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

[Matrix21]

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.

life in general will be pre-covid. However, here we are talking cruise ships, they are a different world. Until we will cruise as normal 2019, as you said, it’s gonna take time, probably end 2022, Q1 2023.

masks and tests will not be enforced, but probably recommended in the future.

 

[Love2Cruise2015]

I am trying to figure out if Cabanas will still be open and they will have cast members plate the food (yes, I did read that it said buffet self serve is unavailable) or will it be closed and we will only have the option of full service dining or eating at the fast food restaurants by the pool?

 

[jlwhitney]

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.

Life is already returning to pre Covid in parts of the country.

 

[jerry557]

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.

Depends on your location. Some parts of the country have been in lockdown and mandatory masks for months and months. Some places haven't even restarted schools yet. But other places like Florida has never actually fully locked down and has never had mask mandates. School has been in session for months. Restaurants have been 100% capacity since summer. So some people may view ships with strict COVID protocols as just a continuation of life as it's been for the last year during a pandemic. While others like Florida residents view it as a giant step backwards.

Florida's governor publicly said a week ago, "If you got the vaccine, you're immune. So act immune." And he said people who have the shots should not have to wear masks. So you can imagine that it's going to make it harder and harder for businesses to enforce rules when the government is actually working against you on that front.

WDW is probably the only place in Florida with strict protocols these days. Even Universal isn't as strict as Disney anymore. The sports teams in Florida are all anticipating full stadiums this fall. UFC just had a full arena of fans in Jacksonville last night, most people not wearing masks and no vaccine mandate. So Florida is trying very hard to go back to normal.

 

[soniam]

WDW is probably the only place in Florida with strict protocols these days. Even Universal isn't as strict as Disney anymore.

How is Universal less strict than Disney right now? We were at both in July and at Thanksgiving, and overall, things evened out to about the same. There were some small differences. I am not arguing, so don't get offended. Just seeking information.

 

[Intr3pid]

Depends on your location. Some parts of the country have been in lockdown and mandatory masks for months and months. Some places haven't even restarted schools yet. But other places like Florida has never actually fully locked down and has never had mask mandates. School has been in session for months. Restaurants have been 100% capacity since summer. So some people may view ships with strict COVID protocols as just a continuation of life as it's been for the last year during a pandemic. While others like Florida residents view it as a giant step backwards.

Florida's governor publicly said a week ago, "If you got the vaccine, you're immune. So act immune." And he said people who have the shots should not have to wear masks. So you can imagine that it's going to make it harder and harder for businesses to enforce rules when the government is actually working against you on that front.

WDW is probably the only place in Florida with strict protocols these days. Even Universal isn't as strict as Disney anymore. The sports teams in Florida are all anticipating full stadiums this fall. UFC just had a full arena of fans in Jacksonville last night, most people not wearing masks and no vaccine mandate. So Florida is trying very hard to go back to normal.

Florida is currently averaging 60 COVID deaths per day. That's almost 22,000 deaths per year. The average viral caseload right now is 5,500 per day, and assuming 20% long haulers, that's at least 1,100 people daily who are still ending up with lingering COVID-related health problems. Annually, that's nearly 2% of the population.

So, while some places may act like they are going back to normal by dropping restrictions, this isn't the pre-COVID normal. It's just a tradeoff between convenience in daily life and the quality of that life - quality as measured by your health. To have both - as we did in 2019 - the virus has to go.

 

[gotomu212]

If these are the restrictions when US cruising starts we’ll pass. I don’t mind the mask or vaccination requirements but on sea days my kids like to either be in the kids club, at the pool, in a movie, playing shuffleboard. If all of these have sign ups and vastly reduced time (2.5 hours of kids club on a sea day seems like a joke) we honestly would be bored. Plus we enjoy adult time in the evenings while the kids go to the clubs, not that a vacation isn’t a lot of family time but it would be almost no time at the adult pool, adult nighttime activities, and limited Palo unless we sync it with the club activity time. It seems like a ton of sea days in a stateroom waiting for your activity time.

For the extreme premium we pay for DCL, there just isn’t value in it for us if the kids club is so diminished and we have to plan and queue for the public areas.

 

[nancipants]

I don’t know why people are surprised that the first cruises back after a year and a half have many restrictions.

 

[Matrix21]

I don’t know why people are surprised that the first cruises back after a year and a half have many restrictions.

Exactly. That’s the 2021 rules for now.
2022 is still very far and all can change, and i bet it will by mid-2022.

 

[Sykes]

The vaccination and mask requirements are big positive for me, but not being able to go to a show every night and having significant capacity restrictions on the kids clubs might be deal breakers if similar measures are in effect our cruise in September. It's not super surprising, but I'm really worried about how things change if there are super bored kids and teens wandering the ship all day. I have to imagine that they have a plan for that, but we'll see.

 

[DCLDVC1]

If these are the restrictions when US cruising starts we’ll pass. I don’t mind the mask or vaccination requirements but on sea days my kids like to either be in the kids club, at the pool, in a movie, playing shuffleboard. If all of these have sign ups and vastly reduced time (2.5 hours of kids club on a sea day seems like a joke) we honestly would be bored. Plus we enjoy adult time in the evenings while the kids go to the clubs, not that a vacation isn’t a lot of family time but it would be almost no time at the adult pool, adult nighttime activities, and limited Palo unless we sync it with the club activity time. It seems like a ton of sea days in a stateroom waiting for your activity time.

For the extreme premium we pay for DCL, there just isn’t value in it for us if the kids club is so diminished and we have to plan and queue for the public areas.

I couldn't care less about most of the restrictions but I'm with you regarding the kids clubs. The current club restrictions eliminate almost any ability to spontaneously do things.

 

[Fldisneyfamily4321]

I absolutely would not pay the amount of money that Disney charges for a cruise and have to wear a face mask in the middle of the ocean with the sun beating down .. no lol just like I will not visit Disney parks while having to do all of this plus reserving what park I can go to each day .. absolutely no way . Disney costs far to much to be so miserable. When things go back to normal I will go .. until then I can just do other travel ( costs less anyway ) . I can’t imagine wearing a mask in 100 degree heat with the sun shining down on you or even having to put one on and off constantly.

 

[Fldisneyfamily4321]

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.

Yeh ... no the world will have to learn to live with this just like the flu , this can’t continue forever .. lives and businesses will suffer ( I know several people that have lost loved ones to suicide because of lockdowns ) . I believe it even came out today in some places that it’s not even a “ pandemic “ anymore . I was vaccinated so I could travel I am NOT giving a company my cash when I have to be miserable walking around in a mask or doing half the activities you pay for . Where I am the mask mandate is no more and many businesses are letting make be individual choice yet we have had no hospitalizations in a long time .

 

[squirk]

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.

I don't think many folks here are of the mind that things will go back to exactly the way they were pre-COVID. I certainly think that some things like mandatory hand-washing outside restaurants will stay in place, and maybe proof of vaccinations prior to boarding, too. And I also believe that Disney will set things up where more health protocols will be easier to "dial up" and "dial down" on a dime, as needed.

But, IMO, the cruising public simply does not want a segmented, regimented cruise vacation like this. Some will abide short-term while we are still in the thick of COVID-19, but once things simmer down, people will stop accepting (most of) these restrictions as acceptable compromises for the risk involved and the money being charged.

 

[Fldisneyfamily4321]

I don't think many folks here are of the mind that things will go back to exactly the way they were pre-COVID. I certainly think that some things like mandatory hand-washing outside restaurants will stay in place, and maybe proof of vaccinations prior to boarding, too. And I also believe that Disney will set things up where more health protocols will be easier to "dial up" and "dial down" on a dime, as needed.

But, IMO, the cruising public simply does not want a segmented, regimented cruise vacation like this. Some will abide short-term while we are still in the thick of COVID-19, but once things simmer down, people will stop accepting (most of) these restrictions as acceptable compromises for the risk involved and the money being charged.

Absolutely.. I won’t pay that kind of money to have all those restrictions, but I do think we can go back to pretty normal after .. there will always be virus’s and illness , wash your hands and be more sanitary.. I didn’t get vaccinated so I could wear two masks outside or live like the world is ending .. I get flu vaccines each year and whatever else it takes but people can’t live this way permanently.

 

[hubbard53]

no, thanks!

 

[bbel]

I am trying to figure out if Cabanas will still be open and they will have cast members plate the food (yes, I did read that it said buffet self serve is unavailable) or will it be closed and we will only have the option of full service dining or eating at the fast food restaurants by the pool?

Cabanas is listed as one of the restaurants but nothing about what will be offered there and how...yet...

(Pic is borrowed/stolen from another site from a different question hence the random circling at the bottom)

 

[jrapps]

I think when cruising in the US FIRST resumes, there will be heavy restrictions like this. I for one will welcome them and I will gladly go on the cruise, but I can totally see why other's don't. I can also admit that while I am OK with these restrictions as a start, I would hope and expect that they are not forever.

I think when cruising first resumes, things will be heavily restricted. We won't be back to pre-2019 experience for a while, if ever. Things will be difficult. Many people will cancel, which helps cruise lines get to the reduced capacity they want to test things out. As vaccination rates go up and Covid infections go down, things at Disney World and DCL will gradually become less restrictive. Who knows, if Herd Immunity ever became reality, maybe things will go back to "normal". My opinion, if we ever get there it will be years. Some form of Covid will be here forever, and "new normal" health standards will be here forever. Just like we never returned to pre-9/11 security procedures in airports. New Normal.

For cruising, 2021 will be heavily restricted (vaccines, masks, etc). Early 2022 will ease up, maybe by late 2022 there will be no restrictions but still significantly enhances health protocols. Who knows.

 

[DCLMP]

How is Universal less strict than Disney right now? We were at both in July and at Thanksgiving, and overall, things evened out to about the same. There were some small differences. I am not arguing, so don't get offended. Just seeking information.

I just got back from Florida. I don’t know if things are any less strict, but it felt like it. People’s attitudes have changed that was my takeaway.

 

[DCLMP]

Absolutely.. I won’t pay that kind of money to have all those restrictions, but I do think we can go back to pretty normal after .. there will always be virus’s and illness , wash your hands and be more sanitary.. I didn’t get vaccinated so I could wear two masks outside or live like the world is ending .. I get flu vaccines each year and whatever else it takes but people can’t live this way permanently.

It wont go back to normal until people finally say enough is enough.