What information would help you decide whether or not to cancel?

[BermudaBound2014]

20 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

What you are not thinking about is what you have seen me say before.... 10's and 10's of thousands of passengers cruise every week. Very, very, very few have any issues with COVID.

 

That may have been true a few weeks ago, but currently MOST (as in the majority) of cruisers are being effected by Covid in one way or another. 

 

Here is an example where 100% of passengers were significantly effected by Covid protocols:

https://www.cruisehive.com/msc-cruise-ship-issues-additional-testing-for-guests-itinerary-adjusted/62974

 

 

 

 

[BermudaBound2014]

@BirdTravels

Here is another example where 2,844 passengers are legitimately effected by Covid protocols. Their cruise was abruptly ended and Aida is flying all the passengers home. I believe something similar happened with the QE2 recently where New York denied them entry and they had to fly passengers home from Barbados. I'm afraid that the days of "Very, very, very few have any issues with COVID." might be over for the time being.

 

The AIDAnova, with 2,844 passengers and 1,353 crew onboard docked in Lisbon on Dec. 29 while en route to the island of Madeira for New Year's Eve celebrations, but was unable to continue the journey after 52 cases of COVID-19 were detected among the fully-vaccinated crew.

https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2022-01-02/covid-outbreak-ends-cruise-for-thousands-on-german-ship-in-lisbon

 

[Snowrose]

I see that they're now saying the omicron wave should peak at the end of the month. That does not instill confidence for my 1/29 cruise.

[TNcruising02]

8 minutes ago, Snowrose said:

I see that they're now saying the omicron wave should peak at the end of the month. That does not instill confidence for my 1/29 cruise.

I know the feeling.  I think it will be February before things will start to get better.  All of the people traveling and getting together at Christmas and New Years helped this wave really gain some momentum.

[BirdTravels]

1 hour ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

@BirdTravels

Here is another example where 2,844 passengers are legitimately effected by Covid protocols. Their cruise was abruptly ended and Aida is flying all the passengers home. I believe something similar happened with the QE2 recently where New York denied them entry and they had to fly passengers home from Barbados. I'm afraid that the days of "Very, very, very few have any issues with COVID." might be over for the time being.

 

The AIDAnova, with 2,844 passengers and 1,353 crew onboard docked in Lisbon on Dec. 29 while en route to the island of Madeira for New Year's Eve celebrations, but was unable to continue the journey after 52 cases of COVID-19 were detected among the fully-vaccinated crew.

https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2022-01-02/covid-outbreak-ends-cruise-for-thousands-on-german-ship-in-lisbon

 

 

2 hours ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

 

That may have been true a few weeks ago, but currently MOST (as in the majority) of cruisers are being effected by Covid in one way or another. 

 

Here is an example where 100% of passengers were significantly effected by Covid protocols:

https://www.cruisehive.com/msc-cruise-ship-issues-additional-testing-for-guests-itinerary-adjusted/62974

 

You can search the Internet all you want for odd ball cases. BUT that is NOT the norm. 
 

Just because my doctor had to isolate because of close contact does not mean that EVERY doctor is in isolation. 

Just because the guy with the wife that tested positive posted on this thread does not mean that every passenger on every ship will test positive, and will be quarantined. 

 

Edited January 2, 2022 by BirdTravels

[BermudaBound2014]

16 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

 

You can search the Internet all you want for odd ball cases. BUT that is NOT the norm. 
 

Just because my doctor had to isolate because of close contact does not mean that EVERY doctor is in isolation. 

Just because the guy with the wife that tested positive posted on this thread does not mean that every passenger on every ship will test positive, and will be quarantined. 

 

 

I respectfully disagree. I believe that in the last two weeks the majority of cruisers are having their trips impacted in one way or another due to Covid. Like I said above, your statement held merit a few weeks ago, but the game has changed. 

 

 

Edited January 2, 2022 by BermudaBound2014

[Oakman58]

With the possibility of ports being cancelled, onboard entertainment being cancelled, and the outside chance of getting Covid and facing onboard quarantine, I've already cancelled our February cruise.  I will wait for things to settle down again before I book another cruise.

We were fortunate to be on the Dec 5th Bliss cruise before all this craziness started up again.

[CarolinaMamma]

19 hours ago, marktwothousand said:

@CarolinaMammayou know you’re one of my favourites and I would only give it to you straight… so this is my opinion…

 

the fact that you HAVE all these concerns and questions, is enough reason not to go. Luckily you have a couple weeks, so you can stand to wait and watch a little longer… but it seems to me, if you have all these questions, that is not the way to spend 10 grand on a vacation… think about it, if you can’t go now, maybe mid-February or early March would be doable? A few weeks postponement for peace of mind isn’t going to hurt.

 

that is why I cancelled my January 5 and am hoping to sail in late February.

 

the only upside to your situation is that you’re in the haven. If you’re planning on staying with ONLY the people you travel with and not take part in any activities or entertainment on the ship…and sticking around the haven areas where are there less people and NO socializing (and that goes for your kids too) then you will be fine…but if your idea of cruising is mixing, mingling and being ‘out there’, I would leave it for now.

I hear you. I am not quite ready to give up this cruise yet. I am pretty resilient and can roll with whatever happens, but am an extreme planner. Honestly if I don’t have to cook or clean for a week, that is a great vacation for me, even if entertainment and ports are cancelled, but I want the rest of my family to enjoy the cruise, too, so am thinking through and preparing for all the worst-case scenarios. Little tidbits of information I’ve gotten here, like ordering proctored tests in advance in case we are unable to schedule testing appointments, not dropping your luggage off until you’ve been tested, and bringing laptops, will help if we do decide to go.  
 

We were supposed to cruise in April, 2020 and that got cancelled. My kids are in high school, and the week of our cruise, they are off of school for three days, so would only have to miss two days. Their spring break may coincide with college admitted students weekends, so I’m not sure we’d be able to cruise again soon. My kids love cruising, and had to give up so much during lockdown (I was on an immune suppressing medication in spring of 2020 so they were locked down right and had no social life) I really wanted to reward them with something fun. I was hoping to get one more cruise in before my son turns 18 and enters the cruise “dead zone” of too old for the teen club and too young to drink. His birthday is in late January. 
 

So not ready to give up yet, but will keep reading this board over the next week or so as we think through this. 

[CarolinaMamma]

18 hours ago, wally4ever said:

3) My significant other tested positive on board on Christmas Day.  They briefly moved her to an inside room while waiting for a second test, then moved her to a balcony.  This did reflect a downgrade (club balcony to balcony).  For food, she had free reign of room service, but could not utilize the drink package... only non-alcoholic drinks available.  They would not send cans or bottles of anything, so there was a lot of begging for as many glasses of Diet Pepsi as they'd send up.  The max appeared to be four.

 

4) Me and my daughter were considered close contacts, and were quarantined, even though we both tested negative.  We were given the option of staying or moving to the room next door to my SO, but we were strongly pressured to agree to move, so we did.  We got the same treatment that she did.  Not sure if anybody else was considered a close contact.

This is very helpful information, and exactly the kind of thing I was looking for. Were the isolated-but-not-Covid-positive people also not allowed to drink? I would not want to drink if I had Covid, but if healthy and stuck in a room with my teenagers, I might like a cocktail now and then. 

[wally4ever]

27 minutes ago, CarolinaMamma said:

This is very helpful information, and exactly the kind of thing I was looking for. Were the isolated-but-not-Covid-positive people also not allowed to drink? I would not want to drink if I had Covid, but if healthy and stuck in a room with my teenagers, I might like a cocktail now and then. 

No alcohol.  I would have had to pay for every drink.  I had a 9 year old.  I definitely wish I could have gotten good and sloshed, not gonna lie.  

[BermudaBound2014]

51 minutes ago, wally4ever said:

No alcohol.  I would have had to pay for every drink.  I had a 9 year old.  I definitely wish I could have gotten good and sloshed, not gonna lie.  

 

Are you sure they would have brought you alcoholic drink even if you paid? I ask because on other lines they are not allowing any alcohol in quarantine rooms (whether those in quarantine have actually tested positive or not).

[Snowrose]

2 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

 

You can search the Internet all you want for odd ball cases. BUT that is NOT the norm. 
 

Just because my doctor had to isolate because of close contact does not mean that EVERY doctor is in isolation. 

Just because the guy with the wife that tested positive posted on this thread does not mean that every passenger on every ship will test positive, and will be quarantined. 

 

 

Stats say that infections for the last 2 weeks are 31 times higher than the weeks before that.

[Diver2014]

As long as NCL says our cruise on Jan 15 is sailing, we're going.......

[wally4ever]

7 minutes ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

 

Are you sure they would have brought you alcoholic drink even if you paid? I ask because on other lines they are not allowing any alcohol in quarantine rooms (whether those in quarantine have actually tested positive or not).

I don't know and I didn't want to test it.  The medical people told me that I'd have to pay for them, and at that particular moment, the idea of giving NCL more money was utterly repugnant to me.

 

Of course I've booked two cruises since then, so... 🤷‍♂️

[mking8288]

This is an interesting video reporting, (click to access the URL link) informative of life onboard on the other line and what has been provided to passengers being ... relocated to deck 2 OV from a balcony.  Not indicative of what's happening to those cruising on NCL and testing positive.   

[tryan70]

If someone test positive at the pier in San Juan, asymptomatic...what is the current quarantine length before able to get on a commercial flight? 5 days? Longer?

[Back to school]

On 1/2/2022 at 5:02 PM, BermudaBound2014 said:

Are you sure they would have brought you alcoholic drink even if you paid? I ask because on other lines they are not allowing any alcohol in quarantine rooms (whether those in quarantine have actually tested positive or not).

“ other lines they are not allowing any alcohol in quarantine rooms”

Really?  Virgin Voyagers quarantine rooms order room service for alcohol!

 

“Below we’ve outlined some of the financial details, and how we’ve got your back, in the rare case that there are COVID-19-impaced Sailors:

• A prorated voyage fare FVC will be given to anyone who has their cruise cut short due to testing positive for COVID-19, or being suspected of having COVID-19 during the sailing
• If required, Virgin Voyages will cover the costs of your COVID-19 medical treatment on board, land-based quarantining, and any change fees incurred for travel arrangements home for you and traveling party
• If you test positive, Virgin Voyages will take care of all Ship Eats delivery charges while in isolation and/or quarantine and premium WiFi will automatically be provided
• We will also take care of all On-Demand Entertainment Charges from Sailors’ folios during isolation/quarantine
• Please note that all other Ship Eats charges will still be applied to orders e.g. alcohol and specialty drinks”

Edited January 4, 2022 by Back to school
Typo

[BermudaBound2014]

7 hours ago, Back to school said:

Really?  Virgin Voyagers quarantine rooms order room service for alcohol!

 

 

Yep really. Nice to see Virgin isn't among them. Maybe because that is an adults only line they are more tuned into what people want lol.

[CarolinaMamma]

I think maybe the issue with alcohol is that you CAN order it, but you can’t use your beverage package, so you’d be paying for every drink. 

[BermudaBound2014]

4 minutes ago, CarolinaMamma said:

I think maybe the issue with alcohol is that you CAN order it, but you can’t use your beverage package, so you’d be paying for every drink. 

 

Based on the person responding in this thread that maybe true on NCL; but there are several people reporting from Carnival and RCL that there is no alcohol available during quarantine for 'safety' reasons :). 

[CarolinaMamma]

Just now, BermudaBound2014 said:

 

Based on the person responding in this thread that maybe true on NCL; but there are several people reporting from Carnival and RCL that there is no alcohol available during quarantine for 'safety' reasons :). 

Wow. If I were stuck in my cabin with my teenagers, but not sick, then not having alcohol would just make it extra-sucky.

[Karaboudjan]

5 minutes ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

 

Based on the person responding in this thread that maybe true on NCL; but there are several people reporting from Carnival and RCL that there is no alcohol available during quarantine for 'safety' reasons :). 

 

I seem to recall in the first account I read of someone in isolation or quarantine (RCL I think) they said that they would have had to pay for alcohol.  Maybe things have changed or maybe it depends on the overall situation.  It seems like things got a bit out of hand on some ships so maybe they didn't have staff to keep bringing people drinks or didn't want staff spending any more time around the quarantine cabins than necessary.  That could encompass 'safety.'

[CarolinaMamma]

1 minute ago, Karaboudjan said:

 

I seem to recall in the first account I read of someone in isolation or quarantine (RCL I think) they said that they would have had to pay for alcohol.  Maybe things have changed or maybe it depends on the overall situation.  It seems like things got a bit out of hand on some ships so maybe they didn't have staff to keep bringing people drinks or didn't want staff spending any more time around the quarantine cabins than necessary.  That could encompass 'safety.'

That makes sense. Some people would probably order a drink every hour. I hope they are giving people prorated refunds on beverage packages they paid for. (I realize on NCL it’s an included perk for most people.) I’d settle for a bottle of wine and make it last for two days to minimize deliveries!  

[BermudaBound2014]

4 minutes ago, CarolinaMamma said:

 I’d settle for a bottle of wine and make it last for two days to minimize deliveries!  

 

Amateur  🙂 

[Karaboudjan]

2 minutes ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

 

Amateur  🙂 

 

I might have to bring a bottle or two to keep for this 'special occasion.'