Will Bahamas private island happen?

[dad son team]

I know this is 2nd, or maybe 3rd hand info, but I just read in the RCCL board that an MSC ship was denied at the private island.  The letter to the current guest on board was posted.   Just another casualty of the current wave.   Seems like things are slowly being chipped away.  

[heidikay]

MSC Seashore was denied docking at their private island.  The ship was notified today.  They have cases of Covid onboard. 

[dad son team]

At this point we have to assume that every ship, on every cruise line will have cases onboard.  No one seems to be immune no matter how good their precautions are

[julig22]

Stopped at GSC last week - but weather plays a big part.

[BermudaBound2014]

44 minutes ago, heidikay said:

MSC Seashore was denied docking at their private island.  The ship was notified today.  They have cases of Covid onboard. 

 

What is strange is the MSC has stated only 3 passengers are infected and a 'limited' number of crew. 

[mking8288]

Part of the problems with cruiseline's private islands are they have vendors ashore, local residents from nearby that sell and do work there, and the highly contagious mutants have been spiking and spreading fast.  A face mask and even a poorly fitted & improperly worn KN95, KF94 or N95 respirator mask alone isn't sufficient to block airborne exposure ... minimize or reduce the odds, at best. 

 

Not practical to insist or impose on the average person to take their cruise ship vacations wearing full level 4 PPE ... changing them often & possibly going thru decon.  Anyone booked on a cruise and planning to sail anytime soon should recognize, be prepared for last minute changes and amended requirements, more testing and disappointment, etc. etc. - and, the ship can still be denied docking or making a tendering stop (GSC for NCL) ... even if weather & marine safety conditions are perfect.  

 

It isn't just CDC making the calls, rather, local public health authorities abroad making the difficult call - perhaps, as we've seen now, on a ship-by-ship basis for each planned port of call.  With a quick glance at today's EU news about the surge in France, Spain Britain and elsewhere ... there are no winners in all these, nor happy cruisers or crew, stockholders and investors (ok, those that are shorting the stocks.) 

[BirdTravels]

I don't know what NCL's arrangements are. Royal Caribbean's Cococay has several hundred employees under contract like on the ship. They come to the island for 4-6 months, living in the island's dorms.  They are not commuting back to Harbor Cay or other islands. They have to be vaccinated and quarantined. 

[Karaboudjan]

1 hour ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

 

What is strange is the MSC has stated only 3 passengers are infected and a 'limited' number of crew. 

'Limited' is quite a loose adjective.

[kittykitty576]

There's great economic value in what the cruise lines bring to ports.  If those people (or more likely their governing party) want to avoid the advantages of hosting guests, that's their prerogative.  But, if they are avoiding a virus, they're really shooting themselves in the foot.  All passengers have _just_ been both asymptomatic (by declaration) and tested (misuse of testing... but I digress here).

 

I hope the World 'we' is back to welcoming our friends, family, neighbors, and yet-to-be-friends ASAP! 

[geegee1]

The GEM is at GSC today

[rabidstoat]

Private islands are still subject to the rules in effect for that country.

 

The 'some' crew who were positive must've increased the percentage of covid to what exceeded to the allowed threshold for the Bahamas. I've heard "no more than 1% cases" being the threshold for some ports in turning ships away.

[mking8288]

GEM is/was scheduled to be making its tender stop at GSC today 0800 to 1700 - just checked her live shipcam & Marinetraffic dot com for AIS data, destination has listed Nassau.  Departed from Port Canaveral yesterday as scheduled.  Looked like she did approach GSC and did a mini loop but not able to tender ashore for whatever reasons - wind direction: south at 12 knots, air temperature 24°C, sunny skies & high clouds.  

 

Resumed her sailing, destination still showing Nassau ... heading east at 6 knots.  Over at Nassau, showing only 2 Disney ships there today.  

[jon46]

I am on the Gem now. We were not allowed to go ashore because of new restrictions that went into place 2 days ago. We will be just sailing around the Bahamas.

[MsTabbyKats]

1 hour ago, jon46 said:

I am on the Gem now. We were not allowed to go ashore because of new restrictions that went into place 2 days ago. We will be just sailing around the Bahamas.

"New restrictions"  meaning testing requirements?  Ugh........

[Karaboudjan]

There appear to be two RCL ships at their island and a Disney one at theirs as well as other ships that seem to be docked or anchored.  So whatever the restrictions are they must have qualified for access.

[mking8288]

2 hours ago, jon46 said:

I am on the Gem now. We were not allowed to go ashore because of new restrictions that went into place 2 days ago. We will be just sailing around the Bahamas.

 

How are things onboard at the moment ?  Thanks, was afraid of asking but hearing this ... what can we say.  That becomes 3 sea days before arriving back home.  On the bright side, weather is nice down there, expecting a small & fast moving snow storm tomorrow morning, 2" to 5" forecasted for the city, points northeast will get more.  Things should be clear up by Sunday. 

 

But, looking at AIS track, she continues to sail east, further away from Nassau at 12 knots, most definitely turning north within the past hour as if it is leaving the Caribbean Sea out toward the Atlantic.  In the past, ships that skip GSC & unable to dock at Nassau later in the same day would do a series of slow loop in that area.  Unless, Gem is returning a day early - my guess only.  "Following" this cruise - her movement is difficult to explain.

[RaftingJeremy]

if the weather permits, you will go.  I am at about 50% whether we actually stop there. This percentage is before covid.  

[goldmom]

43 minutes ago, mking8288 said:

 

How are things onboard at the moment ?  Thanks, was afraid of asking but hearing this ... what can we say.  That becomes 3 sea days before arriving back home.  On the bright side, weather is nice down there, expecting a small & fast moving snow storm tomorrow morning, 2" to 5" forecasted for the city, points northeast will get more.  Things should be clear up by Sunday. 

 

But, looking at AIS track, she continues to sail east, further away from Nassau at 12 knots, most definitely turning north within the past hour as if it is leaving the Caribbean Sea out toward the Atlantic.  In the past, ships that skip GSC & unable to dock at Nassau later in the same day would do a series of slow loop in that area.  Unless, Gem is returning a day early - my guess only.  "Following" this cruise - her movement is difficult to explain.

Also following the Gem's movements.  Does anyone know what happens if the Gem is unable to go to a "foreign" port?  So far she has only gone to Charleston and Port Canaveral.  The stop at GSC didn't appear to happen and doesn't look like she's headed to Nassau either.  Does it count as a stop if they just circle around the island?  Just wondering.

[MsTabbyKats]

11 minutes ago, goldmom said:

Also following the Gem's movements.  Does anyone know what happens if the Gem is unable to go to a "foreign" port?  So far she has only gone to Charleston and Port Canaveral.  The stop at GSC didn't appear to happen and doesn't look like she's headed to Nassau either.  Does it count as a stop if they just circle around the island?  Just wondering.

We were on the Gem in Nov.  We couldn't dock in Charleston or GSC....just Port Canaveral.  As long as the stop was scheduled...it counts as a stop.  But they couldn't have sailed if they planned to make circles...lol.

[mking8288]

2 hours ago, goldmom said:

Also following the Gem's movements ... 

 

Bonnie 😉 hi, ... answered that question for you as above.  Well, just got back into our house ... a bit of extra winter prep for tomorrow's fast moving mini Nor-Easter for the metro NY area/region, batten up the hatches ... continuous readiness mode.  

 

Not good & this is awful (but shouldn't be totally unexpected or a complete shock - surely, disappointing) for folks on board,  Based on AIS data reported 25 minutes ago, Gem on a 10 deg heading (north) doing about 16 knots, destination is now NY - ETA for a pre-dawn arrival of 0300 on Jan 9th.  There is no point to circle Nassau or around, might as well bring the pax & crew into homeport and do whatever necessary, disembark, test, clean & prep for turnaround, etc. as in whatever's next.  

Edited January 6, 2022 by mking8288

[MsTabbyKats]

1 hour ago, mking8288 said:

 

Bonnie 😉 hi, ... answered that question for you as above.  Well, just got back into our house ... a bit of extra winter prep for tomorrow's fast moving mini Nor-Easter for the metro NY area/region, batten up the hatches ... continuous readiness mode.  

 

Not good & this is awful (but shouldn't be totally unexpected or a complete shock - surely, disappointing) for folks on board,  Based on AIS data reported 25 minutes ago, Gem on a 10 deg heading (north) doing about 16 knots, destination is now NY - ETA for a pre-dawn arrival of 0300 on Jan 9th.  There is no point to circle Nassau or around, might as well bring the pax & crew into homeport and do whatever necessary, disembark, test, clean & prep for turnaround, etc. as in whatever's next.  

I'd rather circle Nassau...it's warmer.

Each thread gets bleaker and bleaker.