Miami Boarding: New Medical Screening, March 14+

[BoundForSea]

This just showed up, want to ensure those scheduled as I am in the near future are aware of it:

 

Starting Saturday, March 14, 2020, for all ships leaving Miami, we are further elevating our health measures, in line with the recommendation of the Cruise Line Association and the USA Government, therefore we will deny boarding for:

 

All guests with severe chronic medical condition (heart disease, diabetes, lung disease) as specified by the U.S. CDC

All guests 70 years of age or older at embarkation date or who turn 70 within the duration of  the cruise, unless provided written verification from their qualified treating physician certifying no severe chronic medical conditions and otherwise fit for the cruise

                                - We have already started thermal temperature check at all ports & gangway 

                                - We have already started weekly health screening for all crew members 

 

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My question, and I will need to look it up with the CDC, is what constitutes "severe chronic medical condition", other than what's in parentheses?

What is the acceptable "written verification from their qualified treating physician" form and manner? 

 

 

 

[neptuno]

Weekly health screening for all crew members is inadequate.  It should be daily.  Have you ever been served by a coughing crew member?  Yes.....

[Two Wheels Only]

Over 10% of the USA population has diabetes....I'd guess that the percentage is higher amongst cruisers.

 

As for heart disease...the numbers are much higher.

Edited March 13, 2020 by Two Wheels Only

[8420PR]

I'm also surprised to see diabetes listed.   Over 25% of US Americans over 65 years old have diabetes, so will certainly have an impact.

[gkbiiii]

I am 47 and have type 1 Diabetes, so I guess I can't cruise now.  Glad I had my Acapulco/Mexico City trip a month ago, this is a sad time we live in!

[lifeasme123]

4 hours ago, gkbiiii said:

I am 47 and have type 1 Diabetes, so I guess I can't cruise now.  Glad I had my Acapulco/Mexico City trip a month ago, this is a sad time we live in!

I'm not a diabetic.  But I am curious if passengers with either Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes will be denied boarding.  I cannot imagine how Type 2 would be considered "severe".  

[dorts]

How will they know about chronic conditions? Only mentions a doctor note for over 70s. Just thinking of myself who has no issues but I am already in Miami so can't exactly pop to my doctor's now for a note back in the UK!

[Itchy&Scratchy]

5 hours ago, lifeasme123 said:

I'm not a diabetic.  But I am curious if passengers with either Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes will be denied boarding.  I cannot imagine how Type 2 would be considered "severe".  

my grandfather's untreated Type 2 was a lot more severe than my friend's mother's Type 1 (on insulin and taking great care about what she eats). His leg got chopped off (gangrene).

[lifeasme123]

5 minutes ago, Itchy&Scratchy said:

my grandfather's untreated Type 2 was a lot more severe than my friend's mother's Type 1 (on insulin and taking great care about what she eats). His leg got chopped off (gangrene).

Yikes!   

[Safe77]

Just boarded the Divina this morning (Fri 3/13). Crew tell us this is the last sailing of the Divina for an undetermined period of time. They are being transferred to other ships.


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[lifeasme123]

8 minutes ago, Safe77 said:

Just boarded the Divina this morning (Fri 3/13). Crew tell us this is the last sailing of the Divina for an undetermined period of time. They are being transferred to other ships

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Thanks for the update!  Wow!

 

Hope we will know before we get to Miami on Sunday.

Edited March 13, 2020 by lifeasme123

[sidari]

The Divina TA has been cancelled.

[lifeasme123]

22 minutes ago, sidari said:

The Divina TA has been cancelled.

Ok I looked up the schedule.  This makes sense to me now.  Divina was scheduled for Europe next week.  

[dexddd]

40 minutes ago, Safe77 said:

Just boarded the Divina this morning (Fri 3/13). Crew tell us this is the last sailing of the Divina for an undetermined period of time. They are being transferred to other ships.


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Any word on Seaside and Mera?

[sidari]

9 minutes ago, lifeasme123 said:

Ok I looked up the schedule.  This makes sense to me now.  Divina was scheduled for Europe next week.  

Divina TA is cancelled.

[Cruisergal1208]

All msc cruises are cancelled following the current cruises.  Announcements all over the internet and social media. 

[bespin]

I’m on the Divina right now, doing a B2B that started Tuesday. 

 

On Tuesday the health questionnaire only asked about travel and exposure to COVID-19. Today, the questionnaire asked about chronic health issues (specifically diabetes, heart, and lung conditions). 6 cabins doing the B2B reported such conditions, and were all immediately taken to the ship’s medical area for evaluation by the doctor. So far as I know,  at least half of those passengers (maybe all, but I only know of half for certain) were cleared to stay on board.

[AviationInScale]

On 3/13/2020 at 8:16 AM, dorts said:

How will they know about chronic conditions? Only mentions a doctor note for over 70s. Just thinking of myself who has no issues but I am already in Miami so can't exactly pop to my doctor's now for a note back in the UK!

 

There's no way the cruise lines will know if you're diabetic or hypertensive unless you tell them you are.

[lizinvan]

14 hours ago, Cruisergal1208 said:

All msc cruises are cancelled following the current cruises.  Announcements all over the internet and social media. 

All?  Everywhere?  Have not been able to find that. 

[Big Timber]

14 hours ago, bespin said:

I’m on the Divina right now, doing a B2B that started Tuesday. 

 

On Tuesday the health questionnaire only asked about travel and exposure to COVID-19. Today, the questionnaire asked about chronic health issues (specifically diabetes, heart, and lung conditions). 6 cabins doing the B2B reported such conditions, and were all immediately taken to the ship’s medical area for evaluation by the doctor. So far as I know,  at least half of those passengers (maybe all, but I only know of half for certain) were cleared to stay on board.

I was scheduled for this cruise (starting March 13th) with my party of 6 friends and relatives.  By Tuesday they all cancelled so I reluctantly did the same.  We are all in our 70's-80's so are in the high risk category for the Coronavirus.  I would appreciate it if you would continue to provide information on how this cruise is going.  Thank you.  

[bespin]

1 hour ago, Big Timber said:

I was scheduled for this cruise (starting March 13th) with my party of 6 friends and relatives.  By Tuesday they all cancelled so I reluctantly did the same.  We are all in our 70's-80's so are in the high risk category for the Coronavirus.  I would appreciate it if you would continue to provide information on how this cruise is going.  Thank you.  

 

This is a sea day, en route to San Juan. At the Meet & Greet, the cruise director’s take on it was “We’re so lucky to be the last ship out of Miami!” The captain was a bit more low key, and if I understood the gist of his remarks correctly, it was “we’ll see what happens when we get to the ports.” Apologies if I’m mistaken, but that was the impression I had.

 

Dinner tonight will be open seating, between 6-8 PM, in the main dining rooms, instead of fixed at 6 and 8:30. This is evidently so that parts of  the dining rooms can be closed, and the staff can be better leveraged for the service. I have to say that last night (the first night of this 7-day cruise), our dining room (Villa Rosa) was very sparsely filled, with many tables intended for 6 or more people having only two people at them.

 

Tonight’s theater show will be performed once, at 9:30, rather than twice, at 7 and at 9. Last night the theater had mostly empty seats at the 9:00 performance.

 

My understanding is that the previous sailing had approximately 2700 passengers, and this sailing has closer to 2000 - and the ship does seem much less crowded now than it did a couple of days ago.

 

 

[bespin]

And now (4:00PM Saturday) we’ve just been informed that Puerto Rico has closed its port to all cruise ships. Instead, Divina will divert to Great Stirrup Cay (owned by Norwegian Cruise Line).

[Cruisergal1208]

4 hours ago, lizinvan said:

All?  Everywhere?  Have not been able to find that. 

 

March 14Dubai to DubaiCancelledMarch 21Grand Voyage Dubai to YokohamaMarch 14Dubai to DubaiMarch 21Dubai to DubaiMarch 28Dubai to DubaiApril 4Dubai to DubaiApril 11Dubai to DubaiApril 18Grand Voyage Dubai to VeniceMarch 10 Genoa to GenoaMarch 21Genoa to GenoaApril 1 Genoa to GenoaApril 5Genoa to GenoaApril 9Genoa to GenoaApril 14Genoa to GenoaApril 17Genoa to GenoaApril 21Genoa to VeniceMSC SINFONIAMarch 13Grand Voyage Santos to VeniceCancelledMSC FANTASIAMarch 9Grand Voyage Santos to GenoaAnticipated end of cruise. Final port will be Marseille on March 27. Disembarkations planned in the Italian ports in the following days will be anticipated to March 27 in MarseilleMSC FANTASIAMarch 28Genoa to GenoaCancelledMSC FANTASIAApril 4Genoa to GenoaNo changesMSC SPLENDIDAMarch 12Grand Voyage Dubai to GenoaItinerary change. Final port will be Marseille on March 29. Call to Genoa cancelled, all passengers will disembark in MarseilleMSC SPLENDIDAMarch 29Genoa to HamburgItinerary change. Cruise will be Marseille to Hamburg; passengers embarking in the Italian ports can embark in Marseille on March 29 or Barcelona on March 30MSC GRANDIOSAMarch 14March 21March 28Genoa to GenoaGenoa to GenoaGenoa to GenoaCancelledMSC GRANDIOSAApril 5Genoa to GenoaNo changesMSC DIVINAMarch 20Grand Voyage Miami to GenoaCancelledApril 7Genoa to GenoaApril 11Genoa to GenoaApril 18Genoa to GenoaApril 25Genoa to GenoaMSC PREZIOSAMarch 14March 21March 28Fort de France to Fort de FranceFort de France to Fort de FranceFort de France to Fort de FranceCancelledMSC DIVINACancelledMSC BELLISSIMAMSC LIRICACancelledMSC OPERACancelled

 

Edited March 14, 2020 by Cruisergal1208

[Itchy&Scratchy]

6 hours ago, lizinvan said:

All?  Everywhere?  Have not been able to find that. 

that's strange. It's loud and clear on MSC website.

[lizinvan]

 

Loud, maybe, as it all over US site now.  Clear, hardly, as we have been discussing the word "all" on other threads.

The current terminology uses the words "some" and "select" which leaves many of us waiting for further word as the situation plays out. Cruiser gal above and others have kindly outlined the impacted sailings to date above.