Noro on Caribbean Princess, again

[Thrak]

On 2/22/2020 at 9:35 PM, ano said:

The ONLY solution here is put buffet food behind glass, then have staff serve it.  It works on other lines fine.  

 

Great. They will either serve me way more of something than I want or not enough. It's already slow enough going through the buffet lines without each passenger having to say, "A little more please - oooh wait, that's too much, take some back", etc.

Edited February 26, 2020 by Thrak

[ed01106]

39 minutes ago, Thrak said:

 

Great. They will either serve me way more of something than I want or not enough. It's already slow enough going through the buffet lines without each passenger having to say, "A little more please - oooh wait, that's too much, take some back", etc.

I find self service buffets are way slower than ones that are staffed.  

[Colo Cruiser]

4 minutes ago, ed01106 said:

I find self service buffets are way slower than ones that are staffed.  

I will take either way, after all I am on a cruise and in no rush.

[ano]

46 minutes ago, Thrak said:

 

Great. They will either serve me way more of something than I want or not enough. It's already slow enough going through the buffet lines without each passenger having to say, "A little more please - oooh wait, that's too much, take some back", etc.

Actually you can say how much you want. And they will do what you  ask.  There is probably less food waste overall, because people take more than they can (should) eat. Yes, its a bit slower, and strange at first, but by the end of the cruise, it wasn't bad at all, and a step more classy than scooping up your dinner with a spoon that 500 other people have handled. 

[NoWhiners]

On CB now, our luck has run out. We will skip Aruba tomorrow and return to Ft Lauderdale. Many details are still unclear but apparently, although the rate of illness has gone down, there has been one new case reported. After coordination with CDC, we will return on 2/29, one day early.

 

Other details about compensation and questions remain to be resolved. I guess instead of snorkeling in Aruba tomorrow, we will have to reschedule rental car pickup and an extra night in hotel.

 

bummer...

[Colo Cruiser]

7 minutes ago, NoWhiners said:

On CB now, our luck has run out. We will skip Aruba tomorrow and return to Ft Lauderdale. Many details are still unclear but apparently, although the rate of illness has gone down, there has been one new case reported. After coordination with CDC, we will return on 2/29, one day early.

 

Other details about compensation and questions remain to be resolved. I guess instead of snorkeling in Aruba tomorrow, we will have to reschedule rental car pickup and an extra night in hotel.

 

bummer...

That sucks.

Well try and enjoy the remainder.

[NoWhiners]

3 minutes ago, Colo Cruiser said:

That sucks.

Well try and enjoy the remainder.

 

Yep but we feel fortunate to only miss one port. Pulling out of Curacao now. 

 

That drink package will be extra handy now 🙂

[NoWhiners]

More details just slipped under the door!

 

Guests will receive:

 

1 day refund of cruise fare as refundable OBC

$75 as refundable OBC applied to ship account

Each guest will receive a FCC of 25% of cruise fare paid, to be applied to a current booking or any booking made by 3/31/21.

Guests with Princess Air will have hotel room booked

Guests sailing on next voyage will have a hotel room room booked for one night at princess' expense.

Guests with independent air or alternative homeward travel plans will be provided up to $300 for hotel stays for one night in FLL or MIA area.

Princess will also reimburse air change fees and ticket costs from FLL or MIA.

Guests who need to call family or their TA will get complimentary phone service and 24 hour internet access package.

 

It all seems reasonable to me, but we were heading to Orlando via rental car after cruise. Could be less fun for others.

 

Stay tuned....

 

[Colo Cruiser]

2 minutes ago, NoWhiners said:

More details just slipped under the door!

 

Guests will receive:

 

1 day refund of cruise fare as refundable OBC

$75 as refundable OBC applied to ship account

Each guest will receive a FCC of 25% of cruise fare paid, to be applied to a current booking or any booking made by 3/31/21.

Guests with Princess Air will have hotel room booked

Guests sailing on next voyage will have a hotel room room booked for one night at princess' expense.

Guests with independent air or alternative homeward travel plans will be provided up to $300 for hotel stays for one night in FLL or MIA area.

Princess will also reimburse air change fees and ticket costs from FLL or MIA.

Guests who need to call family or their TA will get complimentary phone service and 24 hour internet access package.

 

It all seems reasonable to me, but we were heading to Orlando via rental car after cruise. Could be less fun for others.

 

Stay tuned....

 

Thanks for the update.

[burrma]

1 hour ago, NoWhiners said:

On CB now, our luck has run out. We will skip Aruba tomorrow and return to Ft Lauderdale. Many details are still unclear but apparently, although the rate of illness has gone down, there has been one new case reported. After coordination with CDC, we will return on 2/29, one day early.

 

Other details about compensation and questions remain to be resolved. I guess instead of snorkeling in Aruba tomorrow, we will have to reschedule rental car pickup and an extra night in hotel.

 

bummer...

Thanks for posting … but how terrible! We were on the one previously and returned 3 days early. If it's any consolation; the hotels were fabulous they put us up in and flew home on our regular flights.

 

[NoWhiners]

7 minutes ago, burrma said:

Thanks for posting … but how terrible! We were on the one previously and returned 3 days early. If it's any consolation; the hotels were fabulous they put us up in and flew home on our regular flights.

 

 

Well, I think we did better than you guys, but still it's sad. I did speak to a bar guy today while I waited for a drink. He said they haven't had time off since before the last cruise and won't if conditions don't improve. I am sure the crew is very disappointed.

 

I think they are doing a good job of trying to contain it. In the buffet, some people just clear tables, a few people are serving drinks from the drink stations (that we have to go to), others swab tables off after people are done eating. I think they have done a reasonable job of separating tasks to minimize disease transfer. 

 

We have avoided getting sick so far, but we are not "standard" cruisers. We have an aft cabin, don't go to shows or spend much time in public areas, wash our hands as directed when entering buffet, only do tables for 2 in MDR,  and use tissues to push elevator buttons. We pretty much keep to ourselves. This may be 1 time when being anti-social is a good thing!

 

IMO, the "deep clean" isn't as good as they say, it might be a PR move more than anything. I can say that the crew is doing a lot to minimize spread of infection. Tonight on the way back to our cabin, we noticed they had swabbed our deck hall walls with something (It smelled like bleach). First time we have seen this. We haven't seen our cabin steward today, so are worried he may have gotten noro. One cabin down the hall from us definitely had it.

 

I am hoping things improve before we get back.

[burrma]

7 minutes ago, NoWhiners said:

 

Well, I think we did better than you guys, but still it's sad. I did speak to a bar guy today while I waited for a drink. He said they haven't had time off since before the last cruise and won't if conditions don't improve. I am sure the crew is very disappointed.

 

I think they are doing a good job of trying to contain it. In the buffet, some people just clear tables, a few people are serving drinks from the drink stations (that we have to go to), others swab tables off after people are done eating. I think they have done a reasonable job of separating tasks to minimize disease transfer. 

 

We have avoided getting sick so far, but we are not "standard" cruisers. We have an aft cabin, don't go to shows or spend much time in public areas, wash our hands as directed when entering buffet, only do tables for 2 in MDR,  and use tissues to push elevator buttons. We pretty much keep to ourselves. This may be 1 time when being anti-social is a good thing!

 

IMO, the "deep clean" isn't as good as they say, it might be a PR move more than anything. I can say that the crew is doing a lot to minimize spread of infection. Tonight on the way back to our cabin, we noticed they had swabbed our deck hall walls with something (It smelled like bleach). First time we have seen this. We haven't seen our cabin steward today, so are worried he may have gotten noro. One cabin down the hall from us definitely had it.

 

I am hoping things improve before we get back.

Fully agree; Staff is working their butts off and taking all kinds of extra measures and  precautions; unfortunately.. still a few people  that won't abide by the rules  so it spreads. We will more than happy with what we got; had 11 cruise days  and been to all the ports many times so  for us; didn't matter than we missed them.     

[NoWhiners]

2 minutes ago, burrma said:

Fully agree; Staff is working their butts off and taking all kinds of extra measures and  precautions; unfortunately.. still a few people  that won't abide by the rules  so it spreads. We will more than happy with what we got; had 11 cruise days  and been to all the ports many times so  for us; didn't matter than we missed them.     

 

Yes, I think the staff gets the short end of this, and it is unfair. They are working their butts off as you say and still have  great attitude. I couldn't do it. 

 

Today, we went on a Princess excursion (our last, as it turned out) and the woman sitting behind us was coughing her brains out and not covering her mouth. I truly don't get how people can be so clueless.These are the people that ruin it for the rest of us. I am worried one of us will get whatever she had in the next couple of days.

[burrma]

9 hours ago, NoWhiners said:

 

Yes, I think the staff gets the short end of this, and it is unfair. They are working their butts off as you say and still have  great attitude. I couldn't do it. 

 

Today, we went on a Princess excursion (our last, as it turned out) and the woman sitting behind us was coughing her brains out and not covering her mouth. I truly don't get how people can be so clueless.These are the people that ruin it for the rest of us. I am worried one of us will get whatever she had in the next couple of days.

I think in cases like today (women coughing) ; you should have spoke to her ; got her name and reported her or told the excursion rep to do so.  That's the only way... the spread will get under control.

[Reader0108598]

1 hour ago, burrma said:

I think in cases like today (women coughing) ; you should have spoke to her ; got her name and reported her or told the excursion rep to do so.  That's the only way... the spread will get under control.

No excuse for not covering her mouth but does not mean she is sick ! Could be an allergey or COPD you cannot catch! Could be a tickle in her throat! I carry rescue inhalors on me no way can I talk to anyone while having a coughing episode.Sometimes I have to wait for a lull in my cough to use my inhalor!Trust me it is embararsing enough when  trapped with others without the dirty looks! Although I always cover my mouth!

 

 

Edited February 27, 2020 by Reader0108598

[Sparkllle]

Hi everyone 

husband and I are also on the CB currently. Very sad that this is happening again. I can vouch that the crew and Princess has been working overtime to try and control it if not reduce the numbers of  Noro. We are fine and doing what we are told to do.But we have talked to a couple of people who were quarantined early on and they are in good condition now. I can’t imagine the amount of rescheduling and rebooking Princess is doing as speak. For the cruisers that were on the previous tour can you give us any details of were and which hotels Princess booked ? Appreciate any details you wish to share. 

[Daniel A]

It's a good thing that the CB sailing that returned to Fort Lauderdale on February 2 didn't need to return early.  That was Superbowl Sunday which was held in Miami and there wasn't a hotel room available for miles around.  I think the first sailing that returned early was the one that departed on February 2nd.

[burrma]

35 minutes ago, Sparkllle said:

Hi everyone 

husband and I are also on the CB currently. Very sad that this is happening again. I can vouch that the crew and Princess has been working overtime to try and control it if not reduce the numbers of  Noro. We are fine and doing what we are told to do.But we have talked to a couple of people who were quarantined early on and they are in good condition now. I can’t imagine the amount of rescheduling and rebooking Princess is doing as speak. For the cruisers that were on the previous tour can you give us any details of were and which hotels Princess booked ? Appreciate any details you wish to share. 

I was in a group and some of us stayed at Rennaissance Plantation; Le Meridian and Marrriot Airport Miami; all were Marriot hotels and top class.

[quakershaker]

I’m scheduled for the Caribbean Princess this Sunday, March 1. I am wondering how they will proceed. Will they cancel this sailing? Seems doubtful and haven’t had any extra communication from Princess? Whatever they’re doing doesn’t seem to be stopping the Norovirus. Of course, some could be passenger poor habits, but I wonder if there’s anything else that can be done. 
 

[GonzoWCS]

NoWhiners, sounds like a reasonable accommodation for the re-route.  Thanks for keeping folks updated and continued safe travels

[burrma]

All three hotels  bent over backwards for us.

[NoWhiners]

1 hour ago, Reader0108598 said:

No excuse for not covering her mouth but does not mean she is sick ! Could be an allergey or COPD you cannot catch! Could be a tickle in her throat! I carry rescue inhalors on me no way can I talk to anyone while having a coughing episode.Sometimes I have to wait for a lull in my cough to use my inhalor!Trust me it is embararsing enough when  trapped with others without the dirty looks! Although I always cover my mouth!

 

 

 

Yes, this is why I didn't say anything. I kept trying to think of a polite way to ask her to cover her mouth but nothing came to me.

 

And while I quite agree that people cough for lots of reasons, the rest of us don't know why someone is coughing. So, best to cover your mouth and let everyone breathe easier. (see what I did there 😁)

 

Trying to use the ships phone to call our TA and add a day at our Orlando hotel but the line is always busy. I hope it calms down soon. Front desk doesn't even answer the phone anymore, we heard it was a madhouse down there on deck 6! We did manage to do our laundry this morning, now the laundry room is jammed.

 

Fun times...

[Sparkllle]

57 minutes ago, burrma said:

I was in a group and some of us stayed at Rennaissance Plantation; Le Meridian and Marrriot Airport Miami; all were Marriot hotels and top class.

Thanks fellow Canadian ! 

Hopefully they can accomplish same for us, And I hope that all will be well for the March 1  cruisers 👍

Edited February 27, 2020 by Sparkllle

[NoWhiners]

31 minutes ago, GonzoWCS said:

NoWhiners, sounds like a reasonable accommodation for the re-route.  Thanks for keeping folks updated and continued safe travels

 

Yes, we are satisfied with what they have offered. We were already offered a goodwill credit for filling out a "how are we doing form" earlier, which we are using at Steamers tonight. Now, we may just add the lobster/king crab option as well and use some of the new OBC.

 

We have added a day to our car rental and just need to nail down a hotel for Saturday night and we'll be back on track.

 

It's all good.

[Daniel A]

15 minutes ago, NoWhiners said:

Trying to use the ships phone to call our TA and add a day at our Orlando hotel but the line is always busy. I hope it calms down soon. Front desk doesn't even answer the phone anymore, we heard it was a madhouse down there on deck 6! We did manage to do our laundry this morning, now the laundry room is jammed.

Why not let Princess pay to put you up in Fort Lauderdale near Florida's Turnpike that night and drive the 4 hours to Orlando the next morning?  If you're going to Epcot, things don't really open up until after 11:30 or so anyway...