igraf

These "features" may have been deliberate. I for one would not care to hear everyone's phone notifications during meals and shows. igraf

This may change now that Canada has banned cruise ships for another year. igraf

San Diego county is doing a fine job with the vaccinations, largely limited only by supply. Vaccination sites are opening up everywhere, so you may have to look past your immediate location. igraf

My wife and I have been vaccinated against COVID with the Novavax vaccine in a Phase 3 trial. It was nothing to fear, just some side-effect discomfort for one day after the second injection. I do understand that other vaccines can have stronger side effects, but that it is still 100x better than an older person being sick with COVID. We are so happy that we signed up for the COVID vaccine trial. igraf

This article, like so many others, is badly flawed. Air pollution from a docked cruise ship can be avoided by offering electrical power from the local grid while in port. This is done in my city of San Diego, California with great results. igraf

We just need the vaccines, as then we could tolerate an isolated case on board. The isolated case would remain largely isolated if everyone was vaccinated. BTW, this was not Draconian. It was the correct response. igraf

The issue is moot if everyone is vaccinated. There will be no one to get sick. igraf

That is not a difficult requirement for a medical facility. Just google "medical freezer". I work with equipment that is cooled to less than one degree above absolute zero. -459 degrees Fahrenheit. That is difficult. igraf

Quarantines are not the answer. How well did that work for the norovirus? Not very well! Vaccines are the only realistic answer, and will become available soon. I am wondering why you did not mention vaccines as part of the strategy. igraf

"Tonnage" in this case is derived from tuns (casks) of wine. Strictly a unit of volume. Not really complicated so much as a mangled word. Should have been "tunnage". The confusion comes from the similar sounding phrase "tons of displacement". igraf

I was being facetious, but it really bothers me to see how people on this forum are so unwilling to give up the smallest personal liberties to help deal with this pandemic. Of course, when these people get infected they will go to to hospital and demand that the health workers risk their lives to help. And that will be after they spread it all over the ship. igraf

One has but just a few hours in port and you explore the alleys? igraf

Umm, "Rotterdam" is actually still under construction..... HAL has faced reality and is moving forward. Some of us are doing the same. igraf

Perhaps it is time to drop the sold ships. HAL no longer lists them on their web site under "THE EXPERIENCE/Our Ships". igraf

Everybody on the ship has to be a survivor or vaccinated. That is, everybody will have resistance to COVID. There will be no one who will get sick with COVID even if it is present. The good news is that there is a rapidly growing resistant customer base! Seriously, elderly people with no resistance to COVID should not be allowed on a cruise ship. igraf