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I’m on the first big cruise ship to sail to Alaska in nearly 2 years. It’s so empty, it feels like my own private yacht
The Points Guy ^ | July 21, 2021 | Gene Sloan

Posted on 07/21/2021 8:45:31 AM PDT by Capt. Tom

I’m on the first big cruise ship to sail to Alaska in nearly 2 years.

As I look around, I count just two other passengers on the ground level of the room. A few more are in the balcony spaces above. Nearly all the clusters of chairs that fill the Centrum are unoccupied.

Last night, as I was dining at the ship’s Italian eatery, Giovanni’s Table, I noticed at one point that the entire staff was attending just to my table and one other table that was occupied.

A Royal Caribbean executive this week told me that there are about 630 passengers on board for this sailing. This for a ship that can hold up to 2,476 passengers when full to the brim.

For starters, passengers must wear masks for now in the interior spaces of the ship. And some areas of the ship — the casino, for instance, and the pub — are off-limits to passengers who aren’t vaccinated for COVID-19.

In addition, travel parties with unvaccinated passengers are not allowed to leave the ship in ports unless they purchase a local tour through Royal Caribbean.

Passengers who aren’t vaccinated are required to take a PCR test for COVID-19 when checking in at the terminal and an antigen test for COVID-19 onboard the ship near the end of the voyage.

Passengers under the age of 2 are exempt from the testing requirements.

Despite the new mask-wearing rule on the ship and other COVID-19-related changes, the basic cruise experience feels relatively normal. As noted above, the most noticeable difference right now with the cruise experience on Serenade of the Seas as compared to pre-COVID times is that the ship is unusually empty.

In addition, the Windjammer restaurant is closed at dinnertime.

(Excerpt) Read more at msn.com ...


TOPICS: Miscellaneous; Travel
KEYWORDS: alaskacruise
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To: V_TWIN
Their loss of revenue also.

How much revenue loss would result if there was a COVID outbreak on board and the cruise line couldn't say they had done all they could to prevent it?

41 posted on 07/21/2021 9:26:05 AM PDT by DoodleDawg
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To: Capt. Tom
Passengers under the age of 2 are exempt from the testing requirements.

What, exactly, is the logic behind this exemption of 2-year-olds?

In my experience, 2-year-olds (who are just as capable of spreading Covid as 82-year-olds) have a very poor concept of hygiene. They are constantly smearing their boogers on handrails, slobbering, scratching their privates, putting things into their mouths, etc.

Shouldn't the requirement to wear a mask and practice distancing be especially applied to 2-year-olds?

Regards,

42 posted on 07/21/2021 9:26:19 AM PDT by alexander_busek (Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.)
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To: DoodleDawg

Covid is gonna breakout on those ships anyway IMO....no matter what they do.

That they “did all they could” won’t stop a greed lawyer.


43 posted on 07/21/2021 9:30:02 AM PDT by V_TWIN
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To: DoodleDawg
“How much revenue loss would result if there was a COVID outbreak on board and the cruise line couldn't say they had done all they could to prevent it?”

none if you have your passengers sign a release. And I’m quite sure they would be much more willing to do this that put up with current restrictions.

44 posted on 07/21/2021 9:33:26 AM PDT by circlecity
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To: Capt. Tom

IOW, the cruise was losing more $$$$ than it would have docked.


45 posted on 07/21/2021 9:35:34 AM PDT by bgill (Which came first, the vax or the virus?)
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To: EinNYC
I have an old barren cow licking my salt block outside the window right now. They often look in the windows at my screen on the wall and when the wolves are around, they walk up my porch steps; lay nx to the door; moose are special.

Did a few fly in hunts and I fish the Yukon every week or so, but never did a cruise; can't imagine?

46 posted on 07/21/2021 9:44:38 AM PDT by Eska
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To: George from New England

I predict that there will of course be positive tests from some passengers when returning home. And I’ll bet the store, they’ll be from vaccinated ones too.>>> Heard one of these cruises had a bunch of positives at the end and half the crew was unvaxxed.


47 posted on 07/21/2021 9:45:43 AM PDT by kvanbrunt2
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To: BRL
Where did you sail out of and did you have to be vaccinated? I am cruising out of settle and am holding off on a vaccine i do not want but am kind of comitted

Surprisingly I did my last two cruises on the "Serenade of the Seas" the ship mentioned in this thread, in October of 2018 and again in 2019, Round trip Boston to Bermuda.

In 2020 Carnival decided to move the S.O.S to Alaska, and then to Australia . So I was ready to go on the Norwegian Gem in Oct 2020 but it got cancelled because of Covid.

I have never had to prove vaccination to get on a cruise ship, and don't intend too. -Tom

48 posted on 07/21/2021 9:45:49 AM PDT by Capt. Tom (.It's COVID 2021 - The Events, not us, are still in charge -Tom)
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To: DoodleDawg
the only proof readily available that I know of is the card you get when you get your shots.

Do you have a screen shot of one of those close-up (for informational purposes only) (No PID).

49 posted on 07/21/2021 9:49:43 AM PDT by BipolarBob (I decided to be a sheepdog after watching what happened to the sheep.)
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To: Spok

Where’d you put in at Israel? Haifa?


50 posted on 07/21/2021 9:51:40 AM PDT by one guy in new jersey
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To: Carl Vehse

“Keelhauled.”

__________

Ouchie.


51 posted on 07/21/2021 9:52:54 AM PDT by one guy in new jersey
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To: DoodleDawg

The vaxxed are still getting covid. Your shot is worthless.


52 posted on 07/21/2021 9:53:17 AM PDT by roving
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To: Grampa Dave
What port was this ship in before its cruise?

Serenade of the Seas will begin cruising in Alaska roundtrip from Seattle starting July 19, 2021. The ship will sail week-long itineraries with ports of call including Juneau, Sitka, Ketchikan and Icy Strait Point, as well as cruise the jaw-dropping views of Endicott Arm fjord and Dawes Glacier.

53 posted on 07/21/2021 9:59:59 AM PDT by Capt. Tom (.It's COVID 2021 - The Events, not us, are still in charge -Tom)
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To: Capt. Tom

Sorry, but sounds more like a prison barge. Why would anyone PAY for that experience?


54 posted on 07/21/2021 10:00:39 AM PDT by Whatever Works
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To: circlecity

They wont be making a profit for years. They’re just getting the boats out to sea because if they stay in dock too long they become liabilities more than an asset.


55 posted on 07/21/2021 10:03:22 AM PDT by Bayard
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To: one guy in new jersey

Tel Aviv (Ben Gurion). Wasn’t a cruise but I would like to.


56 posted on 07/21/2021 10:03:31 AM PDT by Spok (There are many more things that frighten us than can cause us harm.)
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To: roving
The vaxxed are still getting covid. Your shot is worthless.

Of course it is.

57 posted on 07/21/2021 10:04:04 AM PDT by DoodleDawg
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To: BipolarBob
Do you have a screen shot of one of those close-up (for informational purposes only) (No PID).

I do but I doubt that's going to be what the lines are looking for.

58 posted on 07/21/2021 10:04:53 AM PDT by DoodleDawg
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To: V_TWIN
That they “did all they could” won’t stop a greed lawyer.

But it might help more than "eh, we blew it off and didn't do anything."

59 posted on 07/21/2021 10:05:45 AM PDT by DoodleDawg
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To: DoodleDawg

The vaxxed are still getting covid. Your shot is worthless.

Of course it is.


Massachusetts public health officials reported 716 new COVID-19 breakthrough cases in fully vaccinated individuals in the past week, data from the Department of Public Health shows.

https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3977941/posts


60 posted on 07/21/2021 10:07:33 AM PDT by Prov1322 (Enjoy my wife's incredible artwork at www.watercolorARTwork.com! (This space no longer for rent))
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