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CDC Sets Mask Mandate for Cruises - Is a Vaccine Requirement Next?
Travel Pulse ^ | FEBRUARY 02, 2021 | Donald Wood

Posted on 02/03/2021 10:43:26 AM PST by Capt. Tom

When cruise lines begin sailing in and around the United States again, passengers will be required to wear a mask for much of their time on board to help battle COVID-19.

The new mandatory mask mandate from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) applies to all forms of public transportation, including “aircraft, train, road vehicle, vessel or other means of transport.”

The order went into effect on February 1, but there are exceptions for children under two years old and passengers with a disability that inhibits wearing a mask, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Passengers will not be required to wear a mask while eating, drinking or taking medication.

While the new CDC facial covering mandate aligns with practices already put in place across the industry as part of the effort by cruise lines to return to sailing, guests who refuse to wear masks will be violating Federal law, which entails an entirely different set of punishments.

When asked about the mask mandate and its potential impact on the industry, Scott Lara of TheCruiseGenius.com shared his thoughts.

“I’m concerned that many previous cruise enthusiasts will not like the mask mandate. Can you imagine walking around the Lido deck wearing a mask?” Lara said. “I’ve been visiting all-inclusive resorts in Mexico and the Dominican Republic over the last 12 months. While mask wearing is encouraged, you won’t get fined if you choose not to wear a mask. I predict many cruisers will start visiting all-inclusive resorts.”

There are still questions about how many of the existing protocols developed by groups like the Healthy Sail Panel will remain in place or be changed to fit the current orders, but some cruise lines have already taken the next step by requiring COVID-19 vaccinations.

On Tuesday, sister companies American Queen Steamboat Co. (AQSC) and Victory Cruise Lines (VCL) became the first U.S. cruise lines to require proof of COVID-19 vaccinations from all passengers and crew members.

The first to announce a passenger vaccine requirement was a U.K. line, Saga, which requires proof of the two-dose vaccine at least 14 days before boarding the ship, effective May 4.

Norwegian Cruise Line is also considering a vaccine mandate for guests, but would require it for crew members.

Not everyone is happy about cruise lines considering mandatory vaccines.

“Cruise lines mandating COVID-19 vaccines will crush the industry. Many Americans are anti-vax and will refuse to take the vaccine,” Lara continued. “I’m very concerned that the CDC is biased against the cruise industry and will never agree to allow us to cruise again without severe restrictions.”

Karen Rutter of Expedia Cruises also believes the vaccine requirement is unnecessary.

“I do not think that there should be a vaccine requirement. There are too many different scenarios such as religious, personal, health reasons, etc.,” Rutter said. “It is too soon to make that mandate because we do not know if it is effective against various strains.”

“I am not sure how this would impact cruising because cruising is a worldwide mode of travel,” Rutter continued. “It seems that most Americans are taking the vaccine but I do not know stats for other countries who are choosing to cruise.”


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Health/Medicine; Travel
KEYWORDS: cdc; cruiseships; vaccines
Another article hinting at vaccines being required for Americans to go cruising.

Vaccines are not required yet ,except on a few cruise lines, it certainly can spread to the big cruise lines operating out of this country, with the BIDEN group and BIDEN'S newly appointed head of the CDC. now in charge.

Stay tuned. -Tom

1 posted on 02/03/2021 10:43:26 AM PST by Capt. Tom
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To: Capt. Tom

How will Tom and his family respond?


2 posted on 02/03/2021 10:48:17 AM PST by Rurudyne (Standup Philosopher)
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To: Capt. Tom

As much as respect your postings and opinions, I think you might be wrong here. As an elderly cruiser of many ships, I am waiting for my second dose of Pfizer this month. No reactions to the first.

Many elderly cruise. It is the easiest way for us to travel. Since I have a mild COPD, I am willing to be a guinea pig. The vaccination rate for 70+ in my area is high and climbing.


3 posted on 02/03/2021 10:50:57 AM PST by OpusatFR
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To: Capt. Tom

What % of people, who go on cruises are 65 and over?


4 posted on 02/03/2021 10:57:21 AM PST by Grampa Dave (Law & order took the last train out of DC & America on election/coup/night, Tuesday, Nov. 03, 2020!!)
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To: Capt. Tom

The guys on the homosexual cruises are going to have to wear masks?


5 posted on 02/03/2021 10:58:49 AM PST by blueunicorn6 ("A crack shot and a good dancer”)
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To: Capt. Tom

“Passengers will not be required to wear a mask while eating, drinking...”

What else do you do on a cruise?


6 posted on 02/03/2021 11:04:07 AM PST by sanjuanbob
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To: Grampa Dave

ALL of us!!


7 posted on 02/03/2021 11:04:42 AM PST by Ann Archy (Abortion....... The HUMAN Sacrifice to the god of Convenience.)
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To: Ann Archy

ALL of us!!

Or at least most of us.

Many or most of us will have finished our 2nd vaccination this month or next month. So this will not be an issue.

The cruise industry should be providing free vaccines and injections for anyone over 65, who has cruised in the past.


8 posted on 02/03/2021 11:16:24 AM PST by Grampa Dave (Law & order took the last train out of DC & America on election/coup/night, Tuesday, Nov. 03, 2020!!)
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To: Capt. Tom

Is a Vaccine Requirement Next?

COUNT ON IT


9 posted on 02/03/2021 11:25:02 AM PST by SMARTY (“If you have ten thousand regulations, you destroy all respect for the law.” Winston Churchill)
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To: blueunicorn6

Unless they drink 24/7.


10 posted on 02/03/2021 11:33:18 AM PST by GnuThere
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To: Rurudyne; OpusatFR; gibsonguy; NormsRevenge; Chgogal; Ann Archy; dennisw; entropy12; ...
How will Tom and his family respond?

The most recent changes onboard the cruise ships, like the buffet, and shore excursions and masking, have made me less inclined to go.

What surprised me is my married children, who regularly go on cruises on their own with their spouses, have no intention of going in 2021.-Tom

11 posted on 02/03/2021 11:47:28 AM PST by Capt. Tom (It's COVID 2021 - The Events, not us, are still in charge -Tom)
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To: Capt. Tom

This is a typical DemonicRat scam to get rich. You threaten to impose extraordinary demands on an industry; then you milk the industry for contributions not to impose the restrictions. Next you buy stocks in the industry under attack at lower prices; since the industry will be restricted and therefore less profitable.
Then after fleecing the industry for contributions and buying stock options at record lows; You remove all restrictions on the industry and make obscene profits at the same time.
Watch; all restrictions will be off by summer.


12 posted on 02/03/2021 11:57:49 AM PST by CoastWatcher
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To: Capt. Tom

guests who refuse to wear masks will be violating Federal law, which entails an entirely different set of punishments.
__________________________________________

How can this be ‘Federal law’ when Congress didnt pass it ???

Were going to be ‘punished’ for not obeying a CDC suggestion ???

I have no problem with wearing a mask so I dont get someone else’s Wu Hu Flu cooties, but I refuse to accept threats from my own government...


13 posted on 02/03/2021 12:07:17 PM PST by Tennessee Nana
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To: Grampa Dave
What % of people, who go on cruises are 65 and over?

That would vary from Cruise ship, time of year, destinations and days length of the cruise.

IMHO the longer the cruise, the older the passengers.
The more expensive the cruise, the older the passengers.
Assuming a 7 day or longer cruise, the smaller size of the cruise ship, the older the passengers.

So vaccination requirements will affect cruise lines differently. Actually helping out some ships, and reducing passengers on others.

More problems for itinerary and length of cruises to be worked out, after the Lines figure out where there target audience is.

IMHO the Cruise Lines are not going to have the massive cruise base they had in 2019. -Tom

14 posted on 02/03/2021 12:30:24 PM PST by Capt. Tom (It's COVID 2021 - The Events, not us, are still in charge -Tom)
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To: Tennessee Nana
How can this be ‘Federal law’ when Congress didnt pass it ??? Were going to be ‘punished’ for not obeying a CDC suggestion ???

I have no problem with wearing a mask so I dont get someone else’s Wu Hu Flu cooties, but I refuse to accept threats from my own government...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "The Supreme Court has recognized the legitimacy of federal administrative agencies to make rules that have the same binding effect as statutes by Congress."

15 posted on 02/03/2021 12:52:03 PM PST by Capt. Tom (It's COVID 2021 - The Events, not us, are still in charge -Tom)
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To: OpusatFR
As much as respect your postings and opinions, I think you might be wrong here. As an elderly cruiser of many ships, I am waiting for my second dose of Pfizer this month. No reactions to the first.
Many elderly cruise. It is the easiest way for us to travel. Since I have a mild COPD, I am willing to be a guinea pig. The vaccination rate for 70+ in my area is high and climbing.

NO doubt there will be plenty of older people who will get a vaccine and will continue to cruise.

I believe the problem for the cruise lines is expanding passenger capacity into what I believe is going to be an overall shrinkage into younger customers.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

From a recent cruise Critic article survey- A wide majority of respondents -- 81 percent -- said they cruise if vaccines were required. Only 5 percent said that a vaccine requirement would absolutely deter them from cruising. The other 14 percent said that they were unsure.

16 posted on 02/03/2021 3:32:22 PM PST by Capt. Tom (It's COVID 2021 - The Events, not us, are still in charge -Tom)
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To: sanjuanbob
“Passengers will not be required to wear a mask while eating, drinking...”

What else do you do on a cruise?

Why lay in the sun of course!


17 posted on 02/03/2021 3:45:54 PM PST by DannyTN
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To: Tennessee Nana

1. Last I looked, I didn’t vote for members of the CDC. Regulation is not law and they can go pound sand.
2. Most cruises I take are outside of US territorial waters. The CDC regulation wouldn’t apply 12 miles off the coast for non-US flagged vessels...which means all of them. IF I go on a cruise when they open back up, I’ll put a mask on before I re-enter US ports.


18 posted on 02/03/2021 3:55:26 PM PST by USAF1985 (An armed population is a polite population...)
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To: Tennessee Nana

But most ships are not flagged under the USA so they can kiss off


19 posted on 02/03/2021 4:51:40 PM PST by al baby (Hi Mom Hi Dad)
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To: Capt. Tom

Thanks.

No simple answer.

So the data has be balanced on the cruise length and other data.

What we are seeing re age 75 +- 10 years, the people across the country (friends, relatives and just people, we know) are doing what ever they can do legally to be vaccinated.

We know some cruiseaholics, who are planning to cruise after their second shot.

That high demand for vaccination has along with the second shot requirement has basically put new vaccinations on hold until the second shot is administered to the 25 million plus of us who have gotten the first shot.

One young woman RN, we know on the east coast gave over 200 injections in one day, and so did her peers. She couldn’t even hold a pencil the day after in her right hand, her shot driving hand.


20 posted on 02/04/2021 3:40:26 PM PST by Grampa Dave (Law & order took the last train out of DC & America on election/coup/night, Tuesday, Nov. 03, 2020!!)
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