I'm very concerned what to do.

[2Long2NxtCrz]

A group of 12 of us, ranging from 19 to mid-70s have a cruise out of Galveston on the Liberty May 17th.  Are we canceling?  Nope.  Do we have travel insurance?  Yes.  Am I concerned?  No.  Hubby's work had a bad out break of flu.  We both got it despite always getting the flu shot.  It was much less severe than contracting the full-blown flu.  Hubby does have asthma so we have to watch his respiration, but we'll be fine because we will practice hand washing and all the other things that we need to.  If Royal cancels the cruise, then we'll cross that bridge when we get to it.

 

Oh, and we're not canceling the one out of New Orleans to the Bahamas in October, either.  That one's just the two of us and we're really looking forward to cruising out of NOLA again.

 

The bottom line is that everyone has to do their own risk analysis.  Everyone's risk factors are different.  But, even with hubby's asthma, we're still going.  Would I recommend my parents go on a cruise or fly anywhere?  Absolutely not!  But that's because they're in their late 80s and the plain flu is more than they need to deal with.

 

I will also have to say, we're not flying to either of our ports.  And, to me, flying is far more problematic than being on a cruise ship.

 

Good luck with whatever you decide!

[Blondiemomm]

2 hours ago, Mark_UK said:

 

True that flu kills far more but this is quite clearly worse than the flu, even if the numbers are skewed. If we take the Diamond Princess as a clear indication... 700 infected in a short space of time and 7 deaths sadly so far. You don't hear that from a usual ship noro or influenza outbreak. 

 

Would you get on a ship knowing those were the odds? What if it happened mid transatlantic? 

 

Obviously we should maintain person, but unlike flu there is also no natural immunity from those infected with previous flu strains or with the flu vaccine.

 

 

 

 

You don't know the ages or medical history of those people that died. They really dropped the ball on that ship and I am sure many, many lawsuits will come out of that. There are many more much deadlier viruses that we have vaccine for that ppl still refuse to use. LIFE IS A GAME 0F CHANCE, take the proper precautions ALWAYS. Each person can make their own decisions, we went on our cruise early February and I would do it all over again .

[Hogbay]

And what about that bus ! or that shark ! you have a chance of winning the lottery too , all of these have happened to people. 

[Texas Flood]

On 3/1/2020 at 7:57 AM, time4u2go said:

Yes it does.  The fatality rate of Coronavirus is 2.5%.  For the flu, it's 0.1%.  Do you have other numbers?

 

Also, I'm not the only one stating this.

I agree. That is what the authorities are saying. I'll depend on the CDC, the World Health Organization and travel advisories by the State Department. Depends on where the cruise is going as well. Checking to see the status of any countries on itinerary with State Department is always advisable.  Also each person's person health status and itineraries should be considered.  

 

Any other opinions are just that...opinions. Each person should weigh their own health history, circumstances, itinerary risk and information from the qualified authorities.

[springfire]

9 minutes ago, Texas Flood said:

I agree. That is what the authorities are saying. I'll depend on the CDC, the World Health Organization and travel advisories by the State Department. Depends on where the cruise is going as well. Checking to see the status of any countries on itinerary with State Department is always advisable.  Also each person's person health status and itineraries should be considered.  

 

Any other opinions are just that...opinions. Each person should weigh their own health history, circumstances, itinerary risk and information from the qualified authorities.

Excellent post!

[time4u2go]

7 hours ago, Blondiemomm said:

That is actually not true. Please don't buy into the hysteria. There are tens of thousands of people who experience mild symptoms and do not go to the dr. The stats are greatly exaggerated at this point. We have several DR'S in our family and friend circle and unfortunately this hysteria is causing more harm than the virus is. 

Actually it is true.  And I'm not the only one indicating this.

 

If you choose to call it "hysteria", then that is certainly your right.

[time4u2go]

43 minutes ago, Hogbay said:

And what about that bus ! or that shark ! you have a chance of winning the lottery too , all of these have happened to people. 

Um..ok? 😕

[RocketMan275]

On 2/28/2020 at 9:43 PM, cruisinfanatic said:

It's killing about 1 in 40, much worse than flu

We do not know that to be true.

The vast majority of deaths have been in China.

The vast majority of cases has been in China.

The state of health care in China is abysmal at best. 

The data from China is completely unreliable.

With so many cases only exhibiting very mild to non-existent symptoms, we don't know how many are infected.

If we don't know the number of infected, then the lethality rates are also unknown. 

 

One other fact, the news outlets live and die on ratings. 

Now they're pumping corona virus to boost their ratings.

Next week they will have a different hare to chase.

[Blondiemomm]

1 hour ago, time4u2go said:

Actually it is true.  And I'm not the only one indicating this.

 

If you choose to call it "hysteria", then that is certainly your right.

You be paranoid all you like..but Ill keep listening to qualified medical professionals and not buy into the sensationalized hysteria. 🙂

[Blondiemomm]

38 minutes ago, RocketMan275 said:

We do not know that to be true.

The vast majority of deaths have been in China.

The vast majority of cases has been in China.

The state of health care in China is abysmal at best. 

The data from China is completely unreliable.

With so many cases only exhibiting very mild to non-existent symptoms, we don't know how many are infected.

If we don't know the number of infected, then the lethality rates are also unknown. 

 

One other fact, the news outlets live and die on ratings. 

Now they're pumping corona virus to boost their ratings.

Next week they will have a different hare to chase.

ABSOLUTELY! 

[time4u2go]

30 minutes ago, Blondiemomm said:

You be paranoid all you like..but Ill keep listening to qualified medical professionals and not buy into the sensationalized hysteria. 🙂

You can be in denial if you want. I'll listen to the experts at the CDC while you listen to your so-called "qualified medical professionals". 

Edited March 2, 2020 by time4u2go

[OnTheJourney]

8 hours ago, Texas Flood said:

I have heard nothing about closing the Mexican border due to corona virus. Mexico has 2 confirmed cases. The US has 43.

 

No....the US now has 102.  Last 5 days are not encouraging. New confirmed... 

 

2/27 - 1.4k 

2/28 - 1.4k

2/29 - 1.9k

3/1 - 2.4k 

3/2 - 1.9k 

Edited March 3, 2020 by OnTheJourney

[hazence]

If you are in a high risk category, you must weigh your decision for yourself. But how far are the rest of us willing to go to protect ourselves?  You may cancel your vacation. But, can you cancel grocery shopping, visits to your doctor, walking down your city’s streets, using a public bathroom if you are unable to get home? 
 

How about opening your Mail? Can this truly live on surfaces for a week as some media suggest?!

 

Consider the following...Certain states and cities have decided that their compassion lies with sanctuary policies. But that also means that they cannot know who is in their city, where they came from, where they have been...or what the level of risk this individual poses. There is no screening or protocols as the cruise lines are putting in place. So what should those of us DO in those cities if we are to accept the level of fear expressed here?!  Barricade in our homes?! Live off cereal delivered by Amazon?

 

But then who knows what persons the UPS driver has contacted or the mailman as he walks perhaps down streets with homeless encampments? 
 

I will wash my hands, wipe off carts, and go about my life, vacations and all...as I do every flu season. The fear some express is a rabbit hole...that the mind can devolve into paranoia. 
 

Every stranger you see, every surface you touch....there would be no end to it. That’s not “living.”

 

 

[plantlady104]

Ultimately, everyone needs to make their own personal decision, and not worry about everyone else's opinion.  There is not a right or wrong, make an informed decision and be comfortable with it.  We are to sail on Harmony March 8, and yes we will probably go.  Any travel with flying and cruising will raise the risk of exposure to viruses - whether minor or major - versus staying at home and trying to limit outside interaction.  For better or for worse, cruise lines will not cancel until forced to due it by a higher government/health authority, 

[keishashadow]

On 3/1/2020 at 6:11 PM, BeachChik said:

Just got back today from a 7 day on the Harmony. I wasn’t concerned about the coronavirus at all. I was worried about someone getting the regular flu right before we boarded. I’m 40, hubby is 43 and two kids, 6 and 3. 
 

No one on board seemed worried and it was hardly mentioned. There was a small blurb on the compass everyday that just said wash your hands and report if you feel unwell. Hand sanitizer was everywhere and they washy washy before entering food places. 
 

We had a great time. For me personally if the ship is sailing I’m going. I trust the cruise lines to make the decision to cancel if they feel it’s necessary. 

Are You saying that you had concerns catching the flu prior to the trip or did you spend an excessively long time waiting to board at the terminal?...say shes while trying to gauge the best time to arrive for our cruise 🙂

 

IMO, thinking those of us who do have cruises out of FL within the next month, will be good to go before/unless the numbers of those dying swell.  Notice, I’m not saying infected.

 

The numbers were obviously under-reported in China.  Korea had the test kits & by all accounts diligently reported their numbers, thusly, a better picture formed.  

 

Between the lack of test kits & fact that most healthy infected people appear to develop the same symptoms as the flu, it’s going to be very difficult to get a real handle on the statistics:  how many are infected and the true % of mortality rates for those who contract it.

 

For those of us who must fly to reach a port, JMHO but believe the US would be much LESS likely to institute travel bans within our country’s borders.  The CDC isn’t calling the shots at this point in the game.  

 

I don’t see cruise lines willing to skip docking to pick up passengers, period.

 

 

 

 

Edited March 3, 2020 by keishashadow

[Margin Walker]

On 2/28/2020 at 7:58 PM, thefog said:

We cruise in May and wonder if I should cancel with this virus spreading,anyone else thinking the same thing?

 

 

 

I'm sailing out of Miami in 4 days on Symphony.   I'm looking forward to a week of not watching the news and all of their non stop panic programming.  

[psuboater]

With the virus spreading here in Seattle, I am now wondering if Seattle will be put on the "do not cruise" list like they have Italy and China.  I am still planning on my cruise to Bermuda in May, but it will be interested to see how this plays out. 

[ONECRUISER]

19 hours ago, OnTheJourney said:

No....the US now has 102.  Last 5 days are not encouraging. New confirmed... 

 

2/27 - 1.4k 

2/28 - 1.4k

2/29 - 1.9k

3/1 - 2.4k 

3/2 - 1.9k 

Though the 102 was how many caught so far, most have already recovered. 

Edited March 3, 2020 by ONECRUISER

[TwoMisfits]

New WHO update...important differences between flu and corona...

"First, COVID-19 does not transmit as efficiently as influenza, from the data we have so far.

With influenza, people who are infected but not yet sick are major drivers of transmission, which does not appear to be the case for COVID-19.

Evidence from China is that only 1% of reported cases do not have symptoms, and most of those cases develop symptoms within 2 days.

Some countries are looking for cases of COVID-19 using surveillance systems for influenza and other respiratory diseases.

Countries such as China, Ghana, Singapore and elsewhere have found very few cases of COVID-19 among such samples – or no cases at all.

The only way to be sure is by looking for COVID-19 antibodies in large numbers of people, and several countries are now doing those studies. This will give us further insight into the extent of infection in populations over time.

WHO has developed protocols on how these studies should be done, and we encourage all countries to do these studies and share their data.

The second major difference is that COVID-19 causes more severe disease than seasonal influenza.

While many people globally have built up immunity to seasonal flu strains, COVID-19 is a new virus to which no one has immunity. That means more people are susceptible to infection, and some will suffer severe disease.

Globally, about 3.4% of reported COVID-19 cases have died. By comparison, seasonal flu generally kills far fewer than 1% of those infected.

Third, we have vaccines and therapeutics for seasonal flu, but at the moment there is no vaccine and no specific treatment for COVID-19. However, clinical trials of therapeutics are now being done, and more than 20 vaccines are in development.

And fourth, we don’t even talk about containment for seasonal flu – it’s just not possible. But it is possible for COVID-19. We don’t do contact tracing for seasonal flu – but countries should do it for COVID-19, because it will prevent infections and save lives. Containment is possible.

To summarize, COVID-19 spreads less efficiently than flu, transmission does not appear to be driven by people who are not sick, it causes more severe illness than flu, there are not yet any vaccines or therapeutics, and it can be contained – which is why we must do everything we can to contain it. That’s why WHO recommends a comprehensive approach."

https://www.who.int/dg/speeches/detail/who-director-general-s-opening-remarks-at-the-media-briefing-on-covid-19---3-march-2020

[Blondiemomm]

This is not going to stop here. Next year it will be another virus. Wash your hands and stay in your home if you are sick. May the odds be forever in your favour...

[travelgirl528]

20 minutes ago, ONECRUISER said:

Though the 102 was how many caught so far, most have already recovered. 

At this point there are 109 confirmed cases and 9 deaths.  As that rate seems high, I would expect that either a disproportionate amount came from the skilled nursing facility and is skewing the number or there are a lot more people who have the virus but have not been tested to accurately identify how many people truly have the virus.

 

Although I agree that we should not be in a panic and most people will be fine, I want to include this quote I saw from a friend who is young and has cancer.  People who will be high risk patients if we get coronavirus can hear you when you reassure everyone we're the only ones who might die.

[OnTheJourney]

1 hour ago, travelgirl528 said:

At this point there are 109 confirmed cases and 9 deaths. 

 

Make that 118 now.....

[TNcruising02]

1 hour ago, travelgirl528 said:

At this point there are 109 confirmed cases and 9 deaths.  As that rate seems high, I would expect that either a disproportionate amount came from the skilled nursing facility and is skewing the number or there are a lot more people who have the virus but have not been tested to accurately identify how many people truly have the virus.

 

Although I agree that we should not be in a panic and most people will be fine, I want to include this quote I saw from a friend who is young and has cancer.  People who will be high risk patients if we get coronavirus can hear you when you reassure everyone we're the only ones who might die.

I believe at least five deaths have been linked to the nursing facility.

[ONECRUISER]

2 hours ago, travelgirl528 said:

At this point there are 109 confirmed cases and 9 deaths.  As that rate seems high, I would expect that either a disproportionate amount came from the skilled nursing facility and is skewing the number or there are a lot more people who have the virus but have not been tested to accurately identify how many people truly have the virus.

 

Although I agree that we should not be in a panic and most people will be fine, I want to include this quote I saw from a friend who is young and has cancer.  People who will be high risk patients if we get coronavirus can hear you when you reassure everyone we're the only ones who might die.

Well said. Have multiple Family Members that cant get sick and I cant get them sick, so I'm not afraid but somewhat cautious 

[Reader0108598]

8 hours ago, Margin Walker said:

 

Have a wonderful cruise 🙂

 

 

I'm sailing out of Miami in 4 days on Symphony.   I'm looking forward to a week of not watching the news and all of their non stop panic programming.