birdie16

Yes, we are home now. I’m still sick and testing positive, my husband is back to normal.

You did the right thing. So did we, but I’m not sure I would again.

Exactly! Just so you know…you can refuse the test. (You don’t want them to make you stay longer) After I tested negative twice, I refused any more testing. I knew I had it and we were stuck in our cabin for my husband anyway. When we got home, after being declared good to travel, we both tested positive. The problem is, nobody is calling medical, they are walking around with Covid.

It sounds like you are being treated better than we were on the Amsterdam. At first I was angry with Holland America for the lack of care and protocols, but I’m beginning to believe it has more to do with the actual management on our ship. Our situation was a cluster of mistakes from beginning to end. I’m too tired to write more about it, as I’m still sick. When I am better, I will be writing a long letter to corporate. We were not offered any medication, that would have shortened our illness. I hope you are better soon.

Did you use a lawyer? I’m tempted. My story is much worse than what I wrote here. (Edit…now I see you are talking about a check from your travel insurance.)

Yes! We have a two week Europe cruise that I talked my friends into doing with us. All four of us will be canceling that if they don’t make this right.

Exactly! It is smoke and mirrors to make you feel comfortable to cruise again.

At least if you get Covid at Walmart, you will be home when you are sick.

I hadn’t thought of that. Hopefully our hotel can get us in our room early. I don’t want to tell them they shouldn’t let the lepers sit in their lobby.

Yes, lesson learned the hard way.

Well, don’t get me started.🤣They told us we had to stay one night in a hotel to fulfill our Covid isolation. Told us to make a reservation and they would reimburse us. They also said to change our flights, which we did. THEN medical changed my husbands date of “onset of symptoms” so they could avoid paying our hotel, which we booked as they requested and paid for the room. We will see if they still reimburse us. This experience with them has been horrible at every turn.

We are back in Fort Lauderdale, waiting for our special Covid protocol escort off the ship and moving to a hotel. I will write a more detailed list of observations and suggestions from our experience when I am home and feeling better. For now, let me just say, calling medical if you are feeling symptoms, per the cruise lines directives, is NOT something I would ever do again. Be aware, the cruise lines can’t force you to test for Covid, at least at this writing. You are much better off convalescing in you cabin until you feel better. We have been disgusted by the lack of communication on this ship. The medical department mixed up my records with my husbands and submitted incorrect information to the CDC. They falsely said my husband had symptoms on a date before he was tested, which is blatantly false. This could have potential legal ramifications. My husband was asymptomatic and only discovered to have Covid when I was tested. Will we cruise again? Maybe. But we will be armed with drugs to treat ourselves and NEVER contact the ships medical department.

Yes, we have heard a lot of coughing on the balconies. My sister (not on the cruise, and several states away from me) just had Covid. Her husband also tested positive right away. She was very sick and it took three tests before she tested positive. Even though they gave me permission to leave, I’m staying in our cabin on lock down. I will not knowingly ruin someone else’s cruise. I also couldn’t go out and party, leaving my husband behind.

No worries. You offered a lively debate today to a bored woman in captivity.

I think it’s a good thing they are requiring testing on your cruise. It reduces the chance you might get sick. Glad you are good, enjoy your cruise!

I know all about that.😊I’m a retired flight attendant, we got sick more often than a kindergarten teacher wiping noses all day. I stand by my theory that it was on the ship. I’m beginning to think you work for the cruise line.🤣

Thank you. That was my point.

You are just as correct as I am at how we got Covid. We didn’t get off in Grand Cayman, sat alone at a bar by the pier for one drink and went back to the ship in Cozumel. Our other port was Jamaica and we stayed on the ship because we had some sad family news. Our only other port last week was Holland’s private island. I am just as convinced we got it on the ship, or the private island, as that’s where we were with the most contact besides the ship. We will never know. I posted, to caution people that Covid is still an issue, cruise at your own risk.

I’m so sorry. Your suggestion to bring your own test kit is a good one.

I’m not offended, just frustrated. How do you know how many covid cases? I asked, they wouldn’t tell me. The medical person that tested me had a little post it note with her little test kit. There were at least 30 to 40 cabin numbers on that little post it, she crossed off our cabin number. I can only assume they were cabins she needed to test. She did tell me they are having a lot more cases now that the testing restrictions have been lifted. Only a handful of passengers have been wearing masks, I have not seen any crew wearing them. BTW, we got sick the second week of our cruise. I’m pretty sure we got it here.

We were given the choice for him to go into isolation. I will not leave him!!! Who would do that? How can I go “enjoy” my cruise with him stuck in some isolation room. It’s bad enough together. No, that is NOT a choice.

Thank you. Yes, they gave us the letter, but so far not many if their procedures are being observed. We are supposed to have a stand outside our door to place our room service…that hasn't happened. The poor room service people are not even aware they can’t come in our cabin. We put on our masks and tell them not to come in. We are supposed to be getting bottled water…that hasn’t happened. No big deal, we have been asking for ice water with our room service. They call each day to see how we are doing, so I can’t fault them for that.

We were given the choice for him to go into isolation. I will not leave him!!! Who would do that? How can I go “enjoy” my cruise with him stuck in some isolation room. It’s bad enough together. No, that is NOT a choice.

We did two earlier this year, but it was before they lifted all the Covid testing restrictions.