How prevalent is covid?

[cgllnt]

It seems to be hard getting numbers of covid cases on the cruise ships. I expect there are some, but are they over 100 or less than 20 typically?

[taxmantoo]

5 minutes ago, cgllnt said:

It seems to be hard getting numbers of covid cases on the cruise ships. I expect there are some, but are they over 100 or less than 20 typically?

You answered your own question.  It is hard to know unless the cruise lines publish those statistics and they don't. 

[d9704011]

4 minutes ago, cgllnt said:

It seems to be hard getting numbers of covid cases on the cruise ships. I expect there are some, but are they over 100 or less than 20 typically?

Yes.

[MichiganFisherman]

You might want to ask in the ask a cruise question forum, not specifically HAL.

[Mary229]

If Covid is of deep concern for you perhaps you should consider other modes of transportation. 

[geocruiser]

I don't know for sure about HAL cruise ships.  But I do keep track of the positivity rate of my area, which is above 6%.  

You have to decided what is best for you.  How comfortable you would be on a ship.  Would you be able to enjoy yourself, of worry about covid.  If covid is on land it is at sea too.  For us we have decided it is not our time to cruise right now.

[Jim9310]

2 hours ago, cgllnt said:

It seems to be hard getting numbers of covid cases on the cruise ships. I expect there are some, but are they over 100 or less than 20 typically?

 

According to this disturbing article, the cruise lines always seem to say it's  "a small number".

https://www.cruiselawnews.com/2022/10/articles/disease/covid-cruise-ships-return-down-under-with-hundreds-of-infected-guests/

[BermudaBound2014]

2 hours ago, cgllnt said:

It seems to be hard getting numbers of covid cases on the cruise ships. I expect there are some, but are they over 100 or less than 20 typically?

 

Impossible to know because most people with covid now don't even get sick enough to actually take a day off and rest in bed. A little tickle in the throat or a slight cough for a few days doesn't slow most people down. 

 

I have concluded that you are more likely to be in contact with covid on a cruise ship simply due to population density. Large numbers of people in crowded spaces. If you have a comorbidity (or are afraid of the virus for another reason) you may want to choose a different mode of vacation especially as winter approaches.

 

 

[Mary229]

43 minutes ago, rodndonna said:

 

Hard as it is for you to understand, just because YOU don't are about something, doesn't mean everyone else doesn't.

 

So the answer is yes, there are people for who this is something they have to be concerned with.

Yes there are , some people need to worry about all of their infectious disease exposures but I think we also have to be generous towards those that don’t.   It is not an intelligence test, it is being realistic about your situation.

 

 I got slapped and called out many times during the past two years for giving the advice - talk to your primary care health provider.  They have access to data regarding current circumstances and also know your health condition. The rest of us can only give our opinion from our own circumstances.

[DaveOKC]

Just off a 16 day cruise and am pretty sure the cases were much higher than 20!  First, the longer the cruise went the more people we saw/heard sniffling/coughing and this was not uncommon.  Second, a cabin near us had an orange sticker on the lock which we were told meant that it was quarantined (plus noticed the crew wearing full protective gear when entering it.  Out of boredom, we decided to walk most of the cabin areas and counted 20 more of the orange stickers.  

At the airport we encountered several passengers from our ship who also were showing signs of colds or virus.

When we first boarded the ship we were told of the full masking policy.  After about 2-3 days this was lifted, even for the crew (they were very happy about this).  However, about 7 days later the crew went back on masks.  This led me to believe that Covid levels were increasing.

Of course I do not have actual figures, but my observations lead me to believe that Covid is a larger issue than HAL is letting on.

 

[rodndonna]

17 minutes ago, PACD_JG said:

 

And like some others above alluded to...if you're STILL worried enough to ask this question, you shouldn't even be considering a cruise.

 

Where did I say I was still worried? I'm not, and ave been travelling (including 3 cruises ) for the last year.

 

That doesn't mean I disregard the health concerns of others so blatantly.

[PACD_JG]

6 minutes ago, rodndonna said:

Where did I say I was still worried? I'm not, and ave been travelling (including 3 cruises ) for the last year.

Let me help you since you're incapable of contextualization...I apologize for using "if YOU'RE still" instead of "if ONE is still."  It's not always about you...

Edited October 31, 2022 by PACD_JG

[rodndonna]

1 minute ago, PACD_JG said:

Let me help you since you're incapable of contextualization...I apologize for using "if YOU"RE still" instead of "If ONE is still."  It's not always about you...

 

You're initial post was what the one I was still referencing below, but yes - if you respond to my post and say 'YOU"RE ..." - I would normally take that as you were referring to me.

 

10 hours ago, PACD_JG said:

Wait...people STILL care about this?

 

There are more constructive ways to deal with the OP's question regarding how prevalent Covid is on cruise ships and what that means for them in their personal risk assessment.

[AKJonesy]

Whenever someone starts a thread with the word "Covid" you get very diverse answers.  Here we go again.  LOL.

[whogo]

I am currently following five live Holland America cruise blogs. Two of the bloggers have recently been quarantined with covid and a third was quarantined months ago while cruising. Nobody terribly sick, no hospital, no ICU, but what a pain to spend your cruise in quarantine. Worse yet is the possibility of being denied boarding in the first place. Those who test positive will have a substandard cruise. Having actual numbers of those affected would be helpful in assessing risk. The fact that cruise lines rarely provide the numbers makes me think things are not so healthy on the ships.

[Mary229]

5 minutes ago, whogo said:

I am currently following five live Holland America cruise blogs. Two of the bloggers have recently been quarantined with covid and a third was quarantined months ago while cruising. Nobody terribly sick, no hospital, no ICU, but what a pain to spend your cruise in quarantine. Worse yet is the possibility of being denied boarding in the first place. Those who test positive will have a substandard cruise. Having actual numbers of those affected would be helpful in assessing risk. The fact that cruise lines rarely provide the numbers makes me think things are not so healthy on the ships.

I sometimes wonder if those bloggers, knowing the odds, simply do repeated tests until they get a positive.  Why? Click bait.  The keywords Covid + cruise ship are high hit keywords.  The more clicks the more eyes the more advertising dollars.  That is how the internet works. 

[Mosaic]

13 hours ago, PACD_JG said:

Wait...people STILL care about this?

So on our recent NS trip, one of our favorite Neptune Concierges was down and out.  If you get covid on the ship you need to quarantine.  Currently staying at a 4 star hotel  where maintenance is unavailable due to covid. I pay for these features and services and they are not available.   SO I CARE!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Scrapnana]

12 hours ago, Mary229 said:

I sometimes wonder if those bloggers, knowing the odds, simply do repeated tests until they get a positive.  Why? Click bait.  The keywords Covid + cruise ship are high hit keywords.  The more clicks the more eyes the more advertising dollars.  That is how the internet works. 

I am a blogger but I receive no money for my blog.  So, if you ever read my blog you can believe what I say - I am not making it up to profit off of it.

[Scrapnana]

I am currently on Zaandam.  We all had to test the fifth day of the cruise.  About 25 of us tested positive out of approximately 1100 passengers.  If I am doing my math correctly, that is just over 2%.

[Mary229]

4 hours ago, HappyInVan said:

Careful! Some people are trying to get this thread erased.

 

Fact is that the OP has a valid concern. As long as public health requires isolation, the risk of infection is relevant. As long as ships require testing and masking, numbers matter. As long as covid causes hospitalization, every pax should be concerned.

 

I would encourage those with strong views to discuss the matter with the experts. 

I would encourage those concerned to seek the advice of their own personal physician rather than strangers on the internet or bureaucrats with potential conflicts.  

[SumoCitrus]

Sailing with my parents in December and they are understandably concerned about covid (ages 70 and 78). Both of them are vaxxed and boosted which gives them comfort. I had covid over the summer and it was mild which has been the report of most people who get it lately. I think it might just be unavoidable on ships, meaning there will always be a few cases. My parents tried to get a prescription for Paxlovid (just in case) but received resistance from their doctors who didn't want to preemptively prescribe it in that way.

 

We've discussed it and the current strategy is: bring a mask and wear it if it feels necessary; take the stairs/avoid elevators; wash hands often. Probably good advice from now on.

[Damcruiser]

We cruised on NStatendam in September.  I developed a cold early on in our 17 day cruise.  I tested negative while onboard but positive when I arrived home.  The cough lasted more than 4 weeks.  Deck four had a closed door due to COVID isolation of that deck.

I know that COVID is a risk but we’re going back for 7 weeks.  COVID infection will be as common as catching a cold or the flu onboard.  Having been vaccinated 4 times, still getting infected onboard, I realize the risk but will continue to cruise.  

[whogo]

21 hours ago, Mary229 said:

I sometimes wonder if those bloggers, knowing the odds, simply do repeated tests until they get a positive.  Why? Click bait.  The keywords Covid + cruise ship are high hit keywords.  The more clicks the more eyes the more advertising dollars.  That is how the internet works. 

None of the live cruise blogs I am following have ads.

[vswan]

Have cruised 4 times in the past year. Got covid at the end of the second cruise. For us, it was so mild that we didn't know it was covid until we tested once we got home - drove. On our third cruise there were many people who disappeared for a few days and many talked about going to shore to get cold medicine. So yes, there is covid on the ships and many do not report to medical or quarantine. Masking was hit and miss with the earlier cruises more masked. The last cruise we did was probably less than 25% masked.

 

If you are at high risk for adverse problems with covid, cruising is probably not for you. For me, with all of my vaccines, I wasn't even sure I had it. We all make our own choices.

[DesertDogs]

On 10/31/2022 at 6:16 AM, DaveOKC said:

Just off a 16 day cruise and am pretty sure the cases were much higher than 20!  First, the longer the cruise went the more people we saw/heard sniffling/coughing and this was not uncommon.  Second, a cabin near us had an orange sticker on the lock which we were told meant that it was quarantined (plus noticed the crew wearing full protective gear when entering it.  Out of boredom, we decided to walk most of the cabin areas and counted 20 more of the orange stickers.  

At the airport we encountered several passengers from our ship who also were showing signs of colds or virus.

When we first boarded the ship we were told of the full masking policy.  After about 2-3 days this was lifted, even for the crew (they were very happy about this).  However, about 7 days later the crew went back on masks.  This led me to believe that Covid levels were increasing.

Of course I do not have actual figures, but my observations lead me to believe that Covid is a larger issue than HAL is letting on.

 

I believe we were on the same cruise. We both found out we had Covid when we got home and my husband who is 80 ended up hospitalized. We both had four vaccines but we both got very sick. Almost a month later I am just now starting to feel better. This was my dream cruise and it ended up not so dreamy.