RC announce more Coronavirus measures

[Midwestgal]

18 minutes ago, CatLadyFemme said:

Cruise has been booked for over a year, so the deposit would only be refunded if RCCL cancels.

Its different than a cruise to the Caribbean I guess as even if paid your still in the cancellation phase this far out. Doesn’t matter when you booked it .

[CatLadyFemme]

1 minute ago, Midwestgal said:

Its different than a cruise to the Caribbean I guess as even if paid your still in the cancellation phase this far out. Doesn’t matter when you booked it .

It depends if you use a refundable deposit or not. We chose the non-refundable deposit as I am in Italy for work that month already, but that means we can't get the deposit refunded more then 60 days after booking, unless Royal cancels.

[Midwestgal]

3 minutes ago, CatLadyFemme said:

It depends if you use a refundable deposit or not. We chose the non-refundable deposit as I am in Italy for work that month already, but that means we can't get the deposit refunded more then 60 days after booking, unless Royal cancels.

So it’s the deposit you will be out, I guess I’d have to keep a close eye out and make a decision before final payment is due  so you have a little time to decide.

[Billmont]

We are sailing out of Barcelona in early May for a 12 day Med cruise with 4 stops in Italy. We are in the middle of the cancellation range such that if we cancel today, we only get 50% back. Next week that drops to 25%. It sure puts us in a tough spot.  And knowing the cruise lines, they will push the limit on keeping the sailings going until there is no such alternative.

 

Not sure what to do.

[Pstreet12]

On 2/25/2020 at 8:30 AM, livylotte said:

A case of Corona has been reported in Barcelona,  I believe the person had visited Northern Italy.  I'm actually beginning to think that there is a possibility that the Trans Atlantics will not be coming over to Europe at all this spring if Spain is added to the list. 

 

That's possible--except for the Allure.  The Allure is headed for a major overhaul and leaves Sunday.  I'm betting they won't cancel that overhaul in the next 2 or 3 days.  That sailing could well determine what they do about other ships,  along with what the virus does/doesn't do, of course.

[Relaxedfun]

5 minutes ago, Billmont said:

We are sailing out of Barcelona in early May for a 12 day Med cruise with 4 stops in Italy. We are in the middle of the cancellation range such that if we cancel today, we only get 50% back. Next week that drops to 25%. It sure puts us in a tough spot.  And knowing the cruise lines, they will push the limit on keeping the sailings going until there is no such alternative.

 

Not sure what to do.

I am in the same situation.  My cruise leaves from Rome May 7th.  Decide by Mar.6 = lose 3k, decide by April 6, lose 4.5k.  We are reading the news, cruise critic boards, and will get serious about decision on March 5.  Not sure what to do either.

[cindivan]

We were supposed to be on the 2-1 Millenium cruise out of Singapore. We got a call from Celebrity about 36 hours before we planned to board there was a change in itinerary. Ok, so we changed our flights home and a couple thousand dollars poorer we were set. Or so we thought. 
 

Celebrity sent our TA a letter which stated that those who had been on Hong Kong, even for a layover, in the last 14 days would be denied boarding. The celebrity concierge‘s hadn’t bothered to tell us that when they told us about the change in itinerary. They assumed our TA (or celebrity, who knows. So much going on in such a short period too tjme) had told us. Our TA assumed that celebrity had told us.

 

So less than 24 hours before we supposed to board our TA called us and said didn’t we see the letter that we would denied boarding because of our 2 hour layover?

 

So we tried to change our flights again, but because we had changed them once it got too complicated and we had to book totally new flights. 
 

We are supposed to be on a cruise in Venice leaving June 13. Our final payment is March 15, and based on our last experience I think I’m just going to take the 1250 loss for the five of us on our deposit.  Strangely for us we haven’t booked our flights because I’ve been waiting to figure out our kids schedules. So that makes it even easier to cancel it. I’m just not confident the cruise lines are reacting in a timely manner. And if we get stuck a second time then it will be my fault for being stupid thinking the cruise lines will make a good decision.  
 

An aside - Adding insult to injury, for those sailing on the 2-15 cruise they got full refund (which we did, but no FCC) but they also got 50% FCC. Anyone booked 2-29 and beyond got full refund plus 25% FCC.   Multiple calls and being told no one but those that sailed on 2-1 got anything but a full refund. I provided links to letters sent to passengers on those cruises from the Celebrity website stating passengers got refund and FCC and no movement on celebrity’s part.   So crazy and frustrating. 
 

Just a forewarning/foreshadowing for those that might be able to cancel and cut their losses. I might be outvoted by my family, but if we do go I will definitely book flights through RC so we don’t lose that amount again!

Edited February 27, 2020 by cindivan

[rich_cathybrock]

We are on the Anthem out of Bayonne in 4 days.  Driving there, so limited risk on this cruise (relatively speaking), but I agree with you @cindivan.  I would ONLY buy cruiseline's contracted air right now.  They are on the hook for getting you onto new flights if they change their itinerary and it's the only safe move IMHO right now. 

 

Ditto covering w/their insurance.  I am sure this is mentioned elsewhere on CC, but Celebrity/Royal NO LONGER offer insurance  to NY residents and haven't for just under a year now.  Great, right? 

 

 

[Sail n Snow]

9 hours ago, jdjaguar said:

I wouldn't be so sure about that.

700+ (and counting) people on the Diamond Princess have tested positive, and they were

largely confined to their cabins.

 

What method of transmission do you suggest in this case?

Any hard surface the first infected person touched.  It could be there was a super spreader (https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.livescience.com/amp/coronavirus-superspreader-south-korea-church.html) on board that went to Windjammer and touched a lot of utensils.  
 

The incubation period is 1-14 days (some reports have cases linked to over 20 days).  So the folks on board could have all been infected around the same time prior to the quarantine being put in place.  They just didn’t all show symptoms.  80% of cases are mild and look like the common cold. 
 

Or a member of the crew (food staff) could have been asymtomatic and it spread through their handling of food/kitchen items/plates/trays..

 

.

 

 

[Pstreet12]

21 hours ago, Viajera7 said:

I have 2 Mediterranean cruises booked. One with RCI in June out of Venice and the other with NCL in early August out of Barcelona with 2 ports in Italy. I already paid the cruise and airfare for the Rhapsody of the Seas in June. I paid for insurance but not the For any reason insurance for this one. I am wondering if something happens if that would cover my airfare since I didn't buy the insurance or airfare with RCI.  I still have a month to decide if I am going to do my final payment for the NCL one but I would definitely buy the Any Reason Insurance if I decide  to take this cruise

.

My experience when it was a health emergency was that airfare was not covered (except if purchased through Royal, and I had not done that).

[joand452]

On 2/25/2020 at 5:36 AM, Sail n Snow said:

Here are a few options.  Some extreme others make more senses. 

 

1. stop sailing completely 

2.  not allow anyone on board that has traveled  to/through a country with an outbreak of greater than X people unless 30 days has passed (15 days could also be an option)

3. Sail but at the first sign someone has (runny nose, fever, cough, stomach issues or any other type of cold/flu symptoms) isolate immediately and kick them off the ship at the next port of call.  
4. Combination of 2 and 3

5.  Roll the dice do basic screenings and hope for the best

 

As for #3, I bet soon none of the countries being visited will accept a cruise passenger showing signs of illness.  

 

Earlier in the month, I wasn't worried about our early May cruise; I'm beginning to get worried.

[Zendeck]

My DH and 2 boys are scheduled for a med cruise at the end of June.  We’ve waited for years so the boys would be teens and appreciate more vs our annual  tropical cruises.  The timing of this virus is really stressing me out.  Pmt due in March.  Already got our flights thru Iberia.  Boston to Barcelona / France / Italy 😱.  Haven’t booked hotel in Barcelona yet.  I’m really torn!

[Viajera7]

Thanks Pstree12.  I bought it from the Travel agency that I used for the cruise. I imagine that you lost the airfare money. That's why I'm not cancelling it. If they cancel, they have to give me some money to cover at least part of the airfare.  This is supposed to be my retirement celebration cruise! I'm buying the airfare with the cruiseline for my August cruise.

[wayne_trisha]

On 2/25/2020 at 9:30 AM, awestover89 said:

 

The stocks for Royal, NCL, and Carnival all took a major hit. My portfolio has more red than I-95 during rush hour

Put options lighting the sky up in GREEN!!!

[davelinde]

1 hour ago, joand452 said:

Earlier in the month, I wasn't worried about our early May cruise; I'm beginning to get worried.

 

me too...  

what is the expression?  "in the same boat"  We're doing Tampa/Amsterdam/Baltics  nothing to do but wait and see.

[Coralc]

I think the news is kind of freaking people out. It should be fine. Annual flu and pneumonia still kill more people. Remember West Nile Virus, Zika, SARS, MERS? .....

Edited February 27, 2020 by Coralc

[ckrobyn]

Just now, Coralc said:

I think the news is kind of freaking people out. It should be fine. Annual flu and pneumonia still kill more people. 

I think you may be right.  I am looking forward to my week on Oasis and will make every effort to avoid the news (in between freaking out lol )  Sailing Sunday 🙂 

[Sunshine3601]

4 hours ago, CatLadyFemme said:

Cruise has been booked for over a year, so the deposit would only be refunded if RCCL cancels.

When you are more than 90 days out from final payment you can cancel and receive full refund of deposit if refundable deposit was booked.  If you booked with non refundable deposit you would only loose $100 pp and get a future cruise credit for the difference.

[ONECRUISER]

2 hours ago, Coralc said:

I think the news is kind of freaking people out. It should be fine. Annual flu and pneumonia still kill more people. Remember West Nile Virus, Zika, SARS, MERS? .....

It's an unknown. Yes in numbers so far more died from reg seasonal Flu in US. The R-nought and Fatality rate so far seems to be significantly higher with Coronavirus. Starts to spread here we'll find out here. Just to early to tell. But "Freaking people out", think about one case or suspected case on Cruise Ship, 3-4 weeks min extra of Quarantine far from home, separated from Family sounds like enough Freak some out, more so then actually catching it. So far this is effecting more the World then the others you stated... But get your point. My first scare was as a 10yr old and the 70's Swine Flu. Where more were hurt by the shots then the actual disease...

[Coralc]

LOL. Our elementary school in Seattle in the 60's was one of the first tests of the brand new air powered mass inoculation guns. Some received the vaccine for Swine Flu, and some did not. As a young person, it was interesting to watch several fainting kids and paramedics taking them away. I received the actual vaccine according to follow up and did not come down with the flu. And I haven't had the flu since, but I am pretty dedicated to getting a shot every year. 

Parents would probably be up in arms if they tested things like that on their children nowadays. 

Edited February 27, 2020 by Coralc

[Blizzard54]

2 hours ago, Coralc said:

LOL. Our elementary school in Seattle in the 60's was one of the first tests of the brand new air powered mass inoculation guns. Some received the vaccine for Swine Flu, and some did not. As a young person, it was interesting to watch several fainting kids and paramedics taking them away. I received the actual vaccine according to follow up and did not come down with the flu. And I haven't had the flu since, but I am pretty dedicated to getting a shot every year. 

Parents would probably be up in arms if they tested things like that on their children nowadays. 

Which school were you attending?

[soloadventurer]

Chinese Coronavirus study Dr. Jin Dongyan, a virology expert at the University of Hong Kong.

 

Of the 44,672 coronavirus cases that were confirmed in China by Feb. 81 percent were mild - 14 percent of patients were severe, and just under 5 percent critical.

 

The overall fatality rate in China was 2.3 percent. But that number was inflated by the much higher fatality rate in Hubei Province, of 2.9 percent, compared with a rate of just 0.4 percent in the rest of the country. The seasonal flu, by comparison, has a mortality rate of about 0.1 percent.

[Despegue]

Also bear in mind that these fatalities are in almost all cases elderly with previous health complications.

there are ZERO children fatalities, and by far most cases have mild symptoms, often milder than the saisonal flu.

This whole scaremongering is getting out of hand. 

 

[bobmacliberty]

10 hours ago, Coralc said:

I think the news is kind of freaking people out. It should be fine. Annual flu and pneumonia still kill more people. Remember West Nile Virus, Zika, SARS, MERS? .....

 

Read an interesting website about comparisons to SARS and MERS.  Not really a good comparison as these were 1) significantly more deadly (60% fatality for SARS I think) and 2) did not spread until symptoms were obvious.  People either died or were quarantined before they could infect many others, so much easier to control.  Covid-19 however spreads much more/faster with a significantly lower fatality rate and the ability to spread before symptoms appear.

 

Fully agree though with the annual flu and that there is more fear than logic out there regarding Covid-19

[toras]

Googling about air on airplanes,

On most aircraft, air is also circulated through hospital-grade HEPA filters, which remove 99.97 percent of bacteria, as well as the airborne particles that viruses use for transport 

 

• The vent above your airplane seat may help you avoid contact with microorganisms that can get you sick as it can create an invisible air barrier around you.
• This air barrier can stop airborne viruses from lingering in the air around you