New masking policies on HAL ships.

[albingirl]

1 hour ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

Where can you smoke in a restaurant anymore?  I for sure don't want to do there.

Some outside dining, like bar and grilles, in Florida.  It's disgusting. Maybe it's over now, I don't know.  I don't go to those places anymore because I hate the smoking. But, a couple years ago, it was going on.

[albingirl]

3 hours ago, Laminator said:

This all boils down to what people will determine to be an acceptable risk. Every time we get behind the wheel of a car we take a risk. Everyone's comfort level is different. For those that are overly concerned about catching covid you should probably hold off on cruising for a while. I returned to the US on Tuesday from my Rotterdam cruise last Sunday. I tested positive Wednesday. The only symptom I had was that I was tired. That could have also been due to jet lag. No sneezing, coughing, sore throat or fever. 

I knew prior to embarking that there would be no mask mandate on the cruise. That was a risk I was willing to take. 

Hope you continue to do ok....best wishes.

[Marla07860]

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.  

Sorry for your loss

[fatcat04]

1 hour ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

Where can you smoke in a restaurant anymore?  I for sure don't want to do there.

It was outdoors on St Martin (we only ate outside while on vacation) but sadly still close enough for it to be quite nasty and smoking is very common outdoors in French territories. We had smelled it a couple other times while on island but it was only a faint wiff. This couple sat near to us and she smoked the whole time as they were just having drinks. I would have moved but our food was on the way and there weren't many free spots. I wish the breeze had been blowing the other direction.  

Edited June 17, 2022 by fatcat04

[Petronillus]

We are booked on a cruisetour starting in Fairbanks on August 10, with the Noordam out of Whittier and arriving at Vancouver 7 days later.

We just received this follow-up missive from HAL:

 

Plainly, HAL has received a lot of blowback and is backpedaling. 

 

[ewildcat7]

2 minutes ago, Petronillus said:

Plainly, HAL has received a lot of blowback and is backpedaling. 

I still think that somehow Canada has something to do with it.  I can't think of any other explanation as to why the one-way cruises (into or out of Vancouver) require masks but the roundtrips (out of Seattle) do not.  I don't know what Canada has to do with it, but it is very odd.

[rodndonna]

13 minutes ago, ewildcat7 said:

I still think that somehow Canada has something to do with it.  I can't think of any other explanation as to why the one-way cruises (into or out of Vancouver) require masks but the roundtrips (out of Seattle) do not.  I don't know what Canada has to do with it, but it is very odd.

 

I don't think Canada has anything to do with it. Just off roundtrip Alaska from Vancouver and was a 'recommendation' not a requirement. Maybe the difference in ports.

 

I think if the requirement was Canada they would just state that. They state rising cases in Alaska, so I would go with that as the reason and then possibly port specific. It states "that begin or end in Whittier" so I tend to beleive that was the deciding factor and rise in cases in Whittier

 

 

Edited June 19, 2022 by rodndonna

[*Miss G*]

Sounds like a problem with Whittier and/or the ships traveling to and from there.  Masks become a requirement when the caseload reaches a certain tipping point.

[ewildcat7]

2 minutes ago, rodndonna said:

Just off roundtrip Alaska from Vancouver and was a 'recommendation' not a requirement.

This makes it even more confusing - why are masks ONLY required on the one-way cruises?  What is different about those?  I am not arguing, just trying to understand.

[rodndonna]

Just now, ewildcat7 said:

This makes it even more confusing - why are masks ONLY required on the one-way cruises?  What is different about those?  I am not arguing, just trying to understand.

 

We didn't visit Whittier

[ewildcat7]

ok, so here is what I have gathered so far:

 - masks are required on one-way cruises between Whittier and Vancouver

 - masks are not required on roundtrips that leave from and return to Seattle

 - masks are not required on roundtrips that leave from and return to Vancouver

 

does anybody see a pattern that I am missing?  Is Whittier the factor?  It doesn't make sense that simply an uptick in cases in Alaska is the issue because don't the roundtrips stop at the same ports as the one-ways?

[*Miss G*]

17 minutes ago, *Miss G* said:

Sounds like a problem with Whittier and/or the ships traveling to and from there.  Masks become a requirement when the caseload reaches a certain tipping point.

 

👆

 

10 minutes ago, ewildcat7 said:

ok, so here is what I have gathered so far:

 - masks are required on one-way cruises between Whittier and Vancouver

 - masks are not required on roundtrips that leave from and return to Seattle

 - masks are not required on roundtrips that leave from and return to Vancouver

 

does anybody see a pattern that I am missing?  Is Whittier the factor?  It doesn't make sense that simply an uptick in cases in Alaska is the issue because don't the roundtrips stop at the same ports as the one-ways?

 

[Crew News]

17 minutes ago, ewildcat7 said:

ok, so here is what I have gathered so far:

 - masks are required on one-way cruises between Whittier and Vancouver

 - masks are not required on roundtrips that leave from and return to Seattle

 - masks are not required on roundtrips that leave from and return to Vancouver

 

does anybody see a pattern that I am missing?  Is Whittier the factor?  It doesn't make sense that simply an uptick in cases in Alaska is the issue because don't the roundtrips stop at the same ports as the one-ways?

Your third statement is incorrect.  My roundtrip from Vancouver to Alaska in September requires masking per the email I received last week from HAL. 

[Mary229]

51 minutes ago, Crew News said:

Your third statement is incorrect.  My roundtrip from Vancouver to Alaska in September requires masking per the email I received last week from HAL. 

I am surprised you received an email now.  September is a long way off.  I have two cruises prior to then and have received no notices 

Edited June 19, 2022 by Mary229

[Guest ldtr]

2 hours ago, ewildcat7 said:

This makes it even more confusing - why are masks ONLY required on the one-way cruises?  What is different about those?  I am not arguing, just trying to understand.

The one way cruises link up with land tours. There seem to be reports of a number of cases being found during testing before (disemarking the ship) and after the land tours (prior to boarding).

[ewildcat7]

13 minutes ago, ldtr said:

The one way cruises link up with land tours. There seem to be reports of a number of cases being found during testing before (disemarking the ship) and after the land tours (prior to boarding).

I know that they are testing the people who have completed the land portion first before they get on the ship to cruise south.  Are they also testing people who go north when the cruise ends before they start the land portion?

[RSWBADGER]

14 minutes ago, ldtr said:

The one way cruises link up with land tours. There seem to be reports of a number of cases being found during testing before (disemarking the ship) and after the land tours (prior to boarding).

Yes, received this for our July 10th sailing on the Noordam from Vancouver to Whittier.

 

IMPORTANT NOTIFICATION We wish to advise you of an update to our onboard mask policy for your voyage. Out of an abundance of caution due to the rise in positive COVID-19 cases throughout Alaska, all guests will be required to wear face masks at all times while indoors on board during your cruise, except when eating or drinking or in their own staterooms. Masks are highly recommended while outdoors in large gatherings or if physical distancing cannot be maintained. We also strongly recommend wearing masks while ashore, particularly when indoors, on public transportation or in crowded areas. Masks are also required on all cruise linesponsored transportation, such as motorcoaches and rail. Guests who do not comply with this mandate may not be permitted to board the ship or may be disembarked. We appreciate your cooperation and look forward to exploring Alaska with you.

[ewildcat7]

9 minutes ago, RSWBADGER said:

IMPORTANT NOTIFICATION We wish to advise you of an update to our onboard mask policy for your voyage. Out of an abundance of caution due to the rise in positive COVID-19 cases throughout Alaska, all guests will be required to wear face masks at all times while indoors on board during your cruise, except when eating or drinking or in their own staterooms. Masks are highly recommended while outdoors in large gatherings or if physical distancing cannot be maintained. We also strongly recommend wearing masks while ashore, particularly when indoors, on public transportation or in crowded areas. Masks are also required on all cruise linesponsored transportation, such as motorcoaches and rail. Guests who do not comply with this mandate may not be permitted to board the ship or may be disembarked. We appreciate your cooperation and look forward to exploring Alaska with you.

 

We got the above email on 11 June for our 17 July cruise.  Interestingly, we have NOT received the backpedaling message posted above by Petronillus.....

[PSR]

2 hours ago, Crew News said:

Your third statement is incorrect.  My roundtrip from Vancouver to Alaska in September requires masking per the email I received last week from HAL. 

 

Hi Roger, Sorry to interrupt this thread, but I thought you had to cancel your September Alaska cruise?

[Freckles1983]

Just flew into Canada (Yukon) from Fairbanks and two groups tested last night.  Our group started with 36 people and we lost between 8-10 people.  The second group had 32 people and they lost 29 people.  

[RSWBADGER]

3 minutes ago, ewildcat7 said:

 

We got the above email on 11 June for our 17 July cruise.  Interestingly, we have NOT received the backpedaling message posted above by Petronillus.....

I would like to see the date on that letter, the letter that I posted was also June 11th. We go on to Denali from Whittier.

[ewildcat7]

6 minutes ago, Freckles1983 said:

Just flew into Canada (Yukon) from Fairbanks and two groups tested last night.  Our group started with 36 people and we lost between 8-10 people.  The second group had 32 people and they lost 29 people.  

 

where are those who tested positive being quarantined?  

[PSR]

11 minutes ago, ewildcat7 said:

 

We got the above email on 11 June for our 17 July cruise.  Interestingly, we have NOT received the backpedaling message posted above by Petronillus.....

 

We got both; the second one a few days ago (June 17th) for our September 14-day cruise. We do not go to Whittier. Now I'm really confused!! 

Edited June 19, 2022 by PSR

[ewildcat7]

13 minutes ago, RSWBADGER said:

We go on to Denali from Whittier.

We are on the same itinerary (but a week later) - cruise from Vancouver to Whittier and then on to Denali for 3 nights and finishing in Anchorage.  But we are on the Nieuw Amsterdam.

Edited June 19, 2022 by ewildcat7

[Freckles1983]

Just now, ewildcat7 said:

 

where are those who tested positive being quarantined?  

We have no idea because they just weren’t in the lobby this morning to go to the airport.  Our tour director who has been awesome btw, said that once you test positive the company (Beacon I think it was called)  took over and it was out of HALs hands.  I’m really curious what happened to all those guests though and how they will get home.  
 

one odd thing I will mention was that yesterday morning we did the riverboat tour and gold dredge which was included in our vacation when we booked it.  Well after the boat ride they had a lunch that was included that was served family style at long bench/picnic style seating.  Literally crammed in there side by side like prisoners in a mess hall.  I sat down and kept my mask on and didn’t eat at all cause it seemed like a recipe for disaster.  I made a comment that I thought it was gross and my husband shhhd me but how do you stuff ppl in like that?!  Well 7 of the people directly surrounding us were not with us this morning so I wouldn’t be surprised if more people turn up sick in the following days (myself and husband included).  
 

anyway just seemed irresponsible to feed a group like that but I’m a germaphobe so you can take my opinion as you like.  I personally found it a bad idea. 
 

I’ll post more info as I get it