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

[jgd3rdbcfd]

10 hours ago, Host Hattie said:

Thanks for the first hand update @Roland787. This must be such a disappointing way to end your trip, I hope you get some more information soon.

Also on QM2.  Most disappointed with the lack of info coming from Cunard.  Like the quote the Captain addressed the paxs at 1730 ship time BUT did not broadcast it to the entire ship, only to public areas.  Thus some, in showers etc, did not hear it.  What I understand is that there are 2 planes under contract to return paxs on 1/1 and 1/2.  Nothing said about time of flights, required PCR tests etc.  Just have to wait longer for additional info.  Booked cruise 17 months ago and it has been a bust!

[ChutChut]

On 12/29/2021 at 5:34 PM, Selbourne said:

My wife is a full time wheelchair user. She is unable to stand unaided, let alone walk. As a result, flying is not an option for us as she would be unable to use the tiny toilets on planes, unless you know of any airlines that have fully wheelchair accessible bathrooms on board? That is why we only travel on round trip cruises from the U.K. Cruising during Covid hasn’t appealed to us due to all the on board restrictions and the risk of being confined to a cabin, but are completely impractical for us now due to the very real risk of being offloaded from the ship to a quarantine hotel overseas.

Best to stay home and not cruise as flying home due to unforeseen circumstances always was/is a possibility.

[lissie]

4 hours ago, jgd3rdbcfd said:

Also on QM2.  Most disappointed with the lack of info coming from Cunard.  Like the quote the Captain addressed the paxs at 1730 ship time BUT did not broadcast it to the entire ship, only to public areas.  Thus some, in showers etc, did not hear it.  What I understand is that there are 2 planes under contract to return paxs on 1/1 and 1/2.  Nothing said about time of flights, required PCR tests etc.  Just have to wait longer for additional info.  Booked cruise 17 months ago and it has been a bust!

The captain only does annoucements into cabins if its a real emergency - like abandon ship emergency .  

[ClipperinSFO]

2 hours ago, lissie said:

The captain only does annoucements into cabins if its a real emergency - like abandon ship emergency .  

 

Interestingly, on the recent SOU-NYC crossing, Captain Hall did such a ship-wide, in cabin announcement at around 1700h on Thursday December 16 to explain the very pronounced heel of the ship to port side.  A very strong and unexpected wind was hitting the QM2 broadside on the starboard side, causing the very prolonged and pronounced heel.  He wanted to calm nerves and tell us there was nothing to be concerned about.  

 

When the chimes sounded in the cabin as we were getting ready for cocktails, and Captain Hall came on, it really got my attention!    

[Matelot70]

3 hours ago, lissie said:

The captain only does annoucements into cabins if its a real emergency - like abandon ship emergency .  

I have also been on board when the cabin system has been used for noro virus announcements and updates and for an appeal in relation to a medical emergency.

Edited December 31, 2021 by Matelot70

[Selbourne]

6 hours ago, ChutChut said:

Best to stay home and not cruise as flying home due to unforeseen circumstances always was/is a possibility.

It’s always difficult with the written word to establish the tone of someone’s comment, so I will give you the benefit of the doubt that you weren’t being sarcastic or dismissive of the plight of disabled people. 
 

To clarify, we have been cruising for 25 years and never been offloaded. Prior to Covid, the only risk that you had of being offloaded was in a life threatening situation. Should we ever be in that situation we will be extremely relieved to be offloaded to a hospital and will worry about how we get home afterwards although, being covered by insurance, this could well be on a plane with suitable medical facilities. Norovirus has always been a risk on our cruises but we have never contracted it and even if we had it would have just meant confinement to our cabin for a few days. 

 

The current situation is entirely different. For the vast majority of people, Omicron has mild symptoms, probably less than Norovirus, yet infected passengers are being offloaded from the ships. The risk of this happening is many many times more likely than being in a life threatening situation. On that basis, we have made the decision that we will not cruise until the risk of being offloaded due to a virus has gone. As soon as cruise lines are able to deal with the virus as they do with all other viruses (I.e. not offloading passengers) then we shall return to cruising. 

[Selbourne]

6 hours ago, lissie said:

The captain only does annoucements into cabins if its a real emergency - like abandon ship emergency .  

I’ve not travelled with Cunard but we’ve been with P&O (another Carnival brand) many times, and this has not been the case. We have often had announcements in the cabin when there has been something important, such as an itinerary change, to announce. Given the current situation on QM2 and the plight of all the passengers, I would have thought that it was rather daft to have only broadcast such important information in the public areas. 

[durante]

Same as Selbourne's experience, we have travelled on Cunard many times and had the same announcements in the cabin. Also a couple of times the cruise director announcing a change to the evening show which is hardly an emergency.

 

 

[Dermotsgirl]

14 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

I’ve not travelled with Cunard but we’ve been with P&O (another Carnival brand) many times, and this has not been the case. We have often had announcements in the cabin when there has been something important, such as an itinerary change, to announce. Given the current situation on QM2 and the plight of all the passengers, I would have thought that it was rather daft to have only broadcast such important information in the public areas. 

That’s exactly what I was going to say. 
 

On P&O they broadcast into cabins when there’s information that passengers need to know. 
 

In QM2’s current unusual situation, I’d have thought everybody would need to know what is happening. No wonder some passengers feel they are not being kept informed🤷‍♀️

[Guest ccpm]

54 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

It’s always difficult with the written word to establish the tone of someone’s comment, so I will give you the benefit of the doubt that you weren’t being sarcastic or dismissive of the plight of disabled people. 
 

To clarify, we have been cruising for 25 years and never been offloaded. Prior to Covid, the only risk that you had of being offloaded was in a life threatening situation. Should we ever be in that situation we will be extremely relieved to be offloaded to a hospital and will worry about how we get home afterwards although, being covered by insurance, this could well be on a plane with suitable medical facilities. Norovirus has always been a risk on our cruises but we have never contracted it and even if we had it would have just meant confinement to our cabin for a few days. 

 

The current situation is entirely different. For the vast majority of people, Omicron has mild symptoms, probably less than Norovirus, yet infected passengers are being offloaded from the ships. The risk of this happening is many many times more likely than being in a life threatening situation. On that basis, we have made the decision that we will not cruise until the risk of being offloaded due to a virus has gone. As soon as cruise lines are able to deal with the virus as they do with all other viruses (I.e. not offloading passengers) then we shall return to cruising. 

Selbourne in your and your wife's situation I do not think you have any other choice. The logistics of dealing with an offload and fly home scenario just would not be workable for you. I do hope the world settles down enough soon for you both to be back cruising again.

Edited December 31, 2021 by ccpm

[hamrag]

7 hours ago, lissie said:

The captain only does annoucements into cabins if its a real emergency - like abandon ship emergency .  

Some on board might argue it feels like that is precisely what is happening to them! 

[watsonbeau]

Just thinking that back in the days before internet/social media, none of us would have even known about the current situation on board. You wouldn’t have known a thing - just turned up to board as normal. So no worrying about cancelling or not, catching it or not and so on… food for thought.

[exlondoner]

Now I think about it, I remember receiving faxes on board QE2. Presumably I would have been able to fax home with lurid details of disease?

[Host Hattie]

I really hate having to post this but please note that our guidelines are in effect, particularly the Covid-related discussion policy.

If you have any questions or comments about board management please contact

community@cruisecritic.com and do not post on the boards.

 

Thanks again for your cooperation.

[gkerlin]

Most recent update from my friend onboard,  In spite of everything they continue to enjoy time together in the sun:

 

It looks like I will be flown back to New York on the 2nd. We all tested ourselves again and the 3 of us are still negative. We also had official tests this morning which we are waiting for results.
 

The boys will be flown straight back to the UK and have to get off the ship at 5.30am on the 1st of January. So New Years will be seen in snoring away 😴.  I have booked a flight from New York later on the 2nd, which I really hope happens, and will get me back to houston at about 5.30pm. Again, we will see. Really sad the boys can’t come back to Houston. We have had a lovely time otherwise.

 

I have also booked my own backup flight with United from here just in case this whole charter flight thing doesn't work out. More soon. It has been and adventure and won’t be forgotten for a while… 😳🤣🎉😷🤞🏼

Edited December 31, 2021 by gkerlin

[EvaBME]

I have a question.  If a person needs to test negative in order to fly.  What happens if someone from North America tests positive, which I guess means they can't fly?  What happens to them?  

[Host Hattie]

Good question, at a wild guess I would think that they would have to quarantine in Barbados until they can fly.

Hopefully someone more knowledgeable will be along soon.

@gkerlin thanks again for the update from your friends.

[LewiLewi]

17 minutes ago, Host Hattie said:

Good question, at a wild guess I would think that they would have to quarantine in Barbados until they can fly.

Hopefully someone more knowledgeable will be along soon.

@gkerlin thanks again for the update from your friends.

Our friends on board have just been notified that they are scheduled to fly back to NY onJan. 2. They have mentioned that if they test positive they will not be allowed to fly but will be kept in quarantine on the QM2 for 5 days and then have to fly home from the UK.

[Host Hattie]

2 minutes ago, LewiLewi said:

Our friends on board have just been notified that they are scheduled to fly back to NY onJan. 2. They have mentioned that if they test positive they will not be allowed to fly but will be kept in quarantine on the QM2 for 5 days and then have to fly home from the UK.

Thanks, I guess that's one less move for people. 🤞they don't have to do that.

How are they holding up ? I know you were worried about them.

[CarolRoy]

Flights to NY.  Does that include flights to Newark EWR?  Our friends onboard live in NJ and NY would not be an option for them.

[EvaBME]

1 hour ago, LewiLewi said:

Our friends on board have just been notified that they are scheduled to fly back to NY onJan. 2. They have mentioned that if they test positive they will not be allowed to fly but will be kept in quarantine on the QM2 for 5 days and then have to fly home from the UK.

Thank you for that information.

[Turtles06]

Apologies if this information has previously been posted (I didn't see it): friends on board tell me that crew members who have tested positive have been transferred to the Queen Victoria.  In the small world department, we were in Barbados several weeks ago on a different cruise, and saw the Queen Victoria "parked" in Carlisle Bay there in warm layup.

 

Best wishes to everyone on board, and safe travels home!

 

 

(photo by turtles06)

[Host Hattie]

Thanks for the lovely photo, Queen Victoria sailed to Barbados to act as a Support ship for other Carnival group vessels.

[karl_nj]

1 hour ago, CarolRoy said:

Flights to NY.  Does that include flights to Newark EWR?  Our friends onboard live in NJ and NY would not be an option for them.

 

How is JFK not an option for them?  I realize it's a bit more inconvenient, but the ship would have gone back to Brooklyn anyway—it's not like QM2 makes a stop in Bayonne to drop off the NJ folks first...

 

[Bill Y]

3 minutes ago, karl_nj said:

 

How is JFK not an option for them?  I realize it's a bit more inconvenient, but the ship would have gone back to Brooklyn anyway—it's not like QM2 makes a stop in Bayonne to drop off the NJ folks first...

 

I was wondering that, and if NY was not a option for them the other flights that Cunard were offering was back to the UK where they would have to book at their expense flights to Newark!