Spirit Covid Status

[Daveywavey70]

2 hours ago, spinnaker2 said:

Yes of course it is international. My apologies if I inferred anything other than the beauty of the cruise for us, that’s my husband and I, was the ease of boarding.

At the moment some physical limitations make it difficult for us to fly anywhere.

I Hope you get back onboard soon Spinns xxx

[lilant]

9 hours ago, CJANDH said:

I understand that it is now over 30 positves.

Just talked with our friends that are on board..  it’s 30 pax & 18 crew as if this afternoon’s testing 

[spinnaker2]

Spirit just came into Port Everglades. Such a beautiful sight. Safe travels all.

[spinnaker2]

[labrasett]

15 hours ago, Catlover54 said:

Does anyone know when/if the crew on SS were boosted, and/or what they were originally vaccinated with?  
Johnson and Johnson vax ( one and done, so popular for crew on some lines) reportedly wore off sooner than the others ( at least per measures antibodies) , and if crew were not boosted, combined with their tight quarters, that might contribute to higher risk.

Interestingly on an Aida ship there are over 50 positives, all crew -- and they are mostly younger and healthier than most pax.

 

If the percentage of crew on a line testing positive is a lot higher than the percentage of positive pax, lines may want to look into the vax history of their crew and consider accelerating boosters.

Bear in mind that for the Pfizer vax then boosters are not due until six months after the second vax, since cruising only restarted in late summer and crews were not vaccinated until quite late in the day many of them may not be in need of/due a booster until about now.  

[Straughn]

10 hours ago, lilant said:

Just talked with our friends that are on board..  it’s 30 pax & 18 crew as if this afternoon’s testing 

Do we know how many passengers are onboard?

[jratkin]

What happens to the passengers who tested positive.  Do they have to quarantine at the port or can they enter the USA and go home?

[SLSD]

7 hours ago, labrasett said:

Bear in mind that for the Pfizer vax then boosters are not due until six months after the second vax, since cruising only restarted in late summer and crews were not vaccinated until quite late in the day many of them may not be in need of/due a booster until about now.  

The time period for boosters has been reduced to five months.  

[Observer]

Very upsetting long and credible thread on Facebook about treatment of ~ 60 guests and crew who were sent off Spirit in Ft Lauderdale for quarantine.  Makes for distressing but important reading. Horrible treatment by Silversea.   No lodging, no food, little water for hours after disembarkation.  And this did not happen in some distant port:  It was in South Florida where SS has staff, offices, etc.  And the situation cannot have been unexpected.  Silver Spirit did not suddenly appear.  Guests and crew did not all suddenly test positive.  

 

Look forward to explanation to Esteemed Guests by always upbeat BM.  Are crew equally Esteemed by BM and SS?  

[les37b]

12 hours ago, spinnaker2 said:

We were so close... I had use my phone as Camera battery dead. 

 

 

[Ehops19]

5 hours ago, jratkin said:

What happens to the passengers who tested positive.  Do they have to quarantine at the port or can they enter the USA and go home?

I would like to know that also.  Due to board the 14th.  

[Silver Spectre]

43 minutes ago, Observer said:

Very upsetting long and credible thread on Facebook about treatment of ~ 60 guests and crew who were sent off Spirit in Ft Lauderdale for quarantine.  Makes for distressing but important reading. Horrible treatment by Silversea.   No lodging, no food, little water for hours after disembarkation.  And this did not happen in some distant port:  It was in South Florida where SS has staff, offices, etc.  And the situation cannot have been unexpected.  Silver Spirit did not suddenly appear.  Guests and crew did not all suddenly test positive.  

 

Look forward to explanation to Esteemed Guests by always upbeat BM.  Are crew equally Esteemed by BM and SS?  

Considering that SS senior management was supposed to be in Ft Lauderdale tomorrow to see the World Cruises off on the Whisper, there must be someone, I.e. BM who could get there and sort it out pronto. The FB page posts are distressing and Silversea has handled this disgracefully.

[FauxNom]

37 minutes ago, Observer said:

Very upsetting long and credible thread on Facebook about treatment of ~ 60 guests and crew who were sent off Spirit in Ft Lauderdale for quarantine.  Makes for distressing but important reading. Horrible treatment by Silversea.   No lodging, no food, little water for hours after disembarkation.  And this did not happen in some distant port:  It was in South Florida where SS has staff, offices, etc.  And the situation cannot have been unexpected.  Silver Spirit did not suddenly appear.  Guests and crew did not all suddenly test positive.  

It is a sobering thread.

 

Here's my take: I'm far from a Silversea apologist, but this doesn't sound like "horrible treatment" by Silversea, given the facts as reported. At Silversea's expense, COVID-positive passengers (who have minor symptoms, at most) were moved to a local Marriott at the end of the cruise. The number of positives had in fact grown suddenly in the past couple of days. There were not rooms available at the time so they've been waiting in an outdoor lobby area. As someone on FB pointed out, they could have called for food delivery; it's not as if they were prevented from getting food and water. They aren't shivering out in the cold without a place to sit down and rest. Passengers report that Silversea has been arranging alternative flights. It sounds like the company is guilty of booking a hotel that isn't ready for the onslaught--but my guess is that this is a function of hotel staffing levels suffering due to the current surge. I assume this is a Marriott issue more than a Silversea issue.

 

Whoever is to blame, I hope they get those rooms cleaned soon!

[Silver Spectre]

17 minutes ago, FauxNom said:

It is a sobering thread.

 

Here's my take: I'm far from a Silversea apologist, but this doesn't sound like "horrible treatment" by Silversea, given the facts as reported. At Silversea's expense, COVID-positive passengers (who have minor symptoms, at most) were moved to a local Marriott at the end of the cruise. The number of positives had in fact grown suddenly in the past couple of days. There were not rooms available at the time so they've been waiting in an outdoor lobby area. As someone on FB pointed out, they could have called for food delivery; it's not as if they were prevented from getting food and water. They aren't shivering out in the cold without a place to sit down and rest. Passengers report that Silversea has been arranging alternative flights. It sounds like the company is guilty of booking a hotel that isn't ready for the onslaught--but my guess is that this is a function of hotel staffing levels suffering due to the current surge. I assume this is a Marriott issue more than a Silversea issue.

 

Whoever is to blame, I hope they get those rooms cleaned soon!

Not quite true, it’s the Provident Doral at the Blue, Miami not a local Marriott, and it’s a number of crew as well as guests. There was no one from Silversea with them or at the hotel to look after them. The organisation is completely lacking.

[FauxNom]

6 minutes ago, Silver Spectre said:

Not quite true, it’s the Provident Doral at the Blue, Miami not a local Marriott,

Sorry; I'm geographically challenged when it comes to Florida! 

I just read that a group of passengers/crew (?) is being taken to a hotel in FLL, so I hope that's progress.

[jollyjones]

I don’t do social media so I’m just following along here, glad of the information. Has anyone said how long the quarantine is? Is it affected by how long a person has been in quarantine before disembarkation? Rotten end to a cruise. 

 

[GaitherBill]

Judging by the number of spa appointments that just became available on the 1/14 sailing we’re on, there were more than a few cancellations. 

[Ehops19]

20 minutes ago, GaitherBill said:

Judging by the number of spa appointments that just became available on the 1/14 sailing we’re on, there were more than a few cancellations. 

And I might be cancelling mine if we decide “no go”.  The situation with current positive passengers and off ship accommodations is not encouraging.

[smilin jack]

From Silversea Passengers

"Well… I really don’t know where to start with this post… other than to say that I’m glad there isn’t a ship called the silver positivity as that one would have long since sailed. The poor collection of covid positive souls who eventually were allowed to disembark today, finally made it to our chosen hotel .. during a short bus breakdown…to what only can be called a complete and utter shambles of a hotel, we are all currently still waiting to be allocated a room, many of us have not eaten since early morning and the small water dispenser dried up some time hence. Some 35 guests and 25 crew members are currently languishing in an out side foyer, it feels like we have all but been abandoned by Silversea, all phone lines end up in voice mail and we can’t reach anyone to help us Barbara Muckermann … some elderly and infirm people here need some urgent help. Thank you for your attention."

somebody else..."Nowhere to stay, no food or drink since 7:30am. We just want silversea to sort this fiasco out and give us what they promised. A hotel, flights home when we test negative. Not sitting outside a hotel with no available rooms and no idea what will happen next. Please silversea I can't carry on like this."

 

someone else..." I respectfully disagree. You CAN blame someone...not for Covid but SS has specifically outlined how they planned to handle this exact situation and it did not include dumping passengers and crew onto the patio of a hotel with no food or water! I am really shocked that the company does not have anyone on site."

 

hopefully Silversea will take good care of you guys. They are still my favorite cruise line.

 

they are no where to be seen even when I called the Miami office I was told as I was booked through the U.K. office I had to call them !

 

The first responce said, they finally got a room an hour ago!

[PaulMCO]

Obviously someone at SS has dropped the ball at least they should have sent a rep there.

 

But as far as getting a hotel room in the morning???   Anyone ever try to get into a hotel in Florida before check in time which is normally 3 to 4pm, in the height of season.

[Emtbsam]

2 hours ago, Silver Spectre said:

Considering that SS senior management was supposed to be in Ft Lauderdale tomorrow to see the World Cruises off on the Whisper, there must be someone, I.e. BM who could get there and sort it out pronto. The FB page posts are distressing and Silversea has handled this disgracefully.

You make an excellent point about SS senior management being in Florida although I believe Barbara Muckerman is in Antarctica .  Also, per an email sent to WC passengers, they Silversea has decided to have a strict no visitor policy on the ship including senior management when it sails, so possibly they aren’t there.  None-the-less, Silversea should have at least had people at the hotel to take care of the passengers and crew. 
 

I wonder what would happen if passengers left.  I am not sure I would have stayed.

[jratkin]

This is truly amazing.  Someone needs to alert the local media.   What a news story.  The fact that 55 persons were Covid positive on such a small ship.  Wow!  Then the treatment they are receiving.  Truly unbelievable.  News media.   Please take notice.  

[MBP&O2/O]

A not dissimilar scenario to that when we boarded at Southampton in that many “Esteemed Guests” , some of whom were elderly etc. were left to fester in the open air when, for some unknown reason, pre-boarding checks were delayed by an hour? No explanations and no SS presence!

I have had a little bit of media training and we were told the phrase “public perception” was the one to remember. It ain’t what you do it’s the way that you are seen to be acting.

The public perception of SS in this scenario seems to be that SS are not making an effort.

It doesn’t matter if they are working vigorously behind the scenes, Joe Public is not impressed with the apparent corporate (mis)management that is in the public eye.

 

 

Edited January 4, 2022 by MBP&O2/O

[labrasett]

I am very sad to read these comments.   I am not there so cant know exactly what has happened but there is plenty of information available in the media to suggest that there are more than a dozen ships in the Florida area with Covid cases on board all of whom need to be quarantined and onward travel will need to be arranged in due course plus testing in the meantime.   This is the middle of the holiday season when hotels will likely be fully booked anyway.   Yes SS have offices in Miami but what you need is the right type of personnel to manage these types of issues and it would seem that several of these individuals would be needed.   It is clear some passengers are pretty much inconsolably irate and therefore very difficult to manage.   Everyone needs to calm down and be realistic in what is a very difficult situation, SS will be doing their best to resolve the problems but it wont be at all easy.   Passengers travelled during a pandemic when there was a known risk and they chose to run it.  I will do so myself in a few weeks time and if I get caught out then so be it, I will suck it up and wait for the support I know will be forthcoming when it becomes possible to provide it.   I have previously quarantined for four days in a very small cabin (no balcony) on the Explorer when the whole ship was shut down in Chile in March 2020.   It wasnt a great experience but we got home when eventually SS negotiated for our disembarkation in Chile and immediate charters flights to many parts of the world at huge cost, we left the ship late at night in the dark via zodiacs, had a ferry ride and a bus ride and waited at airports for aircraft but we got home.  Our bags followed three months later.   Not great, or was it?   I think it was pretty extraordinary and record it in my memory as an adventure albeit not the usual extremely slick comfort orientated arrangements offered by SS.   Come on folks stop knocking it realise there are worse problems around the world at the moment and if you have had a few days of sheer luxury on a beautiful ship hold those memories.   As for "the press should be told", I see this as purely vindictive and the reaction of people with little understanding or sufficient grace to accept that things dont always go right.   Anyway with so many other ships with the same issues the media are on it anyway and the SS issues are shared with many other cruise companies right now.   Is this news?   No probably not.

Edited January 4, 2022 by labrasett

[Silver Spectre]

11 hours ago, PaulMCO said:

Obviously someone at SS has dropped the ball at least they should have sent a rep there.

 

But as far as getting a hotel room in the morning???   Anyone ever try to get into a hotel in Florida before check in time which is normally 3 to 4pm, in the height of season.

It’s quite simple, you book the rooms for the night before so they are available for immediate checkin on arrival. It may cost a little more but it avoids the sort of situation that has arisen. BTW it was on a local TV station this morning, with no comment available from Silversea. We should remember these people have already been quarantined on the ships and needed to be treated with a bit of humanity and care.