Recent COVID experience onboard

[foze]

10 minutes ago, phoenix_dream said:

I don't understand why 1) people don't bring their own Covid tests with them and 2) why people don't bring some basic OTC  meds with them for if they do get sick.  Then you can figure out what to do and treat accordingly.  

I'd stupidly assumed that the ship would have a load of test kits anyway. We have boxes of the silly things now. As for OTC meds... the ones that actually do something useful like paxlovid are only available on prescription in the UK, and even there severely restricted to "not my demographic"!

 

Anyway, taking our own tests next time... sigh... 😉

[Muushka]

So for those who are in the "bring my own test" camp, if you test positive will you inform the cruise line?

[lexmiller]

23 hours ago, GlitterFemme said:

This has already happened. The latest shot came out around the beginning of October and is not considered a booster; it is this year's vaccine. From now on they're expected to come out yearly and be tailored to the currently circulating strains, just like a flu shot. They're not combined in a single shot (yet?) but they should both come out every year in the fall before the winter virus season.

Actually, it was available at CVS here in Massachusetts in mid September.  We got it on the second day it was available.  We got the flu shot on the same day, different arms!  

[lexmiller]

2 minutes ago, Muushka said:

So for those who are in the "bring my own test" camp, if you test positive will you inform the cruise line?

That's a loaded question, one that has gotten threads shut down by the admins in the past.  Similar topic to politics or religion!  😝

[foze]

4 minutes ago, Muushka said:

So for those who are in the "bring my own test" camp, if you test positive will you inform the cruise line?

There's the $64M question. It's clear Celebrity don't care. Well, they may, but insufficiently to be proactive about it. I'd probably isolate as best and as much I could. I'd be really annoyed if they insisted that you isolate. It'd be an interesting test...

[foze]

7 minutes ago, lexmiller said:

That's a loaded question, one that has gotten threads shut down by the admins in the past.  Similar topic to politics or religion!  😝

Oh, come on! Who doesn't love a nice argument! The one thing I have been incredibly impressed with in this thread is that it has been serious all the way. Not a single denier or peddler of "interesting cures". It has also been quite informative to get people's perspectives. Now, what was that you said about my haircut!?!

[SbbquilterUT]

In our experience the test administered by Celebrity includes Flu A, RSV and Covid so different than your home test.  Also if Flu A positive they can give you medication to mitigate symptoms.  

Edited January 7 by SbbquilterUT
Spelling

[foze]

20 minutes ago, SbbquilterUT said:

In our experience the test administered by Celebrity includes Flu A, RSV and Covid so different than your home test.  Also if Flu A positive they can give you medication to mitigate symptoms.  

Not without merit at all. I managed to catch a very stinky cold, which I am now on the downside of.

 

They were very serious on people presenting norovirus, though. That has to be a Good Thing (tm)!

[Oceangoer2]

1 hour ago, phoenix_dream said:

I don't understand why 1) people don't bring their own Covid tests with them and 2) why people don't bring some basic OTC  meds with them for if they do get sick.  Then you can figure out what to do and treat accordingly.  

Can't bring pre-illness antibiotics with me but yes to the covid tests.

[Lena11033]

1 hour ago, phoenix_dream said:

I don't understand why 1) people don't bring their own Covid tests with them 

 

Where I am it's difficult to get rapid test kits, last time I purchased any I was in Miami. For my cruise next month if I want to take a kit on board I'll have to find somewhere to purchase them in the US after I get to Tampa. All other medications etc I'll have before I leave Canada just not that.

[ChutChut]

I guess I don't understand OP's point. YOU made the decision not to test. Are you suggesting Celebrity physically force you to take a test?

[foze]

18 minutes ago, ChutChut said:

I guess I don't understand OP's point. YOU made the decision not to test. Are you suggesting Celebrity physically force you to take a test?

you miss the point. we were perfectly happy to have a test, and indeed expected a simple LFT. but no, a consultation and then... perhaps... assuming the medical person (doctor, i don't know...) permitted a test. Quite the opposite of your question, they were trying very hard to dissuade us from a test. I suspect because then they know they have an infected person on board and... what then...?

[If only]

2 hours ago, Lena11033 said:

 

Where I am it's difficult to get rapid test kits, last time I purchased any I was in Miami. For my cruise next month if I want to take a kit on board I'll have to find somewhere to purchase them in the US after I get to Tampa. All other medications etc I'll have before I leave Canada just not that.

Not sure where you are but we picked one up at Shoppers Drug Mart in Uxbridge.

[Lena11033]

10 minutes ago, If only said:

Not sure where you are but we picked one up at Shoppers Drug Mart in Uxbridge.

 

I'm out by Windsor, last time I checked the local shoppers they didn't have any.

Prior to buying in the US I ordered from Air Canada but it was expensive, one test kit was like the price of two in the US which was why I picked up from CVS last time.

 

[Baynanno1]

3 hours ago, Muushka said:

So for those who are in the "bring my own test" camp, if you test positive will you inform the cruise line?

 

Yes, of course!

 

And we would isolate ourselves as we have done for many years on various cruise ships when one of us has caught a cold from others.

We do care about the health of others and on more than one occasion thanks have been expressed by friends when DH has self isolated with a cold.

[Kelownadon]

26 minutes ago, Baynanno1 said:

 

Yes, of course!

 

And we would isolate ourselves as we have done for many years on various cruise ships when one of us has caught a cold from others.

We do care about the health of others and on more than one occasion thanks have been expressed by friends when DH has self isolated with a cold.

There is not a chance in hell I would self isolate with a cold on a cruise. 

[phoenix_dream]

4 hours ago, Oceangoer2 said:

Can't bring pre-illness antibiotics with me but yes to the covid tests.

I said basic OTC meds, not prescriptions. Things like aspirin, ibuprofen, cough drops etc.

[Barwick Cruiser]

21 hours ago, Lena11033 said:

 

Where I am it's difficult to get rapid test kits, last time I purchased any I was in Miami. For my cruise next month if I want to take a kit on board I'll have to find somewhere to purchase them in the US after I get to Tampa. All other medications etc I'll have before I leave Canada just not that.

They have bins of the tester kits at our local Walmart. Have you tried yours?

[Itchy&Scratchy]

23 hours ago, Muushka said:

So for those who are in the "bring my own test" camp, if you test positive will you inform the cruise line?

we would, however, last time we got covid on the ship, we didn't get symptoms until the day after disembarkation. We usually go on short 7 night cruises, so by the time you get infected, start showing symptoms and maybe test positive, we would already be off the cruise. We wear masks on the flight anyway (to and from the cruise), so at least we would'n get other people sick.

 

Last summer (no cruise) I got symptoms and they were just like last time, so I already knew it was covid. However, I kept testing negative for a couple more days. My parents who got covid at the same time (independently from me and also NOT on a cruise) got a positive test each with minimal symptoms (dad) and even before mom developed symptoms.

[CruiseRQA]

My local library had boxes of Covid tests for patrons to take if they wanted.  Not sure where they came from. 

[CGinMTL]

I think if everybody took the same precautions independent of the illness, we would all be in a better place.

If I am sick, I self isolate.

[mayleeman]

3 hours ago, CGinMTL said:

I think if everybody took the same precautions independent of the illness, we would all be in a better place.

If I am sick, I self isolate.

 

I hae had winter colds that go for about 10 days almost every year since college in the 70's. I credit Covid and isolation/caution (by me and others) for not having a cold in 2020, '21, and '22. But this winter...sniffle, snort, cough, sneeze. Back to normal has its drawbacks!

[RichYak]

Like everyone else posting here (unless they've tested daily), I have no idea how many times I've have covid. The one time I know I had it, my only symptom was the extra pink line on my antigen test that kept me from flying home to the USA from Europe in 2021. 

Edited January 9 by RichYak

[foze]

15 hours ago, mayleeman said:

 

I hae had winter colds that go for about 10 days almost every year since college in the 70's. I credit Covid and isolation/caution (by me and others) for not having a cold in 2020, '21, and '22. But this winter...sniffle, snort, cough, sneeze. Back to normal has its drawbacks!

I managed to get a cold. It has been utterly stinky but finally on the downside...

[foze]

19 minutes ago, Lena11033 said:

 

That's nothing Ontario was difficult to get testing, when I traveled to Italy prior to the government supplying a limited amount of free tests I had to pay $80 for one rapid test.

Now it's still difficult that when I'm in other countries which have them easier to access I buy and bring back for myself.

Boots in the UK has a great big display of them right inside the front door. Another one of those things where you don't know when you've got it so good! We're off to Oz and then an Antarctic cruise in a month. We have 10 test kits! Wouldn't want to give COVID to the penguins and capybaras! (can't be too careful...)