Bahamas prohibits docking at private island

[juancarlosgarciasanchez]

I'm confused and I apologize as English is not my primary language. 

Understanding that no one here can proffer the future, will MSC dock at their private Island in the coming weeks and if not, what will MSC cruises replace the missed stop with ? Thanks 

[tkwbear]

57 minutes ago, juancarlosgarciasanchez said:

I'm confused and I apologize as English is not my primary language. 

Understanding that no one here can proffer the future, will MSC dock at their private Island in the coming weeks and if not, what will MSC cruises replace the missed stop with ? Thanks 

I have been wondering the same thing. I just got off the phone with MSC and they said at this time the Seashore is still scheduled to go to Ocean Cay on my cruise that starts January 8th. It was nice to hear that, but I will be watching this week to see if any of their 3 ships successfully dock there.

 

I am doing back to back cruises, and the stop at Grand Cayman, which I was looking forward to, was replaced with a sea day. That was disappointing.

[Markanddonna]

My DH and I were on the Grandiosa in late Nov 2019 and the Seaside on Feb 2020. He became sick both times with a URI. One third of the passengers of the Grandiosa were mainland Chinese and the Feb sailing had many Italians (remember how hard it  hit them in the winter of 2020?)   It wasn't until about six months later that we wondered if he caught an early version of the original virus. He had an antibody test that proved this theory wrong. 

[juancarlosgarciasanchez]

48 minutes ago, tkwbear said:

I thank you for your reply and although you called MSC for clarification, unfortunately no one @ MSC is in a position to respond for the Bahamian government health officials and if the local government deems MSC unsafe, then only they have the authority to allow MSC to dock @ OC.  

I set sail like yourself next week on Meraviglia and if OC & Mexico decide not to allow MSC to dock &  if MSC has limited onboard activities for their guest, then why even sail ??? This is why I postponed my MSC for several months. 

 

Edited January 2, 2022 by juancarlosgarciasanchez

[tkwbear]

12 minutes ago, juancarlosgarciasanchez said:

 

You are right about the Bahamas. However, my understanding is Mexico is welcoming all ships.

[tkwbear]

MSC is not the only cruise line having issues with the Bahamas.

 

https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/boards/index.php?/topic/27401-freedom-of-the-seas-issues-at-coco-cay/

 

https://www.bahamas.com/travelupdates

 

 

[alohayall]

5 hours ago, juancarlosgarciasanchez said:

I'm confused and I apologize as English is not my primary language. 

Understanding that no one here can proffer the future, will MSC dock at their private Island in the coming weeks and if not, what will MSC cruises replace the missed stop with ? Thanks 

I believe all the cruise lines are trying to keep sailing, instead of having to shutdown (even if only for a short while).  
 

It seems that they are willing to trade on long-term cruisers’ being willing to miss ports and enjoy being at sea.  As long as the reason for missing ports is COVID related.  It’s a fine line to balance - the company has to have taken adequate care to keep the infection rate down.

 

We will only know if this has worked in retrospect. They are counting on the love of cruising and forgiveness of passengers to sustain sailing to nowhere (and the acceptance of authorities to waive US Maritime laws regarding “cruises to nowhere.”)

 

…As to your specific question, it will be on an individual basis for each planned stop at Ocean Cay.  If they offload ill or isolating crew each time they return to home port and only board passengers who have tested negative, the idea is they should have a low number of cases any cruise.  But somehow, the cases have been numerous enough (on different cruise lines, even), that several countries’ authorities have not allowed docking.

 

(And housing crew on land during isolation / recovery) is another way to cut into profits.

 

If your ship has too many cases of Covid to visit the  planned ports, which other countries should be willing to receive them? Hopefully, none.  Caribbean countries don’t have the medical facilities to handle a surge in medical needs if the local population is infected by tourists.

 

(I use the terms believe and seem because we are not privy to cruise line plans and often find out changes to itineraries and daily events in the moment, often without the opportunity to cancel ahead of time without loss of money).

 

…Are you still trying to decide what to do with an upcoming planned cruise?

[mscdivina2016]

52 minutes ago, alohayall said:

I believe all the cruise lines are trying to keep sailing, instead of having to shutdown (even if only for a short while).  
 

It seems that they are willing to trade on long-term cruisers’ being willing to miss ports and enjoy being at sea.  As long as the reason for missing ports is COVID related.  It’s a fine line to balance - the company has to have taken adequate care to keep the infection rate down.

 

We will only know if this has worked in retrospect. They are counting on the love of cruising and forgiveness of passengers to sustain sailing to nowhere (and the acceptance of authorities to waive US Maritime laws regarding “cruises to nowhere.”)

 

…As to your specific question, it will be on an individual basis for each planned stop at Ocean Cay.  If they offload ill or isolating crew each time they return to home port and only board passengers who have tested negative, the idea is they should have a low number of cases any cruise.  But somehow, the cases have been numerous enough (on different cruise lines, even), that several countries’ authorities have not allowed docking.

 

(And housing crew on land during isolation / recovery) is another way to cut into profits.

 

If your ship has too many cases of Covid to visit the  planned ports, which other countries should be willing to receive them? Hopefully, none.  Caribbean countries don’t have the medical facilities to handle a surge in medical needs if the local population is infected by tourists.

 

(I use the terms believe and seem because we are not privy to cruise line plans and often find out changes to itineraries and daily events in the moment, often without the opportunity to cancel ahead of time without loss of money).

 

…Are you still trying to decide what to do with an upcoming planned cruise?

They need to give all passengers in the next couple weeks a chance for a refund. A week at sea would not it well with me. For what I am paying for YC, I would be irate.

 Only reason I am sailing next Sunday is due to their screw up. I don't want to go if there is any chance of the ports being cancelled.

They already took GC away with our option to cancel unlike what they did 3 weeks ago for Seashore.

I have a receipt for whats included in YC, if they plan to alter any aspect, tell me now and give me a refund.

 

[Markanddonna]

Totally agree with the two posters before this one. 

 

I am attempting to present the facts about cruising at this moment in time for those with a cruise coming up in the next month or two. As a writer and researcher, I have been combing the social media boards for information. Of course, much of the info is unverified and also complicated with trolls, the overoptimistic and naive, and a few others who seem to be highly influenced by the cruise industry.

Like many of you, I am trying to decide our best course of action for a January 16, 2022 cruise in the Caribbean. Many on my Cruise Critic roll call canceled weeks ago, even before things exploded with the new Omicron variant. They likely didn’t really cancel but instead used the cruise line’s option of moving their cruise to a later date.

This new situation in cruising really began to take a nose dive around Christmas. Until then, the cruise industry had been doing an admirable job of providing a nice product. All passengers accepted the fact they had to be fully vaccinated (excluding children under 12), provided a negative COVID test taken two days before sailing, and agreed to the protocol onboard with masking and social distancing.

Reports from previous sailings were generally encouraging until Omicron reared its ugly head. We started to hear random reports of some ports not allowing cruise ships to dock and minor outbreaks onboard with crew and passengers. The ports didn’t block all ships, only those with COVID cases that exceeded their guidelines. Then, some ships like the MSC Seashore were not allowed to dock at their own private island because it is under the rules of the Bahamian government, not the cruise line.

As of January 1, the cruise industry now has mounting problems as they struggle to get back on their feet. Most of us believe they have gone above and beyond to make cruising appealing after the year shut down.

Many also believe the cruise industry has been unfairly singled out. Logic tells us that many of these cruise line passengers probably picked up the virus at the airport or on the airplane. We have all witnessed large gatherings at packed stadiums and entertainment venues. It really doesn’t matter.

Most logical people understand that Omicron, the new variant, appears to be anything from a bad cold to no symptoms. We get it that pretty much everyone on a cruise ship could come down with a case and would suffer only a few lingering issues. One concern not often mentioned is that you have no idea which variant you and enduring. Is it the old Delta, the new Omicron, or perhaps a virus that is mutating and, as of yet, has no name?

However, there is a HUGE difference between suffering through Omicron on a cruise ship and at home. If you were at home, you would just be feeling miserable for a few days and could rely on others for trips to the pharmacy or grocery. You would have easy access to the news and your computer to keep you up-to-date. The only thing you would likely be missing is several days off of work, not a planned, treasured, and expensive vacation.

Different Types of Thinking

On social media, you now have a huge variety of reactions and positions on the decision to cruise or not.

·         Those who have been keeping up to date and don’t know if it is time to hit the cancel or move the cruise button. These folks have many good reasons, and I’m in this camp.

-          They can see that the cruise experience has rapidly deteriorated on some ships and are worried things could get even worse.

-          They just aren’t willing to make many concessions beyond the ones previously agreed to.

 

·         Those who think they would be willing to accept a cruise with canceled ports. Generally, they like the idea that the ships will be even more deserted, and the end result is a win-win for them.

 

·         Passengers currently on board who aren’t seeing the full picture. One insisted the theater was open but failed to mention that live shows were generally replaced with movies. They also aren’t hearing the stories of the people stuck in their rooms because some people ARE STUCK IN THEIR ROOMS! These unfortunates either tested positive or were in close contact with someone who is positive even if they tested negative. BTW, one passenger in this situation reported that she is not allowed to take another test to prove she is truly negative because “it wasn’t necessary.”

 

So, those who squeaked by with a negative test might be oblivious to what the affected passengers and crew are enduring. Out of sight, out of mind.

 

·         We also have to tolerate those folks who took a cruise in the past year who want to assure the current cruisers that everything was great on their cruise. Ancient history is not helpful here, folks!

One of the problems we have observed in the past few days is that cases are spreading like wildfire on some ships. Why this is happening on some ships and not others is a mystery since the vast majority of cruisers took pre-cruise COVID tests. The sanitation level onboard is high, so that is likely not the reason.

In recent days, we now know that antigen tests are not very accurate in picking up this new variant of COVID. That newsworthy gem just came out, including the realization that these tests tend to show negative during the time of heaviest transmission: the first several days. Therefore, by the time you are on the ship, you still might show negative. A positive test might pop up on day four or five, which is day two or three of your cruise.

Some on social media are into the blame game. It was some crew member! It was some unmasked passenger! My educated guess is that it was NOT the crew. Those poor folks have been stuck on the ship with no opportunity to go ashore. Could it have been the customs officers, the port pilot, or some other port authority? Maybe, but it was likely some unsuspecting passengers set this all off. That’s just the way this new variant seems to operate.

Speaking of the crew, if your ship has been hard hit, be VERY nice to the workers. They are working double shifts on the hardest hit ships because so many crew are in quarantine or isolation. Some cruise lines are offloading their affected crew to port hotels where the care is minimal. Some crew report that no medication is available to them. Some crew are not well-traveled who don’t realize that the water in the bathroom faucets in the US is drinkable. Some have no access to medicine, and the company hasn’t been checking on them to offer assistance or medical help. I hope that most companies are not like this, but the Facebook postings on the Crew page are heartbreaking. If they report what is going on, others who are 100% “company men” chastise them in fear of losing their jobs. These bullies remind them that the company will suffer if the word gets out.

So, What Might Happen on Your Cruise?

Let’s start out positive. I’m in direct communication with a travel agent on the MSC Meraviglia. She reports that the ship has gone to all the ports. Some of her clients onboard are COVID positive and in quarantine. The big question is: will you be lucky like her or be in quarantine?

For the next month or two, passengers should expect ports to be canceled as COVID will keep finding its way onto different ships. Like I mentioned before, it isn’t the ports saying no to the ships. Each ship reports to the authorities at the ports with their newest health info, and someone makes the call about letting passengers disembark. I initially thought it was the ports who always made the decision, but just learned today that the Captain of the MSC Divina was the one who made the decision for the current cruise to Central and South America from Miami. Sadly, the Divina has missed most of their original ports (Aruba, Cartagena, Costa Rica, and Panama) but worked hard to find replacements: Honduras, Belize, and Cozumel. I don’t want to be hypercritical, but the replacements are not all that desirable, but the ship gets an A+ on making the best of the situation. The current passengers who are free to disembark are very upbeat about the great crew and experience thus far.

Everyone needs to consider how they would feel if one or more ports were canceled. Some say they don’t care as they will just enjoy the relatively empty ship. Lying around the pool with a drink in hand seems acceptable to some, but is that your idea of a great cruise day after day? Some passengers report that the outside areas are now becoming quite crowded because almost all the inside activities and entertainment are now outside.

The above scenario is perhaps the best you might expect, or you could be on a ship that hasn’t missed a beat. This week it could be an MSC ship that was hard hit, and next week it could be a Holland, Royal, etc.

The CDC’s rules and impact

What is strange is the discrepancy in reporting cases. One ship’s staff told several passengers that about 200 passengers or crew were in quarantine or isolation. That’s well above the 1% where the CDC is supposed to shut down a ship.

https://www.cdc.gov/quarantine/cruise/cruise-ship-color-status.html

Here are the color status explanations, but unfortunately, they don’t give numbers or percentages. As of January 1, 2022, all passenger ships sailing from the USA are yellow, meaning the CDC is starting or are continuing their investigation. Also, the CDC issued a new advisory on December 30, 2021, that “travelers should avoid traveling by cruise ship, regardless of vaccination status, after a recent surge in positive COVID-19 cases onboard ships.”

• Green status means the ship has no reports of COVID-19 or COVID-19-like illness cases.
• Orange status means the ship has reported cases of COVID-19 but is below the threshold for CDC investigation.
• Yellow status means the ship has met the threshold for CDC investigation, which includes one of the following criteria:
  • at or above the investigation threshold for crew COVID-19 cases,
  • at or above the investigation threshold for passenger COVID-19 cases; or
  • state or local health department notified CDC of passenger COVID-19 cases occurring within 5 days of disembarkation.
• Red status means the ship is at or above the CDC investigation threshold for passenger and crew COVID-19 cases. Based on CDC’s investigation, additional public health precautions, such as returning to port immediately or delaying the next voyage, will be taken to help ensure the health and safety of onboard travelers or newly arriving travelers.

On Cruise Hive, I read the following, which shows the high number of crew affected on the MSC Divina:

MSC Divina has now canceled a call to Cartagena, Colombia, of its own accord. This comes as rising cases onboard amounted to 50 crew members, according to the Mayor of Cartagena, who did not need to cancel the call as the ship decided to do so itself.

“Two days ago they had three cases of COVID, yesterday they dawned with 50, already in other ports they have been denying entry and we then in Cartagena we were not going to approve it, but it was not necessary because they themselves, in a responsible decision, decided to turn back,” reported Mayor William Dau.

 

What Else is Affected?

While the cruise lines are tasked with Herculean challenges, the officers and staff are likely doing their very best. Imagine behind the scenes with all the changes, the news of staff becoming ill, the need to put forth your best face, enduring upset passengers, etc. I really feel for them.

The following modifications have been reported, but some ships haven’t experienced many issues.

-          Canceling shows and entertainment. Some ships report that many performers are ill, and the shows are canceled for the time being. Some theaters are mostly just showing movies, not live performances.

-          Activities and most entertainment usually presented inside were moved outside. Maybe not optimal, but necessary.

-          Some activities such as dancing were eliminated because of social distancing issues. There are some outside dance classes and perhaps poolside dancing.

Those of us who know how to ballroom dance have no options.

-          Shops and some services have scaled back hours. Probably staffing issues, just like at home.

-          One NCL ship’s dining experiences were scaled back, with some restaurants closed. I imagine this is not infrequent on other ships.

COVID Testing

It is now standard and expected for passengers to bring their COVID vaccine card and proof of a negative COVID test before boarding. Many ships now require passengers to take a second test on approximately the second day. One can guess this is how the majority of positive COVID passengers are detected. The staff will escort you to a designated cabin away from the other passengers if you are positive. You will be tended there with meals provided. Towels and other supplies are available upon request, but no one will enter your room to clean. The hallways will be lined with clean towels, supplies, and dirty food trays. The ship will also try to accommodate you with free movies and maybe free internet. The internet might be unreliable because MANY people will be using it.

Besides those who have COVID, the most unfortunate group are those passengers who tested negative but were exposed to someone who tested positive. I’m in communication with a mother whose son is in quarantine, with the father assisting him in a different cabin. She must stay in isolation with the other child who hasn’t been allowed to step in that lovely pool. This woman has asked for another COVID test but has been refused. So, both she and her daughter are COVID-free, but they can’t leave the cabin. We can only imagine how frustrated she is because of the lack of communication and their huge disappointment.

Your options

Many cruise lines have some sort of policy where passengers can move their cruise to a different date or receive cruise credit. These policies are usually on the front page of their website.

“Problematic” sailings during early January might motivate the cruise lines to allow cancelations, but that hasn’t happened yet. It could be that things become markedly better very soon, but reality indicates that most January sailings will have a significant COVID-positive population. The rest of the world, and certainly the United States is setting records.

We are waiting until about four days before sailing to cancel in hopes that the cruiseline will have mercy on us.

[mscdivina2016]

43 minutes ago, Markanddonna said:

Totally agree with the two posters before this one. 

 

I am attempting to present the facts about cruising at this moment in time for those with a cruise coming up in the next month or two. As a writer and researcher, I have been combing the social media boards for information. Of course, much of the info is unverified and also complicated with trolls, the overoptimistic and naive, and a few others who seem to be highly influenced by the cruise industry.

Like many of you, I am trying to decide our best course of action for a January 16, 2022 cruise in the Caribbean. Many on my Cruise Critic roll call canceled weeks ago, even before things exploded with the new Omicron variant. They likely didn’t really cancel but instead used the cruise line’s option of moving their cruise to a later date.

This new situation in cruising really began to take a nose dive around Christmas. Until then, the cruise industry had been doing an admirable job of providing a nice product. All passengers accepted the fact they had to be fully vaccinated (excluding children under 12), provided a negative COVID test taken two days before sailing, and agreed to the protocol onboard with masking and social distancing.

Reports from previous sailings were generally encouraging until Omicron reared its ugly head. We started to hear random reports of some ports not allowing cruise ships to dock and minor outbreaks onboard with crew and passengers. The ports didn’t block all ships, only those with COVID cases that exceeded their guidelines. Then, some ships like the MSC Seashore were not allowed to dock at their own private island because it is under the rules of the Bahamian government, not the cruise line.

As of January 1, the cruise industry now has mounting problems as they struggle to get back on their feet. Most of us believe they have gone above and beyond to make cruising appealing after the year shut down.

Many also believe the cruise industry has been unfairly singled out. Logic tells us that many of these cruise line passengers probably picked up the virus at the airport or on the airplane. We have all witnessed large gatherings at packed stadiums and entertainment venues. It really doesn’t matter.

Most logical people understand that Omicron, the new variant, appears to be anything from a bad cold to no symptoms. We get it that pretty much everyone on a cruise ship could come down with a case and would suffer only a few lingering issues. One concern not often mentioned is that you have no idea which variant you and enduring. Is it the old Delta, the new Omicron, or perhaps a virus that is mutating and, as of yet, has no name?

However, there is a HUGE difference between suffering through Omicron on a cruise ship and at home. If you were at home, you would just be feeling miserable for a few days and could rely on others for trips to the pharmacy or grocery. You would have easy access to the news and your computer to keep you up-to-date. The only thing you would likely be missing is several days off of work, not a planned, treasured, and expensive vacation.

Different Types of Thinking

On social media, you now have a huge variety of reactions and positions on the decision to cruise or not.

·         Those who have been keeping up to date and don’t know if it is time to hit the cancel or move the cruise button. These folks have many good reasons, and I’m in this camp.

-          They can see that the cruise experience has rapidly deteriorated on some ships and are worried things could get even worse.

-          They just aren’t willing to make many concessions beyond the ones previously agreed to.

 

·         Those who think they would be willing to accept a cruise with canceled ports. Generally, they like the idea that the ships will be even more deserted, and the end result is a win-win for them.

 

·         Passengers currently on board who aren’t seeing the full picture. One insisted the theater was open but failed to mention that live shows were generally replaced with movies. They also aren’t hearing the stories of the people stuck in their rooms because some people ARE STUCK IN THEIR ROOMS! These unfortunates either tested positive or were in close contact with someone who is positive even if they tested negative. BTW, one passenger in this situation reported that she is not allowed to take another test to prove she is truly negative because “it wasn’t necessary.”

 

So, those who squeaked by with a negative test might be oblivious to what the affected passengers and crew are enduring. Out of sight, out of mind.

 

·         We also have to tolerate those folks who took a cruise in the past year who want to assure the current cruisers that everything was great on their cruise. Ancient history is not helpful here, folks!

One of the problems we have observed in the past few days is that cases are spreading like wildfire on some ships. Why this is happening on some ships and not others is a mystery since the vast majority of cruisers took pre-cruise COVID tests. The sanitation level onboard is high, so that is likely not the reason.

In recent days, we now know that antigen tests are not very accurate in picking up this new variant of COVID. That newsworthy gem just came out, including the realization that these tests tend to show negative during the time of heaviest transmission: the first several days. Therefore, by the time you are on the ship, you still might show negative. A positive test might pop up on day four or five, which is day two or three of your cruise.

Some on social media are into the blame game. It was some crew member! It was some unmasked passenger! My educated guess is that it was NOT the crew. Those poor folks have been stuck on the ship with no opportunity to go ashore. Could it have been the customs officers, the port pilot, or some other port authority? Maybe, but it was likely some unsuspecting passengers set this all off. That’s just the way this new variant seems to operate.

Speaking of the crew, if your ship has been hard hit, be VERY nice to the workers. They are working double shifts on the hardest hit ships because so many crew are in quarantine or isolation. Some cruise lines are offloading their affected crew to port hotels where the care is minimal. Some crew report that no medication is available to them. Some crew are not well-traveled who don’t realize that the water in the bathroom faucets in the US is drinkable. Some have no access to medicine, and the company hasn’t been checking on them to offer assistance or medical help. I hope that most companies are not like this, but the Facebook postings on the Crew page are heartbreaking. If they report what is going on, others who are 100% “company men” chastise them in fear of losing their jobs. These bullies remind them that the company will suffer if the word gets out.

So, What Might Happen on Your Cruise?

Let’s start out positive. I’m in direct communication with a travel agent on the MSC Meraviglia. She reports that the ship has gone to all the ports. Some of her clients onboard are COVID positive and in quarantine. The big question is: will you be lucky like her or be in quarantine?

For the next month or two, passengers should expect ports to be canceled as COVID will keep finding its way onto different ships. Like I mentioned before, it isn’t the ports saying no to the ships. Each ship reports to the authorities at the ports with their newest health info, and someone makes the call about letting passengers disembark. I initially thought it was the ports who always made the decision, but just learned today that the Captain of the MSC Divina was the one who made the decision for the current cruise to Central and South America from Miami. Sadly, the Divina has missed most of their original ports (Aruba, Cartagena, Costa Rica, and Panama) but worked hard to find replacements: Honduras, Belize, and Cozumel. I don’t want to be hypercritical, but the replacements are not all that desirable, but the ship gets an A+ on making the best of the situation. The current passengers who are free to disembark are very upbeat about the great crew and experience thus far.

Everyone needs to consider how they would feel if one or more ports were canceled. Some say they don’t care as they will just enjoy the relatively empty ship. Lying around the pool with a drink in hand seems acceptable to some, but is that your idea of a great cruise day after day? Some passengers report that the outside areas are now becoming quite crowded because almost all the inside activities and entertainment are now outside.

The above scenario is perhaps the best you might expect, or you could be on a ship that hasn’t missed a beat. This week it could be an MSC ship that was hard hit, and next week it could be a Holland, Royal, etc.

The CDC’s rules and impact

What is strange is the discrepancy in reporting cases. One ship’s staff told several passengers that about 200 passengers or crew were in quarantine or isolation. That’s well above the 1% where the CDC is supposed to shut down a ship.

https://www.cdc.gov/quarantine/cruise/cruise-ship-color-status.html

Here are the color status explanations, but unfortunately, they don’t give numbers or percentages. As of January 1, 2022, all passenger ships sailing from the USA are yellow, meaning the CDC is starting or are continuing their investigation. Also, the CDC issued a new advisory on December 30, 2021, that “travelers should avoid traveling by cruise ship, regardless of vaccination status, after a recent surge in positive COVID-19 cases onboard ships.”

• Green status means the ship has no reports of COVID-19 or COVID-19-like illness cases.
• Orange status means the ship has reported cases of COVID-19 but is below the threshold for CDC investigation.
• Yellow status means the ship has met the threshold for CDC investigation, which includes one of the following criteria:
  • at or above the investigation threshold for crew COVID-19 cases,
  • at or above the investigation threshold for passenger COVID-19 cases; or
  • state or local health department notified CDC of passenger COVID-19 cases occurring within 5 days of disembarkation.
• Red status means the ship is at or above the CDC investigation threshold for passenger and crew COVID-19 cases. Based on CDC’s investigation, additional public health precautions, such as returning to port immediately or delaying the next voyage, will be taken to help ensure the health and safety of onboard travelers or newly arriving travelers.

On Cruise Hive, I read the following, which shows the high number of crew affected on the MSC Divina:

MSC Divina has now canceled a call to Cartagena, Colombia, of its own accord. This comes as rising cases onboard amounted to 50 crew members, according to the Mayor of Cartagena, who did not need to cancel the call as the ship decided to do so itself.

“Two days ago they had three cases of COVID, yesterday they dawned with 50, already in other ports they have been denying entry and we then in Cartagena we were not going to approve it, but it was not necessary because they themselves, in a responsible decision, decided to turn back,” reported Mayor William Dau.

 

What Else is Affected?

While the cruise lines are tasked with Herculean challenges, the officers and staff are likely doing their very best. Imagine behind the scenes with all the changes, the news of staff becoming ill, the need to put forth your best face, enduring upset passengers, etc. I really feel for them.

The following modifications have been reported, but some ships haven’t experienced many issues.

-          Canceling shows and entertainment. Some ships report that many performers are ill, and the shows are canceled for the time being. Some theaters are mostly just showing movies, not live performances.

-          Activities and most entertainment usually presented inside were moved outside. Maybe not optimal, but necessary.

-          Some activities such as dancing were eliminated because of social distancing issues. There are some outside dance classes and perhaps poolside dancing.

Those of us who know how to ballroom dance have no options.

-          Shops and some services have scaled back hours. Probably staffing issues, just like at home.

-          One NCL ship’s dining experiences were scaled back, with some restaurants closed. I imagine this is not infrequent on other ships.

COVID Testing

It is now standard and expected for passengers to bring their COVID vaccine card and proof of a negative COVID test before boarding. Many ships now require passengers to take a second test on approximately the second day. One can guess this is how the majority of positive COVID passengers are detected. The staff will escort you to a designated cabin away from the other passengers if you are positive. You will be tended there with meals provided. Towels and other supplies are available upon request, but no one will enter your room to clean. The hallways will be lined with clean towels, supplies, and dirty food trays. The ship will also try to accommodate you with free movies and maybe free internet. The internet might be unreliable because MANY people will be using it.

Besides those who have COVID, the most unfortunate group are those passengers who tested negative but were exposed to someone who tested positive. I’m in communication with a mother whose son is in quarantine, with the father assisting him in a different cabin. She must stay in isolation with the other child who hasn’t been allowed to step in that lovely pool. This woman has asked for another COVID test but has been refused. So, both she and her daughter are COVID-free, but they can’t leave the cabin. We can only imagine how frustrated she is because of the lack of communication and their huge disappointment.

Your options

Many cruise lines have some sort of policy where passengers can move their cruise to a different date or receive cruise credit. These policies are usually on the front page of their website.

“Problematic” sailings during early January might motivate the cruise lines to allow cancelations, but that hasn’t happened yet. It could be that things become markedly better very soon, but reality indicates that most January sailings will have a significant COVID-positive population. The rest of the world, and certainly the United States is setting records.

We are waiting until about four days before sailing to cancel in hopes that the cruiseline will have mercy on us.

Very interesting read

I still think that the cruise lines need to allow us to cancel for a refund especially with the uncertainty going forth.

 When I am spending almost a $900 a day for YC I expect a certain experience for that type of money.

If they cannot provide an it, let me cancel.

 

 

 

[styles27]

I really don’t see the cruise lines cancelling  or offering a refund to those of us with (or in my case had) a cruise booked in the next week or two. 
 

My guess is if they made that offer the vast majority would request the refund. I don’t know how many more times they can afford to do that. 
 

By “they” I mean all cruise lines not just MSC 

 

I’m grateful that they have the flexible booking policy and it was very easy to move our cruise. 
 

I love cruising but not when there’s so many stressful things to worry about. 
 

I’m happy we got one in before this happened and hopefully by Spring we can jump on a last minute one. 

[Markanddonna]

8 hours ago, mscdivina2016 said:

Very interesting read

I still think that the cruise lines need to allow us to cancel for a refund especially with the uncertainty going forth.

 When I am spending almost a $900 a day for YC I expect a certain experience for that type of money.

If they cannot provide an it, let me cancel.

 

 

 

This shows how you and I are in very different situations but have the same attitude. I'm in an inside cabin. If you and I are found to be COVID positive, I get moved "up" to a balcony room and you get moved "down" to a balcony room.

[mscdivina2016]

16 minutes ago, Markanddonna said:

This shows how you and I are in very different situations but have the same attitude. I'm in an inside cabin. If you and I are found to be COVID positive, I get moved "up" to a balcony room and you get moved "down" to a balcony room.

And I get $800 a day refund, per the peace of mind.

[styles27]

22 minutes ago, mscdivina2016 said:

And I get $800 a day refund, per the peace of mind.

From insurance?

[mscdivina2016]

45 minutes ago, styles27 said:

From insurance?

No, MSC

PEACE OF MIND

If you test positive for
COVID-19 within 14 days
prior to or during your cruise,
you and your traveling party
will receive a full or prorated
refund and assistance if
required, with on board
medical care, land-based
quarantine, and travel home.
We'll make it easy for you to
meet testing obligations on
board prior to returning home.

[Fogfog]

15 hours ago, mscdivina2016 said:

Very interesting read

I still think that the cruise lines need to allow us to cancel for a refund especially with the uncertainty going forth.

 When I am spending almost a $900 a day for YC I expect a certain experience for that type of money.

If they cannot provide an it, let me cancel.

 

 

 

Agreed. We have B2B2B2B in YC booked.

We expect a certain level of food/service etc and would rather cancel.

AND if forced to move to a "wait it out " room (tested neg but someone in dining was pos) would expect a refund 

[tkwbear]

I've been watching this site to see which ships have been going to their private islands. I've checked the 3 Florida-based MSC ships and none have been to Ocean Cay since before Christmas. I also checked 3 HAL ships; none of them have been to Half Moon Cay since before Christmas.

 

https://www.vesselfinder.com/vessels/MSC-MERAVIGLIA-IMO-9760512-MMSI-249973000

[FrostyJoe]

3 hours ago, tkwbear said:

I've been watching this site to see which ships have been going to their private islands. I've checked the 3 Florida-based MSC ships and none have been to Ocean Cay since before Christmas. I also checked 3 HAL ships; none of them have been to Half Moon Cay since before Christmas.

 

https://www.vesselfinder.com/vessels/MSC-MERAVIGLIA-IMO-9760512-MMSI-249973000

Oh noooooooooooooi

[girli565]

5 hours ago, tkwbear said:

I've been watching this site to see which ships have been going to their private islands. I've checked the 3 Florida-based MSC ships and none have been to Ocean Cay since before Christmas. I also checked 3 HAL ships; none of them have been to Half Moon Cay since before Christmas.

 

https://www.vesselfinder.com/vessels/MSC-MERAVIGLIA-IMO-9760512-MMSI-249973000

😩😩😩

[mscdivina2016]

6 hours ago, tkwbear said:

I've been watching this site to see which ships have been going to their private islands. I've checked the 3 Florida-based MSC ships and none have been to Ocean Cay since before Christmas. I also checked 3 HAL ships; none of them have been to Half Moon Cay since before Christmas.

 

https://www.vesselfinder.com/vessels/MSC-MERAVIGLIA-IMO-9760512-MMSI-249973000

People on board have posted they were at OC yesterday.

 

The issue is the 3 day covid tests for Bahamas, so as long as the ship goes there first, there is no testing done as its only a few hours away. Those that have OC at the end of a cruise may have an issue

[slei15]

6 hours ago, tkwbear said:

I've been watching this site to see which ships have been going to their private islands. I've checked the 3 Florida-based MSC ships and none have been to Ocean Cay since before Christmas. I also checked 3 HAL ships; none of them have been to Half Moon Cay since before Christmas.

 

https://www.vesselfinder.com/vessels/MSC-MERAVIGLIA-IMO-9760512-MMSI-249973000

Something is inaccurate on that site as I know for a fact that the Meraviglia did in fact dock at Ocean Cay on 12/28.  I have pictures from clients proving them being there that day lol. We also docked at Ocean Cay on the Meraviglia on 12/20 (though it was cut from an overnight to leaving at 9 PM due to an impending storm).  

[FrostyJoe]

1 minute ago, slei15 said:

Something is inaccurate on that site as I know for a fact that the Meraviglia did in fact dock at Ocean Cay on 12/28.  I have pictures from clients proving them being there that day lol. We also docked at Ocean Cay on the Meraviglia on 12/20 (though it was cut from an overnight to leaving at 9 PM due to an impending storm).  

Glad to get some hope!!!  Will be really sad if we can't dock at OC.  What I don't understand is how Bahamian government allowed ships to dock at Nassau but not at OC before.  Something seems extremely fishy that they'll allow docking at Nassau but not at some private island.  Analogus to Alaskan government allowing docking at Anchorage but not at some private island. 

 

Who knows--perhaps they need to raise more revenue.......😏

[mscdivina2016]

10 minutes ago, mscdivina2016 said:

People on board have posted they were at OC yesterday.

 

The issue is the 3 day covid tests for Bahamas, so as long as the ship goes there first, there is no testing done as its only a few hours away. Those that have OC at the end of a cruise may have an issue

I never posted the link.

 

 

[tkwbear]

2 hours ago, slei15 said:

Something is inaccurate on that site as I know for a fact that the Meraviglia did in fact dock at Ocean Cay on 12/28.  I have pictures from clients proving them being there that day lol. We also docked at Ocean Cay on the Meraviglia on 12/20 (though it was cut from an overnight to leaving at 9 PM due to an impending storm).  

That may be true, but a month ago all of the private island calls were being shown there.

[tkwbear]

2 hours ago, FrostyJoe said:

Glad to get some hope!!!  Will be really sad if we can't dock at OC.  What I don't understand is how Bahamian government allowed ships to dock at Nassau but not at OC before.  Something seems extremely fishy that they'll allow docking at Nassau but not at some private island.  Analogus to Alaskan government allowing docking at Anchorage but not at some private island. 

 

Who knows--perhaps they need to raise more revenue.......😏

That's what I am thinking.