Jump to content
Cruise Critic Community

Cruising on Norwegian Bliss and Testing Positive-- One Family's Experience

szpal

By szpal,
in Norwegian Cruise Line

 Share

Recommended Posts

szpal

szpal

Posted
Posted

This is long.  I debated about posting it. If you’re looking for recent information about sailing Norwegian and what it’s like to test positive on board, I’m posting this for you and hope it will help. If you’re someone who likes to troll or be snarky about people “cruising during a pandemic,” consider that this isn’t for you– or about you–and kindly scroll on. This is our family's experience. 

 

  • Late October 2021: My husband and I book 3 Cabins on Norwegian Bliss for 12/26 New Year’s sailing. A Christmas gift to our family, including our adult children (young 20’s). We book through a travel agent and  purchase independent CFAR travel  insurance (25% penalty). We are all vaccinated and most will be eligible for boosters before sailing.

 

  • December 2021: Omicron takes over the news. We understand this trip will involve additional risks and stresses. Peace of Mind policy is not available. What will happen if one of us tests positive at the pier or onboard?  Norwegian’s policy seems vague. Not many personal narratives posted. We consider triggering our CFAR insurance (which will refund all but $2500). We confer with our family. We are healthy, vaccinated, and we miss each other. We love to cruise. We will do this.

 

  • 12/25/21: We individually test for Covid (home tests and at the airport) before flying. No one wants a surprise at the pier. All negative.

 

  • 12/26/21: We’re tested and aboard! Let the fun begin! We discover that some (a lot) of the entertainment is canceled due to Covid. Masks are now required. No problem! We’re flexible and happy to be here! 

         The ship is gorgeous. Food is the best we’ve ever had on a cruise. We enjoy our two specialty dinners but are impressed with the main dining rooms           and buffet as well. We take full advantage of the drink package! Never a long wait for drinks, never a need for dining reservations (which I hate to                 make in advance), no problem finding deck chairs.  The staff is wonderful–warm, fabulous, happy to have us on board. Our cares and all the stress             leading up to this trip melt away.  My husband and I decide this is the best cruise we’ve ever taken. We are sold on Norwegian. 

 

  • 1/1/21: Last day of cruise. We learn that one of our family members (age 21) is sick. The symptoms: fever, chills, cough…not good. Medical Center is called. Someone arrives within 90 minutes to test Passenger 1 in the cabin. Both passengers are told to stay in the cabin and await PCR results. Ninety minutes later a telephone call: Passenger 1 is positive. Medical Center says they’ll be up to test Passenger 2. Passenger 2 is negative, but instructed to remain in isolation for the duration of cruise. Passengers have many questions about quarantine process but the caller is hard to understand and disconnects before they can ask. They begin to worry. These are my kids.


          I go to Guest Services  for more information. Specifically, I want to know where my family members will be taken when the ship docks. I speak to a              Guest Services agent who is cold and dismissive. My first negative experience ever with a Norwegian employee. He says more information will be              coming from the Medical Center and that there are “many” guests affected.

 

         Another call comes from the Medical Center. The caller this time informs guests they will be taken on arrival to a “quarantine facility.” No other                      information. Guests begin to panic. What “facility”??

         I return to Guest Services and politely request to speak with a manager. I am calm. The manager is ALSO cold and dismissive. This is my second                 negative experience with Guest Services and is opposite of every other experience we’ve had on board. I sense an attitude of “You got yourself into             this–not our problem!” He does assure me that the cabin mates will be allowed to remain together (one is negative but is concerned about the other           and they will stay together). He tells me the guests will be receiving a letter.

       That evening guests receive a letter telling them they will be taken to a certain hotel upon arrival. I’m reassured as I know the hotel from having                   stayed there in the past. It’s a nice hotel. The letter tells them a port agent will be assisting them as they disembark and will arrange to get them to             the hotel. They are given phone numbers to call if there are any problems. They’re told a company called Med Com will be contacting them daily to             assess their illness and assist with medical issues. The letter says they will be responsible for paying all costs upfront and will need to submit all                 expenses and claims to their insurance carrier. If they don’t have insurance or insurance denies the claim, Norwegian will reimburse for the length of         stay (Med Com will determine the need), reasonable transportation costs, up to $100 a day for meals, flight change fees up to $300 (if applicable).

 

DISEMBARKATION DAY

 

  • 9:00 am: Guests have eaten room service breakfast. They get a phone call letting them know to prepare to disembark at 9:30-9:45. They will disembark after all other passengers have left the ship.

 

  • 10:15: A crew member in full Hazmat gear collects guests from stateroom. Crew member does not communicate with guests but motions with hand gestures where they are to proceed. 

 

  • 10:15: Guests are stopped in the hall and met by a second Hazmat-attired crew member who carries an electric aerosol-spraying device. He sprays luggage with “sanitizing” (?) spray. No communication is given. This crew member follows guests down the hallway, spraying behind them as they walk. During this process, an unmasked crew member casually passes guests in the hallway.

 

  • 10:20: Another group of guests arrives at the elevator, also having their path sprayed down as they walk. The spray machine is electric and guests have to keep stopping so the machine can be re-plugged in and spraying can continue.

 

  • 10:25: Guests get on elevator in a group and are taken to floor 5. Sanitizing is discontinued. Crew member gestures for guests to continue on to the gangway. All Hazmat protocol is discontinued at the gangway. Guests give room number and names to crew. Guests proceed down gangway–this is the last time they see anyone from Norwegian Cruise Lines.

 

  • 10:30: Porters are at the bottom of gangway, pointing in the direction to proceed. It is an alternative gangway which takes guests outside the terminal. Porters point toward a chain link gate where a port official is waiting. There are approximately 4 other groups of Covid passengers waiting and a port agent is checking passports. Port Agent points toward the gate and another agent at the gate asks people if they have a car or if they need Norwegian transport. The group with cars proceeds on their own to their vehicles. The group needing transport (approx. 40 people) walk out of the gate and are directed to stand in an area at the end of the port. Port agent announces that someone will come and direct guests onto buses. Quarantined passengers are not kept isolated from arriving/departing passengers.

 

  • 10:45: There is no longer a port agent with the group. There is no one left behind the chain link gate. Guests are on their own.

 

  • 11:45: Some passengers elect to depart – about 30 remain. Porters in the area are asked for help but say they have no information. Guests begin trying to call the phone numbers provided by Norwegian. One number rings through and goes to a voice mail box that is full. One number is for medical questions only. One number has a voicemail message that says they are only open Monday-Friday, 9-5. This is Sunday. Many guests are calling Norwegian Customer Service but no one is able to provide them information or help. Some guests are actively sick and there is no place to sit down, go to the bathroom, or get water. Guests begin getting angry and frantic. There are 3 large Sprinter-type vans with engines running, located directly in front of the group. A few guests approach the vans and ask if they are here to take a group to *the hotel I’m not going to name.* The vans say they are and allow the passengers to board (these vans are actually here to pick up Norwegian crew but, in the confusion, they unexpectedly end up with 30 Covid-positive passengers onboard).

 

  • 12:10: Three vans proceed to hotel.

 

  • 12:25: Arrival at hotel. One passenger goes in to find out about Covid-quarantine rooms. Hotel desk clerk  tells her to leave the hotel immediately. The hotel says they have not received any information about Covid guests and there are no rooms available. The vans remain at the hotel while guests frantically try to get a hold of Norwegian for help. One family is very angry and refuses to get back on the bus. Hotel official comes out and tells the van driver that the police will be called if everyone doesn’t remain on the buses. Passengers are getting hungry, angry, desperate, panicked, and some are SICK. Most are frantically still trying to call Norwegian for help. Norwegian Customer Service Supervisor says they are unable to contact the person at the port responsible (person is not answering the phone). “Sorry, we’ll call you back if we get more information.”

 

  • 1:20: Passengers are still on the vans. Van drivers are communicating by phone with their boss. (Whoever this van company is deserves a medal. The drivers are kind, empathetic and patient. They understand that they have now–unexpectedly– been fully exposed to Covid-19, and that their passengers literally have no destination to go to). The boss tells them to take passengers to a hotel 40-50 minutes away from where they are. This is not a Norwegian decision–it’s unclear how this hotel has been selected, but possibly they have agreed to take the passengers.

 

  • 1:21: A representative from the hotel *which shall not be named* comes out and says they can organize rooms but it will take a couple of hours. During that time guests will have to remain in vans and are explicitly forbidden to use bathrooms or get food or water. Some guests are desperate for a bathroom; most guests are hungry and thirsty.

 

  • 1:25: Some guests elect to exit the vans to make their own way. It’s been 3.5 hours since they left their cabins and it is clear that they have been dumped and abandoned by Norwegian. The prospect of driving 40 minutes to a hotel that has not been approved by Norwegian and may/may not welcome them does not appear good. The prospect of waiting 2 hours to enter a hotel that clearly wasn’t expecting them and has threatened to call the police on them is also not good. 

          My kids are within walking distance of my hotel; they head my way and I arrange their room, pick up their keys, and am able to ensure they have no            contact with staff or other guests in the process.

 

  • Jan 3: No word from Norwegian or Med Com. My travel agent and agency are working all day, sending emails and making phone calls. No one can explain what has just happened. The phone numbers the guests have been given STILL don’t work. Finally at 7:00 pm, due solely to the emails our agency has sent, a Norwegian employee calls. He apologizes profusely, assures that all hotel/food/transport expenses for both cabin mates will be covered, and lets the Covid positive guest know that Med Com will be contacting her.

 

  • Jan 6: No further contact from Norwegian or Med Com has happened. It’s clear Med Com will not be following up. Covid-positive guest is feeling well and has continued to observe CDC protocols.

 

 

  • Like 10
  • Thanks 21
Link to comment
Share on other sites
flying fingers

flying fingers

Posted
Posted

I figure the is no such thing as quarantine police. My pre cruise hotel is a block from the pier and has a car rental company on site. I will walk myself out and call to arrange rental car pickup. Anyone tries to stop me I will contact law enforcement myself and let them know I'm being held against my will. I'm sorry this happened to your family but makes me more determined to not let cruise line dictate my quarantine process. I can easily drive home with stops for drive thru food wearing my N95 mask. 

  • Like 10
Link to comment
Share on other sites
MsTabbyKats

MsTabbyKats

Posted
Posted

Thank you for letting us know.

I guess it's better "not to do the right thing"....and keep a low profile so you can self-disembark.

It's Omicron....not leprosy.  The hazmat suits are overkill.

I'm glad you were able to take control of the situation.  Afterall, your kids are always your kids, no matter how old they are.

  • Like 26
Link to comment
Share on other sites
RRSeeker

RRSeeker

Posted
Posted

This sounds like a nightmare. I am sorry this happened to your family. Ncl should be ashamed for treating people this way.  Makes me think I should just have taken my insurance and not go for the FCC when I canceled.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
TNcruising02

TNcruising02

Posted
Posted

Wow. What a mess.  There should have been some type of employee waiting with the covid people for their transportation.  Norwegian really dropped the ball.  Their service was horrible in your situation.  How hard can it be for Norwegian to see the process through getting the covid people to a hotel and having the Med company check up on the status of them?  That's not rocket science.  Had they simply said that everyone needed to fend for themselves, it would have been an improvement.

Norwegian really needs to get with it in the way they communicate with passengers who need to quarantine.   They will have fewer and fewer people who choose to take the risk of cruising.

  • Like 9
Link to comment
Share on other sites
ColeThornton Holiday Sharing Rare

ColeThornton

Posted
Posted
6 minutes ago, MsTabbyKats said:

 

It's Omicron....not leprosy.  The hazmat suits are overkill.

 

 

Considering how contagious this variant is and how many positive people the cruise workers are dealing with it seems quite prudent to me that they should wear HazMat suits.

  • Like 3
  • Thanks 1
  • Haha 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites
szpal

szpal

Posted
  • Author
Posted
1 minute ago, ColeThornton said:

 

Considering how contagious this variant is and how many positive people the cruise workers are dealing with it seems quite prudent to me that they should wear HazMat suits.

While I don't disagree with you and expected Norwegian to be prudent, I have to say that the whole experience could best be described as "Norwegian  Hazmat Theater," given the fact that an unmasked employee passed them in the hall and they were subsequently dumped onto a busy pier with no hazmat in sight, no transportation, and no hotel.

  • Like 23
Link to comment
Share on other sites
julie3fan

julie3fan

Posted
Posted

I'm so sorry your family had to deal with such a mess.  We get on the Bliss this coming Sunday, and I'm thankful we'll have our car parked and within walking distance of the hotel.  I'll have at-home tests packed in my suitcase, and if there's any hint at all either DH or I might need to be tested, that will be our business.  We'll do everything recommended by the CDC and our doctors, to keep everybody around us as safe as can be.

 

I hope your family members get better quickly with no lingering side effects.  Thank you for posting your experience.

  • Like 9
Link to comment
Share on other sites
BennyBrun "Live from...." Rare

BennyBrun

Posted
Posted

Thank you so much for sharing.  I am sorry to hear about the treatment your group received.  It is not right to not communicate with passengers that are already stressed and to treat people like that.  Please keep us posted if you can.  Wish you and your family stay safe and get well soon!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Oxo

Oxo

Posted
Posted

We hope and pray that your family and all others get home safely and recover quickly. 

There is no excuse for any Cruise Line to exercise 'Dereliction of Duty.'

My definition of 'Dereliction of Duty' is:

Take care of each guest from the start until they return home safely. Follow up after that.

Remain open to all communications to ensure that the guest(s) is able to contact and obtain valid resources as necessary. That means a Toll Free Number that is manned 24/7 with qualified personnel to answer medical, housing and travel information. 

I'm sure I will get all types of non-compassionate remarks from some. If you have no compassion, just bypass this posting. If you have your snarky comments, keep them as you need them.  

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites
ramdoggiesmom

ramdoggiesmom

Posted
Posted
8 minutes ago, Oxo said:

We hope and pray that your family and all others get home safely and recover quickly. 

There is no excuse for any Cruise Line to exercise 'Dereliction of Duty.'

My definition of 'Dereliction of Duty' is:

Take care of each guest from the start until they return home safely. Follow up after that.

Remain open to all communications to ensure that the guest(s) is able to contact and obtain valid resources as necessary. That means a Toll Free Number that is manned 24/7 with qualified personnel to answer medical, housing and travel information. 

I'm sure I will get all types of non-compassionate remarks from some. If you have no compassion, just bypass this posting. If you have your snarky comments, keep them as you need them.  

I couldn’t agree more. The lack of communication by NCL is unconscionable. People will go along with the program if they are informed what the program is. It’s the unknown that angers and scares people. Very bad form from NCL. And it makes me sad having cruised NCL 15 + times in the last 10 years. Not what I would’ve expected at all.

  • Like 5
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
BirdTravels "Live from...." Rare

BirdTravels

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, craig01020 said:

Those four words are the key. I'm sure in hindsight you wish you just disembarked and sought medical attention on shore. Sorry for your troubles.

… and potentially infect everyone along the way???

 

That would be totally irresponsible. 

  • Like 3
  • Haha 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites
ElizaSTN

ElizaSTN

Posted
Posted

Thank you for sharing - it’s important to know what is actually happening.  This is appalling and unconscionable, given the fact that this was and is a completely foreseeable (if not inevitable) situation. You did exactly what you were supposed to, and were treated horribly.  
 

Given this story and others, we will be bringing home tests.  If anyone in our party feels sick we will test ourselves, and if positive, self-quarantine in our cabin.  We have several Aft cabins on the same deck.  We will have cars at the port and we have hotels booked for a post-cruise stay (already planned.)

 

It is now clear that if a guest tests positive, they are essentially on their own.  Do not count on NCL for anything.  Make contingency plans for your contingency plans.  And if you can’t afford to front all of the money to deal with a post-cruise quarantine and get yourself home, then you should cancel.

  • Like 11
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing
  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Cruise Critic News & Features
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...