If You Have Covid A Day Before You Cruise

[wowzz]

2 hours ago, molecrochip said:

This honesty scenario would partly be solved if P&O had randomised testing of, say, 5 or 10% of passengers at the terminal. Or even temperature checking.

 

The problem is that most insurers,  including the one recommended by P&O,  now make it almost impossible to claim back the cost of your holiday if you are denied boarding. 

If P&O were to reinstate the offer of FCC if you were unable to sail due to Covid,  there would no longer be an incentive to lie. 

[Cathygh]

2 hours ago, molecrochip said:

This honesty scenario would partly be solved if P&O had randomised testing of, say, 5 or 10% of passengers at the terminal. Or even temperature checking.

 

Once those prone to lying know there is a potential trap, it often becomes too stressful to lie and they revert to honest behaviours.

 

But the processes in place at present encourages the dishonest behaviour and that where my issue lies.

I do agree, One of the things that shocked me when DH and I went into isolation was there was a huge number of passengers coughing everywhere who thought they could not have covid as they had been vaccinated! We felt obliged to report our symptoms as we did not want to pass the virus on but  if we ever think we have covid on board again I doubt we will be honest. Those people went on to enjoy their holiday while all we could do was watch the ports from a distance. So as I said before, end the charade of isolation. Or deploy social distancing measures to protect us all. 

[wowzz]

49 minutes ago, Cathygh said:

we ever think we have covid on board again I doubt we will be honest.

I think that is the route P&O want everyone to go down.

Don't get tested, and don't take up a quarantine cabin. 

P&O  ( and other cruise lines are no different) are basically treating Covid the same way as flu. They are only providing quarantine cabins because they need to be seen to be doing the right thing, but that is all.

And, I have to say, I have no problem with Covid being, basically,  ignored.  

[Windsurfboy]

2 hours ago, wowzz said:

I think that is the route P&O want everyone to go down.

Don't get tested, and don't take up a quarantine cabin. 

P&O  ( and other cruise lines are no different) are basically treating Covid the same way as flu. They are only providing quarantine cabins because they need to be seen to be doing the right thing, but that is all.

And, I have to say, I have no problem with Covid being, basically,  ignored.  

 

Agree , clearly unless you are very ill , they want and expect you to ignore it. You will most probably lose money or miss half holiday otherwise. 

[Megabear2]

All of these discussions point to one thing: quarantine and health questionnaires are a waste of time  as far as the majority of passengers are concerned and in the current state of play pretty damn useless.  If P&O want to blame their other cutbacks on the pandemic that should also cease and if it continues to occur they must admit it's just a smokescreen to hide their financial actions.  A level playing field for all and a bit of honesty all round at no financial cost to the passenger.  That way everyone onboard takes personal responsibility for being there, doesn’t have to worry about huge financial loss and passenger stress levels can fall.

 

An amnesty of a say month, notified individually for every booking in writing, should be offered during which period anyone with a booking they do not wish to fulfil under these terms can cancel for a small admin fee (a realistic one not some fairyland figure the P&O accounts department dream up!!).   I really don't think there would be a rush to take up this sort of offer as most people would still want their holiday and are only unhappy about jumping through hoops in a now one sided cruise world.  By offering this amnesty anyone medically affected or scared to travel could in one fowl swoop be removed from the equation and P&O would regain control of both their reputation and hopefully passengers respect. 

 

P&O presumably have an idea of how many people are "trapped" by FCC and moved bookings as they will have looked at the numbers when removing the move as many times as you like option. Since Omicron raised its ugly head the goalposts moved because it isn't the disease of its predecessors and attitudes amongst society have naturally changed in the majority of cases.  P&O cannot hide the fact that they are "different" to other cruise lines with their customer base in some ways disadvantaged by their UK heritage.  They are American owned with an owner effectively making blanket rules for a customer with a totally different logic and outlook and more importantly a different legal regime.  The British have an overall sense of fair play even in these modern times and quite simply P&O aren't playing fair at all, offering an inferior product while pleading its because off the pandemic yet expecting us to pay top dollar for it.

 

 

 

 

[davecttr]

8 hours ago, molecrochip said:

No. The industry is very much aligned.

Or should it be very much maligned

[Windsurfboy]

On a ship 95% of time indoors is spent sitting down at meals , coffee , bar  etc , when you don't have to mask up. Masking up for rest is worse than pointless as it gives a false sense of security

[terrierjohn]

6 hours ago, Windsurfboy said:

On a ship 95% of time indoors is spent sitting down at meals , coffee , bar  etc , when you don't have to mask up. Masking up for rest is worse than pointless as it gives a false sense of security

We spend plenty of time outdoors on a cruise, either on the open decks or on our balcony or in our cabin  as do many others, far less than 95% of our time is spent indoors or in a crowded area.

[wowzz]

5 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

We spend plenty of time outdoors on a cruise, either on the open decks or on our balcony or in our cabin  as do many others, far less than 95% of our time is spent indoors or in a crowded area.

John, the point is that when you are indoors, 95% of the time you will be eating or drinking, not that you will be spending 95% of the time inside.