CDC Says Avoid Cruise Travel Regardless of Vaccination Status

[Dolebludger]

Flying on an airplane for a couple of hours will not get most of us from home to a cruise and back. It’s often more like 8 to 12 hours each way, including at least three airport exposures per air trip. No distancing on the planes or in the airports. And Omicron Covid is not just a cold! Many have been sick with it, and more have died. And if the CDC feels there is a real threat of contagion from cruising (and there may be, IDK), they should shut the cruise lines down again so those booked could get compensation from the lines/or insurance for a cancelled cruise. 
 

Don’t think that being in airports and on airlines poses no contagion risk. The reason US airlines have been cancelling 1000 flights per day is that crew members have been testing positive for Covid. Most caught it at work. And due to all the flight cancellations, many of us won’t book a cruise any time soon, as we have to fly a considerable time to get to and from the ship.

[giustot]

2 hours ago, Radio007 said:

Thanks for this information. Where can I find the quoted reference? I'm interested in learning how they are measuring this.

 

It's from the USA Today article which is quoting the CDC statement.

[Dolebludger]

Sir, what quoted reference are you referring to? If it was not from my post, disregard this post.

[jeb_bud]

5 hours ago, giustot said:

Here's why I think this is important.

 

"Between Nov. 30 and Dec. 14, cruise ships operating in U.S. waters reported 162 cases of COVID-19 to the CDC. Between Dec. 15 and Dec. 29, cruise ships sailing in U.S. waters reported 5,013 COVID-19 cases to the CDC. That's nearly 31 times the number of cases reported in the first two weeks of December, the CDC said."

 

As for the airplane comparison, experts have been saying since this began that flying for a couple of hours on a plane is not the same a living on a cruise ship for a week or two.

 

Tom.

It is my understanding that every person  on a ship is tested at least once per cruise, and maybe more often depending on regulations at the ports on the itinerary. I often wonder what the case count would be if everyone in my town was required to get tested once a week. Cruise ships might look like paradise in comparison. 

[taznremmy]

5 hours ago, giustot said:

Here's why I think this is important.

 

"Between Nov. 30 and Dec. 14, cruise ships operating in U.S. waters reported 162 cases of COVID-19 to the CDC. Between Dec. 15 and Dec. 29, cruise ships sailing in U.S. waters reported 5,013 COVID-19 cases to the CDC. That's nearly 31 times the number of cases reported in the first two weeks of December, the CDC said."

 

As for the airplane comparison, experts have been saying since this began that flying for a couple of hours on a plane is not the same a living on a cruise ship for a week or two.

 

Tom.

No, the analogy is not the same.  The virus doesn't have the time to manifest itself on an airplane, as it does when on a cruise ship for 7+ days.  Put everyone on an airplane for 7 days, and see what the numbers are.

[cwn]

34 minutes ago, taznremmy said:

No, the analogy is not the same.  The virus doesn't have the time to manifest itself on an airplane, as it does when on a cruise ship for 7+ days.  Put everyone on an airplane for 7 days, and see what the numbers are.

Amen!

[FengShui@Sea]

15 hours ago, Wendy The Wanderer said:

I'm glad you're feeling safe and having a good cruise.  But think about being one of those pa who tested positive?  That would not be a good experience, no matter how good Oceania's response was.

 

Absolutely.  For us it would mean moving from our 1,000 sq. ft. Oceania suite to a 240 sq. ft. 'isolation' cabin, having our meals left outside our door, and not having any cabin attendant visits for at least 5 days.  Having spent 3 nights in a quarantine hotel in Vancouver last May I know first hand how much that sucks.  

 

However, out of an abundance of caution we decided at the beginning of this 12 night cruise that we would not go ashore in any ports.  We often wear our masks even when it's not required, use new masks daily, and we disinfect our hands probably 30 times a day.  By contrast, from our balcony we were watching several bus loads of passengers return from their visit to Barbados yesterday, and at least 50% did not bother to sanitize their hands before stepping onto the gangway.  My favourite was one woman who 'pretended' to use the sanitizer but clearly hadn't.  WTH?  I think if fellow passengers were a little more considerate and diligent it would go a long way to help protect the rest of us.  But since they aren't all we can do is be super cautious.  

 

Edited December 31, 2021 by FengShui@Sea

[pappy1022]

No matter what you believe to be true I am now seeing many more people I personally know that are getting COVID. Symptoms tend to be lesser than previous strains but some are now in ICU. This is moving like a wild fire and not everyone will just have cold symptoms. This is serious stuff and needs to treated as such. The CDC is responding to the growing number of cases on cruise ships. For now it is a recommendation. Everyone needs to assess their own risks and make their decision accordingly. I for one won’t be on a cruise until COVID is under control and no longer a pandemic. 

[Aubie59]

2 hours ago, FengShui@Sea said:

 

Absolutely.  For us it would mean moving from our 1,000 sq. ft. Oceania suite to a 240 sq. ft. 'isolation' cabin, having our meals left outside our door, and not having any cabin attendant visits for at least 5 days.  Having spent 3 nights in a quarantine hotel in Vancouver last May I know first hand how much that sucks.  

 

However, out of an abundance of caution we decided at the beginning of this 12 night cruise that we would not go ashore in any ports.  We often wear our masks even when it's not required, use new masks daily, and we disinfect our hands probably 30 times a day.  By contrast, from our balcony we were watching several bus loads of passengers return from their visit to Barbados yesterday, and at least 50% did not bother to sanitize their hands before stepping onto the gangway.  My favourite was one woman who 'pretended' to use the sanitizer but clearly hadn't.  WTH?  I think if fellow passengers were a little more considerate and diligent it would go a long way to help protect the rest of us.  But since they aren't all we can do is be super cautious.  

 

If I was put in an inside cabin with no means for fresh air, my claustrophobia would kick in and I would probably feel like jumping overboard.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

20 hours ago, mariners said:

I realize that insurance coverage is different for people living in different countries.  As well, insurance policies within countries have different disclaimers and coverage.  

 

We live in Canada, and our insurance coverage will, currently, cover medical insurance for COVID under specific circumstances.  However, we are not eligible for trip cancellation costs or trip interruption costs.  

 

Within the past few weeks, insurance coverage has changed as rapidly as the restrictions put in place, as well as the guidelines provided by the government (federal and provincial).  I would be reading any insurance policy very carefully, and getting updated information in writing.  Two of the policies we use no longer cover anything related to COVID.

 

Of course, if you self insure, that's a whole different ball game.  My heart goes out to all of you who will be sailing soon as you try to navigate these new waters.  Those curve balls just keep on coming.

Thanks for the heads-up.  I last talked to my broker back when I booked our July 2022 Splendor trip, and agreed to speak again in January (final payment February.)  I guess everything has changed since then.  And we're only interested in cancellation and interruption insurance, we already have medical.  Will have to think seriously about this if we have to self-insure, although at this point there's a good chance we'll just cancel anyways.

[cwn]

3 hours ago, Aubie59 said:

If I was put in an inside cabin with no means for fresh air, my claustrophobia would kick in and I would probably feel like jumping overboard.

You must not have sailed with Regent. There are no inside cabins. The lowest grade suite on all ships are very nice and around 270- 300 sq ft. The Navigator is the only ship that has a few window suites, all the rest have balconies. Very different from main line cruise ships with inside cabins of 110 sq ft! Granted moving would still be a pain.

[Aubie59]

39 minutes ago, cwn said:

You must not have sailed with Regent. There are no inside cabins. The lowest grade suite on all ships are very nice and around 270- 300 sq ft. The Navigator is the only ship that has a few window suites, all the rest have balconies. Very different from main line cruise ships with inside cabins of 110 sq ft! Granted moving would still be a pain.

 

39 minutes ago, cwn said:

You must not have sailed with Regent. There are no inside cabins. The lowest grade suite on all ships are very nice and around 270- 300 sq ft. The Navigator is the only ship that has a few window suites, all the rest have balconies. Very different from main line cruise ships with inside cabins of 110 sq ft! Granted moving would still be a pain.

I am a Gold member and have sailed many times.  But I believe someone posted they had converted crew cabins for quarantine rooms and maybe even a laundry room.  

[loriva]

2 hours ago, Aubie59 said:

 

I am a Gold member and have sailed many times.  But I believe someone posted they had converted crew cabins for quarantine rooms and maybe even a laundry room.  

On Explorer, the quarantine section is the part of the 6th deck leading to the gym.

 

Believe some of the laundry rooms were converted to crew rooms to give them more single cabins for social distancing.

[cruiseluv]

6 minutes ago, loriva said:

On Explorer, the quarantine section is the part of the 6th deck leading to the gym.

 

Believe some of the laundry rooms were converted to crew rooms to give them more single cabins for social distancing.

I think it’s ludicrous to make people testing positive to have to relocate to a different cabin. What’s the point of that? Do they do that with people that have norovirus or the flu?

[RetiredandTravel]

On 12/30/2021 at 1:28 PM, pingpong1 said:

And yet, flying on airplanes (with masks...just like we're now doing on Regent) I guess, is "perfectly safe"??

 

But airlines are safe so you need a Covid test to re enter the country. Don't go on a cruise ship , too dangerous, but no covid test necessary to re enter the country.

 

Can't make this S$%^ up!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ysolde]

2 hours ago, loriva said:

On Explorer, the quarantine section is the part of the 6th deck leading to the gym.

 

Believe some of the laundry rooms were converted to crew rooms to give them more single cabins for social distancing.

I'm not sure what they have done on Splendor, but I do know that we long ago got a cabin upgrade for no apparent reason from Deck 6 to Deck 7 to a Category D cabin.  Now that I think about it, it may have been to make it possible to use our old cabin as one of the quarantine cabins, if needed.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

21 hours ago, cruiseluv said:

I think it’s ludicrous to make people testing positive to have to relocate to a different cabin. What’s the point of that? Do they do that with people that have norovirus or the flu?

Well, it's probably a health guideline that has to do with aerosols and air circulation.  And it's probably logistically easier to monitor everyone if they're sequestered in one corner of the ship.  Better than getting bumped off the ship.

Edited January 1, 2022 by Wendy The Wanderer

[Eager2Travel]

I do wonder how they manage the quarantine on the Mariner and Navigator.