REVISED: Did you test positive for covid while on the ship or shortly after arriving home

[John99]

Many indicated they wore a mask.  What kind of mask?  Is it better to wear a N95 mask versus a cloth mask?  I would like to know how many worn a N95 mask and think they are more effective. 

[HxFx]

I responded No - never wore a mask (except where required which was only a factor on the first cruise back). I went on a cruise last September and then last week (got off ship 6 days ago, still no symptoms). I have not tested since I don't have any symptoms. 

[seaoma]

27 minutes ago, HxFx said:

I responded No - never wore a mask (except where required which was only a factor on the first cruise back). I went on a cruise last September and then last week (got off ship 6 days ago, still no symptoms). I have not tested since I don't have any symptoms. 

 

You don't have to have symptoms to have Covid. The only way to know for sure is to test when you've been places where you could have been exposed, like a cruise ship.

[HxFx]

1 minute ago, seaoma said:

 

You don't have to have symptoms to have Covid. The only way to know for sure is to test when you've been places where you could have been exposed, like a cruise ship.

Yes, I understand that. I included the information for full disclosure that I had not tested and why. I'm pretty sure I had COVID in December but I did not test because in my area at that time during the Omicron rush there were very few tests available to buy or you were stuck waiting for hours in line while feeling sick (which was me). I didn't have any home tests but a few family members had pre-appointments coincidently scheduled and tested positive. I'm sensitive to wasting resources when I don't see a need (I am not living with someone in a high risk category nor have I been to any crowded places).

[seaoma]

@HxFx Gotcha. 

 

I was just adding additional info. I test after I travel so as not to pass on Covid to my family members that I chose to socialize/live with with upon my return. 

[tonit964]

1 hour ago, seaoma said:

It would be interesting if those that say they didn't get covid, would respond with whether or not they ever tested themselves.

I brought tests with me just in case. I would only test if I had symptoms, which neither one of us did. No reason to test otherwise.

[sunviking90]

1 hour ago, seaoma said:

It would be interesting if those that say they didn't get covid, would respond with whether or not they ever tested themselves.

We needed PCRs to fly home in Feb after our B2B, and were pulled aside on arrival for govt PCRs, took home antigens on day 1 and day 3 after arriving home for the other cruises. Negative all.

[seaoma]

3 minutes ago, tonit964 said:

I brought tests with me just in case. I would only test if I had symptoms, which neither one of us did. No reason to test otherwise.

 

There is a reason to test if you are traveling home where you could potentially infect others on the way or when you get there.

 

For instance,  I just spent a month in a condo in Florida. I tested the morning of the day I would arrive home.   I did not want to unknowingly give covid to my family the very day I returned. 

 

If you are flying, cruising, sitting on a train or in a motorcoach on a tour, you should assume you've been exposed to covid.  

 

My point is that those people that are responding to the survery saying they did not get covid, either with or without any other mitigations, don't really know whether they got covid unless they tested.

[Jimmys Chippy]

Three cruises from the UK, Sky Princess September 2021, Queen Elizabeth January 2022 and Enchanted Princess May 2022. We both tested positive on our post cruises PCR test following our January cruise. We were as careful as we could be expected to be, masks inside except when eating and drinking, avoiding crowds and regular sanitising of hands. The amount of people coughing in public areas led us to believe that covid was present on board and that most people would not report to Cunard in case they were off loaded.

[Loveh2ofl]

For those of you who are taking care to drive to/fro your ship....  Are you not planning on taking any excursions or leave the ship?  On our 15 day trans panama - we had to take a many hour flight to LA, uber to the hotel, stay in a hotel and dine there, uber to ship and from ship; took excursions in Puerto Vallarta, Huatulco, Puntarenas, Cartagena, - many of which included food/store/other interactions with people of unknown vaccination status.  Now just take the same number of people interactions sans the cruising part - it's not necessarily cruising that is the source of covid infections.

[cruzin4us]

31 minutes ago, Loveh2ofl said:

For those of you who are taking care to drive to/fro your ship....  Are you not planning on taking any excursions or leave the ship?  On our 15 day trans panama - we had to take a many hour flight to LA, uber to the hotel, stay in a hotel and dine there, uber to ship and from ship; took excursions in Puerto Vallarta, Huatulco, Puntarenas, Cartagena, - many of which included food/store/other interactions with people of unknown vaccination status.  Now just take the same number of people interactions sans the cruising part - it's not necessarily cruising that is the source of covid infections.

Exactly right!   I'm one of the oddballs, I drive to San Diego, get on the ship and never get off when cruising the Mexican Riviera.    2 times cruising since Oct 2021 and no covid.    Oh, and I don't wear a mask except when required.     I've got an Alaska cruise coming up and we will be flying and getting off the ship, so we'll see how that goes.

[seaoma]

35 minutes ago, Loveh2ofl said:

For those of you who are taking care to drive to/fro your ship....  Are you not planning on taking any excursions or leave the ship?  On our 15 day trans panama - we had to take a many hour flight to LA, uber to the hotel, stay in a hotel and dine there, uber to ship and from ship; took excursions in Puerto Vallarta, Huatulco, Puntarenas, Cartagena, - many of which included food/store/other interactions with people of unknown vaccination status.  Now just take the same number of people interactions sans the cruising part - it's not necessarily cruising that is the source of covid infections.

 

I don't think people think cruising is the source, but it is spreading the virus. It is after all, a living situation where a lot of people from a lot of different parts of the world, stay within close proximity of each other for days. A unique situation that doesn't compare to a trip to the grocery store, restaurant, theater, etc.

 

I have been reading the thread from a guy who has spent 162 days on the Viking World Cruise 2021-2022 (December to June) They test everyone, everyday.

 

From his blogging, I'm beginning to see that yes, people are bringing covid onboard from traveling to the ship.

 

If cruisers aren't identified from the pre-boarding test, because they don't have enough virus to test positive, then the virus is left to incubate amongst all passengers till someone develops symptoms and self reports. That leaves cruisers that get the virus but are asymptomatic(and unidentifiable) continuing to spread the virus. Then I have begun to see from reading boards that there is a population that is getting sick that will not report symptoms, further infecting others.

 

Reading this Viking blog, it seems relatively few passengers bring it onboard from port stops. (Luckily, if someone does on Viking, they are identified and isolated within 24 hours.). Also of note, Viking reported on their cases onboard, so it was more apparent to this Viking passenger to see when cases rose.

 

Many days were spent by the world cruisers, stopping at ports to sightsee, yet no new passengers were embarked. He saw a uptick in cases when they began to let passengers onboard that were doing shorter segment cruises, illustrating to me that travel to the ship made a huge difference.

 

If there was a passenger identified from contact at a port stop, they were quickly isolated, stopping the spread. I don't have perfect recall of his 162 day blog, but I don't think this happened more than 2-3 times and it was a small number of people.

 

It's a very interesting thread if you have an interest in cruising in the world, but I found the covid situation interesting too. 

[Loveh2ofl]

Charts and statistics are fascinating, as well as comments - but it comes down to deciding how vulnerable one is (or a loved one is), how risk averse one is and what kind of plan would one need should one contract covid....(which includes up front $$ and flexibility).  If you're not comfortable cruising or traveling, no matter how much you've loved it in the past, then don't do it.  

 

We ended up being comfortable enough with travels and cruising during 2021/2022 to book the 97 day 2023 world cruise even tho' my husband self-tested positive upon getting home from the last trip and we may have had Delta back in 10/21.  Will we ultimately take the world cruise?  Things continue to evolve - sure covid is one factor (including masking and vaccination requirements), but so is the economy, and instability in the world. 

 

All travelers have a lot to consider these days.....

[chamima]

8 hours ago, Musky Ike said:

As stated, it is far from a scientific study, however when the highest percentage of respondents wore masks regularly and still test tested positive, it makes you wonder about mask efficacy. It could also be that those that wear masks more are more concerned, therefore more likely to test themselves. Interesting anyway.

 

5 hours ago, dreaminofcruisin said:

 

The other thing not asked....which has become much more important with Omicron.

What KIND of mask? If, when people indicate they were wearing a mask, it is NOT N95 or KF94, they might as well have said they were not wearing a mask.....

No judgement, just saying.....

 

 

 

I also wondered what kind of masks those who tested positive wore and how they wore them.

I'm asking this because  a couple of days ago we went to a local Urgent Care to get tested because our daughter, who had come to visit, came down with Covid two days after she arrived. While in the Urgent Care two women came in with paper masks down under their noses to also get tested. (We were wearing N95s!) They were both coughing and sneezing and refused to pull the masks up over their noses (I was more worried about getting Covid from them than from our daughter) If someone had asked those women their response would have been that they were wearing masks......

(We were, and so far remain, negative)

[Dar & Bob]

We have been on two cruises since January.  The first on the Regal mask mandates were still in force.  We wore homemade cloth masks.  There were 8 of us -no Covid for any of us.  Also on a Celebrity cruise in April, no mask mandate and did not wear one at all.  Socialized with people we just met at bars etc.  No covid.  

 

I have been in what I consider to be riskier situations - coughing kids in Hobby Lobby, people sneezing walking to their cars which of course no covering of the cough or sneeze.  Hubby got covid last year, there were people who were wearing masks at a table about 12 feet from us and covered after each course - really think they had it. 

 

I wish the admin would make a Covid After Cruising sticky and not keep having this crop up over and over and over!

[cruzin4us]

People are an interesting subject.   I'm learning a lot more reading covid threads than I ever learned in my Psychology classes.

 

I think after after 2+ years of shutdown people are anxious to get back to normal (whatever that is).

 

Many of us hunker down a full 2+ weeks before a cruise because we don't want it ruined by catching covid before the infamous PCR or Antigen test that we all must take.

 

72 hrs before the cruise we take the test and we are Negative!   We let out a sigh of relief and now we can get in vacation mode.  But first we rush and get our haircuts/color,  pedicures, nails done, run to the bank, get those last minute things we forgot at the store and we have a toast because we are going on a cruise.   

 

And heck, I'm not cooking for those 2 days either because I started my vacation the minute my test results came back negative.   So, where should we go eat to celebrate?

 

Now, I'm on the way to the airport, but I have to park and take a shuttle or perhaps an Uber.  Then I stand in line thru the TSA screening, and shucks, my plane has been canceled or delayed.   Now I have to stand in line and scramble to get new tickets along side 50 other people in the same boat.  

 

Since my new flight is not for 2 more hours,  I better go get a drink at the bar and just sit back and relax with the other 50 or so passengers.    My flight arrives, now I can board, thank goodness.    I arrive at my destination and the Princess transfer bus is waiting for me just like I signed up for.....but unfortunately, we have to wait for the next plane to arrive carrying 10 more people....so we sit there and wait with the other 10 or so passengers for 30-40 minutes.

 

Now, we are finally on the road and I can see the ship.....but what's that huge line waiting to embark?  Holy Moly, soooo many people.    Well, I'm on vacation, so I cozy right up and start talking and thanking dear God that I made it in time and I'm finally getting to board.   I've been waiting for this cruise for 2+ years!

 
I'm so exhausted, I rush to the first bar with the rest of the 1,000 other passengers and get myself a long deserved Dirty Banana....Now for the sail away party.   

 

But I'm safe because I'm vaccinated and took a covid test 2-3 days ago.  Makes sense

 

 

Edited June 3, 2022 by cruzin4us

[Ckenny24]

On 6/3/2022 at 10:11 AM, cruzin4us said:

 

The more people that take the poll, the better of an idea we will have.   And yes, it's definitely not a scientific study, but it's helpful.   

 

[Ckenny24]

I made a mistake when filling out this poll and didn’t know how to correct it. The 1st response was ‘wearing your masks all the time except when eating or drinking’. That’s what we did in our party of 4; however, NONE of us ever had Covid during the 28-day cruise or any time after on the Regal, March/April ‘22. Wonder how many others filled out this poll incorrectly and didn’t know how to correct it (or even if it could be corrected). 

[P23r23s23]

On ship. Fully vaccinated, double boosted, N95 double masked. Either contracted it on flight to ship or during

embarkation where we sat shoulder to shoulder for 2 hours.  

[Once Upon A Time]

Fully vaccinated, double boosted wore N95 at all times in public except at meals.  Drove to the ship and home.  One of us did not get off in a port for the entire 14 days.  The other one did.  Guess which one of us tested positive when we got home?  Right! the one who got off in ports.  Did some serious separate quarantining at home for 7 days.  Both Negative now and the one who was positive was asymptomatic the entire time.  

[cruzin4us]

11 hours ago, Once Upon A Time said:

Fully vaccinated, double boosted wore N95 at all times in public except at meals.  Drove to the ship and home.  One of us did not get off in a port for the entire 14 days.  The other one did.  Guess which one of us tested positive when we got home?  Right! the one who got off in ports.  Did some serious separate quarantining at home for 7 days.  Both Negative now and the one who was positive was asymptomatic the entire time.  

Same exact thing happened to my mom and dad.   They wore the N95's, dad got off the ship and mom stayed on board.   My 83 year old dad got it, mom didn't.   He had the sniffles for 2 days and that was it.   He tested positive when he got home as well.

[rome2009]

3 cruises since November 2021. First 2 cruises, no issues. Protocols on the ship were fairly strict. Masks mandated and majority of guests complied. 3rd cruise in March / April. No mask mandate. All activities allowed. Karaoke, games where there was a lot of encouraged shouting and sharing. We wore masks when it was crowded and when we were near large groups. Started feeling ill the last day of the 18 day cruise. Got home, wife tested +. I tested + 3 days later. Chat on the cruise critic indicated many people were in the same boat:). Good news, all well now.

[Loveh2ofl]

Interesting discussions all - but would we be having this discussion at all if we viewed Omicron and follow-on variants  like the flu or a cold or Norovirus?  We know what it is because common tests are available for us to self-test or be tested.  Those who are asymptomatic would not be concerned or testing themselves if tests were unavailable.

 

Just asking.  I have self-tested and gotten tested so I'm in the same boat (sic) with everyone else.  But in some ways this is like a full-body PET scan where something is always flagged whether or not it is benign or the individual is not really contagious.

[dickinson]

51 minutes ago, Loveh2ofl said:

Interesting discussions all - but would we be having this discussion at all if we viewed Omicron and follow-on variants  like the flu or a cold or Norovirus?  We know what it is because common tests are available for us to self-test or be tested.  Those who are asymptomatic would not be concerned or testing themselves if tests were unavailable.

 

Just asking.  I have self-tested and gotten tested so I'm in the same boat (sic) with everyone else.  But in some ways this is like a full-body PET scan where something is always flagged whether or not it is benign or the individual is not really contagious.

Except it is not like the flu or a cold for Norovirus.  It is much more contagious and many people either get long covid or symptoms that last quite a while.  

[prmssk]

24 minutes ago, dickinson said:

Except it is not like the flu or a cold for Norovirus.  It is much more contagious and many people either get long covid or symptoms that last quite a while.  

But is this still true of those fully vaccinated, especially those boosted?  Case numbers are really going up fast in my state (even with people using more home tests that don't get reported) but hospitalization are not at all.  Just compare CDC's transmission level map with their community level map for the US and you will be surprised at how many counties have very high levels of transmission but are still green on community level maps because higher cases aren't having an effect on the health care system (it's a red map compared to a green map).