Grand Princess Coronavirus Discussion (retitled after merger of several topics)

[flyguyjake]

2 minutes ago, kathy49 said:

Not sure who "Wayne" is

Wayne is the husband of the lady on the left. Her 23yr old son is also in their 2 bedroom suite

[caribill]

Wayne is the husband of the lady on the left. Wayne and their son are in a different cabin. The two women are sisters.

[kathy49]

2 minutes ago, flyguyjake said:

Wayne is the husband of the lady on the left. Her 23yr old son is also in their 2 bedroom suite

well at least they have a big space and some family with.

[idahospud]

New advisory has been posted on Princess:

 

Health Advisory and Travel Safety Procedures

To protect the health and safety of all onboard, we are closely monitoring the evolving situation with novel coronavirus (COVID-19). We are quickly implementing enhanced screening measures and additional prevention and control procedures. Our protection and prevention tactics include:

1. Beginning in select embarkation terminals on March 7th and as soon as possible in all embarkation terminals, we will be temperature checking all guests embarking on our ships using temporal scanning thermometers. All guests presenting with a fever or flu-like symptoms will be denied boarding, irrespective of their recent travel history. All guests who are denied boarding due to sickness will be issued a full cruise credit or refund.
2. Beginning in select embarkation terminals on March 7th and as soon as possible in all embarkation terminals, we will be implementing enhanced sanitation protocols including the thorough cleaning of all hand touching surfaces for all cruise terminals before and after all sailings.
3. Onboard all Princess ships, effective immediately, we are executing enhanced environmental sanitation protocols with a disinfectant that kills coronaviruses within 30 seconds.

 

More of the advisory can be found at https://www.princess.com/news/notices_and_advisories/notices/coronavirus-update.html

Edited March 7, 2020 by idahospud

[flyguyjake]

1 minute ago, caribill said:

That was posted yesterday,

No they just streamed about 1 hr ago. That's today's video

[notes21]

I don't know any details about the chemo patient's type of cancer, etc., but for many dealing with metastatic cancer (like I am), they may be on chemo treatment of some kind for the rest of their life. I will never get to see 18 months off treatment to plan a trip then as treatment will only be stopping when my time here is done.   My oncologist plans things out with me in advance  to make  sure that I leave for trips with the highest counts possible, and I often get back just a daybefore the next treatment.  My oncologist wants me to go on these trips and "live life fully".   I have chemo every two weeks; so, there isn't a ton of time in-between.   We both know what is waiting around the corner when things worsen & that some day travel will not be possible for me.. It is not automatically irresponsible to plan a trip returning close to the next treatment date.   Now going without enough of your medications could be a different story....I try to always travel with 30 days worth, but in this situation even that much could possibly not be enough, and there is always the issue of some meds being controlled, etc. 

[wrongwaywatson]

2 minutes ago, notes21 said:

I don't know any details about the chemo patient's type of cancer, etc., but for many dealing with metastatic cancer (like I am), they may be on chemo treatment of some kind for the rest of their life. I will never get to see 18 months off treatment to plan a trip then as treatment will only be stopping when my time here is done.   My oncologist plans things out with me in advance  to make  sure that I leave for trips with the highest counts possible, and I often get back just a daybefore the next treatment.  My oncologist wants me to go on these trips and "live life fully".   I have chemo every two weeks; so, there isn't a ton of time in-between.   We both know what is waiting around the corner when things worsen & that some day travel will not be possible for me.. It is not automatically irresponsible to plan a trip returning close to the next treatment date.   Now going without enough of your medications could be a different story....I try to always travel with 30 days worth, but in this situation even that much could possibly not be enough, and there is always the issue of some meds being controlled, etc. 

That's true and I would probably do the same.   

[fragilek]

2 minutes ago, notes21 said:

I don't know any details about the chemo patient's type of cancer, etc., but for many dealing with metastatic cancer (like I am), they may be on chemo treatment of some kind for the rest of their life. I will never get to see 18 months off treatment to plan a trip then as treatment will only be stopping when my time here is done.   My oncologist plans things out with me in advance  to make  sure that I leave for trips with the highest counts possible, and I often get back just a daybefore the next treatment.  My oncologist wants me to go on these trips and "live life fully".   I have chemo every two weeks; so, there isn't a ton of time in-between.   We both know what is waiting around the corner when things worsen & that some day travel will not be possible for me.. It is not automatically irresponsible to plan a trip returning close to the next treatment date.   Now going without enough of your medications could be a different story....I try to always travel with 30 days worth, but in this situation even that much could possibly not be enough, and there is always the issue of some meds being controlled, etc. 

 Exactly I went 5 months after a 7 months stay in hospital for leukemia- I may not have had 18 months  at all never mind to wait in. As long as your consultant team are happy  (they were ecstatic that I made it and have photos up in the hospital ward of all the places I have visited over the last 18 months)  and I am happy then I will go for it.  Things may change for a lot of people with this virus ramping up my team would not be happy if I was to travel at the minute - luckily I got back from my last cruise the end of Jan

[brisalta]

https://www.princess.com/news/notices_and_advisories/notices/grand-princess-updates.html

Updated March 7, 2020 12:15PM PT

Grand Princess Update

Princess Cruises can confirm personal protective equipment (PPE), which included gloves and face masks, was delivered to Grand Princess by U.S. Coast Guard helicopter yesterday evening (March 6). The PPE will supplement the supply already onboard.

Separately, a critically ill U.S. guest and their travel companion were medically disembarked from Grand Princess earlier this morning by a U.S. Coast Guard cutter. They are being transported to a shoreside medical facility for treatment unrelated to COVID-19.

Grand Princess is at sea currently approximately 50 miles off the coast of San Francisco. The Captain of Grand Princess and the Princess Cruises port operations team continue to await specific directives from state and local response operations about where the ship will proceed and will continue to closely follow the guidance of the U.S. Centers of Disease Control (CDC), California Department of Public Health and other authorities.

The safety, health and well-being of our guests and crew is always our top priority, and we continue to make every effort to ensure they are safe and comfortable while they remain onboard.

[idahospud]

13 minutes ago, ceilidh1 said:

Yeah, it is Jan Swartz. Dr Grant Terling(?) chief medical officer and media

 

 

It's interesting listening, for sure.

[brisalta]

14 minutes ago, villauk said:

 

I can see them doing something like this: any costs incurred will be charged back to the individual passenger and you’ll have to sign something at boarding to state you agree to it. 

 

I would not be surprised if they introduce a requirement for a medical note indicating that you have had a flu shot and once one is available for covad-19 that you have had a shot for that.

[2wheelin]

51 minutes ago, kathy49 said:

the Chicken Ladies recently reported from the ship . Not sure who "Wayne" is. They honestly don't have a clue what is happening...they did mention many of the passengers are out on balconies visiting etc. The internet is bad and it goes in and out.

 

People needing to use the limited internet service and others are streaming nonsense. 

If husband and son are in a different cabin, who is that sitting behind them. And did people visiting on balconies not learn anything from Diamond?

[flyguyjake]

2 minutes ago, 2wheelin said:

If husband and son are in a different cabin,

There are 4 of them in their 2 bedroom suite FWD deck 9. Husband, wife, son & wife's sister. The two ladies are sisters.

[fragilek]

VP Mike Pence announces changes to cruise line industry to fight coronavirus

https://edition.cnn.com/asia/live-news/coronavirus-outbreak-03-07-20-intl-hnk/index.html

There will be enhanced entry and exit screening for cruise passengers, as well as on-board testing for coronavirus, Pence said. There will also be new quarantine standards for those who took a cruise and need to be quarantined, which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will coordinate.

The cruise line industry is working with the CDC, Department of Homeland Security and the Coast Guard over the next 72 hours to implement the plans.

Edited March 7, 2020 by fragilek

[caribill]

53 minutes ago, idahospud said:

New advisory has been posted on Princess:

 

Health Advisory and Travel Safety Procedures

To protect the health and safety of all onboard, we are closely monitoring the evolving situation with novel coronavirus (COVID-19). We are quickly implementing enhanced screening measures and additional prevention and control procedures. Our protection and prevention tactics include:

1. Beginning in select embarkation terminals on March 7th and as soon as possible in all embarkation terminals, we will be temperature checking all guests embarking on our ships using temporal scanning thermometers. All guests presenting with a fever or flu-like symptoms will be denied boarding, irrespective of their recent travel history. All guests who are denied boarding due to sickness will be issued a full cruise credit or refund.
2. Beginning in select embarkation terminals on March 7th and as soon as possible in all embarkation terminals, we will be implementing enhanced sanitation protocols including the thorough cleaning of all hand touching surfaces for all cruise terminals before and after all sailings.
3. Onboard all Princess ships, effective immediately, we are executing enhanced environmental sanitation protocols with a disinfectant that kills coronaviruses within 30 seconds.

 

More of the advisory can be found at https://www.princess.com/news/notices_and_advisories/notices/coronavirus-update.html

 

Part of the advisory:

 

"We will conduct additional pre-boarding screening of all guests and crew who have visited areas with community spread of COVID-19 ...."

 

Soon community spread will mean most of the USA. Certainly it would apply now to those from New York City area and the Seattle Washington area.

 

 

[MoniMommy]

There will be enhanced entry and exit screening for cruise passengers, as well as on-board testing for coronavirus, Pence said.

 

So if one person is positive on the exit screening. What happens to those that come after?  I assume onboard testing is only for those who have symptoms. I will be glad when they release more details. Hope they do it in the next day or two.

[caribill]

1 minute ago, MoniMommy said:

There will be enhanced entry and exit screening for cruise passengers, as well as on-board testing for coronavirus, Pence said.

 

So if one person is positive on the exit screening. What happens to those that come after?  I assume onboard testing is only for those who have symptoms. I will be glad when they release more details. Hope they do it in the next day or two.

 

Exit screening medically could only be seeing if the person had an elevated temperature.

 

And, as you said, then what would happen with with everyone else if one person had an elevated temperature?

[NorthwestCruiser]

British Columbia's public health officer Asks cruise ship passengers to think twice before going on cruise ships.   They have cases showing up now from the Diamond Princess (not the Grand.)

 

Full video.   This is one that has to be seen, both of the medical officials get quite emotional about it.    At the end the male officer says that his advice is that you should not take a cruise.   Pretty strong stuff considering how big of a hit that would be to Vancouver's economy.

Edited March 7, 2020 by NorthwestCruiser

[2wheelin]

9 minutes ago, flyguyjake said:

There are 4 of them in their 2 bedroom suite FWD deck 9. Husband, wife, son & wife's sister. The two ladies are sisters.

Sorry. Someone else stated they were in a different cabin.

[caribill]

6 minutes ago, 2wheelin said:

Sorry. Someone else stated they were in a different cabin.

It is a family suite which is essentially a mini-suite connected to an inside cabin. Thus two cabins with a connecting door.

[flyguyjake]

They need to check every staff persons temperature daily on every ship worldwide for the time being.

[Pushka]

24 minutes ago, brisalta said:

 

I would not be surprised if they introduce a requirement for a medical note indicating that you have had a flu shot and once one is available for covad-19 that you have had a shot for that.

How is that going to work for the Southern Hemisphere where our flu shots for this year haven't been released yet? The timings of the flu shots are totally dependent on the seasons of the year and we are still in summer mode so nothing available for us yet. 
 

As far as testing onboard - I think it will be a case of Seek and Ye shall find. I think someone will from now on, test positive and if a younger person, may have no symptoms at all. Then what?
 

It will be an interesting exercise if testing everyone onboard the Grand, just how many test positive and not even have a cold. 

Edited March 7, 2020 by Pushka

[brisalta]

 

 

Following is from https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-03-07/spread-of-coronavirus-on-grand-princess-ship-raises-public-health-alarms

 

March 7, 2020

3:30 PM

A California man who died of the novel coronavirus brought it on board the Grand Princess cruise ship, officials said Saturday, suggesting the virus has been in the state much longer than originally believed.

Dr. Grant Tarling, the cruise’s medical officer, said the man — who later died in Placer County after leaving the cruise — sought medical care on the ship Feb. 20 and had been sick for several days. Tarling said two waiters who served the man multiple times were subsequently infected.

The news is a revelation that could mean the virus has been circulating in California longer than authorities have previously disclosed, Tarling said.

Thousands of passengers remain on the ship held off the San Francisco coast amid an outbreak on board.

...

[flyguyjake]

Dr. Grant said a group of passengers got off the Grand Princess in Hawaii and did not continue with the cruise.

Sounds like HI is about to report many more cases of CoronaVirus soon.

[NSWP]

I suppose Grand Princess is circling off the coast whilst decisions are made by the government as to where she will berth and to make ready that facility with the necessary support.  Time will tell.  Best wishes to all on board.