How to avoid catching COVID on a cruise

[islandwoman]

7 minutes ago, SargassoPirate said:

 

Most likely what you are hearing is that people are testing positive, identified as a "case", and then being quarantined/removed from the ship. 

 

Yes, but I also know people who have not only tested positive, but have developed symptoms after taking a cruise.  They are members of my family who are vaxxed and boosted.  This is not just something I read online (although that too).

DH and I are booked on a cruise in two weeks.  This is a cruise where everyone is required to be vaccinated and tested before boarding. But passengers could easily catch COVID in a port of call.  We intend to wear an N-95 or KN-95 in indoor venues, but I still don't know how we're going to eat, since it's physically impossible to wear a mask while eating!  I suppose that room service will be the only option.

As for staying home, we have been doing that for over two years.  I can no longer count the number of trips we've cancelled.  It's beginning to look as if COVID will never be over.  Staying home for the rest of my life is not an attractive option.

[RevM]

We have been vaccinated and boosted. We went to Bermuda in May. I wore my make whenever I left my room and had my small hand sanitizer. I didn't get sick. Husband didn't wear mask. The morning of Disembarkation, he had symptoms.

 

I ate at the restaurants, sat in crowds and enjoyed myself. If I went to the buffet I used hand sanitizer before and after touching the tongs.

 

I got off the same way I got on, no covid. I suggest wearing your mask as much as you can, use your hand sanitizer and ENJOY your trip. (For informational purposes only, does not constitute medical advice).

 

[SargassoPirate]

2 hours ago, islandwoman said:

Yes, but I also know people who have not only tested positive, but have developed symptoms after taking a cruise.  They are members of my family who are vaxxed and boosted.  This is not just something I read online (although that too).

DH and I are booked on a cruise in two weeks.  This is a cruise where everyone is required to be vaccinated and tested before boarding. But passengers could easily catch COVID in a port of call.  We intend to wear an N-95 or KN-95 in indoor venues, but I still don't know how we're going to eat, since it's physically impossible to wear a mask while eating!  I suppose that room service will be the only option.

As for staying home, we have been doing that for over two years.  I can no longer count the number of trips we've cancelled.  It's beginning to look as if COVID will never be over.  Staying home for the rest of my life is not an attractive option.

 I did a cruise not long after the restart where the rule was wear a mask inside. Period.  When you get to your table, you could remove the mask to eat.  In the bars the rule was sip and cover, but that was a silly rule and not enforced.

 

As soon as we got our vaccinations, we returned to life as normally as we could, but still followed the masking mandates as required.

 

With more decades behind us than in front of us, we have no time to lose.

 

If you are concerned about covid, wear a mask to protect yourself.

[Mary loves to travel]

4 minutes ago, SargassoPirate said:

 

If you are concerned about covid, wear a mask to protect yourself.

Yes, we all get that.    What's being discussed, for those of us who are not just "living our lives as before", but still want to "stop hiding at home", are ways to do that:   how to get out and about, enjoy the cruise, and still minimize our chances of catching covid.      I know for some there's no middle ground, it's either stay home or act like it's 2019, which is fine for those people.   For many of us, there is a middle ground though.     I appreciate tips from those who've sailed.

[SargassoPirate]

5 hours ago, Mary loves to travel said:

Yes, we all get that.    What's being discussed, for those of us who are not just "living our lives as before", but still want to "stop hiding at home", are ways to do that:   how to get out and about, enjoy the cruise, and still minimize our chances of catching covid.      I know for some there's no middle ground, it's either stay home or act like it's 2019, which is fine for those people.   For many of us, there is a middle ground though.     I appreciate tips from those who've sailed.

As I said, I have sailed since the restart.  I've also taken several flights, and I've taken several road trips during the peak days of the pandemic as soon as I got vaccinated.  Some of my background is in public health and even pre-pandemic there were certain practices that She Who Must Be Obeyed and I followed.  Without sounding like a lecture or dissertation, here are a few things that have kept us safe while traveling worldwide and 50-some cruises.

 

1.  We take every vaccine available for travel and keep our shot cards up to date.

 

2.  On airplanes we whip out a couple of sanitizing wipes and wipe down every hard surface we are likely to touch, and pre-covid this used to get some sidelong glances from other passengers.

 

3.  When we enter a new hotel room, out come a couple of more wipes and we wipes down every hard surface we are likely to touch - including the remote - the most germ laden device in the room.

 

4.  We never, ever eat food from street vendors.

 

5.  If we do end up eating in an establishment that may be questionable, we only eat hot food and stay away from salads.

 

6.  In any food establishment, we are always on the lookout for staff wearing plastic gloves.  If you see them, watch and see how many surfaces those gloves touch other than food.  Plastic gloves only serve to keep the wearer's hands clean. They are not magic sanitizing gloves.

 

7.  When cruising, after we are seated in the MDR or buffet, we sanitize our hands.  Think about it.  Sure, you maybe sanitized your hands on the way in, or did "washy washy" if handwashing sinks are available at the entrance, but between there and the table how many things did you touch?  Serving ladles or tongs? The underside of the chair as you were seated?  The menu?  The condiment containers?  Think about that before you pick up and butter a roll to pop into your mouth

 

I'm sure I left something out, but these practices have kept us safe and illness/disease free while traveling domestically, internationally, and even the local BBQ joint.

 

Safe and healthful travels.

[Mary loves to travel]

@SargassoPirate

 

hehe, that's our "list" as well 🙂    And yes, pre-pandemic, we certainly got a few sideways looks when wiping down our seats & etc on the plane (and sometimes with the other practices you list).

 

Many cruises it seems there are 10-20% of people who get covid.     So, 80+% who don't.   Of those that don't get covid, difficult to sort out those who were lucky versus those that took precautions that worked.     It seems among those who ended up with covid, there are a few common themes:   not masking in crowded areas, eating & drinking inside without a mask, etc.      We'll certainly mask indoors (except in our own stateroom), and most likely will avoid inside dining.   We do enjoy the MDR and restaurants, but maybe just not in the cards for us this trip.    We *really* want to avoid quarantine.                                                                                                                                                                                                   Best,

Mary

[hazeleyes46]

On 7/1/2022 at 5:04 PM, Mary loves to travel said:

@SargassoPirate

 

hehe, that's our "list" as well 🙂    And yes, pre-pandemic, we certainly got a few sideways looks when wiping down our seats & etc on the plane (and sometimes with the other practices you list).

 

Many cruises it seems there are 10-20% of people who get covid.     So, 80+% who don't.   Of those that don't get covid, difficult to sort out those who were lucky versus those that took precautions that worked.     It seems among those who ended up with covid, there are a few common themes:   not masking in crowded areas, eating & drinking inside without a mask, etc.      We'll certainly mask indoors (except in our own stateroom), and most likely will avoid inside dining.   We do enjoy the MDR and restaurants, but maybe just not in the cards for us this trip.    We *really* want to avoid quarantine.                                                                                                                                                                                                   Best,

Mary

Do you do the same at home? Never go out to eat or socialize with others?

[Mary loves to travel]

10 minutes ago, hazeleyes46 said:

Do you do the same at home? Never go out to eat or socialize with others?

We don't eat inside restaurants.    We will eat at restaurants with outdoor seating.     Due to our good weather where we live, it's easy to socialize outdoors.    We do have a very few people with whom we socialize indoors, but mostly it's outdoors.   I think that's an important factor in our avoiding covid so far, but of course it's difficult to prove a negative, isn't it?

 

Best,

Mary

 

 

[realtyone]

On 5/21/2022 at 1:16 PM, islandwoman said:

DH and I are booked on a Princess cruise out of Southampton followed by a Viking River cruise out of Budapest this coming fall.  These will be our first cruises since 2019.  I hear that some cruisers who are vaccinated and boosted are getting sick, even though their ships require vaccines and testing.  How do we avoid catching COVID on a cruise? 

Avoid using elevator while onboard. wash hands often.

Do NOT touch your nose, before washing your hands.

Take shower EVERY DAY, wash hire befor gong to bed.

Get enough sleep.

Bring some over the counter flu medications with you when travel.

Have some covid test kits with you.

Bring a terrmoeter with you.

If you have flu symptoms, use test kits to test in your cabin. Do not report it to medical center, unless it become necessary. Because they will lock you up right away in a inside cabin.

[islandwoman]

40 minutes ago, realtyone said:

Avoid using elevator while onboard. wash hands often.

Do NOT touch your nose, before washing your hands.

Take shower EVERY DAY, wash hire befor gong to bed.

Get enough sleep.

Bring some over the counter flu medications with you when travel.

Have some covid test kits with you.

Bring a terrmoeter with you.

If you have flu symptoms, use test kits to test in your cabin. Do not report it to medical center, unless it become necessary. Because they will lock you up right away in a inside cabin.

And bring along a pulse oximeter.  If your blood oxygen level falls too low, you need to call the medical center.

[hazeleyes46]

16 hours ago, Mary loves to travel said:

We don't eat inside restaurants.    We will eat at restaurants with outdoor seating.     Due to our good weather where we live, it's easy to socialize outdoors.    We do have a very few people with whom we socialize indoors, but mostly it's outdoors.   I think that's an important factor in our avoiding covid so far, but of course it's difficult to prove a negative, isn't it?

 

Best,

Mary

 

 

Ahhh ok. I was the total opposite since May of 2020 and as far as I know (tested for work and unvaccinated) didn't get covid either. 

[islandwoman]

45 minutes ago, hazeleyes46 said:

Ahhh ok. I was the total opposite since May of 2020 and as far as I know (tested for work and unvaccinated) didn't get covid either. 

Lucky you!  You must have a fantastic immune system.

DH and I, on the other hand, fall into a "high risk" group. 

[hazeleyes46]

9 minutes ago, islandwoman said:

Lucky you!  You must have a fantastic immune system.

DH and I, on the other hand, fall into a "high risk" group. 

 

9 minutes ago, islandwoman said:

Lucky you!  You must have a fantastic immune system.

DH and I, on the other hand, fall into a "high risk" group. 

Knock on wood I think so. None of us in my house got it either. They were vaccinated and I was not until recently for a cruise. 

[islandwoman]

Thank you everyone for your suggestions. I understand that yet another, even more contagious, sub-variant is now spreading around the US and elsewhere. But DH and I leave on Saturday, July 16, for our first cruise since 2019.  It was booked and paid for non-refundable before this current wave was evident. Our son is a pulmonary critical care doctor who treats COVID patients.  He says that cruise ships are Petri dishes.  We probably shouldn't go, but we have COVID fatigue.    We bought a cabin with a large balcony where we plan to eat most of our meals.  Also, we'll try out the two restaurants on Celebrity Infinity that are reported to have outdoor seating.  We'll be wearing KN-95 masks for all indoor activities. 

[Mary loves to travel]

1 hour ago, islandwoman said:

Thank you everyone for your suggestions. I understand that yet another, even more contagious, sub-variant is now spreading around the US and elsewhere. But DH and I leave on Saturday, July 16, for our first cruise since 2019.  It was booked and paid for non-refundable before this current wave was evident. Our son is a pulmonary critical care doctor who treats COVID patients.  He says that cruise ships are Petri dishes.  We probably shouldn't go, but we have COVID fatigue.    We bought a cabin with a large balcony where we plan to eat most of our meals.  Also, we'll try out the two restaurants on Celebrity Infinity that are reported to have outdoor seating.  We'll be wearing KN-95 masks for all indoor activities. 

Please keep us posted as to how the cruise goes for you.

 

On every cruise, it seems ~20% get covid, so 80% do not. Most of the people you run into won't have covid, but you, like me, don't want to rely on pure luck (or a super immune system).    Listening to reports from those who do get covid on board, very few followed the precautions you plan use.   So, I think you have a great chance to come through without getting sick 🙂

 

Do have a wonderful time -- enjoy being back at sea!

 

Best,

Mary

 

 

[realtyone]

20 hours ago, islandwoman said:

And bring along a pulse oximeter.  If your blood oxygen level falls too low, you need to call the medical center.

Agree!

Thanks!

[SargassoPirate]

On 7/14/2022 at 9:55 AM, islandwoman said:

Thank you everyone for your suggestions. I understand that yet another, even more contagious, sub-variant is now spreading around the US and elsewhere. But DH and I leave on Saturday, July 16, for our first cruise since 2019.  It was booked and paid for non-refundable before this current wave was evident. Our son is a pulmonary critical care doctor who treats COVID patients.  He says that cruise ships are Petri dishes.  We probably shouldn't go, but we have COVID fatigue.    We bought a cabin with a large balcony where we plan to eat most of our meals.  Also, we'll try out the two restaurants on Celebrity Infinity that are reported to have outdoor seating.  We'll be wearing KN-95 masks for all indoor activities. 

The old saw of equating cruise ships with petri dishes. Ask your son how many of his patients have been vaxxed and boosted, and if vaxxed and boosted what comorbidities they have.  I have a relative who is an ICU nurse, and she shares that the vast majority of her patients are not vaxxed.   Those who are not vaxxed don't need the ICU unless they have underlying conditions - obesity being one of the leaders.

 

Can anyone name any other activity or social setting where every participant is vaxxed and tested before participating?  

 

Airplanes?  Trains? Subways? Buses? Restaurants? Stadium?  Concerts?  

 

Some folks have built themselves a Covid Prison of Fear, are two years into their self-imposed sentence, and are afraid to try a breakout.

 

Anyone ever see someone walking outdoors wearing a mask?

Edited July 16, 2022 by SargassoPirate

[Mary loves to travel]

@SargassoPirate

 

Hi Pete!

 

I agree that we personally are unlikely to need to be hospitalization or the ICU.    Our main "Covid Prison of Fear" right now is getting sick and missing many days, or more, of a cruise we've long planned & waited for.    We're fine wearing masks & etc. and I'm just fine with you not wearing one - as long as you don't cough all over me 😄  .      

 

It would be great if someone had all the answers, but as often happens in life, especially with a relatively new & changing condition, that's just not a realistic expectation.   

 

enjoy your cruise,

Mary

 

[Tudorcruisers]

Totally agree with Sargassopirate.  We have done three cruises from all this started and I have been so cautious this entire time and have avoided it so far.  I feel that wearing a mask and sanitising hands on the cruises and keeping our distance has really helped.  Despite my husband having Covid twice and colleagues all having it I have managed to avoid it by really being ultra cautious.  

[Mary229]

On 7/16/2022 at 6:56 AM, SargassoPirate said:

Anyone ever see someone walking outdoors wearing a mask?

That is a  mental illness.  It occurred almost immediately when the pandemic started.  I had someone yell at me when I was jogging at 5:30 in the morning by myself.   That is a mental disease 

 

[SargassoPirate]

14 hours ago, Mary229 said:

That is a  mental illness.  It occurred almost immediately when the pandemic started.  I had someone yell at me when I was jogging at 5:30 in the morning by myself.   That is a mental disease 

 

I'd be willing to bet that there are some folks still wiping down their groceries when they get home.

 

Life is full of risks.  One just needs to be cognizant of those risks and act accordingly.  For example, I ride a Harley and wear a helmet no matter what the state laws are.   Yes, riding a motorcycle carries some risk, but I would've missed out on so many adventures if I didn't ride.

 

 

[Mary loves to travel]

15 hours ago, Mary229 said:

That is a  mental illness.  It occurred almost immediately when the pandemic started.  I had someone yell at me when I was jogging at 5:30 in the morning by myself.   That is a mental disease 

 

It's unsettling getting yelled at, isn't it?

Happened to us last summer.   We were visiting family in Montana, out for a day of sightseeing.   Stopped for lunch, and as we approached the deli, DH and I put our masks on.   A guy started yelling and swearing at us for wearing masks!    we'd said or done nothing to him, in fact, we weren't even aware of him until he started yelling at us.    

[Mary229]

4 hours ago, Mary loves to travel said:

It's unsettling getting yelled at, isn't it?

Happened to us last summer.   We were visiting family in Montana, out for a day of sightseeing.   Stopped for lunch, and as we approached the deli, DH and I put our masks on.   A guy started yelling and swearing at us for wearing masks!    we'd said or done nothing to him, in fact, we weren't even aware of him until he started yelling at us.    

It is not the being yelled at, dogs bark at me often, doesn’t bother me in the least.  It is the delusional and obsessive  behavior .  I saw a couple in the grocery today, she had a mask, he didn’t - how is that going to work🤣

[islandwoman]

DH and I are back from our cruise.  We didn't catch COVID 😊

[Mary loves to travel]

1 hour ago, islandwoman said:

DH and I are back from our cruise.  We didn't catch COVID 😊

Yay!!     What steps did you end up following, to avoid it?

 

Best,

Mary