Symphony of the Seas - COVID Outbreak

[h20skibum]

Sorry that they felt bad enough to go to the ER.  When we were on Allure in May, there were many walking around coughing and hacking.  People did the same thing: avoided testing on the ship, because they didn’t want to go into quarantine, then waited until they were off the ship.  
 

People we shared a table with early in the cruise were prime examples.  We saw them at dinner the last night, and then they reported and tested after they packed up.  At least they got Royal to take care of them, because they tested on the ship, but in the meantime, they had already spread it around.  
 

OP should have tested on the ship.  Highly unlikely a family goes from zero symptoms to requiring the ER in that short timeframe with this strain.  

[not-enough-cruising]

I am not sure when the CDC updates the tracker, but as of this morning Symphony is still orange.

[zebra36]

1 hour ago, Funky Fusion FoodsJ said:

Say what?????

The point I was trying to make is that if things get out of hand again the possibility of being stuck in a city awaiting to test negative after testing positive may be something to think about. For many that live near a cruise port and are able to drive home not so much of a consideration.

[h20skibum]

7 minutes ago, not-enough-cruising said:

I am not sure when the CDC updates the tracker, but as of this morning Symphony is still orange.

As are 93 of the 94 ships they track.  One MSC ship is yellow.   Nothing new here.  Ben this way for quite a while. 

[crewsweeper]

The new variants of Omicron appear to take an average of 5 days but sometimes as long as 2 weeks for symptoms to show up.  Getting a negative test 1-2 days prior to cruising isn't a guarantee there's no COVID on board.   Very contagious 2-3 days after symptoms appear and likely before.  Masks do not protect.  Studies have shown that there's little difference between mask mandates and non masking in terms of catching COVID in crowded situations.  Cleaning doesn't work against COVID like it does against NORO.  Hand washing will help if you sneeze, but not against someone breathing near you.

Current vaccines and prior COVID immunity are not as effective against variants.  

 IMO, if you have severe  conditions that affect your body's immunity you may not wish to cruise.  Otherwise, you need to take responsibility for yourself and traveling pertner to help avoid situations where you might be exposed to COVID.

[ace2542]

9 hours ago, Kokomo91165 said:

Just returned from b2b sailings on Symphony of the Seas yesterday. 
 

COVID was running rampant through the ship mid week - cast of shows were getting it, crew went “missing”, and pax were being taken to quarantine - so much so that they RAN OUT OF ROOM for quarantine pax. 
 

6,000 pax with close to 2,000 kids. Cleaning standards not what they use to be based on observation - crew just stretched too thin and really only equipped to handle 50% capacity. 
 

Guest Services denied any issues onboard. Family now positive, along with countless others online. Ambulances and quarantine vehicles were lined up to take people off ship in Miami.  Sitting in the ER tonight and Royal is of zero help getting us back home since we tested positive “off the ship.”  

Question. Did they (Royal or the cruise director/hotel manager I suppose) allow the show team(s) to mix with the passengers in whatever bar? Like the Music Hall or Viking Crown lounge or Schooner bar for example. Mixing without wearing their masks I presume?. Or was that allowed on the previous cruise?

 

Time to fine Royal millions for the mishandling  of this outbreak. They will soon clean up their act.

[ace2542]

25 minutes ago, not-enough-cruising said:

I am not sure when the CDC updates the tracker, but as of this morning Symphony is still orange.

Perhaps the Symphony has not supplied "accurate results" to the CDC?

[happy cruzer]

4 minutes ago, crewsweeper said:

The new variants of Omicron appear to take an average of 5 days but sometimes as long as 2 weeks for symptoms to show up.  Getting a negative test 1-2 days prior to cruising isn't a guarantee there's no COVID on board.   Very contagious 2-3 days after symptoms appear and likely before.  Masks do not protect.  Studies have shown that there's little difference between mask mandates and non masking in terms of catching COVID in crowded situations.  Cleaning doesn't work against COVID like it does against NORO.  Hand washing will help if you sneeze, but not against someone breathing near you.

Current vaccines and prior COVID immunity are not as effective against variants.  

 IMO, if you have severe  conditions that affect your body's immunity you may not wish to cruise.  Otherwise, you need to take responsibility for yourself and traveling pertner to help avoid situations where you might be exposed to COVID.

Agree. Wearing a N95 mask properly is the best protection and even that is not 100%.  All the comments blaming the cruise line's cleaning, staffing, etc. may be true (and not acceptable) but probably not the reason for Covid spread.  It is mainly just people socializing.  Went to dinner with 8 friends; 4 just had it in the last month with no travel at all.  They weren't blaming anyone or anything....

[Joseph2017China]

Another post on over exaggerating the numbers......It seems the cruise is the only place you go around people that you get it.  

[h20skibum]

2 minutes ago, Joseph2017China said:

Another post on over exaggerating the numbers......It seems the cruise is the only place you go around people that you get it.  

Not true.  I got it on a plane flight to California.  If you want to talk spread, just go to any airport.  
 

How bad is it on a cruise ship?   Only two people, out of the millions who have sailed since the restart, have died of Covid.  Those are pretty good odds.  

[lovescats5]

Why does everyone expect someone (in this case RCL) to fund their costs of covid when they get off the ship.  You should know the risks when you decide to board a ship, plane, go to the grocery store, etc. and take responsibility for your actions.  It would stink  to have problems getting home because of covid but why is it always the fault of someone other than yourself.  We will be on Quantum in September and know the risks and are willing to take them.  If we get covid I guess we deal with that then but it will not be the fault of Royal and we will not expect them to pay for our problems.

[h20skibum]

Where is the OP?   So many questions!

 

 I say two more pages before this one gets locked, like sooo many others before it. 

[BirdTravels]

9 hours ago, LMaxwell said:

I've been wondering at what % occupancy the large ships have been sailing at.  Does anyone know over the last few cruises? 60%? 90%? etc.?

We were on the quantum with 4095 passengers against a double occupancy capacity of 4180. Pretty full. 
 

Raw COVID case counts from the CDC shows a steady flow of COVID cases (a few per day in both passengers and crew). Nothing dramatic. But even 5 passenger cases a day leads to 35 passengers a week. 

[colesc15]

Most of the covid cases with this variant are sniffles and some congestion.. When are we going to finally get to the point of stopping testing for every sniffle and just using common sense and staying home if you feel crummy? 

[BecciBoo]

This is just going to keep happening and become no more virile than norovirus outbreaks were 10 years ago.  But sadly, people are still dying with it.  But as some of us were pointing out from the get go, so do people with influenza or any other virus'.  Life on Planet Earth!

[BecciBoo]

3 minutes ago, colesc15 said:

staying home if you feel crummy?

Unfortunately some of the population can be highly contagious and show no symptoms at all.  But I agree, stay home if you do.

Edited July 11, 2022 by BecciBoo

[tmoore4075]

2 minutes ago, colesc15 said:

Most of the covid cases with this variant are sniffles and some congestion.. When are we going to finally get to the point of stopping testing for every sniffle and just using common sense and staying home if you feel crummy? 

People won't though. Especially when it comes to a vacation they are gonna go out because they spent the money. Was on Quantum the week of June 20th and we tested positive the night we got home. I can assure you there were plenty of people on that ship with covid and were going around anyways. The coughs sounded just like the cough I ended up with. If they drop the pre-cruise testing, we will probably still test beforehand and if we test positive, cancel. 

 

Just now, BecciBoo said:

Unfortunately some of the population can be highly contagious and show no symptoms at all.

This is also true though. 

[colesc15]

1 minute ago, BecciBoo said:

Unfortunately some of the population can be highly contagious and show no symptoms at all.  But I agree, stay home if you do.

Agree. But, if pre covid, everyone tested as often as they do now for the every day cold, it'd be no different. The number of positives are massive but the amount of people getting truly sick other than cold symptoms is small. 

 

Imagine if 5 years ago, every person tested for a cold at the end of a cruise or even during.. The numbers would be insane. 

[Sunshine3601]

45 minutes ago, lovescats5 said:

Why does everyone expect someone (in this case RCL) to fund their costs of covid when they get off the ship.  You should know the risks when you decide to board a ship, plane, go to the grocery store, etc. and take responsibility for your actions.  It would stink  to have problems getting home because of covid but why is it always the fault of someone other than yourself. 

Exactly!   Royal originally said they were cancelling support payments for quarantine earlier this year, I think April, but they extended.   

I have heard repeatedly that Carnival does Not provide any financial assistance.  I'm not sure about NCL, HAL, MSC or others.

Yes, pro-rate the passengers in quarantine and be helpful in providing a list of hotels for quarantine if unable to drive home.   But no need for royal to pay for 5 to 10 days of hotel and meals.   If concerned purchase proper travel insurance.

 

 

Edited July 11, 2022 by Sunshine3601

[smokeybandit]

Seems a bit embellished

[nelblu]

Still waiting for the Op to explain the cause of the ER visit.

[ace2542]

15 minutes ago, BecciBoo said:

This is just going to keep happening and become no more virile than norovirus outbreaks were 10 years ago.  But sadly, people are still dying with it.  But as some of us were pointing out from the get go, so do people with influenza or any other virus'.  Life on Planet Earth!

People die from Norovirus you know.

[PMGS247]

11 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

Seems a bit embellished

Whenever I see the word "outbreak" I raise an eyebrow.

[rjrpar]

6 minutes ago, PMGS247 said:

Whenever I see the word "outbreak" I raise an eyebrow.

Agree, can’t tell how much is even true.  

[psumother]

I tested positive the day I disembarked on May 29 after a b2b.  Mild symptoms.  It was Memorial Day weekend.  Called dr office on Tuesday.  They told me I didn’t need to come in and if symptoms got worse, I.e., difficulty breathing, go to the hospital.  Otherwise, stay home and quarantine for a while.  Eventually the cruise ships will handle Covid cases like they do for the flu and norovirus.  Time to get over it.  Nobody cares anymore. IMO, make sure you are fully boosted so the effectiveness of the vaccine is at the maximum if you want to travel.  If you are worried about full capacity on the ships, don’t go.  Stay home.  This is the way it is!!