Cruising choices with an active Pandemic

[Pushka]

After what I saw at work over the weekend, money is still the great driver for most (i.e. obviously symptomatic but still coming in)

I guess it's somewhat understandable on a cruise, judging by the posts I've read in this thread. Especially when the company doesn't just confine you to quarters necessarily but throws you in the metaphorical (if not literal) brig and probably dumps you at the next port of call. Maybe if the approach was more sensible people would be more willing to own up to having symptoms?

Yes I understand both sides. But I caught a really nasty virus from one passenger on a cruise (I'm immunocompromised these days) who came to dinner feeling very unwell and not telling us until a couple of days later he was bedridden with it. Go on the cruise by all means but limit whom you interact with. Love_the_life was on the cruise with me and looked after me once we'd disembarked. I couldn't throw it off for weeks.

 

[tgh]

Close quarters travel has always been an infection distribution opportunity for bugs and cruise ship continue provide a perfect incubation crucible.
I suspect that it will be quite along time before cruising escapes Covid.
There has been a huge groundswell of folks wanting to return to cruising , some have had fun even with the risk management issues but many others have had great difficulty.
If the bug continues to degrade, ships and destinations may just let it rip, but it seems we are not there yet.

Press reports present a steady stream of disappointed travellers .. eg..

couple-stranded-spain-after-testing-positive-covid-cruise

 

[SydneySwan]

Press reports present a steady stream of disappointed travellers .. eg..

couple-stranded-spain-after-testing-positive-covid-cruise

Interesting quote in that article;

''Visitacion said he was finally contacted by a Norwegian representative who told him his travel insurance would cover 150% of his expenses.''

Bolding is mine. I haven't heard of that before.

 

[Port Power]

After what I saw at work over the weekend, money is still the great driver for most (i.e. obviously symptomatic but still coming in)

I guess it's somewhat understandable on a cruise, judging by the posts I've read in this thread. Especially when the company doesn't just confine you to quarters necessarily but throws you in the metaphorical (if not literal) brig and probably dumps you at the next port of call. Maybe if the approach was more sensible people would be more willing to own up to having symptoms?

People boarding a ship I thought still had to have a negative RAT? Of course, that doesn't mean they won't test positive the next day! However, it is completely selfish to continue moving about the ship whilst knowingly symptomatic! Beside spreading infection to other passengers, they are not thinking about service staff and their safety.

I know we cruise types are keen to hit the high seas again, but prospective problems with returning home are still there, albeit improving.

 

[Port Power]

Yes I understand both sides. But I caught a really nasty virus from one passenger on a cruise (I'm immunocompromised these days) who came to dinner feeling very unwell and not telling us until a couple of days later he was bedridden with it. Go on the cruise by all means but limit whom you interact with. Love_the_life was on the cruise with me and looked after me once we'd disembarked. I couldn't throw it off for weeks.

Totally agree with you. It happened to my husband when some idiot bloke joined him and others at their outside group table, and then coughed straight at my husband! Guess who came down with influenza soon afterwards? At least hubby was thoughtful and remained in the cabin while feeling unwell.

 

[mrs.dr.ron]

Well we are casting our fate to the hopefully not high seas around the Med this August with 18 days on the Silver Dawn; we cant sit at home forever waiting ...... for we are not getting any younger !! I am happy with Silverseas protocols that I have read, and passengers reports of what is happening on board, so August we are off finally somewhere other than Tassie !!

 

[VPS]

Close quarters travel has always been an infection distribution opportunity for bugs and cruise ship continue provide a perfect incubation crucible.
I suspect that it will be quite along time before cruising escapes Covid.
There has been a huge groundswell of folks wanting to return to cruising , some have had fun even with the risk management issues but many others have had great difficulty.
If the bug continues to degrade, ships and destinations may just let it rip, but it seems we are not there yet.

Press reports present a steady stream of disappointed travellers .. eg..

couple-stranded-spain-after-testing-positive-covid-cruise

I find these articles interesting. Any sensible person would always take extra medication with them in case of delays.

His sister, Charleen Karimoto, said she took two days off from work to focus on getting her brother home and making sure he can refill his medical prescriptions in Barcelona.

And who would have thought that the locals don't speak your language

“I think they waited too long to reach out. I had my sisters at home in Hawaii trying to help us out, because in a foreign land with people, the locals seldom speaking English, it’s very hard to communicate with them,” he said.

 

[tgh]

Any sensible person… sadly the disenfranchised complainers tend to be entitled , and therefore exempt from common sense.

 

[Pushka]

I find these articles interesting. Any sensible person would always take extra medication with them in case of delays.

His sister, Charleen Karimoto, said she took two days off from work to focus on getting her brother home and making sure he can refill his medical prescriptions in Barcelona.

And who would have thought that the locals don't speak your language

“I think they waited too long to reach out. I had my sisters at home in Hawaii trying to help us out, because in a foreign land with people, the locals seldom speaking English, it’s very hard to communicate with them,” he said.

I’m guessing they also wanted to pay with USD.

 

[drron]

I’m guessing they also wanted to pay with USD.

The number of times I have been asked whether it is all right to tip in Australia with USD. Answer-No.

 

[mrs.dr.ron]

When we go OS I take a mini chemist shop with me !! Panadol, antihistamines, antibotics, creams, bandaids, a flexible wrap bandage plus a good supply of our regular medications. BE PREPARED !!

 

[SydneySwan]

When we go OS I take a mini chemist shop with me !! Panadol, antihistamines, antibotics, creams, bandaids, a flexible wrap bandage plus a good supply of our regular medications. BE PREPARED !!

Plus your own @drron!

 

[Must...Fly!]

The number of times I have been asked whether it is all right to tip in Australia with USD. Answer-No.

Indeed we only accept drop bear tokens...

When we go OS I take a mini chemist shop with me !! Panadol, antihistamines, antibotics, creams, bandaids, a flexible wrap bandage plus a good supply of our regular medications. BE PREPARED !!

Immodium...

 

[k_sheep]

People boarding a ship I thought still had to have a negative RAT? Of course, that doesn't mean they won't test positive the next day! However, it is completely selfish to continue moving about the ship whilst knowingly symptomatic! Beside spreading infection to other passengers, they are not thinking about service staff and their safety.

I know we cruise types are keen to hit the high seas again, but prospective problems with returning home are still there, albeit improving.

A negative RAT is near useless. I had a negative RAT and a CT value of 18 on PCR (meaning really quite a high viral load). And this is with the 'highest sensitivity' RAT according to WHO.

Am secretly glad I got covid (and recovered!) before our Antarctica cruise in November. Hopefully that reduces my chances of getting it again.

 

[Pushka]

Viking cruises have finally stopped their daily testing and extraction of positive cases. At the time the reason given was 'port requirements.' Crock of s, given that within hours, maybe minutes of CDC stopping testing requirements back to USA, hey Presto, daily testing stopped. So maybe our bucket list cruise for May next year is back on. It's already sold out, within the last day. It's a dream Cruise.

 

[Anna]

our bucket list cruise for May next year

Where's this one to?

It was on ABC news last night that 101 cruises will dock at Outer Harbour between September and next April. Interesting. Apparently the terminal has been refurbished. Didn't much look like it from the footage but at least it's not still the warehouse it was decades ago.

 

[VPS]

For those of you planning Antarctica trips this note that you need a visa for Chile and the process can take 20 working days

Temporary admission for Australian passport holders - Servicios Consulares

www.serviciosconsulares.cl

 

[zig]

For those of you planning Antartica trips this note that you need a visa for Chile and the process can take 20 working days

Temporary admission for Australian passport holders - Servicios Consulares

www.serviciosconsulares.cl

Thanks for posting.
I am doing a cruise to South Georgia next year. No mention of how 'temporary' the requirement for a visa might be. I suppose I can do as I have in the past and use by British passport for entry to Chile.

 

[Flashback]

Thanks for posting.
I am doing a cruise to South Georgia next year. No mention of how 'temporary' the requirement for a visa might be. I suppose I can do as I have in the past and use by British passport for entry to Chile.

Which reminds me that I should really get around to sorting out my British passport .....

 

[k_sheep]

I like how the link to apply is dead. A good sign.

I shall look again in spring before the summer cruise .... fingers crossed! 3rd time is the charm.