Cruise Day # 6 and COVID

[Markanddonna]

I am home now after an 11 night TA cruise on the Anthem OTS. I noted that day six was when we first started hearing about people testing positive and then the captain verified nine cases two days later. The coughing went up significantly on day six and very noticeable all around by the time we disembarked on day 11.

 

Now, back at home, I am reading the reports for other cruise lines and so many people are reporting they started feeling ill around day six-seven and were positive upon arriving home from their typical seven day cruise.  While there will be many like my husband and I who didn't come down with COVID, we recognize we were very fortunate. It seems the cruise lines are willing to tolerate this phenomenon. Obviously, the pre cruise testing isn't catching these people since we had five days at sea after embarking on the ship. It wasn't a matter of getting it at ports and on tours. Sort of like Sergeant Schultz: "I see nothing!" They don't have to report a sick ship if they don't test mid cruise like they were doing before. 

 

My posting is just an observation. We had a fantastic time on the cruise and five extra days in England. Part of our success in dodging COVID may be that we didn't socialize much outside of our travel group. We also sat in the back row in the theatre. I'm not so sure my attitude would be as sunny if one of us caught COVID. We haven't been diagnosed or had the symptoms of COVID since it started 2 1/2 years ago!

 

 

 

 

[pris993]

2 minutes ago, Markanddonna said:

I am home now after an 11 night TA cruise on the Anthem OTS. I noted that day six was when we first started hearing about people testing positive and then the captain verified nine cases two days later. The coughing went up significantly on day six and very noticeable all around by the time we disembarked on day 11.

 

Now, back at home, I am reading the reports for other cruise lines and so many people are reporting they started feeling ill around day six-seven and were positive upon arriving home from their typical seven day cruise.  While there will be many like my husband and I who didn't come down with COVID, we recognize we were very fortunate. It seems the cruise lines are willing to tolerate this phenomenon. Obviously, the pre cruise testing isn't catching these people since we had five days at sea after embarking on the ship. It wasn't a matter of getting it at ports and on tours. Sort of like Sergeant Schultz: "I see nothing!" They don't have to report a sick ship if they don't test mid cruise like they were doing before. 

 

My posting is just an observation. We had a fantastic time on the cruise and five extra days in England. Part of our success in dodging COVID may be that we didn't socialize much outside of our travel group. We also sat in the back row in the theatre. I'm not so sure my attitude would be as sunny if one of us caught COVID. We haven't been diagnosed or had the symptoms of COVID since it started 2 1/2 years ago!

 

 

 

 

Most with covid report cold like symptoms.  I have not had Covid either in 2.5 years.  Took one 10 day cruise in February to Mexico.  Like you we did not socialize much outsider our travel group.    Did not go to theatre at all.

 

  By comparison, I have an 18 year old senior high school student, who went to a couple of proms - many student came down with covid after the proms.  His school just had a music concert and all attending were told to wear masks inside theatre because covid on increase at school.   It seems we are going to need to live with covid for some time to come.   

 

The vaccinations and boosters enable us to go about our life including cruising.   I for one feel very lucky we can move on and just live our lives.    My next cruise with be a 15-day trip to Hawaii in December.   I will take covid test kits with me, so I can check if I get any cold like symptoms and report to medical if necessary.  

[Markanddonna]

One suggestion I did not heed (because I hadn't thought about it) is to put your COVID self test kits in your carryon. They would be exposed to really cold or hot temps  in the baggage area of the airplane.

[slidergirl]

If the ENT cannot figure out why I'm still coughing 5 months after Covid #2, I'm going to have to hang a sign around my neck that says "It isn't COVID"...

 

[cruizergal70]

39 minutes ago, slidergirl said:

If the ENT cannot figure out why I'm still coughing 5 months after Covid #2, I'm going to have to hang a sign around my neck that says "It isn't COVID"...

 

Or it could be long Covid. People are having symptoms months and even years later. Some have permanent damage. Most doctors are not equipped to treat.

Edited May 24, 2022 by cruizergal70

[firefly333]

You state as a fact cruiselines are tolerating covid. .. .so you want them to do what? 

 

I agree there is covid but at some pt some of us want life to go on. If you dont want to risk exposure stay in your house and order your food in. It's around you. 

 

I'm personally glad they are moving on and as you say tolerating it and learning how to deal with it onboard. Cant live in fear forever. It's a risk you knowingly took. 

[NCMtnBoys]

I think some people are contracting Covid after they take their embarkation test two days prior to boarding. Whether it be in an airport or on an airplane to the port city, dinner at the port city the night prior to embarkation, or whatever else, that period of time between testing and embarkation is potentially high risk for exposure.

 

We sail on Mariner Saturday from Port Canaveral and are driving to the port. They are doing mass testing onboard on Day 4 because Bermuda requires a negative Covid test to disembark and our pre-cruise test this Thursday for embarkation Saturday is too far in advance of our arrival in to Bermuda on Day 5. I suspect the Day 4 testing will reveal positive cases. 

 

I am planning on getting take out Friday night after we arrive at our hotel, wearing my mask on the shuttle to the cruise terminal, in the cruise terminal and onboard when outside my stateroom, avoiding elevators, avoiding the casino, spending time on our balcony instead of on deck. I don't use the pools or hot tubs, don't sit at bars... my main concern is the dining room, Windjammer and theater. Will wear my mask in the theater and until seated for meals. I don't want to be one of those positive cases revealed on Day 4 and ruin the rest of the cruise. We are vaccinated and boosted twice, but want to return home healthy and not get Covid in the days that follow. If I end up getting Covid, I will at least feel I did all I could to avoid it, short of not cruising at all. But we're ready to cruise, so are taking as many precautions as possible. 

[Jimbo]

35 minutes ago, NCMtnBoys said:

I think some people are contracting Covid after they take their embarkation test two days prior to boarding. Whether it be in an airport or on an airplane to the port city, dinner at the port city the night prior to embarkation, or whatever else, that period of time between testing and embarkation is potentially high risk for exposure.

 

We sail on Mariner Saturday from Port Canaveral and are driving to the port. They are doing mass testing onboard on Day 4 because Bermuda requires a negative Covid test to disembark and our pre-cruise test this Thursday for embarkation Saturday is too far in advance of our arrival in to Bermuda on Day 5. I suspect the Day 4 testing will reveal positive cases. 

 

I am planning on getting take out Friday night after we arrive at our hotel, wearing my mask on the shuttle to the cruise terminal, in the cruise terminal and onboard when outside my stateroom, avoiding elevators, avoiding the casino, spending time on our balcony instead of on deck. I don't use the pools or hot tubs, don't sit at bars... my main concern is the dining room, Windjammer and theater. Will wear my mask in the theater and until seated for meals. I don't want to be one of those positive cases revealed on Day 4 and ruin the rest of the cruise. We are vaccinated and boosted twice, but want to return home healthy and not get Covid in the days that follow. If I end up getting Covid, I will at least feel I did all I could to avoid it, short of not cruising at all. But we're ready to cruise, so are taking as many precautions as possible. 

Why bother, why not find another way to spend your vacation dollar? Just fly to Bermuda and spend the week there.

 

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/49766800?adults=2&check_in=2022-05-29&check_out=2022-06-05&federated_search_id=b6bad833-5f7a-4bb1-a83d-dfb3019ef424&source_impression_id=p3_1653438769_wY4IxiyTd1Rm%2BZg0

 

 

or something like this:

https://www.expedia.com/Sandys-Parish-Hotels-Willowbank-Resort.h3850836.Hotel-Information?startDate=2022-05-29&endDate=2022-06-05&x_pwa=1&rfrr=HSR&pwa_ts=1653439239324&referrerUrl=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZXhwZWRpYS5jb20vSG90ZWwtU2VhcmNo&useRewards=false&rm1=a2&regionId=181118&destination=St.+George's+Parish%2C+Bermuda&destType=MARKET&sort=RECOMMENDED&top_dp=4496.07&top_cur=USD&semdtl=&userIntent=&origin=Charlotte%2C+NC%2C+United+States+of+America+(CLT-Charlotte-Douglas+Intl.)&tripType=ROUND_TRIP&cabinClass=COACH&misId=AgjDh-3zhOyAjwoQ7_vuu9317K2RASDn5pEz~ARIIGgIIAiD-hgsaMggBEhYKA0NMVBjDmNECKgoyMDIyLTA1LTI5EhYKA0JEQRjCiIUCKgoyMDIyLTA2LTA1&packageType=fh&selectedRoomType=213000050&selectedRatePlan=240002057&mipt=AQoDVVNEEigKBggCEJKzIhIGCAIQkrMiGgYIAhDOrSIiBggCEOiwHCoGCAIQqoIGGiwKBggCEPy9FBIGCAIQjKoUGgYIARDgxgEiBggCEMzmBCoCCAIyBggCEMzmBA

Edited May 25, 2022 by Jimbo

[topnole]

29 minutes ago, NCMtnBoys said:

I think some people are contracting Covid after they take their embarkation test two days prior to boarding. Whether it be in an airport or on an airplane to the port city, dinner at the port city the night prior to embarkation, or whatever else, that period of time between testing and embarkation is potentially high risk for exposure.

 

We sail on Mariner Saturday from Port Canaveral and are driving to the port. They are doing mass testing onboard on Day 4 because Bermuda requires a negative Covid test to disembark and our pre-cruise test this Thursday for embarkation Saturday is too far in advance of our arrival in to Bermuda on Day 5. I suspect the Day 4 testing will reveal positive cases. 

 

I am planning on getting take out Friday night after we arrive at our hotel, wearing my mask on the shuttle to the cruise terminal, in the cruise terminal and onboard when outside my stateroom, avoiding elevators, avoiding the casino, spending time on our balcony instead of on deck. I don't use the pools or hot tubs, don't sit at bars... my main concern is the dining room, Windjammer and theater. Will wear my mask in the theater and until seated for meals. I don't want to be one of those positive cases revealed on Day 4 and ruin the rest of the cruise. We are vaccinated and boosted twice, but want to return home healthy and not get Covid in the days that follow. If I end up getting Covid, I will at least feel I did all I could to avoid it, short of not cruising at all. But we're ready to cruise, so are taking as many precautions as possible. 

Agree.  I think a lot of folks test negative and then get Covid in transit to the ship on flights, etc.  

[matj2000]

53 minutes ago, NCMtnBoys said:

 

 

I am planning on getting take out Friday night after we arrive at our hotel, wearing my mask on the shuttle to the cruise terminal, in the cruise terminal and onboard when outside my stateroom, avoiding elevators, avoiding the casino, spending time on our balcony instead of on deck. I don't use the pools or hot tubs, don't sit at bars... my main concern is the dining room, Windjammer and theater. Will wear my mask in the theater and until seated for meals. I don't want to be one of those positive cases revealed on Day 4 and ruin the rest of the cruise. We are vaccinated and boosted twice, but want to return home healthy and not get Covid in the days that follow. If I end up getting Covid, I will at least feel I did all I could to avoid it, short of not cruising at all. But we're ready to cruise, so are taking as many precautions as possible. 

 

 

I would have more excitment staying home

 

Then doing a trip like this person wants to

[emdia43]

4 hours ago, slidergirl said:

If the ENT cannot figure out why I'm still coughing 5 months after Covid #2, I'm going to have to hang a sign around my neck that says "It isn't COVID"...

 

Do you take an ACE Inhibitor? 

[BirdTravels]

10 hours ago, Markanddonna said:

They don't have to report a sick ship if they don't test mid cruise like they were doing before. 

Gosh, I have been on 5 post restart cruises and neve had a mid-cruise test, just for the heck of testing. What cruise were you on that they were constantly testing?

[Tazzybear14]

4 hours ago, matj2000 said:

 

 

I would have more excitment staying home

 

Then doing a trip like this person wants to

Agree 100%

[Gracie115]

We were also on this cruse and the Norway cruise that followed.  We did not get Covid, but know others that did, some posting on the roll call for that cruise about how Royal handled their cases which seemed to be lacking in many ways.  

 

We wore our masks pretty much everywhere on the ship.  Considered ourselves very lucky to be dining all meals in Coastal Kitchen, which I am sure helped reduce our exposure. There were very few people on the sailing wearing masks, but since I work with one on every day it just wasn't a big deal to wear on the ship.  We still saw all the shows we wanted, did everything we planned to do and had a wonderful time.

 

There was a LOT of coughing everywhere and MANY people posting after the cruise on various social media sites that they tested positive in the days after the cruise. Several mentioning that they had started to feel ill before debarking but not testing until they returned home.  

 

We brought our self tests and EMED tests with us and were greatly relieved the day the cruise ended that the EMED tests came back negative so we could fly home to Florida the next day.

 

It was a great trip.  

[Markanddonna]

My purpose of the original posting was to report my observations. I heard almost no coughing the first week of the cruise (until day six). Therefore, those of you who have usual coughing problems or long COVID coughing weren't registering on my radar. 

 

As others stated, COVID was likely brought onboard from those who spent some time in NYC or traveled by air to port. It incubated onboard for several days.  

 

I have no idea how people like us managed to avoid getting COVID while onboard for 11 nights. We didn't mask up onboard. We did on public transportation at ports. All I know is that many obvious cases popped up by the end of the cruise.

[rudeney]

55 minutes ago, Markanddonna said:

I have no idea how people like us managed to avoid getting COVID while onboard for 11 nights. 

 

It is possible that you already had it but with very mild or no symptoms so you never bothered to be tested.  It's definitely a strange disease where it can put one person in the hospital, and another has hardly any symptoms at all. 

[Ukigirl]

Home on May 14th after a six day cruise, started feeling sick last week, negative for Covid and put on antibiotics for sinus infection. Tested negative again two days ago but this morning noticed I couldn’t taste my coffee or peanut butter. Tested again and came back positive so not sure if  it’s from cruise or plane (I did wear mask) but 10 days later? I’ve been grocery shopping few times so who knows? Ugh, feels like a terrible head and chest cold and happy I got my second booster before cruise.  

[tampadee]

19 minutes ago, Ukigirl said:

Home on May 14th after a six day cruise, started feeling sick last week, negative for Covid and put on antibiotics for sinus infection. Tested negative again two days ago but this morning noticed I couldn’t taste my coffee or peanut butter. Tested again and came back positive so not sure if  it’s from cruise or plane (I did wear mask) but 10 days later? I’ve been grocery shopping few times so who knows? Ugh, feels like a terrible head and chest cold and happy I got my second booster before cruise.  

Do you wear a mask to grocery store?  (I do)

[Markanddonna]

50 minutes ago, rudeney said:

 

It is possible that you already had it but with very mild or no symptoms so you never bothered to be tested.  It's definitely a strange disease where it can put one person in the hospital, and another has hardly any symptoms at all. 

We are retired and therefore do not get tested regularly.  It seems if we wanted to get a positive reading that we would need to regularly test every three days whether we felt ill or not. We have been quite healthy these past two years...knock on wood.

[rudeney]

Just now, Markanddonna said:

We are retired and therefore do not get tested regularly.  It seems if we wanted to get a positive reading that we would need to regularly test every three days whether we felt ill or not. We have been quite healthy these past two years...knock on wood.

 

My wife and I are both work, but from home and we have no major health problems except old age.  We usually eat out 2 - 3 times a week, and make at least one trip to the grocery store, Costco, Home Depot, etc.  We only mask when required and we have both been vaccinated.  During this whole pandemic, I am the only one who got sick.  I had "original recipe" COVID-19 back in November 2020, before vaccines were available.  It was a cold, and I did not get tested because I never had a fever.  I lost my sense of taste and smell the week after that and an antibody test was positive. 

 

I caught it from the lady who cleans our house when she was here the day before Thanksgiving.  We had a few family members coming over and she has no family in town, so we invited her to join us for Thanksgiving dinner.  She called that Thursday morning and said she was having some GI issues and wouldn't make it.  On Friday, she called and said she tested positive for COVID-19.  She got it from the person whose house she cleaned on Tuesday.  I had no symptoms until Saturday.  Ironically, my wife did not get it.  Or, at least she did not have any symptoms at all.  And none of the family members who were with us on Thursday got it.  

 

I now have "long COVID" with a partial loss of sense of smell.  Like I said, this is a strange disease!

[queenfrostine22]

Everyone should be able to handle the covid pandemic as THEY see fit at this point. If you are comfortable wearing a mask on the ship than by all means do so. If you are comfortable without one than by all means go for it. Who cares what everyone else is doing? as long as you feel relatively safe and comfortable on the cruise you paid for I believe each person should be free to deal with it as they see fit. Who am I to say if someone should just "stay home" I don't judge mask wearers or non maskers. We all luckily have our individual freedom back, and be lucky enough to finally get back to what we love doing-cruising!

[Jimbo]

1 hour ago, Ukigirl said:

Home on May 14th after a six day cruise, started feeling sick last week, negative for Covid and put on antibiotics for sinus infection. Tested negative again two days ago but this morning noticed I couldn’t taste my coffee or peanut butter. Tested again and came back positive so not sure if  it’s from cruise or plane (I did wear mask) but 10 days later? I’ve been grocery shopping few times so who knows? Ugh, feels like a terrible head and chest cold and happy I got my second booster before cruise.  

Sorry to hear this, thought you got this cruise in without catching it. Seems like it's getting easier and easier catching it on a cruise ship..........I guess we should understand by now why....fuller ships mean more and more people on a cruise are going to end up positive.

 

Are you quarantining away from your husband?

[Ukigirl]

1 hour ago, tampadee said:

Do you wear a mask to grocery store?  (I do)

I did because I had what I thought was a cold and at that point I tested negative 

[Ukigirl]

29 minutes ago, Jimbo said:

Sorry to hear this, thought you got this cruise in without catching it. Seems like it's getting easier and easier catching it on a cruise ship..........I guess we should understand by now why....fuller ships mean more and more people on a cruise are going to end up positive.

 

Are you quarantining away from your husband?

Yes called him at work so now he’s at home. So far he’s negative and he has three empty bedrooms to choose from. 

[topnole]

1 hour ago, Ukigirl said:

Home on May 14th after a six day cruise, started feeling sick last week, negative for Covid and put on antibiotics for sinus infection. Tested negative again two days ago but this morning noticed I couldn’t taste my coffee or peanut butter. Tested again and came back positive so not sure if  it’s from cruise or plane (I did wear mask) but 10 days later? I’ve been grocery shopping few times so who knows? Ugh, feels like a terrible head and chest cold and happy I got my second booster before cruise.  

A few things could explain this.  If you self tested and didn’t do it just right it could lead to false negatives.  Also, the incubation period can vary a lot.  10 days is long, but possible. Also you may have had it before that and just didn’t test positive yet.  Who knows.  But it would seem most probable you got it traveling.  Interestingly, loss of taste and smell is less common with current dominant strains.