First time Princess Cruiser, Got Covid :(

[Honolulu Blue]

4 hours ago, maggipie said:

1. No, we were not tested again, and for the positive test that was our ticket to the quarantine cabin, the nurse did a cursory glance at our antigen test that was sitting on the desk and remarked "That is positive all right!"  Guess she thought it would be nuts for anyone to fib their way into isolation. Since we returned home, we've both had a PCR test for official confirmation, should we need it the next 90 days.

 

2. No, we're still good with Princess! If Eclipse had sailed, Covid could've snuck up on us there too. Plus Port of SF is just 25 miles north ... much closer than any of our prior Celebrity ports.

 

Thank you for taking time to reply to all our questions.  I'm glad this experience didn't completely traumatize you; Princess has some things they do quite well.  I wish you all the best of luck.

Edited April 7, 2022 by Honolulu Blue

[JF - retired RRT]

3 hours ago, caribill said:

 

Recording new music to play while you are on hold on the phone with Princess.

What!!?? They changed the music? 

I'd be happy with static compared to the "music" on most holds (esp. Princess 🤢).

[san diego sue]

And when someone tests positive there is no attempt to notify traveling companions(friends) or people who had close contact. I know this first hand.Maybe on short 7 day cruises they figure you can just go home,  be surprised a few days later.

[Calnev1]

7 hours ago, caribill said:

 

Amazing how it is too big a fire hazard for a healthy person to smoke on a balcony but is not for a Covid patient.

I am not sure what reason Princess cites for not allowing healthy persons to smoke on their balconies.  It could be the fire hazard.  But I would think at least part of the reason in reality is that folks who smoke on their balconies can ruin the experience of nonsmokers who have balcony cabins downwind.  I remember on at least one cruise we couldn't use our balcony because of the stench created by some heavy smokers upwind.  Of course, that begs the question of why they are letting COVID quarantined folks smoke on their balconies.  As I posted before, I think it has to do with the fact that they KNOW smokers will smoke, and if they can't smoke outside on their balconies they will smoke inside their quarantine cabins, creating a greater fire hazard AND a greater smell problem for future occupants of the quarantine cabin.

[Cruise Raider]

On 4/6/2022 at 9:18 AM, tonit964 said:

How could they not be prepared? They had a year and a half pause to get it together and be prepared for other variants and surges and how to handle that once cruising started again. What the heck were they doing all that time?

 

Perhaps a number of crew also tested positive or were in close contact with someone that tested positive and were made to quarantine as well.  It's not as though a cruise ship can carry an extra couple hundred staff onboard for this situation.  I'm sure all the planning and preparedness wouldn't be enough to cover every situation.  Public health departments have also had the same amount of time to deal with these situations and they've gotten out of hand on land as well.  So, I cut them some slack as I feel they can do only the best they can do.  Some will always feel as though it is never enough and  some think things are handled appropriately and some of it is all about perception.  

 

 

[downsmead]

8 hours ago, caribill said:

 

Recording new music to play while you are on hold on the phone with Princess.

You can quickly get fed up with it, the time it takes to get through to anyone, always presuming you are lucky enough to do so 🤦‍♀️😂

[KLM3164]

@maggipieThank for the valuable information! We are on the MP in a few weeks. We have a number of contingency plans in case either one of us were to catch “it”. One is getting a rental car to drive home instead of going into a hotel for quarantine. So glad you reported that this is was an option for your family. We would much rather do the 7 hour drive than get stuck in a hotel for a few days. 

[PescadoAmarillo]

1 hour ago, Cruise Raider said:

 

Some will always feel as though it is never enough and  some think things are handled appropriately and some of it is all about perception.  

Or about that fact that reality seems to be differing so much from ship to ship. 

[cal56girl]

1 minute ago, PescadoAmarillo said:

Or about that fact that reality seems to be differing so much from ship to ship. 

...which is probably one of the most troubling issues at this point.
With all of the summer cruises coming up, I hope that the protocols and policies are updated and standardized!

 

[Host CJSKIDS]

15 hours ago, AnyMajorCruiseDude said:

Yes thank you.  Too bad only certain reports are allowed.

Absolutely all reports are “allowed” if that’s the term you want to use as long as they follow the guidelines. There are plenty of negative reports on how people have been treated. 
 

if you have a report today on n how you or your traveling companions were treated, please make sure you post it. 

[MustangGT]

2 hours ago, PescadoAmarillo said:

Or about that fact that reality seems to be differing so much from ship to ship. 

It boggles the mind!  We know Princess is consistently inconsistent but why not a SOP for dealing with onboard Covid cases?  It would only increase confidence for the passengers and the crew!  Come on Princess!  We need a Passenger Bill of Rights with explicit expectations and procedures.  How hard can that be to accomplish?

[Cruise Raider]

1 hour ago, MustangGT said:

It boggles the mind!  We know Princess is consistently inconsistent but why not a SOP for dealing with onboard Covid cases?  It would only increase confidence for the passengers and the crew!  Come on Princess!  We need a Passenger Bill of Rights with explicit expectations and procedures.  How hard can that be to accomplish?

Nothing related to CoVid seems to be an easy accomplishment.   What would you suggest they do?  Not trying to sound snarky, they are following the CDC guidelines.  It’s my understanding that several officials in DC have  tested positive for CoVid.  Nobody has the absolute answers.  
For cruises, some say the care is good, some complain no matter what.  I’ve already said it, it’s probably all due to perception.  I definitely feel as though one is safer on a cruise than on an airplane.  

[PescadoAmarillo]

22 minutes ago, Cruise Raider said:

Not trying to sound snarky, they are following the CDC guidelines. 

No, they really aren’t. They claim it is because a cruise ship is an inherently riskier environment, but in other ways they are falling short of CDC guidelines. 

[Cruise Raider]

4 minutes ago, PescadoAmarillo said:

No, they really aren’t. They claim it is because a cruise ship is an inherently riskier environment, but in other ways they are falling short of CDC guidelines. 

Like I said, it’s probably based on perception.  Enough said!  

[United_11]

On 4/6/2022 at 6:59 AM, PescadoAmarillo said:

My husband did not receive anything like the FAQs on the Ruby Princess. Still hasn’t. Here is the total of what he received while in isolation. 

Do you know what part of the Ruby they are using for quarantine (deck, forward/aft, etc.)?  We're on the Ruby in a few weeks and I'm just wondering how close we'll be to the quarantine deck and staterooms.  I'm concerned about smelling smoke from our balcony because of our stateroom location.  Thank you!

[PescadoAmarillo]

30 minutes ago, United_11 said:

Do you know what part of the Ruby they are using for quarantine (deck, forward/aft, etc.)?  We're on the Ruby in a few weeks and I'm just wondering how close we'll be to the quarantine deck and staterooms.  I'm concerned about smelling smoke from our balcony because of our stateroom location.  Thank you!

Aloha Deck port side.

 

The problem is that the outside of promenade deck, starboard aft is using for smoking too. Our cabin was on Riviera Deck toward the back and we very often had the smell of smoke on our balcony, even when the ship was moving. 

[AnyMajorCruiseDude]

2 hours ago, Cruise Raider said:

Like I said, it’s probably based on perception.  Enough said!  

Thanks for your common sense and level-headed responses!  Agree completely as always.

[Thrak]

20 hours ago, maggipie said:

 

Cruise Raider posted a letter addressed to guests (post #6), under "Caribbean Princess cruise from San Francisco to Vancouver for tomorrow cancelled"

 

 

Just FYI... The link in that post has expired and no longer works.

Edited April 8, 2022 by Thrak

[MustangGT]

3 hours ago, Cruise Raider said:

Nothing related to CoVid seems to be an easy accomplishment.   What would you suggest they do?  Not trying to sound snarky, they are following the CDC guidelines.  It’s my understanding that several officials in DC have  tested positive for CoVid.  Nobody has the absolute answers.  
For cruises, some say the care is good, some complain no matter what.  I’ve already said it, it’s probably all due to perception.  I definitely feel as though one is safer on a cruise than on an airplane.  

My point is that Princess does not have the same procedures or instructions from ship to ship.  
The comprehensive document the OP received was not the same for other passengers on Ruby for instance.  My question is, “Why?”  It should not be ship-dependent but a standard that passengers could expect. 

[PescadoAmarillo]

Another “perception” of quarantine reality on the Ruby Princess. 
 

 

[HaveDogWillTravel]

On 4/6/2022 at 7:41 AM, HaveDogWillTravel said:

@maggipiethank you for posting about your experience and especially for that letter. 
 

I find it simply amazing that a standard letter (yours seems to be the model to use) was not developed by Princess Corp HQ and sent to all ships in the fleet.  How can they not consider this a very BASIC and integral foundational piece of the entire Covid response? Stunning, just stunning.   

Post 1 and 13 show the letters provided to passengers going into isolation on 2 different ships. That’s not a difference in perception (don’t hate me @CruiseRaideryou know I adore you). Maybe the conversation shifted and I missed it? But I thought the main complaint was in the huge disparity in the information provided?  
 

I am worried about the passenger with memory issues who is having a poor experience in isolation.  I am worried that not everyone has a strong clear headed advocate on board to run interference with guest services. I am worried about the more fragile guests and an overwhelmed crew with inconsistent leadership. 
 

[AnyMajorCruiseDude]

9 minutes ago, HaveDogWillTravel said:

Post 1 and 13 show the letters provided to passengers going into isolation on 2 different ships. That’s not a difference in perception (don’t hate me @CruiseRaideryou know I adore you). Maybe the conversation shifted and I missed it? But I thought the main complaint was in the huge disparity in the information provided?  
 

I am worried about the passenger with memory issues who is having a poor experience in isolation.  I am worried that not everyone has a strong clear headed advocate on board to run interference with guest services. I am worried about the more fragile guests and an overwhelmed crew with inconsistent leadership. 
 

Except other posts, that keep disappearing (from me at least) show a different story.  Lots of different posts and experiences apparently.

[PescadoAmarillo]

Just because it didn’t happen to me doesn’t mean it didn’t happen. 
 

Just because it didn’t happen to you doesn’t mean it didn’t happen. 

[MustangGT]

4 minutes ago, PescadoAmarillo said:

Just because it didn’t happen to me doesn’t mean it didn’t happen. 
 

Just because it didn’t happen to you doesn’t mean it didn’t happen. 

Amen!

[suzyed]

On 4/6/2022 at 9:14 AM, Sunwanabe said:

Thank you for the post. How passengers are treated in isolation is inconsistent. If this was the standard care and being placed in a balcony cabin, I know for myself this would ease the fear of cruising. 

We were stuck at sea in South America on the Coral Princess when Covid just started 05/2000 we were eventually all confined to our cabins after two deaths on board. Anyone who was not in a balcony cabin was moved to one.  A friends was moved from an oceanview to a mini suite.

Edited April 8, 2022 by suzyed