Merged:Outbreak on QM2 as it pulls into New York?

[CarolRoy]

16 minutes ago, lissie said:

Read the letter linked above - they can choose to fly from Barbados or they can stay on the ship and be flowen from  the UK 

Letter is so small that it is impossible to read it.

[Boytjie]

23 minutes ago, CarolRoy said:

Letter is so small that it is impossible to read it.

 

I right clicked on the letter and selected "open link in a new tab/page" then on the tab/page, clicked on the image and a magnifier icon appeared, I clicked on it and it was enlarged enough to read.

 

Edited December 29, 2021 by Boytjie

[naturelovergirl]

This is very sad... I am sad for everyone on board and I am sad for our beloved Cunard brand.

 

[Underwatr]

[ClipperinSFO]

This is heartbreaking. We just got off the TA leg in NY last week, and the QM2 had never looked lovelier nor the crew seemed happier.  Fingers crossed for all that this is just a short-lived disruption to the return to service of this incredible ship.  I feel so lucky to have had nine absolutely fantastic days aboard her amidst all this.

Edited December 29, 2021 by ClipperinSFO

[nocl]

2 hours ago, lissie said:

Read the letter linked above - they can choose to fly from Barbados or they can stay on the ship and be flowen from  the UK 

The letter does not say that for those that were going to get off in NYC.  It just says that they are looking at flight options for those guests. So they may intend to fly those back to the US from Barbados.

 

It says those that were scheduled to get off in Southampton can either fly from Barbados, or take the ship back to the UK.

Edited December 29, 2021 by nocl

[NSWP]

1 hour ago, ClipperinSFO said:

This is heartbreaking. We just got off the TA leg in NY last week, and the QM2 had never looked lovelier nor the crew seemed happier.  Fingers crossed for all that this is just a short-lived disruption to the return to service of this incredible ship.  I feel so lucky to have had nine absolutely fantastic days aboard her amidst all this.

Yes, sad it has impacted on a unique ship, did a couple of weeks on her in 2017, Sydney to Hong Kong, memorable.

[tv24]

3 hours ago, NSWP said:

The question is how did the Omicron get on board? Pax, crew or both. How many unvaxxed people on ship, pax and crew.

Everyone on the ship was vaccinated, crew and passengers.  A requirement to board.  But in NY we passengers (and maybe some staff???) were able to go out and tour our explore, and it is certainly conceivable that someone picked up Omicron on land even though we were vaccinated.  Omicron is very contagious.

[comcox]

4 hours ago, nocl said:

The letter does not say that for those that were going to get off in NYC.  It just says that they are looking at flight options for those guests. So they may intend to fly those back to the US from Barbados.

 

It says those that were scheduled to get off in Southampton can either fly from Barbados, or take the ship back to the UK.

Nor does it address folks like me who were suppose to sail to U.K. on 3 January as I was then booked on another January Cunard cruise from Southampton.  Now I have no way to get there without buying a very expensive (in the thousands) one-way business class ticket.

[NSWP]

2 hours ago, tv24 said:

Everyone on the ship was vaccinated, crew and passengers.  A requirement to board.  But in NY we passengers (and maybe some staff???) were able to go out and tour our explore, and it is certainly conceivable that someone picked up Omicron on land even though we were vaccinated.  Omicron is very contagious.

Thanks for that, just bad luck. Stay safe.

[Interestedcruisefan]

8 hours ago, lissie said:

 

So basically you get a free cruise back and a number of days in Barbados before you go.  Not what they signed up for but a pretty good option I'd have thought

Cruise lines can't keep doing this though 

 

Would be cheaper to pause cruising full stop

[Victoria2]

36 minutes ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

Cruise lines can't keep doing this though 

 

Would be cheaper to pause cruising full stop

Unlike you, I have no idea on 'cheaper options', but I do have thoughts  that the QM2 experience will reinforce up to date vaccination requirements which, at the moment apply in the short term to  QM2 and QE.

As QE's itineraries seem to be going well, unless there's a government directive on cruising, hopefully the more local itineraries at the very least, will continue.

[BigAl94]

1 hour ago, comcox said:

Nor does it address folks like me who were suppose to sail to U.K. on 3 January as I was then booked on another January Cunard cruise from Southampton.  Now I have no way to get there without buying a very expensive (in the thousands) one-way business class ticket.

Do you not just stay on board and sail to UK if you wish?

[Interestedcruisefan]

13 minutes ago, Victoria2 said:

Unlike you, I have no idea on 'cheaper options', but I do have thoughts  that the QM2 experience will reinforce up to date vaccination requirements which, at the moment apply in the short term to  QM2 and QE.

As QE's itineraries seem to be going well, unless there's a government directive on cruising, hopefully the more local itineraries at the very least, will continue.

The QM cruise hasn't cancelled halfway due to hospitalizations or serious illness from covid ?

 

It's cancelled due to the spread of covid on board. 

 

Nothing vaccinations can do to help the problem on QM? They just help further down the road with serious illness etc 

 

Re cheaper options.  It's pretty simple. Either give passengers on long cruises FCC credit now and cancel the cruise in advance

 

Or

 

Endure all the costs of running a long cruise and getting all the passengers home somehow AND still then have to give them 125  per cent FCC as well!

 

It's a no brainer thats not financially viable for any cruise line to continue 

 

Edited December 29, 2021 by Interestedcruisefan

[Interestedcruisefan]

8 minutes ago, BigAl94 said:

Do you not just stay on board and sail to UK if you wish?

I'm assuming this passenger was due to get on in New York on Jan 3rd. Which obviously can't happen now

 

There also remain the quarantined passengers and their families  from earlier in the cruise who are in New York and were due to get back on the cruise 3rd January after their quarantine to head back to Southampton 

 

Going to be a lot of expenses for either passengers or Cunard or insurers to pay for 

Edited December 29, 2021 by Interestedcruisefan

[Interestedcruisefan]

On 12/23/2021 at 9:49 AM, Victoria2 said:

This isn't going away any time soon. All our '22 bookings were made during the pandemic and so we can't say 'we didn't know'. 

Speculation will get us nowhere other than add to uneasiness. Uneasiness can be assuaged for most who have booked and the cruises go ahead. Cancel or defer, depending on your pocket or Cunard t&cs.

 

It would be naïve of me to assume there won't be outbreaks onboard, and yes,, quarantine in a foreign hotel doesn't sound like much fun but as the chances of us getting Covid onboard are small compared to the utter fedupness of not leaving our village, we will do everything in our power to avoid this virus, probably more than most. 

 

It is up to each individual  to decide what to do.  

So you believe if individuals still want to do a long cruise the cruise lines will continue taking them despite the huge financial losses to the cruise ?

 

These cruises are pretty much uninsurable in the current situation 

 

If you want to leave your village there are far more viable ways of doing that right now than a cruise? 

 

Albeit pretty much every type of holiday will be restricted or come with a risk

 

Just nowhere near as risky as cruising is proving to be right now 

 

A cruise has to be financially viable to a cruise line for individuals to be able to choose to go on it

 

How much do you imagine the Queen Mary cruise will end up costing Cunard

 

Do you think they will be in a hurry to repeat that?

 

Even if they still have individual passengers prepared to risk it?

Edited December 29, 2021 by Interestedcruisefan

[Victoria2]

 

43 minutes ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

The QM cruise hasn't cancelled halfway due to hospitalizations or serious illness from covid ?

 

It's cancelled due to the spread of covid on board. 

 

Nothing vaccinations can do to help the problem on QM? They just help further down the road with serious illness etc 

 

Re cheaper options.  It's pretty simple. Either give passengers on long cruises FCC credit now and cancel the cruise in advance

 

Or

 

Endure all the costs of running a long cruise and getting all the passengers home somehow AND still then have to give them 125  per cent FCC as well!

 

It's a no brainer thats not financially viable for any cruise line to continue 

 

No idea why you quote me as far as QM2's present predicament is concerned as I haven't said anything about the QM2 experience other than to say in my opinion, it will make any vaccination requirements a long term protocol for Cunard.

 

As to future cruises, I'll leave that to the Cunard bean counters, with my crossed fingers for 'local' itineraries to go ahead at the very least,  rather than any speculation from one who has no bookings in the pipeline.

[Victoria2]

37 minutes ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

So you believe if individuals still want to do a long cruise the cruise lines will continue taking them despite the huge financial losses to the cruise ?

 

These cruises are pretty much uninsurable in the current situation 

 

If you want to leave your village there are far more viable ways of doing that right now than a cruise? 

 

Albeit pretty much every type of holiday will be restricted or come with a risk

 

Just nowhere near as risky as cruising is proving to be right now 

 

A cruise has to be financially viable to a cruise line for individuals to be able to choose to go on it

 

How much do you imagine the Queen Mary cruise will end up costing Cunard

 

Do you think they will be in a hurry to repeat that?

 

Even if they still have individual passengers prepared to risk it?

Don't assume your thoughts re type of holidays taken, apply to others.

 

As to costs to Cunard,  as I have already said, I'll let the Cunard management sort that out as I think they will have a greater handle on what should be done rather than speculative comments from those who in reality, have no idea what will happen.

[comcox]

57 minutes ago, BigAl94 said:

Do you not just stay on board and sail to UK if you wish?

Because I'm not on board; I was booked for the 3 January transatlantic cruise.

 

[Host Hattie]

Once again, please note that our guidelines are in effect.

 

Thank you for your cooperation.

[Interestedcruisefan]

20 minutes ago, Victoria2 said:

 

No idea why you quote me as far as QM2's present predicament is concerned as I haven't said anything about the QM2 experience other than to say in my opinion, it will make any vaccination requirements a long term protocol for Cunard.

 

As to future cruises, I'll leave that to the Cunard bean counters, with my crossed fingers for 'local' itineraries to go ahead at the very least,  rather than any speculation from one who has no bookings in the pipeline.

Because I dont understand your logic?

 

I would be cruising next week if I could figure out a cruise that won't be badly impacted by Covid?

 

I didn't realise the rules on here were you can only debate if you have a cruise already booked?

[Interestedcruisefan]

23 minutes ago, Victoria2 said:

Don't assume your thoughts re type of holidays taken, apply to others.

 

As to costs to Cunard,  as I have already said, I'll let the Cunard management sort that out as I think they will have a greater handle on what should be done rather than speculative comments from those who in reality, have no idea what will happen.

All we give on here is opinion

 

We won't all agree. No need to make it personal. 

Edited December 29, 2021 by Interestedcruisefan

[ace2542]

11 hours ago, Dermotsgirl said:

Yes, I’ve seen that to.

 

They will be mooring off Barbados for an unspecified number of days as they have to fly new crew out to Barbados.

 

This implies a fairly major outbreak.

 

then the ship will sail straight back to Southampton.

 

very sad for everybody - and will be a surprise for the passengers who believed it was just a ‘few’ crew affected 

 

That is ridiculous. They may as well quit cruising now and sell the ship off for a hotel if they are going to cancel everytime a few crew members get it. There is no way to keep it out of the crew situation. Passesngers you might be able to greatly contain spread but the crew no chance not below decks.

 

The only way to keep it out of the crew situation is to allow to run through the QV full of crew quickly and then put that herd immuned crew once they recover onto the QM2 but they would never do that.

Edited December 29, 2021 by ace2542

[Interestedcruisefan]

4 minutes ago, ace2542 said:

That is ridiculous. They may as well quit cruising now and sell the ship off for a hotel if they are going to cancel everytime a few crew members get it. There is no way to keep it out of the crew situation. Passesngers you might be able to greatly contain spread but the crew not below decks. The only way to keep it out of the crew situation is to allow to run through the QV full of crew quickly and then put that herd immuned crew once they recover onto the QM2 but they would never do that.

I was thinking the delay to cruising back from Barbados was to allow enough time for positive crew now to become negative

 

Surely they aren't sending new crew out there?

 

What happens to the old crew if they do?

 

Anyway like I say this all just underlines the perils of longer cruises right now

 

Absolute nightmare for anyone  trying to plan or manage them 

Edited December 29, 2021 by Interestedcruisefan

[bbtablet]

When she gets back to Southampton she sets off to Germany and back (Germany currently shut) and then on Jan 14th sails to the Caribbean again with a new set of guinea pigs.

 

Who will want to be on that cruise, given the current debacle?

 

So glad we cancelled, even though it cost us over £1200 lost deposit.

Edited December 29, 2021 by bbtablet