B x

From the CDC guidelines for cruise ship medical facilities for the "Medical Management of suspected or confirmed Covid-19", note the inclusion of antivirals (such as Paxlovid), it's commercially available so why aren't they carrying it for those who should/can have it?

Maintaining adequate supplies of antipyretics (e.g., acetaminophen and ibuprofen), antivirals and other therapeutics for COVID-19, if commercially available, other antimicrobial medications, oral and intravenous steroids, and supplemental oxygen is also recommended.

We'll still be wearing ours as well when we travel to Rome on June 11th.

A mail from BA this morning which I guess was prompted by the EU announcement yesterday, rather ambiguous in part, but basically wearing one on board rests with the requirements of the destination Country, so it's a yes for Italy until 15th June. No requirement to wear one at Heathrow now.  

1 hour ago, Irish Blue said:

I am on the Eclipse now and on day 8 both my husband and I tested positive.  There are other cases on board and we heard about another couple yesterday. Our cabin Stewart was pulled off work and put in isolation after greeting us on day 1, so the staff in some areas are doubling up and are stretched and since this is their second voyage in this contract, they are also not yet in the swing of how things work.  We’ve been in lock down for a full day so far and they offered to move me from our suite to a regular cabin in the event that my husband tested negative (unfortunately he wasn’t). They have offered free phone calls, free movies and premium wi-fi upgrades to anyone in isolation.  However, I asked for some masks to wear around the cabin in case anyone came in and they said we didn’t need them!  Their staff have KN95’s, but don’t all wear them covering their noses when they think people don’t notice. The biggest disappointment for us is the food.  All 3 meals so far are all tepid not hot and when you aren’t feeling well you want a hot bowl of soup not slightly warm stuff. Food is taking up to 1.5 hours to be delivered, things like salt, sugar for (warm) tea missing, no spoons to stir etc.  We were both unpleasantly surprised at how out of touch the ship design is.  There are a whole 2 electric outlets in the room.  Each day (before we got locked in) the steward was told by his boss to unplug our phone chargers, in this day and age that is crazy.  Also a disappointment is my hot tea loving husband has no way to make it himself, it’s a struggle to get them to replenish the ice (before as well as during isolation).  The food in the specialty restaurants is ok, service is hit or miss and I really didn’t appreciate being told that cilantro dislike wasn’t an allergy and them immediately serving us the first dish with it on it.   Their prices are up for sure.  We never got to the casino as it didn’t open while in Hawaiian waters.  We booked this trip in 2019 and it was the one bright star over the last couple of years.  What a mess. 

So sorry to read this, hope at least your symptoms are not too bad. Coriander can most certainly be an allergy, gives me breathing problems.  Do I gather you have been allowed to stay in your suite?

1 hour ago, TeeRick said:

Instead of "Just in case Paxlovid", there is an option for COVID prophylaxis (pre-treatment of uninfected).  For those about to cruise or travel in a high-risk (immunocompromised) category you might want to ask the advice from your doctor about Evusheld.  This is a new drug (injectable) approved by the FDA (EUA status) recently for this purpose.  Personally if I were severely immunocompromised I would check it out- but I would not likely cruise at all.

Whilst recently approved in the UK, Evusheld developed by AZ  is aimed for use in adults who are unlikely to mount an immune response from COVID-19 vaccination or for whom vaccination is not recommended. As such those with autoimmune conditions (such as myself, now five timed jabbed) would not be be offered it . 

Yep, noticed that as well. Waiting on a reply to some special needs requirements, that was almost two weeks ago, two auto replies both saying allow an extra 14 days to normal, whatever normal might be. At this rate will be back from cruise before they reply.

In reply to the suggestion above, calling here in the UK invariably means a wait of hours, tried that one last week, after more than two hours gave up.

3 minutes ago, B x said:

I was worried about the pole as well so asked the question and someone kingly provided some photos and info for 2217 which we have in June. I might have this wrong and sure someone will correct me if I am, but I got the impression the poles are perhaps only in the corner Sky's.

I stand corrected as I see the above video which I think is 1166 there is a pole on the way to the bathroom, maybe they all have them, if they do then they couldn't have been too intrusive as we've had three different Sky's on Reflection and don't recall them. My worry was seeing one with the pole right literally next to the bed, I was told that was a corner on a lower deck.

12 hours ago, calicakes said:

We're in 1669 on a Sept 16th, 2022 cruise in Rome.  I hope that big huge column isn't in the room.( see video above)

I was worried about the pole as well so asked the question and someone kingly provided some photos and info for 2217 which we have in June. I might have this wrong and sure someone will correct me if I am, but I got the impression the poles are perhaps only in the corner Sky's.

As other have said Sky's on Reflection deck 12 do have a big overhang, we've had a couple there and whilst that can be nice for shade when it's very hot, if you are a sun lover you might not get a lot depending on the ships location/angle.

I would open for an aft cabin any time, we have 2217 in June.

I note this question has been moved to 'Italian Ports' but my question did not relate to ports, it was actually about entering the Country in the first place, before one ever gets close to a port to embark a cruise ship......"All passengers entering Italy by plane, ferry, train or coach must wear an FFP2 mask in order to enter the country"

8 hours ago, chengkp75 said:

Everyone needs to understand that regardless of whether or not a drug is approved in the US or UK, or various countries, and whether that approval is emergency or normal, or whether the drug is readily available in any country, the medical center on the ship operates under the medication laws of the flag state, in this case Malta, and I have no idea whether they have approved any of these anti-virals.

Plaxovid was approved for use in the EU of which Malta is part in January 2022: Paxlovid is now authorised across the EU. This follows the granting of a conditional marketing authorisation by the European

Info which suggests its effective from 1st May on the UK Government website says "All passengers entering Italy by plane, ferry, train or coach must wear an FFP2 mask in order to enter the country". Can anyone recently arrived in Italy confirm if this is being implemented?

1 hour ago, mikewomb said:

It isn’t worth it . Is the media aware of the conditions positive people are being put under? If we didn’t have such a huge cruise credit, I would say my cruising days are over as no one deserves to be treated like that.

Yep, huge cruise credit here as well which they carried over from three re-scheduled cruises and dream of a long session in the jewellery store. I so want to go but this little voice is nagging in the background.

34 minutes ago, emmas gran said:

Bx I notice you queried yesterday on another thread about the use of the drug, if you return to that thread there is information.. Yes I do mean Tylenol!

 

My DH is immune supressed and had 2nd booster but we both had Covid recently, as it was over a weekend we didn't get anti-virals for some reason.

That's probably the thread I was looking for but being visually impaired scrolling numerous posts not easy. Sorry you didn't get the drugs, wonder why the weekend made any difference, they either had them on board or they didn't. Obviously we always travel with Paracetamol (Tylenol in the States) but they offer little help covid.

30 minutes ago, Bo1953 said:

I believe that NO US based cruise ship will carry nor offer such a drug to combat C-19.

 

If a passenger becomes so ill as to warrant the need for same, will be dis-embarked at the next safest port for the appropriate treatment.

 

Passengers can find out if they can get the prescription from their doctor and bring it with them.

 

I see no reason that one would not seek it from their doctor if they have self-deemed that their condition may warrant such.

 

In health and bon voyage

If only that (a prescription) was that simple with our current health service, as the poster below said, if administered as soon as there's a positive test it's very effective.

1 minute ago, emmas gran said:

I think you will find (if you search the threads) the medication onboard is Tylenol a common over the counter in US

Are you sure that's the drug you mean, here in the UK that's known as Paracetamol an over the counter pain relief much the same as Ibuprofen, noting like an anti viral for treating covid.

There have been various opinions on this thread about the interpretation of the word testing "within" one day of cruising. 

Friends due to cruise with Silversea in June on a Med itinerary (same company as RCI) just received a mail with various info including testing requirements "PCR or antigen test must be taken within one day/no more than 24 hours before your scheduled boarding time.

Sounds pretty clear to me, so possibly inadvisable to assume Celebrity have a different take on 'within'.

1 hour ago, phoenix_dream said:

I have been on 8 Celebrity cruises since the restart, most of them as B2B or consecutive cruises.  I confess during the first half of each cruise I get a little nervous about possibly being quarantined in an outside cabin for days on end.  On some of the cruises we had to wear masks (my 21 days on Connie) and on others not, or only in certain areas.  The masking wasn't that big a deal, but the concern about quarantining certainly was. Being 70 years old, despite being vaxxed and boosted, I also worry a bit about being sicker than "mild" although overall I have no underlying health conditions of which I am aware.  I would feel better if they had appropriate Covid anti-virals onboard but I understand they don't.  I also would feel better if they allowed people to just quarantine in their cabins like they do for noro.  Being able to have a balcony IMHO makes a huge difference to both physical and especially mental health.  At the same time, I confess I was a little nervous on Connie sitting on our balcony directly under the deck used for quarantining sick passengers, which also had balconies  I know the odds of transmitting that way are slim, but still....

 

But the biggest reason I am considering cancelling an upcoming cruise is due to barnacles.  Eclipse has been cutting the Alaska port calls substantially (see related posts) and as this cruise has already been lifted and shifted twice, I don't want to go to Alaska to just sit on my balcony.  I'm fine with doing that for Caribbean islands I have been to dozens of times (a beach is a beach is a beach) but in Alaska I want to get out and experience the beauty.  If they don't fix that issue I will likely cancel.

You mention "I would feel better if they had appropriate Covid anti-virals onboard but I understand they don't." Do you mean the drugs that are now being used to treat positive cases at an early stage? Here in the UK those they consider 'at risk' who test positive are treated a.s.a.p with Paxlovid and similar. As someone in that category it may well colour my thoughts about our June cruise (now re-scheduled three times) if these are the type of drugs to which you refer, or have I got the wrong end of the stick?

2 hours ago, Stu UK said:

Celebrity are very clear on their website …..

 

How do I calculate which days I may take my pre-cruise COVID-19 test?

When calculating which days you can take your test, be aware that the day you set sail is not counted as one of the days, unless the country of embarkation stipulates that the test be taken within 24 hours of arrival.

For example, if you are setting sail on a Saturday, and you are required to test 3 days before your sailing, you can take your test on Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday; and for 2 days in advance, you can take the test Thursday or Friday.

I've not come across that section, was it under the European guidelines or the US ones? So when would your take on the stipulated "within one day" for a Monday embarkation be ??

7 hours ago, sasset said:

Jdf62:

When we did our tests at Heathrow last week it only took about 30 minutes to get the email results.

Was that an Antigen?

5 hours ago, p18750 said:

 

It may seem inconsequential but the requirement is not 24 hours but 1 day. So if your cruise embarks on Friday you must have a test on Thursday, anytime Thursday. 

It is not "inconsequential". I raised the terminology of "within"  on another post and was shot down and told it means any time the previous day just as you also suggest. I was not being pedantic I was being factual.

Celebrity state "Must present a negative Antigen test taken within 1 day prior to sailing". Both the Cambridge and Oxford dictionary provide this explanation of "within" "If a time is X, within 24 hours means no later than 24 later"

1 hour ago, minster123 said:

Can someone confirm:  we are travelling from UK - Manchester in July.

 

I understand things might change before then but currently if we get an antigen test at a pharmacy in the UK on Thursday afternoon say 4.00pm (we fly 7am Friday morning) that will be OK for embarking at 1.00pm on Friday as it will be less than 24 hours since the test??

 

I know this sounds simple but the more I read the more confused I'm getting !!!

 

 

That's as I understand it and easy to become confused, It looks from this thread that it's changed twice in the last week, one day, to two and now back to one again apparently. To be honest after I saw the mention this morning that it's back to one day again I decided to forget about it until closer to the time as may well change yet again before we go which is four weeks.

6 hours ago, B x said:

Excellent idea! Mind you not confident they will answer anyone, I'm still waiting on a reply from my mail last Friday to Specialist Services (medical support) copies to customer relations, so far just the normal auto reply. Are they that short staffed or snowed under with customer queries one wonders.

Updated message in relations to my mail on 29th April, just in from Celebrity:

We are doing everything we can to expedite your inquiry, but due to high email volume, responses are delayed an approximate additional 14 days. 

Accept the pressure they and many companies are under, but that will be almost three weeks to get a response. Not many companies could get away with ignoring their customers that long.

3 hours ago, cruisingaussies said:

Why don't we all email them with 'Italy cruises testing' in the subject line?  If we hit them with a mass of messages, briefly stating all the confusion their frequent changes for pre-embarkation testing is causing, someone may sit up and take notice.

If they would just change the requirements to allow anyone, regardless of their vax status, to test at the pier if they haven't been able to do it any other way, it would clear this up.  Sure, it would cause more delays with embarkation but if they can't get their act together with this requirement, so be it.  At least we would all know we have that to fall back on.

Excellent idea! Mind you not confident they will answer anyone, I'm still waiting on a reply from my mail last Friday to Specialist Services (medical support) copies to customer relations, so far just the normal auto reply. Are they that short staffed or snowed under with customer queries one wonders.

I mailed their special assistance department and copied to customer services on Friday,  now evening Tuesday and nothing other than automated response just after sending. Had previously tried ringing but gave up on that one after almost two hour wait. No issues with incoming mails which I get into two desktops and phone and nothing in spam.