Covid outbreak on the Ruby

[Optotronics]

10 minutes ago, caribill said:

 

As with pre-cruise testing, if you catch the virus at a port stop you will not test positive returning to the ship. It will be 3 to 5 days later Covid would be detectable.

 

Testing of all needs to be done mid-cruise.

I agree.

[GonzoWCS]

4 hours ago, PescadoAmarillo said:

Watching

[PescadoAmarillo]

I’m getting this information second hand, but here goes:

 

DH just talked with another guest whose wife woke with body aches and sore throat on the 20th. She tested positive and has been in a cabin on Aloha Deck ever since. She has received $400 FCC as compensation. 
 

Her husband has not tested positive and opted to remain in their cabin. His only communication with her is via iPhone. He is not allowed to enter the dining room or eat in the buffet. He is limited to room service or taking food from the buffet back to his cabin. Otherwise, he is free to move around the ship. He has been given nothing in compensation. 

[Optotronics]

Back in December or January I had heard they were giving a future cruise or a refund…believe me, it’s not worth it.

I thought we were fairly safe since they were reducing precautions and testing.

now thinking about the extra dining room and caribe cafe being closed and at times only serving food from one side of horizon court.

this whole thing is on whoever decided to get rid of testing and mask enforcement!

it’s not on us at all and I just want not be sick and to wake up to this bad dream.

[AVCruzers]

4 hours ago, CarelessAndConfused said:

Thanks for notifying us of the situation.  I hope they go back to enforced masks and non self-serve buffets before I embark in a few weeks.  Not a pleasant way to look forward to a cruise but it is what is.

I was soooo surprised to learn about the buffet situation on the RUBY.  We have been on four cruises since last fall using both the GRAND and MAJESTIC and on all of them, you could not serve yourself at the buffet except for items that were in a single small dish.   As far as I remember, covid problems were kept to a small number.  There were isolation cabins but mainly for new crew members to complete their quarantine time.  

[cruisingguy007]

23 minutes ago, caribill said:

 

As with pre-cruise testing, if you catch the virus at a port stop you will not test positive returning to the ship. It will be 3 to 5 days later Covid would be detectable.

 

Testing of all needs to be done mid-cruise.

 

Sailing with Viking would be the way to go if you want this type of stringent testing. Mass market lines (like Princess) have too many passengers and the majority of mass market passengers don't want that level of intrusion to their vacations but some may. There have been some very positive experiences reported by cruisers on Viking that happened to pop positive after port visits. They are definitely the way to go if you believe heavy testing will reduce your odds as much as possible. They test daily. There is a product for every type of cruiser, choosing the wrong product and hoping is a long shot, choosing the right product is a sure bet to get what you want and meet expectations. Worth checking out if you want that level of testing. 

[GonzoWCS]

15 minutes ago, AVCruzers said:

I was soooo surprised to learn about the buffet situation on the RUBY.  We have been on four cruises since last fall using both the GRAND and MAJESTIC and on all of them, you could not serve yourself at the buffet except for items that were in a single small dish.   As far as I remember, covid problems were kept to a small number.  There were isolation cabins but mainly for new crew members to complete their quarantine time.  

Agree our experiences on SKY and ENCHANTED were as you described on your two cruises.  How hard is it to keep things that work in place.

 

Cheers

[007colocruz]

My heart goes out to you & your wife.  I am completely in agreement with you about restrictions being lifted.  We take this as a good warning for our upcoming cruise.  I’d rather limit myself to places I feel safe had 5 cancellations so far, so will take extra precautions.

[Kay.redmann]

7 minutes ago, 007colocruz said:

My heart goes out to you & your wife.  I am completely in agreement with you about restrictions being lifted.  We take this as a good warning for our upcoming cruise.  I’d rather limit myself to places I feel safe had 5 cancellations so far, so will take extra precautions.

I am sorry for all those who are sick. I agree with masks not being required, I don’t think they help, but I hate to hear of people sick or worried. For some it is just too soon to cruise and we all have to decide what we feel  comfortable with.  Feel better soon!

 

[Calnev1]

I too am sorry for all the problems that the Ruby's passengers are going through.

 

As a strange side note, was just looking at the Ruby's position on the whatsinport website, and the Ruby is color coded as green.   Not too far away, another cruise ship, the Carnival Radiance, is colored red.  I guess that either the CDC, or maybe the website, are no longer updating their COVID status?

[azbirdmom]

35 minutes ago, HaveDogWillTravel said:

@Optotronics You want a Dedicated Family Assistance liaison. This is from the Covid 19 protection program on the website. 

 

https://www.princess.com/plan/cruise-with-confidence/covid-19-protection-program/

 

That webpage also states that Princess will arrange for the hotel.  The OP really should familiarize himself with this information so that he will know what they will and won't provide.

 

[brisalta]

1 hour ago, broberts said:

 

I agree. It's why I can't cruise now or for the foreseeable future. Not until the risk of contracting COVID on a cruise is around the same as the flu.

 

It seems to me that things were going in the right direction with pre-embarkation tests and mask wearing indoors. Abandoning these practices makes no sense to me. I don't think anyone likes wearing a mask, but surely doing so does not outweigh the pleasure of cruising. And I would argue as many will refrain from cruising if mask wearing is not required as would refrain because mask wearing is required.

 

Because mask wearing is not being required I may consider cancelling our cruise to Alaska.

When I made the reservations it was with the understanding that Princess was enforcing mask wearing, no smoking in the casino and self service was not being allowed in the buffet except for items already placed in containers.  It appears that Princess has changed all those criteria.

[DallasGuy75219]

1 hour ago, startedwithamouse said:

We have zyrtec at home.  What does it do for illness?  

Nothing for symptoms caused by COVID.

[brisalta]

1 hour ago, Optotronics said:

Not sure if they would pay for a rental car or not. Those are really pricy right now and I’m not feeling well enough to drive to Colorado.

im getting worse now and can’t hear anything but ringing. Going to see if doctor can give me something for high anxiety. Been taking Zyrtec all along to prevent allergies.

hindsight is so 20/20. No wonder I haven’t felt like drinking since Costa Rica

 

If taking Zyrtec one is supposed to avoid consumption of alcohol so perhaps it is a good thing you did not feel like drinking assuming you you were referring to drinking alcohol.

 

[voljeep]

11 minutes ago, azbirdmom said:

 

That webpage also states that Princess will arrange for the hotel.

does 'arrange for' mean pay for in advance or at time of check-out? or must receipts be submitted ?

Even with Princess Platinum Coverage thru AON ?

 

[Optotronics]

Just added some vitamin c to one of the water bottles we brought from our original cabin, took a drink and went to put it in the fridge and opened to door to find no fridge.

I was not feeling well beginning on the 21st our 30th anniversary. I thought it was just the beginning of a cold.

I have mild cognitive impairment and trouble controlling chills or overheating.

our letter said well would be compensated for our last day

they just showed up to re sanatize of bathroom after it was left full of someone’s poop.

 

[JF - retired RRT]

1 hour ago, cruisingguy007 said:

 

"Moved us the aloha deck using an interior ", sure sounds like they were stuck in an interior to me. 

OP left out the word CORRIDOR.

 

1 hour ago, startedwithamouse said:

We have zyrtec at home.  What does it do for illness?  

Nothing. Zyrtec is for allergies.

[JF - retired RRT]

Double post.

Edited March 26, 2022 by JF - retired RRT

[Optotronics]

About smoking, they have had casino smoking the whole cruise as far as I know.

plus smoking on parts of pramanade deck and sun deck. I’ve never remember smellingso much smoking on previous cruises with princess, but those were royal class.

I would put the nice anniversary cake they gave us back in the fridge, but there wasn’t one.

friends we met on the ship are also both positive.

I wonder what the final count will be or if we will ever know

[Level six]

6 minutes ago, brisalta said:

 

Because mask wearing is not being required I may consider cancelling our cruise to Alaska.

When I made the reservations it was with the understanding that Princess was enforcing mask wearing, no smoking in the casino and self service was not being allowed in the buffet except for items already placed in containers.  It appears that Princess has changed all those criteria.

We had the best cruise in November on the Grand with lower numbers and masks, so we booked the Majestic in March (supposed to be masked when booked, but mandate dropped March 1st).  Not a very good cruise.  So many people, so few masks, everyone coughing by the end of the cruise.

 

I had decided that I would make my decision on near future cruises from the Majestic experience.  So, I came home, decided not to book the Ruby to Hawaii and may cancel my 40 day fall cruise unless things change.  It is not worth it to me the amount of stress I had on the Majestic.  I am so glad now that I didn't book.  

 

 

 

[Level six]

18 minutes ago, Optotronics said:

re sanatize of bathroom after it was left full of someone’s poop

I honestly could not believe when you said that it was full of poop!!!  I would have freaked out.  Poor you, get better.  

[cruisingguy007]

41 minutes ago, Calnev1 said:

I too am sorry for all the problems that the Ruby's passengers are going through.

 

As a strange side note, was just looking at the Ruby's position on the whatsinport website, and the Ruby is color coded as green.   Not too far away, another cruise ship, the Carnival Radiance, is colored red.  I guess that either the CDC, or maybe the website, are no longer updating their COVID status?

 

https://www.cdc.gov/quarantine/cruise/cruise-ship-color-status.html

 

Radiance is green, no ships are red. 

[nini]

1 hour ago, startedwithamouse said:

Just the longer ones. 

The one in question is a longer one and the OP stated that there was no testing.

[KLM3164]

27 minutes ago, Optotronics said:

they just showed up to re sanatize of bathroom after it was left full of someone’s poop.

I think they need to sanitize your whole cabin! It obviously wasn’t cleaned after the last guest left the room. Also ask them for a refrigerator if you want one in the room. 

[broberts]

42 minutes ago, Calnev1 said:

... I guess that either the CDC, or maybe the website, are no longer updating their COVID status?

 

More likely Princess has yet to make an official report since the ship was mid voyage. But even if it had, previous reports suggest it takes the CDC more than a few days to update ship status.