On another note, ILs are on a cruise. Sheer insanity if you ask me considering FIL had open heart surgery and still has issues from that. Plus they barely allow them to leave the ship anyplace, so it is just being on a boat for a week. It was pre-pandemic booking that was rescheduled and they would lose money if they did not go. I really hope they do not

get sick or stranded somewhere.

Ugh. PIL are taking a cruise in late May/early June (I think to Alaska?), and are super crabby that C's graduation is during their cruise. I'd take it as a sign to not go on a cruise but whatever.

I am on a flight headed to a cruise right now. I have clients cruising and my friend Clay is back to work with Norwegian after being unemployed from January 2020 to November 2021.

your ILs have no right to be crabby brodyjen . It's not like it was a surprise when C was going to graduate. Sure, maybe the exact date - but they knew what time of year it would happen...

While there were some ports that blocked a few ships for a few days in December during the Omicron flare, most ports are allowing vaccinated guests at least to disembark the ships. Cruise lines have changed itineraries to skip ports that are not. No one is going on a cruise and not disembarking all week.

Sorry they may not be giving us the right information, MIL said the excursions they booked were canceled but it may be for other reasons I just assumed. They originally booked this a long time ago, I just feel like given their health issues they should have waited a few more months but it was not an option without losing money.

Their pictures in the Bahamas are on land so they are off the ship at least for a bit.

And i totally get why people want to get back to cruising but FIL almost died a year ago and has a pacemaker and all sorts of medications for his heart.

Ship run excursions may be cancelled due to lack of capacity onshore or lack of interest among passengers or combination thereof. To some people, excursions = getting off the ship. We tend to do a lot of self guided touring so being in Port is all we need to get off the ship

Having gotten sick on the one ship-based trip I ever took, my 1 criteria to ever do it again is knowing there is solid medical care on board. It was bad enough to have an about-to-rupture eardrum and then some kind of GI parasite and know that that shipboard doc was my only help. God forbid someone's heart goes or you have a stroke.

and of course there is the time my FIL wrecked his leg on a cruise in Chile and ended up in the Clinicia de los Andes for surgical repair.

Yup as a teen I got really lucky - got into a moped accident but a fellow passengers in our little group was an RN.

I must admit travelling with my then gf the flight RN /would be EMT was great in that respect.

Actually, many ships/ports are only allowing ship-sponsored excursions right now, especially lobes that allow children too young to be vaccinated. This is for contact tracing purposes.

I'm znot sure anyone with serious health conditions should be going anywhere but I feel better on a 100% vax'ed and multiply tested ship of people than I do going anywhere at home.

I think our vaxx rates are much higher and I'm still wary - but it's def better than without all the precautions and restrictions. My mind boggles at the places where "Covid-19 isn't a thing"

Honestly cruising doesn’t worry as much as a random pub in town

^^^ many cruises are vaccinated 95% or more and everyone is tested before boarding. I am more stressed about picking up Covid ont he flight down than on our planned cruise. Although our cruise is 100% vaccinated since we don’t have anyone under 13 permitted by the charter.

In comparison I live where people don’t wear masks and try to shame you if you do. Good bet many aren’t vaxxed either.

I really wouldn't fuss overmuch about being on a cruise right now (in fact, I am considering one with a friend who has a comp she offered me...) But if I was elderly or had some serious underlying condition? No way. Same answer as for going anywhere crowded where I couldn't get away from other people and didn't have access to immediate medical care.

pigglet27 , which charter?

juptonrd : Star Trek run by ECP

pigglet27 fun! My friend on NCL has a full ship charter boarding Friday but it's not that one.

juptonrd : we’ve been doing this one for a couple years. Frank is a total Trekkie.

I was happier on our holiday to the Canaries than going to a shopping centre - everyone on the flight was vaxxed likewise at the hotel.

I figure if I didn't get covid on a plane to/from Orlando before people were vaxed, planes are pretty safe. Getting on a plane where I know everyone is vaccinated or at least tested negative? No worries.

I have never worried about the plane. I would not worry about our family going on a cruise if we were cruise people. Alas, FIL almost died a year ago when he passed out and was in coma for 3 or 4 days. He was lucky MIL was at home and immediately called ambulance, and RTP area has kick ass hospitals.

He has always neglected his health till there is crisis, and is doing it again even after last year's ordeal. And won't listed to MIL or either of his kids. Gives me flashbacks before my dad was the same and died a decade before he likely needed to because he never took his health seriously.