Covid isolation onboard Aussie ships?

[bazzaw]

I haven't read of much in the way of problems for Aussies onboard the ships now sailing from Aussie ports in the way of isolation requirements onboard after being tested positive onboard. BUT - I have heard that it has become a problem onboard the 3 Cunards ships sailing in British/American/European waters. Not a lot of fun to be removed out of your Balcony cabin and made to spend your cruise cooped up inside an inside cabin on a deck especially set aside for you and other prisoners. My GGGG Grandfather had to put up with that treatment on his way to Botany Bay in 1830 - but he did get his cruise for free - so there is that.  However I will be paying for my cruises - so what is happening over here in regard to Covid isolation.?? 

[Ozwoody]

28 minutes ago, bazzaw said:

I haven't read of much in the way of problems for Aussies onboard the ships now sailing from Aussie ports in the way of isolation requirements onboard after being tested positive onboard. BUT - I have heard that it has become a problem onboard the 3 Cunards ships sailing in British/American/European waters. Not a lot of fun to be removed out of your Balcony cabin and made to spend your cruise cooped up inside an inside cabin on a deck especially set aside for you and other prisoners. My GGGG Grandfather had to put up with that treatment on his way to Botany Bay in 1830 - but he did get his cruise for free - so there is that.  However I will be paying for my cruises - so what is happening over here in regard to Covid isolation.?? 

Hi bazzaw

According to the P&O Cruise Site, the following will apply:-

4. What happens if I have COVID-19 symptoms or if I test positive to COVID-19 onboard?

 

Any guest reporting or exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms must notify and be reviewed by our onboard medical staff for testing.Guests who test positive to COVID-19 will be assessed and treated either in their room, or in a designated area of the Medical Centre.Positive cases that do not require admission to the ship's Medical Centre will most likely be moved to a different room for the duration of their isolation. Anyone who was travelling in the same room as a guest who tests positive to COVID-19 will be deemed a close contact and will be required to isolate. Other guests, as determined by onboard medical staff to have been in close contact with a positive case, will also be required to isolate.The isolation period onboard is currently:

• COVID-19 cases - Isolation for 7 days. The person may leave isolation at 7 days if they have no symptoms. If they continue to have symptoms, they will need to remain in isolation until they have been symptom free for 24 hours.
• Close contacts –Isolation for 7 days and receive a COVID-19 test on day 1 and day 6. If the close contact tests positive to COVID-19, the isolation period will start again from the day they test positive.

The onboard isolation period is subject to change by the relevant state health departments.

Guests in isolation who have not completed their isolation period by the end of the cruise will need to continue their isolation upon disembarking their cruise based on the relevant state health department's isolation requirements.

Any guest who is quarantined or medically isolated during their cruise as a result of testing positive to COVID-19, being suspected of having COVID-19, or due to being determined a close contact of a confirmed positive case, will be entitled to a Future Cruise Credit for the missed cruise days that were spent in isolation or quarantine. The Future Cruise Credit will be 100% of the value of the cruise fare paid for the number of cruise days missed and will be subject to our standard terms and conditions for Future Cruise Credits.

I would think the other Cruise Lines would be similar.

 

[OzKiwiJJ]

With Princess I've heard of some passengers being removed to different cabins, especially in the first few cruises, but also some more recently who have been allowed to stay in their cabins, and use their balconies if they have one. 

 

Regardless of where they end up they are given FCC refunds for all the days they were in isolation.

[Aus Traveller]

Although Princess and P&O stated that passengers who tested positive to COVID would be re-located to cabins set aside for the purpose, it appears that they have been left in their original cabins. I did read that people who were in balcony cabins weren't permitted to go outside onto their balcony.

 

I have heard anecdotal evidence that blocks of cabins have been reserved as isolation cabins, but I wonder if those on the lowest passenger deck have been used for crew isolation. On one recent cruise someone reported that the corridor in deck 5 was totally blocked off. For a cruise next January we booked an oceanview on deck 5 but have been up-graded to a balcony on deck 8.😁 I wonder if the deck 5 cabins (there aren't that many) have been reserved for crew isolation.

[bazzaw]

50 minutes ago, Ozwoody said:

Hi bazzaw

According to the P&O Cruise Site, the following will apply:-

 

 

Yes - that seems to be what is happening on the Cunard ships. Not something that I would want to expose myself to the possibility - but haven't heard much about the actuality of it all here in Oz. I have also  heard that the only way you can now get Covid is to get tested for it!! 🙂 

[OzKiwiJJ]

2 minutes ago, Aus Traveller said:

Although Princess and P&O stated that passengers who tested positive to COVID would be re-located to cabins set aside for the purpose, it appears that they have been left in their original cabins. I did read that people who were in balcony cabins weren't permitted to go outside onto their balcony.

 

I have heard anecdotal evidence that blocks of cabins have been reserved as isolation cabins, but I wonder if those on the lowest passenger deck have been used for crew isolation. On one recent cruise someone reported that the corridor in deck 5 was totally blocked off. For a cruise next January we booked an oceanview on deck 5 but have been up-graded to a balcony on deck 8.😁 I wonder if the deck 5 cabins (there aren't that many) have been reserved for crew isolation.

I've seen a few posts on FB recently by people who were enjoying their balconies while in isolation so maybe they've relaxed that rule. 

 

Andvit did seem a bit strange forcing people to change cabins. Perhaps they were worried about virus particles floating out into the corridors when passengers were opening their doors to get their meals. They may have decided that is not a risk and that it's easier to leave people where they are.

 

However it would be sensible to have separate crew isolation areas as I understand crew quarters are more crowded so more risk of the virus spreading.

[bazzaw]

12 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

Regardless of where they end up they are given FCC refunds for all the days they were in isolation.

That would not compensate me for up to 7 days locked inside an interior cabin. I spent 24 hours once in confinement with a case of the trots -nothing to do except the crappy ships TV. 

I have booked an 8 day cruise on QE in January  - the only opportunity I will get to recover some FCC from Cunard - so will just have to cross fingers. No way I would be laying down real money for any cruise until this paranoia retreats. Too risky for me - not worried about getting the virus , but the administrative  consequences of getting the virus 

[OzKiwiJJ]

5 minutes ago, bazzaw said:

That would not compensate me for up to 7 days locked inside an interior cabin. I spent 24 hours once in confinement with a case of the trots -nothing to do except the crappy ships TV. 

I have booked an 8 day cruise on QE in January  - the only opportunity I will get to recover some FCC from Cunard - so will just have to cross fingers. No way I would be laying down real money for any cruise until this paranoia retreats. Too risky for me - not worried about getting the virus , but the administrative  consequences of getting the virus 

I haven't heard of anyone being moved to inside cabins on Princess. 

 

But I know what you mean. I've been ill on cruises - once with bronchitis, and a couple of times with migraines - when we've had inside cabins and it's pretty boring. I don't even like watching TV, I just read. My Kindle is always well loaded with books.

 

Anyway from now on it's balcony cabins for us. No more inside cabins. I want access to fresh air if I'm confined to my cabin for any reason.

Edited August 18, 2022 by OzKiwiJJ

[Hogbay]

1 hour ago, bazzaw said:

I haven't read of much in the way of problems for Aussies onboard the ships now sailing from Aussie ports in the way of isolation requirements onboard after being tested positive onboard. BUT - I have heard that it has become a problem onboard the 3 Cunards ships sailing in British/American/European waters. Not a lot of fun to be removed out of your Balcony cabin and made to spend your cruise cooped up inside an inside cabin on a deck especially set aside for you and other prisoners. My GGGG Grandfather had to put up with that treatment on his way to Botany Bay in 1830 - but he did get his cruise for free - so there is that.  However I will be paying for my cruises - so what is happening over here in regard to Covid isolation.?? 

 

1 hour ago, bazzaw said:

 

This was Dora's information last month i got from cabin steward. Did not hear of people been moved out of their cabins .

[NSWP]

1 hour ago, bazzaw said:

Yes - that seems to be what is happening on the Cunard ships. Not something that I would want to expose myself to the possibility - but haven't heard much about the actuality of it all here in Oz. I have also  heard that the only way you can now get Covid is to get tested for it!! 🙂 

OR Barry, dare I say it if you are concerned, re covid and the rules if you get it on board...don't go old son !!    As for the ships working here, Coral Princess and Pacific Explorer, they are not disclosing much at all. Secret Squirrel stuff old boy.  Bad for business if they give the true picture re the lurgy on the ships.

Edited August 18, 2022 by NSWP

[OzKiwiJJ]

28 minutes ago, NSWP said:

OR Barry, dare I say it if you are concerned, re covid and the rules if you get it on board...don't go old son !!    As for the ships working here, Coral Princess and Pacific Explorer, they are not disclosing much at all. Secret Squirrel stuff old boy.  Bad for business if they give the true picture re the lurgy on the ships.

You keep making comments like this yet have not been on a recent cruise lately, apparently have not taken any notice of comments by people who have been on recent cruises, and have not taken any notice of the reported ship's status' published by the NSW government.

 

The only serious outbreak a few weeks ago was reported both to the governments and to passengers due to board the next cruise(s).

 

That's not secret squirrel stuff, they are reporting to the appropriate people at the appropriate times.

[NSWP]

16 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

You keep making comments like this yet have not been on a recent cruise lately, apparently have not taken any notice of comments by people who have been on recent cruises, and have not taken any notice of the reported ship's status' published by the NSW government.

 

The only serious outbreak a few weeks ago was reported both to the governments and to passengers due to board the next cruise(s).

 

That's not secret squirrel stuff, they are reporting to the appropriate people at the appropriate times.

Julie, take your point. I am getting too cynical and negative in my twilight years.  Time to move on I think.

[OzKiwiJJ]

16 minutes ago, NSWP said:

Julie, take your point. I am getting too cynical and negative in my twilight years.  Time to move on I think.

Never mind, Les, we all get grumpy at times. We luv ya anyway.😁

 

I've had to try to resist snarling at a few people at times. I'm not sure I fully succeeded on a couple of occasions.

 

 

[CDaze71]

We did not have to move from our Mini Suite when hubby tested + on the Coral Princess. No-one told us we couldn't use the balcony, but hubby decided not to, and just stayed within the cabin walls with a mask on. 

[OzKiwiJJ]

Hey Les, I just spotted some Cruise Offers. A single fare of around $175 per day for an obstructed balcony on the 10 night 3rd Sept cruise out of Sydney. Why don't you join us onboard.