seaoma

If you don't mind answering me, what is there to hate about doing it yourself?

Thanks for updating us and sorry it wasn't the best of news. I hope he will feel better soon with no lingering aggravations. Honestly, it seems like you would be one of the least likely couples to get covid on the cruise. Do you have any thoughts on where you were vulnerable? Would you mind continuing to post, if you feel like it, concerning your experience? Yes, at least you're on a DAM ship! What limitations have they put on you since you're still negative?

Thanks for stating this. Way back in early 2020, so many posters on this board were so concerned about the crew losing their jobs since cruising was being unfairly shut down. Today, not so much concern for the crew. If personal responsibility was the solution to covid transmission, we wouldn't be in the situation we are in today.

I just want to make sure I'm understanding the thinking on this thread. You want to discontinue testing because it doesn't stop Covid from getting on the ship. This potentially puts more postive Covid cases onboard, since few of you cares whether pre-cruise testing catches 1, 2, 5 or more positive cases. Now things will miraculously improve onboard? We would have less quarantine and isolation onboard? The cruises could sail full and the stock price will rise?

It is. I have a daughter that was a wildlife professional. It is tragic and shortsighted what we do to animals that we need in this world.

Maybe it be can be recycled again into something else. This bag did prevent some plastic from going into the dump the first time. It's going to take some time and there are lots of steps before we can get people to give up their plastic. Just look at the people on CC that lament the loss of plastic water bottles. Some cannot even wrap their head around bringing their own drinking bottle to be used with the clean, filtered water available onboard. I get it and I'm onboard with conservation. There are many, many more offenders than a recycled bag from HAL.

They are made of recycled plastic.

Sadly, it doesn't have to be this way, but this is what the cruise industry has decided is their way forward. Fill the ships as much as they can. Pretend the passengers don't come onboard sick or get sick on a loaded bus ride with mostly unmasked passengers. Then infect passengers and crew, QT and isolate, and then kick the can down the road with some FCC that they hope a significant number of passengers will never use. I find it interesting that when they are bothered by the number of Covid cases onboard, they start requiring masks. A little like closing the barn door after the horse got out, if you ask me.

No one says you can't test yourself before you get on a plane. If positive, you don't board. If you're negative, then take precautions to eliminate getting infected prior to the test at the port. Port testing isn't happening anymore, but what continues to happen is that fewer and fewer people attempt to avoid covid before they travel. We test before we travel. We test before we return to mingle with family after we travel.

@PrimusThis is very disheartening to read. Thanks for such a current and detailed post. I think you should email this to Guest Relations on shore today, if you haven't already. I hope you have recovered and hope you will have no long term effects.

@BermudaBound2014 The information you have posted is from a page titled: Interim Guidance for Ships on Managing Suspected or Confirmed Cases of Coronovirus Disease 2019 and is under the title Quarantine Basics. I think the page is telling the cruise line how to manage cases, not what they must do to sail with covid. In other words, you must have cabins for QT and isolation(according to my link in a prior post) and then once you have the passengers and crew in those cabins, then your list of Quarantine Basics comes into play.

@BermudaBound2014 Can you link me to your information? From what I understand the CSO expired in Jan. After that the cruise lines could choose to participate in the CDC's Covid-19 Program for Cruise Ships. All chose to participate and I believe the information I posted is the most recent requirement for that program. The page I posted is on the page with an update of June 22, 2022. ETA: Never mind I saw your link.

From my reading, it appears it is part of the requirements. You can find it here: CDC - Cruise Ship Guidance - Technical Instructions for CDC's Covid-19 Program for Cruise Ships. This document provides instructions for cruise lines operating foreign-flagged cruise ships[1] in U.S. waters that have chosen to opt in to CDC’s COVID-19 Program for Cruise Ships. Isolation of Symptomatic Travelers (Crew and Passengers) and Confirmed Cases and Quarantine of Close Contacts Travelers with COVID-19-like illness (CLI) must be isolated using the same procedures as a traveler with confirmed COVID-19. If the symptomatic traveler has a negative SARS-CoV-2 test result, then isolation may be discontinued if a repeat NAAT result—collected at least 24 hours from the initial COVID-19 test—is negative. If an alternate infectious etiology is identified (through either laboratory testing or clinical diagnosis), routine infection control precautions (e.g., isolation) recommended for the diagnosis should be followed. For example, if symptomatic person has only vomiting and diarrhea and tests negative for COVID-19 twice, then acute gastroenteritis (AGE) protocols should be followed. See the section Onboard COVID-19 Testing for Symptomatic Travelers (Crew and Passengers) and Close Contacts above for details about quarantine based on vaccination status. Isolate or quarantine travelers in single-occupancy cabins, with private bathrooms, with the door closed. Ensure predetermined isolation and quarantine cabins are in separate areas from other cabins. If a traveler identified as a case or a close contact is disembarking the ship within 36 hours, the cruise ship operator may allow the traveler to stay in the original cabin if the traveler will be the only person in that cabin. Selection of cabins for isolation or quarantine should consider the following: Proximity to the medical facility and gangways for ease of patient transport Location in dead-end corridors or low-traffic areas to minimize potential exposures Spacing between other occupied cabins to reduce transmission risk Absence of interconnecting doors to reduce accidental exposures Positioning within view of security cameras for enforcement of isolation or quarantine Presence of balconies for psychological morale Isolated or quarantined travelers (except if the traveler is a child or other dependent person who needs a caregiver) must have no direct contact with other travelers except for designated medical staff. Designated medical staff or other personnel must wear proper personal protective equipment (PPE) per CDC guidance when in proximity to isolated or quarantined travelers. Meals must be delivered to individual cabins with no face-to-face interaction during this service. Cabins housing isolated or quarantined travelers should not be cleaned by crew members. Supplies such as paper towels, cleaners, and disinfectants, and extra linens can be provided to isolated or quarantined persons so they can clean their cabin by themselves as necessary. Food waste and other trash should be collected and bagged by the isolated or quarantined traveler and placed outside the cabin during designated times for transport to the waste management center for incineration or offloading. Soiled linens and towels should be bagged in water-soluble bags by the isolated or quarantined traveler and placed outside the cabin during designated times for transport to the laundry room. Consider use of surveillance cameras or security personnel to ensure compliance with isolation or quarantine protocols wherever possible.

It is true. Marine toilets aren't like your toilet at home, which is connected to a sewer. Please ignore the people you spoke to in the Lido and respect the veteran cruisers on CC like @wdw1972 that are telling you that your toilet paper is not to be used. I'm going to include @chengkp75 who is a retired ships engineer and hopefully he will post and give you the technical information that will provide you with a better understanding of the toilet system on a cruise ship. Yes, the cabin stewards do remove a low toilet paper roll, only as a matter of courtesy. I have been RVing for over 25 years and because residential toilet paper is a huge concern in "black" tanks, I am familiar with the damage that can occur.

You might want to follow this thread to get some real-time answers.

Noro is no joke, but on a cruise ship, if there is an outbreak, you have a 1 in 5500 chance of catching it. I've been on one of ships with noro that still ranks in the top ten outbreaks on cruise ships. The 2 people that sat at our table each evening, got it. My husband and I did not. There were so many people sick on that ship that the FLL news met our ship at the dock.

Yes, that's why I'm advising she call her Dr., not just any Dr. My husbands Dr. sent him an unsolicited email, advising him that due to his health conditions, that he is a candidate for the treatment. He would be aware of the medications he has prescribed and we would trust his judgement.

Your chance of getting Noro on a cruise ship is .18%. Your chance of getting Noro in a health care facility is 62% Your chance of getting Noro in a restaurant is 22% People just love to rant on the cruise industry. I wonder why?

It must be started within 5 days of symptoms. Even if he couldn't prescribe it for you up there, he may be able to facilitate the prescription. At least, you would know if it was something he felt was indicated for your husband. My husband's Dr. has already told us that if he were to get covid, because of age and health conditions, despite being double vaxxed and boosted, he must take Paxlovid.

@highscar, I prefer to get boiling water. If I'm in a hotel and their in room coffee pot is determined by me to be clean, I will use it. If I'm on a cruise, I will just use the hot water that they would provide for tea drinkers. Room service will also provide us with a carafe of water. If you thought the water was hot enough for you, you could absolutely use water from the taps. It is a simple as you are thinking.

@Gray Lady I'm so sorry to hear this. I hope you will remain negative and that your husband's symptoms will be mild. My strongest wish is that there won't be any complications from this bout with covid in the future. I'm assuming your age is what indicates your screen name. If so, you might want to call the Dr. to ascertain whether Paxlovid is appropriate for him. Time is of the essence.

I have usually been able to buy a nice supply at Costco, but I admit I haven't looked in the last 6 months or so to see if they are still selling them. I also like to take them to hotels. I am the opposite of you though. I take them because most of the hotel coffee, like coffee in the Lido on HAL, is too weak for me. I like my coffee strong and black.

I can't answer your question about HAL, but I usually travel with my own. Try the VIA sticks from Starbucks.

I have never used the PCC that has been assigned to me, but I've never been able to get through to her since cruising resumed. Neither by phone or email. I did follow a recent thread posted where the person was trying to get one re-assigned, so maybe I should try that. Thanks for your suggestion.

Thanks for your post and yes, that is exactly what I hope will happen, but I won't know until it does. I have actually split my over $10,000 FCC into 4 cruises, departing from August to November. So I hope HAL would do the right thing if I were to cancel any one of these, but if I get down to the last one in November, I will run out of luck and time. Believe this....I'm not doing all of my fighting over this issue only on a cruise board.