News on the Westerdam

[HappyInVan]

The governments have a cause for concern. Seems that some people with low levels of infection may test negative initially. From the Canada section of the wiki article...

 

"On 31 January, the third confirmed case in Ontario (and the fourth confirmed case in Canada) was reported in the city of London.[47] Officials said that the individual, a woman in her 20s and a student at University of Western Ontario, returned from Wuhan on 23 January.[48] She was asymptomatic and had tested negative at first, but additional advanced testing confirmed that the woman had low levels of the virus in her system.[48] Officials said that the individual wore a mask during her voyage and she voluntarily entered self-isolation upon her return, making a full recovery after two or three days.[48] On the same day, the Government of Ontario reported that 17 cases were under investigation within its provincial jurisdiction.[49] Officials said that most of the individuals under investigation were awaiting results while in self-isolation at home.[50] As of 30 January, the associate medical officer of Ontario said that the province had conducted a total of 67 tests with 38 negative results.[50] Officials said that all possible cases—including previous negative results—were being retested as additional assessments become available.[48]"

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2019–20_Wuhan_coronavirus_outbreak_by_country_and_territory#Canada

 

 

[DivotMaker]

28 minutes ago, HappyInVan said:

making a full recovery after two or three days.

 

 

 

This is what stands out to me the most.

[3rdGenCunarder]

50 minutes ago, Moparop said:

We just got a text from my parents saying the same info that the above poster noted. They were given free internet, probably to make sure everyone at home knows that they are fine. They’ve said the food is good and have assured us that the bar is ok, though I haven’t gotten confirmation on the ice cream status. 

 

I like your parents' priorities!

 

Seriously, though, I'm glad HAL gave them internet to connect with worried relatives at home. I think I'd be more worried about parents on the ship and me at home than me on the ship. 

[CoolNickname]

4 hours ago, Vict0riann said:

 

Are you keeping in touch?  We have friends on board who usually do not purchase internet, and I wondered if perhaps the ship was supplying free internet to those on board now?

 

We are all hoping the best for all the passengers and crew.

As of 7:45 today family aboard has emailed us to tell us they are fine. They said after those with internet access encouraged friends and family to post the phone number for HAL on social media for those with friends and family to call asking for updates since free internet has not been granted passengers like every other problem ship Westerdam's captain gave them free internet for a few hours to contact friends and family to let them know they were ok. Still seeing posts online asking folks to keep calling tomorrow asking why they're not being given free internet for the rest of the cruise.

[Vict0riann]

What a good idea!

[dillpickle48]

Latest news in Australia from ABC

 

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-02-07/stricken-westerdam-cruise-ship-denied-entry-to-japan/11943860

 

 

[ShipWalker]

1 hour ago, dillpickle48 said:

Latest news in Australia from ABC

 

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-02-07/stricken-westerdam-cruise-ship-denied-entry-to-japan/11943860

 

 

According to the article, " It (Holland America) said the ship was "not in quarantine and there were no known cases of coronavirus on board at this time". "

 

NOW is the time for the Westerdam to self-quarantine.

 

Enforced. Strict. Quarantine.

 

HAL has been two steps behind on every decision in regards to this cruise. Here is an opportunity to get a step ahead of the inevitable.

Edited February 7, 2020 by ShipWalker

[polar1]

Cruise ship denied entry at Guam port

Guam has become the latest to reject the cruise ship MS Westerdam which sought entry into the island's only civilian seaport after the Philippines and Japan rejected its requests for a stopover.

"Passengers may be infected with the 2019 novel coronavirus," stated the Leon Guerrero-Tenorio administration Friday afternoon.

The U.S. State Department had asked the government of Guam to accept the entry of the ship which has 1,455 guests as well as 802 crew members, according to a press release from the governor's office.

https://www.postguam.com/news/local/cruise-ship-denied-entry-at-guam-port/article_eab56b08-496b-11ea-82e8-dfe4d6956a6f.html

Edited February 7, 2020 by polar1
add text

[BermudaBound2014]

We need a dislike button- i had high hopes for guan  😞

[bobpatj]

The Captain will give us updates tomorrow at 9:00 am, ship time.  Hope it's good news.

[ski ww]

We've been watching this & the other cruise ships on the news, sounds & looks like HAL didn't get it right. Could still turn out to be an extra long cruise, I mean what other country is going to allow them entry? Wish them good luck. 

[Krazy Kruizers]

We have been following what is happening with the cruise ships.

 

Hope all the people who take medications brought extra with them.

[Btimmer]

51 minutes ago, Krazy Kruizers said:

We have been following what is happening with the cruise ships.

 

Hope all the people who take medications brought extra with them.

That can be a real challenge since most of us can only get a maximum of 90 days supply.  I've been on a 79 day voyage with a land component at the end and had very few pills left when arriving at home.

[wesport]

a 30 day cruise with no place to go. WOW. Carnival should have stayed ahead of the curve like the airlines. 

[Dr.Dobro]

Might be interesting to keep an eye on this and see how a U.S. port reacts, as a Royal Caribbean ship with suspected coronavirus heads in to Bayonne, N.J.

https://nypost.com/2020/02/06/cruise-ship-set-to-dock-in-bayonne-will-test-12-passengers-for-coronavirus/

 

Edited February 7, 2020 by Dr.Dobro
Clarity

[kevingastreich]

15 hours ago, Viv0828 said:

 

we thought about that too. but 4000 people is a lot of people. don't know if there are any facilities that large?

Diego Garcia?

[richwmn]

Ships transiting Panama Canal must report contact with coronavirus outbreak countries

 

Kind of limits the possibilities.

 

https://www.seatrade-maritime.com/ports-logistics/ships-transiting-panama-canal-must-report-contact-coronavirus-outbreak-countries

and others

 

[richwmn]

This just appeared on my FB feed

We are on the Westerdam in SE Asia and while we are experiencing cancellations of ports and such we just HAVE to say how much we appreciate Captain Vincent Smit, Jeremy and all the crew and staff. They are working SO hard. We can't applaud them enough!

They also reported, in answer to a question, that they have free run of the ship and that no one has the Corona Virus.

 

 

[shrimp56]

Not sure this has been posted here yet.

https://japantoday.com/category/national/Coronavirus-cases-on-cruise-ship-in-Yokohama-jump-to-61?

 

Westerdam has been refused entry to Japan.

 

“Transport Minister Kazuyoshi Akaba told reporters Japan had asked another cruise ship, the Westerdam, not to make port calls in the country. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe had said earlier that non-Japanese passengers on the ship would be denied entry”

[3rdGenCunarder]

28 minutes ago, shrimp56 said:

Not sure this has been posted here yet.

https://japantoday.com/category/national/Coronavirus-cases-on-cruise-ship-in-Yokohama-jump-to-61?

 

Westerdam has been refused entry to Japan.

 

“Transport Minister Kazuyoshi Akaba told reporters Japan had asked another cruise ship, the Westerdam, not to make port calls in the country. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe had said earlier that non-Japanese passengers on the ship would be denied entry”

 

HAL and Japan should work to find a way to let Japanese passengers disembark while they're near their own country.

 

It would save these passengers the stress and cost of getting home from an as-yet unknown location. If I were on a ship within sight of "home" in a situation like this, I'd want to get off and go home. The ship may not be any riskier than traveling through Japan to get home, but Glinda was right, there's no place like home.

 

And it would reduce the population density on the ship--fewer people saves resources and reduces the potential to spread the virus. 

[Hlitner]

What a mess.  We have all heard of the "man without a country" but now we have a "ship without a port."  

 

Hank

[Mary229]

This is a terrible event.  The poor people on the Westerdam are now on a medieval plague ship.  I am sure Maritime law covers these issues and the governments are going to have to intervene.  

Edited February 7, 2020 by Mary229

[shrimp56]

Poor Westie, but at least they’re not (yet) confined to their cabins with sporadic food service as they are on DiaPrin. I bet there are a lot of empty mini-bars by now on that ship.

[cruisemom42]

1 hour ago, shrimp56 said:

Not sure this has been posted here yet.

https://japantoday.com/category/national/Coronavirus-cases-on-cruise-ship-in-Yokohama-jump-to-61?

 

Westerdam has been refused entry to Japan.

 

“Transport Minister Kazuyoshi Akaba told reporters Japan had asked another cruise ship, the Westerdam, not to make port calls in the country. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe had said earlier that non-Japanese passengers on the ship would be denied entry”

 

The refusal of Japan to allow Westerdam was reported yesterday (see post 53).

 

Now Guam has also refused...

[cruisemom42]

21 minutes ago, Mary229 said:

The poor people on the Westerdam are now on a medieval plague ship.  

 

Please think about what you post and avoid over-hyping the situation. Do you have ANY idea what it must have been like on a real plague ship in medieval times?  

 

Cots and hammocks everywhere there was room, or else sleeping on the deck. No bathing. Weevil-infested wheat, hard tack, meat preserved in salt and often rotten. No fresh fruits or vegetables for the most part. Rationed water. Plenty of rats and mice onboard. 

 

The ship's doctor was also the ship's barber and dentist.  And quarantine periods during the Black Plague were 40 days....

 

I'm pretty sure there was no internet, phone service, television, or toilets. Sailors did get a nice ration of wine or rum, though.

 

At any rate, from the reports we're getting from the Westerdam, it doesn't sound like onboard passengers consider themselves to be on a "medieval plague ship".