rackingguy

This was the TA on the NCL Escape that docked in Rome on May 11. My wife had a scratchy throat and head pressure, so she decided to test before we disembarked at Cadíz. We brought a bunch of at home tests because we’re staying in Europe until mid-November. Once she tested positive on the home test, we called the nurse station to inform them.

@Honolulu Blue - Yes, overall, it was a positive experience considering the circumstances. There are a few things to iron out, but I’d expect each subsequent cruise to improve from this level, at least with NCL. @Pele_Nipsy - They said that it would be cleared after 30 days after the cruise and if she didn’t see FCC to contact them, so we’re still TBD on your question. I did save a copy of the current T&C page just in case.

@smillerholmes - That’s why she wanted to write the article. When she tested positive, we searched frantically online for info about what experience she would face and couldn’t find anything. That said, I’d hope that her experience is the floor going forward and that they continue to refine the processes to make what future cruisers experience even better. Also, we cannot speak to what’s happened/is happening with the people who were still positive at the cruise’s end. It appears some stayed on the ship, and I’m uncertain if all of them were on a back to back cruise, and some went to a quarantine hotel about an hour away.

As soon as she started feeling symptoms, we did. After my fourth straight negative test, I stopped wearing one except where required (e.g., Italian waters). NCL communicated the requirement to wear one but did it enforce it. Our reasoning was that we’d both received our second boosters on March 28 and everyone had to have a negative test within 2 days of embarkation. So, while (obviously) not risk free, it was a trade off we were willing to make. If I had to guess, I’d say 1 in 5 wore masks throughout the cruise. I was never bothered by others when I did wear one. I suspect I may have discovered the location of the ship’s brig were I to be harassed while wearing one. That a large number of people went maskless throughout most of the cruise did not bother me due to the circumstances surrounding the vaccination and test status of the participants. That NCL did not enforce the wearing of masks where required by the host countries did bother me, as we’d all agreed to comply with whatever requirements were held by local authorities. Again, this is a situation where clarity and communication could help people make better decisions. I did notice more people masking up during the latter stages of the cruise, even before we were required to do so by local authorities. Let me be clear in that we’re not blaming anyone for her getting COVID. We knew and accepted the risks given our vaccination and test status. There’s no way a cruise line could reasonably provide a zero risk environment. Oh, I forgot to mention one small complaint. I had to cancel my wife’s reservations for things we’d signed up for. Most of the cancellations went smoothly. The one that didn’t was that not only did they cancel her for Choir of Man, but they also cancelled me, and by the time I realized it, all showings were sold out. 😥

@missnd - ugh…what a terrible experience! Yes, while their processes aren’t perfect, they’re streets better than your experience. I think my wife had to wait maybe an hour once for food, and that was the extent. @Karaboudjan - I believe the answer is yes because there was another couple in our FB group who went into quarantine together. One had it and the other never tested positive. @Turtles06 - I think the assigned cabin services rep was probably a lesson learned from the experiences of @missnd and others. We don’t know why the 5th floor was the designated COVID ward, but, on the NCL Escape, there are only ocean view and interior cabins. Our assumption is that they filled the ocean view first and then the interior. There was someone in an ocean view quarantine cabin, as they posted some pictures on the FB group. If you’re concerned about getting put in an interior in the event of quarantine, contact the cruise line beforehand to find out where the quarantine cabins are. I do wish the cruise lines would post numbers. This would help people make informed decisions. A 1:300 chance of catching the virus on a cruise is very different than a 1:30, but, for now, we’re all forced to speculate on probabilities.

Thanks! All credit to my wife for the eloquent write up. She’s very good at keeping herself occupied. The unlimited internet and PPV helped considerably. She did a lot of FaceTime calls with family as well. Plus, for a couple of days, she really didn’t feel like doing much due to the virus, so she slept a lot. I think if she had day 5 symptoms - minor sniffles and cough - for the entire quarantine period, she would have been a lot more restless.

Thank you so much for the kind words! I think my wife said it best that you have to have a good attitude to get through it. Everyone is doing their best. We all know that we're accepting a risk, and occasionally, you roll snake eyes. Thank goodness she came out the other end and recovered quickly; it could have been a lot worse!

Mods: If this is in the wrong place, feel free to move it. The article follows the COVID guidelines (I hope!). We recently finished the NCL Escape transatlantic cruise from NYC to Rome. On day 11, my wife tested positive for COVID-19 and had to stay in quarantine until testing negative the day before and the day of disembarkation. Here's her writeup of the experience: https://www.hullfinancialplanning.com/i-got-covid-on-a-cruise-ship-heres-what-happened/