Do these new UK cruises regulations shine a light on how DCL could look when wider operations commence

[kathi]

So yes, you MUST wear a mask when seated and while chewing your food, you may only remove the mask to take a bite?

Does this make sense to you now?

So much drama - we were in WDW a few weeks ago. You keep your mask on until they bring your drinks. Then you take it off and keep it off until you are done your meal.

 

[TestingH2O]

But hey, if you want to skip the critical thinking because you dont like the conclusion, thats all you. By all means, keep ignoring all evidence, including people's experiences, because they do not line up with your preconceived notion of what something should be.

That would be excellent advice. You should consider taking it.

I will ask again. When have you been on property since this wording changed and were told to have a mask on while chewing? I was there in March when we were asked to wait until we had food and/or drinks to take off masks and the to put them on when we were finished. Ooooh. Scary and controlling.

Chewing is actively eating. Waiting between courses is not.

No clue why anyone should care what people in Georgia think the definition of active eating is. Disney’s definition matters on disney property.

However, since you continue to avoid the question it is clear that you are not here because you have been on Disney property. It also seems likely you will not be going on a cruise since you are so bothered by safety regulations.

**redacted**

 

[PrincessShmoo]

So much drama - we were in WDW a few weeks ago. You keep your mask on until they bring your drinks. Then you take it off and keep it off until you are done your meal.

Thank you for a calm voice of reason.

IMO "actively" eating means taking a bite AND CHEWING and swallowing.

 

[tvguy]

Please provide a single scientific study or even data to show that asymptotic spread of covid occurs outside the .005% of breakthrough cases.

You want a scientific study on a group of people........who have no symptoms......so they are less likely to even get a covid test? You're funny,
I can point out that 40-50% of the positive covid tests are in asymptotic people.
Below is your homework.
https://www.uchealth.org/today/the-truth-about-asymptomatic-spread-of-covid-19/

 

[tvguy]

If that's the case I guess you will be wearing a mask the rest of your life.

Just like how some cultures have for over century to prevent the spread of illness. Yes, I think a mask may be part of my life for the rest of my life. Just depends on the circumstance. My wife certainly has made enough masks to last the rest of my life! I haven't gotten my twice a year colds, so it seems to work along with the other protocols.

 

[DCLMP]

So much drama - we were in WDW a few weeks ago. You keep your mask on until they bring your drinks. Then you take it off and keep it off until you are done your meal.

I took mine off the minute I sat down.

 

[Intr3pid]

I dont doubt the effectiveness of masks in reducing the community spread of covid among unvaccinated individuals, but that isnt what I asked now is it? I asked for the science to prove mask effectiveness of reduction of community spread by vaccinated individuals, both indoors and outdoors. And maybe you should try looking at the trees some more because its not as simple as mask = good now is it? Also, if you want reckless policies which put your children at high risk of covid exposure, be my guest. I personally prefer Disney follow the science and protect children. Do better.

Let's begin with Protection 101.

When you wear a mask, you stop the virus from getting inside your body. It's the first layer of defense - the first shield. It's the prime protection, actually.

Without a mask, the virus enters your body, and your body's immune system gets at work. With vaccination, the immune system is trained to kill most of the virus cells - but not all. The remaining cells are free to transmit to anyone else you come in contact with.

Simultaneously, no vaccine is 100% effective. In fact, with some of the variants, the efficacy could drop down to as much as 60%, You still have breakthroughs and re-infections.

I don't need a study to understand this. It's like someone asking for a study to prove that my shoes protect me from getting scratched. If you can't comprehend a notion as basic as this, a scientific study will be well past you!

 

[jrapps]

Wow, so much drama...it is obvious there are some people who think the new rules are too much. Getting vaccinated AND wearing masks? The Horror (sarcasm). For the record, I have no issue wearing a mask if they want me to. As others have said, I do not think Disney's interpretation here said I must wear one while chewing. That said, I have done it before. Before vaccination, I have found myself in situations where I did not feel comfortable taking the mask off, so yes I have lowered it, taken a bite, and put it back on. I didn't die, or self combust! I even enjoyed the meal I was eating! Doing just fine. And I 10000% do not believe Disney is asking us to do that here.

I am also getting tired of those that throw vaccinations in everyone faces as being "invincible". Why Should We Have To Wear Masks If We Are Vaccinated!!! (sarcasm again). Nobody every said that once you were vaccinated, you were 100% immune from ever catching or transmitting Covid. The vaccine protects me from getting severe illness or death. (Which I am very happy for).

Would I prefer to go on a cruise without a mask...of course! I also would have preferred that Covid-19 never happened and we weren't in the middle of a pandemic. But that's life. Given the things we can not control, I am willing to do my part on the things that we can control.

If you don't think these rules are 100% totally fair, there is a very simple solution. DON'T GO. I am fully confident that Disney can keep these rules for the foreseeable future, and the ships will continue to sell to capacity. DCL will do just fine, and those of us willing to follow the rules will enjoy our cruise.

And if I ever found in the opposite situation and a cruise line made no Covid rules whatsoever (no vaccine needed, never wear a mask, no testing at all), then I like many others would not feel comfortable with that and choose to vacation somewhere else. I am sure there are also enough people on that side of the political spectrum to keep the ship full. I would be jealous that they will be on a cruise and I won't...but I won't come here and try to belittle you or DCL for your choice. Don't try to belittle us for ours.

 

[DCLMP]

[

Wow, so much drama...it is obvious there are some people who think the new rules are too much. Getting vaccinated AND wearing masks? The Horror (sarcasm). For the record, I have no issue wearing a mask if they want me to. As others have said, I do not think Disney's interpretation here said I must wear one while chewing. That said, I have done it before. Before vaccination, I have found myself in situations where I did not feel comfortable taking the mask off, so yes I have lowered it, taken a bite, and put it back on. I didn't die, or self combust! I even enjoyed the meal I was eating! Doing just fine. And I 10000% do not believe Disney is asking us to do that here.

I am also getting tired of those that throw vaccinations in everyone faces as being "invincible". Why Should We Have To Wear Masks If We Are Vaccinated!!! (sarcasm again). Nobody every said that once you were vaccinated, you were 100% immune from ever catching or transmitting Covid. The vaccine protects me from getting severe illness or death. (Which I am very happy for).

Would I prefer to go on a cruise without a mask...of course! I also would have preferred that Covid-19 never happened and we weren't in the middle of a pandemic. But that's life. Given the things we can not control, I am willing to do my part on the things that we can control.

If you don't think these rules are 100% totally fair, there is a very simple solution. DON'T GO. I am fully confident that Disney can keep these rules for the foreseeable future, and the ships will continue to sell to capacity. DCL will do just fine, and those of us willing to follow the rules will enjoy our cruise.

And if I ever found in the opposite situation and a cruise line made no Covid rules whatsoever (no vaccine needed, never wear a mask, no testing at all), then I like many others would not feel comfortable with that and choose to vacation somewhere else. I am sure there are also enough people on that side of the political spectrum to keep the ship full. I would be jealous that they will be on a cruise and I won't...but I won't come here and try to belittle you or DCL for your choice. Don't try to belittle us for ours.

I think a lot of people WONT GO. Enjoy your cruise. Please report back on your experience. Maybe we all are being overdramatic and it's not as awful as it sounds.

 

[jrapps]

[

I think a lot of people WONT GO. Enjoy your cruise. Please report back on your experience. Maybe we all are being overdramatic and it's not as awful as it sounds.

I guess only time will tell. Sadly, until they announce if these same rules do or do not apply to future cruises in the US, we will never know. My next DCL cruise is early September. So far I am not too hopeful that it will sail. If it does, then I will decide to go or not based on the rules as of then.

 

[DCLMP]

I guess only time will tell. Sadly, until they announce if these same rules do or do not apply to future cruises in the US, we will never know. My next DCL cruise is early September. So far I am not too hopeful that it will sail. If it does, then I will decide to go or not based on the rules as of then.

Good luck whatever happens. With all the vacation options and resorts in the US that don't have all these restrictions cruising under these conditions is not something I would do. If people report back that it's not as awful as it sounds, maybe I'll change my mind.

 

[jerry557]

I am also getting tired of those that throw vaccinations in everyone faces as being "invincible". Why Should We Have To Wear Masks If We Are Vaccinated!!! (sarcasm again). Nobody every said that once you were vaccinated, you were 100% immune from ever catching or transmitting Covid. The vaccine protects me from getting severe illness or death. (Which I am very happy for).

Then everyone needs to stop saying that "the vaccine is the best way at getting back to normal." Since it is becoming very apparent that it's not. Getting the vaccine seems like it changes absolutely nothing. Even on a 100% vaccinated ship, you still have to wear a mask because you can still spread it and the vaccine isn't 100% effective. In that case, I would expect mask mandates to never be relaxed. It'll be part of the new normal.

Here's the reality, we aren't getting rid of COVID. Even the CEO of Pfizer said we will have to get yearly booster shots to keep the immunity effective and keep up with variants. So we will be fighting COVID for years to come. If we are going to wait until there is zero cases before we relax mask mandates and other COVID restrictions.....it'll never happen. We will never get back to normal. So when you say the vaccine is fastest way we get back to normal, that's a total lie, isn't it? We will almost certainly be wearing masks well into next year and perhaps beyond.

Also, one more thing..... If the vaccine's prime purpose is to prevent serious illness and death to the person taking it, then isn't the biggest benefit of this vaccine primarily to the individual and not those around him? Since if I get vaccinated I can still spread the virus, right? So shouldnt the vaccine be an individual choice in that case? Isn't it my choice to take the risk of serious illness?

One of the biggest issues with this pandemic is the constantly moving goalposts suggesting if we do X, Y, or Z, we will all get back to normal quicker. Yet as soon as everyone does X, Y, and Z, they simply move the goal posts and now we have to do A, B, and C to get back to normal. Then D, E, and F. and so on and so on. Because of this, nobody trusts anything the government or health officials say anymore. Senator Rand Paul pretty much said the same thing this weekend. He's saying that if the government and businesses continue to refuse to change any of the COVID restrictions despite increasing vaccination rates, then eventually people who are hesitant to get the vaccine aren't going to get it anymore. There is no incentive for them to do so. And it's going to become an even bigger problem trying to convince everyone to get their booster next year and deal with the side effects again when they realize the shot didn't end the pandemic and we are still wearing masks.

 

[nmoody1]

Can we all take a moment to realise that mask wearing is still very much a thing in the United Kingdom and the government still has a country-widenruling that masks must be worn - which is probably why these rules are imposed by DCL.

As for the drama around actively eating - there isn't a single disney restaurant (or probably any restaurant) that insist you replace your mask between bites of food. That is being way over dramatic and creating a stir for no reason. Calm down!

These rules will be operating under a mixture of UK government rules and what Disney sees fit. I think its highly commendable that Disney are taking the health and wellbeing of all thier cast and crew so seriously - and it shows they care about people - I'm more than happy for anyone that wants to ignore a global pandemic where millions have died may be deterred to cruise because they have to wear a mask.

It's a privately owned vessel and Disney are free to run and operate it as they see fit. Everyone always harps on about Disney quality - this is a very real life example of disney quality and service - putting health and wellbeing of thier employees first - safety is one of the 5 disney keys - a face mask in a public place is a layer of safety against covid 19.

Also remember this is not walt disney world. This is a cruise ship. I'm sure anyone that has done several cruises has noted an outbreak of coughs or colds on a cruise..... this will be another layer of protection against that.

 

[CarolynU]

I’m hoping to get a space on one of these cruises so I’ll see how it goes.
What I won’t know is how the entertainment side pans out for the longer cruises.
I’m due to take the WBPC 2022 with my adult friend. Now evenings are important to me and not just the main shows but all the other onboard acts brought on. Without those I would struggle to not be bored as I’m not a fan of just sitting in a bar with a drink.
I once took a WBPC where mysteriously there were onboard acts but they weren’t being scheduled to perform often. The acts themselves didn’t know why! There were lots complaints. It was dull.
Now there is lots of time before this cruise in March but I have to PIF in Oct so I will evaluate nearer the time.
I also spend a lot of time in the adult pool on longer sailings so if that time had to be restricted to a timed slot that would not suit with how I usually sail.
When I first read all the restrictions and timed this and timed that I was a bit put off but I think sometimes the written word is harsher than the reality. So can we get lunch when it suits us around the pool? Even if it’s not our pool time slot? I’m not sure. We understand that we will be served but the way it will work in practise is a bit unknown. We will have a two year old with us. What can he do? There will be no open houses and we relied on them when our daughter was the same age.
So the changes are completely understandable and with little ones we will make it work. It’s just a few days. Fourteen days might work less well but only time will tell!

 

[kathi]

I guess only time will tell. Sadly, until they announce if these same rules do or do not apply to future cruises in the US, we will never know. My next DCL cruise is early September. So far I am not too hopeful that it will sail. If it does, then I will decide to go or not based on the rules as of then.

We are taking the same approach for our 9/25 Western. I assume the measures will look “something” like this, but in 5 months there are likely to be variables that change some measures in the US. Everyone will have different pressure points based on how they like to cruise. Since most of the fall cruises are close to sold out, I imagine DCL will need some folks to cancel to reduce capacity on the ship. I think it’s great to discuss, but we also need to keep in mind that all of our situations will be different.

 

[gkrykewy]

lol, wut? The article literally says:

Disney updated their policy recently to say when dining at a restaurant, guests must wear face coverings while standing, waiting, or sitting in dining locations. In other words guests must now keep their masks on unless they are actively eating or drinking at their table. **That means that unless you are taking a sip or a bite, your face covering should be on.**

then it follows up and says:


We tested the new policy after it was announced with a meal at 50’s Prime Time Cafe and it did not affect our overall experience much at all. As we were seated, the Cast Member thanked us for wearing our mask and asked us to keep it on unless actively eating or drinking.



So the author clearly stated that unless you are taking a sip or a bite, that your mask needs to be on. This is in line with Georgia Tech et al.'s definition of active eating. The author then states she tested the policy at a disney property.

But hey, if you want to skip the critical thinking because you dont like the conclusion, thats all you. By all means, keep ignoring all evidence, including people's experiences, because they do not line up with your preconceived notion of what something should be.

Why are you hitting people over the head with this blog post when tens of thousands of people have dined at WDW since this policy was changed, do not have to wear masks while seated and eating/drinking, and so your assertion is demonstrably false?

The policy was changed to stop people from lingering maskless after meals

 

[jlwhitney]

Nope not a chance would pay all that money for those rules and restrictions. Ill stick to Gatlinburgh and other destinations for the time being that have have very little mask rules or rules in general.

 

[squirk]

I have no problems with the hurdles required to board the ship. But the restrictions while aboard the ship are just too much for me.

I went to WDW recently, with all of the health protocols in place, and while I had a good time, I’d be lying if I said I had a great time. The myriad restrictions were just too much of a constant level of buzz-kill to enjoy myself as I usually do.

If all of these on-board policies are adopted for U.S. sailings, hopefully most of them will no longer (need to) be in effect when I sail in May of ‘22.

 

[sabrecmc]

As someone else said upthread, my guess is that DCL is being very cautious with these early cruises b/c they can't afford to have an outbreak. They want to show they can safely sail. If there was an outbreak, that could really hamper efforts to restart from US and other ports. So, maybe a bit of overkill on the restrictions at first. I would expect things to slowly relax as vaccination rates increase and, importantly, children are eligible. For DCL in particular, that's a big issue. Can't truly have a fully vaccinated ship when kids can't get vaccinated yet.

I'm curious to see cost. None of these would personally be dealbreakers for me if the cost was right. It is a lesser experience, though, and so I would expect to pay something that is commesurate with what I'm getting. I'm not in the UK, so can't take these cruises, but very much looking forward to hearing pricing and the experiences of those who can as we look forward to US cruising restarting.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

I think everyone needs to let go of the fantasy that the future will be like 2019 again.

We are facing a new normal.

This isn't going to be the last breakthrough virus.