Onboard Experience with COVID Protocols?

[toolworker]

We need to decide whether to keep a Columbia River booking in July, and are concerned about the shipboard experience with COVID protocols.

 

Will we be able to converse and dine with other passengers that we don't know?

 

Do passengers observe masking and distancing? Does the crew enforce it?

 

How much do the protocols impact the cruise experience?

[MSEm]

We will be on the ACL Alaskan Cruise beginning Jun 14.  I will try to post while on the ship.

CDC has been issuing guidelines that relax the protocols for fully vaccinated cruise guest.

Hopefully ACL will adapt the new
CDC guidelines.

[lesliedrew]

I just returned from seven days on the Constellation on Puget Sound in Washington.  It was the "maiden" voyage since Covid with 73 passengers on a ship with 175 capacity.  First let me say that everyone seemed happy and satisfied with the trip.  While we were all aware of Covid and it did impact the experience, it was still a good cruise.

 

The rules were no masks needed on deck.  Masks required indoors except when eating or drinking.  So, one should wear a mask to the lounge at cocktail time, remove the mask while drinking, mask up for the walk to the dining room, remove mask for eating, etc!  Most people generally followed those rules though compliance tapered off as the days went by.  There was no enforcement by crew.  The lounges and dining room had big signs saying to observe 6 foot distancing ... but chairs were lined up next to each other and people were sitting shoulder to shoulder.  You could eat anywhere, dine with anyone.  

 

All passengers were vaccinated so didn't seem very worried and were just happy to be traveling again.  It was my first ACL trip and I will make some further comments later.  Happy to answer questions.

 

[Ray in NH]

2 hours ago, lesliedrew said:

I just returned from seven days on the Constellation on Puget Sound in Washington.  It was the "maiden" voyage since Covid with 73 passengers on a ship with 175 capacity.  First let me say that everyone seemed happy and satisfied with the trip.  While we were all aware of Covid and it did impact the experience, it was still a good cruise.

 

The rules were no masks needed on deck.  Masks required indoors except when eating or drinking.  So, one should wear a mask to the lounge at cocktail time, remove the mask while drinking, mask up for the walk to the dining room, remove mask for eating, etc!  Most people generally followed those rules though compliance tapered off as the days went by.  There was no enforcement by crew.  The lounges and dining room had big signs saying to observe 6 foot distancing ... but chairs were lined up next to each other and people were sitting shoulder to shoulder.  You could eat anywhere, dine with anyone.  

 

All passengers were vaccinated so didn't seem very worried and were just happy to be traveling again.  It was my first ACL trip and I will make some further comments later.  Happy to answer questions.

 

Lesliedrew,

 

Thank you for the "first person" up-date.  Sounds reasonable to us.

We are really looking forward to our Ohio River Cruise this September.  Hopefully, things will be even more "settled" by then.

 

NRayH

[toolworker]

4 hours ago, lesliedrew said:

All passengers were vaccinated so didn't seem very worried and were just happy to be traveling again.

 

Thanks so much for your report!

 

How did you know that all passengers were vaccinated? Was it a requirement? Did ACL check?

 

Current policy - unlike most other lines - is to allow unvaccinated passengers who test negative. NCL told my TA that all of the crew are vaccinated on cruises departing from Oregon and Washington.

[toolworker]

Actually I can now answer that myself, following a nice chat with an agent at ACL.

 

They require pax to be vaccinated when required by the state, which is the case in Washington (Puget Sound) and Alaska but not in Oregon (Columbia River) and I believe on the Mississippi.

 

She said all crew are vaccinated on all their ships, and most pax on the Columbia River are vaccinated.

[twototravel]

My friend was supposed to take a Puget Sound cruise (not sure which one) next month but when she called with a question, was told that her cruising date had been cancelled. She's not happy because ACL didn't contact her first, so will probably ask for a refund.

[Loveh2ofl]

Currently on Queen of the Mississippi with cruise ending on 6/5.  While crew is masked and technically we're supposed to be wearing, 95% of passengers are not masked from day 1.  We were all tested prior to boarding.  On shore same.  Only had to wear mask once in a museum today.  Have been in TN, MS and LA.