NCL Coronavirus actions

[WestfieldTraveler]

If you have traveled to  China recently and are cruising soon  you may want to check your email for what I just received  - cut and pasted below:

 

Dear Valued Guest, Due to the growing concern regarding coronavirus infections in China, we will be denying boarding to any guest who has visited mainland China in the last 30 days. These guests will receive a refund for their cruise provided they provide proof of travel in the form of airline tickets or similar. Please note that mainland China does not include Hong Kong, Macau or Taiwan. In addition, we are implementing non-touch temperature screenings for all passengers embarking in Hong Kong. Any guest who registers a body temperature of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit or 38 degrees Celsius or higher, will not be allowed to board. These guests will be advised to open a travel insurance claim with their insurance provider. Please know that the safety, security and well-being of our guests and crew is our number one priority. We truly appreciate your understanding and thank you for your diligence and assistance in helping to ensure all our guests and crew remain in good health. We also thank you for your continued loyalty. For questions regarding the coronavirus, please visit the website for the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. If you have questions regarding this matter, please contact us via email at guestrelations@ncl.com. As always, we appreciate you choosing Norwegian Cruise Line for your upcoming vacation at sea. We remain at your service and will communicate further updates as they become available.
Sincerely  Katty Byrd Vice President, Guest Services

Edited January 29, 2020 by WestfieldTraveler
Clean up paste

[Farts]

Does anyone know if there were any sars cases linked to a cruise? just wondering

[BirdTravels]

What happened to Vivian?

[casofilia]

Rumours on our Spirit Roll Calls it she left!!

[jebhoward3]

Glad I no longer have "Hot Flashes" as mine were not flashes but red hot skin that would last hours at a time.  I walked around with a washcloth with ice cubes trying to cool down.  It felt like I could shoot flames from my hands and feet.  I had an elevated temperature during these episodes and no I was not ill.  I am sure there are other women out there that have similar type "Hot Flashes".  Sad that they might be denied boarding when it is a hormonal thing and not illness.

[luv2gonow]

This is a scary situation.

I wonder if people will cancel their cruise.....and just Say they were in China for a full refund...

Kerri

[JamieLogical]

8 minutes ago, luv2gonow said:

This is a scary situation.

I wonder if people will cancel their cruise.....and just Say they were in China for a full refund...

Kerri

 

I assume that's why the letter specifically states: "These guests will receive a refund for their cruise provided they provide proof of travel in the form of airline tickets or similar."

Edited January 30, 2020 by JamieLogical

[luv2kroooz]

8 minutes ago, luv2gonow said:

This is a scary situation.

I wonder if people will cancel their cruise.....and just Say they were in China for a full refund...

Kerri

I would cancel mine irrespective of NCLs actions of refunding or not. There is no pricetag on a life and there is not enough known about this virus. It just isn't worth the risk. They'd have to refund port charges, airlines have implemented flexible options, I don't prepay DSC. Only NCL is being rigid, so I'd stand to lose my NCL cruise fare.

[luv2gonow]

1 hour ago, JamieLogical said:

 

I assume that's why the letter specifically states: "These guests will receive a refund for their cruise provided they provide proof of travel in the form of airline tickets or similar."

 Yes that makes sense.

1 hour ago, blcruising said:

I would cancel mine irrespective of NCLs actions of refunding or not. There is no pricetag on a life and there is not enough known about this virus. It just isn't worth the risk. They'd have to refund port charges, airlines have implemented flexible options, I don't prepay DSC. Only NCL is being rigid, so I'd stand to lose my NCL cruise fare.

Now I will be worried about rough seas and more cooties than normal.

I have 2 cabins booked out of NY for feb no insurance :-(

praying for calm seas and lots of washie washie

 

[Turtles06]

1 hour ago, blcruising said:

Only NCL is being rigid

From what I’ve read over on the HAL board, it looks like HAL is acting similarly 

[luv2kroooz]

42 minutes ago, Turtles06 said:

From what I’ve read over on the HAL board, it looks like HAL is acting similarly 

HAL is actually worse. My understanding is you can be turned away with no refund.

Edited January 30, 2020 by blcruising

[soremekun]

I wouldn't be mad if my upcoming Anthem cruise was cancelled and I recieved a full refund.

Edited January 30, 2020 by soremekun

[david_sobe]

I applaud these actions with taking temperatures in the far east prior to boarding.  I wish it was standard practice at every port.  Too many people are sick and should not cruise yet still get on the ship.  My biggest peeve is the people that come to work sick and get everyone else sick. They have tons of sick leave but refuse to stay home.

[luv2kroooz]

46 minutes ago, david_sobe said:

I applaud these actions with taking temperatures in the far east prior to boarding.  I wish it was standard practice at every port.  Too many people are sick and should not cruise yet still get on the ship.  My biggest peeve is the people that come to work sick and get everyone else sick. They have tons of sick leave but refuse to stay home.

Temperature screenings only weed out people with temperatures. Since it can take days for symptoms to present, someone can board a ship without a fever and still have the illness, thus subjecting passengers and crew to the illness. It sounds good in words, but the action does little to contain the possible spread of the disease.

[tumblew467]

 I saw on the news that they were  doing screenings at JFK airport. I thought it was strange that they did not include Newark for it is a huge international hub. I do know they did  add on Newark a few days later. They  1st started out with 5 airports and now it has expanded to 20 around the country.

 

I understand that they are doing the temps at the ports  and denying embarking if someone  has a temp of 100.4. However If someone is ill and takes Motrin lets say and the temp comes down-- they will pass the temp test.( This is  just a Hypothetical situation.)Maybe this person doesn't believe  he has the virus or frankly doesn't care and wants to go on a long awaited vacation.

I always think of those that come to port and answer the questionnaire they give you and that you have to sign. (like for Noro) fever,  diarrhea, vomiting.etc. Some answer truthfully and some may not.

So  with the coroavirus you could have been exposed and not have known it.  Then you  board the ship and between 2 - 14 days show symptoms of coronavirus.

Now   CDC  has been updating info on transmission as they assess all the people sick. China originally stated it was exposure to the animal markets in Wuhan with animal to human transmission.  However the latest data states  there is a growing number of patients that did not have exposure to the animal markets. Meaning person to person transmission is occurring. Yet until further data is available -- it is unclear how easily it is to get the virus.

 

The recently emerged 2019-nCoV is not the same as the coronavirus that causes Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) or the coronavirus that causes Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). However, genetic analyses suggest this virus emerged from a virus related to SARS. There are ongoing investigations to learn more. This is a rapidly evolving situation and information will be updated as it becomes available from the CDC.

 

Plus this was just released by the CDC today:

The CDC  just released this: Re the 1st case known of person to person contact in US.

https://www.statnews.com/2020/01/30/cdc-first-known-case-person-to-person-spread-new-coronavirus-us/

 

It  is a developing virus and is new so  not everything is know about. This is what makes it so difficult.

[JamieLogical]

8 minutes ago, blcruising said:

Temperature screenings only weed out people with temperatures. Since it can take days for symptoms to present, someone can board a ship without a fever and still have the illness, thus subjecting passengers and crew to the illness. It sounds good in words, but the action does little to contain the possible spread of the disease.

 

I wouldn't say it does "little". Sure, it is not guaranteed to prevent the spread of illness, but excluding passengers who are demonstrably already ill would certainly go a good ways toward curbing the spread of illness.

[luv2kroooz]

3 minutes ago, JamieLogical said:

 

I wouldn't say it does "little". Sure, it is not guaranteed to prevent the spread of illness, but excluding passengers who are demonstrably already ill would certainly go a good ways toward curbing the spread of illness.

Ok. That's semantics. Does everything to prevent infected people with fever from spreading illness. Does nothing to prevent infected people without a fever from spreading the illness.

 

It also could falsely exclude uninfected people with fever. Not everyone with a fever has Coronavirus.

Edited January 30, 2020 by blcruising

[JamieLogical]

1 minute ago, blcruising said:

Ok. That's semantics. Does everything to prevent infected people with fever from spreading illness. Does nothing to prevent infected people without a fever from spreading the illness.

 

The temperature taking does nothing to prevent people without a fever from spreading illness, but combined with the ban on people who have traveled to mainland China in the past 30 days, I am sure it does make a difference. Obviously, no precautions will be 100% short of canceling the cruises.

[luv2kroooz]

2 minutes ago, JamieLogical said:

 

The temperature taking does nothing to prevent people without a fever from spreading illness, but combined with the ban on people who have traveled to mainland China in the past 30 days, I am sure it does make a difference. Obviously, no precautions will be 100% short of canceling the cruises.

On that we can agree. Someone might let NCL and HAL know about that.

[hawkeyetlse]

5 minutes ago, blcruising said:

It also could falsely exclude uninfected people with fever. Not everyone with a fever has Coronavirus.

 

And not everyone who has set foot in mainland China in the past 30 days has Coronavirus. Talk about falsely excluded! How did they come up with 30 days, when all I have ever seen mentioned is "up to 14 days" incubation period?

[mking8288]

There are no SARS cases in recent years ... measles & MERS carried, often unknowingly by travelers.   We're flying & transiting thru South Korea and Taiwan 4 years ago, where part of the border control measures were infra-red temperature (non-contact) scanning before being permitted to continue thru immigration & customs inspections, regardless of the traveler's status & origination, etc. 

 

IMHO, of course, the seasonal influenza virus is far more deadly each year, and 2019-20 isn't different ... signs are coughing, fever and other common symptoms ... duh.  Let's not forget the ever-present norovirus on cruise ships.

 

NCL has been asking everyone to fill out that short questionnaire as part of the pier check-in, perhaps - NCL should consider expanding the checklist to cover all these different viruses & infections plus a detailed recent travel history.  Maybe, just maybe, anyone without current proof of vaccine against influenza should be - grounds for possible - denied boarding.  

 

Afraid of dying, best to stay home and not go outside at all.  Don't forget to turn on that HEPA air filter and get fit-tested on properly wearing those N-95 masks and non/latex gloves & eye protections against droplets.  

 

Trip insurance with cancel for any reasons, anyone ? 

Edited January 30, 2020 by mking8288

[bluesea777]

NCL needs to make it clearer about the "30 days" … is it 30 days from the date of the notice (Jan 29) OR is it 30 days from the date you are due to board. Example: your cruise is on Feb 27th and you must not have been to China Jan 27 to Feb 27.

 

 

[smplybcause]

9 minutes ago, bluesea777 said:

NCL needs to make it clearer about the "30 days" … is it 30 days from the date of the notice (Jan 29) OR is it 30 days from the date you are due to board. Example: your cruise is on Feb 27th and you must not have been to China Jan 27 to Feb 27.

 

 

 

I don't see how it could be anything but 30 days before your sail date. Otherwise one could go to China next week and then board a cruise the week after no problem since they didn't go to China 30 days before Jan 29. And I doubt this will be resolved within the next 2 weeks. 

[david_sobe]

Of course people are carriers with no symptoms.  However are we really going to argue the point that if someone has a fever they should be allowed to board the ship?  We can only do so much in society to prevent the spread.  We need common sense and every little effort helps.

[Bevi65]

5 hours ago, blcruising said:

I would cancel mine irrespective of NCLs actions of refunding or not. There is no pricetag on a life and there is not enough known about this virus. It just isn't worth the risk. They'd have to refund port charges, airlines have implemented flexible options, I don't prepay DSC. Only NCL is being rigid, so I'd stand to lose my NCL cruise fare.

We had a lot of back & forth with NCL & our agent yesterday. All we asked was for a credit down the line, as we frankly don't want to take the cruise at this time ( leaving from Hong Kong).  Our request was rejected. Explained that as an asthmatic I'm even more concerned etc,  no go.  Given all the current developments however, things may quickly change and they may have no choice.