PRINCESS SHIPS & CORONA VIRUS

[Cool_Dude]

I am forever amazed at the level of fear generated over false/fake information. 

 

For the fun of it, I googled "Beer Virus" 

 

Note there are 206 million results.

 

And then there is all the hype about face masks. Stores selling out of them. (This is particularly important for the owners of the companies that make them. My greatest fear is none of my mutual funds own stock in them!)

 

Rather than going to the CDC (recognized as one of the greatest agencies ever created by the US gov. by most countries in world) and getting the facts people are hoarding the masks. As of this moment, the CDC states (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/faq.html#prevention),

Q: Does CDC recommend the use of facemask in the community to prevent 2019-nCoV?

A: No. CDC does not currently recommend the use of face masks among the general public. While limited person-to-person spread among close contacts has been detected, this virus is not currently spreading in the community in the United States. 

[Level six]

Very nicely said NPCL.  That has been my whole point all along, I just didn't say it as nicely as you did.

 

But here on CC those who believe as you do are slammed and called fear mongers.  It is just practical information that you have presented. 

 

I was supposed to be on Westerdam and cancelled and lost lots of $$.  Not because I thought I would die from the virus but because of all you said above.(stuck at sea, being quarantined, travel disruptions, etc). 

 

The funny thing is, if any of that happened my trip insurance would pay, and probably pay a lot.  Now, because I cancelled ahead of all that, they won't.  Even changing the itinerary to disembark in Tokyo instead of Shanghai would have cost the insurance about $1000 more per person flight.  They would be saving money if they just paid now.   

 

Thanks for presenting a good post.  

[npcl]

15 minutes ago, Level six said:

Very nicely said NPCL.  That has been my whole point all along, I just didn't say it as nicely as you did.

 

But here on CC those who believe as you do are slammed and called fear mongers.  It is just practical information that you have presented. 

 

I was supposed to be on Westerdam and cancelled and lost lots of $$.  Not because I thought I would die from the virus but because of all you said above.(stuck at sea, being quarantined, travel disruptions, etc). 

 

The funny thing is, if any of that happened my trip insurance would pay, and probably pay a lot.  Now, because I cancelled ahead of all that, they won't.  Even changing the itinerary to disembark in Tokyo instead of Shanghai would have cost the insurance about $1000 more per person flight.  They would be saving money if they just paid now.   

 

Thanks for presenting a good post.  

Not necessarily when it comes to insurance.  For example most travel issues, unless you are actually sick, fall under trip delay, which is often very limited. For many policies around $500. About the only way the insurance pays if you  are actually sick and cannot board.  Being held in quarantine is usually not a covered expense. Late departing and ship and missing the next one, trip delay.  In quarantine and missing a flight, trip delay.  

 

Unfortunately most insurance, other than cancel for any reason, are just not set up to cover epidemics impacts and corresponding travel delays.  Instead they are set up for travel cancellation for a covered reason.

 

 

 

[Level six]

After 30 cruises, I have made claims 3 times and the insurance paid without any issue.

 

Missed train due to late air arrival, some medical issue.   

 

My airline cancelled all flights from Buenos Aires due to storm in NJ and my insurance paid $2300 for new flights home on another airline.  

[npcl]

3 minutes ago, Level six said:

After 30 cruises, I have made claims 3 times and the insurance paid without any issue.

 

Missed train due to late air arrival, some medical issue.   

 

My airline cancelled all flights from Buenos Aires due to storm in NJ and my insurance paid $2300 for new flights home on another airline.  

All depends upon the insurance.  Each person should check their coverage. and if in doubt call the provider.

 

[sfaaa]

11 hours ago, seapals2 said:

Having just returned from a Caribbean cruise my concern is being on a ship that is suddenly quarantined.  Passengers would presumably be confined to cabins too.  
I will not be looking to board any ship for the foreseeable future.  We had a balcony but imagine being confined to an inside cabin.  There is a ship in Citivechia  right now with 7000 onboard going nowhere.  Passengers on ships being denied entry to ports. You can not leave the ship once you have boarded until allowed by port authorities.  It must be a nightmare.  Surprised not seeing more posts in forums.  

Still better than going home to do house chores and then back to work the next day.

[Canadian12]

I choose "house chores" and "back to work" over stuck on the ship any day...  We were on the RCL ship during Hurricane Harvey, 7 day cruise extended to 10 days...  it wasn't fun.  

[jamesboat]

1 hour ago, Level six said:

After 30 cruises, I have made claims 3 times and the insurance paid without any issue.

 

Missed train due to late air arrival, some medical issue.   

 

My airline cancelled all flights from Buenos Aires due to storm in NJ and my insurance paid $2300 for new flights home on another airline.  

 

Some insurances explicitly exclude things like pandemics, riots, and government ordered closures from their converge. Always read the fine print! The more people affected, the more people they will try to deny coverage to

Edited February 4, 2020 by jamesboat

[voljeep]

1 hour ago, sfaaa said:

 Passengers would presumably be confined to cabins too.  

🙄  🤣🤯  only those suspected of having …..

[npcl]

46 minutes ago, voljeep said:

🙄  🤣🤯  only those suspected of having …..

Would not be too sure of that.  The problem would be since people might not show symptoms if the ship was quarantined and the passengers were intermixing, then any new case developing in the quarantine period would reset the clock and start it all over again.  Usually people kept in quarantine are kept isolated such that at the end of the period they can leave, even if others in quarantine develop symptoms.  On the land based quarantine sites the requirements were for single rooms just for that reason.

[OzKiwiJJ]

7 hours ago, gvre said:

Latest update from Daily Mail

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7964349/Cruise-ship-3-711-people-board-quarantined-Japan.html

Hmmm, I'm not sure I totally believe that article, especially some of the photos which could easily have been taken at night. There are a few discrepancies between the text and the photos that I picked up just on a very casual read through: 

- the so-called empty reception desk certainly isn't the guest services desk on Diamond, it looks like the photo gallery desk.

- the "empty" casino shot shows a guy wandering through it not wearing a mask.

- a shot looking down into the atrium shows people sitting at the tables and none appear to be wearing masks.

 

The article claims all passengers are confined to cabins yet quotes one passenger who states he saw another passenger blowing his nose on a napkin then leaving the napkin on the table. 

[koolforkatz]

It has just been reported that 10 people on the Diamond Princess quarantined in Yokohama have tested positive for the virus.  

[npcl]

1 minute ago, koolforkatz said:

It has just been reported that 10 people on the Diamond Princess quarantined in Yokohama have tested positive for the virus.  

Do you have a source?

[OzKiwiJJ]

2 minutes ago, koolforkatz said:

It has just been reported that 10 people on the Diamond Princess quarantined in Yokohama have tested positive for the virus.  

Ouch! But not surprising. 

 

Princess seem to be handlng the situation very well. It must be very difficult for all concerned - passengers, crew and management.

[koolforkatz]

Just now, npcl said:

Do you have a source?

 

There are several sources coming in now over Twitter from legitimate news sources including Bloomberg.

[npcl]

4 minutes ago, koolforkatz said:

 

There are several sources coming in now over Twitter from legitimate news sources including Bloomberg.

thanks 

[matadams4u]

On 2/2/2020 at 3:53 PM, Cairn Mom said:

https://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking-news/section/4/141062/Two-more-preliminary-positive-cases-for-coronavirus
The cruise passenger was on the 1/17 sailing of the Diamond Princess. He potentially infected all the passengers and crew on his sailing. He went to the buffet, stood in crowded elevators and went to shows.Think about these people. Hopefully Princess contacted them and gave their names to the appropriate health authorities so the could be monitored, They are still in the incubation period. They were in all sorts of public places and visiting with family and friends. They may, unknowingly,have infected thousands of other people. 

Obviously not comforting news. The margin between close call and triggering a multi national containment operation due to this one case is not great.  Let’s hope the behind the scenes efforts to assess the situation and arriving at  an appropriate risk assessment are successful.  Unfortunately the case in Vietnam today of an American contracting the virus during a two hour layover gives credence to your assessment.

 

i wrote this a few days ago but forgot to hit submit.  There is a news conference scheduled in Tokyo at 830 pm

[koolforkatz]

12 minutes ago, npcl said:

thanks 

 

Not much online yet apart from Twitter, but here is a link from a Japanese news agency, breaking news on top. Someone else has reported on Twitter that everyone will be quarantined for 14 days, I am assuming on the ship.

 

https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2020/02/b5faf8ce3838-urgent-some-on-quarantined-japanese-cruise-ship-infected-with-coronavirus.html

 

 

 

[BermudaBound2014]

With 10 testing positive, I bet that changes the entire culture of the ship. I can’t imaging being on a quarantined ship with positive results. Sending positive vibes to those caught in this mess :(. 

[Kinofdc]

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20200205/amp/k10012273141000.html

 

.....In addition to the four ambulances on the premises, five firefighting vehicles and one vehicle labeled "Tokyo Quarantine Station" are also on standby, and staff wearing white clothing such as protective clothing and wearing a mask are on the premises....

[Alaska DogCat]

This may not be ten cases of coronavirus. The original source I read on SharkNews (translated) indicated ten people with fever. Given it takes 6 to 24 hours to confirm the CoronaVirus and reports medical team was still going cabin to cabin 10 hours ago, this may not be a definitive verdict on coronavirus. Of course, an abundance of caution will be necessary. 

 

[koolforkatz]

Princess Cruises confirms that 10 passengers have tested positive.

 

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/02/05/coronavirus-latest-updates.html

 

[matadams4u]

The Kyoda news article is grim - 236 tested who had had close contact and 31tests have been returned of which 10 were positive.  The original case left the ship 8 days ago.

 

Given the potential transmission rate this means a lot of people have been exposed.

[Alaska DogCat]

14 minutes ago, koolforkatz said:

Princess Cruises confirms that 10 passengers have tested positive.

 

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/02/05/coronavirus-latest-updates.html

 

Wow. Given an incubation period of two weeks and that the crew and staff have been wandering public areas until now, this is likely to be a little longer than 14 day quarantine (14 days from the onset of last confirmed infection with more confirmed cases likely in the coming days). 

Edited February 5, 2020 by Alaska DogCat

[BermudaBound2014]

Some people are posting live on other sites. Confined to their rooms right now. I can’t imagine 14 days in an interior (or ocean view). I can’t remember anything like this in the cruise industry 😞