Mandatory Mask Wearing on QE

[ClefsDor]

We just received an email informing us that on our upcoming cruise on QE on Monday7 November masks will be required for the first few days (duration to be confirmed once on board) in all indoor areas except when eating, drinking or exercising in the gym. I assume this must be due to the fact that there are increasing numbers of cases on board? Is anyone on QE now who can confirm the situation on board and if mask wearing is mandatory at the moment? 

[lissie]

I'm not on board - I got off on the 30 in Singapore . We wore masks for about the first 9 days ex Barcelona - and I know they reintroduced the rule after Singapore not sure for how long. 

 

The reality is that you should be expecting to wear masks indoors and if you don't have to be be pleasantly surprised. Covid hasn't gone away - but countries like Australia have stopped testing, so you may think it has! For cruises longer than 7 days basically an outbreak has the potential to take out not just some passengers but also put huge pressure on all guest services and even the bridge crew. They just can't just call in a temp agency for extra staff!  7 days seem to be the point where the outbreak starts to get out of control just as passengers leave - meaning the ship doesn't have a problem 

[Lakesregion]

1 hour ago, lissie said:

I'm not on board - I got off on the 30 in Singapore . We wore masks for about the first 9 days ex Barcelona - and I know they reintroduced the rule after Singapore not sure for how long. 

 

The reality is that you should be expecting to wear masks indoors and if you don't have to be be pleasantly surprised. Covid hasn't gone away - but countries like Australia have stopped testing, so you may think it has! For cruises longer than 7 days basically an outbreak has the potential to take out not just some passengers but also put huge pressure on all guest services and even the bridge crew. They just can't just call in a temp agency for extra staff!  7 days seem to be the point where the outbreak starts to get out of control just as passengers leave - meaning the ship doesn't have a problem 

The two upcoming world cruises promise to be nightmares if this keeps up.

[LittleFish1976]

The communication you received for your cruise from an Australian port probably reflects the numbers of covid infections on other cruise ships currently in the area. Covid numbers are increasing in Australia (as they have been on other parts of the world) so this is probably a sensible precaution.

[lissie]

1 hour ago, Lakesregion said:

The two upcoming world cruises promise to be nightmares if this keeps up.

Really? We thought the QE had their procedures sorted by our most recent cruise - so long as you have masking up front for the first part of the cruise and then require masking on tours you reduce the chance of a big outbreak on board .  It all depends how waning immunity goes over the next few months. 

 

To me a nightmare is being isolated in my cabin and ill 

[exlondoner]

4 hours ago, lissie said:

Really? We thought the QE had their procedures sorted by our most recent cruise - so long as you have masking up front for the first part of the cruise and then require masking on tours you reduce the chance of a big outbreak on board .  It all depends how waning immunity goes over the next few months. 

 

To me a nightmare is being isolated in my cabin and ill 

I couldn’t agree more. The QE approach seems very sensible. And given the difficulties so many are experiencing with and without Covid, it is hard to see that wearing a mask for a few days can constitute a nightmare, or even a slightly weird dream.

[Windsurfboy]

Another half hearted approach. Do it properly or not at all

 

Either follow what Saga did successfully, test before boarding (supervised ) and test everyone daily for first 5 days, coupled with compulsory  mask wearing.

 

Or just accept it as we do on land,.