News on the Westerdam

[jay888]

I’m booked on the Westerdam in November and I not be cancelling 

[rkacruiser]

No.  I have lived/cruised through sufficient crises that could be injurious/fatal to me as a cruise guest.  I am still here.  

 

Ought one be cautious, careful in their own health practices when there is a disease concern?  Of course, it's foolish not to be.  9/11 didn't change my travel plans.  SARS didn't change my travel plans.  

 

Life is to be lived to its fullest for as long as one is fortunate enough to be able to do so.

[Fredric22]

2 hours ago, clskinsfan said:

Seasonal flu is not even close to this virus. Comparing them is dangerous. Period.

I was comparing the present RISK of getting the flu vs. Coronavirus. The most dangerous thing is actually panicking. Also we do not have any idea the total number of cases of Corona, so a mortality rate comparison cannot be done yet.  

[Betty in Cozumel]

1 hour ago, dreamers25 said:

We are watching our in box like hawks at the moment, leaving for Tokyo on Tuesday prior to the Feb 29th Cruise.... No news yet. 

 

Waiting for the cancellation email, so we can pull out all together. Less than 48 hours for us. 

 

We are too.  We don't leave Cozumel until Wed Feb 26th.  Flying to Toronto to catch our Feb 27th flight to Tokyo.  I wish they'd just cancel and let us deal with all the other cancellations we have to make (airfare, hotels, etc)

[bennybear]

38 minutes ago, Level six said:

 

Thanks Bennybear. Yes, we definitely feel like we made the right decision in not boarding the cruise on Westerdam.  Remember I had brought up this very point of missing all the ports and everyone bashed me on roll call? 

 

I did receive some refund from HAL and I am grateful for that.  But, I am still out a lot because we had an extensive

1 1/2 month trip around SE Asia as a part of this cruise which we also cancelled. Our trip insurance won't pay.  It's okay, it's just money.  I would rather lose money than get stuck overseas and/or be sick.  It all worked out for us.  

 

Hopefully it will work our for all involved.  

Good news!  Sorry that your insurance wouldn’t help!   I would have expected them to,  but I know there are all kind of exceptions.  

But you are right, it is only money at the end of the day, which compared to your health is nothing. 

Edited February 15, 2020 by bennybear

[wdw1972]

Not concerned here either - I board Nieuw Amsterdam in 42 days.  If I run across any coughing/hacking/sneezing people of course I will move away.  I have an immune system that works quite well, so I'm not one to be slathering purell every time I turn around.  I do have a verandah, so worst case scenario & there is an outbreak I will have access to fresh air and an ocean view.  But, I expect it to be a non-event, coming from Florida, cruising from FL to the Caribbean on a ship that's only been in the Caribbean since October/November.  Finding people with the flu, cold or other illness seems far more likely - and no different from any previous cruise.

 

Would I be heading over to Asia right now?  Hell no....too much chance for the trip to be interrupted or canceled.  Caribbean - no problem.

 

Sue/WDW1972

[leerathje]

4 hours ago, npcl said:

or more likely you might have some people that hid symptoms hoping that it was just a cold. that can go well past 14 day limit. lots of desire to go home so incentive to deny symptoms.

 

Story about an elderly couple on Diamond that developed symptoms several says ago, but did not report them to medical. Until it got to the point that they had to according to their daughter, also on board.

 

They did a temperature test on all on  board.

 

L.

 

[AncientWanderer]

We are going to tailor our plans to the present situation.  We had a long cruise planned later this summer that I anticipate could be a problem with the ports.  Since the flight is long to get there, that one is out for us.  If we lived closer to the itinerary, I'd probably still board the ship.

 

So for us, just more careful selection of ships, cruise lines and itineraries..for now.

We were all geared up to earn that 5th star in Japan on Westerdam.  Not to be, but first world problem for sure.

 

 

 

[LoraJ]

Can you only be tested if you show symptoms? My parents are in the process of flying back to the states and now I'm worried they may get quarantined. I'm supposed to see them in a few days. Hi mom if you're reading. 

[Level six]

From reading the Diamond Princess site, people who had no symptoms tested positive.  

 

But better that they are quarantined, don't you think, rather than give it to your or your family. 

Edited February 15, 2020 by Level six

[oceanmom]

4 minutes ago, LoraJ said:

Can you only be tested if you show symptoms? My parents are in the process of flying back to the states and now I'm worried they may get quarantined. I'm supposed to see them in a few days. Hi mom if you're reading. 

 

We can each only speak to our own feelings, but I would be overjoyed to have them back on the same/home continent even if quarantined.

Edited February 15, 2020 by oceanmom

[LoraJ]

1 minute ago, oceanmom said:

 

We can each only speak to our own feelings, but I would be overjoyed to have them back on the same/home continent even if quarantined.

 

I'm flying to see them. Definitely glad they will be back in the states. 

[kazu]

11 minutes ago, Level six said:

From reading the Diamond Princess site, people who had no symptoms tested positive.  

 

But better that they are quarantined, don't you think, rather than give it to your or your family. 

 

U.S. Diamond Princess passengers are being flown out on a charter flight by the United States and will be quarantined in the U.S. (CBC news today)   Frankly I’d rather these passengers got home and if they need to be quarantined - at least they will be home.  I am sure they would feel much more secure.  I would.

[cruiserchuck]

13 minutes ago, LoraJ said:

Can you only be tested if you show symptoms? My parents are in the process of flying back to the states and now I'm worried they may get quarantined. I'm supposed to see them in a few days. Hi mom if you're reading. 

 

Unless the positive test on the one passenger turns out to be incorrect, I would expect all passengers returning to the US to be quarantined.  

[fragilek]

28 minutes ago, LoraJ said:

Can you only be tested if you show symptoms? My parents are in the process of flying back to the states and now I'm worried they may get quarantined. I'm supposed to see them in a few days. Hi mom if you're reading. 

It's a viral load test so will only show a positive when the load becomes detectable. After your parents arrive home that may not be until 14 days after last possible contact with anyone who is infectious (even if they do not show symptoms they may still be able to pass this on during that time). As they are travelling together that will be the day they land and go into quarantine (or self quarantine depending on country requirements. If I were you I would not see them until that time has passed.  If you do this whole situation may only extend itself. 

Edited February 15, 2020 by fragilek

[kazu]

10 minutes ago, oceanmom said:

 

We can each only speak to our own feelings, but I would be overjoyed to have them back on the same/home continent even if quarantined.

 

+1 🙂. Ditto.

[Level six]

I just read that some people from Westerdam just landed in Netherlands and they were not quarantined.  

[AncientWanderer]

I got confused by the thread, but I guess another one was merged into this one.  

 

[npcl]

50 minutes ago, leerathje said:

 

They did a temperature test on all on  board.

 

L.

 

one can pretty easily hide symptoms  from a one time temperature test. pop a couple of ibuprofen for example.  There are quite a few other than temperature. Light cough for example.

[kazu]

I think rather than a pandemic we are looking at panic demic.

I’m not saying there is nothing to be careful about but people don’t need to be treated like pariahs.  Quarantine yes if that works but there’s no need to react like these people are lepers.  JMO..

 

[iancal]

Bottom line.....would  anyone on this forum like to be stuck on a plane for ten, eleven, or twelve  hours sitting beside someone from Westerdam who has contracted CV?

[kazu]

Just now, iancal said:

Bottom line.....would  anyone on this forum like to be stuck on a plane for ten, eleven, or twelve  hours sitting beside someone from Westerdam who has contracted CV?

 

My understanding is the planes are being chartered so there is no need to be “stuck beside” someone.

 

[Level six]

I think they were only chartered from PP to KL.  Now out into the regular air travel.  

[iancal]

My understanding is that there are indeed charters to the major flight hubs such as KL. After that it is a long commercial flight for most people.  And for many other a second connecting flight to their home city.

 

My guess is that the smart carriers will now be flagging and checking all ex Westerdam cruisers prior to allowing them to board the flight.  It is usually two or three flights for us.....eighteen hours.

Edited February 16, 2020 by iancal

[npcl]

2 minutes ago, kazu said:

 

My understanding is the planes are being chartered so there is no need to be “stuck beside” someone.

 

The diamond yes.  On the Westerdam they were only on a chartered flight to a major air port (Kuala Lumpur, Phnom Penh, for examples) than commercial from there.