Seabourn and the current issues surrounding the Corona Virus

[3418ahl]

Crystal just cancelled all its cruises in Singapore for the entire month of March.

 

[teamflames]

1 hour ago, mjminseattle said:

we are booked on Encore for the April 17 sailing Singapore to Athens.  We have not heard a peep out of our TA or Seabourn.  Anyone else have any iformation on this sailing?

 

We are also sailing that date (only to Dubai). Have not heard anything. Crystal has stated that there will be itinerary changes to its equivalent cruise (I read that as they will move it from Singapore) so will be interesting if Seabourn do the same?

Pure speculation on my behalf but I wonder if they will keep the ship in Australia/NZ and cancel the Bali itinerary and start our cruise from somewhere in Australia(Darwin or Fremantle)? Pure guesswork

[teamflames]

7 minutes ago, 3418ahl said:

Crystal just cancelled all its cruises in Singapore for the entire month of March.

 

Yes just saw this. I thought it was strange that their last itinerary from Singapore sailed when Seabourn cancelled theirs (same day I think) and Princess cancelled the previous day.

It seemed especially strange seeing as their owners Genting cancelled their other cruise ships from sailing from Singapore.

 

[Sunviking]

4 hours ago, SLSD said:

I don't know if Italy also relies on foreign labor, but they have also reported cases.   And then we have the passengers from the Westerdam who have flown home to various areas of the world after a number onboard have come down with the virus.  My point is that the virus IS spreading that there are a lot of unknowns.  The fact that the State Department of the United States (such as it is) is warning people about cruise ships and the virus, there are things to be concerned about if you have booked a cruise already--or are considering it--which is our situation. 

I'm curious as to where you heard that a number of passengers from the Westerdam have come down with the virus.  It had been reported that one 83 year old woman was believed to have it after she traveled to Malaysia following her disembarkation  in Cambodia.  About an hour ago USA Today reported that after multiple tests came back negative it is not believed that she ever had coronavirus.  Additionally, the article states that the remaining Westerdam crew members and passengers remaining in Cambodia have also all tested negative.

 

https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/cruises/2020/02/21/coronavirus-holland-america-ms-westerdam-cruise-passenger-cleared/4834124002/

[teamflames]

1 minute ago, Sunviking said:

I'm curious as to where you heard that a number of passengers from the Westerdam have come down with the virus.  It had been reported that one 83 year old woman was believed to have it after she traveled to Malaysia following her disembarkation  in Cambodia.  About an hour ago USA Today reported that after multiple tests came back negative it is not believed that she ever had coronavirus.  Additionally, the article states that the remaining Westerdam crew members and passengers remaining in Cambodia have also all tested negative.

 

https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/cruises/2020/02/21/coronavirus-holland-america-ms-westerdam-cruise-passenger-cleared/4834124002/

I have not heard of any confirmed cases from the HAL cruise (other than the confusing case of the woman in Malaysia).

However, it has been reported that 4 Australians who tested negative on the Princess Diamond have since tested positive after being flown home. I also saw similar reports on another thread for several Americans and 1 Israeli.

It is concerning that so many of those testing positive are asymptomatic (ie temperature screenings will miss it).

[3418ahl]

My feeling is definitely that our cruise on March 14 out of Singapore will be cancelled.  Many of the boarders will be spending time in Singapore prior to boarding and all it would take is one case to be a "Diamond Princess"!  Today, even planes carrying citizens from Westerdam and Diamond Princess were denied landing in several countries.

[SLSD]

29 minutes ago, teamflames said:

I have not heard of any confirmed cases from the HAL cruise (other than the confusing case of the woman in Malaysia).

However, it has been reported that 4 Australians who tested negative on the Princess Diamond have since tested positive after being flown home. I also saw similar reports on another thread for several Americans and 1 Israeli.

It is concerning that so many of those testing positive are asymptomatic (ie temperature screenings will miss it).

I would have to do some googling and searching to find the article I read about the Westerdam passengers.  It IS concerning that the testing is not exactly trustworthy.  And yes, I've read that a person can be a carrier and asymptomatic. 

[teamflames]

2 minutes ago, 3418ahl said:

My feeling is definitely that our cruise on March 14 out of Singapore will be cancelled.  Many of the boarders will be spending time in Singapore prior to boarding and all it would take is one case to be a "Diamond Princess"!  Today, even planes carrying citizens from Westerdam and Diamond Princess were denied landing in several countries.

Is that the Ovation to Dubai?

Apparently Crystal has moved its Singapore to Dubai cruise to embark in Malaysia. This cruise is in April. 
Seems a curious move.

[mjminseattle]

James and Fleur, The Seabourn Encore itinerary starting on the 17th does not go to Bali.  Perhaps it goes to Bali on the way up to Singapore.  From Singapore our  itinerary is supposedly to Phuket, Thailand then Colombo, Sri Lanka  before Mumbai, India.  I suppose that if we are allowed to sail there would be the possibility of boarding in any one of several other ports. 

Perhaps they will keep the ship in Australia and board us there.  Having been to Bali several times I don't envision that as a viable option but one never knows.  We have almost 8 weeks.  Fingers crossed, the cruise will go off as planned or at least with a few wrinkles.  One thing is for sure, we will have stories to tell.  Let me know on the roll call or here if you hear any thing.

 

Edited February 22, 2020 by mjminseattle
additional thoughts.

[mjminseattle]

Nope, Encore goes to Dubai.  It is currently in New Zealand, Tauranga.  Ovation is currently docked in Singapore environs.

[frantic36]

We have just received notification from Seabourn that Sojourn is not going to Asia but they are altering cruises to head to Fremantle in early March and will then do cruising around Australia and New Zealand. 

 

Our cruise due to start in Sydney is now starting in Auckland so we will now need to change some bookings. Hopefully either Seabourn or our insurance will cover the extra expense.

 

Julie

Edited February 22, 2020 by frantic36

[teamflames]

3 minutes ago, mjminseattle said:

James and Fleur, The Seabourn Encore itinerary starting on the 17th does not go to Bali.  From Singapore the itinerary is supposedly to Phuket, Thailand then Colombo, Sri Lanka  before Mumbai, India.  I suppose that if we are allowed to sail there would be the possibility of boarding in any one of several other ports. 

Perhaps they will keep the ship in Australia and board us there.  Having been to Bali several times I don't envision that as a viable option but one never knows.  We have almost 8 weeks.  Fingers crossed, the cruise will go off as planned or at least with a few wrinkles.  One thing is for sure, we will have stories to tell.  Let me know on the roll call or here if you hear any thing.

 

Sorry for the confusion. The reference to Bali was the itinerary before ours. The ship sails from Sydney to Bali and then onto Singapore for our cruise. I was hypothesising that they could change that itinerary to Bali (who have reportedly not allowed passengers to disembark recently) and keep the ship in Australia until our itinerary.

I think if they changed the Encore to leave from Australia they would have to cancel the Indonesia and Thailand stops just to make up the cruising time?

[teamflames]

4 minutes ago, frantic36 said:

We have just received notification from Seabourn that they are not going to Asia but are altering cruises to head to Fremantle in early March and will then do cruising around Australia and New Zealand. 

 

Our cruise due to start in Sydney is now starting in Auckland so we will now need to change some bookings. Hopefully either Seabourn or our insurance will cover the extra expense.

 

Julie

Which ship is that? sojourn?

[frantic36]

1 minute ago, teamflames said:

Which ship is that? sojourn?

 

Yes

[mjminseattle]

32 minutes ago, teamflames said:

Sorry for the confusion. The reference to Bali was the itinerary before ours. The ship sails from Sydney to Bali and then onto Singapore for our cruise. I was hypothesising that they could change that itinerary to Bali (who have reportedly not allowed passengers to disembark recently) and keep the ship in Australia until our itinerary.

I think if they changed the Encore to leave from Australia they would have to cancel the Indonesia and Thailand stops just to make up the cruising time?

Yes.  I understand that is the case and I realized that after I wrote the post.  I edited it, but not in time.  If we do depart from Australia my only regret will be that we don't get more time there.  We are Mexican residents so coming from there through San Francisco so not a whole lot of options for us.

[rols]

7 hours ago, SLSD said:

And then we have the passengers from the Westerdam who have flown home to various areas of the world after a number onboard have come down with the virus.  

"A number"? Last I read one person, the one detained in Malaysia, tested positive but no other passengers (or ex passengers) yet had. Which, if true, leads credence to the idea she picked it up after she got off. 

 

.. and I see that in fact it was, as was suggested at the time, a false positive and the woman never had the disease at all. 

 

https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3051871/coronavirus-cambodia-questions-malaysias-diagnosis-after

Edited February 22, 2020 by rols

[teamflames]

7 minutes ago, mjminseattle said:

Yes.  I understand that is the case and I realized that after I wrote the post.  I edited it, but not in time.  If we do depart from Australia my only regret will be that we don't get more time there.  We are Mexican residents so coming from there through San Francisco so not a whole lot of options for us.

Are you the guys we met on Azamara Pursuit?

[teamflames]

41 minutes ago, frantic36 said:

 

Yes

Thanks, hmm gives credence to my theory of what Encore will do (basically the reverse of Sojourn)

[rols]

On 2/20/2020 at 9:49 AM, rols said:

There's also the question of Sojourn which is on the world cruise and due to spend 3 weeks in Asia. Again I'm sure Seabourn is waiting to see what happens but they must be considering heading down to Australia early and doing a couple of circuits around there. 

 

.. and it looks like that's what happened ... 

[frantic36]

23 minutes ago, rols said:

"A number"? Last I read one person, the one detained in Malaysia, tested positive but no other passengers (or ex passengers) yet had. Which, if true, leads credence to the idea she picked it up after she got off. 

 

I have read that as well that she may have picked it up off the ship after disembarking. In fact I also read there might have been a false positive. So much rumour and speculation I now read different things then wait for something which confirms it as fact.

 

Julie

Edited February 22, 2020 by frantic36

[frantic36]

15 minutes ago, rols said:

 

.. and it looks like that's what happened ... 

 

I will wait a week before changing anything regarding embarking in Auckland rather than Sydney. I must admit I am hoping that Seabourn will realise there will be quite a few claims from passengers due to embark and disembark in Sydney on the 29th re hotels and flights so they will change it back to Sydney.

 

Julie

[rols]

Just now, frantic36 said:

 

I will wait a week before changing anything regarding embarking in Auckland rather than Sydney. I must admit I am hoping that Seabourn will realise there will be quite a few claims from passengers due to embark and disembark in Sydney on the 29th re hotels and flights so they will change it back to Sydney.

 

Julie

I think you might have a good plan there. I dread to think how many people changed their flights after Seabourn originally altered the cruises from Hong Kong to Singapore and then had to cancel them again when the cruises were cancelled. 

 

[rols]

For those following along at home, Ovation has moved. She's now currently sitting in the same dockyard but, if my map reading skills are correct, next to/on one of the floating dry docks, or at least in the area where the floating dry docks usually sit. 

 

So perhaps she is going to get her bottom scrubbed and other stuff done whilst we all wait to see what 14th March brings. 

[Paulchili]

2 hours ago, teamflames said:

I was hypothesising that they could change that itinerary to Bali (who have reportedly not allowed passengers to disembark recently) and keep the ship in Australia until our itinerary.

We are on the Sydney to Bali.

Do you have a reference or facts supporting your claim for Bali not accepting cruise passengers? I really dislike rumors.

[teamflames]

21 minutes ago, Paulchili said:

We are on the Sydney to Bali.

Do you have a reference or facts supporting your claim for Bali not accepting cruise passengers? I really dislike rumors.

I was talking to my neighbour who was telling me their daughter was on a RCCL cruise (I don’t know the ship) and No one was allowed to leave the ship when it arrived in Bali. I then saw it mentioned on another thread which seemed to corroborate what my neighbour told me.

I will try and find a link but it was a couple of days ago.