Face masks Onboard?? Yes or No --- merged thread

[dltvermont]

14 hours ago, RogBus101 said:

Will you cruise if face mask required outside of your cabin?

 

If masks become required attire, our cruising will be over.

[sanger727]

I am not opposed to wearing a mask. To be honest, I avoid places now where people aren't wearing masks so I would be more likely to cruise if they were required. I continue to see posts from people who seem to misunderstand the purpose of the mask. It's not "if you touch the outside of the mask, now the germs are on your hands". It's if we all wear our masks, I keep my germs to myself and you keep your germs to yourself. It only works if EVERYONE wears one. Assume you are infected, therefore assume your mask is infected and proceed accordingly. Your mask is already infected so touching it is not a huge deal as long as you sanitize or wash your hands before touching other objects. 

 

I really truly believe that the 180 with the mask wearing was a function of 2 things. 1, not realize initially of the extend and number of asymptomatic carriers and 2, the realization that while avoiding close contact with other people is the gold standard of social distancing, it's unrealistic in the long term and things need to open back up.

[geckoaz]

I should have seen it coming. The trikini with matching mask. Otherwise i am speechless.

[ObstructedView2]

What if gloves are required as well? 

 

 

😷 

[coevan]

15 hours ago, Castaway Cowgirl said:

We have not worn one yet and will not go anywhere that tries to require us to wear a mask.

 

 

guess you're not flying anywhere anytime soon. Hope you don't have any relatives in the hospital or god forbid you need to go to a doctor or hospital. BTW, our gyms in Colorado require you wear a mask, not optional.

[FreudianSlipper]

I used to laugh (silently and politely) at Asian tourists I would see wearing the blue medical masks on airplanes or in tourist areas. Not anymore. If I decide to book another cruise I will probably wear a mask on my flights, during embarking and debarking, as well as when I am just going place to place on the ship (my room to the serenity deck, for example). I don't see myself cruising until there is a vaccine but I won't hesitate to use a mask and certainly won't think twice if the people around me are wearing one. 

[TooManyWakeUpsTilWeSail]

13 minutes ago, FreudianSlipper said:

I used to laugh (silently and politely) at Asian tourists I would see wearing the blue medical masks on airplanes or in tourist areas. Not anymore. If I decide to book another cruise I will probably wear a mask on my flights, during embarking and debarking, as well as when I am just going place to place on the ship (my room to the serenity deck, for example). I don't see myself cruising until there is a vaccine but I won't hesitate to use a mask and certainly won't think twice if the people around me are wearing one. 

I don’t question you & maybe that’s the way things roll now.  I MIGHT cruise on my Oct-20

schedule & WOULD wear a mask where feasible.  I MAY continue despite ridiculous rhetoric from people who say things are normal now and others who say NO WAY.  I don’t try to sway anyone. 

 

Edited May 18, 2020 by TooManyWakeUpsTilWeSail

[mouche]

No problem with wearing a face mask, but it's a no for me when it comes to wearing one on a cruise, that would not be a fun vacay to me and Lord knows I love to cruise.

[skridge]

4 hours ago, mouche said:

No problem with wearing a face mask, but it's a no for me when it comes to wearing one on a cruise, that would not be a fun vacay to me and Lord knows I love to cruise.

I am with you.  If I think a mask is necessary, I am not getting on a ship.  I love cruising.  I don't love it enough to cruise during a pandemic.

[skridge]

19 hours ago, Organized Chaos said:

Someone said, if it's not safe to cruise without a mask, it's not safe to cruise at all. That notion is false, or shaky logic at best, with no real factual truth behind it. As it stands now, there's still no concrete evidence that all of the mask wearing is effective against COVID-19. There's just not enough data to definitively say it's the way to go. The only thing we know is that no one knows for sure. I agree with Butterbean in that it's to make people feel safe. Let's not forget that for weeks, all of the experts (Fauci, Birx, the Surgeon General, the CDC, etc.) all discouraged the use of masks, except for healthcare professionals. Many in the media, and their parade of "experts," said the same thing. Now they've all done a 180. There are many doctors who still discourage their use to this day, as has already been talked about. Homemade masks made from cotton only block 2% of the airflow, meaning 98% of airflow can pass through those masks. That means a large percentage of respiratory exhalations can pass through them, to include the possibility of it being laden with the virus. It's also said that those "surgical" masks, the (baby blue) ones we see everyone wearing, aren't very effective for the general public either. They're often loose fitting and allow a lot of air to get passed. And now new studies are showing that it can be contracted through the eyes. So what's next, goggles?

I think people are just trying not to spread the disease that has killed 90,000 people in the US in the last three months.  

[beachbum53]

Our next cruise isn't until November 2021. I feel pretty confident that wearing masks will no longer be a requirement for everyone by then, with possibly the exception of nursing homes and certain areas in hospitals. 

[geckoaz]

Please remember forum rules. No politics. No name calling. There right at the top of forums.  

[Cafedumonde]

16 hours ago, sanger727 said:

I am not opposed to wearing a mask. To be honest, I avoid places now where people aren't wearing masks so I would be more likely to cruise if they were required. I continue to see posts from people who seem to misunderstand the purpose of the mask. It's not "if you touch the outside of the mask, now the germs are on your hands". It's if we all wear our masks, I keep my germs to myself and you keep your germs to yourself. It only works if EVERYONE wears one. Assume you are infected, therefore assume your mask is infected and proceed accordingly. Your mask is already infected so touching it is not a huge deal as long as you sanitize or wash your hands before touching other objects. 

 

I really truly believe that the 180 with the mask wearing was a function of 2 things. 1, not realize initially of the extend and number of asymptomatic carriers and 2, the realization that while avoiding close contact with other people is the gold standard of social distancing, it's unrealistic in the long term and things need to open back up.

Just to clarify... do you agree that a mask will prevent my germs from getting out and exposing others? That I (for example) should wear a mask so that my germs do not get out?  If germs cannot get out through my mask, then germs also cannot get in, correct?  And if germs cannot get in, why do I care if others are wearing masks?  I am wondering because I have heard the argument that everyone has to wear masks a few times and it doesn’t make sense to me.  If the mask stops germs from getting in or out, I should be fine wearing a mask and not worrying if others are wearing them.  Let those other people catch it if they are so careless.  If I am wearing a mask, I should be fine.  

[knight2096]

I say no on the mask.

[geckoaz]

Not a mod. Just a concerned chatter who loves these forums and cruising. Hope to meet you zll on a ship. I will buy you a drink. I have lots of obc.

 

[TNcruising02]

7 hours ago, Cafedumonde said:

Just to clarify... do you agree that a mask will prevent my germs from getting out and exposing others? That I (for example) should wear a mask so that my germs do not get out?  If germs cannot get out through my mask, then germs also cannot get in, correct?  And if germs cannot get in, why do I care if others are wearing masks?  I am wondering because I have heard the argument that everyone has to wear masks a few times and it doesn’t make sense to me.  If the mask stops germs from getting in or out, I should be fine wearing a mask and not worrying if others are wearing them.  Let those other people catch it if they are so careless.  If I am wearing a mask, I should be fine.  

Different masks offer different protection.  It's been reported that cloth masks and regular disposable masks will help prevent the spread of the virus if an infected person is wearing one.  If the infected person coughs or sneezes, the mask that person is wearing should help keep some of their germs inside of the mask.  Those masks will not prevent the person wearing them from getting the virus because the virus can go through the mask. It can only help keep some of their germs from coughing or sneezing inside the mask.

The N95 masks should prevent the person wearing them from getting the virus.  If the N95 mask has an opening in front, it should still prevent the person wearing it from getting the virus, but the person wearing it could still give the virus to others.  So, the ones with the opening on the front should also be worn with some type of other mask over it.

Anyway, I won't cruise if masks are required on board.  I can wait.

I agree to the no political posts.  It ruins threads when people make insults, condescending comments, and name calling using politics.  I wish there was a political section where people who want to talk about politics can go and post.

 

Edited May 19, 2020 by TNcruising02

[Chief93]

I thought I might provide some helpful facts in regards to masks, so we can all make an informed decision when it comes to their use.  Just for a little background, I have 30 years of experience in a leadership role in public safety.

 

The cloth masks we are being asked to wear in public do very little to protect you.  All viruses are much too small to be filtered out.  However, they are reasonably effective at preventing the spread of the virus from the host to others.  And, as has been proven, the vast majority of hosts are asymptomatic.  Therefore, it is in the best interest of the public for masks to be used in public.  There is no need to wear a mask alone in your car or when alone outside.  

 

The N95 mask does provide protection, if worn properly.  Note that the "95" in N95 means it filters 95% of virus size particulate.  So the protection is relative.  The problem is that most do not wear it properly, and even more important do not take it off correctly.  It is also uncomfortable, makes it difficult to breathe, etc.

 

I have seen one or two people wearing respirator masks.  Note that the cylinders attached to the filters contain the exact same material as the N95, and in the same thickness.  Other than the face shield, it does not provide greater protection.

 

Face shields are effective at keeping the virus out of your eyes only at very short range.  In my opinion, they are overkill, but if it makes someone feel secure then so be it.

 

Gloves....and this is critical.  Failure to remove gloves correctly is as bad as not wearing them.  There is a specific manner in which gloves must be removed.   The two nurses in Dallas that contracted ebola from a patient were found to have not removed their gloves correctly.  Nosocomial infections like MRSA, VRE and C. Diff. are transmitted by health care staff in the hospital secondary to ineffective hand hygiene.  Gloves can easily give you a false sense of security.

 

It is also noteworthy that the pandemic does not present the same in every location.  What is happening in NYC is not what is happening where I live.  Here, the hospitals are laying off staff as they are practically empty.  EMS has had their call volume cut in half.  So what is acceptable risk in one place may not be acceptable in another.

 

Speaking of risk, I, your humble servant, and almost four years past the day I was told I had 6 months to live.  I have referenced this is in my signature.  I would be at extreme risk if I contracted COVID.  Nevertheless, I have a cruise in October, and if the only requirement is wearing a mask in public, I will be there.  With bells on.

 

 

[Cafedumonde]

53 minutes ago, TNcruising02 said:

Different masks offer different protection.  It's been reported that cloth masks and regular disposable masks will help prevent the spread of the virus if an infected person is wearing one.  If the infected person coughs or sneezes, the mask that person is wearing should help keep some of their germs inside of the mask.  Those masks will not prevent the person wearing them from getting the virus because the virus can go through the mask. It can only help keep some of their germs from coughing or sneezing inside the mask.

The N95 masks should prevent the person wearing them from getting the virus.  If the N95 mask has an opening in front, it should still prevent the person wearing it from getting the virus, but the person wearing it could still give the virus to others.  So, the ones with the opening on the front should also be worn with some type of other mask over it.

Anyway, I won't cruise if masks are required on board.  I can wait.

I agree to the no political posts.  It ruins threads when people make insults, condescending comments, and name calling using politics.  I wish there was a political section where people who want to talk about politics can go and post.

 

I agree that the N95 mask is the one to get.  I do not think that other masks offer much, if any, protection at all.  If someone is seriously concerned about protecting themselves from the virus, they should get a serious mask for themselves instead of worrying about whether everyone else is wearing something that is akin to a bandana.  We are very respectful to others and keep distance.  If we see someone with a mask, we keep extra distance, because we know they are worried and feel for them.  But I do not understand people saying everyone needs something, anything, on their face.  There is no science in that.  No clinical trials.  It also doesn’t make rational sense.  People should take responsibility for themselves and get a proper mask to protect themselves fully if they are truly worried.

[TNcruising02]

31 minutes ago, Chief93 said:

I thought I might provide some helpful facts in regards to masks, so we can all make an informed decision when it comes to their use.  Just for a little background, I have 30 years of experience in a leadership role in public safety.

 

The cloth masks we are being asked to wear in public do very little to protect you.  All viruses are much too small to be filtered out.  However, they are reasonably effective at preventing the spread of the virus from the host to others.  And, as has been proven, the vast majority of hosts are asymptomatic.  Therefore, it is in the best interest of the public for masks to be used in public.  There is no need to wear a mask alone in your car or when alone outside.  

 

The N95 mask does provide protection, if worn properly.  Note that the "95" in N95 means it filters 95% of virus size particulate.  So the protection is relative.  The problem is that most do not wear it properly, and even more important do not take it off correctly.  It is also uncomfortable, makes it difficult to breathe, etc.

 

I have seen one or two people wearing respirator masks.  Note that the cylinders attached to the filters contain the exact same material as the N95, and in the same thickness.  Other than the face shield, it does not provide greater protection.

 

Face shields are effective at keeping the virus out of your eyes only at very short range.  In my opinion, they are overkill, but if it makes someone feel secure then so be it.

 

Gloves....and this is critical.  Failure to remove gloves correctly is as bad as not wearing them.  There is a specific manner in which gloves must be removed.   The two nurses in Dallas that contracted ebola from a patient were found to have not removed their gloves correctly.  Nosocomial infections like MRSA, VRE and C. Diff. are transmitted by health care staff in the hospital secondary to ineffective hand hygiene.  Gloves can easily give you a false sense of security.

 

It is also noteworthy that the pandemic does not present the same in every location.  What is happening in NYC is not what is happening where I live.  Here, the hospitals are laying off staff as they are practically empty.  EMS has had their call volume cut in half.  So what is acceptable risk in one place may not be acceptable in another.

 

Speaking of risk, I, your humble servant, and almost four years past the day I was told I had 6 months to live.  I have referenced this is in my signature.  I would be at extreme risk if I contracted COVID.  Nevertheless, I have a cruise in October, and if the only requirement is wearing a mask in public, I will be there.  With bells on.

 

 

What a very informative post!  Thank you so much for this information.  I wish you well and I know you cherish every day.

Edited May 19, 2020 by TNcruising02

[EscapeFromConnecticut]

29 minutes ago, Chief93 said:

I thought I might provide some helpful facts in regards to masks, so we can all make an informed decision when it comes to their use.  Just for a little background, I have 30 years of experience in a leadership role in public safety.

 

The cloth masks we are being asked to wear in public do very little to protect you.  All viruses are much too small to be filtered out.  However, they are reasonably effective at preventing the spread of the virus from the host to others.  And, as has been proven, the vast majority of hosts are asymptomatic.  Therefore, it is in the best interest of the public for masks to be used in public.  There is no need to wear a mask alone in your car or when alone outside.  

 

The N95 mask does provide protection, if worn properly.  Note that the "95" in N95 means it filters 95% of virus size particulate.  So the protection is relative.  The problem is that most do not wear it properly, and even more important do not take it off correctly.  It is also uncomfortable, makes it difficult to breathe, etc.

 

I have seen one or two people wearing respirator masks.  Note that the cylinders attached to the filters contain the exact same material as the N95, and in the same thickness.  Other than the face shield, it does not provide greater protection.

 

Face shields are effective at keeping the virus out of your eyes only at very short range.  In my opinion, they are overkill, but if it makes someone feel secure then so be it.

 

Gloves....and this is critical.  Failure to remove gloves correctly is as bad as not wearing them.  There is a specific manner in which gloves must be removed.   The two nurses in Dallas that contracted ebola from a patient were found to have not removed their gloves correctly.  Nosocomial infections like MRSA, VRE and C. Diff. are transmitted by health care staff in the hospital secondary to ineffective hand hygiene.  Gloves can easily give you a false sense of security.

 

It is also noteworthy that the pandemic does not present the same in every location.  What is happening in NYC is not what is happening where I live.  Here, the hospitals are laying off staff as they are practically empty.  EMS has had their call volume cut in half.  So what is acceptable risk in one place may not be acceptable in another.

 

Speaking of risk, I, your humble servant, and almost four years past the day I was told I had 6 months to live.  I have referenced this is in my signature.  I would be at extreme risk if I contracted COVID.  Nevertheless, I have a cruise in October, and if the only requirement is wearing a mask in public, I will be there.  With bells on.

 

 

Whenever your next cruise sails - whether it's October or later - will wish you a grand adventure. 
A salute on your informative and sensible contribution here. 
 

[bingomamma19]

I will not wear a mask on a cruise.   If its required while boarding, i suppose, but not while cruising.   You are out in the sun, you are eating and drinking, you are swimming...its just not even practical or useful.

[glrounds]

On 5/18/2020 at 5:19 AM, dltvermont said:

 

If masks become required attire, our cruising will be over.

 

DITTO !

[tlw440]

On 5/4/2020 at 11:03 AM, jimbo5544 said:

They very well may, at embarkation and possibly muster.  Airlines are doing it starting today.

If they do we won't be sailing! Cruising is something we don't have to do, we enjoy it but can live without cruising. 

[jimbo5544]

1 minute ago, tlw440 said:

If they do we won't be sailing! Cruising is something we don't have to do, we enjoy it but can live without cruising. 

We will see, everybody makes choices.

[pc_load_letter]

Not no but HELL NO