For Those of Us NOT Cancelling and Sailing Soon

[Gilly Pat]

On 3/8/2020 at 11:54 AM, ellis101 said:

not planning on changing anything to my normal routine on a cruise - as long as everyone is sensible and follows hand hygeine (like we all should in daily life anyway!) we will be fine.  Common sense should prevail, but alas it hardly ever does when the media are sh*t storming the way they are.

I agree!

[gizfish]

33 minutes ago, julig22 said:

You are 100% correct in my opinion, to a point.  If we isolate ourselves, we do not acquire immunity and a virus isn't something we can see, so unless the source and all the carriers are wiped out (not likely to happen) or a vaccine/cure is developed, we are all at risk, as it only takes a single source to start it all over again.  If people are careful, there is a chance that high risk individuals will be protected before a vaccine is developed.  But think measles, chicken pox, mumps - when I was a kid it was accepted to get exposed, get sick while you were young and healthy, and you never had to worry about it again because of natural immunity.  None of those diseases are wiped out but are controlled by vaccines and herd immunity.  They come back in areas where people have no immunity, natural or otherwise.

Unfortunately no one knows yet if contracting covid will make you immune to getting it again.  No one becomes immune to the  common cold corona virus once they have it, so why think getting covid would make you not get it again?  

[julig22]

6 minutes ago, gizfish said:

Unfortunately no one knows yet if contracting covid will make you immune to getting it again.  No one becomes immune to the  common cold corona virus once they have it, so why think getting covid would make you not get it again?  

We don't know.  We can only hope, because otherwise this is way worse.  As to immunity to common cold - not my area of expertise in any way, so my question back to you would be is it a lack of immunity or just a number of different mutations, like the flu?

[kaycee17]

2 hours ago, podgeandrodge said:

If they are saying that half the world may end up getting this damn virus at some point, what's the point of trying to avoid it?  Are we not as likely to get it sitting at a bar these days?

It's about managing resources. There aren't enough hospital beds, ventilators, etc if everyone gets this at the same time. By using containment tactics, the number of people that may get infected may be the same but it won't be all at the same time, thus ensuring resources don't run out. 

[IrieBajan54]

1 hour ago, julig22 said:

We don't know.  We can only hope, because otherwise this is way worse.  As to immunity to common cold - not my area of expertise in any way, so my question back to you would be is it a lack of immunity or just a number of different mutations, like the flu?

.

Well it is! According to Dr. Fauci who testified before Congress today:  “It is 10 times more lethal than the seasonal flu.”

[zippydo1]

So on the Breakaway the mini golf, basketball court, ping pong are closed due to virus to keep us safe according to guest services but the arcade games including bowling and skeeball and the casino aren’t????   So if you pay for it it’s open but the free activities are closed.  Makes no sense.  ????

[erin21497]

So on the Breakaway the mini golf, basketball court, ping pong are closed due to virus to keep us safe according to guest services but the arcade games including bowling and skeeball and the casino aren’t????   So if you pay for it it’s open but the free activities are closed.  Makes no sense.  ????

They closed the sports courts?!? That would be a dealbreaker for my kids.


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[Sand and Seas]

6 minutes ago, zippydo1 said:

So on the Breakaway the mini golf, basketball court, ping pong are closed due to virus to keep us safe according to guest services but the arcade games including bowling and skeeball and the casino aren’t????   So if you pay for it it’s open but the free activities are closed.  Makes no sense.  ????

Just guessing that they will make a big display of employees disinfecting everything in those areas.  Limited number of employees working extra hours to keep areas super-clean.   I guess it makes financial sense to them to keep those particular places available.....and conversely some will cancel without those free activities available.  

 

 As a side note, I've received emails today from Hotel chains, Lowes, and Casino/resorts saying they will have their employees doing frequent sanitizing.  Also, MGM resorts in Las Vegas has closed buffets at all of their resorts there.  

[MikeBTN]

3 hours ago, IrieBajan54 said:

.

Well it is! According to Dr. Fauci who testified before Congress today:  “It is 10 times more lethal than the seasonal flu.”

And he’s guessing. We have absolutely no idea how many people actually have COVID-19 because 90% of the cases are mild, meaning a ton of people aren’t even getting tested. The news yesterday said there were roughly 1,500 test kits for the entire state of Tennessee. Without knowing the actual number of infected, you can’t come up with an accurate death rate.

 

The same goes for the flu - your doctor often won’t even bother testing you for the flu if you’ve had symptoms for more than 36 hours because there’s really nothing they can do anyway.

[seaman11]

5 hours ago, gizfish said:

Unfortunately no one knows yet if contracting covid will make you immune to getting it again.  No one becomes immune to the  common cold corona virus once they have it, so why think getting covid would make you not get it again?  

Ill tell you this. No way im getting a corona virus vaccine. 

[gizfish]

6 hours ago, julig22 said:

We don't know.  We can only hope, because otherwise this is way worse.  As to immunity to common cold - not my area of expertise in any way, so my question back to you would be is it a lack of immunity or just a number of different mutations, like the flu?

The lack of immunity to the common cold is due to the virus mutating so frequently.  That's also why there is no immunization against it.  It's impossible to make an immunization that would cover all forms and future mutations.  The reason flu shots work (or don't) is because they are able to get an idea of which types are likely to show in the upcoming season.  Seasons it isn't as effective are ones they predicted wrong.

[zippydo1]

Well the awesome 80’s deck party was cancelled on Breakaway.  The weather is perfect.  No notice.  No staff up there to tell us either.  

[gizfish]

3 hours ago, zippydo1 said:

So on the Breakaway the mini golf, basketball court, ping pong are closed due to virus to keep us safe according to guest services but the arcade games including bowling and skeeball and the casino aren’t????   So if you pay for it it’s open but the free activities are closed.  Makes no sense.  ????

Oh...that's just for our convenience lol.  As usual ncl is choosing making money over making sense.

[HalfHand]

9 hours ago, TenForward said:

I see the global COVID-19 map that Johns Hopkins is maintaining has added a category for "Cruise Ship" as if it were a country. 

 

 

 

That has been on the charts I look at, it is the original Diamond Princess.

 

Its important to be on this and other charts because of the volume of infected and if handled differently there is a huge potential that what is happening could have been altered. Basically this originated in China, airlines spread it in small numbers to the world. Then you have this big 696 blob of infected folks that really threw a monkey wrench in pandemic modeling, it's why it was handled so badly, they had no plan for it. What do you do with it? The answer we have now, you handle it like the ship currently in Oakland, controlled disembarkation with land based quarantine at the first sign.

 

After this is over there is going to be a lot of discussion about the Diamond Princess and a lot of altered computer modeling that includes Diamond Princess like events.

[Nola26]

Update:

We are on our final night of a great 7 night cruise on the Getaway Mexico, Roatan and Harvest Caye.

 

Highest sanitation state declared days ago. Visible changes were no self serve in the buffet including being handed plates and silverware roll, empty tables in buffet and only your silverware roll and in main dining rooms, condiments brought in individual serving cups, public restrooms doors open ( no handle touching).

 

Guests seem to be using sanitizer liberally. No COVID-19 announcements and all seems a go for disembarkation in the morning. We are taking a New Orleans city tour transfer through NCL.

 

I will deal with any COVID-19 reality once back in NOLA or home.

[SouthLyonCruiser]

I thought that all cruises were cancelled through April 11?

[ScottVV]

56 minutes ago, SouthLyonCruiser said:

I thought that all cruises were cancelled through April 11?

 

Yes....  No new cruises,  but all current cruises that were currently sailing were not mandated to return to their ports all at once.  Do you know how crazy that would have been?  Talk about a traffic nightmare.. 

[bmwman]

On 3/8/2020 at 3:14 PM, susanf31 said:

For those of us NOT cancelling and sailing soon. We are on the Encore - 3/22.

 

What precautions are you taking?  For me, I'm bringing rubber gloves that I will wear when touching any buffet serving utensil.  I'm bringing lots of Clorox wipes and will wipe down all surfaces in my cabin. I will be not being going in the pool or hottubs.  I will be diligent to press elevation buttons with my knuckle or elbow.  I will be diligent not to use handrails unless absolutely necessary.  I will avoid crowds and instead seek more solitude.  And, of course, lots and lots of handwashing and hand sanitizer.  

Oh well it cancelled anyway but none of your precautions were safe. Knuckle on lift button really. The whole thing its air bourne and unless you were going on the cruise in a hazmat suit.  

[wampuscat7]

12 hours ago, Nola26 said:

Update:

We are on our final night of a great 7 night cruise on the Getaway Mexico, Roatan and Harvest Caye.

 

Highest sanitation state declared days ago. Visible changes were no self serve in the buffet including being handed plates and silverware roll, empty tables in buffet and only your silverware roll and in main dining rooms, condiments brought in individual serving cups, public restrooms doors open ( no handle touching).

 

Guests seem to be using sanitizer liberally. No COVID-19 announcements and all seems a go for disembarkation in the morning. We are taking a New Orleans city tour transfer through NCL.

 

I will deal with any COVID-19 reality once back in NOLA or home.

I would be interested to know how the customs and screening process goes for those disembarking today, considering what has happened at the airports. I know someone who was in line at O'Hare for 6+ hours to get through customs and health screening. yesterday.

[DarkJedi]

3 hours ago, bmwman said:

Oh well it cancelled anyway but none of your precautions were safe. Knuckle on lift button really. The whole thing its air bourne and unless you were going on the cruise in a hazmat suit.  

 

Please note that Covid-19 is NOT airborne.

[Nola26]

1 hour ago, wampuscat7 said:

I would be interested to know how the customs and screening process goes for those disembarking today, considering what has happened at the airports. I know someone who was in line at O'Hare for 6+ hours to get through customs and health screening. yesterday.

Here in New Orleans everything was typical. Sea card to exit ship and passport review at customs. Even simpler at airport as TSA only needs to insert your ID, flight information is automatically pulled, didn't show boarding pass.

 

We were the last cruise for now. Getaway is slated for Europe after the hiatus. It is likely to be more of Greece than standard Mediterreanean itinerary. 

[bmwman]

6 hours ago, DarkJedi said:

 

Please note that Covid-19 is NOT airborne.

It is - why else are people wearing  masks. 

From CDC 

The virus is thought to spread mainly from person-to-person.

• Between people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet). - 
• Through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes.

These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs.

[xmansmommy]

8 hours ago, DarkJedi said:

 

Please note that Covid-19 is NOT airborne.

Recently some sources are saying that it could be and the rumor mill has turned that into "OMG it's airborne".  I'm not dragging the person who posted that.  I'm just saying that they've probably heard that somewhere.  Everything is changing so fast that it's hard to keep up.

[DarkJedi]

3 hours ago, bmwman said:

It is - why else are people wearing  masks. 

From CDC 

The virus is thought to spread mainly from person-to-person.

• Between people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet). - 
• Through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes.

These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs.

That is direct transmission. Airborne is carried on the air and transmits across MILES, not 6 feet.

[mking8288]

NYC Dept of Health's latest guidance is that Covid-19 is not airborne, standard droplets as universal precautions is sufficient for HCW, maintain a distance of 6 ft wearing a surgical mask is sufficient, per latest HAN Alert issued on Sunday.  

 

What's alarming is for those serious enough to be hospitalized, 60% were admitted to ICU and more than 40% needed ventilators care.  Plans for enhanced surge capacity across NYC are underway, as there are only 3,000 total ICU beds in the state with occupancy at 80 to 90%.

 

 

 

 

 

Footnote - still thinking about cruising, flying & traveling around in the immediate future, I am not ... after reading the above (and other HAN updates we received & seen in recent days) ... that is just me.  Disaster triage will be done on decisions about who get admitted for ICU care if the capacity hasn't been exceeded; and, ventilators are still available.  Feeling good, lucky - go ahead, we all live once.  Similar warnings are being issued down under in Australia ... 

Edited March 16, 2020 by mking8288