Edge Transatlantic Testing positive for Covid

[mimbecky]

5 hours ago, donna1009 said:

Home  tests like the lateral flow are easy and accurate. It is indeed very stressful

Hummm I think I get your drift. Choice - pay for all the changes out of pocket or deal within constraints. 

[tinaincc]

6 hours ago, Tony UK said:

Evana so sorry to hear your news. You are constantly in our thoughts and prayers. 

Research I have done indicates you can incubate covid for up to 12 days before symptoms show and you can start being infectious with omicron 2 to 3 days before symptoms show. Omicron is said to become non infectious after around 5 days but much longer in older folks.

So all this is no-one's fault. No point trying to find out where it came from etc. 

I am going to write to the cruise line asking them to produce a minimum standard going forward to apply to ALL ships as we have a right to know what to expect. Things I am thinking of suggesting are:

a choice to stay isolated in your own room with all necessary precautions. A choice for your spouse / partner to stay isolated with you even if negative. A specified person to contact morning and evening by phone at fixed times along with an emergency phone number. An agreed and pre timed meal service 3 times a day with pre order the evening before. Internet access to keep in touch with family friends and medical support at home and to access music movies and reading material on line.

Yes we all have to live with covid. It is all around us but people are wary of reporting it because of unknown and sometimes awful consequences. Celebrity should take a lead here and set a high standard. If we had Flu or Norovirus we wouldnt be treated like Evana has. A new approach is needed to stop travel confidence falling again!

I'd be interested in your thoughts and any additions before I put fingers to keyboard!

I appreciate the thought you put into this and it seems reasonable if it was July 2021! 
The cruise lines need to put a stop to this madness, immediately. Treat it like any other illness. 

[bananavan]

Hi again:
To answer some questions: 
DO I think that I am losing my mind? Hell, no I doubt very much I was suffering from sanity before we embarked on this cruise. 
Should we have just hunkered down and fingers crossed, shown up at the next cruise ship, in Civitavecchia and hoped for the best.? 
NO, that exposes everyone and you have the possibility of testing positive when you are no longer Celebrity's problem.  
Our situation is dreadful but Celebrity is taking amazing care of us. 
Flights are being rebooked once again. 
Our earliest departure is May 21. 
I think that the issue is that the Global response to Civid is inconsistent. 
Italy's rules are difficult to comprehend from afar. 
Were I to advise as to whether to cancel a cruise originating in Rome I would suggest that you give it some thought. 
Of course other people managed to avoid this completely. 
If you have suggestions as to what they did differently, then think away, just dont vocalize them. 
There is no rhyme nor reason. 
Of course the USA has to reconsider the re entry requirements, but my husband and I are in the midst of what is happening now. 
Yesterday someone suggested to me that things could be much worse, my husband could be on a ventilator. 
I replied: 
Things could also be much better. We are both vaccinated and boosted. We have both taken precautions and we do not fall into the category of morbidly obese. 
My only complaint with the Medical manner in which we are treated is that there are no provisions onboard for antivirals. 
When I had the flu in 2018 on Queen Elizabeth World cruise I was given Tamiflu, visited twice a day and after 5 days when my temperature had broken, I was cleared to leave my cabin. 
This is being treated like I have Ebola. (without the life saving efforts of Missionary Doctors from the USA.) 
We, too have Concierge Medicine but I cannot imagine how they would be able to help in this situation. 
We cannot even leave our cabin, let alone go ashore to be examined by a Dr that our MD suggests. 
For our 2020 South America circumnavigation I was able to bring Tamiflu with me. 
I did not need it. 
I wish that we had brought antivirals for Omicron.
When Celebrity Edge was sailing in Caribbean waters it was for 7 day trips. 
People were testing at home on the second day of arriving home. 
Offloading passengers to their home country is easy. 
Trying to get us home from Italy is not so easy. 


 

Edited May 10, 2022 by bananavan

[bananavan]

5 hours ago, donna1009 said:

I don’t think this is true anymore. I believe you can choose your own hotel accommodations in Italy, but I believe you are then on their radar if took an “on the record test” snd must follow current official procedures of testing before you can go home. Someone said we need to treat this more like an endemic without all the hysteria. Exactly 100%. This virus has spread enough that we can all now be responsible for ourselves as it’s far less dangerous than originally.. This is why so many no longer report and figure it out on their own. It’s too chaotic and damaging to let the “system” determine when you can go home or back to your life. US needs to get with the program and immediately cease pre-testing to fly home. No more testing unless someone has serious symptoms and seeks it. Leave the contact tracing alone too. 

Donna, we might have considered disembarking but it was very clear that the hotel and further arrangements were to be OUR responsibility. 
I have no idea where the Quarantine hotels are in Rome but we will be spirited off the ship on May 21 and flown home. 
A young Junior Officer, Caitlin has been a rockstar in trying to arrange repatriation at no expense to us. 
Our original tickets were business class and these will also be business class. 
I am so glad that you made it through this mess and are home. 

[tinaincc]

2 minutes ago, bananavan said:

Hi again:
To answer some questions: 
DO I think that I am losing my mind? Hell, no I doubt very much I was suffering from sanity before we embarked on this cruise. 
Should we have just hunkered down and fingers crossed, shown up at the next cruise ship, in Civitavecchia and hoped for the best.? 
NO, that exposes everyone and you have the possibility of testing positive when you are no longer Celebrity's problem.  
Our situation is dreadful but Celebrity is taking amazing care of us. 
Flights are being rebooked once again. 
Our earliest departure is May 21. 
I think that the issue is that the Global response to Civid is inconsistent. 
Italy's rules are difficult to comprehend from afar. 
Were I to advise as to whether to cancel a cruise originating in Rome I would suggest that you give it some thought. 
Of course other people managed to avoid this completely. 
If you have suggestions as to what they did differently, then think away, just dont vocalize them. 
There is no rhyme nor reason. 
Of course the USA has to reconsider the re entry requirements, but my husband and I are in the midst of what is happening now. 
Yesterday someone suggested to me that things could be much worse, my husband could be on a ventilator. 
I replied: 
Things could also be much better. We are both vaccinated and boosted. We have both taken precautions and we do not fall into the category of morbidly obese. 
My only complaint with the Medical manner in which we are treated is that there are no provisions onboard for antivirals. 
When I had the flu in 2018 on Queen Elizabeth World cruise I was given Tamiflu, visited twice a day and after 5 days when my temperature had broken, I was cleared to leave my cabin. 
This is being treated like I have Ebola. (without the life saving efforts of Missionary Doctors from the USA.) 
When Celebrity Edge was sailing in Caribbean waters it was for 7 day trips. 
People were testing at home on the second day of arriving home. 
Offloading passengers to their home country is easy. 
Trying to get us home from Italy is not so easy. 


 

I continue  to be amazed (in a bad way) about your story. I’m so sorry for you but amazed with your attitude. I’m grateful that you don’t have a condition that requires daily medication. Can you imagine how stressful that would be!

[bananavan]

6 hours ago, Tony UK said:

Evana so sorry to hear your news. You are constantly in our thoughts and prayers. 

Research I have done indicates you can incubate covid for up to 12 days before symptoms show and you can start being infectious with omicron 2 to 3 days before symptoms show. Omicron is said to become non infectious after around 5 days but much longer in older folks.

So all this is no-one's fault. No point trying to find out where it came from etc. 

I am going to write to the cruise line asking them to produce a minimum standard going forward to apply to ALL ships as we have a right to know what to expect. Things I am thinking of suggesting are:

a choice to stay isolated in your own room with all necessary precautions. A choice for your spouse / partner to stay isolated with you even if negative. A specified person to contact morning and evening by phone at fixed times along with an emergency phone number. An agreed and pre timed meal service 3 times a day with pre order the evening before. Internet access to keep in touch with family friends and medical support at home and to access music movies and reading material on line.

Yes we all have to live with covid. It is all around us but people are wary of reporting it because of unknown and sometimes awful consequences. Celebrity should take a lead here and set a high standard. If we had Flu or Norovirus we wouldnt be treated like Evana has. A new approach is needed to stop travel confidence falling again!

I'd be interested in your thoughts and any additions before I put fingers to keyboard!

Tony and Angela, 
Totally agree vis a vis the opportunity to order Room Service  in advance . 
Not everyone would agree to this because some would declare that they dont know what they want to eat 24 hours hence. 
Embarkation day there is limited to NO room service available. 
As we are not officially sailing on this voyage, we do not have access to the app to even find out what is on the Daily menus. 
And definitely a direct line to whomever is the COVID Concierge. 
I have lost confidence in International travel. 
BUT, not in Celebrity. Xx
 

[Tony UK]

17 minutes ago, tinaincc said:

I appreciate the thought you put into this and it seems reasonable if it was July 2021! 
The cruise lines need to put a stop to this madness, immediately. Treat it like any other illness. 

I do understand they are behind the curve! In the UK we are just asked to have a responsible attitude and there is guidance but nothing compulsory now.  Until there is a change in approach at least the measures I outlined would give a minimum standard we could all expect and they could do it now!!

[Tony UK]

9 minutes ago, bananavan said:

Tony and Angela, 
Totally agree vis a vis the opportunity to order Room Service  in advance . 
Not everyone would agree to this because some would declare that they dont know what they want to eat 24 hours hence. 
Embarkation day there is limited to NO room service available. 
As we are not officially sailing on this voyage, we do not have access to the app to even find out what is on the Daily menus. 
And definitely a direct line to whomever is the COVID Concierge. 
I have lost confidence in International travel. 
BUT, not in Celebrity. Xx
 

Well its not going to be perfect but knowing at least that something will turn up is better than a long wait. I cant understand the rigidity in applying rules like no room service on embarkation day. Its not like there are hundreds of people in isolation. They could restrict it to their slow hours...

 

The issue is very much like mine I guess. Some people would like something, a particular table , or room service. Others HAVE to have their requirements met. There is a difference. If they hadnt resolved my issue...although it took 9 days I was packing to go home! They had agred to meet my needs 3 months in advance of sailing.....

[bananavan]

32 minutes ago, Tony UK said:

Well its not going to be perfect but knowing at least that something will turn up is better than a long wait. I cant understand the rigidity in applying rules like no room service on embarkation day. Its not like there are hundreds of people in isolation. They could restrict it to their slow hours...

 

The issue is very much like mine I guess. Some people would like something, a particular table , or room service. Others HAVE to have their requirements met. There is a difference. If they hadnt resolved my issue...although it took 9 days I was packing to go home! They had agred to meet my needs 3 months in advance of sailing.....

Tonight the Comedy of Errors persisted. 
ISSUE 1: 
We were ordering from YESTERDAY's menu. Send up a new one. 
ISSUE 2:
An order arrived with one correct item. Broccoli soup. The rest were not what we ordered. 
ISSUE 3:
We tried to call Room Service to no avail. I finally took the helm and called Customer Service directly. My husband was irritated more with me than with the fact that the order was screwed up. 
ISSUE 4: 
The next order arrived, 
I had to call to the man who had delivered it and tell him that this was once again NOT our order. 
So another call was dispatched and finally the correct order arrived
This is when there needs to be one employee directly dealing with us who have no other way to get food. 
. 
And as to the implication that there are not many in Isolation, let me simply state that this hallway is increasingly filling up and there are empty trays in front of many many door 
Originallly Alan was in 6227. We are now in 6273 and I have heard from a friend who is now down the hall from us. 

 

[cruisequeen4ever]

Nooooo, things aren’t supposed to turn bad again! 😢 I’m so sorry you’re positive now, too! You 2 rest well together, and I hope things improve again!

[360Guy]

15 minutes ago, bananavan said:

Tonight the Comedy of Errors persisted. 
ISSUE 1: 
We were ordering from YESTERDAY's menu. Send up a new one. 
ISSUE 2:
An order arrived with one correct item. Broccoli soup. The rest were not what we ordered. 
ISSUE 3:
We tried to call Room Service to no avail. I finally took the helm and called Customer Service directly. My husband was irritated more with me than with the fact that the order was screwed up. 
ISSUE 4: 
The next order arrived, 
I had to call to the man who had delivered it and tell him that this was once again NOT our order. 
So another call was dispatched and finally the correct order arrived
This is when there needs to be one employee directly dealing with us who have no other way to get food. 
. 
And as to the implication that there are not many in Isolation, let me simply state that this hallway is increasingly filling up and there are empty trays in front of many many door 
Originallly Alan was in 6227. We are now in 6273 and I have heard from a friend who is now down the hall from us. 

 

Evana you are a model of perseverance!  Sending all the hugs, love and support as you weather each day determined to care for your dear husband Alan, and for you both to safely return home.   Grateful Celebrity has stepped up to get critical pieces in place while you deal with the daily left hand/right hand ordeals…no small feat and in particular, of all things the timely and accurate delivery of FOOD! 

 

No one can sit from the comfort of their own homes and armchair, quiz or “could have/should have”. Not helpful in my opinion!   Know that you are constantly held up in support and love.  You are an inspiration to me and no doubt countless others following.   

[bananavan]

1 minute ago, 360Guy said:

Evana you are a model of perseverance!  Sending all the hugs, love and support as you weather each day determined to care for your dear husband Alan, and for you both to safely return home.   Grateful Celebrity has stepped up to get critical pieces in place while you deal with the daily left hand/right hand ordeals…no small feat and in particular, of all things the timely and accurate delivery of FOOD! 

 

No one can sit from the comfort of their own homes and armchair, quiz or “could have/should have”. Not helpful in my opinion!   Know that you are constantly held up in support and love.  You are an inspiration to me and no doubt countless others following.   

Bob, you and Ray are so kind to me. 
I smiled when you said I was a model of perseverance. 
That is probably the human equivalent of a really bad headache. 🙂
I was an immigrant to Canada when I was 5 years old, 65 years ago last month. We live in the USA now. 
I am one of 6 kids with an overworked mother. 
From the age of 10 I was doing the grocery order and standing, all 4'5 of me at the Customer Service desk asking for a refund for a bad cabbage. And I will still fight for the ten cent refund. 
I was a stay at home housewife with a powerful Corporate spouse. I joked that my responsibility was taking care of all issues under 25K and his were to deal with everything above. He certainly had less to do, but he made the most of that  job and we have financial security. 
I am proud to say that my perseverance was passed on to a powerhouse 45 year old  female lawyer in Boston and a "Did you really suggest that to me?" two year old granddaughter in Indiana. 
I was raised to fight injustice. I will not go quietly into that dark night, but I am aware that nothing is accomplished with loud voices. 
Again. for those who say things could be worse, I just checked the new Merriam and Webster online dictionary and my face is directly under the definition of that sentence.

🙂 
 

[Honolulu Blue]

35 minutes ago, bananavan said:

as to the implication that there are not many in Isolation, let me simply state that this hallway is increasingly filling up and there are empty trays in front of many many door 
Originallly Alan was in 6227. We are now in 6273 and I have heard from a friend who is now down the hall from us. 

Thank you for continuing to share your adventures with us.  I'm sorry things are continuing to go not-so-well.  Perhaps another call to your officer friend is in order?

 

I do have one question - are there interior cabins on deck 6 where you are?  If so, are they being used for isolation? (HINT:  if they have bags and/or trays outside them, they probably are)

[bananavan]

3 minutes ago, Honolulu Blue said:

Thank you for continuing to share your adventures with us.  I'm sorry things are continuing to go not-so-well.  Perhaps another call to your officer friend is in order?

 

I do have one question - are there interior cabins on deck 6 where you are?  If so, are they being used for isolation? (HINT:  if they have bags and/or trays outside them, they probably are)

So far all of the cabins with trays outside are on the Infinity balcony side. 
We were delivered a lovely bottle of Chilean red wine earlier today. 
My husband is now eating the extra blueberry muffin that I ordered at breakfast. I am becoming a squirrel, and am planning in advance. ( I will be the one in Business class opening my hand luggage and taking out a cold  omelette) Thank goodness I am damn old and the eccentric label has been applied to me since I was12 so I am used to be abnormal. 🙂
The meals have been excellent. 

[Tony UK]

59 minutes ago, bananavan said:

Tonight the Comedy of Errors persisted. 
ISSUE 1: 
We were ordering from YESTERDAY's menu. Send up a new one. 
ISSUE 2:
An order arrived with one correct item. Broccoli soup. The rest were not what we ordered. 
ISSUE 3:
We tried to call Room Service to no avail. I finally took the helm and called Customer Service directly. My husband was irritated more with me than with the fact that the order was screwed up. 
ISSUE 4: 
The next order arrived, 
I had to call to the man who had delivered it and tell him that this was once again NOT our order. 
So another call was dispatched and finally the correct order arrived
This is when there needs to be one employee directly dealing with us who have no other way to get food. 
. 
And as to the implication that there are not many in Isolation, let me simply state that this hallway is increasingly filling up and there are empty trays in front of many many door 
Originallly Alan was in 6227. We are now in 6273 and I have heard from a friend who is now down the hall from us. 

 

Heard of at least another 3 who managed to get home one way or another. Celebrity have no way of knowing the numbers as there is no follow up. 

If you were on the sailing and have even mild cold symptoms take a test. Runny nose, hoarse voice sneezing are the main symptoms for Omicron!!

[Lastdance]

Evana, just to clarify, in no way was I being irreverent to you when I mentioned to someone what plans my husband and I were making for our b2b in October.  Our concierge doctor is a wealth of information regarding Covid, so having his knowledge beforehand and meds is very important to us, not to mention if we need his connections.  I have been following your thread and others to glean must needed information for our trip because I think it is very important to know and understand what could happen.  You are sharing valuable information, things that I would have never thought of by myself.  I am so thankful for this, and only wish you well, as previously stated.  Learning from you and your ongoing experiences has been eye-opening to say the least.  Thank you so much for sharing.  I wish you only the best, hoping that things steadily improve for you both, along with others who are also in this awful situation.  The decision to cruise during these times should never be taken lightly; planning for a cruise has become so much more difficult...thank you!

Edited May 10, 2022 by Lastdance

[JFontaine]

Your daughter must be going nuts, so far away and helpless. If you are reading this, my best wishes to you too. 

 

I wonder if the head of Room Service and Food and Beverage who were so kind to you realize you are still on board and in isolation.   They should both be fired if they know you are still there and haven't fixed food delivery.  It sounds from another poster that the head of the Retreat was not helpful to them.  What a shame.  

[Jim_Iain]

22 hours ago, bananavan said:

I will post more tomorrow, but for now I am simply exhausted. 
Oh, and we are next door neighbors to the Bickersons. 🙂

So sorry to read you tale.  It must be a nightmare of a roller coaster experience.   

 

You are with us in our good thought we are sending your way.  I hope there is a rainbow 🌈 just waiting to shine on you. 

[Susanb10567]

2 hours ago, bananavan said:

Hi again:
To answer some questions: 
DO I think that I am losing my mind? Hell, no I doubt very much I was suffering from sanity before we embarked on this cruise. 
Should we have just hunkered down and fingers crossed, shown up at the next cruise ship, in Civitavecchia and hoped for the best.? 
NO, that exposes everyone and you have the possibility of testing positive when you are no longer Celebrity's problem.  
Our situation is dreadful but Celebrity is taking amazing care of us. 
Flights are being rebooked once again. 
Our earliest departure is May 21. 
I think that the issue is that the Global response to Civid is inconsistent. 
Italy's rules are difficult to comprehend from afar. 
Were I to advise as to whether to cancel a cruise originating in Rome I would suggest that you give it some thought. 
Of course other people managed to avoid this completely. 
If you have suggestions as to what they did differently, then think away, just dont vocalize them. 
There is no rhyme nor reason. 
Of course the USA has to reconsider the re entry requirements, but my husband and I are in the midst of what is happening now. 
Yesterday someone suggested to me that things could be much worse, my husband could be on a ventilator. 
I replied: 
Things could also be much better. We are both vaccinated and boosted. We have both taken precautions and we do not fall into the category of morbidly obese. 
My only complaint with the Medical manner in which we are treated is that there are no provisions onboard for antivirals. 
When I had the flu in 2018 on Queen Elizabeth World cruise I was given Tamiflu, visited twice a day and after 5 days when my temperature had broken, I was cleared to leave my cabin. 
This is being treated like I have Ebola. (without the life saving efforts of Missionary Doctors from the USA.) 
We, too have Concierge Medicine but I cannot imagine how they would be able to help in this situation. 
We cannot even leave our cabin, let alone go ashore to be examined by a Dr that our MD suggests. 
For our 2020 South America circumnavigation I was able to bring Tamiflu with me. 
I did not need it. 
I wish that we had brought antivirals for Omicron.
When Celebrity Edge was sailing in Caribbean waters it was for 7 day trips. 
People were testing at home on the second day of arriving home. 
Offloading passengers to their home country is easy. 
Trying to get us home from Italy is not so easy. 

Continuing to send healing and positive vibes your way…so the earliest you can fly home is the 21st…how was that determined? And do you know what the current rules are in Italy for quarantine? We have a Rome cruise this summer and I’m getting more concerned….
 

 

[mimbecky]

1 hour ago, bananavan said:

So far all of the cabins with trays outside are on the Infinity balcony side. 
We were delivered a lovely bottle of Chilean red wine earlier today. 
My husband is now eating the extra blueberry muffin that I ordered at breakfast. I am becoming a squirrel, and am planning in advance. ( I will be the one in Business class opening my hand luggage and taking out a cold  omelette) Thank goodness I am damn old and the eccentric label has been applied to me since I was12 so I am used to be abnormal. 🙂
The meals have been excellent. 

Since your husband is now negative, can't he wear a mask and go get food to bring in?  

M

[Tony UK]

52 minutes ago, mimbecky said:

Since your husband is now negative, can't he wear a mask and go get food to bring in?  

M

If he's negative he shouldnt be treated differently than any of the other passengers who for sure wont be wearing masks. In the UK people get advice on appropriate behaviour to protect themselves and others around them and thats it! Most of those positive on board will not have reported symptoms and will be walking around the ship!

The hysteria has to stop. Omicron is infectious for around 3 days before any symptoms and it might have been incubating for 7-10 days before that! All this is locking the stable door after the horse has bolted. The cruiseline window dressing to present a healthy on board image. Stop the quarantine room idea, stop the day before tests. Covid is all around us. Sick bay is there for those who are sick and need assistance. We have to get back to normal and treat this as an endemic illness like Norovirus.

[Lastdance]

3 hours ago, Lastdance said:

Evana, just to clarify, in no way was I being irreverent to you when I mentioned to someone what plans my husband and I were making for our b2b in October.  Our concierge doctor is a wealth of information regarding Covid, so having his knowledge beforehand and meds is very important to us, not to mention if we need his connections.  I have been following your thread and others to glean must needed information for our trip because I think it is very important to know and understand what could happen.  You are sharing valuable information, things that I would have never thought of by myself.  I am so thankful for this, and only wish you well, as previously stated.  Learning from you and your ongoing experiences has been eye-opening to say the least.  Thank you so much for sharing.  I wish you only the best, hoping that things steadily improve for you both, along with others who are also in this awful situation.  The decision to cruise during these times should never be taken lightly; planning for a cruise has become so much more difficult...thank you!

Sorry, Evana, my comment was actually to OP, bananavan.

[FlorenceItaly]

9 minutes ago, Lastdance said:

Sorry, Evana, my comment was actually to OP, bananavan.

I believe Evana is the OP,  aka bananavan

[drarill]

10 hours ago, donna1009 said:

I don’t think this is true anymore. I believe you can choose your own hotel accommodations in Italy, but I believe you are then on their radar if took an “on the record test” snd must follow current official procedures of testing before you can go home. Someone said we need to treat this more like an endemic without all the hysteria. Exactly 100%. This virus has spread enough that we can all now be responsible for ourselves as it’s far less dangerous than originally.. This is why so many no longer report and figure it out on their own. It’s too chaotic and damaging to let the “system” determine when you can go home or back to your life. US needs to get with the program and immediately cease pre-testing to fly home. No more testing unless someone has serious symptoms and seeks it. Leave the contact tracing alone too. 

Something similar to the story on the link I'm sharing happened to a friend of ours. His wife was negative and was able to come back home but he tested positive and was given little time to make a decision.  This was less than 10 days ago and he just made it back yesterday, Our friend is bilingual, he speaks Spanish and English and told us that the government officials that took him away from the airport only spoke Italian.  You might think that the virus is less dangerous, etc. etc. but,  when in Rome, do as the Romans do... 😉 

https://www.cbs8.com/article/news/health/coronavirus/carlsbad-woman-forced-quarantine-in-italy-after-testing-positive-covid/509-48466f0f-b20b-4d9e-9093-e60f4e9e7f28

[drarill]

6 hours ago, bananavan said:

Hi again:
To answer some questions: 
DO I think that I am losing my mind? Hell, no I doubt very much I was suffering from sanity before we embarked on this cruise. 
Should we have just hunkered down and fingers crossed, shown up at the next cruise ship, in Civitavecchia and hoped for the best.? 
NO, that exposes everyone and you have the possibility of testing positive when you are no longer Celebrity's problem.  
Our situation is dreadful but Celebrity is taking amazing care of us. 
Flights are being rebooked once again. 
Our earliest departure is May 21. 
I think that the issue is that the Global response to Civid is inconsistent. 
Italy's rules are difficult to comprehend from afar. 
Were I to advise as to whether to cancel a cruise originating in Rome I would suggest that you give it some thought. 
Of course other people managed to avoid this completely. 
If you have suggestions as to what they did differently, then think away, just dont vocalize them. 
There is no rhyme nor reason. 
Of course the USA has to reconsider the re entry requirements, but my husband and I are in the midst of what is happening now. 
Yesterday someone suggested to me that things could be much worse, my husband could be on a ventilator. 
I replied: 
Things could also be much better. We are both vaccinated and boosted. We have both taken precautions and we do not fall into the category of morbidly obese. 
My only complaint with the Medical manner in which we are treated is that there are no provisions onboard for antivirals. 
When I had the flu in 2018 on Queen Elizabeth World cruise I was given Tamiflu, visited twice a day and after 5 days when my temperature had broken, I was cleared to leave my cabin. 
This is being treated like I have Ebola. (without the life saving efforts of Missionary Doctors from the USA.) 
We, too have Concierge Medicine but I cannot imagine how they would be able to help in this situation. 
We cannot even leave our cabin, let alone go ashore to be examined by a Dr that our MD suggests. 
For our 2020 South America circumnavigation I was able to bring Tamiflu with me. 
I did not need it. 
I wish that we had brought antivirals for Omicron.
When Celebrity Edge was sailing in Caribbean waters it was for 7 day trips. 
People were testing at home on the second day of arriving home. 
Offloading passengers to their home country is easy. 
Trying to get us home from Italy is not so easy. 


 

You did everything right.  Right now, theoretically, no-one could be traveling with Paxlovid or Molnupilavir, just in case they get sick.  Both medicines only have EUA and you need a positive COVID test to get a prescription filled in the US. Does anyone  know if Celebrity can buy these antivirals? I do know that Greece and the rest of the EU also approved the use of Paxlovid a couple of months ago.  What are the rules in the countries you are visiting? Maybe Celebrity can take the positive passengers that qualify for the treatment to a doctor ashore. 

For those of you returning home from Italy, keep in mind that the rules might change, but right now people should travel with lots of home tests, I bought five for only $25 last week in COSTCO, If  you have any symptoms, please don't think is allergies, test yourself. If you don't have any symptoms, start testing yourself two days before the last day of the cruise.  If you or any member of your family tests positive then you have to make some decisions.  After a friend of mine was taken to a COVID hotel after testing positive in Fiumicino, I really think that @bananavan made the right decision staying on the ship, our bilingual friend had a really hard time communicating with the personnel in charge at the airport when he tested positive.  Please read the article linked at the end.  Not my friend's story but similar.  

@bananavan thanks for sharing your experience with us,  hope your story helps Celebrity establish better protocols and your cruise critics family, prepare for a safer cruise experience.  I really hope you test negative  fast. Stay hydrated, take your vitamins and try to rest. 

https://www.cbs8.com/article/news/health/coronavirus/carlsbad-woman-forced-quarantine-in-italy-after-testing-positive-covid/509-48466f0f-b20b-4d9e-9093-e60f4e9e7f28

Edited May 10, 2022 by drarill