Future of cruising /elevators?/ buffets?/main diningroom?/shows?

[Diver2014]

1 minute ago, CRUISEFAN0001 said:

  The vast majority of cruisers will be inconvenienced but likely comply.

 

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

[fandash]

I think their branded masks will be for people to wear IF they want to but I don’t think they will EVER be mandatory.

RcI will

only cruise when it’s safe to do so so masks will not be required but if you want to that is fine but if you don’t want to that is also fine. I won’t be wearing a mask if I have the choice but If it did become mandatory then I will not be cruising for a while as not enjoyable experience. 

[lenquixote66]

On 5/25/2020 at 1:17 AM, mets123 said:

I grew up in Bergen county in Lyndhurst (near the Meadowlands), and now live in Rockaway, NJ.

Do you go to see the Blue Claws ?

[mets123]

Plenty of times. It's a great minor league park.

[lenquixote66]

16 minutes ago, mets123 said:

Plenty of times. It's a great minor league park.

My friends living in NJ have told me that. We have the Long Island Ducks.Parking is free and Field level box seats are very cheap

[John&LaLa]

On 5/23/2020 at 2:50 PM, LXA350 said:

You have to watch out with such statements on the forum, things that could lead to a healthier lifestyle or seing things critical are not something people like to hear here 😉

 

Now we can get to the subject scooter, yes there are people disabled and really need them to be able even to go on a cruise, however a quite high number seem to just use it as a excuse not to even walk 1 foot although they would be capable to do so,which is quite sad. Why are so many scooters in the US and in other part of the world these are almost inexistant except in old age homes for instance.

But they say it with so much less judging

[kidless]

I just don’t see masks being mandatory all over the ship. Maybe when embarking or disembarking. Alcohol sales are big profit dollars for cruise line, be a lot less drinking going on if people are forced to wear a mask.  Not to mention it’s one thing to be required to wear a mask for 30 minutes in the grocery store but to wear one all day long creates other health issues not to mention a false sense of security!  

[grandgeezer]

2 hours ago, kidless said:

I just don’t see masks being mandatory all over the ship. Maybe when embarking or disembarking. Alcohol sales are big profit dollars for cruise line, be a lot less drinking going on if people are forced to wear a mask.  Not to mention it’s one thing to be required to wear a mask for 30 minutes in the grocery store but to wear one all day long creates other health issues not to mention a false sense of security!  

It would be a sad state of affairs if the cruise line didn’t enforce mandatory mask wearing just  to increase their alcohols sales. I wouldn’t be surprised If they did though.

[PigsCanFly]

1 hour ago, grandgeezer said:

It would be a sad state of affairs if the cruise line didn’t enforce mandatory mask wearing just  to increase their alcohols sales. I wouldn’t be surprised If they did though.

I expect masks with straws will be the next revision.  Paper straws, of course.

[cruisemeister8]

Everybody is talking about buffets and elevators, et al.  But has anyone considered their cabin?  Nobody is talking about how the cruise experience would change if room stewards are not allowed to enter our rooms to clean or do nightly turn down?   This is from the American Hotel and Lodging Association.  https://www.ahla.com/sites/default/files/SafeStay_Guide.pdf

Granted, it's speaking of land hotels.  But is not the hotel operations on a ship the largest part of the guest experience? What's to say that our floating hotel will not adopt similar policies?  Contactless room service delivery in a bag outside our stateroom?  No fresh towels all week unless we request them?  What are they going to do, leave a bag of towels outside our door?  What's to stop the neighbors from taking our towels for themselves?  Or maybe there will be a daily bag of towels outside every door!  And we all have to put out a bag of dirties in exchange.  That would be a site in the room corridor!  If the room stewards can't enter, who's going to empty the trash? Bring more TP?  Make the towel animals!!!!!!    If a hotel (land or sea) becomes self-service, what's the point of vacation? Might as well be home.

 

Not to mention how many fewer room stewards would be needed on board.  With no twice-daily service, one steward could handle the contactless needs of a larger bank of cabins.  Granted, on turnaround day they'd still have to have a lot of workers for the thorough cleaning. What's to say they wouldn't bring on shoreside contractors to clean that day?  Or re-purpose other staff whose jobs aren't as pressing on turnaround day?

Reading the above noted article just opened up a lot of things to ponder about the future of the hotel experience.  

[CRUISEFAN0001]

4 hours ago, cruisemeister8 said:

Everybody is talking about buffets and elevators, et al.  But has anyone considered their cabin?  Nobody is talking about how the cruise experience would change if room stewards are not allowed to enter our rooms to clean or do nightly turn down?   

Just like land hotels...room service activities done by staff with gloves and masks mitigates risk.  It's already done at most eating establishments for similar health protection.

[livingonthebeach]

Bahamas Paradise Cruise lines just announced they are resuming sailing on July 25th (when the CDC no-sail order expires).  They cruise short 2 night itineraries from the Port of Palm Beach to the Bahamas.  Here are their new procedures, which some more than likely will be implemented by the larger cruise lines once they resume operations.  

 

No mention of masks for passengers -- just for crew members. 

 

https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/22998-bahamas-paradise-back-to-cruising-in-july-60-percent-capacity.html

 

New Procedures: 

Embarkation and disembarkation:

• All guests required to practice social distancing from valet parking to terminal check-in
• All terminal staff members will be monitored and required to wear masks and remain behind safety plexiglass for minimal contact
• Passenger luggage will be disinfected prior to onboard delivery
• Mandatory touch-free temperature checks and pre-boarding health declarations for all guests
• Extensive sanitization and disinfection processes at entry of port terminal, ships, and passenger walkway areas
• Online check-in for guests, who will receive designated arrival times at cruise terminal to streamline embarkation and minimize crowds in port

Guest accommodations:

• Sanitization of all cabins with hospital-grade disinfectants
• Fogging of vacant cabins and twice-daily wipe down of hallways
• Disinfection of guest bathrooms with heavy-duty alkaline cleaner
• Timely housekeeping cabin turnover with sheets and linens cleaned and disinfected at sterilizing temperatures

Common areas:

• All onboard public areas will undergo a two-tier sanitization process, which includes cleansing and fogging using hospital-grade disinfectant. Frequency includes elevators every two hours and public areas and facilities up to ten times per day
• Frequently touched areas, including handrails, table-tops, and door handles will be sterilized every hour
• All floors will be disinfected with a heavy-duty neutral PH floor cleaning solution
• All onboard areas will include fully stocked self-service hand sanitizer stations 

Food hygiene:

• All restaurants and bar areas will be cleaned and sanitized three times a day
• Self-service buffet stations have been suspended; all food and beverage will be served by crew members wearing face masks, hats, aprons, and gloves
• Tables and seating areas will keep guests six feet apart to facilitate social distancing
• Stringent procurement guidelines will be enforced, and products from certain regions will be prohibited 

Entertainment and recreation:

• Theatres will be thoroughly sanitized before and after each show
• Kids’ Club facilities will be cleaned twice per day
• Spa and gym areas will be sanitized before and after each use, including common areas within these facilities twice daily
• Tour buses for excursions will be reduced to 50 percent capacity, sanitized frequently, and tour operators will be trained using guidelines from the World Health Organization (WHO)
• Casino players per table will be restricted to ensure social distancing and slot machines will be positioned to separate players 

Practices and standards for crew members:

• Twice daily temperature checks
• All frontline crew are required to wear face masks, and all food service crew serving guests in the buffet are required to wear disposable hats, aprons, masks, and gloves
• Housekeeping and food and beverage crew are required to wear both disposable gloves and masks. The disposal of all gloves and masks will align with the CDC’s guidelines
• All crew will be required to use antibacterial hand soap for at least 20 seconds to sanitize hands
• All crew members are required to practice social distancing, and each crew member will be allocated their own cabin onboard the ships 

Medical center:

• Isolated wards available in the medical center for ill guests or those who are concerned that they have been exposed to COVID-19
• Contaminated items and medical waste will be properly sealed and disposed of according to the CDC’s guidelines
• Used face masks and protective equipment will be disposed of at designated central collection points
• Medical equipment and waste bins will be thoroughly cleaned, disinfected, and washed twice daily with hospital-grade disinfectants 

Fresh air ventilation system:

• Implemented a fresh air ventilation system to ensure healthy air quality in all onboard cabins and common areas
• All air filters and cooling coils will be thoroughly checked, cleaned and replaced as needed

[LXA350]

On 5/27/2020 at 2:24 AM, John&LaLa said:

But they say it with so much less judging

 

I am just straight to the point, which might not be the most diplomatic way.

On 5/27/2020 at 12:56 PM, livingonthebeach said:

Bahamas Paradise Cruise lines just announced they are resuming sailing on July 25th (when the CDC no-sail order expires).  They cruise short 2 night itineraries from the Port of Palm Beach to the Bahamas.  Here are their new procedures, which some more than likely will be implemented by the larger cruise lines once they resume operations.  

 

No mention of masks for passengers -- just for crew members. 

 

https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/22998-bahamas-paradise-back-to-cruising-in-july-60-percent-capacity.html

 

 

I guess this gives us a good guidance on what to expect when RCL will resume it's sailings.

[bouhunter]

On 5/27/2020 at 6:56 AM, livingonthebeach said:

Bahamas Paradise Cruise lines just announced they are resuming sailing on July 25th (when the CDC no-sail order expires).  They cruise short 2 night itineraries from the Port of Palm Beach to the Bahamas.  Here are their new procedures, which some more than likely will be implemented by the larger cruise lines once they resume operations.  

 

No mention of masks for passengers -- just for crew members. 

 

https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/22998-bahamas-paradise-back-to-cruising-in-july-60-percent-capacity.html

 

New Procedures: 

Embarkation and disembarkation:

• All guests required to practice social distancing from valet parking to terminal check-in
• All terminal staff members will be monitored and required to wear masks and remain behind safety plexiglass for minimal contact
• Passenger luggage will be disinfected prior to onboard delivery
• Mandatory touch-free temperature checks and pre-boarding health declarations for all guests
• Extensive sanitization and disinfection processes at entry of port terminal, ships, and passenger walkway areas
• Online check-in for guests, who will receive designated arrival times at cruise terminal to streamline embarkation and minimize crowds in port

Guest accommodations:

• Sanitization of all cabins with hospital-grade disinfectants
• Fogging of vacant cabins and twice-daily wipe down of hallways
• Disinfection of guest bathrooms with heavy-duty alkaline cleaner
• Timely housekeeping cabin turnover with sheets and linens cleaned and disinfected at sterilizing temperatures

Common areas:

• All onboard public areas will undergo a two-tier sanitization process, which includes cleansing and fogging using hospital-grade disinfectant. Frequency includes elevators every two hours and public areas and facilities up to ten times per day
• Frequently touched areas, including handrails, table-tops, and door handles will be sterilized every hour
• All floors will be disinfected with a heavy-duty neutral PH floor cleaning solution
• All onboard areas will include fully stocked self-service hand sanitizer stations 

Food hygiene:

• All restaurants and bar areas will be cleaned and sanitized three times a day
• Self-service buffet stations have been suspended; all food and beverage will be served by crew members wearing face masks, hats, aprons, and gloves
• Tables and seating areas will keep guests six feet apart to facilitate social distancing
• Stringent procurement guidelines will be enforced, and products from certain regions will be prohibited 

Entertainment and recreation:

• Theatres will be thoroughly sanitized before and after each show
• Kids’ Club facilities will be cleaned twice per day
• Spa and gym areas will be sanitized before and after each use, including common areas within these facilities twice daily
• Tour buses for excursions will be reduced to 50 percent capacity, sanitized frequently, and tour operators will be trained using guidelines from the World Health Organization (WHO)
• Casino players per table will be restricted to ensure social distancing and slot machines will be positioned to separate players 

Practices and standards for crew members:

• Twice daily temperature checks
• All frontline crew are required to wear face masks, and all food service crew serving guests in the buffet are required to wear disposable hats, aprons, masks, and gloves
• Housekeeping and food and beverage crew are required to wear both disposable gloves and masks. The disposal of all gloves and masks will align with the CDC’s guidelines
• All crew will be required to use antibacterial hand soap for at least 20 seconds to sanitize hands
• All crew members are required to practice social distancing, and each crew member will be allocated their own cabin onboard the ships 

Medical center:

• Isolated wards available in the medical center for ill guests or those who are concerned that they have been exposed to COVID-19
• Contaminated items and medical waste will be properly sealed and disposed of according to the CDC’s guidelines
• Used face masks and protective equipment will be disposed of at designated central collection points
• Medical equipment and waste bins will be thoroughly cleaned, disinfected, and washed twice daily with hospital-grade disinfectants 

Fresh air ventilation system:

• Implemented a fresh air ventilation system to ensure healthy air quality in all onboard cabins and common areas
• All air filters and cooling coils will be thoroughly checked, cleaned and replaced as needed

All that wiping down of surfaces will have will have zero affect if an actual infected person is walking around the ship breathing.  But I guess it sounds great.

Edited May 30, 2020 by bouhunter

[LXA350]

3 minutes ago, bouhunter said:

All that wiping down of surfaces will have will have zero affect if an actual infected person is walking around the ship breathing.  But I guess it sounds great.

 

This brings up again the whole point about wearing a mask. But all the other measures of hygine also help a lot already, but do not mitigate the example you mentioned of course.

[John&LaLa]

1 hour ago, LXA350 said:

I am just straight to the point, which might not be the most diplomatic way.

  On 5/27/2020 at 6

 

Some find the stereotypes insulting.

 

BTW, I'm around 6'1" 180 pounds, not 'your' typical American. But I have neuropathy and muscle atrophy in my legs. I don't do well on stairs, but I'm good for 2 flights. Easier going up than down. I'm pretty sure if you saw me in the elevator you'd just assume I'm lazy

[pcur]

On 5/24/2020 at 4:43 AM, boscobeans said:

 

I can see in the future ships built with escalators at each end and an elevator in the midships area for motorized scooters, wheelchairs and those who cannot navigate an escalator.

Escalators have no real wait time and spacing would be no problem. 

 

I've been thinking this, too.  I wish there was a cost-effective way they could do this quickly.

 

The only other way would be to replace the elevator with a single space cubicle that one person steps into, and then the whole vertical cubicle conveyor moves.  This way the existing space and mechanism can be used.  Solves the problem of people trying to squeeze into a crowded elevator.

[LXA350]

6 hours ago, John&LaLa said:

 

 

Some find the stereotypes insulting.

 

BTW, I'm around 6'1" 180 pounds, not 'your' typical American. But I have neuropathy and muscle atrophy in my legs. I don't do well on stairs, but I'm good for 2 flights. Easier going up than down. I'm pretty sure if you saw me in the elevator you'd just assume I'm lazy

 

If you would be using the elevator up or down for 1 deck then yes otherwise no. Likely I wouldn't catch you anway as I usually am on the stairs 😉

[John&LaLa]

5 hours ago, pcur said:

 

I've been thinking this, too.  I wish there was a cost-effective way they could do this quickly.

 

The only other way would be to replace the elevator with a single space cubicle that one person steps into, and then the whole vertical cubicle conveyor moves.  This way the existing space and mechanism can be used.  Solves the problem of people trying to squeeze into a crowded elevator.

 

They make escalators for shopping carts, should be able to make one for a scooter

[B-52]

On 5/22/2020 at 9:56 AM, LuCruise said:

For Elevators, you have the sanitizing but I think the issue is also many people in a small space Wonder if they will limit to one family at a time?  I'm always one that likes to take the stairs when we can....esp on a cruise with all the eating and treats...but for many it's not a choice.

 

Maybe, just a thought, they make using the stairs mandatory, and the use of elevators will be for those carrying a permit of some sort to do so based on their inability to use stairs.
This would cut the use by 1/2, perhaps, and then limiting the # of people at any one time.

[time4u2go]

12 minutes ago, B-52 said:

 

Maybe, just a thought, they make using the stairs mandatory, and the use of elevators will be for those carrying a permit of some sort to do so based on their inability to use stairs.
This would cut the use by 1/2, perhaps, and then limiting the # of people at any one time.

Not sure who would issue this permit.

[luckyinpa]

1 hour ago, B-52 said:

 

Maybe, just a thought, they make using the stairs mandatory, and the use of elevators will be for those carrying a permit of some sort to do so based on their inability to use stairs.
This would cut the use by 1/2, perhaps, and then limiting the # of people at any one time.

 

all talks of limiting elevator use are moot. it simply cannot happen on a ship. even with 'decent in shape.' people. who wants to walk from 4 up to 17 to get a snack after an excursion. you are already hot and sweaty lol. plus then you literaally would have the stairs being too crowded.  its just not gonna work and is an exercise in futility. 

 

just imagine 5K people coming back from a private island at somewhat the same time. or leaving to get there. lugging all your gear. or all the things you bought from your port. and what about people who carry on luggage. do you really really wanna have to go around a few hundred/or thousand people carrying luggage up flights of steps? 

 

with elevators its all or nothing. you can quote me when cruising resumes. anything trying to force people to use stairs wont work

[HaveWeMetYet]

Mask, social distancing, not using elevators = cruise ship line bankruptcy. it is that simple.

[mugtech]

2 hours ago, luckyinpa said:

 

all talks of limiting elevator use are moot. it simply cannot happen on a ship. even with 'decent in shape.' people. who wants to walk from 4 up to 17 to get a snack after an excursion. you are already hot and sweaty lol. plus then you literaally would have the stairs being too crowded.  its just not gonna work and is an exercise in futility. 

 

just imagine 5K people coming back from a private island at somewhat the same time. or leaving to get there. lugging all your gear. or all the things you bought from your port. and what about people who carry on luggage. do you really really wanna have to go around a few hundred/or thousand people carrying luggage up flights of steps? 

 

with elevators its all or nothing. you can quote me when cruising resumes. anything trying to force people to use stairs wont work

When we were on NCL Gem for Sandy there was 36 hours of no elevators, had to walk up 8 decks to get to the buffet, took food back for my wife.  That was October, 2012, no way I want to ever do that again.

[cruiserking]

In Thailand many office buildings have retrofitted their elevators to function via foot pedals to alleviate the spread of Covid.

 

Wonder if cruise lines could adopt this same technology.

 

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-thailand-lift-peda-idUSKBN22W294

 

Jonathan