New masking policies on HAL ships.

[ontheweb]

10 hours ago, Traveling Dot said:

I'm not threatening anyone just stating a fact.  But just carrying a bottle just so you don't have to wear a mask is pure idiocy.  My son died from covid because he didn't want to believe it was real.  

That is terrible. Sorry for your loss.

[indychillin]

21 hours ago, ldtr said:

Also note that the cancellation does no good for those on the june 26 cruises that are receiving letters now.

 

Where as the cruise contract giving the cruise line the ability to change policy clearly does.

 

As far as spiking there are usually signs that cases are increasing in a given area that would in most cases give one warning.  Cases counts start increasing about 60 days before a peak is reached.

I also received the email with mask mandate this weekend. We are booked on a 19 day HAL sea, land, sea tour on June 29th. 

 

I have been checking CovidActNow.org website for how Alaska cities on our trip are doing with Covid cases. Cases are up high in Ketchikan and Skagway especially.  Twice the number of cases in a week in each of those cities than in the whole state of Indiana right now. So it does not surprise me to see HAL put a mandate back in place. CovidActNow website is just tracking USA so I am not sure about Yukon cities on this trip, but guessing their numbers are getting high too.

 

I have been following posts of a similar trip 'Semi live review Y1L Holland America’s Alaska Land and Sea CruiseTour, June 1 – June 19, 2022' and they were 33 people in their tour group and she posted yesterday that  17 of the 33 did not get to leave Anchorage to board Nieuw Amsterdam in Whittier because their group had 12 positive cases. So, sadly,  Covid is having a big impact on travelers and locals. 

 

My impression is that many locals in Alaska and Yukon work at least 2 jobs related to the tourist industry in the summers so as they go down with Covid, so do the tours, the restaurants, and shops.  For all of us coming and going this summer, I encourage us to not be casual about it, but be cautious, wash hands often,  so we can all enjoy our trips. These areas are not like the lower 48. They have not gone through the all the cycles we have with the pandemic yet, I am guessing. 

[grammi]

2 hours ago, SargassoPirate said:

I have a slightly different view of masking mandates.  Unless the mandate requires an N95 mask it's just "theater" to make the organization and the customer feel better.

 

If I am spray painting in a spray booth, a cloth mask does not suffice and thus OSHA requires a proper mask with the proper filter cartridges.  I have to be fit tested to ensure the mask is the proper size for my face and not leaking around the edges.

 

That being said, if required to wear a mask I carry one with me   it's not an N95 but meets the mandate.  

I try to wear the KN95 masks to protect me. And it protects others. But if I don’t have a KN95 mask or K95 masks available I’ll wear the surgical masks to protect others. 

[tuolumne couple]

We received our masking notification this morning. It was sent @ 11:30pm last night for our Sept. sailing out of Vancouver. We have sailed twice this year with HAL. This upcoming trip being our third voyage. We remained healthy due to the mask policy. I would be more alarmed if a mask policy were not in effect. I will be very happy to comply. HAL provides very good masks to use. 

p.s. And on these two sailings, ironically enough, our tablemates on both cruises got Covid from not masking while ashore, and had to be quarantined. We were fine as we masked as often as we could except while in our stateroom or while at dinner. Covid is neither  new nor over. 

Edited June 13, 2022 by tuolumne couple

[Crew News]

Received HAL notice that Nieuw Amsterdam Alaska roundtrip Sep 11-25, 2022 will require masks while indoors.

[LJProk]

Plenty of people testing positive once on board which just encouraged us to mask up. Even on excursions booked through HAL they were announcing masks were needed. We took them off on the White Pass Rail (had one other couple in our car and we were in the front and they were in back). Otherwise if inside we wore them.

[jakers]

19 hours ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

Didn’t they have a policy to sip and cover? I know I had to do that on plane rides.  Some people will use any excuse.  It’s just being shady.

They did have a policy of "sip and cover" earlier in the year when I was on the Carnival Panorama. As far as I can recall, it was only enforced in the Havana Bar during Karaoke.

[BetsyS.]

On 6/12/2022 at 8:24 PM, Traveling Dot said:

I'm not threatening anyone just stating a fact.  But just carrying a bottle just so you don't have to wear a mask is pure idiocy.  My son died from covid because he didn't want to believe it was real.  

I'm very sorry for your loss.

[zgscl]

I have not gotten a notice yet for my July 9th round trip Seattle on the Eurodam, but I booked through a TA so it may still be working its way through their email boxes. 

 

This will be my 5th cruise since the restart about half of them masked and half unmasked. I enjoyed all of them and will go again either way. The big question is about enforcement. HAL enforcement onboard has been lackluster at best and non-existent at worst.  In most cases enforced by signs and an occasional PA or pre show announcement.

[VMax1700]

Just an update on what is happening on HAL in Europe.  I am currently on Oosterdam sailing Adriatic and Turkey.  Yesterday we departed Trieste and we are sailing in the direction of Greece.

Current requirements are that mask are required during embarkation/disembark and while in terminal building.

On ship masks are recommended.  Numbers wearing them are low, I would put at c25%.  Yesterday we decided to exit an elevator when 4 unmasked cruisers entered while coughing! 😱

Even worse, in my view, is that part of the Lido is self service.  Last evening I watched as the guy in front of me picked up a filled roll, inspected it, and put it back on the display. 🙄

[ski ww]

Good to hear about the mask policy. We are boarding the Oosterdam in Athens on 2 July. Looking forward to reading our post during this cruise.

[nyold]

3 hours ago, VMax1700 said:

Even worse, in my view, is that part of the Lido is self service.  Last evening I watched as the guy in front of me picked up a filled roll, inspected it, and put it back on the display. 🙄

 

That is absolutely disgusting, covid or not. What makes him think it's okay to do that? Even before covid, I had been hoping for more "served" stations in lido because of behaviors like these.

 

FWIW my MIL caught covid PROBABLY on the ship. She began showing symptoms the day after we disembarked, and testing positive 2 days after. So lucky that it wasn't earlier. She is having very mild symptoms. 

[PACD_JG]

Anybody receive an email for this summer's Koningsdam cruises?

[Florida_gal_50]

6 hours ago, nyold said:

 

That is absolutely disgusting, covid or not. What makes him think it's okay to do that? Even before covid, I had been hoping for more "served" stations in lido because of behaviors like these.

 

FWIW my MIL caught covid PROBABLY on the ship. She began showing symptoms the day after we disembarked, and testing positive 2 days after. So lucky that it wasn't earlier. She is having very mild symptoms. 

It's pretty crazy.  This was pre covid and in the mdr.  One "lady" at my table reached in the bun basket and ripped a bun in half and threw the other 1/2 back in the basket.  Who does that 🤢?

[Guest ldtr]

9 hours ago, VMax1700 said:

Just an update on what is happening on HAL in Europe.  I am currently on Oosterdam sailing Adriatic and Turkey.  Yesterday we departed Trieste and we are sailing in the direction of Greece.

Current requirements are that mask are required during embarkation/disembark and while in terminal building.

On ship masks are recommended.  Numbers wearing them are low, I would put at c25%.  Yesterday we decided to exit an elevator when 4 unmasked cruisers entered while coughing! 😱

Even worse, in my view, is that part of the Lido is self service.  Last evening I watched as the guy in front of me picked up a filled roll, inspected it, and put it back on the display. 🙄

When we have seen similar instances such as when one person put food on their plate, then changed their mind and scraped it offback into the source dish, we have notified one of the serving staff and that dish was immediately pulled from the line.

[XSquid70]

I just came off the June 4-11 Eurodam 7 day Alaska cruise. Our Captain was in quarantine onboard for the first 3 days and HAL had to assign a substitute. I also heard that the cruise Director as well has other staff have had to be quarantined on previous cruises. I like other posters have seen guests sniffing and coughing but most are avoiding Medical to avoid getting tested/quarantined. I felt safe aboard but avoided BB King and Main Stage. 

[LJProk]

11 hours ago, VMax1700 said:

Just an update on what is happening on HAL in Europe.  I am currently on Oosterdam sailing Adriatic and Turkey.  Yesterday we departed Trieste and we are sailing in the direction of Greece.

Current requirements are that mask are required during embarkation/disembark and while in terminal building.

On ship masks are recommended.  Numbers wearing them are low, I would put at c25%.  Yesterday we decided to exit an elevator when 4 unmasked cruisers entered while coughing! 😱

Even worse, in my view, is that part of the Lido is self service.  Last evening I watched as the guy in front of me picked up a filled roll, inspected it, and put it back on the display. 🙄

On Noordam last week in the lido everything was being served, other than whole fruit, cereal, and some rolls. I watched a lady reach UNDER the glass barrier grab a slice of pizza with her hands!! Made me glad I was special ordering a GF pizza that no one other than crew would touch.

[LJProk]

1 minute ago, XSquid70 said:

I just came off the June 4-11 Eurodam 7 day Alaska cruise. Our Captain was in quarantine onboard for the first 3 days and HAL had to assign a substitute. I also heard that the cruise Director as well has other staff have had to be quarantined on previous cruises. I like other posters have seen guests sniffing and coughing but most are avoiding Medical to avoid getting tested/quarantined. I felt safe aboard but avoided BB King and Main Stage. 

We just came off Noordam on June 12 also in Alaska. Masks were required on board, majority were wearing them at all times. We avoided the Rolling Stones venue, only went to the main stage when not full, and sat on the outer edge of the piano bar. What shocked me was if you tested positive your cabin mate was still allowed to roam the ship and do excursions, but they had to take all meals in their cabin.

[Kamfish642]

Does the reinstated mask policy only apply to Alaskan cruises?  On a cruise in July out of Amsterdam.

[KidCruze]

Kamfish, according to the website it only applies to cruises from Whittier, AK to Vancouver, Canada.

Edited June 15, 2022 by KidCruze

[albingirl]

Whenever you are in a crowd, it's always disgusting to watch people around food.  I've seen people talk to the staff like they don't understand English and rudely point over the plexiglass to what they want.  Rude.  Needless to say, I believe in vacinations and masks, and I don't care if the industry requires them.  This endless debate is fruitless.   They will do what they do.  For safety's sake.  You don't like it....stay home. Nobody really cares if you are put out.  We all want to stay well.

[ewildcat7]

4 hours ago, KidCruze said:

Kamfish, according to the website it only applies to cruises from Whittier, AK to Vancouver, Canada.

Can you provide the link to where you saw that it ONLY applies to the southbound cruises?  We are going from Vancouver to Whittier in July and got an email that masks are required.  This is so confusing!

[terrydtx]

On 6/14/2022 at 3:56 AM, VMax1700 said:

Even worse, in my view, is that part of the Lido is self service.  Last evening I watched as the guy in front of me picked up a filled roll, inspected it, and put it back on the display.

That is why we will not set foot in the Lido when we are on the Oosterdam in August. The Lido buffet is the last place to be with Covid still an issue. We do not dine in any land buffets for the same reasons, I haven't been in my favorite Chinese Buffet local restaurant since Covid. 

Edited June 16, 2022 by terrydtx

[KidCruze]

8 hours ago, ewildcat7 said:

Can you provide the link to where you saw that it ONLY applies to the southbound cruises?  We are going from Vancouver to Whittier in July and got an email that masks are required.  This is so confusing!

Well…my email from Sunday and the website yesterday, said cruises leaving from Whittier require masks, but now the website says “to/from Whittier or Vancouver”, so I guess they changed it.
https://www.hollandamerica.com/en_US/worry-free-promise/travel-well/frequently-asked-questions/faq-for-cruises-from-usa.html

it says updated June 15, 2022 

I spent a lot of time trying to get through to HAL yesterday. I am supposed to sail from Whittier on Sunday. They offered a refund of my cruise fare, but had not figured out if they could refund my airfare I booked through them. 

[kirtihk]

On 6/14/2022 at 4:56 AM, VMax1700 said:

Just an update on what is happening on HAL in Europe.  I am currently on Oosterdam sailing Adriatic and Turkey.  Yesterday we departed Trieste and we are sailing in the direction of Greece.

Current requirements are that mask are required during embarkation/disembark and while in terminal building.

On ship masks are recommended.  Numbers wearing them are low, I would put at c25%.  Yesterday we decided to exit an elevator when 4 unmasked cruisers entered while coughing! 😱

Even worse, in my view, is that part of the Lido is self service.  Last evening I watched as the guy in front of me picked up a filled roll, inspected it, and put it back on the display. 🙄

"unmasked cruisers entered while coughing!" - what would be (was) your reaction 2.5 years ago and more back for the same situation.  Everyone was coughing in everyone's faces all the time without hesitation, and no one (including a person being coughed at!) seemed cared.

 

"the guy in front of me picked up a filled roll, inspected it, and put it back on the display" - people act improperly with potentially horrible consequences during any time, and it is never acceptable - no difference at viewing such actions should be executed these day.

 

Edited June 16, 2022 by kirtihk