When Do You Think Cruising Will Be Safe

[OnTheJourney]

On 4/29/2020 at 8:18 AM, Saturngrl said:

Before COVID-19,  the big fear on cruise ships was Norovirus.  I have, and will continue to, take consistently-serious precautions on board ship.  

 

1. I will use every hand sanitizer on board the ship when entering restaurants, the casino and wherever else available.  If the hand sanitizer is present, it's meant to be used. 

2. I carry a small container of hand sanitizer with me on board and in port, to be used before eating anything from the buffet, after using the handrails on stairs, or anywhere else needed. 

3.  I bring anti-bacterial wipes on board to wipe down everything in my cabin when we first enter it on Embarkation Day. 

4.  I wash my hands after using the bathroom. 

5.  I consider all hard surfaces contaminated. 

 

Why do I stress these points?  Because on every one of my past 10 cruises, I have witnessed passengers who pass by hand sanitizers (even when crew kindly offer it),  leave the ladies' room without washing their hands, and fail to wash hands after sneezing or coughing.  

 

As such, I consider hard surfaces to be contaminated and I act in accordance. 

 

Anyone with me on this? 

 

 

 

 

 

I'm in....

[Ander026]

Reading everyone responses are interesting to say the least

 

I do work in the Tourism Industry where I have not been back to work since mid March.  I am hoping for a return to work sometime in June/July, even that seems hopeful at this point.

 

For the Cruise Lines it all depends on what CDC says.  I also think that if Disney/Universal start opening back up you will see the cruise lines return sooner than later. 

 

With that said I would have no problem heading out on a cruise right now.  The Cruise ships will be very clean at this point.

[OnTheJourney]

On 4/29/2020 at 8:52 AM, beerman2 said:

 

 

You just never know.

 

This sums it up...relative to...everything that constitutes our daily lives. Chances may well be greater of being killed or seriously injured on the way to an airport or ship (or anywhere else for that matter) that that of contracting a virus once onboard. 

[OnTheJourney]

On 4/29/2020 at 9:23 AM, SargassoPirate said:

 

 

  I have no interest in a cruise with masks

 

I, and probably most of us, don't either...but isn't it conceivable that mask wearing - at least to some extent - could become part of some as-of yet unforeseen "new normal"?  Like I said, I'm with you on this - but have started to maybe reconsider. Given a choice between wearing a mask when in public areas of the ship - at least a majority of the time - or not cruising / traveling at all - guess I'll take the former. It kind of boils down to a question of how much personal freedom and rights are people willing to give up? Yeah, we can all look back wistfully at how things were and thus be resistant to move ahead under some different system, but in the final analysis where does that get us? Witnessing the degree of the recent social protesting movement to reopen the economy, it's hard to say how tolerant people might remain, going forward, relative to various guidelines that might be imposed. I have some doubts. You already have those who seek to avoid getting their dose of hand sanitizer from the cruise staff prior to entering the buffet (gosh...will those even still be around?), so likewise you'll have the percentage who won't want to submit to having temperature taken prior to embarkation, completing forms, securing doctor's validation of health, etc. 

Edited May 5, 2020 by OnTheJourney

[Biker19]

1 minute ago, OnTheJourney said:

so likewise you'll have the percentage who won't want to submit to having temperature taken prior to embarkation, completing forms, securing doctor's validation of health, etc. 

Those are easy to take care of - you get denied boarding.

 

Once on board however, it will be a bit harder to enforce rules - do you get put off at port if don't wear a mask?

[OnTheJourney]

Really....so many unanswered questions at this point. None of us can quite imagine what will emerge from all this. 

[Welly9]

Agree with last two post...its up to you, your comfort level, when it opens, if you feel threatened dont go out! When society and public places IE restaurants, parks, travel, begin to ramp up and you are not comfy - Dont go out!

The common flu has had a greater mortality rate/percentage than CV19, so far! Folks and that is with a vaccine, or some refer to as a flu shot taken seasonally! If your immune system is compromised, you need to take greater precautions, and perhaps wait it out longer... but imo society needs to get back to work, back to doing things people need to do, whatever that is, some sense of normalcy, maybe never be the same, but move towards what was normal. Take precautions! Its called common sense.

 

Humans adapt and will  survive and move forward. 

 

For myself and wife, we work and work hard, we do our part, everything in moderation - including travel. We never have taken a flu vaccine/flu shot and never (knock on wood) been sick, haven't had a cold for years - just doing all the right precautionary things. Same moving forward. Do we trust getting a new CV19 Vaccine, hmmmmm good Q, not sure, if you read and dig deep into some theories - this may surprise some! IE Is it a Global planned Pandemic? and/or a De-population exercise? - conspiracy theories out there suggest so and many more of them. Who do you trust?

 

When the cruise lines open up and they will! They will have those ships clean! They will take extra precautionary steps to sanitize before, during and after! They will screen everyone, take temps etc But do your part too, as some have stated in previous posts. If you feel you are not ready, dont go then, and wait it out longer until you are 100% ready.

 

Personally I think cruising will begin back this summer, perhaps at a less than 100% capacity and eventually roll to 100% into 2021. Same with flying, resorts etc.

 

Anyway - lets hope we can get back to somewhat of a normalcy in the near future and enjoy some cruising again.

 

 

[TheMastodon]

On 4/29/2020 at 8:18 AM, Saturngrl said:

Before COVID-19,  the big fear on cruise ships was Norovirus.  I have, and will continue to, take consistently-serious precautions on board ship.  

 

1. I will use every hand sanitizer on board the ship when entering restaurants, the casino and wherever else available.  If the hand sanitizer is present, it's meant to be used. 

2. I carry a small container of hand sanitizer with me on board and in port, to be used before eating anything from the buffet, after using the handrails on stairs, or anywhere else needed. 

3.  I bring anti-bacterial wipes on board to wipe down everything in my cabin when we first enter it on Embarkation Day. 

4.  I wash my hands after using the bathroom. 

5.  I consider all hard surfaces contaminated. 

 

Why do I stress these points?  Because on every one of my past 10 cruises, I have witnessed passengers who pass by hand sanitizers (even when crew kindly offer it),  leave the ladies' room without washing their hands, and fail to wash hands after sneezing or coughing.  

 

As such, I consider hard surfaces to be contaminated and I act in accordance. 

 

Anyone with me on this? 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am with you on this - but sadly the general population on cruise ships don't follow the level of hygiene / sanitization that you/myself believe in!  This of course is the major issue with cruise ships - a lot of people close together spreading germs to one another.  I just don't see how the CDC is going to allow cruises to resume from USA until this thing is GONE.  One person tests positive on a ship?  The logistical nightmare to get people off and quarantined alone makes my head spin.  Scared for the industry I love so much!

[hazence]

58 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

Those are easy to take care of - you get denied boarding.

 

Once on board however, it will be a bit harder to enforce rules - do you get put off at port if don't wear a mask?

What about the people who live in those ports? Especially those ports that were already economically distressed.  Is there an expectation that most local  people that cruisers encounter in the future will be wearing masks?

[Biker19]

2 minutes ago, hazence said:

 Is there an expectation that most local  people that cruisers encounter in the future will be wearing masks?

No, and RCI can't really do anything about that other than at CocoCay and Labadee.

[OnTheJourney]

5 hours ago, Welly9 said:

 

The common flu has had a greater mortality rate/percentage than CV19, so far!

 

Wrong. From everything reported, there is no comparison. Mortality rate of CV was initially felt to be between 3-4%, but latest reports (and what I'm seeing on graphs) is that - at least in the US - the case fatality rate is 5.9%.  This figure would decrease with an increase in testing, as many people with mild cases are recovering. I think this is all too new yet to determine completely accurate longer-term data. For seasonal influenza, however, mortality is usually well below 0.1%. CV spreads more easily than the flu also. 

Edited May 5, 2020 by OnTheJourney

[OnTheJourney]

5 hours ago, TheMastodon said:

 

 

  I just don't see how the CDC is going to allow cruises to resume from USA until this thing is GONE.  

 

Just like several other virus strains, it seems likely that it'll never be "gone". What it will do is probably mutate into other strains. 

Edited May 5, 2020 by OnTheJourney

[lenquixote66]

7 hours ago, Welly9 said:

Agree with last two post...its up to you, your comfort level, when it opens, if you feel threatened dont go out! When society and public places IE restaurants, parks, travel, begin to ramp up and you are not comfy - Dont go out!

The common flu has had a greater mortality rate/percentage than CV19, so far! Folks and that is with a vaccine, or some refer to as a flu shot taken seasonally! If your immune system is compromised, you need to take greater precautions, and perhaps wait it out longer... but imo society needs to get back to work, back to doing things people need to do, whatever that is, some sense of normalcy, maybe never be the same, but move towards what was normal. Take precautions! Its called common sense.

 

Humans adapt and will  survive and move forward. 

 

For myself and wife, we work and work hard, we do our part, everything in moderation - including travel. We never have taken a flu vaccine/flu shot and never (knock on wood) been sick, haven't had a cold for years - just doing all the right precautionary things. Same moving forward. Do we trust getting a new CV19 Vaccine, hmmmmm good Q, not sure, if you read and dig deep into some theories - this may surprise some! IE Is it a Global planned Pandemic? and/or a De-population exercise? - conspiracy theories out there suggest so and many more of them. Who do you trust?

 

When the cruise lines open up and they will! They will have those ships clean! They will take extra precautionary steps to sanitize before, during and after! They will screen everyone, take temps etc But do your part too, as some have stated in previous posts. If you feel you are not ready, dont go then, and wait it out longer until you are 100% ready.

 

Personally I think cruising will begin back this summer, perhaps at a less than 100% capacity and eventually roll to 100% into 2021. Same with flying, resorts etc.

 

Anyway - lets hope we can get back to somewhat of a normalcy in the near future and enjoy some cruising again.

 

 

After our first cruise we did a land trip to London,Ontario and fell in love with the city so much so that we did not do another cruise for 21 years. I instead every summer we drove to Canada with a goal to visit every city in Ontario .After our cruise at the 21 year we returned to vacationing in other parts of Canada and did not go back to cruising for 14 years.

[hazence]

Interesting article on one hotel’s plan to make customers feel safe enough to book again.

 

SHARE

 

The Hilton guest experience is changing to accommodate an expected new normal when travel demand returns following the coronavirus pandemic.

The global hotel giant is partnering with RB, maker of Lysol, and consulting with the Mayo Clinic on a new standard of hotel cleanliness expected to launch in early June, Hilton announced Monday. 

 

The global program, called Hilton CleanStay with Lysol Protection at the company’s North American properties, builds on existing cleaning protocols and responds to daily consumer surveys the Hilton executive team listens to regarding consumer expectations.

[OnTheJourney]

Here's another, related question:  How soon will you be willing to fly again?  

[Welly9]

16 hours ago, OnTheJourney said:

 

Wrong. From everything reported, there is no comparison. Mortality rate of CV was initially felt to be between 3-4%, but latest reports (and what I'm seeing on graphs) is that - at least in the US - the case fatality rate is 5.9%.  This figure would decrease with an increase in testing, as many people with mild cases are recovering. I think this is all too new yet to determine completely accurate longer-term data. For seasonal influenza, however, mortality is usually well below 0.1%. CV spreads more easily than the flu also. 

Not sure what numbers you are seeing or getting, but also review the reports stating that CV19 is reported on DC and doesnt matter if they were tested or not, but cause of death is marked down as CV19 regardless. US flu deaths dropped in fiscal '19-20, by ~40+K as CV19 deaths climbed - dont you find that interesting? Same as Influenza deaths...I cannot recall this #.

 

Bottom line - some strains are no more serious than a common flu, and a smaller percentage of CV19 has a more serious strain affecting the compromised. Therefore just be careful and safe. Don't hit the open seas if you are not comfy and feel threatened at this time. Wait until you think it will be safer with immunization. 

 

Everyone stay well!

[Welly9]

15 hours ago, lenquixote66 said:

After our first cruise we did a land trip to London,Ontario and fell in love with the city so much so that we did not do another cruise for 21 years. I instead every summer we drove to Canada with a goal to visit every city in Ontario .After our cruise at the 21 year we returned to vacationing in other parts of Canada and did not go back to cruising for 14 years.

Oh wow, so now you are back in NY, LI? I have been across our country, actually sea to sea to sea (so yes to the north for work where the Eskimos live lol) I say to fellow CDN,s see your country before elsewhere, its beautiful and surprises around every corner! I also worked in US and SA. I say to fam and friends in the states, see your country too its beautiful and again different surprises around the corner...then venture out beyond borders cause anywhere you go you can find marvel and beauty with the land and people. 

We like London, but thinking of moving within a few years?  

[lenquixote66]

6 minutes ago, Welly9 said:

Oh wow, so now you are back in NY, LI? I have been across our country, actually sea to sea to sea (so yes to the north for work where the Eskimos live lol) I say to fellow CDN,s see your country before elsewhere, its beautiful and surprises around every corner! I also worked in US and SA. I say to fam and friends in the states, see your country too its beautiful and again different surprises around the corner...then venture out beyond borders cause anywhere you go you can find marvel and beauty with the land and people. 

We like London, but thinking of moving within a few years?  

We did a cross county tour of the US .We have taken 17 to Canada and toured a lot of Quebec as well as Ontario.

[mek]

23 hours ago, OnTheJourney said:

 

I, and probably most of us, don't either...but isn't it conceivable that mask wearing - at least to some extent - could become part of some as-of yet unforeseen "new normal"?  Like I said, I'm with you on this - but have started to maybe reconsider. Given a choice between wearing a mask when in public areas of the ship - at least a majority of the time - or not cruising / traveling at all - guess I'll take the former. It kind of boils down to a question of how much personal freedom and rights are people willing to give up? Yeah, we can all look back wistfully at how things were and thus be resistant to move ahead under some different system, but in the final analysis where does that get us? Witnessing the degree of the recent social protesting movement to reopen the economy, it's hard to say how tolerant people might remain, going forward, relative to various guidelines that might be imposed. I have some doubts. You already have those who seek to avoid getting their dose of hand sanitizer from the cruise staff prior to entering the buffet (gosh...will those even still be around?), so likewise you'll have the percentage who won't want to submit to having temperature taken prior to embarkation, completing forms, securing doctor's validation of health, etc. 

While it may be the "new normal' at home, I'm not paying thousands extra to make that part of my everyday life, so until cruising goes back to what is was in the past, I will pass.  If that means never cruising again, then so be it.  I love cruising and have been on 65+ cruises, but if it completely goes away, my life will go on.

 

[Welly9]

12 minutes ago, lenquixote66 said:

We did a cross county tour of the US .We have taken 17 to Canada and toured a lot of Quebec as well as Ontario.

Nice, East Coast Canada IE Nova Scotia etc including Newfoundland, omg, unbelievable and stunning and people, are the best, they are the 'salt of the earth'!

[lenquixote66]

1 minute ago, Welly9 said:

Nice, East Coast Canada IE Nova Scotia etc including Newfoundland, omg, unbelievable and stunning and people, are the best, they are the 'salt of the earth'!

We were there several times as well.My best friend died last month from Covid-19.His step daughter and family live in Toronto. For many years I would tell my friend and his wife how much my wife and I loved vacationing in Toronto so much so that my friend and his wife were considering a move there.Unfortunately that will never be but perhaps his wife will move there eventually.

[ECCruise]

17 hours ago, OnTheJourney said:

 

Wrong. From everything reported, there is no comparison. Mortality rate of CV was initially felt to be between 3-4%, but latest reports (and what I'm seeing on graphs) is that - at least in the US - the case fatality rate is 5.9%.  This figure would decrease with an increase in testing, as many people with mild cases are recovering. I think this is all too new yet to determine completely accurate longer-term data. For seasonal influenza, however, mortality is usually well below 0.1%. CV spreads more easily than the flu also. 

Thank you.  Isn't it just amazing that people literally just make stuff up (like the post you responded to) and spout it like it was based on fact.

Not sure where that kind of thing came from....

[hazence]

COVID-19 mortality rate depends on age, spread of disease

The exact mortality rate of COVID-19 in the United States isn’t yet known. Outcomes depend on many factors, from the level of strain on the health care system to an infected person's health history and age.

"You really need to look at this by age, because there is an enormous age gradient for risk of death per infected case,” said Dr. Theo Vos in an interview with USA TODAY. He is a professor of health metrics sciences at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluations at the University of Washington and one of the developers of a highly cited model on the potential spread of COVID-19.

Reports of deaths from the disease by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show a clear correlation to age. Older people are far more likely to die of the disease. 

Vos cautioned against using the reported figures to infer universal mortality rates. Outcomes are too variable across age groups, and too many people may have had the disease but were never formally tested.

“Those are based on the numbers of people who happen to have been tested, not the true number of cases in the community,” Vos said. “With these antibody studies, we’re seeing a considerable gap between people who have had a positive test and the number of people we think have truly been in contact with the virus.”

[Biker19]

3 hours ago, OnTheJourney said:

Here's another, related question:  How soon will you be willing to fly again?  

Friday?

[Welly9]

1 hour ago, hazence said:

COVID-19 mortality rate depends on age, spread of disease

The exact mortality rate of COVID-19 in the United States isn’t yet known. Outcomes depend on many factors, from the level of strain on the health care system to an infected person's health history and age.

"You really need to look at this by age, because there is an enormous age gradient for risk of death per infected case,” said Dr. Theo Vos in an interview with USA TODAY. He is a professor of health metrics sciences at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluations at the University of Washington and one of the developers of a highly cited model on the potential spread of COVID-19.

Reports of deaths from the disease by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show a clear correlation to age. Older people are far more likely to die of the disease. 

Vos cautioned against using the reported figures to infer universal mortality rates. Outcomes are too variable across age groups, and too many people may have had the disease but were never formally tested.

“Those are based on the numbers of people who happen to have been tested, not the true number of cases in the community,” Vos said. “With these antibody studies, we’re seeing a considerable gap between people who have had a positive test and the number of people we think have truly been in contact with the virus.”

👍