Two Test Positive On Millenium

[SumoCitrus]

4 hours ago, K.T.B. said:

So I wonder how they got infected if they're truly vaccinated....

 

The vaccine doesn't stop virus particles from getting in your nose. It just prevents illness and hospitalization. These PCR tests are so sensitive they will detect even small amounts of virus.

[FastandFurious]

Sorry if this has already been described in another thread. Heading to pre dinner cocktail Captain comes on and gives us the news. Couple next to us does not show up for dinner. Our regular dining room staff for our area is “in isolation”. A coincidence who knows. Nearby table that usually has about 8 nurses is completely empty. Maybe they are at Tuscan Grille. Still having a great cruise. We had our test today. Have not been provided results yet.

[Fredric22]

Just now, NutsAboutGolf said:

If it was two positives and that was the end, it wouldn’t be a huge deal…This is now developing situation, many more pax/crew members and locals may have been exposed and later test positive…Furthermore, ports/countries may demand ship run excursions “bubbles”

"Exposure" from an asymptomatic, fully vaccinated individual is really not much of an exposure. 

[Fredric22]

3 minutes ago, SumoCitrus said:

 

The vaccine doesn't stop virus particles from getting in your nose. It just prevents illness and hospitalization. These PCR tests are so sensitive they will detect even small amounts of virus.

Exactly. No one seems to understand how this works... sometimes I feel like banging my head against the wall. 

[SumoCitrus]

4 hours ago, marieps said:

This has been bugging me for a while.  If I test positive but am asymptomatic, would it not be more proper to label my condition SARS-CoV-2 positive rather than COVID positive?  Just like the millions who've been HIV positive, but not suffering from AIDS.

 

 

You make an excellent point. This has been a problem with COVID testing since the beginning. Your analogy is a good one. A person who is HIV+ (has HIV antibodies) is not necessarily suffering from AIDS. Applied to COVID, the analogy would be SARS-CoV-2 positive if you had antibodies for SARS-CoV-2. This would happen if you were sick in the past. COVID positive could mean positive PCR test but the issue there is how sensitive these PCR tests are. They amplify virus. You could be asymptomatic and unable to pass the virus and have a positive PCR test. 

 

Does anyone know if they do quantitative PCR testing for COVID?

[ceilidh1]

9 minutes ago, syesmar said:

Celebrity’s press release says “Celebrity Millennium is sailing with fully vaccinated crew and guests” but the previous CNN article on June 7 also said “About 500 passengers are on board, over 95% who are fully vaccinated. Children who could not yet receive vaccinations were required to show negative Covid-19 tests.”

 

https://presscenter.rclcorporate.com/press-release/143/celebrity-millennium-update/

 

https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/first-cruise-ship-sail-celebrity-millennium-caribbean-trnd/index.html

 

I would expect clarification soon on this.

This is from the Celebrity TA site for the St. Maarten sailings (I can't post a link as you need to be a TA to log in):

Celebrity Boarding Requirements:

• Celebrity Cruises requires all guests age 16 and above to be fully vaccinated at least two weeks prior to sail date. As of August 1, 2021, all guests age 12 and older must be fully vaccinated. Proof of vaccination is required in the form of the original vaccination card. No photocopies or photos accepted.
• All guests ages 2 and up must present a negative RT-PCR test taken 72 hours prior to arrival to St. Maarten. This requirement differs from St Maarten entry requirements which are 120 hours prior to departure. Name on test results must match those on government issued identification.
• Unvaccinated children between the ages of 2-15 must complete an RT-PCR test at the terminal prior to boarding. 

Guests that do not meet our requirements may be denied boarding.

[lostchild]

What are they going to do with the results of the contact tracing I wonder.  Just tell them they might be exposed or quarantine them as well for the rest of the trip?

[ItzRav]

4 hours ago, K.T.B. said:

 

So I wonder how they got infected if they're truly vaccinated....

 

“According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, breakthrough cases are expected in a small percentage of people who are fully vaccinated. As of April 30, the agency said, 10,262 breakthrough cases were reported at a time when about 101 million people in the United States had been fully vaccinated.”  
 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/travel/2021/06/10/cruise-covid-celebrity-vaccine/

[syesmar]

13 minutes ago, ceilidh1 said:

I follow the TA who is posting live from onboard. He has his daughter with him - she is too young to be vaccinated. He even mentioned it in one of his videos.

Thank you. Celebrity needs to modify their original statement to curb confusion.

[Fredric22]

1 minute ago, lostchild said:

What are they going to do with the results of the contact tracing I wonder.  Just tell them they might be exposed or quarantine them as well for the rest of the trip?

No. They have already tested them tonight, and once the results come back negative they will most likely just be released from their rooms. 

[Fredric22]

1 minute ago, ItzRav said:

 

“According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, breakthrough cases are expected in a small percentage of people who are fully vaccinated. As of April 30, the agency said, 10,262 breakthrough cases were reported at a time when about 101 million people in the United States had been fully vaccinated.”  
 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/travel/2021/06/10/cruise-covid-celebrity-vaccine/

The number above is also very low because breakthrough cases do not typically rise to the level of someone feeling they need a test.  Most cases are very mild or completely asymptomatic.  Because they are testing all guests, there will most likely be more of these "breakthrough cases" than we would find in the real world. 

[ceilidh1]

I'm in quarantine on a cruise ship even though I'm vaccinated. Here's why. (thepointsguy.com)

 

Hope this is allowed - first hand explanation!

[dreams_of_travel]

Some more info.  This person is on the ship, and just posted this article.  She is part of the contract tracing protocol as mentioned in the article.

https://thepointsguy.com/news/celebrity-millennium-cruise-ship-covid/

[ceilidh1]

3 minutes ago, dreams_of_travel said:

Some more info.  This person is on the ship, and just posted this article.  She is part of the contract tracing protocol as mentioned in the article.

https://thepointsguy.com/news/celebrity-millennium-cruise-ship-covid/

Lol, great minds...I just posted at the same time as you

[Cruising89143]

4 minutes ago, dreams_of_travel said:

Some more info.  This person is on the ship, and just posted this article.  She is part of the contract tracing protocol as mentioned in the article.

https://thepointsguy.com/news/celebrity-millennium-cruise-ship-covid/

Thanks for sharing. It’s nice to read first hand information. Now hopefully all will wait to see the outcome over the next few days. 

[Lunesse]

for the record (and those who aren't reading the article), 8 kids on board per previous discussion. 

[NutsAboutGolf]

11 minutes ago, dreams_of_travel said:

Some more info.  This person is on the ship, and just posted this article.  She is part of the contract tracing protocol as mentioned in the article.

https://thepointsguy.com/news/celebrity-millennium-cruise-ship-covid/

 

Thanks, some cliff notes 🙂

 

"the ill passengers, who are asymptomatic, were on the same shore excursion as I was two days ago in Barbados and that I should proceed down to Deck 3’s conference center to be tested. (I had originally signed up to be tested Friday morning, a process that Celebrity made rather easy with the help of a QR code and a web-based scheduling system.)

When I reached the check-in desk outside the conference center, I was told to go back to my cabin and that one of the ship’s nurses would come to test me. (The testing facility has extended hours until midnight tonight for anyone who wants to voluntarily be swabbed, but those who had close contact with the passengers who tested positive are being given priority.)

In the hour and 45 minutes that followed, I received a phone call to tell me to remain in my cabin and verify that a nurse was coming; an in-person visit from two officers who apologized for the inconvenience and reminded me, again, to stay in my cabin; and another phone call to verify that a nurse was on her way and that I’d have access to unlimited Wi-Fi and free on-demand movies."

 

"I asked what will happen to the ill passengers when we reach St. Maarten in two days — we have a sea day tomorrow — and I was told that they will have to disembark, go straight to a hotel and stay there until they return negative test results."

[CoatRackOfDoom]

9 minutes ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

 

In the hour and 45 minutes that followed, I received a phone call to tell me to remain in my cabin and verify that a nurse was coming; an in-person visit from two officers who apologized for the inconvenience and reminded me, again, to stay in my cabin; and another phone call to verify that a nurse was on her way and that I’d have access to unlimited Wi-Fi and free on-demand movies."

 

"I asked what will happen to the ill passengers when we reach St. Maarten in two days — we have a sea day tomorrow — and I was told that they will have to disembark, go straight to a hotel and stay there until they return negative test results."

 

It sounds frustrating to be sent here and there and then have to wait so long for your test. It is reassuring though that the officers are concerned about your comfort and entertainment while your tests are conducted.

 

Thank you for sharing these details!

Edited June 11, 2021 by CoatRackOfDoom
Typo

[SunNFunCruzer]

Add these two COVID positive cases on Millie to the 2 positive from the MSC cruise in Italy earlier this week, and I wonder if the new variants are causing breakthrough cases, or if passengers aren't being honest about being vaccinated?!  

 

One big difference:  MSC did not require vaccines, while Celebrity did.

[anniegb]

57 minutes ago, SunNFunCruzer said:

Add these two COVID positive cases on Millie to the 2 positive from the MSC cruise in Italy earlier this week, and I wonder if the new variants are causing breakthrough cases, or if passengers aren't being honest about being vaccinated?!  

 

One big difference:  MSC did not require vaccines, while Celebrity did.

Is this a maskless cruise ?

 

Annie

[CoatRackOfDoom]

14 minutes ago, anniegb said:

Is this a maskless cruise ?

 

Annie

Millie was maskless on board, masked on excursions. MSC is currently requiring masks indoors or in crowded settings unless eating or drinking, according to youtube videos I've watched (Virtuosa).

[Iplayslots]

There was an article in USA today online about a month ago.  The story was about how people can print out fake covid vaccine cards and present them as an official document for travel.  I bet this may have been the case here. They lied about being vaccinated, by showing counterfeit credentials, and now they are positive for covid. “THAT DOG DON’T HUNT”  If your vaccinated for real, according to the CDC. You should have nothing to worry about.
 We are approaching the 2 week mark since Memorial day weekend.  The numbers in the US are still going down, with little to no spikes nationwide. With the execption of a couple of states with the lowest rate of vaccination   Bottom line Vaccines are working… 

[Antropos]

Although this is not good news, of course, I don't think anybody should be suprised of this outcome. False positives and fakes vaccination cards aside, the current vaccinations make sure you don't develop severe illness. But you can still  attract the virus and when you do your body is strong enough to fight it off and you won't actually get sick. But when you have 600 vaccinated people and you "drop them" onto an island where the number of Covid-cases is rising then some of those 600 will test positive afterwards. That in itself is not problematic, though, because those infected people will not get sick (rare cases aside) and the chance of them passing the virus on the others seem to be very, very low (altough tests on this have not been as extensive yet). 

But because it's now in the media a lot of people are already screaming "See! Told you so, bad idea". I wouldn't be suprised if this is going to slow down the restart of the industry.

[cscurlock]

3 minutes ago, Antropos said:

Although this is not good news, of course, I don't think anybody should be suprised of this outcome. False positives and fakes vaccination cards aside, the current vaccinations make sure you don't develop severe illness. But you can still  attract the virus and when you do your body is strong enough to fight it off and you won't actually get sick. But when you have 600 vaccinated people and you "drop them" onto an island where the number of Covid-cases is rising then some of those 600 will test positive afterwards. That in itself is not problematic, though, because those infected people will not get sick (rare cases aside) and the chance of them passing the virus on the others seem to be very, very low (altough tests on this have not been as extensive yet). 

But because it's now in the media a lot of people are already screaming "See! Told you so, bad idea". I wouldn't be suprised if this is going to slow down the restart of the industry.

It might give some pause to the unvaccinated cruises because the situation could have been worse.  For the vaccinated cruises I think they handled it the right way.  The question is even if vaccinated can you afford to be stuck in a hotel room quarantined for a specified period of time after the cruise or maybe missing a port stop because someone else got infected.  I think it will be ok in the long run as this is the first one in North America.

[Antropos]

4 minutes ago, cscurlock said:

It might give some pause to the unvaccinated cruises because the situation could have been worse.  For the vaccinated cruises I think they handled it the right way.  The question is even if vaccinated can you afford to be stuck in a hotel room quarantined for a specified period of time after the cruise or maybe missing a port stop because someone else got infected.  I think it will be ok in the long run as this is the first one in North America.

I agree that they handle it the right way. But there will be people who were staring blindy to those vaccines and now come to realize that the vaccine only keeps you from getting sick and it doesn't guarantee that you won't attract the virus and test positive; indeed possibly resulting in missing ports and quarantines. That realization might lead to some people cancelling their cruise. 

Again, on the presumption that this doesn't concern false positives, fake vaccination cards, etc. At this point we simply don't know enough yet. I understood from another thread that not even all passengers have been tested yet.