Cruise ship will be fully vaccinated..?

[rbslos18]

1 hour ago, Mrs Miggins said:

I am from the UK and had never heard about Rand Paul.   I have now educated myself a little.  Thank you rbslos 18 for restoring my faith in the good sense and good will of many in the US.

Thanks Mrs. Miggins for your kind remarks. I am trying to keep this in the realm of dispassionate science and not science/politics. As we Viking cruisers can testify, this is a global problem. The only way out of the pandemic is with world-class science and collaboration. In the case of COVID, I defer to the wisdom and advice of Epidemiologists and Infectious Disease experts and not politicians.

Bob

[Mrs Miggins]

We have all had a difficult year.  We lost one of our cruising friends to Covid and have heard of several others.  However it is true that we are the lucky ones who have the finances and time to discuss our various thoughts on a return to cruising.  Many others over the world do not have that luxury.

We have had the lowest daily death toll in the UK today and thankfully more than half of our adult population have had at least one vaccination.  

[cruiselvr04]

That’s awesome news for the UK!  Half is a huge milestone.

 

The reason I want all cruise lines including Viking is to have only vaccinated guests is not because I fear getting covid on board.  With the vaccine the risk of getting it is down to less then 5% and if you do it, it won’t be a serious case.  You might even think it’s a cold.

 

Like others if I spend the money and time I don’t want my trip interrupted by a quarantined ship or refused port of call.  That’s where I see the risk.  We got immunized even though we really didn’t want to.  For us there are still questions of long term safety.  We got them because we want to return to life, travel and most of all see family without concern about quarantine or illness.  
 

Royal is restarting cruises from Caribbean ports requiring tests and vaccinations. They must be finding vaccines for their crews?

[rbslos18]

17 minutes ago, Mrs Miggins said:

We have had the lowest daily death toll in the UK today and thankfully more than half of our adult population have had at least one vaccination.  

Your success is our success!

[Squawkman]

2 hours ago, rbslos18 said:

Some day let's get a glass of some good KY bourbon in the Explorers' Lounge.  I'll explain why he is certified by a national Board run by his family!

 

From Wikipedia:

In 1995, Paul was certified to practice by the American Board of Ophthalmology (ABO).^[26] In 1992, the ABO changed its certification program, which had previously awarded lifetime certifications, now required ophthalmologists to recertify every 10 years. Those who had already been given lifetime certification were not required to recertify. Paul felt this was unfair and began an aggressive campaign to have all ophthalmologists recertify every ten years. In 1997 he set up the National Board of Ophthalmology (NBO) to offer an alternative certification system, at a cost substantially lower than that of the ABO.^[27][28][29] Its certification exam, an open book take-home test that Paul helped write, was described by one taker as "probably harder" and "more clinically relevant" than the ABO's exam.^[27]Paul appointed his own family members to the board of directors and registered the Board to an incorrect address.^[27]

Named board members were Paul, his wife, and his father-in-law.^[30] The NBO was, itself, never accepted as an accrediting entity by organizations such as the American Board of Medical Specialties,^[20] and its certification was considered invalid by many hospitals and insurance companies. Paul let his own ABO certification lapse in 2005, which did not affect his practice in Kentucky; the state does not require board certification. By Paul's estimate, about 50 or 60 doctors were certified by the NBO.^[27] The NBO was incorporated in 1999, but Paul allowed it to be dissolved in 2000 when he did not file the required paperwork with the Kentucky Secretary of State's office. He later recreated the board in 2005, but it was again dissolved in 2011.

[LindaS272]

My grandfather died in the 1918 flu epidemic (age 30) five weeks after my mother was born. My grandmother recovered from it (age 20). My mother, however, had the trauma of it in her bones (metaphorically speaking) until she died at age 93. Perhaps that is why I respect the actual scientists and take COVID risks seriously.

[rbslos18]

Squawk:

Here is the Snopes article explaining the complexity of the matter! We do not do many things in a simple way in the Commonwealth...except enjoy our bourbon. Please join Jim and me for some in the Explorers' Lounge! Jim is treating.

https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/rand-paul-ophthalmologist/

[Squawkman]

14 minutes ago, rbslos18 said:

Squawk:

Here is the Snopes article explaining the complexity of the matter! We do not do many things in a simple way in the Commonwealth...except enjoy our bourbon. Please join Jim and me for some in the Explorers' Lounge! Jim is treating.

https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/rand-paul-ophthalmologist/

rb:

Thanks for the Snopes link. I don’t drink, so please have 2 bourbons on Jim. And if you need a good ophthalmologist, I can recommend one in central NJ.

 

 

 

[rbslos18]

8 minutes ago, Squawkman said:

rb:

Thanks for the Snopes link. I don’t drink, so please have 2 bourbons on Jim. And if you need a good ophthalmologist, I can recommend one in central NJ.

 

 

 

I don't either 😉 Maybe a thimble if that. We are cheap dates for Jim. If we don't drink we can wear a mask or two for him!

[Pushka]

On 3/21/2021 at 2:35 PM, JeriGail said:

Don't forget - the US doesn't have any kind of national health care, so we also don't have any kind of national identifying numbers.  Those over 65 are eligible for Medicare, and we have Medicare numbers, but so far my vaccination has only been reported to my primary care physician.

It's hard to get my mind around that still. I had Astra Zeneca shot yesterday and already my vaccination history through Medicare has been updated. This is accessible by any medical person who has my Medicare number around Australia plus it provides a Govt Stamped PDF that I can print off to show others like airlines etc. 

 

I will not go on any cruise where the vaccination is not compulsory for all. Not because I fear Covid, having eventually been vaccinated myself, but the chaos that could occur should a non vaccinated person develop fulminant Covid onboard. Our Egypt cruise requires payment in August for a December 21 day trip. Given that Aussies aren't even allowed to travel overseas yet, it is unlikely any decision will be made by August. 

Edited March 22, 2021 by Pushka

[Jim Avery]

Yall are going to really strain my beverages package....🥃🥃🥃😎

[rbslos18]

2 hours ago, Jim Avery said:

Yall are going to really strain my beverages package....🥃🥃🥃😎

Come on Jim. I promise not to order  a glass of Pappy Van Winkle 15 year bourbon!  

[Jim Avery]

Haha, is it worse than Uncle Nearest??🥃

[rbslos18]

8 minutes ago, Jim Avery said:

Haha, is it worse than Uncle Nearest??🥃

A bottle of 15 year Pappy online is $2499.00. Strong stuff but best bourbon ever. Get with the program, Sir.

[Jim Avery]

13 minutes ago, rbslos18 said:

A bottle of 15 year Pappy online is $2499.00. Strong stuff but best bourbon ever. Get with the program, Sir.

Hey, put it on my tab. OMG I hope they pay for it.😱🥃😎

[Cienfuegos]

Pappy would make an interesting "ringer" if Viking was ever interested in running blind taste tests for its guests.  You know, the kind where the $59 bottle out tastes the $2499 bottle...

[SantaFe1]

Read an interesting article this morning from Seabourne exec about not requiring vaccinations on ships.   https://apple.news/AuwDiaJNWSratx_gI992glQ

[LindaS272]

But the ships this exec sited that are cruising now (and testing) still had outbreaks onboard. IMO, you control for COVID by requiring vaccination AND testing. 

[SantaFe1]

Agreed, but I’m just saying Viking isn’t the only one not requiring vaccination.  And others will surely follow this path.  I am sorry to see it.

[OnTheJourney]

1 hour ago, SantaFe1 said:

Read an interesting article this morning from Seabourne exec

“We have to see whether there are populations who are already immune and may not need a vaccine immediately—maybe they already had the disease. Or maybe they have an allergic reaction to vaccines the same way they might have an allergy to sesame. Does that mean they can’t come on board? We’re not yet in the stage where we can say this has to be the rule.”  

 

Blah...blah..blah.  Here's the thing...requiring vaccianation = more hassle for potential passengers (unless they have been or intend to vaccinate anyway) = possibly less passengers signing up for cruising = less revenue. Simple as that. Lots of fancy talk doesn't change my mind about not wanting to cruise with a line that doesn't require vaccination. 

Edited March 23, 2021 by OnTheJourney

[Heidi13]

3 hours ago, Cienfuegos said:

Pappy would make an interesting "ringer" if Viking was ever interested in running blind taste tests for its guests.  You know, the kind where the $59 bottle out tastes the $2499 bottle...

When we were on board they did do bourbon tasting! Probably not that expensive but cheaper to more costly.

[Peregrina651]

3 hours ago, OnTheJourney said:

 "Or maybe they have an allergic reaction to vaccines the same way they might have an allergy to sesame. Does that mean they can’t come on board?"

 

Yes, it means they cannot come on board.  This isn't about the wants and issues of a single passenger but about the safety of all passengers being more important. How is this any different from visas and other inoculations being required for certain cruises? I don't hear people complaining about those restrictions.

 

 

[Heidi13]

5 hours ago, SantaFe1 said:

Read an interesting article this morning from Seabourne exec about not requiring vaccinations on ships.   https://apple.news/AuwDiaJNWSratx_gI992glQ

 

Got a good laugh reading this one. This chap must be a saleman, as he clearly knows very little about the marine industry.

 

Calling a ship "Operational" when crewed by a skeleton crew, is somewhat of a stretch. Ships have more than skeleton crews while drydocking, and I certainly wouldn't consider a ship on the blocks in a graving dock, as being operational. To most people, a hot or cold layup is NOT "Operational".

 

He also stated that their procedures had limited their skeleton crew's exposure to only a few cases. Sorry, but to me this proves their procedures are a failure, as with limited crew, no pax, no shore leave and minimal crew exchanges, if new crew were quarantined for 10 to 14 days, they should have had zero exposures, except for possibly those in quarantine.

 

Viking used this from Bali to Gibraltar, with a full crew and an initial pax count of about 400. Zero infections experienced and at that time we only had daily temperature checks, no shore leave and after the Suez Canal the partial Bridge Team went into quarantine.

[OnTheJourney]

34 minutes ago, Peregrina651 said:

Yes, it means they cannot come on board. 

The excerpt you quoted was not mine....it was part of a larger quote from the article that SantaFe referred to in post #242. I simply commented on a portion of it in my post #245. 

Edited March 23, 2021 by OnTheJourney

[OnTheJourney]

9 minutes ago, Heidi13 said:

This chap must be a saleman, as he clearly knows very little about the marine industry.

lol...probably never even been on a ship before. Once again, Andy, thanks for clarifying some of this stuff with your experience and maritime knowledge. 

Edited March 23, 2021 by OnTheJourney