…After three calendar years (and looking at a fourth), it's time to move forward and accept that this virus will be with us like the common cold, flu, and other respiratory viruses. Let each person decide for themselves what their own tolerances are and chose to sail or not. This is true with going to a local restaurant, on an airplane, the local Walmart, and elsewhere; the same should be for the cruise industry. We hear the numbers for ships because they have to report incidents. Cruise ships are treated as though they are this ominous boogie man lurking to bring havic upon those who dare to walk across the gangway. But this virus is in our day-to-day lives as well and in the air around us regardless of where we step foot.
Airplanes claim great air circulation, I want to believe that, it’s hard to trust the media but there is statistical data available. People also make choices when going to Walmart and restaurants. You can choose to dine earlier when there are fewer patrons in a restaurant, avoid Friday and Saturday night or Sunday morning brunch. Just the same with Walmart during the early hours during the weekdays. But there are only two seatings on a cruise for dinner and usually the show is also two seatings. Maybe NCL is different. Although a person could in theory eat at the pool deck to avoid crowds.
I’m sure Norwegian has considered.
https://www.newsweek.com/covid-killed-more-americans-past-2-weeks-flu-past-3-seasons-1674530?amp=1
But I think I’d like to see more statistical data for that article as well.
I’m 58 I do know one person who died of pneumonia 30 years ago but nobody who has died of the flu, but several who died from Covid. Tons of friends and family had Covid I’ve lost count at this point, most got pretty sick, but live to tell about it. Several of those people still have some Lingering conditions to deal with. I sure wish the taste would come back for me.
I too I’m super tired of all this and wish we could get back to the way things were. I kept thinking TSA was going to eventually be a temporary annoyance once the initial threat level went down. All these fancy IDs to have to travel now, Ugh! I mean seriously you have to get so many different IDs to get the IDs to show your ID! Remember the old days when you just had to buy a ticket and you didn’t have to show an ID to get on the plane?
I’m happy that NCL has made their choice. I think Disney will revisit dropping requirements in spring after cold and flu season this year. Of course not because they’re actually worried about cold and flu season it’s just when things are passed more easily.
Norwegian probably has a clause in the paperwork with the right to change testing or a vaccine requirement at any time. I’ll bet all those with the relaxed policies do also.
Just think about what a hurricane combined with a higher level of Covid throughout a ship will sound like in the media. I get so annoyed when people use the word petri dish in relation to cruise ships. Ugh.