Masks no longer required for crew members

[jettaleea]

Crew is still masked on the Westerdam 

[Fred321]

53 minutes ago, The-Inside-Cabin said:

Interesting.   They told us on NS that it was "blah blah blah official policy not to give numbers blah blah.    That was on the NS circle Iceland cruise.    We had to live off of rumors and bar staff scuttlebutt 

One of the things that can make you crazy on HAL is the lack of even simple explanations from someone in authority for what is going on. I can't remember the Captain's name on the VOV but I wasn't impressed by his attitude toward the problem of rising case numbers. Rather than require masks early on when it was becoming obvious the we had a problem he waited until the "home office" authorized it. Think that made the problem worse. Likewise he didn't remove the requirement until that was also approved by Seattle. 

 

 

[OHCruiser]

And next will come the announcements of understaffed, or even canceled, cruises....

 

I feel so sorry for the staff.  They live in cramped quarters and have thousands of interactions every day--almost impossible to avoid infection as the fall wave of vaccination & immunity-escaping variants grows.  I hope that many of them will continue to use this extra layer of protection in the face of pressure.

So sad.

[Naismith]

On 10/13/2022 at 4:45 PM, scubacruiserx2 said:

Yes. Captain said entire Fleet as of midnight tonight. They are happy that we will be able to see their smiling faces now. They will be some exceptions, but no longer required, it it up to the "Team Members".

I hope that it will truly be their choice, and that no crew member will be pressured by people complaining that they want to see their "smiling faces."

 

One interesting note is that most of the lower-ranking (cramped conditions) crew members are Indonesian and Filipino, places where it is very common to wear masks during flu season, etc.  Of course Southeast Asia suffered during the previous SARS epidemic that North America largely missed.  Having lived in Indonesia, mask wearing made sense to me, and I was bewildered at the politicization of masks.  

[Naismith]

On 10/13/2022 at 4:45 PM, scubacruiserx2 said:

Yes. Captain said entire Fleet as of midnight tonight. They are happy that we will be able to see their smiling faces now. They will be some exceptions, but no longer required, it it up to the "Team Members".

I hope that it will truly be their choice, and that no crew member will be pressured by people complaining that they want to see their "smiling faces."

 

One interesting note is that most of the lower-ranking (cramped conditions) crew members are Indonesian and Filipino, places where it is very common to wear masks during flu season, etc.  Of course Southeast Asia suffered during the previous SARS epidemic that North America largely missed.  Having lived in Indonesia, mask wearing made sense to me, and I was bewildered at the politicization of masks.  

[syesmar]

12 hours ago, Fred321 said:

Captain would come on each day at noon and give the number of new cases from the previous day.  Even someone like me can do the simple math. Really think the total of folks quarantined was near 200 at its height….

I think that’s the best policy, just be honest and give the passengers the information.

Edited October 15, 2022 by syesmar

[travelbug615]

We have been on the NS for 8 days of our 28 trip (two 14 night B2B sailings). My husband tested positive for Covid this morning and I tested negative.  I would guess less than 10 % of passengers wearing masks.  Glad for the crew to not have to wear the masks when so few of the passengers wear them.  But our friends told us the crew on NS this morning were still wearing masks.  
We are waiting to hear what they will do about quarantine for us.  Hoping we can stay in our present cabin. 
 

[FlorenceItaly]

7 minutes ago, travelbug615 said:

We have been on the NS for 8 days of our 28 trip (two 14 night B2B sailings). My husband tested positive for Covid this morning and I tested negative.  I would guess less than 10 % of passengers wearing masks.  Glad for the crew to not have to wear the masks when so few of the passengers wear them.  But our friends told us the crew on NS this morning were still wearing masks.  
We are waiting to hear what they will do about quarantine for us.  Hoping we can stay in our present cabin. 
 

I am sorry to hear this.  Best wishes to you.  I wonder if they will allow you to stay for your next scheduled sailing?   I appreciate you sharing with us as it is helpful to others.  Thank you.

[mcrcruiser]

14 hours ago, Fred321 said:

One of the things that can make you crazy on HAL is the lack of even simple explanations from someone in authority for what is going on. I can't remember the Captain's name on the VOV but I wasn't impressed by his attitude toward the problem of rising case numbers. Rather than require masks early on when it was becoming obvious the we had a problem he waited until the "home office" authorized it. Think that made the problem worse. Likewise he didn't remove the requirement until that was also approved by Seattle. 

 

 

like life itself there are different people with differing personnel priorities . imo ,I perceive this captain was protecting his job   first  & thus waited for Seattle to give him the  official word  .  .Well just imagine during a war    your commanding officer knew there was a offensive building that could wipe out the division yet waited for the official word 

[The-Inside-Cabin]

4 hours ago, travelbug615 said:

We have been on the NS for 8 days of our 28 trip (two 14 night B2B sailings). My husband tested positive for Covid this morning and I tested negative.  I would guess less than 10 % of passengers wearing masks.  Glad for the crew to not have to wear the masks when so few of the passengers wear them.  But our friends told us the crew on NS this morning were still wearing masks.  
We are waiting to hear what they will do about quarantine for us.  Hoping we can stay in our present cabin. 
 

Sorry to hear that your husband tested positive.   Did your husband get tested because he had symptoms or as part of a ship wide screening?

[travelbug615]

24 minutes ago, The-Inside-Cabin said:

Sorry to hear that your husband tested positive.   Did your husband get tested because he had symptoms or as part of a ship wide screening?

He had symptoms. We have heard a lot of people coughing on board the last couple of days. Husband had a headache, sinus congestion and chills overnight but no cough . We both got the new bivalent booster in early September.  We are traveling with another couple so we tested ourselves right away because we have been sharing a lot of time and meals for the past week and didn’t want to share Covid if that was the cause of husband’s symptoms.  We thought it more likely it was the flu. 
Our sailing had no pre cruise Covid test requirement.  I wouldn’t be surprised if lots of people don’t  get tested when they come up with symptoms on board or prior to boarding and will just continue with all their cruise activities, especially if it is a bucket list or their one cruise for the year.  
It will be interesting how  Covid quarantining on HAL will evolve in the near future. 

 

[mcrcruiser]

17 hours ago, travelbug615 said:

He had symptoms. We have heard a lot of people coughing on board the last couple of days. Husband had a headache, sinus congestion and chills overnight but no cough . We both got the new bivalent booster in early September.  We are traveling with another couple so we tested ourselves right away because we have been sharing a lot of time and meals for the past week and didn’t want to share Covid if that was the cause of husband’s symptoms.  We thought it more likely it was the flu. 
Our sailing had no pre cruise Covid test requirement.  I wouldn’t be surprised if lots of people don’t  get tested when they come up with symptoms on board or prior to boarding and will just continue with all their cruise activities, especially if it is a bucket list or their one cruise for the year.  
It will be interesting how  Covid quarantining on HAL will evolve in the near future. 

 

Yes it will be interesting indeed  how HAL  looks at &  makes their statement .

We had waited  over  3 years  to cruise once again  , so we decided to give it a try starting this December   on Koningsdam for a B2B with a total of 12  days  if cruising  . DW is 83 & on that cruise I turn 84  . Other than  my DW needing knee replacement for our ages we can still get around with help of a scooter & walker  .All out future cruises we book into a handicap  balcony stateroom . 

 

 We both have underlying medical conditions  ,so I told my wife  that we will wear our KN 95 masks   even though we were vaccinated  & had a case og omnicron strain late December  of  2021   .We will also avoid & just wait for uncrowded elevators  . We asked for a table for 2 

 

 Knowing full well that this  virus is still with us & mutates all the time as all virus continue to do  .But ,we made a decision not to keep  our remaining years on hold  any longer  .Yes a personal decision   . I just got my senior  flu shot mid October  but ,I can not take any covid boosters because  I had a serious reaction 5 hours after I had the Johnson & Johnson one shot .  It became very hard to breathe  & truly I  though this was the end of my life  .The incident was very scary . Additionally ,I been told that a booster shot could kill me because I am allergic to these drugs 

 

 In summation , I feel protecting ourselves is our decision & not the cruise line  .We can only take care of us  & not look at others on the cruise . There very well may be coughing & sneezing  .We then must steer clear  of that area  .  For sure I would never want to be stick in a inside or outside cabin  with this virus still  around 

 

 To every one  please take care of yourselves  just like you would  if on land & in a inclosed store shopping

 

  

[HAL4NOW]

Crew still wearing masks on the Koningsdam. A server in the Grand Dutch Cafe said the masking requirement for crew would be dropped after this ship returns to Vancouver on the 24th.

[FlaMariner]

3 hours ago, HAL4NOW said:

the masking requirement for crew would be dropped after this ship returns to Vancouver on the 24th.

 

....bet they have a day counter in big numbers in the crew quarters......T minus 7!

[Jey01]

I’m looking at booking a cruise for the winter but have never been on HAL before. IF masks are required, what are the parameters? Indoors only? At the pool? At the indoor pool? Im okay wearing it in an elevator or in an indoor crowd. Outside not so much. Seems common sense, but common sense doesn’t prevail these days!

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

Rotterdam it's required for the first 7 days of this TA. By All guest. 

[mcrcruiser]

5 hours ago, HAL4NOW said:

Crew still wearing masks on the Koningsdam. A server in the Grand Dutch Cafe said the masking requirement for crew would be dropped after this ship returns to Vancouver on the 24th.

That can depend if there are no cases detected on board ;however ,if cases are  detected  then I would be almost positive  that masks  would be mandatory  

[sansterre]

 

On the Grand Africa cruise (Zaandam) the requirement for wearing a mask in all public spaces was dropped this afternoon.

The captain announce the Zaandam will follow the rest of the HALfleet and masks are no longer necessary.   He did not include the mention of staff in today's announcement and staff continued to wear masks through dinner.  

Although most passengers seem happy with this decision, I am not.  I will continue to wear a mask when in crowded areas, including all elevators.   It is my goal to see Petra and take a Safari.  I've been waiting for more than 3 years for this cruise to take place.  Why take a chance of being quarantined now?

[iceman93]

I hope no one here or on board will give you any flack about continuing to wear a mask, sansterre.  Such a thing should be a personal decision.  Likewise, if one is on a cruise where masks are not required, I would hope no one would look down on or denigrate those who choose not to wear one.

[Aulanis]

Well i think it is ridiculous that staff should not wear masks! 

We will definitely be wearing them on our next HAL Cruise - to protect the staff?

 

I would like to know who decides these things?

 

I enquired what they think the benefit is in insisting on MEDICALLY SUPERVISED tests

as against say a picture of one we can do ourselves  £1.5 as against £30.

I have asked HAL but they didnt reply   - I have asked again today.

[brovol]

17 hours ago, iceman93 said:

I hope no one here or on board will give you any flack about continuing to wear a mask, sansterre.  Such a thing should be a personal decision.  Likewise, if one is on a cruise where masks are not required, I would hope no one would look down on or denigrate those who choose not to wear one.

Most non-maskers don't disparage folks who wear masks at all, but rather are believers in individual choice and freedom.  People should be left with option to take whatever measures they wish to take for covid, or any other flu or bug that may be floating around in the air, or on surfaces.  I hate being in a public bathroom and seeing people go potty, then walking out without washing their hands, but have always respected that persons right to be as filthy as he might want to be.  Just as I value the ability of someone to share views on issues I disagree with, without being punished for it in any way.  America used to be the land of such individual liberty, and hopefully we will get back to that at some point. 

 

But for what its worth, if I see you on any of the cruises I am on, and you are wearing a mask, not only will I not look down on you, I will smile and hope you have a wonderful vacation, without judgement, because I am certain you share the same respect for my individual choice.  And lets all pray that we never again deviate from leaving those choices to each individual.

[KroozNut]

On 10/14/2022 at 7:54 AM, Level six said:

before covid we came home sick from every cruise(over 500+ days at sea).

 

This is not a very good track record. Have you perhaps considered other forms of vacation travel that offer better odds that you're not going to get sick every time you travel?

[KroozNut]

21 minutes ago, brovol said:

I hate being in a public bathroom and seeing people go potty, then walking out without washing their hands, but have always respected that persons right to be as filthy as he might want to be.

 

But this goes beyond individual so-called 'rights'. The behavior you describe is not only disgusting, but also threatens others health when that person ventures out and goes about touching things that others might touch, and therefore potentially spreading germs that could cause others to become ill.

[catlet]

On 10/17/2022 at 2:49 PM, Jey01 said:

I’m looking at booking a cruise for the winter but have never been on HAL before. IF masks are required, what are the parameters? Indoors only? At the pool? At the indoor pool? Im okay wearing it in an elevator or in an indoor crowd. Outside not so much. Seems common sense, but common sense doesn’t prevail these days!

Indoor only, unless you are actively eating or drinking. You can remove them at the pools , when out on the promenade deck or sports decks. Also were required on tenders, although your outside because you are seated close together. Always carried with us and didn't feel wearing them was an issue.

[Level six]

22 minutes ago, KroozNut said:

 

This is not a very good track record. Have you perhaps considered other forms of vacation travel that offer better odds that you're not going to get sick every time you travel?

Look around, on long cruises over 14 days, almost everyone is coughing by the end of the cruise.  That's why the name "cruise crude" is widely known here on CC. 

We travel all different ways, RV, air, land........don't worry about me.  We have been to 79 countries and all the states.  I was just stating that since I have worn a mask on post covid cruises, I have not gotten sick on cruises. So, to me, that means mask must work.  That was the point.