Predict when cruising will start again post-Coronavirus

[OzKiwiJJ]

42 minutes ago, By The Bay said:

My question is, if all the crew and passengers are 100% vaccinated, where did they catch the virus? 🤔

Either they caught it just before they boarded the cruise, after having the pre-cruise test, or at a port stop. Since they were asymptomatic they probably didn't realise they'd caught it until the onboard test showed positive.

Edited June 12, 2021 by OzKiwiJJ

[gogo65]

There is a theory they weren’t vaccinated (fake papers), there was also mention on a thread that they didn’t actually have to show vaccine papers when they boarded. There was lots of discussion yesterday about false positives but statistically it’s unlikely when 600 people were tested and the two that were positive were people in the same cabin.

it will be interesting to see what plays out. 

 

[Cruisegroover]

17 hours ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

Phillip, I think you mentioned a couple of ships that normally cruise here had left Singapore (or wherever) and were heading up to Dubai? Would it be possible that they were heading up there to board crew from eastern European countries? Dubai might be a good transit point for that. Just a thought ...

John Heald Brand Ambassador to Carnival confirmed on a post elsewhere that Spirit and Splendor are sailing to UAE to collect crew.

[mr walker]

1 hour ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

Here's a perspective of that cruise from someone who was onboard.

Not really just 'someone' but an employee of a travel company, so need to take that into account I suggest. I had read that, & they made it sound not too bad as an experience. What happened when the ship got to the port at the end of the cruise - perhaps that hasn't happened yet?

Apart from the concerns about what a cruise in COVID times may be like compared to our past experiences, a larger concern is what would happen at cruise end in the event of positive cases during the cruise. I have no desire to be stuck on a ship when clearance is not given by authorities.

[V_icki_e]

1 hour ago, By The Bay said:

My question is, if all the crew and passengers are 100% vaccinated, where did they catch the virus? 🤔

 

Another thread is stating that there were 6 unvaccinated children on board... 

[NSWP]

I thought as per CDC policy when Covid cases became confirmed on board a ship, the ship returned ASAP to Port of origin? This one kept cruising the itinerary, did it not?

[NSWP]

29 minutes ago, mr walker said:

Not really just 'someone' but an employee of a travel company, so need to take that into account I suggest. I had read that, & they made it sound not too bad as an experience. What happened when the ship got to the port at the end of the cruise - perhaps that hasn't happened yet?

Apart from the concerns about what a cruise in COVID times may be like compared to our past experiences, a larger concern is what would happen at cruise end in the event of positive cases during the cruise. I have no desire to be stuck on a ship when clearance is not given by authorities.

A la Diamond Princess, incarcerated in Japan.

[Hygge!]

6 minutes ago, NSWP said:

I thought as per CDC policy when Covid cases became confirmed on board a ship, the ship returned ASAP to Port of origin? This one kept cruising the itinerary, did it not?

They did not leave from a US port nor stopped at a US port. I'm not sure if CDC policy applies to them.  Similar to Europe cruises. 

[Elorac123]

3 hours ago, By The Bay said:

No use sending good money after bad. 😉

Unless my Feb 22 cruise gets cancelled before final payment day I will have to pay the balance (not happy) otherwise I will lose my FCC from the halted Majestic in 2000 which I suppose can be carried over to March 23 which is already booked.

Cheers Carole 

[OzKiwiJJ]

1 hour ago, gogo65 said:

There is a theory they weren’t vaccinated (fake papers), there was also mention on a thread that they didn’t actually have to show vaccine papers when they boarded. There was lots of discussion yesterday about false positives but statistically it’s unlikely when 600 people were tested and the two that were positive were people in the same cabin.

it will be interesting to see what plays out. 

 

I'd say it was more likely they were vaccinated, especially if no-one else on the ship gets it. We know that the vaccine doesn't stop you catching the virus, we know (from examples here in Australia) that vaccinated people who have caught the virus can be asymptomatic (as can unvaccinated people who caught it, of course), and it appears that the risk of transmission is significantly reduced when people who catch it are vaccinated.

 

It will be very interesting to see how this plays out. As I said earlier it could actually be a good thing.

Edited June 12, 2021 by OzKiwiJJ

[By The Bay]

5 hours ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

Here's a perspective of that cruise from someone who was onboard.

 

https://www.cruisecritic.com.au/ab/agents/variation-a/news/6183/?preview=1&source=99360

A very positive review. Thanks.

[lyndarra]

21 hours ago, NSWP said:

I cannot see the ships arriving here for the season, no cruising, 21/22, get your money back and dont book any more for a couple of years, who needs this stress? I must be the only dude on here with no cruises booked.

You're not Robinson Crusoe. I wont be booking anything until I see ships in ports.

[bazzaw]

I have previously asked the question - hear and elsewhere - "what will happen when positive cases are found onboard a cruiseship" ? - I guess the answer lies in the situation that has happened on the MSC ship doing an "Around Britain" cruise. Refused entry to a Scottish port, she sailed along to the next English port.  Britain = 3 different States , with differing Governments and attitudes. Here in Australia we have 6 different States - all also with very different approaches to Covid. The situation regarding cruises "around Australia" is untenable and unworkable - and will not become workable until the paranoia dies down - and I think that will take some years yet. 

[SinbadThePorter]

7 hours ago, MMDown Under said:

Also vaccines are not 100% effective.  I read of two fully vaccinated people who tested positive on arrival in NZ?

 

Yes, no vaccine is 100% effective in preventing infection, but as far as I know the covid vaccines have been 100% effective in preventing covid deaths.

 

If cruises recommence with 100% vaccinated passengers and crew, it is very likely that every cruise will see at least some on board infected by the end of the cruise. Thankfully if they are vaccinated the infection should be manageable and maybe even very minor.

 

What we will need are cruise protocols that can cope with this. Like not shutting the cruise down and refusing entry of the ship to port. Plus some way of allowing infected passengers and crew to self isolate on board. Of course that would only work for Oz/NZ cruises, cruises to other countries would require a lot of multilateral negotiations.

 

If the government was serious about allowing cruises to restart they would already have such protocols in hand and be in negotiations with other countries and the cruise lines. But they aren't.

[OzKiwiJJ]

I think many of the cruise lines have already developed those types of protocols. It certainly sounded like Celebrity had it all covered. And I'm sure I read somewhere that another cruise line (MSC?) has a number of cabins, that are not near booked cabins, reserved for isolations if any cases occur.

 

Agreements would need to be made with ports as to what should happen if a rare case occurs, particularly smaller ports, but that shouldn't be too hard to sort out. Plus if all passengers are vaccinated and someone does test positive the risk of them passing it on is very, very low so they might be able to stay onboard until the ship reaches a major port, or even the disembarkation port.

 

We will have to learn to live with Covid sometime in the future. If the cruises are domestic or bubble only with all passengers and crew vaccinated, then the risk is miniscule. But if a positive case occurs it provides a good test of how we do manage to deal with it.

[lyndarra]

50 minutes ago, SinbadThePorter said:

If the government was serious about allowing cruises to restart they would already have such protocols in hand and be in negotiations with other countries and the cruise lines. But they aren't.

I wont hold my breath. Present government seems to be reactive rather than proactive. "Cross that bridge when we come to" it sort of thing where they arrive at the bridge to find it partially collapsed with no alternative way around it planned.

[OzKiwiJJ]

11 minutes ago, lyndarra said:

I wont hold my breath. Present government seems to be reactive rather than proactive. "Cross that bridge when we come to" it sort of thing where they arrive at the bridge to find it partially collapsed with no alternative way around it planned.

Exactly! Or wait until NZ does something then announce the Australian government has decided to do yet another "wonderful" thing for it's citizens. As if we don't get news from NZ. 🙄

[Balsam12]

On 6/11/2021 at 4:18 PM, NSWP said:

I cannot see the ships arriving here for the season, no cruising, 21/22, get your money back and dont book any more for a couple of years, who needs this stress? I must be the only dude on here with no cruises booked.

We have two cruises currently booked.

The good part is that they are both with P & O Australia, and were booked on their $1.00 deposit deal. The first one is a New Years cruise out of Brisbane, and the next payment is $500 due at the end of June. We already have $800 credit with P & O from a previous cancelled cruise, so don't actually need to outlay any more until the final payment which is in the middle of October.

At this point, we would not be booking any more cruises that need "normal" deposits paid at the time of booking, but losing $2.00 won't break us 😁

[Blackduck59]

9 hours ago, bazzaw said:

I have previously asked the question - hear and elsewhere - "what will happen when positive cases are found onboard a cruiseship" ? - I guess the answer lies in the situation that has happened on the MSC ship doing an "Around Britain" cruise. Refused entry to a Scottish port, she sailed along to the next English port.  Britain = 3 different States , with differing Governments and attitudes. Here in Australia we have 6 different States - all also with very different approaches to Covid. The situation regarding cruises "around Australia" is untenable and unworkable - and will not become workable until the paranoia dies down - and I think that will take some years yet. 

 

Perhaps check out the thread in the "Celebrity Cruises" section of CC. It's titled "Process Details for the Celebrity Millennium Sint Maarten Sailings" it is an account by a passenger on that cruise. His posts are a little spotty because of poor internet on board. Check post number 329. Take what you will from the experience.

[Ondine]

Here is Alfie's latest video which is quite interesting as usual.  He is getting closer to going home.

 

 

[possum52]

1 hour ago, Ondine said:

Here is Alfie's latest video which is quite interesting as usual.  He is getting closer to going home.

 

 

I watched it this morning, very interesting seeing how the crew are repatriated. Alfie's turn next.

 

Leigh

[IrieBajan54]

Here is this woman's blog from the first Celebrity cruise that sailed from St. Martin with mostly American passengers. She was quarantined one night by contact tracing.  She was treated royally in quarantine. See the links at the bottom of the blog for her day by day report.

 

https://cruise.blog/2021/06/live-celebrity-millennium-third-party-excursion-and-night-quarantine?fbclid=IwAR2Jb1eGA8BZpERGKIsx3qRn0FhAG3Ocf8uUy4MJYPZkRMTyeiUBHQva6c4

[OzKiwiJJ]

1 hour ago, IrieBajan54 said:

Here is this woman's blog from the first Celebrity cruise that sailed from St. Martin with mostly American passengers. She was quarantined one night by contact tracing.  She was treated royally in quarantine. See the links at the bottom of the blog for her day by day report.

 

https://cruise.blog/2021/06/live-celebrity-millennium-third-party-excursion-and-night-quarantine?fbclid=IwAR2Jb1eGA8BZpERGKIsx3qRn0FhAG3Ocf8uUy4MJYPZkRMTyeiUBHQva6c4

Thanks for posting that link. I'd also read a CC thread from someone who was also on that cruise but wasn't a close contact.

 

It sounds like Celebrity did brilliant job of managing both the cruise and the positive test situation. This gives us a very good idea of what to expect if and when we get a restart of cruising here. I'd be more than happy to cruise under those conditions.

[NSWP]

Boris Johnson announced this morning, the lockdown in England is continuing until 20 July, I wonder what will happen with the staycation cruises operating from Southampton etc, MSC and Princess are doing some.  The Delta variant of Covid in the UK is causing a big increase in covid cases, almost 8,000 on Saturday.

[frantic36]

3 minutes ago, NSWP said:

Boris Johnson announced this morning, the lockdown in England is continuing until 20 July, I wonder what will happen with the staycation cruises operating from Southampton etc, MSC and Princess are doing some.  The Delta variant of Covid in the UK is causing a big increase in covid cases, almost 8,000 on Saturday.

 

From what I have read the vast majority of the cases, especially among those hospitalised, are among the non-vaccinated or people who have had only one jab. So I take that as a positive sign for vaccinations.