Whatever happened to the proposal that some Carnival ships be used as hospital ships?

[ontheweb]

I remember at near the beginning of this crisis that was proposed. I do not recall ever seeing that this happened. Am I correct that it never happened? If so, was it because they were not really ever needed? I know my governor pleaded with the president to get a Navy hospital ship for New York City. But then it left after a few weeks as it turned out it was basically sitting there unused.

[firefly333]

They said no thanks. I think carnival was trying to do it for a fee. States want hand outs not paying to change over ships.

 

True no one wanted carnival ships. Too much work to get them ready and never needed. People overreacted in early days asking for free stuff they didnt need. Even dallas converted their convention center and never used.

[N7786W Flyer]

From what I remember, Carnival offered some of their ships with the stipulation that the government pay for the ships' operating costs.   I never saw an explanation of exactly what the 'operating costs' entailed, but had  the impression that the ships would not be making a profit during the time they were utilized.  However, as previously posted, no one took Carnival up on their offer.

 

As far as I know, the only passenger ships that were utilized as possible 'hospital' ships were some of MSC's ferries over in Europe.

 

Garnett

[Saint Greg]

Don’t think it was ever needed. The actual hospital ships weren’t even fully used.

[ObstructedView2]

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/20/travel/coronavirus-carnival-cruise-ships-hospitals.html

 

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/travel/2020/03/19/with-coronavirus-overwhelming-facilities-land-carnival-offers-its-cruise-ships-makeshift-hospitals/

 

 

https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2020-04-08/hotels-cruise-ships-as-temporary-hospitals-is-it-a-good-idea

 

 

https://cruiseradio.net/carnival-cruise-ships-may-be-used-as-floating-hospitals/

 

 

 

✌️

Edited May 25, 2020 by ObstructedView2

[ray98]

It was part of the initial scramble that wasn't needed in the end.  Actual hospital ships went unused, huge public spaces were converted to field hospitals that went unused.  Cruise ships just never made it to the stage beyond planning.

[TequilaJane]

Many hospitals are 1/2 empty and are laying off staff.

[Butterbean1000]

They didn't even use the medical ship's they asked for. They were not needed.

[ontheweb]

1 hour ago, Butterbean1000 said:

They didn't even use the medical ship's they asked for. They were not needed.

Right, but in the case of NY City, I would change asked for to begged for.

[NavyCruiser]

People were afraid Carnival would cancel them if booked for treatment...

[Butterbean1000]

9 minutes ago, ontheweb said:

Right, but in the case of NY City, I would change asked for to begged for.

...and still, they were not needed.

[datolim]

This not what the OP is asking.

The hospital ship in NYC is not the same issue as that offered by Carnival.

The hospital ships required by the CDC is still a very real requirement under the No Sail Order.

Carnival has instead floated the idea of cruises in August to get people to book and thereby improve their cash position.

But hospital ships under the CDC Order is an insurmountable problem for Carnival for future cruising and is not just an issue that is currently discussed and publicised. 

[jperry2011]

11 hours ago, ontheweb said:

I remember at near the beginning of this crisis that was proposed. I do not recall ever seeing that this happened. Am I correct that it never happened? If so, was it because they were not really ever needed? I know my governor pleaded with the president to get a Navy hospital ship for New York City. But then it left after a few weeks as it turned out it was basically sitting there unused.

At first it was just a nice idea by the President of Carnival..

Then once the Army Corp of Engineers built multiple field hospitals that only had a handful of patients and two Navy hospital ships also sat practical empty the idea was pretty much useless.

[pusywillow]

5 hours ago, TequilaJane said:

Many hospitals are 1/2 empty and are laying off staff.

That is because the hospitals are not doing elective procedures.  That is why people are being laid off.

[scpirate]

13 hours ago, ontheweb said:

I remember at near the beginning of this crisis that was proposed. I do not recall ever seeing that this happened. Am I correct that it never happened? If so, was it because they were not really ever needed? I know my governor pleaded with the president to get a Navy hospital ship for New York City. But then it left after a few weeks as it turned out it was basically sitting there unused.

You answered your own question.

[Organized Chaos]

Tens of millions of dollars were spent setting up large field hospitals, many of which went completely unused. They didn't have any use for converted cruise ships.

 

1 hour ago, datolim said:

This not what the OP is asking.

The hospital ship in NYC is not the same issue as that offered by Carnival.

The hospital ships required by the CDC is still a very real requirement under the No Sail Order.

Carnival has instead floated the idea of cruises in August to get people to book and thereby improve their cash position.

But hospital ships under the CDC Order is an insurmountable problem for Carnival for future cruising and is not just an issue that is currently discussed and publicised. 

 

People aren't saying the hospital ships are the same as Carnival ships used as medical facilities. They're saying the hospital ships weren't even used, or barely used, so there was absolutely no need to use cruise ships.

[ray98]

7 hours ago, pusywillow said:

That is because the hospitals are not doing elective procedures.  That is why people are being laid off.

 

Not the only segment.  Most of the ER's are empty also.  ER nurses are having a tough time around here.  ICU usage in GA has basically returned to normal levels also. 

 

We converted large convention centers in Atlanta into huge hospitals, the National Guard and FEMA erected temporary spaces outside all the major hospitals.  They were all quietly disassembled and closed.

Edited May 26, 2020 by ray98

[PhillyFan33579]

9 hours ago, datolim said:

This not what the OP is asking.

The hospital ship in NYC is not the same issue as that offered by Carnival.

The hospital ships required by the CDC is still a very real requirement under the No Sail Order.

Carnival has instead floated the idea of cruises in August to get people to book and thereby improve their cash position.

But hospital ships under the CDC Order is an insurmountable problem for Carnival for future cruising and is not just an issue that is currently discussed and publicised. 

I don’t understand your point about hospital ships and cruising. There are currently no Carnival ships being utilized as hospital ships.  

[ontheweb]

11 hours ago, Butterbean1000 said:

...and still, they were not needed.

I was not disagreeing with you, only emphasizing how forcefully they demanded, not asked for the navy hospital ship.

[ontheweb]

8 hours ago, scpirate said:

You answered your own question.

I knew about the navy hospital ship outside of NY City, I had just never heard anything past the first proposal about converting Carnival ships and wondered if the idea had got any traction. Had it started with any planning, but then they found it was not necessary? Or had it never got off the ground?

[Butterbean1000]

12 minutes ago, ontheweb said:

I was not disagreeing with you, only emphasizing how forcefully they demanded, not asked for the navy hospital ship.

Sorry,  didn't mean for my statement to be taken negatively.  I was repeating for emphasis 😉

[ontheweb]

1 minute ago, Butterbean1000 said:

Sorry,  didn't mean for my statement to be taken negatively.  I was repeating for emphasis 😉

No problem, we're definitely on the same page.

[chengkp75]

1 hour ago, ontheweb said:

I knew about the navy hospital ship outside of NY City, I had just never heard anything past the first proposal about converting Carnival ships and wondered if the idea had got any traction. Had it started with any planning, but then they found it was not necessary? Or had it never got off the ground?

Never got off the ground.  Way too much cost involved and time to convert.

[datolim]

CDC Details What Cruise Lines Must Do To Sail Again 

 

“hospital” ship for the infected

quarantine” ship for the exposed,

“residential” ship for those providing care and treatment

 

Ship Clinic renovated to mini hospital  

The medical center onboard ships must provide a level of care similar to that a patient would find in a shoreside facility.

 

Detailed logistical planning for evacuating and repatriating guests, both U.S. citizens and foreign nationals, to their respective communities and home countries via foreign government or industry-chartered private transport and flights, including the steps the cruise ship operator will take to ensure those involved in the transport are not exposed.

 

https://cruiseradio.net/cdc-details-what-cruise-lines-must-do-to-sail-again/

[chengkp75]

That's not what the OP was asking about.  At the beginning of the suspension of services, Carnival made an offer to provide ships to be used for non-covid patient care to relieve hospitals, much as they provided them during hurricanes as temporary housing.  This is totally different than the requirement in the no sail order for the possible future need for a "hospital" ship in future cruise operations.