On Queen Mary now? Covid cases?

[ace2542]

3 hours ago, BouncingWheel said:

free access to TV channels

The TV/Movie channels Prime One and those movie channels and Sports 24 don't work 90% of the time. That is something they will have to work on somehow if people are facing 10 days in the cabin for a long period of time. Surely they can store on a hard drive on the ship boxsets of all the tv shows and 1000s of movies. That would work playing through a hard drive inside the ship as opposed to beaming it from god knows where? That would be on issue solved.

[ak1004]

Can someone comment how the testing is done? I know that everyone has to be tested before cruising, but what triggers testing while on board already? 

[mcloaked]

6 hours ago, Lakesregion said:

Here is my take on this issue at this point. Pick any ten contagious diseases and test for them every day in mass quantities and then look at the results. You will never leave your home again. The world is a walking disease and one must factor in the risk Vs. rewards to life. Many will never be comfortable living any more after this flare up. Others will . The US has lifted its mask mandate and there are no places where testing is required, so yes we have placed this virus in the closet along with the flu, Herpes, jaundice, aides, and hundreds of other diseases that are contagious.

 

It may well be that the CDC is setting up protocols that are relevant to the situation in the US where rather lower proportion of the population is fully vaccinated compared to most European countries and this means that the risks are higher for the US population compared to countries where vaccination rates are significantly higher.   Throwing away mask mandates does not put the virus in the closet but does the opposite, whereas a population that has almost everyone accepting full vaccine courses including a booster, is far more likely to not have to worry about being infected with Covid. The protocols in each country will be likely brought in dependent on the fraction of adult population protected by up to date vaccination, as well as the current prevalence, and that will govern whether a mask mandate will be needed to protect both vulnerable people, as well as Covid percentages of beds in the hospitals.  So I would certainly expect protocols on cruises to vary as itineraries change to different countries to give the least risk to those on board at any one time.

[Jack E Dawson]

I received an e-mail yesterday from Cunard regarding the Insights program for our May 8th Crossing on the QM2. At the bottom of the link I saw the following:

"Please note that all Cunard Insights speakers are subject to change. During your voyage self-serve laundry facilities and tuxedo rental will be unavailable. In addition, due to social distancing restrictions, the Yacht Club will be unable to operate as a night club, and Dance Hosts will not be present."

I was surprised to see that the self-serve laundry facilities were going to be closed. I had previously been informed by a Cunard representative that they were now open. I wonder if this might be an indication that COVID cases are climbing on-board?

Jack

[safarigal]

37 minutes ago, Jack E Dawson said:

I received an e-mail yesterday from Cunard regarding the Insights program for our May 8th Crossing on the QM2. At the bottom of the link I saw the following:

"Please note that all Cunard Insights speakers are subject to change. During your voyage self-serve laundry facilities and tuxedo rental will be unavailable. In addition, due to social distancing restrictions, the Yacht Club will be unable to operate as a night club, and Dance Hosts will not be present."

I was surprised to see that the self-serve laundry facilities were going to be closed. I had previously been informed by a Cunard representative that they were now open. I wonder if this might be an indication that COVID cases are climbing on-board?

Jack

Interesting. We didn't get an email about this for our May 1st crossing. I am hoping to get my laundry done on our last day on board before we transfer to another cruise where there are no laundry facilities. Well, I suppose that's what that washing line in the shower is for!

[Jack E Dawson]

2 minutes ago, safarigal said:

Interesting. We didn't get an email about this for our May 1st crossing. I am hoping to get my laundry done on our last day on board before we transfer to another cruise where there are no laundry facilities. Well, I suppose that's what that washing line in the shower is for!

safarigal,

The subject of the e-mail from Cunard was "Let the Show Begin". I just happened to notice the disclaimer at the bottom e-mail. This could be a case of the left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing. I believe you will be on the east-bound crossing before our west-bound, so perhaps you can post what you experience. 

Thanks,

Jack

[bluemarble]

31 minutes ago, Jack E Dawson said:

... This could be a case of the left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing. ...

 

Further to that thought, I notice your email about your May 8th QM2 crossing says "the Yacht Club will be unable to operate as a night club". I don't suppose you will be bothered too much about that since QM2 doesn't have a Yacht Club. The night club on QM2 is of course G32.

[safarigal]

1 hour ago, Jack E Dawson said:

safarigal,

The subject of the e-mail from Cunard was "Let the Show Begin". I just happened to notice the disclaimer at the bottom e-mail. This could be a case of the left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing. I believe you will be on the east-bound crossing before our west-bound, so perhaps you can post what you experience. 

Thanks,

Jack

You are so wonderfully observant! Yes indeed, I did get the same email, but it looked pretty generic and I didn't read it to the end. Bad me. I agree the bit about the Yacht Club is troublesome, well time will tell. I will report back on the accuracy of the email 🙂

[gkerlin]

Well after Safarigal takes her east, and Jack brings her back west, we’ll be jumping on May 15 with the pups to take her back east.

 

I will be interested to hear an update from both of you regarding how things are on board.

 

I am especially interested as to whether the aqua therapy pools, sauna, and steam rooms will be operating. They seem to be our main pleasure on a crossing as much of our time is otherwise taken up with “kennel duty“ (keeping the pups happy).     It would be hard to imagine them being open if masks are required universally indoors, but one can hope eh?

[3rdGenCunarder]

14 hours ago, safarigal said:

Interesting. We didn't get an email about this for our May 1st crossing. I am hoping to get my laundry done on our last day on board before we transfer to another cruise where there are no laundry facilities. Well, I suppose that's what that washing line in the shower is for!

 

Nooo! Cunard, don't close the launderettes. If I've been traveling before a cruise, one of my first moves is to get to the launderette right away before the fights begin. 

[FritzG]

7 hours ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

Nooo! Cunard, don't close the launderettes. If I've been traveling before a cruise, one of my first moves is to get to the launderette right away before the fights begin. 

I agree!  I need to use unscented gentle detergent so I have to wash my clothes instead of sending them out.  Also, no launderette means no irons, too. 

[cook68]

1 hour ago, FritzG said:

I agree!  I need to use unscented gentle detergent so I have to wash my clothes instead of sending them out.  Also, no launderette means no irons, too. 

A tip if you are ever away without an iron. Use a warm hair dryer over your clothes not as good but will make a difference.  

[cook68]

Am I being naive. I assumed close contact would be a member of your party. Could it also be someone you have sat next to for a while. We have spent many a pub quiz joining someones team or someone joining ours or sharing a table  while dining. Does this count? It will make for very unfriendly encounters if you're likely to get penalised by the locked in dining of shame just because you were being friendly. I now have visions of 'may I sit here' and me saying YES I do mind. I love meeting new people it's all part of the trip. 

[Victoria2]

7 hours ago, cook68 said:

Am I being naive. I assumed close contact would be a member of your party. Could it also be someone you have sat next to for a while. We have spent many a pub quiz joining someones team or someone joining ours or sharing a table  while dining. Does this count? It will make for very unfriendly encounters if you're likely to get penalised by the locked in dining of shame just because you were being friendly. I now have visions of 'may I sit here' and me saying YES I do mind. I love meeting new people it's all part of the trip. 

Sadly, it seems to literally be, close contacts.

 

We too are usually very sociable but for the very first time, we will be two topping it in the restaurant [novel, we'll have to talk to one another! 😄], will observe ''space'' where possible and I will be giving the quizzes a miss and possible the theatre too.

All seems a bit why bother'ish but the fact we'll be onboard, on holiday and on our favourite ships will make up for the unusual  approach.

Hopefully, this regime won't last into '23 although I can see the pair of us following some Japanese passengers' custom of wearing a face mask around the ship for many cruises to come.

[bluemarble]

Here's the CDC's definition of a close contact.

 

"Someone who was less than 6 feet away from an infected person (laboratory-confirmed or a clinical diagnosis) for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period"

[rakkor]

"Two topping" won't necessarily help, We were on a table for two in PG and the distance between tables is less than six feet apart, the waiters couldn't walk between the tables - We are assuming I caught it in the dining room.

 

 

42 minutes ago, bluemarble said:

Here's the CDC's definition of a close contact.

 

"Someone who was less than 6 feet away from an infected person (laboratory-confirmed or a clinical diagnosis) for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period"

 

[Victoria2]

8 minutes ago, rakkor said:

"Two topping" won't necessarily help, We were on a table for two in PG and the distance between tables is less than six feet apart, the waiters couldn't walk between the tables - We are assuming I caught it in the dining room.

 

 

 

You are right, it doesn't guarantee anything but it's a better bet than deliberately choosing to sit at a table for eight.

 

[cook68]

I really am not bothered about catching covid 'again' It was not pleasant at all but here I am. Thankfully.  What is starting to really worry me is paying the full amount for a cruise and getting half the deal and quite possibly it being ruined because the guy at the next table now has covid. Cunard are starting to get a big problem again with QM2. I hope by July and after a dry dock the Victoria stays in a green zone 

[Host Hattie]

15 minutes ago, cook68 said:

I really am not bothered about catching covid 'again' It was not pleasant at all but here I am. Thankfully.  What is starting to really worry me is paying the full amount for a cruise and getting half the deal and quite possibly it being ruined because the guy at the next table now has covid. Cunard are starting to get a big problem again with QM2. I hope by July and after a dry dock the Victoria stays in a green zone 

 

Covid is still around everywhere, the quarantine for close contacts is a CDC regulation as mentioned. If you are sailing on Queen Victoria and not calling at an American port it's unlikely to be an issue unless you test positive.

[BouncingWheel]

10 hours ago, cook68 said:

Am I being naive. I assumed close contact would be a member of your party. Could it also be someone you have sat next to for a while. We have spent many a pub quiz joining someones team or someone joining ours or sharing a table  while dining. Does this count? It will make for very unfriendly encounters if you're likely to get penalised by the locked in dining of shame just because you were being friendly. I now have visions of 'may I sit here' and me saying YES I do mind. I love meeting new people it's all part of the trip. 

Yes that counts. It did for us anyway on the recent Queen Elizabeth Northern Lights cruise.

However, on that cruise if you tested negative as a close contact (not in the party/same room) then you carried on as normal.

 

Met some lovely new people on that trip though - as you say that is part of the Cunard experience.

Edited April 23, 2022 by BouncingWheel
Added text

[ace2542]

2 hours ago, rakkor said:

We are assuming I caught it in the dining room

And from a waiter?

[ace2542]

1 hour ago, cook68 said:

I really am not bothered about catching covid 'again' It was not pleasant at all but here I am. Thankfully.  What is starting to really worry me is paying the full amount for a cruise and getting half the deal and quite possibly it being ruined because the guy at the next table now has covid. Cunard are starting to get a big problem again with QM2. I hope by July and after a dry dock the Victoria stays in a green zone 

The problem with the QM2 is the 2 and 3 leg journeys it does. Hundreds of passengers walk onto an infected ship. With most other lines nearly all the passengers get off at the end but QM2 has constant build up.

[Yorky67]

Just to add to the above. 3 decks closed off for isolation/ quarantine but so many of us at Port Everglades infected that we were taken to a hotel. We believe the same happened in New York and Barbados. Cunard doing their best , but we missed the whole Caribbean on an ‘Eastern Caribbean Cruise’. 

[ace2542]

52 minutes ago, Yorky67 said:

Just to add to the above. 3 decks closed off for isolation/ quarantine but so many of us at Port Everglades infected that we were taken to a hotel. We believe the same happened in New York and Barbados. Cunard doing their best , but we missed the whole Caribbean on an ‘Eastern Caribbean Cruise’. 

Seems like they need to take the ship out of service and let it go through the crew and come back with herd immune crew. It is clearly jumping back and forth. They also maybe need not allow b2b sailings for a while but that would be costly?

[Host Hattie]

1 hour ago, Yorky67 said:

Just to add to the above. 3 decks closed off for isolation/ quarantine but so many of us at Port Everglades infected that we were taken to a hotel. We believe the same happened in New York and Barbados. Cunard doing their best , but we missed the whole Caribbean on an ‘Eastern Caribbean Cruise’. 

That's disappointing, I wonder when Cunard will decide to give up with sailings to US ports for the moment.