Quantum returning to port - possible coronavirus case onboard.

[crzndeb]

28 minutes ago, HBE4 said:

 

I wonder if it was because it was the very first cruise back.  Had it happened on cruise #5, would it have been treated as a one-off, isolated case and the cruise continue?

It was the 3rd cruise. The first one was Dec. 1 and was only 2 nights.

[Blizzard54]

Although what is happing in Singapore will not directly change the requirements for restarting in the USA, I believe Royal is gathering information and experience that will help when it comes time to start the test cruises for startup here.  They do need to start somewhere. 

I agree that it is a risk to anyone cruising that they could get stuck in quarantine and they are risking their vacation/holiday time.  There is currently risks involved in take vacation/holiday time anywhere other than staying home.

We do want to get back to cruising as soon as we can.  After a lot of cancellations and shifting, I am currently targeting Alaska 2021 for us.  Knowing the risks involved, we would even volunteer for a test run.

[Formula280SS]

One has to wonder how much click appeal the headline would have had if it was ~

 

Octogenarian Diarrhea Triggers Covid 19 Cruise Ship False Alarm in Asia

[TravelerThom]

3 hours ago, Ocean Boy said:

I said I don't get the logistics of how the will do it on the ship. After reading your post I still don't.

Is there any reason why standard land based pooling techniques would not work on a ship?

 

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/lab/pooling-procedures.html

https://bmcmedresmethodol.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12874-020-01081-0

 

[Sail n Snow]

7 hours ago, masteradept said:

Yep this is from MOH!

https://www.moh.gov.sg/news-highlights/details/no-new-cases-of-locally-transmitted-covid-19-infection-9decfullpr

 

Heh was following pretty closely because I've got another sailing coming up in a few weeks, and hoping all goes smoothly from here.

I have a sailing next week.  Good to see the protocols established work and where tested. 
 

I see a few tweaks that may be made.  All passengers get a rapid test day of (Like the  Genting Cruise Line)

 

A second swab test will be done on board as a backup to the first to help with false negative/positive results.  
 

RCI to wait to cancel a cruise until MOH confirmation (unless the decision was pushed by Singapore Govt.)

 

Singapore has gone almost a month with less than a handful of cases.  Are there asymptotic cases still?  Probably but with the safe management measures in place it is very unlikely to see clusters of cases. 

[Ocean Boy]

7 minutes ago, TravelerThom said:

Is there any reason why standard land based pooling techniques would not work on a ship?

 

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/lab/pooling-procedures.html

https://bmcmedresmethodol.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12874-020-01081-0

 

I have no clue how anything will work on a ship or the capabilities. I can only think of so many ways to say the same thing. Swabbing and testing over 1000 people everyday SEEMS TO ME a bit daunting for a cruise ship. But that is just me.

[Pratique]

3 hours ago, Ocean Boy said:

I said I don't get the logistics of how the will do it on the ship. After reading your post I still don't.

The same way they do it on land. Either set up a testing station or use self-swab kits for people to drop off at a collection point. Send the samples to the lab and if any pool tests positive then retest the people in that pool separately. Not sure what you mean by logistics?

[Iamcruzin]

2 hours ago, mek said:

A few months ago I really thought late spring would be when cruises started back up, but now I think mid to late summer is a realistic expectation.  Of course, this is only my opinion and certainly not based on any scientific data.

Like me you are basing your opinion on what you see happening and information that you are receiving about what they know about the vaccine distribution. That hypothesis is the starting point that leads to scientific data. I am inclined to agree with you. Back in March I was leaning towards a Fall start up and at that time it was considered a pessimistic point of view. Yet here we are in December no closer to a factual U.S. start up date. People are still wondering about March and April sailings they have booked.

[Pratique]

2 minutes ago, Ocean Boy said:

I have no clue how anything will work on a ship or the capabilities. I can only think of so many ways to say the same thing. Swabbing and testing over 1000 people everyday SEEMS TO ME a bit daunting for a cruise ship. But that is just me.

It's not a problem. The swabbing only takes a vial, a swab, and about 30 seconds to take the sample. I've been tested weekly for three months and the results are back within 24 hours or sometimes same day. This process has been figured out already.

[Baron Barracuda]

2 hours ago, Sunshine3601 said:

My DH is an organ transplant recipient too and same boat.    Transplant nurse we spoke with end of November said the vaccine test studies did include some high risk people but did not know of any transplant recipients being involved in the vaccine trial.     The covid vaccine is Not a live vaccine so that's on our side.     Hopefully they will able to get the vaccine and hopefully it will work on them.   Still a lot of unknowns.     Stay Safe!

dd is director of kidney transplant program for major midwest children's hospital.  Getting lots of calls from moms demanding their kids be at front of line for vaccine.  She has to tell them that since no clinical trials have been run on children <16 they will have to wait.  Really feel for them.

[Iamcruzin]

4 hours ago, bouhunter said:

Yep, let people spread it around the ships then get em' all off and on their way before anyone knows about it.

That's no different than everyday life on a train, plane or bus. What scares me is that covid showed up on a 4 day cruise. Granted it was a false positive but it caused the passengers in to quarantine and the cruise to be cut short. A 7 day sailing would have a greater chance of a false or positive outbreak. I don't have the time or money to take that risk.

[Milwaukee Eight]

8 hours ago, Ocean Boy said:

However, whether the test was a true or false result, it appears the response to one possible case, at least for now, is lock down the ship and terminate the cruise.

 

Are enough people going  to accept this risk to get cruising restarted in a meaningful way in the U.S.?

I’m not

[Pratique]

Having been through routine testing myself I think some of y'all are too anxious about it.

 

I don't know how the cruise lines will do it but if they use self-swab kits it's easy-peasy. Give everyone enough kits for the entire cruise. Each morning when you get up, stick a swab up your nose and put it in the vial. Drop the vial in a collection box on your way to breakfast or lunch. If they haven't received your sample by a designated cut-off time, they'll know where to find you. It will be a small part of your daily routine.

[Coralc]

I don't think anyone is anxious about testing. More anxious about being stuck in your stateroom or in quarantine on land for an indefinite amount of time. 

Edited December 10, 2020 by Coralc

[PelicanBill]

The logisitic problem is getting everybody to show up to do their test every day. People are terrible about getting to the one mandatory lifeboat drill.  Imagine if they need 20 or 30 staff chasing down people who don't answer their doors or are running around the ship not responding to the PA announcement for the 87 people who haven't show up yet today.  Crazy. 

[PelicanBill]

Here's a good updated article on the situation.  Shoreside tests have confirmed fast positive but one more test tomorrow (which is about now.)  All passengers received a quick test and were allowed to leave in the evening upon return (this morning) as there were no other positives.

[Sunshine3601]

56 minutes ago, Baron Barracuda said:

dd is director of kidney transplant program for major midwest children's hospital.  Getting lots of calls from moms demanding their kids be at front of line for vaccine.  She has to tell them that since no clinical trials have been run on children <16 they will have to wait.  Really feel for them.

She must be mentally exhausted from all the calls.    I feel for them. 

[LouChamp]

Bottom line...there is no need to cruise right now.  Period 

[Pratique]

48 minutes ago, PelicanBill said:

The logisitic problem is getting everybody to show up to do their test every day. People are terrible about getting to the one mandatory lifeboat drill.  Imagine if they need 20 or 30 staff chasing down people who don't answer their doors or are running around the ship not responding to the PA announcement for the 87 people who haven't show up yet today.  Crazy. 

If people can't behave responsibly - knowing what is expected of them before they set sail - then I don't know what to tell you. I suppose they will be kicked off the ship for failing to follow the rules.

[Biker19]

8 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

It does not mean that there was a false negative test. 

Like with the Quantum case, it was a false negative proven by several negative tests soon there after - a lab screw up probably happens all the time 

[Sail n Snow]

Here’s a better idea then testing everyone.  Just test the sewage as it enters the treatment plant.  Depending on how the piping is and access you could do this per floor possibly. 
 

Test sewage article. 

[Ocean Boy]

6 minutes ago, Sail n Snow said:

Here’s a better idea then testing everyone.  Just test the sewage as it enters the treatment plant.  Depending on how the piping is and access you could do this per floor possibly. 
 

Test sewage article. 

And then they can do individual cabin testing once a positive floor is identified.😇

[biff-tannen]

2 hours ago, Pratique said:

Having been through routine testing myself I think some of y'all are too anxious about it.

 

I don't know how the cruise lines will do it but if they use self-swab kits it's easy-peasy. Give everyone enough kits for the entire cruise. Each morning when you get up, stick a swab up your nose and put it in the vial. Drop the vial in a collection box on your way to breakfast or lunch. If they haven't received your sample by a designated cut-off time, they'll know where to find you. It will be a small part of your daily routine.

Self swabbing opens up the possibility of people not swabbing properly so I gather it wouldn't be advisable for laypersons. You sound like you work in a clinical environment so you know how to self swab properly. I certainly don't know how to swab myself at the moment.

[Iamcruzin]

1 hour ago, LouChamp said:

Bottom line...there is no need to cruise right now.  Period 

Need? The entire experience sounds awful. There is no reason to cruise. At least for me.

[Ethanol95]

3 hours ago, Sail n Snow said:

A second swab test will be done on board as a backup to the first to help with false negative/positive results.  

When will this be done?