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Cruising During COVID: Safety Onboard

Posted by: PaulaK January 25, 2022

Credit: PaulaK

My family and I just returned from a seven night cruise on the Disney Fantasy. The trip was not work related and we weren’t sponsored by Disney, this was a family vacation. I thought I’d share some of our experiences with you, so that you can make your own decision on whether or not a Disney Cruise is right for you during these strange times.

I’ve always been impressed by the safety measures on Disney Cruise Line, but things have stepped up a notch. Face coverings are required indoors for anyone two and older, and we saw very few people who didn’t follow this rule. The Crew Members wore face coverings at all times, except for the performers or characters.

Related: Cruising During COVID: Before You Board

There was hand sanitizer outside of each elevator stop, and the dispensers were kept filled (unlike some of them at Walt Disney World). I think there was only one time all week that a dispenser didn’t work for me.

Credit: PaulaK

There were social distancing markers in many places. There are also dots on the ground for special events, one party would stand on each dot.

Related: Cruising During COVID: Dining

The Muster Drill was done through the Disney Cruise Line Navigator App. We were required to stop by our station before we sailed. A Crew Member checked us in and then talked us through the process.

Related: Cruising During COVID: Entertainment

The pools had a limit on how many people could swim at a time. After a few minutes, the lifeguard blew a whistle and the group would change. I didn’t see this happen often, because the ship was empty.

From what I understand, parents needed to sign up for the Kids Clubs through the Navigator App. I wasn’t traveling with children, but I heard it worked smoothly. Several times I heard an announcement that there were openings if parents were interested.

Credit: PaulaK

It’s a Small World Nursery was closed.

Related: Cruising During COVID: Characters

Related: Cruising During COVID: Ports of Call

There were things missing, to keep people safe. There was no Sail Away Party. If you wanted to see what was going on you needed to check the Navigator App, there were no paper Navigators left in the rooms. This was something that was changing before COVID, but it is worth noting.

Related: Cruising During COVID: Star Wars Day at Sea

Related: Cruising During COVID: The End of the Cruise

Pirate Night was canceled, including the dinner menu. Many people still dressed in costume for what would have been Pirate Night, including some of the characters. There was also a pirate backdrop for pictures.

Credit: PaulaK

There was never a time when I didn’t feel safe while we were on the ship. We joked that it gave a new meaning to the words ‘Disney Bubble’. If there were any new cases of COVID during our cruise, we never heard about them.

About PaulaK

I grew up in Western Massachusetts. When I was nine my family went to Disneyland and I was hooked. I grew up, attended New England College in Henniker, NH and eventually moved to Virginia. I worked as a disc jockey, married and became a full time mom when our daughter was born. Fast forward several years. In 2010 we moved to Central Florida and my Disney obsession grew. I now work as a freelance writer and spend my spare time in the parks. Under the name Paula Brown I penned the novels Dream Wanderers and The Coffee Cruiser. I also am a co-author of Dining at Walt Disney World: The Definitive Guide. I'm obsessed with Star Wars, so this is a good time to live in Central Florida. I've been a vegetarian for well over a decade, a choice that my daughter eventually made as well. While my husband still hasn't joined us fully he has given up most meats except for seafood. I was relieved to find that vegetarian dining is not difficult at Walt Disney World.