Covid on Iona

[Golfwidow100]

I've also had the same response from Emily.  I'm not holding my breath for a reply before our cruise though as it's now only 9 days until we embark. 

 

 

[Megabear2]

Yep, Emily is at large,. However Natalie is well and in contact, bless her;

 

Quote:

 

Thank you for your further email and I am sincerely sorry that the delay in our response is adding to the frustrations and upset you feel – which is completely understandable.  And please rest assured that I am trying to give you complete transparency in this matter and I am so sincerely sorry that this is affecting you to such an extent.

 

If possible would you like me to call you?  If so please advise of the best number to get you on so that I can put your mind at rest for the below points?

 

Unquote 

 

Sadly this kind lady doesn't come back to work until Monday but she's promised to telephone on that day ...

 

Still keeping the faith!  Normally on release day I'd have at least three in the bag!

 

Edited November 4, 2021 by Megabear2
Spelling

[PEMCO007]

Covid  on Ventura.  12 passengers removed in Las Palmas and Madeira missed, presuming due to not being welcome having contagious pax onboard maybe? x

 

 

Edited November 7, 2021 by PEMCO007

[jeanlyon]

So pleased I am able to move my Ap;ril 2022 cruise to April 2023.  I am certainly not sailing under these conditions.  Offloaded in Las Palmas - no way.

[PEMCO007]

6 minutes ago, jeanlyon said:

So pleased I am able to move my Ap;ril 2022 cruise to April 2023.  I am certainly not sailing under these conditions.  Offloaded in Las Palmas - no way.

We are due to go 17th Dec, we have paid in full so no way of changing.  I am very stressed about going tbf, wish we hadn't booked in all honesty.  If I had known all this, I wouldn't have booked 🤔

[Presto2]

10 minutes ago, jeanlyon said:

So pleased I am able to move my Ap;ril 2022 cruise to April 2023.  I am certainly not sailing under these conditions.  Offloaded in Las Palmas - no way.

Can't imagine being in this situation. We are due to go in May 2022 and this makes us edgy even now. 

Do you get off loaded on all itineraries ?

[pete14]

1 hour ago, Presto2 said:

Can't imagine being in this situation. We are due to go in May 2022 and this makes us edgy even now. 

Do you get off loaded on all itineraries ?

We transferred our March / April 2022 to 2023 last week. It just isn’t worth the risk at the moment for us although of course we rely on others to keep cruising in order to keep the cruise lines from sinking.

[Presto2]

27 minutes ago, pete14 said:

We transferred our March / April 2022 to 2023 last week. It just isn’t worth the risk at the moment for us although of course we rely on others to keep cruising in order to keep the cruise lines from sinking.

 Can't say we blame you and am guessing you won't be alone in moving cruises. 

[Snow Hill]

2 hours ago, PEMCO007 said:

Covid  on Ventura.  12 passengers removed in Las Palmas and Madeira missed, presuming due to not being welcome having contagious pax onboard maybe? x

 

 

Madeira Island News reported unnamed another ship had 12 passengers offloaded in Funchal and another with 35 cases decided not to dock. 
 

https://www.madeiraislandnews.com/2021/11/outbreaks-on-cruises-affect-stops-and-drop-passengers-in-funchal.html?fbclid=IwAR3d877jDBMrXwiVLmJG6hQjfK94BzcyNrrB_w5nAayX-bcC7ljo5fcuBrk

[my marina bay]

We moved our cruise on Friday before final payment due.  Not worth the risk of being off loaded or having to be confined in the cabin for a week in quarantine.

[Interestedcruisefan]

"Another outbreak occurred on another ship, where the 35 positive cases detected on board refused to stay in the Region, opting to comply with confinement on the ship itself, which continued on its journey."

 

This bit intrigues me

 

I can't believe it's possible/ allowed for positive cases to dictate or decide what happens next tbh?

 

And if there actually are/were 35 positive cases already detected on board a ship then I question whether that cruise should even be allowed to continue tbh

[davecttr]

I have an Iona cruise to the Canaries etc in January. Final payment already made so getting somewhat worried that it could end up a cruise to nowhere. Was Ventura scheduled to call at Madeira on the return leg from the Canaries? My cruise has Funchal as the first port of call. Is she due to call at Cadiz? that could be problematical

[tring]

11 hours ago, Presto2 said:

Can't imagine being in this situation. We are due to go in May 2022 and this makes us edgy even now. 

Do you get off loaded on all itineraries ?

 

I can add some info. re Princess as we spoke to an officer on the cruise which returned last Friday.

 

About half way through the cruise I had asked an officer if we would be disembarked if we got covid and he said at that stage, no, but we would be quarantined on the ship until we reached Southampton.  He did add that some ports do insist that any one testing positive is disembarked.  So it does seem to be a matter of individual.ports and their requirements.

 

It reminds me of when we were docked in Mumbai in Feb 2020.  A crew member had been taken into hospital (after reporting flu symptoms) according to the port's wishes, but shortly after that the Captain decided to make an early departure as he and the cruise line (Fred), were concerned Dehli may have decided to impound the ship.  As it happened, on the next day, when we were at sea, the crew member's tests proved he had a specific strain of flu, so we were allowed to disembark at the next port of call, Porbandar, after everyone on board had had their temperatures taken.  The passengers were allowed ashore in that last port, but the crew where not - though as the Captain said, we spend, whilst they do not.

 

It does genuinely sound like the port health authorities determine what is done regards any covid cases, rather than any cruise line policy.  Hopefully, after the booster program is complete, and that is be required for travel, if only for older UK residents, there will be less likelihood of cruise passengers testing positive.

 

Edited November 8, 2021 by tring

[alpha whiskey]

11 hours ago, jeanlyon said:

So pleased I am able to move my Ap;ril 2022 cruise to April 2023.  I am certainly not sailing under these conditions.  Offloaded in Las Palmas - no way.

Balanced was due on our 2022 cruise, so we decided to move it. However was told by our TA that there would be a £100 'admin charge'. We cancelled as it was held on a low deposit.

O well, it opens up the playing field again, and taught me a huge lesson. 

[bobstheboy]

{'ll take my chances now I've had the booster. My concern is that it is not recorded on the NHS App and if cruise lines and/or countries insist on proof. More expense getting a doctors letter.

 

[Snow Hill]

1 minute ago, bobstheboy said:

{'ll take my chances now I've had the booster. My concern is that it is not recorded on the NHS App and if cruise lines and/or countries insist on proof. More expense getting a doctors letter.

 

GPs not provide Covid Vaccine status letters, this local practice message on their website

 

“This practice is not able to provide you with a letter that shows your COVID-19 vaccination status.”

 

 

[pete14]

28 minutes ago, alpha whiskey said:

Balanced was due on our 2022 cruise, so we decided to move it. However was told by our TA that there would be a £100 'admin charge'. We cancelled as it was held on a low deposit.

O well, it opens up the playing field again, and taught me a huge lesson. 

At present, P&O do not levy an admin charge for transferring from one cruise to another one. This charge must have been instigated by the agent to boost their cash flow.

[LifeonMars]

1 hour ago, Snow Hill said:

GPs not provide Covid Vaccine status letters, this local practice message on their website

 

“This practice is not able to provide you with a letter that shows your COVID-19 vaccination status.”

 

 

Although NHS presently do not show the booster jab on the NHS Covid/Pass/Travel . The booster jab is shown in the NHS app in the GP Health Record section  then under "Consultations and events" part 

Edited November 8, 2021 by LifeonMars

[davecttr]

3 hours ago, bobstheboy said:

{'ll take my chances now I've had the booster. My concern is that it is not recorded on the NHS App and if cruise lines and/or countries insist on proof. More expense getting a doctors letter.

 

I understand that this problem is being looked into but the NHS verification app was apparently not designed to handle booster information.

 

Very worrying if a country you are visiting suddenly decides it wants booster proof with dates.

[Britboys]

6 hours ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

"Another outbreak occurred on another ship, where the 35 positive cases detected on board refused to stay in the Region, opting to comply with confinement on the ship itself, which continued on its journey."

 

This bit intrigues me

 

I can't believe it's possible/ allowed for positive cases to dictate or decide what happens next tbh?

 

And if there actually are/were 35 positive cases already detected on board a ship then I question whether that cruise should even be allowed to continue tbh

 

I can't vouch for the truth in this but it might explain what happened. Friends have recently returned from a Canary Island cruise on QE. Whilst in Madeira, they were told that a Fred Olsen ship in at the same time had 35 positive cases of Covid amongst the crew. Not sure if this was the same day or not, just odd that it is the same number...

[yorkshirephil]

12 minutes ago, davecttr said:

I understand that this problem is being looked into but the NHS verification app was apparently not designed to handle booster information.

 

Very worrying if a country you are visiting suddenly decides it wants booster proof with dates.

I think by the time countries visited require booster proof it will be on the NHS app. I checked the app earlier and my booster isn't on yet however when I check my medical records online all the information is there including a detailed letter from the vac centre to my doctor, so it only needs linking.

[alpha whiskey]

5 hours ago, pete14 said:

At present, P&O do not levy an admin charge for transferring from one cruise to another one. This charge must have been instigated by the agent to boost their cash flow.

Yes, definitely a TA admin charge and not one levied by P&O. Have booked a few cruises with them in the past.  Needless to say won't be using them again - ever! 

[Megabear2]

18 hours ago, Presto2 said:

Can't imagine being in this situation. We are due to go in May 2022 and this makes us edgy even now. 

Do you get off loaded on all itineraries ?

Difficult to say which ports insist on offloading.  To date we have had Cadiz, Funchal, Rhodes (not P&O), Gran Canaria and an unnamed Cypriot port as confirmed offloaded.  Gibraltar allowed the passengers to quarantine onboard but the ship was at last port before home..  As I understand it, the port authorities make the decision.  

 

I am supposed to be speaking with someone for more clarification on this later today and will seek further information on which ports are definitely offloading.

 

Even if the cruise line is agreeing to meet the costs - which we are unsure of for all bar RCI and Celebrity - the nearer to Christmas we get the more nervous I become. It appears the cruise lines are aiming for "normal" capacity by the end of the year. Again something I am waiting to ask.

Edited November 8, 2021 by Megabear2
Missed words

[Dermotsgirl]

From Facebook.

 

someone on the Britannia trans Atlantic says that people who tested positive were offloaded in Madeira and also in the Caribbean.

 

Of course, there’s no real way of knowing if everything on a Facebook is true…… but what has been said so far makes me think that if you are unlucky enough to catch Covid, there’s a high chance of getting offloaded.

 

People will make their own assessment of the likelihood of catching it, and their tolerance to being marooned in a isolation hotel ( or hospital) far from home. 

[Interestedcruisefan]

7 hours ago, Britboys said:

I can't vouch for the truth in this but it might explain what happened. Friends have recently returned from a Canary Island cruise on QE. Whilst in Madeira, they were told that a Fred Olsen ship in at the same time had 35 positive cases of Covid amongst the crew. Not sure if this was the same day or not, just odd that it is the same number...

So 35 positive case crew members refused to disembark?

 

Imagine the number of close contacts they would have amongst other staff who should need to quarantine alongside them?