Cruising choices with an active Pandemic

[JohnK]

The epidemiologists don't agree with you John.

Very convenient to just ignore and move on.

If we don't test, if we don't worry, it doesn't exist right?

 

[drron]

As I said the experts don’t agree with you. In fact very few now agree with your views.
Time to enjoy life again. Looking forward to our 54 day cruise in March.

 

[JohnK]

I think you've mentioned pre Covid you're never likely to cruise?

That's not right and if I said it then it has been taken out of context.

In the 90s I used to research the 6 month round the world cruise from Southampton. There were 2 x 3 month options but basically you could join at any part of the cruise.

When I got married I wanted to take wife on cruise but she gets sea sick. Wife said I can take daughter on cruise.

Since covid I don't think that's a great idea and most experts agree. It's not an 8 hour flight. It's not a 1 hour visit to shopping centre. It's not a 3 hour visit to restaurant. It's spending weeks with strangers and you trust these strangers to do the right thing.

I'm quite happy to take cruises off my list of things to do. When we're dead we won't remember what we've done or what we haven't done. In fact all we're doing is fuelling our ego while we're alive. Much easier to get off the grid and do nothing. And if we're living in a simulation none of this matters anyway and is out of our control.

 

[luxury-lizard]

But we could be living in a parallel universe.

 

[JohnK]

As I said the experts don’t agree with you. In fact very few now agree with your views.
Time to enjoy life again. Looking forward to our 54 day cruise in March.

Really? I'd say most experts agree with me.

Most experts are recommending vaccination and keeping vaccinations up to date.

Most experts are recommending mask wearing where it makes sense such as medical facilities and crowded areas and where someone is infected.

Most experts are recommending social distancing and isolation if infected.

Some experts are suggesting we'll get through this wave unscathed which will more than likely be the case but it will come with a cost.

Looks like some people are cherry picking which experts to follow and which experts to ignore.

We are in the middle of a pandemic. Try as hard as you like but it will remain a pandemic for quite some time and rightly so. I still don't understand the rush to end the pandemic prematurely. Greed?

 

[Pushka]

Really? I'd say most experts agree with me.

Most experts are recommending vaccination and keeping vaccinations up to date.

Most experts are recommending mask wearing where it makes sense such as medical facilities and crowded areas and where someone is infected.

Most experts are recommending social distancing and isolation if infected.

Some experts are suggesting we'll get through this wave unscathed which will more than likely be the case but it will come with a cost.

Looks like some people are cherry picking which experts to follow and which experts to ignore.

We are in the middle of a pandemic. Try as hard as you like but it will remain a pandemic for quite some time and rightly so. I still don't understand the rush to end the pandemic prematurely. Greed?

I think there is a pandemic of cherry picking then.

NSW rules out mask mandate. We are not going back.

https://www.news.com.au/world/coronavirus/closures/nsw-rules-out-return-to-mask-mandates-amid-omicron-wave/news-story/b93168707639bf27e982249157ea857c

Drron has not said, don't get vaccinated. Ever. He has said to evaluate the risk to your own health in getting one. And that vaccination should not be a mandate. And many people who are very concerned about covid are simply not travelling overseas right now. Yet for some reason, you don't see your travels as a risk. And masks won't stop you getting covid. I don't think anything can. You either get it or not.

 

[GrahamBRI]

I still don't understand the rush to end the pandemic prematurely.

While I agree with JohnK - experts (non government influenced) do appear to be more conservative (and for good reason), I am still more aligned with drron, if I can find some like minded souls to “enjoy life again” I will be there. See you on the water drron (37 days cruising from April).

 

[mrs.dr.ron]

. See you on the water drron (37 days cruising from April).

Where do you get on ... Barcelona or Rome ??

 

[GrahamBRI]

Where do you get on ... Barcelona or Rome ??

A bit further afield...... I get on in Aust, but will look out for you guys anyway all ships pass in the night and I will be up late, enjoying my drinks package as I heard that gives you COVID immunity

 

[woodyren]

A bit further afield...... I get on in Aust, but will look out for you guys anyway all ships pass in the night and I will be up late, enjoying my drinks package as I heard that gives you COVID immunity

Are you heading off on a Trans Pacific in April? We are on Ovation for 35 days from Sydney?

 

[GrahamBRI]

Are you heading off on a Trans Pacific in April? We are on Ovation for 35 days from Sydney?

Transpacific - yep, but Quantum ex BNE and onto Alaska, we will definitely see you sailing pass at night.

 

[JohnK]

Drron has not said, don't get vaccinated. Ever. He has said to evaluate the risk to your own health in getting one. And that vaccination should not be a mandate. And many people who are very concerned about covid are simply not travelling overseas right now. Yet for some reason, you don't see your travels as a risk. And masks won't stop you getting covid. I don't think anything can. You either get it or not.

I'm not cherry picking.

Mask mandates are one thing. Common sense is another.

Let's see I've visited a country of 80 million people with total of 5 million infections and currently ~2,000 a day.

I live in a country of 25 million people with over 10 million infections and currently getting back up over 20,000 infections a day?

I go to a shop here and everyone wearing masks. Workers come to visit us and they are wearing masks.

Australians are not smarter. Far from it. Queensland is back on amber alert and I'll be there in 2 days. Not looking forward going shopping coming across people who care for no one other than themselves.

Oh and both my parents, brother, wife, daughter and myself not getting covid has nothing to do with luck. It's call good management. My mum goes shopping with mask and gloves and both get thrown out when she returns home. Dad does not go out. Brother is cautious. Wife puts mask on as soon as she walks out front door. I'm cautious.

I do not want to test my luck with covid. I've heard enough. I've seen enough to know this is not going to be easy for everyone. I don't care about the 98.7% that survive. I care about the 1.3% that struggle.

That's the difference between me and most people.

 

[drron]

John Mrsdrron and I picked up covid in Thailand. And we wore masks. I am pretty sure you can put another couple of 0's after the Thai tally. How many tests do they do?
On Worldometers Australia has done 78 million tests,Thailand 17 million. I think they might have missed quite a few cases.

 

[Pushka]

John Mrsdrron and I picked up covid in Thailand. And we wore masks. I am pretty sure you can put another couple of 0's after the Thai tally. How many tests do they do?
On Worldometers Australia has done 78 million tests,Thailand 17 million. I think they might have missed quite a few cases.

And ATAGI would seem to agree with you with regards to the risk of further vaccinations for those under 30. Risks outweigh the benefit. Quoting the number of positive cases these days in any country is completely irrelevant. Even WHO has agreed that testing is such that they can't really trace the variants any more.

 

[tgh]

It seems the"choices" and the risks are just rolling on…
Unsaid here is the the poster and his wife have probably paid more than $2000usd/day for their 10 day adventure.

 

[GrahamBRI]

It seems the"choices" and the risks are just rolling on…
Unsaid here is the the poster and his wife have probably paid more than $2000usd/day for their 10 day adventure.

Yeah, but that is the risk most of are now faced with everyday in Oz……. You don’t have to isolate here, you can have COVID, go to a concert, shopping movies and it is only a “recommendation” to wear a mask if you decide to go out with COVID….. so crew wearing a mask, is better that what we have here. And fully vaccinated under Australian rules is two vaccines, so no different with what is the ships requirement. With respect to the cost, I assume they are covered like most cruises at the moment by the cruiseline. RCL for instance will reimburse you for all costs for the time you are placed in isolation….. so not a cost, just unfortunately a few less memories (that you would not have got if you stayed home anyway). This risk is well and truely covered.

 

[Pushka]

Yeah, but that is the risk most of are now faced with everyday in Oz……. You don’t have to isolate here, you can have COVID, go to a concert, shopping movies and it is only a “recommendation” to wear a mask if you decide to go out with COVID….. so crew wearing a mask, is better that what we have here. And fully vaccinated under Australian rules is two vaccines, so no different with what is the ships requirement. With respect to the cost, I assume they are covered like most cruises at the moment by the cruiseline. RCL for instance will reimburse you for all costs for the time you are placed in isolation….. so not a cost, just unfortunately a few less memories (that you would not have got if you stayed home anyway). This risk is well and truely covered.

I'd expect cruise lines to carry antivirals though. The rest sounds exactly what I'd expect if I tested positive onboard. And likely at home too except without the room service.

 

[Rnwillia]

We are booked on Viking Amsterdam to Budapest river cruise fo April 2023. Has anyone got any knowledge of how well these cruises are currently operating and whether there is any risk posed in about April 2023?

 

[GrahamBRI]

I'd expect cruise lines to carry antivirals though.

Agree and I assume they do, but like here in Oz I assume they will be limited to only high risk cases……. and to avoid a mutiny from 100 positive cases, I would fully expect they will find it easier to say “sorry we don’t have any” than “sorry your not sick enough and you can’t have it”…… but if you are someone at “high risk” (under Australian COVID definition of high risk), then maybe you need to consider this risk in your planning (bring adequate medication for your medical risk)

 

[Pushka]

Agree and I assume they do, but like here in Oz I assume they will be limited to only high risk cases……. and to avoid a mutiny from 100 positive cases, I would fully expect they will find it easier to say “sorry we don’t have any” than “sorry your not sick enough and you can’t have it”…… but if you are someone at “high risk” (under Australian COVID definition of high risk), then maybe you need to consider this risk in your planning (bring adequate medication for your medical risk)

Good point. They might not meet the criteria for prescribing them here in Australia either. Not a high risk patient. They certainly don't dole them out on Princess until they have medically assessed you. In which case, nothing to see here

Post automatically merged: Nov 15, 2022

We are booked on Viking Amsterdam to Budapest river cruise fo April 2023. Has anyone got any knowledge of how well these cruises are currently operating and whether there is any risk posed in about April 2023?

Crystal Ball for 2023. However I'm on a few Viking FB groups and covid seems to have disappeared from the conversation. Which is a huge change from earlier. Thank goodness. I'm on a Viking Ocean next May.