Covid on Iona

[Cathygh]

I am sorry to say that it has been reported elsewhere that a passenger has tested positive on Iona. A test was taken in Cadiz- this had to be done prior to leaving  the ship in Lisbon 48 hrs in advance as required by the Portuguese authorities.  Both the antigen test and pcr were positive. The authorities in Cadiz insisted the passenger and his wife leave the ship and go into a quarantine hotel outside Cadiz in separate rooms. I hope the passenger makes a speedy recovery and that they can return home soon. 

P&O had no say in this matter and had to follow the instructions given by the Spanish authorities.

Edited October 6, 2021 by Cathygh

[Megabear2]

I too hope the passengers are well soon. 

 

The insistence of removal to a quarantine hotel is interesting. When trying to purchase travel insurance for a Caribbean cruise I cited this very scenario to four travel insurance companies (including P&Os preferred provider) and they all stated no cover for quarantine and they would arrange in that scenario for you to be taken home.  I would therefore be interested to know how this quarantine hotel situation is being dealt with from a payment point of view. I thought at the time the insurers would most likely have no power to overrule a Government.

[terrierjohn]

1 minute ago, Megabear2 said:

I too hope the passengers are well soon. 

 

The insistence of removal to a quarantine hotel is interesting. When trying to purchase travel insurance for a Caribbean cruise I cited this very scenario to four travel insurance companies (including P&Os preferred provider) and they all stated no cover for quarantine and they would arrange in that scenario for you to be taken home.  I would therefore be interested to know how this quarantine hotel situation is being dealt with from a payment point of view. I thought at the time the insurers would most likely have no power to overrule a Government.

But if that is stated in their terms, then I guess the passenger will have to foot the bill, since they presumably knew that was the case.

However I am still surprised that the local authorities demanded they be disembarked, especially if that was the last Spanish port, which I assume was the case.

[Son of Anarchy]

I would of thought the easiest thing to do, would have been for the Spanish authorities to not allow the infected passenger off ship.  P&O then isolate the passengers in the designated area on the ship until Southampton.  Passengers then have to self-isolate after disembarkation.

 

Maybe the Spanish isolation hotel needs the income? 🤔 

[picsa]

1 hour ago, Cathygh said:

The authorities in Cadiz insisted the passenger and his wife leave the ship and go into a quarantine hotel outside Cadiz in separate rooms.

And your evidence that this was the Cadiz authorities “insisting” and not simply making the necessary arrangements when P&O told them they wanted the passengers disembarked.

[Megabear2]

The lady involved is herself posting on the Iona chat on FB and she states the authorities insisted.  She sounds rather scared poor thing.  The problem with insurance is of course now being highlighted. I scoured the policies I was looking at and could not find any reference.

[Harry Peterson]

I wonder what the feeling is on Iona itself, given that the two will have been circulating freely.

[davecttr]

I wonder where they caught it?

[Britboys]

The lady is saying that two pax tested positive, so two couples removed from the ship. She also says that the P&O Care Team has been very good so far.

[Angel57]

3 minutes ago, Britboys said:

The lady is saying that two pax tested positive, so two couples removed from the ship. She also says that the P&O Care Team has been very good so far.

Dreadful situation but very pleased to hear she is getting supported by P&O.

[Cathygh]

1 hour ago, davecttr said:

I wonder where they caught it?

They don't know, but it could have been anywhere and they had been on and off the ship during the cruise. The first symptom was a runny nose, and of course in the UK we are not advised to get tested for a runny nose, even though it is acommon sympton of the delata variant.

[BouncingWheel]

The end result is no matter how many jabs you have you can still catch the damn thing but hopefully it should be mild symptoms. The game changer here is not the quarantine on the ship - which we all knew about and many accepted as an acceptable risk when going ahead with these cruises - but the fact you could be taken off the ship completely. Never even thought this would occur and this is one risk too far for me now. I know loads of people have said that masks and tests etc... were enough to make it not worth it at all but I had done seacations and thought they were done very well & safe so was all for continuing but not now. Could this lead to another pause?

[picsa]

1 minute ago, BouncingWheel said:

The game changer here is not the quarantine on the ship - which we all knew about and many accepted as an acceptable risk when going ahead with these cruises - but the fact you could be taken off the ship completely. Never even thought this would occur and this is one risk too far for me now.

Well that is the gamble of international cruising during a global pandemic - you might *think* you know the rules, but do you…

[Interestedcruisefan]

Not only will those disembarked have to cover the cost of hotel quarantine they will also need to cover the cost of transfers and flights home

 

From what I can see of reports of other cruises with Covid the passengers  are all being disembarked in ports even if only mild cases 

 

The ship should also now be testing any passengers who they can confirm were close contacts on the ship or on excursions etc

[BouncingWheel]

Just now, picsa said:

Well that is the gamble of international cruising during a global pandemic - you might *think* you know the rules, but do you…

I obviously didn't and these poor people are very likely holed up in a spanish hotel with a mild dose of Covid worrying about the costs and if they have to pay them.

[Interestedcruisefan]

I'm assuming the quarantine cabins are for close contacts of known positives to see if they become positive etc including staff but once they know you have it you are off the ship first chance they get

 

As I said in another thread the longer the cruise the more likely positive cases will emerge

 

The shorter cruises most positives won't even know they are positive til they have left the cruise

[Megabear2]

Do we know for sure the passenger is having to pay the costs, though?  We cant base that on my conversations as some might have different policies of insurance.

 

I think however my mind is made up: no Caribbean cruise in January for me.

[Interestedcruisefan]

4 minutes ago, BouncingWheel said:

I obviously didn't and these poor people are very likely holed up in a spanish hotel with a mild dose of Covid worrying about the costs and if they have to pay them.

As far as I can see even the special Covid insurance you are asked to take out on some cruises just covers the costs of getting you off the boat

 

There's a cruisenews website that is highlighting the disembarkations etc and when they've asked who the cruise lines for who's paying for the hotels and flights theyve not had a reply to date!

 

The cruise lines themselves aren't confirming any Covid queries at all from what you see on that site and all the info is coming from passengers and crew

 

Early signs aren't good IMO

Edited October 6, 2021 by Interestedcruisefan

[picsa]

11 minutes ago, BouncingWheel said:

I obviously didn't and these poor people are very likely holed up in a spanish hotel with a mild dose of Covid worrying about the costs and if they have to pay them.

Obviously it isn’t pleasant for them, but as before, take an international cruise during a global pandemic and you are gambling.
 

Not only are you gambling with what you think might happen but with what actually happens when the dice are rolled. 
 

Don’t like the possible outcomes, then don’t play the game. 

[BouncingWheel]

And what about any poor people that have this happen to them on a Christmas Cruise? If you get taken off late December then it's bad enough being isolated over Christmas / New Year but the staffing levels in hotels and flights back would be more difficult I imagine. People would have paid up in full for Christmas trips now with no chance of getting their money back and many would have been thinking that they would be holed up in a quarantine cabin as a worse case scenario and not left overseas. 

[picsa]

17 minutes ago, BouncingWheel said:

And what about any poor people that have this happen to them on a Christmas Cruise? If you get taken off late December then it's bad enough being isolated over Christmas / New Year but the staffing levels in hotels and flights back would be more difficult I imagine. People would have paid up in full for Christmas trips now with no chance of getting their money back and many would have been thinking that they would be holed up in a quarantine cabin as a worse case scenario and not left overseas. 

The risk they took *thinking* they knew what might happen. How many times the rules have changed in every country might be a clue that nothing is predictable. 

[Interestedcruisefan]

Dont forget quarantine cabins will be needed for close contacts potentially at risk. And not just positive cases. Covid takes time to incubate. Hence quarantine

[terrierjohn]

I need to check but I am fairly certain our staysure policy covers all costs of repatriation, which I assume would include hotel costs.

 

[P&O SUE]

I have read this on the ‘other place’ I’m quite gobsmacked that the Spanish authorities wanted them to disembark. Surely from their point of view it would have been better to leave them on the ship? I feel very sorry for them and hope they recover well and get home soon.

[Guest ccpm]

Having literally just booked a December cruise yesterday and paid in full hearing this today makes me a little nervous. I will need to revisit the insurance from holiday extras anyway as now the confirmation has arrived it specifically excludes Spain which is a major part of my cruise itinerary. I don't get off the ship and will mainly be on my balcony well wrapped up but I can't do that all day so food for thought.