March 22 on the Bliss with two kids - should I cancel?

[elwood_98034]

5 hours ago, MrsKC08 said:

Some schools here have closed too, but quite honestly...they have closed in the past for flu too. I believe it is more for the peace of mind for the parents than anything.

Nah. We really do have quite a few dead people. 30 in my area that we have been told officially. BTW, most schools to the north and east of Seattle go out tomorrow. Some are out for six weeks. Some aren't even doing online learning. They are just closed.

[elwood_98034]

5 hours ago, MrsKC08 said:

Only you can make this decision. I got off the Getaway this past Sunday (3/8/20) and would jump on another cruise ship tomorrow if I could. The ship was cleaner than any other cruise I've been on and they were everywhere with spray bottles spraying everyone's hands as they came and went off the ship. Quite honestly, you are just as apt to get this or any other type of virus from your local bank, restaurants, grocery stores, etc. The ships are definitely upping their policy for sanitation and cleaning.  

As for returning back to work and school. I've also seen this being reported by others, but it wasn't the case for me. Actually, we learned today that someone from the company two floors up from us has a confirmed case of this virus and the CDC and health departments both told us there was no need to close down the office and keep people away. FYI, that person hasn't been in our building since last week while I was cruising! So, everyone was concerned and giving me a hard time about coming back with something when it was actually here already!

I don't know about banks, but restaurants where I live are closing, and in the supermarkets everyone is giving everyone else a wiiiide berth, or they go at 5.00am when they are empty.

An infectious diseases expert named Michael Osterholm gave an interview saying he believes it is airborne through ventilation systems. I work in a hospital, and have been wearing an N95 mask for the last two nights for just that reason.

[david_sobe]

On 3/11/2020 at 1:56 AM, tjmaxwell said:

My kids (ages 8 and 9) and I are headed to New York from Colorado on March 21 to board the Bliss on March 22 for a Spring Break trip to Orlando and the Bahamas.  Like many of you, all my family are saying I should cancel.  I booked via a land-based casino cruise certificate that got me a free inside cabin.  I paid to upgrade to a mini-suite.  If I cancel, obviously I'll lose the "free" part of the cruise.  I believe I can cancel our flights (which were quite costly) for a credit, but not our $300 hotel room in NY the night before.

 

I'm part of a Facebook group for this cruise and saw an interesting post from someone.  They are not concerned about getting the disease or necessarily even being quarantined.  They are concerned with returning home and the stigma involved with returning to work/school.  I've heard about companies requiring employees that choose to cruise to stay home from work for 14 days after cruising.  I'm self employed, so this isn't an issue for me, but I'm worried about my kids at school.  God forbid anyone gets sick, but if my kids or I somehow got sick and spread it to others, that would be a hard thing to live with. 

 

I'm torn on what to do.  We've all been really looking forward to this, but I'm wondering if I'm being irresponsible by taking them -- especially with what's going on in NY too.  Anyone else in a similar situation?  Any advice?

That is the most elitist thing I have ever heard (not you but the Facebook post you mention).  They are taking their kids out of school to cruise (ok maybe spring break going on a luxury vacation) and they don't have concern for their kid's safety or health or school work but are more concerned about the stigma that their kids may face stigma at school because they took a cruise. What planet are these people on?  Where are the parent police when you need them?

I remember being in 6th grade and a girl's family was going on vacation during the school year and wanted assignments ahead of time so she could keep up on vacation.  The school told them it was an unexcused absence and really caused the parents a bunch of grief.  I know that this family is probably cruising during spring break but it shocks me and alarms me this is their concern.  Its silly to ask but how would anyone know or care they went on a cruise unless the parents were taking them out of school.  Someone needs to give these parents a reality check.  Their first world concern is stigma their children may get for taking a cruise.  Do they realize they can get the virus anywhere and not just on a cruise?

I say go on the cruise and stigma wont happen unless you flaunt your decision to take your children on a luxury vacation during school.

Edited March 12, 2020 by david_sobe

[Isabella Benjamin]

A journalist just dropped me a DM saying Princess cruises is "pausing it's global ship operations for 60 days"

 

The decision is being taken out of everyone's hands.  

[spanishguy1970]

we just canceled ours, it was the April 19 cruise on the Bliss. The way we saw it was , if a coming cruise becomes more of a headache and a dread more than fun, then is time to cancel. We still have an October cruise booked with NCL.

[wampuscat7]

8 hours ago, david_sobe said:

That is the most elitist thing I have ever heard (not you but the Facebook post you mention).  They are taking their kids out of school to cruise (ok maybe spring break going on a luxury vacation) and they don't have concern for their kid's safety or health or school work but are more concerned about the stigma that their kids may face stigma at school because they took a cruise. What planet are these people on?  Where are the parent police when you need them?

I remember being in 6th grade and a girl's family was going on vacation during the school year and wanted assignments ahead of time so she could keep up on vacation.  The school told them it was an unexcused absence and really caused the parents a bunch of grief.  I know that this family is probably cruising during spring break but it shocks me and alarms me this is their concern.  Its silly to ask but how would anyone know or care they went on a cruise unless the parents were taking them out of school.  Someone needs to give these parents a reality check.  Their first world concern is stigma their children may get for taking a cruise.  Do they realize they can get the virus anywhere and not just on a cruise?

I say go on the cruise and stigma wont happen unless you flaunt your decision to take your children on a luxury vacation during school.

Umm, a lot of schools are issuing policies where they will not allow children who traveled certain places or on cruises to come back to school for 14 days. My child's school included. 

[david_sobe]

5 minutes ago, wampuscat7 said:

Umm, a lot of schools are issuing policies where they will not allow children who traveled certain places or on cruises to come back to school for 14 days. My child's school included. 

If that is the case you would still take the cruise?  That would make the decision easier no?  Not caring about what other children say.  That was the point of the OP's interpretation of the Facebook post.

If you are doing something that is getting your child removed from school, is that the right choice?  I cant believe its a conversation that would ever even be discussed.

 

[wampuscat7]

Just now, david_sobe said:

If that is the case you would still take the cruise?  That would make the decision easier no?  Not caring about what other children say.  That was the point of the OP's interpretation of the Facebook post.

If you are doing something that is getting your child removed from school, is that the right choice?  I cant believe its a conversation that would ever even be discussed.

 

Ah. I see your point. (In our case, no, we've chosen to cancel because my daughter's school and both our employers would ask us to self-quarantine. Also the more I read and the more happens, I know I would feel terrible if I got the virus and then passed it along to those who might be more susceptible to serious complications.) 

[MrsKC08]

On 3/11/2020 at 10:01 PM, elwood_98034 said:

I don't know about banks, but restaurants where I live are closing, and in the supermarkets everyone is giving everyone else a wiiiide berth, or they go at 5.00am when they are empty.

An infectious diseases expert named Michael Osterholm gave an interview saying he believes it is airborne through ventilation systems. I work in a hospital, and have been wearing an N95 mask for the last two nights for just that reason.

That's not the case here. And we've had some confirmed cases (even one in my office building). I've spoken to many doctors here (even at Vanderbilt) and they aren't alarmed or concerned or wearing masks.

[MrsKC08]

On 3/11/2020 at 9:54 PM, elwood_98034 said:

Nah. We really do have quite a few dead people. 30 in my area that we have been told officially. BTW, most schools to the north and east of Seattle go out tomorrow. Some are out for six weeks. Some aren't even doing online learning. They are just closed.

[elwood_98034]

On 3/13/2020 at 11:04 AM, MrsKC08 said:

37.