Now that the CDC has dropped travel health notice for cruises...

[portiaqueen]

On 3/31/2022 at 11:56 PM, ComputerTravelGuy said:

My wife & I are booked on a HA transatlantic cruise sailing on Nov 5, 2022. Using masks in a crowded port, plane ride, or during crowded cruise assemblies would not be a deterrent for cruising. But the possibility of a quarantine overseas or onboard ship is a concern (and might cause us to cancel). 

We are currently quarantined on Sky Princess. It is not a pleasant experience. There is a complete deck turned over to a plague zone and we were escorted here via the back stairs from our mini suite to a basic balcony cabin. Everything is via room service where they put things on a table outside your cabin then knock & run. Food takes anything up to 1 1/2 hours to arrive and is warm at best. You make your own bed, eat your meals from a plate on your knee, Do your laundry in the sink and exercise by taking turns walking the 11 paces up and down the cabin

I have mild cold symptoms. My husband continues to test negative. For this we are imprisoned. Think hard before you venture onto a cruise ship right now

 

 

[debs246]

2 hours ago, portiaqueen said:

We are currently quarantined on Sky Princess. It is not a pleasant experience. There is a complete deck turned over to a plague zone and we were escorted here via the back stairs from our mini suite to a basic balcony cabin. Everything is via room service where they put things on a table outside your cabin then knock & run. Food takes anything up to 1 1/2 hours to arrive and is warm at best. You make your own bed, eat your meals from a plate on your knee, Do your laundry in the sink and exercise by taking turns walking the 11 paces up and down the cabin

I have mild cold symptoms. My husband continues to test negative. For this we are imprisoned. Think hard before you venture onto a cruise ship right now

 

 

So sorry to hear this and hope you make a speedy recovery.

May I ask how you found out you were positive. You obviously boarded clear in Southampton ( I realise you can be carrying it but it doesn’t show) but are they doing random tests onboard or in ports? Or was it because you had cold symptoms you asked to be checked? I thought people who tested positive were disembarked at the port? 
Sorry to ask these questions when you are in such a bad situation but we are due to sail 30 April and I have read so many contradictory posts.

 

[capriccio]

6 hours ago, portiaqueen said:

I have mild cold symptoms. My husband continues to test negative. For this we are imprisoned. Think hard before you venture onto a cruise ship right now

I'm sorry you are ill but you don't have a mild cold; you have tested positive for a very contagious virus.  I hope your DH continues to test negative and you recover quickly. 

 

The fact that you are quarantined cannot come as a surprise.  That has been noted on the Princess website since cruising restarted as what would happen if a passenger tested positive with Covid on board. 

 

You and fellow posters who are currently in quarantine or have experienced it recently are doing a great service alerting the cruise critic community to the nitty gritty of how the quarantine is being managed or, more accurately it seems, mismanaged.  Moving passengers into quarantine rooms within a designated area is the easy part.  Managing the passenger experience once quarantined seems an utter failure.

 

I do appreciate your caution to "Think hard before you venture onto a cruise ship right now."  

[BradysNonna]

We just got off of Harmony yesterday and booked a future cruise for next June to Iceland and Ireland. 

[KBs mum]

CDC not relevant to us, am in the UK. 

[slidergirl]

Just now, KBs mum said:

CDC not relevant to us, am in the UK. 

Wherever you start your cruise from or do port calls - that country's protocols will be very relevant to you. 

[rkacruiser]

6 hours ago, capriccio said:

Managing the passenger experience once quarantined seems an utter failure.

 

One would think after the number of times that guests have been quarantined, better and more thoughtful management of those guests in such a situation would have been devised by the Hotel Departments of the ships.  

[KBs mum]

26 minutes ago, slidergirl said:

Wherever you start your cruise from or do port calls - that country's protocols will be very relevant to you. 

I'm not currently planning to go anywhere near the US, or on a US owned or flagged ship. Why would the CDC be more relevant than their equivilents in the countries we are in/going to? 

[slidergirl]

1 minute ago, KBs mum said:

I'm not currently planning to go anywhere near the US, or on a US owned or flagged ship. Why would the CDC be more relevant than their equivilents in the countries we are in/going to? 

Read again:  whatever country you embark from or stop in, their health protocols will be in effect for cruising.  I didn't say the CDC world-wide.  🙄

[KBs mum]

47 minutes ago, slidergirl said:

Read again:  whatever country you embark from or stop in, their health protocols will be in effect for cruising.  I didn't say the CDC world-wide.  🙄

The question being discussed is CDC advice/protocols. I mentioned them only. I have no idea what you are on about, as other countries policies are not immediately relevant to this discussion

[slidergirl]

1 hour ago, KBs mum said:

The question being discussed is CDC advice/protocols. I mentioned them only. I have no idea what you are on about, as other countries policies are not immediately relevant to this discussion

Well, let's see.  People mentioning they embarked in Southampton and got quarantined.  Another posting about only doing Viking now (they have barely a handful out of the US, most are Europe/Asia).  Another is leaving Easter Day to go on a cruise out of Southampton.  So, people are talking about other locations.  🙄 I'll stop if you stop the pedantic posts. 

[KBs mum]

7 hours ago, slidergirl said:

Well, let's see.  People mentioning they embarked in Southampton and got quarantined.  Another posting about only doing Viking now (they have barely a handful out of the US, most are Europe/Asia).  Another is leaving Easter Day to go on a cruise out of Southampton.  So, people are talking about other locations.  🙄 I'll stop if you stop the pedantic posts. 

You originally replied to me when I mentioned ONLY the CDC. 

UK government advice is not relevant. They have never advised specifically against cruising, there is no mandatory testing or quarantining in England. Any such requirements are put in place by the cruise line. 

[ontheweb]

2 hours ago, KBs mum said:

 Any such requirements are put in place by the cruise line. 

Or by the countries that the cruise is visiting.

[Hlitner]

We are now on the Seabourn Ovation crossing to Europe.  There really are no longer mandated CDC protocols so Seabourn required testing within two days of embarkation but no longer did testing at the port.  But 3 days after departing from Miami we started using European protocols including masking indoors.  There have been some COVID cases aboard and those folks are isolated.  Otherwise, life aboard is more normal than not and we have enjoyed the first 9 days (all sea days) of our voyage.

 

There are some folks who obsess about COVID but most of us simply enjoy life with the usual socializing at crowded bars, lounges, etc.  Looking forward to being back in Europe where most COVID restrictions have been eased or eliminated.

 

Hank

[portiaqueen]

20 hours ago, capriccio said:

I'm sorry you are ill but you don't have a mild cold; you have tested positive for a very contagious virus.  I hope your DH continues to test negative and you recover quickly. 

 

The fact that you are quarantined cannot come as a surprise.  That has been noted on the Princess website since cruising restarted as what would happen if a passenger tested positive with Covid on board. 

 

You and fellow posters who are currently in quarantine or have experienced it recently are doing a great service alerting the cruise critic community to the nitty gritty of how the quarantine is being managed or, more accurately it seems, mismanaged.  Moving passengers into quarantine rooms within a designated area is the easy part.  Managing the passenger experience once quarantined seems an utter failure.

 

I do appreciate your caution to "Think hard before you venture onto a cruise ship right now."  

I did not say I have a mild cold. I said I have mild cold symptoms. This ‘very contagious virus’ is affecting us all similarly ie not badly

i have no issue with isolation, even though it is no longer a requirement at home. 

i self- tested and volunteered myself into isolation. I did not however bargain for the horrendous treatment we have received, including cold food, the wrong food, inedible food or even no food at all. It isnt fun when you’re permanently hungry and powerless to do anything about it

Moved from a mini suite to a basic cabin, which had been stripped back to the absolute basics. No chairs, no table, no hospitality tray. No breakfast menu cards as ‘they aren’t permitted on the isolation deck’. Not even bed skirts to make the place look less utilitarian. No exercise facilities other than 12 paces from one end of the cabin to the other
no information on what you can/ can’t/ must do. Until day3 when an a4 sheet was posted under the door to say they’ll do everything they can to make our stay comfortable. Yeah right!

I could go on at great length but it just makes me angrier. We used to be elite passengers. Now we’re just an embarrassment 

[portiaqueen]

On 4/4/2022 at 11:21 AM, debs246 said:

So sorry to hear this and hope you make a speedy recovery.

May I ask how you found out you were positive. You obviously boarded clear in Southampton ( I realise you can be carrying it but it doesn’t show) but are they doing random tests onboard or in ports? Or was it because you had cold symptoms you asked to be checked? I thought people who tested positive were disembarked at the port? 
Sorry to ask these questions when you are in such a bad situation but we are due to sail 30 April and I have read so many contradictory posts.

 

I had brought our own test kits and self tested because I had a dry throat.  We expected to have to quarantine in our cabin but we were moved to deck 9 which we discovered is sealed off as an isolation deck. It was awful. Pack up your things and follow us. Through ‘staff only’ doors and into a lift marked ‘red zone - covid’. No information, no explanation, nothing

no concern was shown about our welfare at all, apart from brief calls from the medical centre who said they were required to note my symptoms daily

I did ask, on day 1, where we were supposed to sit all day and was told ‘on the bed’. The same bed I have to sleep in all night. I asked where, as we had no table, we were supposed to eat. Answer?  Sitting on the bed with the plate in your knee ( to be fair, by this time, she was beginning to sound embarrassed)

when I finally had a meltdown and my husband lost his temper with them we were moved to a different cabin with a small sofa and small table. Guest services staff do phone regularly to ask if there’s anything we need. Getting it is a whole other matter but there are people there who care. They just have no power to change things 

 

[Maryann221]

On 4/1/2022 at 12:22 PM, HomeInNH said:

FYI, Azamara had dropped mask requirement for passengers and provided a free covid test at the pier

What port?

[debs246]

3 hours ago, portiaqueen said:

I had brought our own test kits and self tested because I had a dry throat.  We expected to have to quarantine in our cabin but we were moved to deck 9 which we discovered is sealed off as an isolation deck. It was awful. Pack up your things and follow us. Through ‘staff only’ doors and into a lift marked ‘red zone - covid’. No information, no explanation, nothing

no concern was shown about our welfare at all, apart from brief calls from the medical centre who said they were required to note my symptoms daily

I did ask, on day 1, where we were supposed to sit all day and was told ‘on the bed’. The same bed I have to sleep in all night. I asked where, as we had no table, we were supposed to eat. Answer?  Sitting on the bed with the plate in your knee ( to be fair, by this time, she was beginning to sound embarrassed)

when I finally had a meltdown and my husband lost his temper with them we were moved to a different cabin with a small sofa and small table. Guest services staff do phone regularly to ask if there’s anything we need. Getting it is a whole other matter but there are people there who care. They just have no power to change things

Thanks so much for your full explanation. I totally understand that you did the right thing but by doing so you have not been treated fairly. So pleased that you were moved to a better cabin. 
Best wishes for your future travels. 🙂

[KBs mum]

6 hours ago, ontheweb said:

Or by the countries that the cruise is visiting.

Quote in context please. Was specifically talking about the rules in place in England at the moment. 

[ontheweb]

1 hour ago, KBs mum said:

Quote in context please. Was specifically talking about the rules in place in England at the moment. 

Here in context---the cruise line only makes the rules based on the countries they will visit. So, a ship sailing from the UK will have to take into consideration the rules of the countries which it will visit.

[KBs mum]

5 minutes ago, ontheweb said:

Here in context---the cruise line only makes the rules based on the countries they will visit. So, a ship sailing from the UK will have to take into consideration the rules of the countries which it will visit.

I didn't say otherwise, I was specifically talking about how England covid rules don't affect cruises at the moment

[VineaMea]

I was always fine with taking a cruise during any point in the pandemic. I don't care if people are masked or vaccinated or not. Sick people should stay home but that's for everything from school and work. 

 

Edited April 5, 2022 by VineaMea

[rkacruiser]

1 hour ago, VineaMea said:

Sick people should stay home but that's for everything from school and work. 

 

Of course.  People can depart from their homes quite well.  Through no fault of their own, during their cruise, they contract Covid.  People who choose to travel ought to understand that if such happens, they will be quarantined on their ship.  What is unacceptable, however, is the experiences that have been posted during this couple's quarantine.  If this was the first time the Hotel Department on a Princess ship had to deal with such a situation, I'd give them a "break".  It isn't.  It's long past due for Hotel Management on that ship to develop more humane treatments for their guests.  

[Sludz]

Unfortunately, we won't be cruising until all this covid hoopla is done with. We have family members unvaccinated that are no longer welcomed even on local cruises. Yet we can fly on a plane within our own country.   The inconsistencies from the start have been ludicrous.  I also don't trust the numbers on this poll.  We had a cruise pre booked thinking it will all be over and done with by now that we have cancelled. I am sure quite a few people who took this survey would have been in the same boat excuse the pun, as we were. Obviously, cruisers want to travel! but when we are discriminated against, we would sooner spend our hard earned money on land travel that isn't discriminatory.

[tanjan4evr]

Just now, Sludz said:

Unfortunately, we won't be cruising until all this covid hoopla is done with. We have family members unvaccinated that are no longer welcomed even on local cruises. Yet we can fly on a plane within our own country.   The inconsistencies from the start have been ludicrous.  I also don't trust the numbers on this poll.  We had a cruise pre booked thinking it will all be over and done with by now that we have cancelled. I am sure quite a few people who took this survey would have been in the same boat excuse the pun, as we were. Obviously, cruisers want to travel! but when we are discriminated against, we would sooner spend our hard earned money on land travel that isn't discriminatory.

Right on!  we are unvaxxed and have natural immunity.  We have decided to try and go with all inclusive resorts. Our kids say they are great and offer what the ships do.   So untill jab mandates are gone we are not sailing!!!