Urgent - Ruby Princess 3 people infected - Urgent Tracking of Passengers

[Aus Traveller]

3 minutes ago, MMDown Under said:

Maybe the virus being on Diamond Princess made people more aware.  Otherwise what do you think the reason might have been? I thought Eden was keen to have cruise ships visit, so this turnaround request was unexpected, except for virus worries and lack of hospital facilities.  

I miss newspapers where you can go back to source.  I used to read newspapers from front to back.  

Eden was keen for cruise ship visits when it was simply a matter of the tourists bringing money ashore. However, it then became a different story when there was the chance of an infection coming along with the tourist money.😁  BTW, I am not criticizing Eden: it is a small town and wouldn't be able to cope with a lot of infections.

[Pushka]

Shame more cruisers and cruiselines didn’t read the obvious writing on the wall with Diamond. It would have saved lives. And multiple infections. 

[MicCanberra]

9 minutes ago, Pushka said:

Shame more cruisers and cruiselines didn’t read the obvious writing on the wall with Diamond. It would have saved lives. And multiple infections. 

What writing was that,

don't let anyone that is sick on the ship, or

don't hold everyone on the ship where it could spread to everyone aboard.

[NSWP]

14 minutes ago, Aus Traveller said:

Eden was keen for cruise ship visits when it was simply a matter of the tourists bringing money ashore. However, it then became a different story when there was the chance of an infection coming along with the tourist money.😁  BTW, I am not criticizing Eden: it is a small town and wouldn't be able to cope with a lot of infections.

Can't blame Eden for not wanting any more ships.  I have seen a few berthed down there and true the town and local tour operators have been doing very well from the visits.    Eden has no hospital, a very small local hospital at Pambula up the road, no ICU and a regional hospital at Bega 45 minutes away with a dozen or so ICU beds, the only ones on NSW Far South Coast, none here at Batemans Bay or Moruya.   So a combined population of about 60,000 in the Eurobodalla/Bega Valley local areas has about a dozen ICU beds.  Why would we want ships now? 

[Aus Traveller]

12 minutes ago, Pushka said:

Shame more cruisers and cruiselines didn’t read the obvious writing on the wall with Diamond. It would have saved lives. And multiple infections. 

In the past couple of months, it was a difficult decision on whether to go or to cancel. We went on a Princess cruise to NZ leaving here on 23rd February. A couple of members of our family were worried for us, but we felt we were safe as there was no known community infection in NZ. We returned on 8th March.

 

If we were booked on a cruise leaving on that date, I am not sure that we would have cancelled. In hindsight now, I would say that it wasn't wise for someone to go on a cruise on 8th March, but at the time, there wasn't widespread infection.

[Aus Traveller]

2 minutes ago, NSWP said:

Can't blame Eden for not wanting any more ships.  I have seen a few berthed down there and true the town and local tour operators have been doing very well from the visits.    Eden has no hospital, a very small local hospital at Pambula up the road, no ICU and a regional hospital at Bega 45 minutes away with a dozen or so ICU beds, the only ones on NSW Far South Coast, none here at Batemans Bay or Moruya.   So a combined population of about 60,000 in the Eurobodalla/Bega Valley local areas has about a dozen ICU beds.  Why would we want ships now? 

I can see why Eden wouldn't have wanted a cruiseship arriving after this pandemic really got under way. I am not sure which ship the previous poster was referring to.

[MMDown Under]

26 minutes ago, Aus Traveller said:

In the past couple of months, it was a difficult decision on whether to go or to cancel. We went on a Princess cruise to NZ leaving here on 23rd February. A couple of members of our family were worried for us, but we felt we were safe as there was no known community infection in NZ. We returned on 8th March.

 

If we were booked on a cruise leaving on that date, I am not sure that we would have cancelled. In hindsight now, I would say that it wasn't wise for someone to go on a cruise on 8th March, but at the time, there wasn't widespread infection.

I seriously considered a cruise around that time, as I wanted another NZ cruise before my passport ran out in April, and I love NZ.  My younger daughter was really angry at me for even considering it.  Both my girls are travellers but neither are in to cruising (except Antarctica).  I explained it was low risk, but didn't pursue the matter because I had another 'wish list' ferry cruise later in the year.  It is frightening just how wrong was I!!  

[The_Big_M]

1 hour ago, MMDown Under said:

Maybe the virus being on Diamond Princess made people more aware.  Otherwise what do you think the reason might have been? I thought Eden was keen to have cruise ships visit, so this turnaround request was unexpected, except for virus worries and lack of hospital facilities.  

I miss newspapers where you can go back to source.  I used to read newspapers from front to back.  

 

I agree it was the virus concern. 

 

Pacific Explorer was due to visit Eden the weekend ScoMo was going to the football, but announced that gatherings over 500 would be banned from Monday (16 March). They were visiting Sunday 15 Mar but in light of that announcement the visit was also cancelled (and they wound up sailing off the coast instead).

Edited March 31, 2020 by The_Big_M

[The_Big_M]

1 hour ago, Aus Traveller said:

Eden was keen for cruise ship visits when it was simply a matter of the tourists bringing money ashore. However, it then became a different story when there was the chance of an infection coming along with the tourist money.😁  BTW, I am not criticizing Eden: it is a small town and wouldn't be able to cope with a lot of infections.

 

Agreed, hope it didn't sound like I was criticising Eden. Just pointing out that it was a recent change, contrasting with the recent stance. 

 

On that note, the Deputy Premier has just made a broader 'don't visit country NSW as tourists, or even family' statement.

[MicCanberra]

More deaths of people from off the Ruby, I think that is 5 now. There was one of the Voyager and one off the Solstice as well.

[NSWP]

43 minutes ago, The_Big_M said:

 

Agreed, hope it didn't sound like I was criticising Eden. Just pointing out that it was a recent change, contrasting with the recent stance. 

 

On that note, the Deputy Premier has just made a broader 'don't visit country NSW as tourists, or even family' statement.

Queen Elizabeth was the last one into Eden I think, about 3 weeks ago.   As for tourists being told don't go to country NSW, too late..Batemans Bay is already crawling wit them, sorry Mic have to say it, ACT plates abound.  Many locals are irate because all our supermarkets are out of or low on stocks, TP, long life milk and a lot of other stuff.  Easter is coming.  I am isolating over Easter, going to pig out on the Easter Eggs and Red Wine.

Edited March 31, 2020 by NSWP

[MicCanberra]

9 minutes ago, NSWP said:

Queen Elizabeth was the last one into Eden I think, about 3 weeks ago.   As for tourists being told don't go to country NSW, too late..Batemans Bay is already crawling wit them, sorry Mic have to say it, ACT plates abound.  Many locals are irate because all our supermarkets are out of or low on stocks, TP, long life milk and a lot of other stuff.  Easter is coming.  I am isolating over Easter, going to pig out on the Easter Eggs and Red Wine.

No need to be sorry, they are selfish unless they were already down there before the latest edict, they should have stayed in the ACT.

[Pushka]

2 hours ago, MicCanberra said:

What writing was that,

don't let anyone that is sick on the ship, or

don't hold everyone on the ship where it could spread to everyone aboard.

 

The messages for me are that it was the start of a wide wide epidemic, that seems impossible to detect in passengers, and therefore impossible to screen for, it spreads, easily and rapidly, especially with passengers together for long periods of time as in cruises, that people aren't always very unwell and may just appear to have the usual cruise cough but actually have Covid, and so spread it freely and that people can get very sick with it and people will die. 
 

That enuf? 

Edited March 31, 2020 by Pushka

[MMDown Under]

40 minutes ago, NSWP said:

Queen Elizabeth was the last one into Eden I think, about 3 weeks ago.   As for tourists being told don't go to country NSW, too late..Batemans Bay is already crawling wit them, sorry Mic have to say it, ACT plates abound.  Many locals are irate because all our supermarkets are out of or low on stocks, TP, long life milk and a lot of other stuff.  Easter is coming.  I am isolating over Easter, going to pig out on the Easter Eggs and Red Wine.

Police should get their quota on the roads from Canberra to the South Coast before Easter/school holidays. 

Good idea to isolate over Easter.  We walk the dogs before 6 which is too early for holidaymakers at the beach, except surfers who leave the beach to us.  The child within was disappointed I didn't buy any Easter Eggs in my big shop, however my daughter said she has some. So all is well.  I'm sure hot cross buns will still be on sale when this is all over!

[The_Big_M]

9 hours ago, Pushka said:

 

The messages for me are that it was the start of a wide wide epidemic, that seems impossible to detect in passengers, and therefore impossible to screen for, it spreads, easily and rapidly, especially with passengers together for long periods of time as in cruises, that people aren't always very unwell and may just appear to have the usual cruise cough but actually have Covid, and so spread it freely and that people can get very sick with it and people will die. 
 

That enuf? 

 

While that shows great foresight on your behalf, it is more than the government viewed the situation as, and the world health organisation viewed it as. Further, I don't even recall any comments from anyone here talking about planning to cancel straight after Diamond Princes. 

 

Due to that, insurers viewed it as your own decision to cancel and hence wouldn't pay anything, and nor would any of the travel providers these people had booked with, so any decision to do so would have also meant the complete loss of all funds. 

 

Given all the experts were not recommending that action, and with the financial loss on top of it, I couldn't criticise Mr or Mrs Average for not having that same foresight as yourself to see that outcome and cancel their holiday plans.

[MMDown Under]

15 hours ago, NSWP said:

Can't blame Eden for not wanting any more ships.  I have seen a few berthed down there and true the town and local tour operators have been doing very well from the visits.    Eden has no hospital, a very small local hospital at Pambula up the road, no ICU and a regional hospital at Bega 45 minutes away with a dozen or so ICU beds, the only ones on NSW Far South Coast, none here at Batemans Bay or Moruya.   So a combined population of about 60,000 in the Eurobodalla/Bega Valley local areas has about a dozen ICU beds.  Why would we want ships now? 

No, we don't want big ships spoiling places.  Australia should learn from Alaska and restrict the number of passengers which can visit at any particular time.  I cruised Alaska on the Alaskan Marine Highway and I can tell you the Alaska I saw and enjoyed is not the same Alaska people on big cruise ships see.  We need to encourage more small ships to visit, as Aust is blessed with lots of small interesting beautiful places.  Anyone who has driven along the Coast north or south knows that!

Edited March 31, 2020 by MMDown Under

[MMDown Under]

16 hours ago, Aus Traveller said:

Eden was keen for cruise ship visits when it was simply a matter of the tourists bringing money ashore. However, it then became a different story when there was the chance of an infection coming along with the tourist money.😁  BTW, I am not criticizing Eden: it is a small town and wouldn't be able to cope with a lot of infections.

Bit like China really.  Everyone was happy to have the wide variety of things, at a cheaper cost.  Until they realised they were inferior quality and were part of the throw away society.  Was Aus asleep at the wheel when China obtained a monopoly - majority of ingredients in our medicines is the one which scares me the most.  But there is a long list.  

[MicCanberra]

Many governments and companies have traded short term gain for long term viability.

[LittleFish1976]

4 hours ago, MMDown Under said:

Bit like China really.  Everyone was happy to have the wide variety of things, at a cheaper cost.  Until they realised they were inferior quality and were part of the throw away society.  Was Aus asleep at the wheel when China obtained a monopoly - majority of ingredients in our medicines is the one which scares me the most.  But there is a long list.  

 

Apparently a lot of our medicines are also made in India which has or will cease allowing as much to be exported due to their own local need for them at the moment.

 

Our government should have done better over many years at protecting manufacturing industries as well as local ownership of our food sources.

 

[Pushka]

8 hours ago, The_Big_M said:

 

While that shows great foresight on your behalf, it is more than the government viewed the situation as, and the world health organisation viewed it as. Further, I don't even recall any comments from anyone here talking about planning to cancel straight after Diamond Princes. 

 

Due to that, insurers viewed it as your own decision to cancel and hence wouldn't pay anything, and nor would any of the travel providers these people had booked with, so any decision to do so would have also meant the complete loss of all funds. 

 

Given all the experts were not recommending that action, and with the financial loss on top of it, I couldn't criticise Mr or Mrs Average for not having that same foresight as yourself to see that outcome and cancel their holiday plans.

Agree. It was our decision to cancel and we wore the costs. I even tweeted smarttraveller and suggested their level 3 warnings were useless and people would still travel. As soon as Princess Diamond occurred we knew we would not be travelling at end of March. We were supposed to be in Bali right now (supposed to have left last Friday) but we knew that Bali was infested even when their authorities were saying otherwise. And look at Bali now.  So while I didn't mentioned anything here, we did put our actions where our thoughts were. 

Edited March 31, 2020 by Pushka

[MMDown Under]

56 minutes ago, Pushka said:

Agree. It was our decision to cancel and we wore the costs. I even tweeted smarttraveller and suggested their level 3 warnings were useless and people would still travel. As soon as Princess Diamond occurred we knew we would not be travelling at end of March. We were supposed to be in Bali right now (supposed to have left last Friday) but we knew that Bali was infested even when their authorities were saying otherwise. And look at Bali now.  So while I didn't mentioned anything here, we did put our actions where our thoughts were. 

Well done!  If you were insured, did you contact the insurer again? I would share the name of the Insurer and tell them how happy you are that you cancelled, despite their unreasonable cancellation policies ?  It takes courage to cancel and wear the costs.  People won't forget that cruise lines took too long to cancel cruises which every one knew wouldn't be cruising 

Edited March 31, 2020 by MMDown Under

[Pushka]

12 minutes ago, MMDown Under said:

People won't forget that cruise lines took too long to cancel cruises which every one knew wouldn't be cruising 

Absolutely agree. And so far Viking have been stellar! They cancelled cruises preemptively saving passengers a lot of stress for the next few months. 
 

[MMDown Under]

21 hours ago, MicCanberra said:

More deaths of people from off the Ruby, I think that is 5 now. There was one of the Voyager and one off the Solstice as well.

If people were told these stats, no-one would have believed them, even after Diamond Princess episode.  I don't recall anyone yelling from the rafters, warning cruisers.  Did I miss something?  I'm sure they were there.

I really liked the couple who talked on ABC News today (or was it 7.30 Report which I watched this morning) re their father's death due to the virus, on what would have been his 74th birthday.  That interview should be compulsory viewing.  ABC, despite being underfunded and overworked, is in a class of its own.

[icat2000]

1 hour ago, MMDown Under said:

If people were told these stats, no-one would have believed them, even after Diamond Princess episode.  I don't recall anyone yelling from the rafters, warning cruisers.  Did I miss something?  I'm sure they were there.

I really liked the couple who talked on ABC News today (or was it 7.30 Report which I watched this morning) re their father's death due to the virus, on what would have been his 74th birthday.  That interview should be compulsory viewing.  ABC, despite being underfunded and overworked, is in a class of its own.

I watched that last night. He was on the Solstice.  Can't stand the woman who delivers the news. Her voice tone is horrible. The one that did the interview with the children much better.

Edited April 1, 2020 by icat2000

[MMDown Under]

4 hours ago, MicCanberra said:

Many governments and companies have traded short term gain for long term viability.

My pet hate is when Governments of all persuasions say "preference will be given to local Aust companies", then shortsightedly give the tender to an overseas country, because it was less expensive.