Should we or shouldn’t we?

[Oville]

1 hour ago, goofysmom99 said:

I've taken 9 cruises since August 1st and only had one incident where I was contact traced and confined to my cabin for about 30 hours.  I felt pretty good cruising knowing pax and crew are vax'd, many boosted, and all tested.  

Oops

Edited December 20, 2021 by Oville

[Oville]

Just now, Oville said:

Hopefully on your August 1st cruise you did not  know pax and crew were vax’d and many boosted?  What did I miss about getting a booster this summer?  Sorry but this did not happen.

 

[Oville]

2 minutes ago, Oville said:

Edited December 20, 2021 by Oville

[goofysmom99]

3 minutes ago, Oville said:

On an August 1st cruise you felt good knowing pax and crew were vax’d and many boosted?  What did I miss about getting a booster this summer?  Sorry but this did not happen.

I got my booster Aug 16th, so the only cruise I wasn't boosted on was my first of the nine.

Edited December 20, 2021 by goofysmom99

[Oville]

Just now, goofysmom99 said:

I got my booster Aug 16th, so the only cruise I wasn't boosted on was my first.

 

Just now, goofysmom99 said:

I got my booster Aug 16th, so the only cruise I wasn't boosted on was my first.

Just curious, how did you get a booster on August 16?  

[goofysmom99]

1 minute ago, Oville said:

 

Just curious, how did you get a booster on August 16?  

Doctors orders; I have lupus.

[Dancing Shoes]

How much fun would you have if you had to wear a mask most of the time?  Would most excursions be canceled?  If so, rebook.  I wouldn't worry about catching anything.  You know your comfort zone.

[Guppy99]

No, I would not cancel. We're leaving on the Equinox for 12 days in three days. Probably safer than going out locally because everyone will be vaccinated.  Too many stupid people at home here refuse to vaccinate, no matter what the facts tell us.

 

[Ipeeinthepools]

14 minutes ago, Guppy99 said:

No, I would not cancel. We're leaving on the Equinox for 12 days in three days. Probably safer than going out locally because everyone will be vaccinated.  Too many stupid people at home here refuse to vaccinate, no matter what the facts tell us.

 

 

Enjoy your cruise.  

[Oville]

47 minutes ago, goofysmom99 said:

Doctors orders; I have lupus.

👍 Good reason, good doc.

Edited December 20, 2021 by Oville

[markeb]

Back to the OP...

 

Honestly, I don't know the answer to your question. I'm getting on a plane tomorrow to my home state which has had a horrible record throughout this pandemic. And I've had three doses of Pfizer AND a mild confirmed upper respiratory case of SARS-CoV-2. The plans were made before Omicron. We're visiting family members in assisted living, and every ounce of 30+ years of training and education tells me this is really stupid. We'll be wearing KN-95 masks (probably the only ones in the whole state!) for our protection, and theirs.

 

I have a very good friend who's an occ doc. The one word that community largely hates is "safe", which has shown up on numerous (mostly locked) threads. There is no "safe". There should be acceptable risk, but most of us like to base that on some data. That's kind of hard to assess at this point. There are people on this thread who would apparently cloak themselves in fresh meat and jump in a school of Great White Sharks. There are others who would probably lock themselves into a hermetically sealed chamber and avoid all human contact. Those groups seem to be most vocal. I'd argue the vast majority are unsure and trying to make a reasonable judgement, as I think are you. What I'm reading is the risk to you, without any known complicating factors, as a vaccinated and boosted individual, is relatively low (I've seen some on this thread that want to say it doesn't exist, but that's not supported by facts). The concern from the public health community is really that people will be exposed, become infectious, and through travel, expose others, and spread the mutation.

 

I don't think there's an answer to your question, and given your background and experience, if you thought there was, you wouldn't be asking. I think you know that your personal risk of significant disease should be low, maybe moderate if there are extenuating circumstances. And people on CC are all over the chart from scared to death to let it bring on its worse. So I'm not sure what you get from us, other than more questions?

 

Best wishes whatever you do. And please ask your infectious disease and public health colleagues their opinions!

[baldilocks]

6 hours ago, Ipeeinthepools said:

 

If you want to see how fast Omicron spreads look at the data from the Symphony of the Seas.   There were 44 cases on the most recent sailing.  One person tested positive for Omicron and the others were identified from contact tracing on a 7-day cruise.  I wonder how many more people were infected that weren't identified by contact tracing.

The outbreak on the Symphony makes me question our 1/24 cruise on the Constellation. We are in our mid-70's with some medical issues. We are boosted, but that doesn't seem to matter with the new variant. Cancel ??? Very nervous.

[LGW59]

1 minute ago, baldilocks said:

The outbreak on the Symphony makes me question our 1/24 cruise on the Constellation. We are in our mid-70's with some medical issues. We are boosted, but that doesn't seem to matter with the new variant. Cancel ??? Very nervous.

Very personal decision, but do understand your concerns for sure!  I’m triple vaccinated but take high blood pressure medication, otherwise healthy as to weight, no other meds, but for me, I’d not cruise right now.  Thankfully my very supportive husband agrees.

[baldilocks]

1 minute ago, LGW59 said:

Very personal decision, but do understand your concerns for sure!  I’m triple vaccinated but take high blood pressure medication, otherwise healthy as to weight, no other meds, but for me, I’d not cruise right now.  Thankfully my very supportive husband agrees.

We also have our med problems. I'm way overweight, hypertensive with A-fib. It is all controlled (except my weight). My wife has mild asthma. The new variant seems to affect the upper respiratory system which would not be good for my wife. Royal has announced that masking will be more strictly enforced on future cruises....including outside masking if people gather for anything that would violate the 6 foot rule. Present med conditions and wearing a mask about everywhere is not making things easy for our decision to possibly cancel.

[LGW59]

1 minute ago, baldilocks said:

We also have our med problems. I'm way overweight, hypertensive with A-fib. It is all controlled (except my weight). My wife has mild asthma. The new variant seems to affect the upper respiratory system which would not be good for my wife. Royal has announced that masking will be more strictly enforced on future cruises....including outside masking if people gather for anything that would violate the 6 foot rule. Present med conditions and wearing a mask about everywhere is not making things easy for our decision to possibly cancel.

Have you consulted with your medical doctor? I’m certain that they would be frank with you.  If they give you the go ahead, do it, follow their protocols, be safe and enjoy!

[Ipeeinthepools]

I suspect that we won't have a choice if we sail.  I have a B2B2B planned for January/February and I have serious doubts that we will complete these cruises.  When you see events like the Symphony and reports from Israel that planes have arrived from the US with 10% of the passengers infected with Covid you start to see that things are headed in the wrong direction.  I suspect that we will see a lot more large group outbreaks in the next few weeks with most of the people being asymptomatic or mild symptoms.  My guess is that cruise lines will start to pause operations again in a couple of weeks until this current wave passes. You also need to wonder when many of the ports visited by the cruise lines will start to close their doors.

Edited December 20, 2021 by Ipeeinthepools

[DirtyDawg]

19 hours ago, RichYak said:

They're also being constantly tested, though the NFL is now taking steps to be more targeted with their testing. The vast majority of cruise passengers take their test prior to boarding.

Yes, the NFL is now taking the Ostridge approach. If they bury their heads in the sand Omicron won't be there. 

 

Also, if there is a significant and exponential rise in breakthrough infections on cruise ships X's  "Cruise with Confidence" program may become another bird - a Dodo bird. 

[nocl]

1 hour ago, Ipeeinthepools said:

I suspect that we won't have a choice if we sail.  I have a B2B2B planned for January/February and I have serious doubts that we will complete these cruises.  When you see events like the Symphony and reports from Israel that planes have arrived from the US with 10% of the passengers infected with Covid you start to see that things are headed in the wrong direction.  I suspect that we will see a lot more large group outbreaks in the next few weeks with most of the people being asymptomatic or mild symptoms.  My guess is that cruise lines will start to pause operations again in a couple of weeks until this current wave passes. You also need to wonder when many of the ports visited by the cruise lines will start to close their doors.

Ii have not found any repoe5s of high covid counts on planes from us to Israel. do you have a link?

 

Only the SA to Amsterdam flights.

 

Israel did announce putting several countries, including us on red status. But that was in expectation of us cases rising.

Edited December 20, 2021 by nocl

[Ipeeinthepools]

39 minutes ago, nocl said:

Ii have not found any repoe5s of high covid counts on planes from us to Israel. do you have a link?

 

Only the SA to Amsterdam flights.

 

Israel did announce putting several countries, including us on red status. But that was in expectation of us cases rising.

 

Apparently the 17 passengers were 10 percent of the people on this flight.

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2021/12/20/israel-omicron-travel-ban-canada-america/

[Ipeeinthepools]

Deleted

Edited December 20, 2021 by Ipeeinthepools

[Ipeeinthepools]

1 hour ago, DirtyDawg said:

Yes, the NFL is now taking the Ostridge approach. If they bury their heads in the sand Omicron won't be there. 

 

Also, if there is a significant and exponential rise in breakthrough infections on cruise ships X's  "Cruise with Confidence" program may become another bird - a Dodo bird. 

 

It's simple.  The show must go on.

Edited December 20, 2021 by Ipeeinthepools

[TeeRick]

9 hours ago, markeb said:

Back to the OP...

 

Honestly, I don't know the answer to your question. I'm getting on a plane tomorrow to my home state which has had a horrible record throughout this pandemic. And I've had three doses of Pfizer AND a mild confirmed upper respiratory case of SARS-CoV-2. The plans were made before Omicron. We're visiting family members in assisted living, and every ounce of 30+ years of training and education tells me this is really stupid. We'll be wearing KN-95 masks (probably the only ones in the whole state!) for our protection, and theirs.

 

I have a very good friend who's an occ doc. The one word that community largely hates is "safe", which has shown up on numerous (mostly locked) threads. There is no "safe". There should be acceptable risk, but most of us like to base that on some data. That's kind of hard to assess at this point. There are people on this thread who would apparently cloak themselves in fresh meat and jump in a school of Great White Sharks. There are others who would probably lock themselves into a hermetically sealed chamber and avoid all human contact. Those groups seem to be most vocal. I'd argue the vast majority are unsure and trying to make a reasonable judgement, as I think are you. What I'm reading is the risk to you, without any known complicating factors, as a vaccinated and boosted individual, is relatively low (I've seen some on this thread that want to say it doesn't exist, but that's not supported by facts). The concern from the public health community is really that people will be exposed, become infectious, and through travel, expose others, and spread the mutation.

 

I don't think there's an answer to your question, and given your background and experience, if you thought there was, you wouldn't be asking. I think you know that your personal risk of significant disease should be low, maybe moderate if there are extenuating circumstances. And people on CC are all over the chart from scared to death to let it bring on its worse. So I'm not sure what you get from us, other than more questions?

 

Best wishes whatever you do. And please ask your infectious disease and public health colleagues their opinions!

Thanks @markeb.  A very well reasoned and worded response. 

[4774Papa]

17 hours ago, Peery5 said:

What I wonder is, are the passengers who are testing positive on board, already infected when they came on? Or did they get infected while off the ship on excursions?  Would be interesting to know. Scheduled to leave 1/4/22. 

From what I read, vaccinated persons can still transmit the virus.  Boosters do help protect the individual from severe illness, but apparently we are expected to get boosters every six months.  Now, I will  have to plan trips and/or cruises around when I get a booster.

[TeeRick]

6 minutes ago, 4774Papa said:

From what I read, vaccinated persons can still transmit the virus.  Boosters do help protect the individual from severe illness, but apparently we are expected to get boosters every six months.  Now, I will  have to plan trips and/or cruises around when I get a booster.

Maybe not a bad strategy for the time being.

[jagoffee]

15 hours ago, Ipeeinthepools said:

 

If you want to see how fast Omicron spreads look at the data from the Symphony of the Seas.   There were 44 cases on the most recent sailing.  One person tested positive for Omicron and the others were identified from contact tracing on a 7-day cruise.  I wonder how many more people were infected that weren't identified by contact tracing.

Are you sure about your statement?  The report that I read said that the Omicron case was a case identified from the previous cruise. (Was determined after the cruise).

I do not believe that any of the 44+ cases on the cruise being discussed were identified as the Omicron variant.  Of course they may find out later.  
 

Always possible the report that I read was incorrect.