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Miami Herald Article Asking 5 Doctors How to Protect Cruise Pax


SeaHunt
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New article from the Miami Herald:

 

"The Miami Herald asked five doctors — including three who treated COVID-19 patients on cruise ships — about onboard changes they would recommend in a pre-vaccine age. All said it would be impossible to eliminate the risk of a COVID-19 outbreak, but enhanced protocols could limit the chances. According to Miami Herald data, 24% of the world’s cruise ships were affected by COVID-19.

“It’s already been demonstrated that cruise ships can be an incubator for this virus and its spread,” said Dr. William Schaffner, Professor of Medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. “You do the best you can. Everything you do is imperfect.”

<snip>

 

The five doctors interviewed by the Miami Herald — Vanderbilt’s Schaffner; Massachusetts General’s Callahan; Dr. Jennifer Jackson, assistant professor of emergency medicine at University of Miami Miller School of Medicine; Dr. Mauricio Usme, who treated COVID-19 victims on Aurora Expedition’s Greg Mortimer ship; and a fifth cruise ship doctor who requested anonymity for fear of retaliation from his company — said these policies and procedures should be standard operating procedure for cruising before a vaccine becomes available.

 

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/business/tourism-cruises/article242945396.html

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They may be good guidelines, but I don't think they will work for me.  First, running at 50% capacity is a losing proposition for the cruise lines unless they raise rates dramatically.  Second, I just don't think it would be enjoyable having to wear masks while on the ship.

 

On another note......  I was surprised by this tidbit......

 

No more financial goals for medical staff: A cruise ship doctor who spoke with the Herald on the condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation said his company has financial goals for medical staff during each cruise. If the staff meets the goal for several weeks, they get a bonus. He calls the reward system “unethical.’’

 

I never knew ship's doctors got bonuses for meeting revenue goals.

Edited by mnocket
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14 minutes ago, mnocket said:

They may be good guidelines, but I don't think they will work for me.  First, running at 50% capacity is a losing proposition for the cruise lines unless they raise rates dramatically.  Second, I just don't think it would be enjoyable having to wear masks while on the ship.

 

On another note......  I was surprised by this tidbit......

 

No more financial goals for medical staff: A cruise ship doctor who spoke with the Herald on the condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation said his company has financial goals for medical staff during each cruise. If the staff meets the goal for several weeks, they get a bonus. He calls the reward system “unethical.’’

 

I never knew ship's doctors got bonuses for meeting revenue goals.

Trust me, it's not just the ship's doctors who have revenue goals. I know one of the ship's Officers have them too.

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5 minutes ago, C-Dragons said:

Trust me, it's not just the ship's doctors who have revenue goals. I know one of the ship's Officers have them too.

Many of the officers have revenue goals. Excursion revenue, bar revenue, shop revenue,  casino, etc. Not sure how the MD would have a revenue goal but certainly the doctor doing Botox or teeth whitening could.

Edited by jelayne
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Doubling the cost of of a cruise (or significantly increasing the cost) and requiring masks to be worn will eliminate the desire to cruise for a lot of people. It would be an easy decision for me to stop cruising.  Especially when you consider that there is a possibility that we will never have an effective vaccine.  
 

Pre cruise testing and health checks would not be a problem for us. I would like to see non evasive temperature checks a long term requirement for schools and social environments.  A new norm.  It should help to reduce deaths and issues with the regular flu as well.  Of course it will not eliminate all risk.  

Edited by jagoffee
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21 minutes ago, jagoffee said:

Doubling the cost of of a cruise (or significantly increasing the cost) and requiring masks to be worn will eliminate the desire to cruise for a lot of people. It would be an easy decision for me to stop cruising.  Especially when you consider that there is a possibility that we will never have an effective vaccine.  
 

Pre cruise testing and health checks would not be a problem for us. I would like to see non evasive temperature checks a long term requirement for schools and social environments.  A new norm.  It should help to reduce deaths and issues with the regular flu as well.  Of course it will not eliminate all risk.  

The Edge and Apex have cameras all over the ship that have facial recognition technology. I wonder if they could be adapted to non evasively detect fevers as well.

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Great, informative article. The cruise lines are run by smart people. They don't want to kill their passengers or their business. 

Did not know about the revenue goals for the medical department. This is unfortunate.

You can by insurance from the cruise line that may cover some expenses. It's usually over a $100 and sometimes more. It's only good for that cruise event.

 I bought an outside policy from a travel insurance company. It covers my wife and myself. It cost about $500 for $5,000 coverage cancellation coverage for a year and higher amounts for medical stuff & emergency evacuation, etc. I think it's a better deal and hope to never need it.

Wishing you pleasant cruise dreams.

Bon Voyage.

 

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That article was very interesting. Thank you for sharing. The part about padding the medical bills was very disconcerting, but not shocking. 

 

The idea of never being more than 500 miles from a port or staying under 2 1/2 days at sea certainly does not portend well for  trans-oceanic, repo, circumnavigating Australia, or even North America to/from Hawaii cruises. I'm sure there are many other examples. 

 

 

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31 minutes ago, Bill Miller said:

Great, informative article. The cruise lines are run by smart people. They don't want to kill their passengers or their business. 

Did not know about the revenue goals for the medical department. This is unfortunate.

You can by insurance from the cruise line that may cover some expenses. It's usually over a $100 and sometimes more. It's only good for that cruise event.

 I bought an outside policy from a travel insurance company. It covers my wife and myself. It cost about $500 for $5,000 coverage cancellation coverage for a year and higher amounts for medical stuff & emergency evacuation, etc. I think it's a better deal and hope to never need it.

Wishing you pleasant cruise dreams.

Bon Voyage.

 

As Canadians, we never travel without travel health insurance. What I am hearing is that this insurance will be excluding Covid 19. If that is the case, until there is a vaccine, travel will not be a wise idea.

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Thanks for sharing, SeaHunt, as I plan to cruise and follow protocol in order to do my part.  It seems like we are continually learning new ways to protect from this virus, but understanding that nothing is 100% for sure, not even a vaccine.  Change is difficult, but we have all gone through this for the last several months, some much worse than others.  I am eagerly awaiting the time when I receive my luggage tags and can actually board a ship!

 

Edited by Lastdance
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Not all cruise lines and not all ships would have to reduce capacity by 50%. To our experience Celebrity suite class areas already provide sufficient distancing. But other areas might need some work to reduce lines and crowds. Lines like Regent, Silversea, Seabourn, and others of that type are probably ready to go! But mass market and budget lines have some redesign work to do if they are required to provide any degree of social distancing. 

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Travel insurance policies almost all exclude travel to areas with travel advisories.  They also exclude known risks like Covid.

Excellent article.  The problem for cruising is if you cannot eliminate COVID, then what happens next?  A repeat of last spring with sailing about the World looking for a port that would accept passengers is not acceptable.  The CDC requirement of private transport is cost prohibitive if COVID breaks out.

The Arizona Department of Health noted yesterday COVID cases continue to rise since stay at home ended.  The concerning number was ICU beds were at 60% occupancy last week.  Up to 80% now.  Hot and dry and COVID is not disappearing.

Next cruise for me now summer of 2021.

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Interesting article, thanks for sharing. Lots of good ideas, none surprising but good to see them coming from doctors with relevant experience. Time will tell the extent to which these recommendations will be reflected in Celebrity's new boarding policies.

 

As @MamaFej said, the distance-from-land recommendation might be the most challenging for cruise lines. Should a recommendation of this nature become mandatory, the only solution that comes to mind is repositioning cruise to Europe and Asia taking place with no passengers aboard.

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11 minutes ago, Fouremco said:

Interesting article, thanks for sharing. Lots of good ideas, none surprising but good to see them coming from doctors with relevant experience. Time will tell the extent to which these recommendations will be reflected in Celebrity's new boarding policies.

 

As @MamaFej said, the distance-from-land recommendation might be the most challenging for cruise lines. Should a recommendation of this nature become mandatory, the only solution that comes to mind is repositioning cruise to Europe and Asia taking place with no passengers aboard.

Of course, the health and safety of the crew are just as important as those of the passengers. Challenging, indeed!

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58 minutes ago, MamaFej said:

Of course, the health and safety of the crew are just as important as those of the passengers. Challenging, indeed!

I couldn't agree more. Unfortunately, my cynical side suspects that cruise lines might not consider passenger and crew health and safety equally. A passenger-free repo is far from perfect, for obvious reasons, but would offer a potential solution for the cruise lines should they not be obliged to provide equal protection to crew members.

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i sure hope insurance pays for me to fly back from another country when i come back to the port with a fever after an excursion. then im without all my stuff. is someone gonna pack it for me? 

 

oh wait, this is a known sickness so not covered by any insurance, correct?

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The word people want is invasive not evasive.

 

My "problem" with temperature checks is that it appears that So Many people may have the virus and have no symptoms.  So what good is clearing someone via having a normal temp if they have the virus but are asymptomatic?  And if, being asymptomatic, they can infect others who may end up with severe symptoms?

 

I think, personally, I won't be cruising until I know whether I may have had the virus and have antibodies and if, having antibodies, that means I won't be reinfected.  That, or there's a proven vaccine available.  I have 5 cruises booked for 2021, beginning at the end of January.  Really hoping to resume cruising by then, but will just have to see how this plays out.

 

We don't know what supply and demand will be like going forward.  There may be high demand from all of us who had cruises cancelled and can't wait to get back out there.  Or demand may not recover as there may be many, many people not willing to risk the close confines of a cruise ship.  So, maybe 50% capacity without 300% price increase could happen.  Again, we just don't know yet.

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