Selling the whole ship

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Let's face it folks, even if someone performs a miracle and tests a viable vaccine this fall, it's going to be a long time before they can innoculate the whole world.  And of course no one can guess what level of protection such a thing might provide.

 

Today, we have very sadly, cancelled our world cruise.  As much as I love the water,  I'm betting it will be a long time before we cruise again.

[mrlevin]

Wendy, sorry to hear this.  Maybe we will see you and David on the 2023 World Cruise.  In the meantime Paul Gaugin is under new ownership and you two might be best to give the rest of us a report.

 

Marc

[Wendy The Wanderer]

7 minutes ago, mrlevin said:

Wendy, sorry to hear this.  Maybe we will see you and David on the 2023 World Cruise.  In the meantime Paul Gaugin is under new ownership and you two might be best to give the rest of us a report.

 

Marc

 

Not likely Marc.  People are furious over there on the PG board.  The new owners, Ponant, are refusing to give refunds for cancelled cruises right now.  Unlikely we'll be on the ship again unless something big changes there--really sad about that too.

[greykitty]

Wendy, I'm sorry too but feel you're being prudent.  Illinois just extended our SIP, with some modifications, through May.  It's a hard thing to hear, but I think most of us knew life isn't returning to the old normal so quickly.  

 

I hope you and yours stay healthy, and find other lovely places to explore - maybe even very close to home - as we all face our own daily challenges.  Gosh, just the idea of wandering slowly through Target with a nice Starbucks latte is starting to sound like a dream holiday to me.  And a haircut!  

[Wendy The Wanderer]

A haircut, definitely! 😉

[Travelcat2]

Also sad to learn that you cancelled your world cruise.  That must have been a difficult decision.  Was the WC cancellation policy different than other Regent cruises?  We are booked on 4 future cruises but have no idea if they will sail.  We are still hoping for a miracle vaccine to be developed.  

 

Stay safe!

[poss]

Wendy:   To add my "condolences" to your having to miss that long-looked-forward-to WC.   I feel kind of like the way I did for those Splendor folks on the Canal itinerary who had for such a long time planned, looked forward to, and CC'd back and forth about that particular cruise.

I'd had a special 90th birthday celebration cruise booked for me and my husband (he's the birthday-boy), mid-May, but it's scrapped as well (presumably formally by Regent in a couple of days).    I'd looked forward to the ports (some new, some old favorites), as well as to some terrific pre and post travels in England.   As Kurt Vonnegut said in "Slaughterhouse-Five" (I think it was): "So it goes."

[GOARMY]

Reference latest posts: 

 

Spouse and I were amongst that Splendor group at Regent's designated San Diego hotel on March 13th  (Friday, no-less).  Had been planning to celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary while aboard Splendor during another Canal transit to Miami.  So was our TA and spouse!   That was supposed to start the next day.  Alas. 

 

At least, we saw Splendor, up-close.  It was from a limo while being transported from the airport to the hotel late that morning.  Sure looked nice.  Somewhat poignant when remembering the multi-page CC postings fellow cruisers started posting way-back in 2018.  Several other couples were planning significant wedding anniversaries, with the "senior" being 55 years.  Who knew?    

On a positive note:  my wife is a great barber.  This is an avocation she picked-up while helping raise two of her younger brothers many, many years ago.  Her vocation is as an R.N., recently retired.  Therefore, she keeps me sufficiently shorn so as not to scare young children and small animals when we venture (social distancing) for walks in our neighborhood. 

 

As is so common these days--two other planned 2020 cruises have also been canceled, one on Regent; the other a series of Uniworld river boat cruises in France.  We still hold out hope--some--for an Explorer April 2021 Tokyo to Vancouver, B.C. crossing.  Beyond that-----

 

Best, and keep the faith.

 

GOARMY!

 

 

 

[Wendy The Wanderer]

1 hour ago, poss said:

Wendy:   To add my "condolences" to your having to miss that long-looked-forward-to WC.   I feel kind of like the way I did for those Splendor folks on the Canal itinerary who had for such a long time planned, looked forward to, and CC'd back and forth about that particular cruise.

I'd had a special 90th birthday celebration cruise booked for me and my husband (he's the birthday-boy), mid-May, but it's scrapped as well (presumably formally by Regent in a couple of days).    I'd looked forward to the ports (some new, some old favorites), as well as to some terrific pre and post travels in England.   As Kurt Vonnegut said in "Slaughterhouse-Five" (I think it was): "So it goes."

 

Thanks poss, sorry for your plans going awry, and thanks for the Vonnegut quote, that's so apt, and ultimately comforting.  Keep on trucking!

 

2 hours ago, Travelcat2 said:

Also sad to learn that you cancelled your world cruise.  That must have been a difficult decision.  Was the WC cancellation policy different than other Regent cruises?  We are booked on 4 future cruises but have no idea if they will sail.  We are still hoping for a miracle vaccine to be developed.  

 

Stay safe!

 

Not much different.  Luckily, we were just booked in a standard suite.  The higher-level suites have stiff cancellation policies.  Wee lost only $500pp, but higher level suites, at least named suites, were something like 20% of the total price of the cruise, yikes!

[Caroldoll]

On 4/22/2020 at 8:09 PM, Travelcat2 said:

 

Fast tracking is exactly what I am hoping for.  However, some posters think that people must be stupid to want that.  My response is that, if it will save lives, we have to do it.  

 

Right now I’m watching Oxford studies and would have no problem flying to England if this were to get approved as it is predicted to do this year.

 

Just had to stick in my 2 cents.

Absolutely, would do the same.  However, Dennis has dual Citizenship and I think that may make the difference.  I would do that in a heartbeat.  America has a hoop or two to make it take longer.

[swansong]

I do wonder! The fact that a person who has dual citizenship one of which is the UK entitle them to special privileges when they haven’t

lived in the UK for decades and presumably paid no taxes here seems quite unfair to the rest of us. Their work life and private circumstances in this situation are irrelevant.
I think that all of us should wait our turn whenever and if a vaccine comes wherever we reside is fair to all.

[RachelG]

Wendy, so sorry that you had to cancel your world cruise, but totally the prudent thing to do right now.  Regent officially cancelled our June cruise this am.  So I am sad too, even though I knew it was coming.

[Travelcat2]

6 hours ago, swansong said:

I do wonder! The fact that a person who has dual citizenship one of which is the UK entitle them to special privileges when they haven’t

lived in the UK for decades and presumably paid no taxes here seems quite unfair to the rest of us. Their work life and private circumstances in this situation are irrelevant.
I think that all of us should wait our turn whenever and if a vaccine comes wherever we reside is fair to all.

 

Thankfully your government does not feel the same way that you do.  The U.K., if they are successful in developing the vaccine this year, will make it available globally.  No one will take anything away from “citizens” living in the U.K.  They can have the opportunity to have the vaccine first but it is rather selfish to think that the rest of the world does not deserve to have access to the vaccine as well.  Some countries do not have the ability to develop the vaccine.  In the case of the U.S., it could take a long time and more lives will be lost.  In my opinion, this trumps (no pun intended) waiting our turn until a vaccine comes to where we reside.

 

You may not be aware of the fact that many citizens of the U.K. around the world are getting benefits already (social security, etc.) regardless of which country they reside in.  As my DH reminds me occasionally, it was the U.S that saved and helped England during WWII. This could be one reason why the two countries are so close.  

 

This is about saving lives.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Good grief!  Now we're fighting over who will get the vaccine first!

 

All I know is that if it comes from the U.S., some big pharma company will be charging an arm and a leg for it.

[greykitty]

If a vaccine is approved for COVID-19, would it be covered by Medicare?

Medicare Part B covers certain preventive vaccines (influenza, pneumococcal, and Hepatitis B), and these vaccines are not subject to Part B coinsurance and the deductible. Medicare Part B also covers vaccines related to medically necessary treatment. For traditional Medicare beneficiaries who need these medically necessary vaccines, the Part B deductible and 20 percent coinsurance would apply. Based on a provision in the CARES Act, if a vaccine becomes available for COVID-19, Medicare is required to cover this vaccine under Part B with no cost sharing for Medicare beneficiaries for the vaccine or its administration; this applies to beneficiaries in both traditional Medicare and Medicare Advantage plans.

[Steve Q]

Johnson and Johnson is currently working on just such a vaccine. They have planned to produce a billion doses even before the vaccine has been deemed effective. Their plan is to distribute the doses, if approved, at no profit to the company. 
 

https://www.jnj.com/johnson-johnson-announces-a-lead-vaccine-candidate-for-covid-19-landmark-new-partnership-with-u-s-department-of-health-human-services-and-commitment-to-supply-one-billion-vaccines-worldwide-for-emergency-pandemic-use

[greykitty]

I just copied an FAQ above re Covid19 vaccine and Medicare - guessing at the ages of most US posters, that will be the key insurance coverage.  And, that said, I believe the major insurance carriers will follow Medicare's lead on COVID-19 treatment costs, as they appear to be doing to date.  Of course, that doesn't help those without insurance, but an argument for a different forum, perhaps.

 

I'm still wishing Medicare covered the Shingrex series - a lot of seniors find it fairly costly.  

[greykitty]

I still feel a fondness for Johnson & Johnson after living through the 1982 Tylenol crisis.  If ever a major corporation could set the bar on how to handle such a challenge, J&J did so IMO.  

[Wendy The Wanderer]

1 minute ago, greykitty said:

I just copied an FAQ above re Covid19 vaccine and Medicare - guessing at the ages of most US posters, that will be the key insurance coverage.  And, that said, I believe the major insurance carriers will follow Medicare's lead on COVID-19 treatment costs, as they appear to be doing to date.  Of course, that doesn't help those without insurance, but an argument for a different forum, perhaps.

 

I'm still wishing Medicare covered the Shingrex series - a lot of seniors find it fairly costly.  

 

Our secondary insurer just started covering Shingrex last year--my husband's waiting for his second dose right now (but not getting it, of course.)  But I'm sure that here in Canada, everybody will get it.  Front-line workers first, no doubt, congregated housing, First Nations reserves, homeless, groups like that. 

[greykitty]

The first year of Shingrex distribution in my area (Chicago metro) was crazy - very long waitlists.  This year not really a problem.  I want to say each shot in the two shot series was a Tier 4 in Medicare speak and was around $200 or so.  A big shock of everyone who's more used to getting all shots 'for free', so to speak.  

 

I feel fairly sure that anyone in the US who wants a COVID vaccine will get it, based on how flu shots are distributed through pharmacies and free clinics, etc.  I misspoke myself regarding those without insurance coverage - while perhaps more hoops, I'll bet there will be a huge outreach to the uninsured regarding vaccinations.

 

I'm also sure there will be some folks who won't feel it necessary.  I'm kind of down on a return to the old-fashioned vaccination book, especially for international leisure travelers.  Vaccination documentation or no-go.  

 

Again, for myself I have no issues waiting for an approved shot in my own country.  

 

ETA - I have classic Medicare with Plan G supplement.  

Edited April 24, 2020 by greykitty

[SusieQft]

2 hours ago, Travelcat2 said:

The U.K., if they are successful in developing the vaccine this year, will make it available globally.

Of course, it will still take time to manufacture and distribute the doses, in the UK and elsewhere.  Probably many months.  One article I saw said they plan to have 1 million doses available in September, and will prioritize the UK's 1.5 million health care workers.  So I suggest that you don't hop on the plane until you are sure you can get the vaccine once you arrive.

[Travelcat2]

21 minutes ago, SusieQft said:

Of course, it will still take time to manufacture and distribute the doses, in the UK and elsewhere.  Probably many months.  One article I saw said they plan to have 1 million doses available in September, and will prioritize the UK's 1.5 million health care workers.  So I suggest that you don't hop on the plane until you are sure you can get the vaccine once you arrive.

 

As I mentioned previously, we would be in contact with whomever in the U.K. is dealing with vaccines.  If an appointment is possible, we would make one.  Belfast Taxman said that it could be available worldwide by the end of the year.  In any case, as always, we follow all rules and protocols.  

 

In terms of posters that disagree with what we may be doing, you certainly have the right to disagree.  I share information for anyone that is interested.  If it is not, it is fine.

 

Stay safe!

[swansong]

Travelcat 2, as usual you don’t read the posts properly. You may have missed the fact that I posted that if the vaccine was developed in the U.K. it was likely to be shared around the world and I also said I would wait my turn whatever.

To bring up the issue of your country helping us in WW 2 is bizarre.

And just so you know, my wife and I spent a very pleasant half hour with your husband at a CC meet and mingle some years ago, so we learnt quite a lot about him. 

 

 

[rallydave]

2 minutes ago, swansong said:

Travelcat 2, as usual you don’t read the posts properly. You may have missed the fact that I posted that if the vaccine was developed in the U.K. it was likely to be shared around the world and I also said I would wait my turn whatever.

To bring up the issue of your country helping us in WW 2 is bizarre.

And just so you know, my wife and I spent a very pleasant half hour with your husband at a CC meet and mingle some years ago, so we learnt quite a lot about him. 

 

 

While they say it will ba available world wide by the end of the year  it is highly doubtful it will be available for human use in any country outside the US becasue most, if not all countries will need to perform their own approval by their own agency that approves drugs.  And, at least based on the 12 to 18 month approval process if not longer,  With that time frame which is necessary to make sure any long term  problems with the drugs are found before people take the drugs.  So extremely doubtful we will have any vaccine in 2020