After overwhelming positive feedback following the announcement that they would be dropping their mandatory face mask requirement beginning on March 1, Norwegian Cruise Line has announced today that it will be extending this policy to include all clothing. A statement from Norwegian reads:
You spoke and Norwegian Cruise Line has listened. Beginning on March 1, clothing while onboard will be at guests’ discretion. We recognize the added protection undergarments provide when sitting on hot surfaces and near closing elevator doors and advise caution. We will also be stocking an increased supply of sunscreen and Aloe Vera lotion in the onboard gift shop and recommend physical distancing from children under 5 who will now be allowed on NCL ships without vaccination. While their risk of Covid is low, their risk of lifelong trauma is high. Please also note that clothing will still be required while actively eating or drinking, but you are welcome to remove it between bites or sips.
We are also pleased to announce that while we will no longer be providing Covid-19 testing on site at embarkation, we will now be providing complimentary pregnancy and STD testing at debarkation. We are confident these changes will enhance your cruise experience and look forward to welcoming you onboard!
So far, reaction from past NCL cruisers has been mixed:
Only time will tell if other cruise lines will follow (Carnival, the balls are in your court) and whether this new policy will help revive an industry struggling to recover from the Covid pandemic.
*While it should be obvious, in my former life as a college professor I once had a student cite an Onion article as part of a literature review, so I want to be explicit that this article is SATIRE. It’s 100% the creation of Prof. Cruise’s weird little brain. While the parts about NCL dropping their mask requirement, allowing unvaccinated children under 5 to cruise, and no longer providing complimentary Covid-19 testing at embarkation are factual, the rest is pure hogwash. Happy [clothed] cruising!
**If you read the headline and immediately donated the contents of your cruise closet to Goodwill (for the next few months you’ll know that anyone wearing a nautical tie or flamingo sundress shops at Goodwill), I direct you to Bare Necessities Tour and Travel with the reassurance that nude cruising is, in fact, a thing. You should really read beyond headlines though.
And with that…
Class Dismissed.
Homework (10 points): For more cruise humor read:
Five Valentine’s Day Gift Ideas for Cruise Lovers
15 Things to do in 2022 if your Cruise was Cancelled
15 Tips for Staying Fit on a Cruise Ship
Cruise Homonyms: Words That Mean One Thing To Cruisers And Something Else To Non-Cruisers
20 Signs you Might be a Cruise Addict
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