Sky Princess implements new mask wearing rule … sip and cover!

[antsp]

On 10/19/2021 at 1:02 PM, hunt182644 said:

Next thing coming will probably be is bite and mask. 😉☹️

Actually, if it’s a Princess Steak it will be. Chew and mask 

[billco]

1 hour ago, wrongwaywatson said:

I think that the Sip & Cover rule is stupid.  Like others have said, it will probably spread more germs than not wearing a mask.  Touching your mask contaminates it and then you are spreading your germs to everything you touch after that.  Multiply that by how many times you take a sip and think about all of those germs.  

I would gladly sail with no masks on a 100% vaccinated & negative test required cruise.  Will it ruin my cruise?  No, I don't think so.  But I will avoid areas that I am required to wear it and I will try to have the best time that I can, because I love cruising.  

I don’t care if Sip and Cover is stupid or not. I wore an N95 mask on my flight from Seattle to London Wednesday for my cruise today on the Regal Princess. I practiced Sip and Cover on the flight. With the N95 mask I did not find it difficult or that inconvenient. I will not curtail any of my activities on the ship and will follow Sip and Cover where requested whether anyone else is following it or not. 

[milolii]

48 minutes ago, billco said:

I don’t care if Sip and Cover is stupid or not. I wore an N95 mask on my flight from Seattle to London Wednesday for my cruise today on the Regal Princess. I practiced Sip and Cover on the flight. With the N95 mask I did not find it difficult or that inconvenient. I will not curtail any of my activities on the ship and will follow Sip and Cover where requested whether anyone else is following it or not. 

 

 Wow,  that’s a long flight!  We’ve worn our mask on several long flights and connections this year.  No real problems.  Happy to take it off when we can, though.  CoVID-19 is an airborne transmitted disease, so touching the mask is not really an issue.  Breathing it in is.  

The last 2 flights we were on, we saw several masks making fashion statements .  Ok, cool, but we wear the N95s.  Easy to get now.  
 

Just curious, are surgical (or higher grade) masks required on European flights?  I read about that earlier this summer.  

 

1 hour ago, antsp said:

Actually, if it’s a Princess Steak it will be. Chew and mask 

LOL  

 

My guess is the Sky has some positive cases. 

[Ladyshopper23]

16 hours ago, wowzz said:

Currently on Sky, and sip and cover does not seem to be in place. Mind you, I haven't been to every bar yet !

It's definitely in place in the theatre, and in Princess Live. Up on the screens and regular announcements. In Princess Live, when staff are doing trivia etc, they are also making announcements and reminding people that the policy is sip and cover throughout the ship.

 

This didn't seem to be happening in the piazza yesterday (not been there today), but I suspect bar staff are too overrun to be constantly telling people.

[wrongwaywatson]

6 hours ago, billco said:

I don’t care if Sip and Cover is stupid or not. I wore an N95 mask on my flight from Seattle to London Wednesday for my cruise today on the Regal Princess. I practiced Sip and Cover on the flight. With the N95 mask I did not find it difficult or that inconvenient. I will not curtail any of my activities on the ship and will follow Sip and Cover where requested whether anyone else is following it or not. 

I didn't say I wouldn't follow it, I said that I would avoid spending time in areas that it was required.   And, Covid is not the only germ around.  When you constantly touch your mask, you are getting germs on it and moving those germs to the places you touch.  It is unsanitary.

[wowzz]

1 hour ago, Ladyshopper23 said:

they are also making announcements and reminding people that the policy is sip and cover throughout the ship.

Haven't heard any announcements to that effect, although we have not been out and about that much, but from what I have seen, it certainly isn't being followed by the vast majority.

[Ladyshopper23]

19 minutes ago, wowzz said:

Haven't heard any announcements to that effect, although we have not been out and about that much, but from what I have seen, it certainly isn't being followed by the vast majority.

I guess in places where there aren't actual activities going on they are relying on people following the guidelines in the letter left in cabins.

 

We've spent a lot of time in Princess Live, every time there is trivia or a gameshow on the staff are reminding people it's sip and cover.

 

Walking through other areas we've noticed a lot of people sticking to it.

[wowzz]

13 minutes ago, Ladyshopper23 said:

I guess in places where there aren't actual activities going on they are relying on people following the guidelines in the letter left in cabins.

 

We've spent a lot of time in Princess Live, every time there is trivia or a gameshow on the staff are reminding people it's sip and cover.

 

Walking through other areas we've noticed a lot of people sticking to it.

We have not received any letter. Are you actually on board now ?

[Steelers36]

On 10/22/2021 at 2:20 AM, caribill said:

 

You are missing the main reason to wear a mask. It is not to protect you (although it can help), it is to protect others in case you have Covid-19, are infectious, and do not know it.

 

So having it on when walking to your table can help protect those you walk by.

 

You might not know it because:

a) You had it when boarding, but not enough yet to be detected by the required test.

b) You caught it on board or at a port stop and it has not developed to the point you have symptoms or you are asymptomatic but still contagious.

 

I just do not agree.  Casual passing by someone for moments would be an infinitesimal chance of anything happening.  The mask does not prevent particle escape either.  Does it do better than nothing?  I suppose, but the chances of anything going on among fully-vaccinated people in casual passing while walking in a hallway or to a table is far less than being in close proximity for a period of time (as in sharing a table). 

 

[PrincessLuver]

It could be that since the Sky is in the UK the passengers may have a much more lax or anti attitude towards Covid protocols.  

 

Even though the UK had "Freedom Day" from many Covid protocols in June.....their cases have continued to soar (50,000 a day) and helped to spread the Covid Delta variant and the new Delta Plus.

 

If passengers do not want to follow Princess' guidelines on the Sky then maybe it may not be sailing in the future as Covid makes its' comeback in the UK in a big way....

 

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/new-variant-no-masks-driving-uks-latest-covid-surge-rcna3392

Edited October 23, 2021 by PrincessLuver

[Steelers36]

On 10/22/2021 at 8:34 AM, PrincessLuver said:

 

To you it is a bogus rule but the airlines and variety of other businesses require it.......your cruise is not until next AUGUST 2022 and you already are this worked up over a little old mask rule?  Wow!!!

Good point.  They are projecting here in Ontario that all mask mandates will be lifted by end of next March and Ontario has been one of the most conservative jurisdictions in N.A. for mask mandates, school closures, business shutdowns, etc.  So, if we are done with all mandates by end of Winter, then I am not too worried about Fall 2022 being back to normal.

 

[Ladyshopper23]

18 minutes ago, wowzz said:

We have not received any letter. Are you actually on board now ?

Yes I am! Balcony cabin, letter was here along with the other paperwork when we boarded yesterday.

 

There are also signs up I've noticed, although easy not to see them as they're not really in your face.

 

Today for example we went to the trivia this morning in Princess Live where there was an automated announcement before it started, then staff announced it.

 

Game show at 2 in the same place, staff mentioned it several times.

 

Goofy golf in the crown grill - it wasn't announced but everyone had masks on.

 

Last night in the theatre there were several announcements in the theatre before the comedian started.

 

However, as I said before, when there isn't something on and it's just bar staff, they don't seem to be telling people (probably because they're too busy/don't want the abuse).

[Ladyshopper23]

[wowzz]

2 minutes ago, Ladyshopper23 said:

Yes I am! Balcony cabin, letter was here along with the other paperwork when we boarded yesterday.

 

There are also signs up I've noticed, although easy not to see them as they're not really in your face.

 

Today for example we went to the trivia this morning in Princess Live where there was an automated announcement before it started, then staff announced it.

 

Game show at 2 in the same place, staff mentioned it several times.

 

Goofy golf in the crown grill - it wasn't announced but everyone had masks on.

 

Last night in the theatre there were several announcements in the theatre before the comedian started.

 

However, as I said before, when there isn't something on and it's just bar staff, they don't seem to be telling people (probably because they're too busy/don't want the abuse).

The letter we have just states that masks must be worn except when eating and drinking, nothing about sip and cover. I know masks are required in the theatre, but as we don't do trivia games, we will just carry on not wearing masks when sitting in bars, as per the official letter.

As I have written early - we are sharing a table tonight with strangers in the MDR. No mask needed. Why should I wear a mask sitting at a table in a bar with just my wife ?

[Ladyshopper23]

4 minutes ago, wowzz said:

The letter we have just states that masks must be worn except when eating and drinking, nothing about sip and cover. I know masks are required in the theatre, but as we don't do trivia games, we will just carry on not wearing masks when sitting in bars, as per the official letter.

As I have written early - we are sharing a table tonight with strangers in the MDR. No mask needed. Why should I wear a mask sitting at a table in a bar with just my wife ?

I actually thought the letter specifically mentioned sip and cover but I can see it doesn't when I looked at it again to take a photo. That will teach me to skim read, so apologies for getting it wrong.

 

There are still plenty of signs around the ship though stating it's sip and cover everywhere.

 

I'm not trying to be argumentative - people are asking what the rules are and what it's like on board, so I'm just saying what we've experienced so far.

 

Regardless of whether staff are telling people or not, or whether people are sticking to it or not, the whole ship inside is supposed to be operating as sip and cover.

[bellagiio]

8 minutes ago, wowzz said:

The letter we have just states that masks must be worn except when eating and drinking, nothing about sip and cover. I know masks are required in the theatre, but as we don't do trivia games, we will just carry on not wearing masks when sitting in bars, as per the official letter.

As I have written early - we are sharing a table tonight with strangers in the MDR. No mask needed. Why should I wear a mask sitting at a table in a bar with just my wife ?

We are currently on board Sky Princess too. We have not had a sip and cover letter in our cabin..just the letter about wearing masks in indoor areas which most people seem to be doing.

In the piazza most people take their masks off when sitting waiting for drinks. This is happening in other bars We have visited too.

On top deck .although windy today , no masks required whilst outside.

We have not as yet been to a show and are not trivia participants...we prefer to be outside.

Mask wearing not a problem we are just glad to be back on board and enjoy the Princess experience.

 

[lx200gps]

3 minutes ago, Ladyshopper23 said:

I actually thought the letter specifically mentioned sip and cover but I can see it doesn't when I looked at it again to take a photo. That will teach me to skim read, so apologies for getting it wrong.

 

There are still plenty of signs around the ship though stating it's sip and cover everywhere.

 

I'm not trying to be argumentative - people are asking what the rules are and what it's like on board, so I'm just saying what we've experienced so far.

 

Regardless of whether staff are telling people or not, or whether people are sticking to it or not, the whole ship inside is supposed to be operating as sip and cover.

The very first post in this thread has a photo of a letter dated 16 October, specifically covering Voyage Y128N and it very clearly imposes the sip and cover rule

[Ladyshopper23]

38 minutes ago, lx200gps said:

The very first post in this thread has a photo of a letter dated 16 October, specifically covering Voyage Y128N and it very clearly imposes the sip and cover rule

I was probably getting it mixed up with that.

 

Also had another more general  letter left in the cabin too:

 

[wowzz]

Unless I am in a venue that specifically states that sip and cover is required, I will not be wearing a mask when drinking. The majority of venues do not have a sip and cover policy in place.

[mcrcruiser]

On 10/16/2021 at 2:50 PM, taxmantoo said:

Sip and cover between sips??? Really???  This is getting beyond ridiculous.  These are fully vaccinated cruises! 

Agree1000%

[awhcruiser]

14 hours ago, wrongwaywatson said:

I think that the Sip & Cover rule is stupid.  Like others have said, it will probably spread more germs than not wearing a mask.  Touching your mask contaminates it and then you are spreading your germs to everything you touch after that.  Multiply that by how many times you take a sip and think about all of those germs.  

I would gladly sail with no masks on a 100% vaccinated & negative test required cruise.  Will it ruin my cruise?  No, I don't think so.  But I will avoid areas that I am required to wear it and I will try to have the best time that I can, because I love cruising.  

But you wouldn't spread any germs without wearing a mask?

[Steelers36]

4 hours ago, Ladyshopper23 said:

I was probably getting it mixed up with that.

 

Also had another more general  letter left in the cabin too:

 

I could make up a piece of paper with "Expert Health Tips" as well, but unfortunately, no one seems to want to listen to any other experts other than experts that agree with the government's policy.

 

ETA:  Not intending to suggest that all items on the poster are bad ideas.

 

Edited October 23, 2021 by Steelers36

[wowzz]

Well, been around 4 or 5 venues tonight, and it seems that the pax have decided to totally ignore the sip and cover protocol. Quite right, as it is an irrational rule and unenforceable.

Having said that, lots of people dancing in a crowd with no masks on. Even I thought that was a bit silly!

[wowzz]

2 hours ago, awhcruiser said:

But you wouldn't spread any germs without wearing a mask?

According to Princess, you can only spread the virus in a number of selected bars, but not in a restaurant or other bars !

Just nincompoopery?

[Thrak]

5 minutes ago, wowzz said:

According to Princess, you can only spread the virus in a number of selected bars, but not in a restaurant or other bars !

Just nincompoopery?

 

I surely do love that word! 😜