Quarantined on the Millennium. A different experience. Ask any questions

[gafnewyork]

1 hour ago, KellyMcB said:

If it's not to personally rude, do you mind telling us if you've had Covid or Omicron in the past?  Also, we're you boostered?

Never had Covid in the past.  Had 2 Moderna shots and 1 Pfizer booster months before the cruise.   

[RichYak]

1 hour ago, esther e said:

Just a thought......what if someone has cold symptoms, i.e., headache, slight fever, coughing, etc., and is tested and it is really a false positive?  It has happened.  Maye the tests are more accurate now, but I would definitely want a second test to be sure before I was quarantined.  

Your request will be politely declined and you will be placed in isolation.

[esther e]

I thought so.

[Julma]

On 1/7/2022 at 5:57 PM, Honolulu Blue said:

 

I'm sympathetic, but a major reason some isolation/quarantine cabins are in OVs and inside cabins is that they're the only cabins available on decks near the medical center.

Quarantine is while you're in the testing process or for crew coming onto ship.  Passengers can quarantine in their own rooms.  Crew has a section of staterooms that they quarantine in.   Isolation is for when you test positive.  Many, many vaccinated people with Covid will only have mild symptoms and don't need to be that close to the medical center.  The ships aren't that big. I do think they should be isolated in a specific area, but inside rooms should not be an option, even oceanview rooms is pushing it.  Remember, many choose to sail in balcony plus cabins and they can come and go.  An inside room for what could be days, should not be an option.  I do fear with some of these stories, people will not report symptoms.

[KellyMcB]

Well, as others have said before me, thank you SO MUCH for taking the time to offer your story in detail and advice to the rest of us that are concerned about future cruises.  

I am suppose to sail on the Millie Feb 17 with 5 other gals.  I go back and forth on whether or not I should go.  I have had Covid and do not fear getting it but don't love the idea of getting it on a vacation where I'm stuck in a small cabin with nothing more than a TV, WiFi and porthole.  Wow, life as we knew it has truly changed!

[gafnewyork]

1 hour ago, KellyMcB said:

Well, as others have said before me, thank you SO MUCH for taking the time to offer your story in detail and advice to the rest of us that are concerned about future cruises.  

I am suppose to sail on the Millie Feb 17 with 5 other gals.  I go back and forth on whether or not I should go.  I have had Covid and do not fear getting it but don't love the idea of getting it on a vacation where I'm stuck in a small cabin with nothing more than a TV, WiFi and porthole.  Wow, life as we knew it has truly changed!

Your welcome! Go have fun.  5 days aren’t 15 days.  Worst case you may have to rough it a few days.  And your much more informed now than I was as my experience was unfolding.  
 

And, hopefully this current Covid wave will be much less prevalent then.  

[TeeRick]

18 hours ago, esther e said:

Just a thought......what if someone has cold symptoms, i.e., headache, slight fever, coughing, etc., and is tested and it is really a false positive?  It has happened.  Maye the tests are more accurate now, but I would definitely want a second test to be sure before I was quarantined.  

Maybe they would comply with your request for a second test.  Have others experiencing quarantine asked for one?  Anyway I am sure they would keep you at least in isolation or quarantine until the results of your second test.

[TeeRick]

15 hours ago, Julma said:

Quarantine is while you're in the testing process or for crew coming onto ship.  Passengers can quarantine in their own rooms.  Crew has a section of staterooms that they quarantine in.   Isolation is for when you test positive.  Many, many vaccinated people with Covid will only have mild symptoms and don't need to be that close to the medical center.  The ships aren't that big. I do think they should be isolated in a specific area, but inside rooms should not be an option, even oceanview rooms is pushing it.  Remember, many choose to sail in balcony plus cabins and they can come and go.  An inside room for what could be days, should not be an option.  I do fear with some of these stories, people will not report symptoms.

@Julma I think the terminology might be the reverse.  It is confusing.  I believe you can be isolated in your stateroom or in some cases another cabin, awaiting the results of your COVID test or if you have been in close contact and are awaiting results.  If you are positive you go to another area of the ship and into a cabin set up for a quarantine situation.  The quarantine cabin has been reported to be an Inside cabin, a Porthole cabin or a balcony cabin, depending on the ship and the number of passengers needing to be in quarantine.

[TrinaLC]

If they don’t provide clear protocols + balcony accommodations people are going to hide symptoms/not self report = worse outcome for the cruise lines…

[Jeremiah1212]

1 hour ago, TeeRick said:

@Julma I think the terminology might be the reverse.  It is confusing.  I believe you can be isolated in your stateroom or in some cases another cabin, awaiting the results of your COVID test or if you have been in close contact and are awaiting results.  If you are positive you go to another area of the ship and into a cabin set up for a quarantine situation.  The quarantine cabin has been reported to be an Inside cabin, a Porthole cabin or a balcony cabin, depending on the ship and the number of passengers needing to be in quarantine.

 

You're typically left in your own cabin while you await results. Isolation cabins on M class ships are less likely to be balconies since 40-44% of cabins are Interior or OV where only 15-19% of E and S class ships are interior or OV. 

 

 

[RichYak]

1 hour ago, TeeRick said:

@Julma I think the terminology might be the reverse.  It is confusing.  I believe you can be isolated in your stateroom or in some cases another cabin, awaiting the results of your COVID test or if you have been in close contact and are awaiting results.  If you are positive you go to another area of the ship and into a cabin set up for a quarantine situation.  The quarantine cabin has been reported to be an Inside cabin, a Porthole cabin or a balcony cabin, depending on the ship and the number of passengers needing to be in quarantine.

Hmmm, my understanding is that it’s opposite of what you just posted. You quarantine in your own cabin awaiting test results. You isolate in the “red zone” if you test positive. 

[gafnewyork]

Just now, RichYak said:

Hmmm, my understanding is that it’s opposite of what you just posted. You quarantine in your own cabin awaiting test results. You isolate in the “red zone” if you test positive. 

As the OP, I believe you are correct, and I would update my original headline if I could.  As in fact, I “Isolated” on the Millennium in the “Red Zone”.  My husband was able to “Quarantine” in our original stateroom during his 24 holding period given his negative test result.  
 

I do think the industry needs to also reconsider the “Red Zone” label. It only reinforces the stigma associated with the experience and current protocols.  
 

We are all leaning this new vocabulary together.  These discussions are helpful in educating us all. 

[TeeRick]

1 minute ago, RichYak said:

Hmmm, my understanding is that it’s opposite of what you just posted. You quarantine in your own cabin awaiting test results. You isolate in the “red zone” if you test positive. 

OK people are using these terms interchangeably.  So not sure what is official.  I am not trying to be confusing here but maybe I am just confused.  But the poster's threads with titles have used the term quarantine to describe their situation after they test positive and are moved for the remainder of their stay.  IMO you isolate somebody with uncertain COVID status and await a result.  You quarantine somebody with COVID.  The quarantine is done in isolation.  Still confusing??😀

[RichYak]

6 minutes ago, TeeRick said:

OK people are using these terms interchangeably.  So not sure what is official.  I am not trying to be confusing here but maybe I am just confused.  But the poster's threads with titles have used the term quarantine to describe their situation after they test positive and are moved for the remainder of their stay.  IMO you isolate somebody with uncertain COVID status and await a result.  You quarantine somebody with COVID.  The quarantine is done in isolation.  Still confusing??😀

I go by the cdc definition. Most if the post titles are incorrect IMO. 
 

https://www.cdc.gov/quarantine/index.html

[canderson]

I think the confusion is that one is kind of a subset of the other, and the difference officially only depends upon whether a person has a) already received a positive result or b) is in 'testing limbo' waiting to see if a positive result occurs. 

 

Per the above link that RichYak posted from the CDC:

 

-----------------------------------------

Isolation and quarantine help protect the public by preventing exposure to people who have or may have a contagious disease.

• Isolation separates sick people with a contagious disease from people who are not sick.

In the case of a cruise ship, that puts you in one of the 'red zone' cabins.  You don't leave until you are required to disembark.

• Quarantine separates and restricts the movement of people who were exposed to a contagious disease to see if they become sick.

In the case of a cruise ship, that leaves you in your own cabin until they wait/watch test results for two days.  If positive, off to the 'red zone' you go.  If negative, you are permitted to wander about.  Used to be you were also uniquely required to wear a mask for the rest of the voyage, but that's the norm now, so no real difference.

 

In both cases, cruise refund is pro-rated for the number of days in quarantine or isolation.

 

[Froufie]

On 1/7/2022 at 7:10 PM, DrKoob said:

What happened to you is atrocious. But just mentioning it on a survey is not enough. Can I suggest your write up the entire incident and send it to X's CEO, Lisa Lutoff Perlo. Her e-mail address is below. I have e-mailed her before and her office is very responsive and things happen. It is not something I would normally recommend but this case is horrid. What is going to happen is that people will hear about it and won't report as sick and spread it further. 

Can you please 'clarify' email address?  I am having trouble sending it - is there a space after the first 'small l'?  thx

 

[Froufie]

3 hours ago, TeeRick said:

@Julma I think the terminology might be the reverse.  It is confusing.  I believe you can be isolated in your stateroom or in some cases another cabin, awaiting the results of your COVID test or if you have been in close contact and are awaiting results.  If you are positive you go to another area of the ship and into a cabin set up for a quarantine situation.  The quarantine cabin has been reported to be an Inside cabin, a Porthole cabin or a balcony cabin, depending on the ship and the number of passengers needing to be in quarantine.

From what I understand you are in 'quarantine' while awaiting results and self isolate once you have tested positive.  However that being said most individual indicate they are 'in quarantine' when in fact they are technically 'self isolating' ...  (sounds better when you do this at home then when on a cruise ship!!!)

 

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/COVID-19-Quarantine-vs-Isolation.pdf

 

Edited January 10, 2022 by Froufie

[TeeRick]

2 hours ago, RichYak said:

I go by the cdc definition. Most if the post titles are incorrect IMO. 
 

https://www.cdc.gov/quarantine/index.html

@RichYak and @canderson thank you for the clarifications.  I should have been smart enough to look up the actual CDC definitions.  And my apologies to @Julma.  I have always thought of the term quarantine as applying to somebody already sick with a disease and being kept separated from others.

[jagoffee]

21 hours ago, canderson said:

I think the confusion is that one is kind of a subset of the other, and the difference officially only depends upon whether a person has a) already received a positive result or b) is in 'testing limbo' waiting to see if a positive result occurs. 

 

Per the above link that RichYak posted from the CDC:

 

-----------------------------------------

Isolation and quarantine help protect the public by preventing exposure to people who have or may have a contagious disease.

• Isolation separates sick people with a contagious disease from people who are not sick.

In the case of a cruise ship, that puts you in one of the 'red zone' cabins.  You don't leave until you are required to disembark.

• Quarantine separates and restricts the movement of people who were exposed to a contagious disease to see if they become sick.

In the case of a cruise ship, that leaves you in your own cabin until they wait/watch test results for two days.  If positive, off to the 'red zone' you go.  If negative, you are permitted to wander about.  Used to be you were also uniquely required to wear a mask for the rest of the voyage, but that's the norm now, so no real difference.

 

In both cases, cruise refund is pro-rated for the number of days in quarantine or isolation.

 

So if you were a close contact and you have to stay in your cabin for 24 hours while be tested twice and waiting results, you get a prorated refund for that day?

[canderson]

9 minutes ago, jagoffee said:

So if you were a close contact and you have to stay in your cabin for 24 hours while be tested twice and waiting results, you get a prorated refund for that day?

Two days, most likely, but yes.

 

 

Edited January 11, 2022 by canderson
Bloody typoz!

[cruisin from florida]

On 1/7/2022 at 9:21 AM, TeeRick said:

The cabin isolation location is something I had not considered and is a bit of a game-changer for me.  Back when the pandemic started and cruise ships like Diamond Princess were affected, or when ships like Eclipse were stranded at sea, I swore I would never sail in an Inside cabin.  If stuck on a ship I would want at the very least a balcony.  Or a suite would be the best case.  That was then.  This is now.  Even if in a suite - if I tested positive- I might spend the rest of my cruise isolated in an Inside cabin with no fresh outside air.  And this depends on the ship and the Captain's decision right now?  No way would I cruise right now.  

Even folks who regularly book inside cabins to save money state "we're only in the cabin to sleep anyway." 24/7 in an inside? Truly solitary confinement!

[phoenix_dream]

1 hour ago, cruisin from florida said:

Even folks who regularly book inside cabins to save money state "we're only in the cabin to sleep anyway." 24/7 in an inside? Truly solitary confinement!

Exactly.  Even prisoners in jail have bars on one side they can see through.

[Julma]

On 1/10/2022 at 1:45 PM, TeeRick said:

@RichYak and @canderson thank you for the clarifications.  I should have been smart enough to look up the actual CDC definitions.  And my apologies to @Julma.  I have always thought of the term quarantine as applying to somebody already sick with a disease and being kept separated from others.

No apologies necessary!  I only knew, because a ship's officer explained it to me on our last cruise.  I just thought the terminology may help those going forward.  God forbid, you get Covid or are a close contact, you'll know what the ship's terminology means.  Who would have thought, we'd know so much??  

[cangelmd]

On 1/10/2022 at 9:58 AM, TeeRick said:

OK people are using these terms interchangeably.  So not sure what is official.  I am not trying to be confusing here but maybe I am just confused.  But the poster's threads with titles have used the term quarantine to describe their situation after they test positive and are moved for the remainder of their stay.  IMO you isolate somebody with uncertain COVID status and await a result.  You quarantine somebody with COVID.  The quarantine is done in isolation.  Still confusing??😀

You isolate persons with positive tests or symptoms, you quarantine exposures. That was my chairman of Infection Control Committee hat. Yes, the terms get used interchangeably.

[Covepointcruiser]

I am Claustrophobic and I do enjoy my bigger suite, but I can understand the need to keep other passengers and staff safe.    I would expect a full refund or FCC for the days I could not be in my preferred accommodation.    Now we know how to get, at least a port hole.    On another thread, a suite passenger in quarantine was allowed to order meals from Luminae and had free access to all the adult beverages they desired.  Probably no need for Xanax with all that alcohol.