Blogging from the Ruby Princess

[JF - retired RRT]

1 hour ago, PacnGoNow said:

What a mess!  What’s going to happen in the fall if we have another surge?

 

Not IF, when.

[mellon1]

25 minutes ago, JF - retired RRT said:

Not IF, when.

Yes, I agree.  This is going to be part of life going further and our doc said it is going to be like the flu most likely, vaccines to prevent you from really getting sick.  Oh, and flu starts when the kids go back to school in the fall.  Final payment is due for us then.  

[Pamster]

11 hours ago, donswife said:

That makes sense.  After we test positive at work, we are exempt for 90 days.  Then its back to our previous current schedule.

Except that the person on Discover who shared their letter had NOT previously tested positive. So it does sound like no testing of in-transit passengers. 

[Pamster]

2 hours ago, PacnGoNow said:

But, those would be in quarantine, most likely.  Why not test the b2b’s, who are not in quarantine, to keep the spread down, or quarantine, if they chose or offload them if they are positive as they have been doing?  Maybe too many would be positive?  
 

Bring back the mask mandate and you’ll cut it down significantly, before the outbreak.

 

What a mess!  What’s going to happen in the fall if we have another surge?

 

what’s going to happen is that cruise lines are going to reclaim their “Petrie dish” attribute and all the good work they’ve done to control COVID and bring back business will be down the drain. And they’ll contribute to the spread. 
 

It may start sooner than the fall with this new variant getting a foothold. Out of 700 attendees at the Gridiron Dinner they have been almost 60 reported positive attendees. And they were together for a few hours, not for several days. 

[ebeluga]

7 minutes ago, Pamster said:

Except that the person on Discover who shared their letter had NOT previously tested positive. So it does sound like no testing of in-transit passengers. 

Indeed, no one mentioned any testing time/place on the 4/3 or 4/10 roll call for b2b.

[PescadoAmarillo]

Interesting article in my morning The Points Guy email on testing positive abroad. Not sure I can post it here, but I’m sure the mods will keep me straight. 😊

 

https://thepointsguy.com/news/lessons-learned-testing-positive-abroad/?utm_source=TPG Daily Newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=4049498&utm_usr=cac0e72b3b36ff7871da123e7933745d2890104c16f547a593ccc4bf8b663544&utm_msg=ed0d717ef02c4d5d8272e10a44a9b19e&utm_date=2022-04-10

[PescadoAmarillo]

15 minutes ago, Pamster said:

Except that the person on Discover who shared their letter had NOT previously tested positive. So it does sound like no testing of in-transit passengers. 

It seems there is a lot of confusion about this on the Ruby Princess right now also, with people being told one thing, receiving letters stating the contrary, and being told by Guest Relations to ignore the letters. 

[bluesea321]

30 minutes ago, Pamster said:

It may start sooner than the fall with this new variant getting a foothold. Out of 700 attendees at the Gridiron Dinner they have been almost 60 reported positive attendees. And they were together for a few hours, not for several days. 

 

Where did you get your data?  The information I can find says about 10%, not 60.

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/04/09/least-67-guests-test-positive-covid-after-washington-gala/

[boom op]

The people posting on FB on the Ruby right now must be on a different ship.

[Javaholic]

39 minutes ago, bluesea321 said:

 

Where did you get your data?  The information I can find says about 10%, not 60.

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/04/09/least-67-guests-test-positive-covid-after-washington-gala/

 

39 minutes ago, bluesea321 said:

 

Where did you get your data?  The information I can find says about 10%, not 60.

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/04/09/least-67-guests-test-positive-covid-after-washington-gala/

60 attendees of 700 is almost 10%.

[bluesea321]

My mistake.  I took the 60 to mean 60%.

[ebeluga]

1 hour ago, PescadoAmarillo said:

Interesting article in my morning The Points Guy email on testing positive abroad. Not sure I can post it here, but I’m sure the mods will keep me straight. 😊

 

https://thepointsguy.com/news/lessons-learned-testing-positive-abroad/?utm_source=TPG Daily Newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=4049498&utm_usr=cac0e72b3b36ff7871da123e7933745d2890104c16f547a593ccc4bf8b663544&utm_msg=ed0d717ef02c4d5d8272e10a44a9b19e&utm_date=2022-04-10

Yes, this makes disembarking in a foreign country tricky for the returning to US.  Disembarking in Canada fits that category, unfortunately for my Canada/NE cruises!!

[geocruiser]

I have not seen anything about this on the news media.  Has any one seem about cruise ship out breaks of covid on the news?

[Steelers36]

2 hours ago, PescadoAmarillo said:

Interesting article in my morning The Points Guy email on testing positive abroad. Not sure I can post it here, but I’m sure the mods will keep me straight. 😊

 

https://thepointsguy.com/news/lessons-learned-testing-positive-abroad/?utm_source=TPG Daily Newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=4049498&utm_usr=cac0e72b3b36ff7871da123e7933745d2890104c16f547a593ccc4bf8b663544&utm_msg=ed0d717ef02c4d5d8272e10a44a9b19e&utm_date=2022-04-10

Thanks for this.  TPG should have been aware of at least a couple of his lessons before he left, considering travel is his life.  I'd take more than one test from home since they don't take up a lot of space and you can contact a proctoring provider from an overseas country.  We have free rapid antigen tests available here and they come in 5-packs.  I think we take two of them if Covid and testing is still a thing this Fall.  We can self-test if/when needed and also contact a proctor if we need an official result to return home or to re-board the second ship.

[tcdcruiser]

I am aboard the Ruby Princess and have been for the last 14 days 

 

I can assure all that these rumours of widespread covid exposure and confused passengers are NOT being observed.

 

From Cruise Critic posts only we know of a “handful” of covid cases from passengers or SO that have publicly shared their covid test results and quarantine experiences. 

 

As I walk around the ship everything seems calm, and routine.  I base this on this being my 39th Princess cruise. 

 

• Have any have Ruby’s events or tours been cancelled or changed due to covid?  No

 

• Has Ruby Princess changed the mask guidance from “optional” indoors (with a few exceptions) to “required” ?  No

 

• Has the sign at the elevators about masking been changed from “suggested” to “required” ?  No

 

• Have passengers been talking about covid aboard or expressing any worries?  Rarely.  Weather is a more common topic since we never found warm weather. 

 

• Do any of the passengers seem worried or concerned?  No

 

• How many passengers are waiting in the line to chat with guest services?  As of 940am….one.  Seems calm to me. 

 

• Did the Ruby have a covid issue on the PRIOR cruise that visited South America and Central America?  Yes.   During the Panama Canal cruise, not this cruise, passenger masking was made mandatory. 
   

A more believable rumour would be that the barrel chairs removed from the balcony cabins a few years ago have been found!  Rumour is they were hiding with the extra butter pats missing from the MDR. 

 

Edited April 10, 2022 by tcdcruiser

[geocruiser]

21 minutes ago, tcdcruiser said:

I am aboard the Ruby Princess and have been for the last 14 days 

 

I can assure all that these rumours of widespread covid exposure and confused passengers are NOT being observed.

 

From Cruise Critic posts only we know of a “handful” of covid cases from passengers or SO that have publicly shared their covid test results and quarantine experiences. 

 

As I walk around the ship everything seems calm, and routine.  I base this on this being my 39th Princess cruise. 

 

• Have any have Ruby’s events or tours been cancelled or changed due to covid?  No

 

• Has Ruby Princess changed the mask guidance from “optional” indoors (with a few exceptions) to “required” ?  No

 

• Has the sign at the elevators about masking been changed from “suggested” to “required” ?  No

 

• Have passengers been talking about covid aboard or expressing any worries?  Rarely.  Weather is a more common topic since we never found warm weather. 

 

• Do any of the passengers seem worried or concerned?  No

 

• How many passengers are waiting in the line to chat with guest services?  As of 940am….one.  Seems calm to me. 

 

• Did the Ruby have a covid issue on the PRIOR cruise that visited South America and Central America?  Yes.   During the Panama Canal cruise, not this cruise, passenger masking was made mandatory. 
   

A more believable rumour would be that the barrel chairs removed from the balcony cabins a few years ago have been found!  Rumour is they were hiding with the extra butter pats missing from the MDR. 

 

Do you have a number of the PAX with Covid on Board?

 

Thank you.

Edited April 10, 2022 by geocruiser

[Greg4502]

tcdcruiser- This is helpful news. All the information going here and there. This is info I have been looking for, very helpful. Thanks

[tcdcruiser]

Geocruiser asked

Do you have a number of the PAX with Covid on Board?     No

 

 Princess does not, nor any line to knowledge, make this information available.  But since we have not been asked to always wear our masks (like the prior Panama Canal cruise) I infer the covid issues are not as severe. 

Again, their is nothing observable or experienced during the last 14 days to indicate a covid spread of concern. 

When I read a cruise critic member posting about their personal, first hand experience while on board I consider that credible.  I am aware of 2 cases that fit this criteria  

 

 

[CalTexCruiser]

57 minutes ago, tcdcruiser said:

I am aboard the Ruby Princess and have been for the last 14 days 

 

I can assure all that these rumours of widespread covid exposure and confused passengers are NOT being observed.

 

From Cruise Critic posts only we know of a “handful” of covid cases from passengers or SO that have publicly shared their covid test results and quarantine experiences. 

 

As I walk around the ship everything seems calm, and routine.  I base this on this being my 39th Princess cruise. 

 

• Have any have Ruby’s events or tours been cancelled or changed due to covid?  No

 

• Has Ruby Princess changed the mask guidance from “optional” indoors (with a few exceptions) to “required” ?  No

 

• Has the sign at the elevators about masking been changed from “suggested” to “required” ?  No

 

• Have passengers been talking about covid aboard or expressing any worries?  Rarely.  Weather is a more common topic since we never found warm weather. 

 

• Do any of the passengers seem worried or concerned?  No

 

• How many passengers are waiting in the line to chat with guest services?  As of 940am….one.  Seems calm to me. 

 

• Did the Ruby have a covid issue on the PRIOR cruise that visited South America and Central America?  Yes.   During the Panama Canal cruise, not this cruise, passenger masking was made mandatory. 
   

A more believable rumour would be that the barrel chairs removed from the balcony cabins a few years ago have been found!  Rumour is they were hiding with the extra butter pats missing from the MDR. 

 

 

Your positive spin on events is distracting from the gloom & doom; you may even cause us to actually get excited for our upcoming Apr 11 sailing.

 

By the way, as you get closer up the coast towards SF this afternoon, could you let us know how much rolling you are experiencing as high coastal winds/waves are expected.

 

 

[geocruiser]

I just checked the CDC web site.  The ship is in code orange.  So, to me it looks like there are more than the cases that I have read about on this thread.  How many, I don't know.  Of course, there can be undetected cases too.  As for exposure to other  PAX ,well . I just think about when I was on a cruise ship and how many people I came in contact with per day.  It was  a lot.

I don't have the answers, but as cases get reported the answer will come out.

[tcdcruiser]

Thanks. I am trying to report only what I personally observe or experience

 

The seas.  We are passing Vandenberg AFB and can share that the pool water is leaping out of the pool!   It is rock and roll!

 

 

[IJustWantToGo36]

1 hour ago, geocruiser said:

I have not seen anything about this on the news media.  Has any one seem about cruise ship out breaks of covid on the news?

Other than CB coming to San Fran, this covid cases are being kept quiet.

This is one of the issues.

[bluesea321]

56 minutes ago, geocruiser said:

Do you have a number of the PAX with Covid on Board?

 

On page 16 of this thread Pescado Amarillo posted that all 139 balcony cabins on the isolation deck were full and they were now using inside cabins (likely for crew).  So the pax experience is bound to be either great or awful, great if they are not in "covid jail" and awful if they are.

[geocruiser]

1 hour ago, bluesea321 said:

 

On page 16 of this thread Pescado Amarillo posted that all 139 balcony cabins on the isolation deck were full and they were now using inside cabins (likely for crew).  So the pax experience is bound to be either great or awful, great if they are not in "covid jail" and awful if they are.

 

 

Thank you for the info.

Now that is a lot.  Just a thought.. If 139 PAX were all sharing a cabin for two, that is 278 people have/  or been exposed to covid.  Those 278 PAX have mixed to some extent (close or casual) with other PAX and crew.  That is more exposure that I would like.  I guess I am staying on land!!

[ebeluga]

9 minutes ago, geocruiser said:

 

 

Thank you for the info.

Now that is a lot.  Just a thought.. If 139 PAX were all sharing a cabin for two, that is 278 people have/  or been exposed to covid.  Those 278 PAX have mixed to some extent (close or casual) with other PAX and crew.  That is more exposure that I would like.  I guess I am staying on land!!

But once they return to SFO, all (+) passengers are off loaded to finish their isolation on land so it starts fresh.