Will They Announce Covid Cases Onboard?

[SelectSys]

2 hours ago, gerryuk said:

You will probably know as the ship goes round in circles as no ports will let the ship dock. Yes all passengers should be informed, its their right to know. 

We will see what happens on cruise ships.  My suspicion is that any notification will be minimal and only when absolutely necessary.  Maybe each country could have this as a condition of sailing, but the logistics would be complicated.

 

What are the lines currently doing for ships operating in Europe?  I am certain they have had cases on board.

 

Edited June 1, 2021 by SelectSys

[2wheelin]

5 hours ago, gerryuk said:

You will probably know as the ship goes round in circles as no ports will let the ship dock. Yes all passengers should be informed, its their right to know. 

Right to Know is a pretty big stretch. This is still personal medical information. if the ship needs to change itinerary, it will be noted of course but only in vague terms.

[navybankerteacher]

I think any itinerary change would have to be mentioned - in addition to being noticed - and I believe the line would take some steps to minimize spread - which could hardly be done with announcing the reason.  This would not necessarily involve identifying individuals — so the privacy issue should not be a concern.

[sanger727]

9 hours ago, 2wheelin said:

Right to Know is a pretty big stretch. This is still personal medical information. if the ship needs to change itinerary, it will be noted of course but only in vague terms.

saying ‘joe smith in room 3116 tested positive for Covid’ is personal medical information. Saying ‘a passenger has tested positive for Covid’ isnt. Shoot, in the early days of the pandemic there were announcements on the news that said ‘an employee at such and such bar tested positive for Covid’ so people who went there were on alert for symptoms. I was in charge of my workplace’s Covid protocols. We had so many Covid cases coming in that we didn’t announce each one and the unions threw a fit. Had to send out daily emails with a list of locations where someone tested positive.

[Joebucks]

If it's not required, not a chance in hell. No cruise company wants to create panic.

[Mike981]

On 5/31/2021 at 1:41 PM, ColeThornton said:

 

 

Good point.    Cruise Critic is going to be very entertaining once cruising starts up if things head south in a hurry.

 

I've had the same thought. I hope everything works out for all who are traveling and that they do NOT have to deal with ANY virus.

[cruisemom42]

What if you were among the subset of parents traveling with unvaccinated children (either as the "5%" on vaccinated cruises or just in general on non-vax cruises)?

 

If your children weren't vaccinated, wouldn't you want to know if there were COVID cases onboard ship, perhaps to find out if your child was exposed or to redouble your efforts to ensure that they were careful (wearing their masks, maintaining social distancing, etc.)

 

[BoozinCroozin]

If they attempt to do contact tracing, they will have no alternative but to announce it. Once they do, it will be all over social media and the news. This is why I am now in agreement with 100% vaccinated passengers 12 and older. Under 12 must be tested before the cruise, in the middle of the cruise, and daily health screenings. 

 

Believe me, media will be extremely happy to have shock news of a single case of covid onboard a ship. They will immediately spin it as "Cruise ship xxx has an outbreak of covid. All passengers are in lockdown in their rooms. The ship is immediately returning to its home port and everyone onboard will be subjected to 14-days quarantine." Knowing full well that it is not the case, but the shock value of the statement will have it all over the media 24/7. The news no longer reports fact, only fear mongering. 

[ALWAYS CRUZIN]

On 5/31/2021 at 1:05 PM, jtwind said:

If there is a suspected case onboard, do you think they will announce it?

 

If the ship you are planning on cruising in the near future has cases, do you think you will be notified?

From what I understand. No. They will quarantine the effective person. If you have been vaccinated no need to worry anyhow. If you have have had covid19 you ahve antibodies and there is a very good chance you do not need to worry either.

[Funatabi]

On 6/1/2021 at 2:17 AM, ColeThornton said:

No clue what the plans will be, but if I'm vaccinated why would I care?

I will care. Why? Because of "vaccine breakthrough". (See the article below.)

Just because one is vaccinated does not make one immune from catching the virus. That is a false notion held by many. I keep saying that the vaccines are not the be all end all to preventing the spread of COVID 19. They are designed to work very effectively to prevent death and hospitalization only, but are not designed to prevent COVID19 from spreading from person to person. The COVID19 virus, once in the body, has negative, long-term effects. So I say no thank you to easing up COVID protocols that I follow at this point. That is why I will never go on a cruise that doesn't have a 100% vaccination requirement. So the anti-vaxxers will win and cruise, while keeping me off of ships. So what I see happening is the opposite of what others say, that is,  instead of the unvaccinated being left at the dock, it will be me,  a vaccinated person, left sitting there.  It's my choice to get the vaccine and still not cruise. 

 

https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2021/04/13/986411423/a-mystery-under-study-how-why-and-when-covid-vaccines-arent-fully-protective

[ldubs]

On 6/2/2021 at 8:53 AM, cruisemom42 said:

What if you were among the subset of parents traveling with unvaccinated children (either as the "5%" on vaccinated cruises or just in general on non-vax cruises)?

 

If your children weren't vaccinated, wouldn't you want to know if there were COVID cases onboard ship, perhaps to find out if your child was exposed or to redouble your efforts to ensure that they were careful (wearing their masks, maintaining social distancing, etc.)

 

 

Even if traveling without children I would want to know so I would have at least the option of taking extra precautions.  

 

As for the topic,  I remember that during the middle of the pandemic a ship captain tried to hide that there were cases while they off-boarded passengers.  I agree with others that suspect the cruise line will only provide information they are forced to provide.    

[gerryuk]

If a customer / staff on a cruise ship tests positive for covid it will be announced. Not the name of the person infected but it will be announced. Apart from the fact that the cruise ship will be denied docking at ports, the main problem for the cruise lines is that the infection will be leaked to the media. 

Customers on the affected ship finding out that someone has covid on board via the media and the cruise line trying to cover it up, will be a PR disaster for the line. 

[d9704011]

3 minutes ago, gerryuk said:

If a customer / staff on a cruise ship tests positive for covid it will be announced. Not the name of the person infected but it will be announced. Apart from the fact that the cruise ship will be denied docking at ports, the main problem for the cruise lines is that the infection will be leaked to the media. 

Customers on the affected ship finding out that someone has covid on board via the media and the cruise line trying to cover it up, will be a PR disaster for the line. 

Let alone the charade that will be represented as contact tracing.

[jtwind]

16 hours ago, ldubs said:

As for the topic,  I remember that during the middle of the pandemic a ship captain tried to hide that there were cases while they off-boarded passengers.  I agree with others that suspect the cruise line will only provide information they are forced to provide.    

Hurtigruten?

[ontheweb]

2 minutes ago, jtwind said:

Hurtigruten?

I believe that is correct. And the government of Norway was extremely pissed at them.

[ldubs]

1 hour ago, jtwind said:

Hurtigruten?

 

1 hour ago, ontheweb said:

I believe that is correct. And the government of Norway was extremely pissed at them.

 

Yep, that was the one I was thinking about.   

[lenquixote66]

On 5/31/2021 at 1:05 PM, jtwind said:

If there is a suspected case onboard, do you think they will announce it?

 

If the ship you are planning on cruising in the near future has cases, do you think you will be notified?

Of course they will and advise the cabin number of the person .

[donaldsc]

24 minutes ago, lenquixote66 said:

Of course they will and advise the cabin number of the person .

 

I doubt that they will tell passengers that there is a covid case on board until it is unavoidable.  What are the people on board going to do w that information - leave the cruise at the next port? 

 

As far as giving the cabin number of the person, of what possible use would this information be to the rest of the passengers.  It provides absolutely no useful information unless the person happens to be your roommate.

 

DON

[SuiteTraveler]

On 6/4/2021 at 10:35 AM, Funatabi said:

I will care. Why? Because of "vaccine breakthrough". (See the article below.)

Just because one is vaccinated does not make one immune from catching the virus. That is a false notion held by many. I keep saying that the vaccines are not the be all end all to preventing the spread of COVID 19. They are designed to work very effectively to prevent death and hospitalization only, but are not designed to prevent COVID19 from spreading from person to person. The COVID19 virus, once in the body, has negative, long-term effects. So I say no thank you to easing up COVID protocols that I follow at this point. That is why I will never go on a cruise that doesn't have a 100% vaccination requirement. So the anti-vaxxers will win and cruise, while keeping me off of ships. So what I see happening is the opposite of what others say, that is,  instead of the unvaccinated being left at the dock, it will be me,  a vaccinated person, left sitting there.  It's my choice to get the vaccine and still not cruise. 

 

https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2021/04/13/986411423/a-mystery-under-study-how-why-and-when-covid-vaccines-arent-fully-protective

Breakthrough cases are exceedingly rare and you have very little to be concerned about in regards to them. There have been a little over 10,000 breakthrough cases out hundreds of millions vaccinated. Less than .01 of 1%.  And many of these infections were thought to have occurred BEFORE the second injection or were in patients hospitalized for something else entirely - and asymptomatic.  The hospital only found out they had Covid because they have the policy of testing everyone for Covid.  And, of these, breakthrough cases, only 3016 were hospitalized or died. 

 

I'm more interested to learn how long the vaccine will last.  Will it be 1 year or 5 years or longer?  The trial subjects (apes), whose trial data was published on July 14, 2020 (Moderna) and August 12, 2020 (Pfizer) presumably still have immunity. Human testing began right after the publications for 10 weeks, so we have human subjects who received the two vaccines as early as July 2020 and August 2020 and presumably they also still have immunity as I'm sure the CDC would be publicizing if the vaccines no longer worked on those test subjects and lawmakers would be shouting it from the rooftops in order to extend lockdowns.   

 

 

[lenquixote66]

4 hours ago, donaldsc said:

 

I doubt that they will tell passengers that there is a covid case on board until it is unavoidable.  What are the people on board going to do w that information - leave the cruise at the next port? 

 

As far as giving the cabin number of the person, of what possible use would this information be to the rest of the passengers.  It provides absolutely no useful information unless the person happens to be your roommate.

 

DON

They will avoid going in or near that cabin.They will avoid everyone going in and out of that cabin.

No Cabin Crawl .

[donaldsc]

On 6/5/2021 at 6:57 PM, lenquixote66 said:

They will avoid going in or near that cabin.They will avoid everyone going in and out of that cabin.

No Cabin Crawl .

 

I was trying to avoid responding to this quote as it  might appears that I am over responding to Lenquixote66's post but here goes.

 

1) Lenquixote66 appears to be suggesting that going near a cabin where an occupant has covid will increase the chances of you getting covid.  Is he suggesting that the covid virus can migrate through a closed cabin door.

 

2) I think it is very unlikely that someone will actually go into a cabin where an occupant has covid.  I am sure that the cabin will be clearly marked w bio hazard tape.  There may even be a crew member stationed outside of the cabin so that the person inside w covid can not leave the cabin.

 

3) Anyone who has been the the cabin or has been in contact w the person who tests positive for covid will be quarantined with them so there is no chance that you might come in contact w them.

 

4) I really don't think that any cruise line will be allowing cabin crawls in the near future.

 

DON

[lenquixote66]

15 hours ago, donaldsc said:

 

I was trying to avoid responding to this quote as it  might appears that I am over responding to Lenquixote66's post but here goes.

 

1) Lenquixote66 appears to be suggesting that going near a cabin where an occupant has covid will increase the chances of you getting covid.  Is he suggesting that the covid virus can migrate through a closed cabin door.

 

2) I think it is very unlikely that someone will actually go into a cabin where an occupant has covid.  I am sure that the cabin will be clearly marked w bio hazard tape.  There may even be a crew member stationed outside of the cabin so that the person inside w covid can not leave the cabin.

 

3) Anyone who has been the the cabin or has been in contact w the person who tests positive for covid will be quarantined with them so there is no chance that you might come in contact w them.

 

4) I really don't think that any cruise line will be allowing cabin crawls in the near future.

 

DON

Don’t you desire to cruise again as you did pre-pandemic ? 

[AdoraBelle]

Code red a la Noro?

[chengkp75]

According to the CDC's operations manual for simulated and restricted (revenue cruises under the CSO) cruises, once thresholds are met with case numbers, the passengers have to  be informed.  To date, those threshold limits are not specified.

[donaldsc]

7 hours ago, chengkp75 said:

According to the CDC's operations manual for simulated and restricted (revenue cruises under the CSO) cruises, once thresholds are met with case numbers, the passengers have to  be informed.  To date, those threshold limits are not specified.

 

However,  I doubt if CDC regs require that the cabin and by implication the name of the person(s) w covid have to be identified.  Another post on this thread suggested that the cabin number of the covid victim should be announced to everyone on the ship.

 

DON