COVID-19 , has it impacted your cruise?

[Lois R]

1 hour ago, spinnaker2 said:

Just thinking that at some point acknowledgment will be made that the attempts at containment of the virus have failed.

Then it becomes how to deal with something that is ubiquitous as the flu. How to mitigate. Even as scientists scramble to create a vaccine which is likely not to happen in next few months.

Certain people are always more at risk for catching stuff, they probably know who they are.

 

 

 

Ya think? Hi Spins, you know who thinks he is smarter than the Medical people. But that should surprise NOBODY

All he is worried about is "the market"......rather than HEALTH......is it November yet?

[spinnaker2]

Well Lois

The US and global markets are clearly reacting and reacting yet again.

 

I trust the CDC and Tony Fauci and WHO.

I did a clinical rotation at the National Institutes of Health, more specifically the NCI. It is a remarkable place. 

The research going on there boggles the mind. I was in awe.

I am sure they and many others are burning the midnight oil to find a cure.

 

 

[Lois R]

3 minutes ago, spinnaker2 said:

Well Lois

The US and global markets are clearly reacting and reacting yet again.

 

I trust the CDC and Tony Fauci and WHO.

I did a clinical rotation at the National Institutes of Health, more specifically the NCI. It is a remarkable place. 

The research going on there boggles the mind. I was in awe.

I am sure they and many others are burning the midnight oil to find a cure.

 

 

I agree..…..I definitely would listen to the CDC and WHO as well---and now there is the case in CA that did not

happen from being out of the country....So yes, everything is reacting whether he likes it or not!

[brimary]

3 hours ago, Tothesunset said:

We are just hoping sanity prevails soon considering we are heading to Miami from UK in 16 days to join the Lady Wind for her stroll through the Caribbean. 

 

Here in UK there has been a fair bit of panic-mongering from the gutter press along with a general lack of precise information regarding the relative risk of CV against seasonal flu. Such public panic can provoke governmental over-reaction. Let's just hope our policy-makers listen to the experts and not the mob. 

 

Totally agree with your comments on our reaction from media and gutter press in the UK.The number of cases is so small compared with the hundreds of thousands who have influenza in the winter months.Don,t let the panic spreaders put you off having a wonderful cruise on our favourite Silver Wind.Enjoy the sunshine in the Caribbean!

[Master Echo]

This is certainly an evolving situation, about which the experts are struggling.  At the very start of reporting of the outbreak in China, we were told by the experts that person to person transmission was highly unlikely; well they were clearly wrong about that!

 

Today I learned that analysis shows there is a age gradient for susceptibility, with very few cases amongst the very young, and the largest number amongst the more elderly; this has confounded the experts.  Also today we learned that a Japanese person has now contracted the virus a second time, having tested negative, after the first contagion cleared up.

 

Some experts are hopeful that warmer weather will mean the virus will go away, as is the case with seasonal flu.  Other experts counsel against this, because it does not happen with all viral infections..

 

The experts also cannot decide whether the contagion spread on Diamond Princess was down to poor quarantine, circulation round the air conditioning system, or both.

 

The WHO representative who visited China recently, praised its government for the steps taken by way of population isolation.  He made no reference to the false reporting by the same Government at the outbreak of the virus, so question mark over the reliability of WHO comments, skewed for political reasons.  It is said that WHO will not declare a pandemic for fear of upsetting China.

 

As regards JJ's comments about Crystal, I believe its Chinese backers have very deep pockets.  As evidence of this, when they wanted a ship built in a hurry, they bought a shipyard for the purpose!!

 

I have three SS cruises booked this year, one sailing from HK in October, and I have no plans to change any of my arrangements.  Whilst this might appear foolhardy to some, this is a rapidly evolving situation about which no one, expert or otherwise can predict the state of play even within a week.

 

Kindest regards

 

Master Echo

 

[Silver Spectre]

At noon today the Captain informed us that we are no longer being allowed to visit Fakarava but must proceed directly to Papeete, where we now expect to reach on Saturday afternoon, a day early. I am wondering just how much of French Polynesia we will be allowed to visit on this voyage.

[spinnaker2]

Thanks ME for your input.

 

It's very hard to sift through the propaganda.

 

Now in the USA we have Pence leading the charge and he has issued an edict all "statements" as to COVID19 must come thru him, at least those from US agencies.

 

The symptoms of COVID19 seem similar to the flu, but again I am relying on what I have read on the CDC website.

Those individuals susceptible to complications from the flu seem to fall within the same categories of the Corona virus.

 

 

 

[Lois R]

Spins, let us hope Pence actually tells us the truth because the way he handled a couple of health items when he

was Governor of Indiana was pathetic...…….

[Daveywavey70]

The whole world seems to becoming paranoid. Ships being denied entry to ports such as the F.O. Braemar today turned away from Dom Rep. 4 Passengers during the winter season showed some flu like symptoms and this was a changeover day. I Think we are beyond containment now. 

[QueSeraSera]

Its a fine line between being paranoid and being appropriately protective.  And in spite of reading as much as I can find and listening to the president last night, I still feel in the dark about where that line should be drawn with this.

I can say in response to the question posed by this thread, if the stock market continues its rapid drop, it will have some effect on how often we will be able to cruise as we begin retirement.

[milepig]

6 hours ago, Lois R said:

Spins, let us hope Pence actually tells us the truth because the way he handled a couple of health items when he

was Governor of Indiana was pathetic...…….

Pence?  His answer will be to get on your knees and pray to JeeZus and all will be fine. 

[Lois R]

9 hours ago, milepig said:

Pence?  His answer will be to get on your knees and pray to JeeZus and all will be fine. 

I know....that is why I posted what I did...…..he is an idiot.  He seemed to think smoking has no side affects

[BeeMinor]

I'm following this thread with great interest as my husband and I have a cruise on the Spirit from Barcelona to Rome booked in June. I'm not worried about the threat of the virus to my personal health any more than I am about any other nasty respiratory infection (risk is part of life) but I am somewhat concerned about the possibility of travel restrictions and, you know, widespread panic. We can go with the flow on itinerary changes but I am glad we booked our flights through Silversea and haven't prepaid any lodging on either end of the cruise.

 

The situation is obviously evolving rapidly--we did a quick beach break last week and got questioned about previous travel more thoroughly leaving Mexico than entering, which seemed backward--but I am hopeful things will settle one way or another. It appears we are beyond the point of containment and I can't believe over 7 billion people in the world will just stay home for the next six months. 

[Denny01]

We are crusing on Silversea Shadow also out of Rome to Barcelona in late April and is watching the Northern Italy situation. Here is a website from the Rome authorities that basically states Rome has no active Corona cases (as of yet) and talks on the proactive actions they are taking.

 

https://www.wantedinrome.com/news/there-is-no-coronavirus-emergency-in-rome.html 

 

Can’t do anything but watch and be alert. 

 

Den

Edited February 28, 2020 by Denny01

[saminina]

On 2/27/2020 at 10:40 AM, Master Echo said:

As regards JJ's comments about Crystal, I believe its Chinese backers have very deep pockets.  As evidence of this, when they wanted a ship built in a hurry, they bought a shipyard for the purpose!!

 

 

 

 

Chinese backers?   Tell us more.

[Unibok]

My Spirit voyage is due to depart in 2 weeks from Mumbai. So far, the itinerary remains the same, but we have all been asked to complete form detailing our whereabouts and transfers for the 14 days prior to embarkation. It's the same form Denny01 shared earlier in this thread. As the situation changes, SS will have the ability to contact passengers coming from or transferring through certain places.

 

Here's my attitude: proceed with plans until I hear otherwise from SS. Should things change and they need to deny me entry, I will have a very hefty refund to spend either going elsewhere, or for staying here in Egypt a bit longer.

Edited February 29, 2020 by Unibok

[jollyjones]

7 hours ago, saminina said:

 

 

Chinese backers?   Tell us more.

 

Owners.

 

Genting Hong Kong

 

http://www.gentinghk.com/en/home.aspx

[Archipelago]

Boarding next Saturday. Have had this booked for 18 months as a retirement voyage. Somewhat stressful as it is dominating the news and conversation among family. I pass through 3 airports to get there and one on the way back . My elderly parents are worried that I will return with it to pass it on . I plan to go the extra mile to keep washed and to sanitize my surroundings . I think it will be okay but with all the talk  I must say that it does make the trip less something to be looking forward to . 

[Lois R]

54 minutes ago, Archipelago said:

Boarding next Saturday. Have had this booked for 18 months as a retirement voyage. Somewhat stressful as it is dominating the news and conversation among family. I pass through 3 airports to get there and one on the way back . My elderly parents are worried that I will return with it to pass it on . I plan to go the extra mile to keep washed and to sanitize my surroundings . I think it will be okay but with all the talk  I must say that it does make the trip less something to be looking forward to . 

Good morning to you.   Ironically, my upcoming cruise is also a retirement voyage.  Mine leaves on April 6th and

it has also been booked for a long while. (not 18 months but a few months anyway).  My parents are no longer

with us and both of my sisters live outside of the country.   So I will be just going too and hopefully things will

work out.

I wish you a great cruise and a Very Happy Retirement too

[commodoredave]

A prediction about the coronavirus from a serious journalistic source -- this week's edition of the Economist magazine:

"Many governments have been signalling that they will stop the disease. Instead, they need to start preparing people for the onslaught. A broad guess is that 25-70% of the population of any epidemic country may be infected. Experts say that the virus may be five to ten times as lethal as seasonal flu, which, with a fatality rate of 0.1%, kills 60,000 Americans in a bad year. Across the world, the death toll could be in the millions."

As a result, we are having second thoughts about our upcoming AMA river cruise on the Rhine river from Amsterdam to Basel in June. German media are reporting around 1,000 people have been quarantined in that country's most populous district of Heinsberg, in North Rhine-Westphalia.

We don't depart until June 15, we are all in our late 60s, and of one of our party has a poor respiratory system. We hope the outbreak in Europe will be brought under control before we have to leave, but if not we will be cancelling.

 

 

 

 

[Hammer61]

14 hours ago, Lois R said:

Good morning to you.   Ironically, my upcoming cruise is also a retirement voyage.  Mine leaves on April 6th and

it has also been booked for a long while. (not 18 months but a few months anyway).  My parents are no longer

with us and both of my sisters live outside of the country.   So I will be just going too and hopefully things will

work out.

I wish you a great cruise and a Very Happy Retirement too

Well im in the planning stage of my retirement cruise in just under 18 months (June 2021) We know which voyage we want but holding back on booking until we see how things go over the next month, the early booking bonus has just been extended until the end of April and the included air fares is currently on offer until the end of March, and although a risk, im pretty sure SS wont be over run with people wanting to make bookings right now! By all accounts, all cruise lines have seen a dramatic fall in advance bookings and a significant rise in cancellations.

 

Silversea do have a price guarantee, so if we booked and paid, we would be covered should the prices get lowered, and if bookings are really drying up im sure we will see some further incentives offered to make bookings. 

 

For now, we won’t be booking anything, although checking the website daily to see if any big incentives get offered, in which case a rethink may happen.

 

Good luck to Lois R and Archipeligo, both that your cruises all go ahead and a happy retirement follows......... 

[Dolcevita Diva]

Travel advisories for Italy now at Level 3 (CDC: avoid nonessential travel; State Dept. :reconsider travel) and raised to Level 4 (Do Not Travel) by the State Dept. for Lombardy and Veneto.  

Silversea doesn’t have any voyages scheduled to visit Italian ports until April, so no immediate impact but we’ll probably see some itinerary changes soon. 

Edited March 1, 2020 by Dolcevita Diva

[Denny01]

I posted this on a thread about Restricting Boarding if traveling through Northern Italy that Silverseas Health Advisory now states you can’t board if you’ve visited Italy (not just some of the northern regions) within 14 days. 
 

the Shadow departs from Rome in late April and visits many Italian ports. Waiting for word from my TA and Silverseas on what will be done. 
 

Den

[spinnaker2]

O no!

Keep us posted. 

[BeeMinor]

34 minutes ago, Denny01 said:

I posted this on a thread about Restricting Boarding if traveling through Northern Italy that Silverseas Health Advisory now states you can’t board if you’ve visited Italy (not just some of the northern regions) within 14 days. 
 

the Shadow departs from Rome in late April and visits many Italian ports. Waiting for word from my TA and Silverseas on what will be done. 

 

UGH. I just read the updated advisory and it says it's in effect for 30 days, so technically speaking the April cruises aren't affected (yet).