the only person wearing a mask was the park ranger). My point is, I doubt that the cruise lines will be requiring any sort of mask or social distancing after cruising resumes this year. People are quickly getting back to their normal routines. Friends and relatives in Miami, Georgia and North Carolina are telling me the same sort of things are happening there. I think the mob media is having a field day making people paranoid. Not that we should let our guard down but the hysteria seems to be centered more in the urban cities of the northeast. Even in Seattle where my mom lives in an assisted living facility, things are starting to relax. These are just my observations. I have no second thoughts at all about cruising in November, as long as we can get to the port (we have to fly) and the ports of call are opened to tourists. Too early to tell.

I was at a popular chain store today, then the grocery store and at a restaurant (inside eating now allowed) and hardly anyone was wearing masks. The cashiers, the wait staff and a few senior shoppers (me included) were the only ones wearing masks. There will be no mask requirement when cruising resumes nor will there be social distancing (thank goodness!).

You are kidding, right? The people on these forums are what they depend on? Hardly. 99% of cruisers have never heard of Cruise Critic let alone the cruise lines depending on what is said on these boards. I just got back from shopping at (groan) WM. Hardly anyone wearing masks except for a few seniors (including me) and the check out clerks. Hoards of tourists stocking up on their beach supplies. Plenty of supplies (yes, lots of toilet paper). Even at the grocery store, the only ones wearing masks were a few seniors and the stocking clerks (they installed plexiglass at the check out counters so the checkers don't have to wear a mask). I'm starting to think this mask thing is wearing off rather quickly. My opinion is that no one will be wearing a mask on a cruise ship when they begin sailing again, except a few seniors and maybe some crew. The cruise industry is like all the industries - it will take a while to recover but they will recover. I'm starting to think the politicians, health officials and mob media are afraid of losing their power grab.

Good luck with that!

Exactly! Seems most people go cruising so they can indulge in the things they wouldn't do at home. Buffets are very popular (except to the super elite who wouldn't be caught dead eating anywhere but their specialty restaurants) and regardless of how food will be served, they will still be there in some form. If someone is concerned about food waste on a ship, maybe they shouldn't be on a ship. What about all the alcohol that is served? Do they think that should be limited? Seems there are a lot of armchair quarterbacks on these boards.

My thoughts exactly! If I'm have to wear one in November as a requirement of cruising, I think I'll take NCL up on their 48 hour cancellation offer. The paranoia about wearing masks, a possible vaccine and social distancing may make a lot of people stay home. Just as well.

Hey! No political posts! See that green band across the top of the page?

LOL! That's to prevent inhaling all that Covid19 that is being sucked in thru their car's air vents. Heh, heh, not much makes sense any more.

Not to worry. NCL will survive. We're going on our November cruise and I sure hope there's still a buffet onboard. A lot of posters on Cruise Critic seem to enjoy making people paranoid.