COVID on Ovation at the moment

[braidmacd]

More news (or a small chance that just rumor) from the Rhodes quarantine. One of the positives was taken to the hospital Sat night and one of the negatives had symptoms and was tested positive. So we are still not in the clear by any means. Now in day six of quarantine, day four of Rhodes quarantine. My wife(pos) and myself(neg) remain with no symptoms. Seabourn remains in continual contact and is more than helpful in every way. My wife is checked every day by the doctor,  all vital signs are good but she has not been COVID tested since the tests showing positive occurred last Monday.I guess she will be tested on day ten.

[marazul]

3 hours ago, braidmacd said:

On the cruise we did one independent 45 minute taxi tour in Napfilon and one ships tour on Patmos the day before the testing.  What is interesting is that two  of the positives just boarded the ship. They then tested positive less than 48 hours after boarding. 

 

Interesting.  Nafplion was three days before your wife's positive test.  That was a possibility then.

The new arrivals must have been exposed around the time they were getting their PCR test and boarding.  Such bad luck for all.  I hope you all get to go home soon.

[RetiredandTravel]

 

 

4 hours ago, braidmacd said:

More news (or a small chance that just rumor) from the Rhodes quarantine. One of the positives was taken to the hospital Sat night and one of the negatives had symptoms and was tested positive. So we are still not in the clear by any means. Now in day six of quarantine, day four of Rhodes quarantine. My wife(pos) and myself(neg) remain with no symptoms. Seabourn remains in continual contact and is more than helpful in every way. My wife is checked every day by the doctor,  all vital signs are good but she has not been COVID tested since the tests showing positive occurred last Monday.I guess she will be tested on day ten.

 

Thank you so much.  You sharing your actual experience is invaluable information on what people might expect on their cruises if there is an outbreak.  Wishing your wife improved health and you both safe travels.

[fudgbug]

3 hours ago, marazul said:

Interesting.  Nafplion was three days before your wife's positive test.  That was a possibility then.

The new arrivals must have been exposed around the time they were getting their PCR test and boarding.  Such bad luck for all.  I hope you all get to go home soon.

We tested negative on a Monday for the within 48 hour pre departure test.  Joined the ship on Wednesday and tested negative.  Negative again Thursday.  Dear one inconclusive with a spit test then positive with a PCR test on Friday while I was negative.  Saturday before being put in quarantine Dear one tested negative with an antigen test and positive with a PCR.  I was still negative.  Five days later we both tested positive.  On day 10, I tested negative and he tested inconclusive.

 

My guess would be that your wife was exposed during the pre departure test.  So sorry for the both of you.  Quarantine is pure hell.

[tjcox9]

32 minutes ago, fudgbug said:

We tested negative on a Monday for the within 48 hour pre departure test.  Joined the ship on Wednesday and tested negative.  Negative again Thursday.  Dear one inconclusive with a spit test then positive with a PCR test on Friday while I was negative.  Saturday before being put in quarantine Dear one tested negative with an antigen test and positive with a PCR.  I was still negative.  Five days later we both tested positive.  On day 10, I tested negative and he tested inconclusive.

 

My guess would be that your wife was exposed during the pre departure test.  So sorry for the both of you.  Quarantine is pure hell.

Apparently you  were on Viking???

[fudgbug]

5 minutes ago, tjcox9 said:

Apparently you  were on Viking???

Yes

[marazul]

9 hours ago, braidmacd said:

More news (or a small chance that just rumor) from the Rhodes quarantine. 

There may be a good reason for Rhodes being the one "repeat" port in both Greek itineraries.  Rhodes has one of the best hospital facilities in the Dodecanese.  Before our September cruise we spent 10 days in one of the nearby (90 miles) small islands visiting expat friends.  There is a small hospital there, but our friends said that all their medical emergencies get evacuated by helicopter to either Rhodes or Kos.  The Rhodes hospital has an excellent reputation and that is where all the cardiac cases get sent.  That means that SB ships are only within a couple of days of either Athens or Rhodes in all their cruises and can safely evacuate their COVID cases there.  

Edited October 10, 2021 by marazul

[Silver Spectre]

10 hours ago, braidmacd said:

More news (or a small chance that just rumor) from the Rhodes quarantine. One of the positives was taken to the hospital Sat night and one of the negatives had symptoms and was tested positive. So we are still not in the clear by any means. Now in day six of quarantine, day four of Rhodes quarantine. My wife(pos) and myself(neg) remain with no symptoms. Seabourn remains in continual contact and is more than helpful in every way. My wife is checked every day by the doctor,  all vital signs are good but she has not been COVID tested since the tests showing positive occurred last Monday.I guess she will be tested on day ten.

Sorry to hear about you being taken off and quarantined, but good news that you are being treated well by the authorities and SB. Do you know where the original positives that joined had travelled from.

[Catlover54]

15 hours ago, braidmacd said:

More news (or a small chance that just rumor) from the Rhodes quarantine. One of the positives was taken to the hospital Sat night and one of the negatives had symptoms and was tested positive. So we are still not in the clear by any means. Now in day six of quarantine, day four of Rhodes quarantine. My wife(pos) and myself(neg) remain with no symptoms. Seabourn remains in continual contact and is more than helpful in every way. My wife is checked every day by the doctor,  all vital signs are good but she has not been COVID tested since the tests showing positive occurred last Monday.I guess she will be tested on day ten.

I appreciate your live reports and it is good to hear SB is helpful getting you meds! 

1. I think these days I will keep in kind to not just take a few days of extra meds in case of flight delays, like I usually do on cruises, but enough meds for a 10 day quarantine *plus* a few days more for possible flight delays.  I have many hard to get meds and would not count on Rhodes or elsewhere  having them at their nearest pharmacy. 
 

2. It looks like after the initial round, no interum testing will be done until day 10.  Though many of the asymptomatic would likely be negative earlier, it would cost more to test all more often.
 

3. If  you are comfortable answering, what kind of vaccines did you get, and how long ago were your second ( or third) vaxes? 
There is now a lot of information that at least antibody levels from  vaxes wane after a few months, less quickly with Moderna, then Pfizer.

 Initial antibody takes with JJ, which crew often get, were also not as effective ( at least statistically), but approval for their booster in U.S. is pending.

 

I hope SB and other cruise lines with + cases submit all info to public health authorities that would help them sort out who is statistically at greatest breakthrough reinfection risk on the ships.

 

 

 

 

 

[braidmacd]

Our second vacs turned six mos old on the cruise. Boosters were/are planned on return.  My wife had Moderna and I  had Pfizer.

 

The two cases that had just boarded were both from the U.K. 

[Silver Spectre]

5 hours ago, braidmacd said:

Our second vacs turned six mos old on the cruise. Boosters were/are planned on return.  My wife had Moderna and I  had Pfizer.

 

The two cases that had just boarded were both from the U.K. 

Thanks for taking the time to respond.

[SLSD]

7 hours ago, braidmacd said:

Our second vacs turned six mos old on the cruise. Boosters were/are planned on return.  My wife had Moderna and I  had Pfizer.

 

The two cases that had just boarded were both from the U.K. 

Braidmcd,  Thank you so much for your informative posts.  You are so kind to post about your experience to help people that you don't even know.  I hope your wife remains without symptoms and your tests stay negative.  

[fudgbug]

9 hours ago, braidmacd said:

Our second vacs turned six mos old on the cruise. Boosters were/are planned on return.  My wife had Moderna and I  had Pfizer.

 

The two cases that had just boarded were both from the U.K. 

Our vac was Pfizer.  First February 19. Second March 19.  Breakthrough Covid Sept 17.  Have now had the booster and we still have after effects of Covid though each day is getting better.  Congestion for me.  Cough for Dear one.  It seems as if recovery is two steps forward and one back.

[hoosier74]

15 hours ago, Catlover54 said:

1. I think these days I will keep in kind to not just take a few days of extra meds in case of flight delays, like I usually do on cruises, but enough meds for a 10 day quarantine *plus* a few days more for possible flight delays.  I have many hard to get meds and would not count on Rhodes or elsewhere  having them at their nearest pharmacy. 
 

2. It looks like after the initial round, no interum testing will be done until day 10.  Though many of the asymptomatic would likely be negative earlier, it would cost more to test all more often.

First on meds, I changed my numbers on that 10 years ago when a cruise we were on continued to Venice and at that time, a volcano blew up in Iceland and European air travel was shut down for about a week.  I guess I'll be increasing it to 10 days now.

 

Second, after the initial test on boarding (and of course the one you had to have at most 3 days earlier) we were tested again on Friday, so that was 6 days.  Then because of the cases on board we were tested every other day.  Part of this may have been it was technically a b2b of two 7 days cruises and the folks leaving had to have the test results to return home.  I had read that they are now testing every three days.  The testing is very well done, rapid antigen testing.  They obviously had people on board for that specific purpose as there were three or four stations set up for the tests in the Grand Salon. Results were back within 30 minutes.  

 

 

[PhuketPete]

Sorry to bother you as I know these are difficult times for you, but I was wondering if you heard of any crew members getting covid - presumably they would have their own quarantine areas?

[braidmacd]

No bother as I really do not have much going on other than puzzles and Netflix.  Nothing on the crew. None were offloaded with us. Seabourn has been discreet with numbers. I do not think you will ever hear anything about the crew. Here in Rhodes we lost another positive to the hospital, all else is well. The Seabourn girls have left but there is still a hotel exec that is in charge of us that Seabourn is taking care of.  We are on the downward part of my wife’s quarantine, should be over soon and then we see how the travel plans work out. The big event of today was an earthquake. Centered in Crete but nice and rolly polly here in Rhodes.

[Silver Spectre]

23 minutes ago, braidmacd said:

No bother as I really do not have much going on other than puzzles and Netflix.  Nothing on the crew. None were offloaded with us. Seabourn has been discreet with numbers. I do not think you will ever hear anything about the crew. Here in Rhodes we lost another positive to the hospital, all else is well. The Seabourn girls have left but there is still a hotel exec that is in charge of us that Seabourn is taking care of.  We are on the downward part of my wife’s quarantine, should be over soon and then we see how the travel plans work out. The big event of today was an earthquake. Centered in Crete but nice and rolly polly here in Rhodes.

Sorry to hear that another of the positives has been hospitalised, any news on how the first one is doing. Is your wife still feeling ok and without symptoms. Not sure if you already answered but do you still have to wait for day 10 for a release test. That was a big earthquake in eastern Crete, apparently felt as far away as Cairo. Hope al is well there and in Rhodes.

[LMB01]

2 hours ago, braidmacd said:

No bother as I really do not have much going on other than puzzles and Netflix.  Nothing on the crew. None were offloaded with us. Seabourn has been discreet with numbers. I do not think you will ever hear anything about the crew. Here in Rhodes we lost another positive to the hospital, all else is well. The Seabourn girls have left but there is still a hotel exec that is in charge of us that Seabourn is taking care of.  We are on the downward part of my wife’s quarantine, should be over soon and then we see how the travel plans work out. The big event of today was an earthquake. Centered in Crete but nice and rolly polly here in Rhodes.

We all really appreciate you taking the time to provide the details you have.  I have a logistics question about the offload - were you allowed back to your original suite to pack or were your belongings packed for you?  Thank you again and best wishes for you and your wife to remain healthy and get home soon.

[braidmacd]

When we were quarantined on the ship (Mon 0/4) it was for a short time in our original cabin where we were tested again. When those test came back we were  told to pack and then were taken to each of our new cabins, my wife(pos) and I (neg) being separated and have been ever since. Talk on the phone a lot.  So when it came time to be offloaded we had everything with us. We even went to the hotel from the ship in different buses which was the correct thing. Have not been told or heard how the hospital patients are doing. We get tested tomorrow !

[fudgbug]

20 minutes ago, braidmacd said:

When we were quarantined on the ship (Mon 0/4) it was for a short time in our original cabin where we were tested again. When those test came back we were  told to pack and then were taken to each of our new cabins, my wife(pos) and I (neg) being separated and have been ever since. Talk on the phone a lot.  So when it came time to be offloaded we had everything with us. We even went to the hotel from the ship in different buses which was the correct thing. Have not been told or heard how the hospital patients are doing. We get tested tomorrow !

Sending positive thoughts and energy for a negative result.  You should have heard us whoop when we were given our letter from the German Public Health authorities released from quarantine.  Safe travels.

[Travels with Lisa]

1 hour ago, braidmacd said:

When we were quarantined on the ship (Mon 0/4) it was for a short time in our original cabin where we were tested again. When those test came back we were  told to pack and then were taken to each of our new cabins, my wife(pos) and I (neg) being separated and have been ever since. Talk on the phone a lot.  So when it came time to be offloaded we had everything with us. We even went to the hotel from the ship in different buses which was the correct thing. Have not been told or heard how the hospital patients are doing. We get tested tomorrow !

Good luck!  And thanks again for keeping us up to date.

[tv24]

Braidmacd:  Thanks for all of your updates to give us a good idea of how Seabourn handles such a situation.

[LMB01]

On 10/12/2021 at 7:13 AM, braidmacd said:

When we were quarantined on the ship (Mon 0/4) it was for a short time in our original cabin where we were tested again. When those test came back we were  told to pack and then were taken to each of our new cabins, my wife(pos) and I (neg) being separated and have been ever since. Talk on the phone a lot.  So when it came time to be offloaded we had everything with us. We even went to the hotel from the ship in different buses which was the correct thing. Have not been told or heard how the hospital patients are doing. We get tested tomorrow !

Thank you!

hoping for good test results

[hoosier74]

The numbers are getting a little confused here.  braidmacd had said that there were 8 positives taken off in Rhodes and 7 negatives and I believe later said that one of the negatives had tested positive.  So it's 9 positives, not 5.  And as has been said we don't know the ages or underlying health conditions and we don't know which vaccines were received.  While the AstraZeneca and J&J vaccines are very good, the efficacy rate isn't as high as other vaccines.  In my own community, where the vaccination rate is not stellar, I know of at least 5 people who were vaccinated (4 with Moderna, 1 J&J) who tested positive and one of those was in hospital for a week.  78 year old male with COPD.  These people were all careful about exposure and wore masks.  It's a potent disease and if you do just the best case scenario of the numbers on the ship, even with the 95% efficacy rate, with the numbers of crew and passengers of about 800, that's 40 people who would potentially get the disease.  

 

It was great to be on a Seabourn cruise again.  Although it wasn't 'the same,' the food was great, service was great and we had wonderful weather.  Best wishes and good health to all.  

[Heather White]

How were your tests, braidmcd? Another bulletin would be reassuring.