COVID ON BOARD....WILL YOU BE TAKEN OFF THE SHIP IN A FOREIGN PORT

[Bav]

I have seen various accounts of covid on cruiseships.   Some have been isolated on board, others have been taken off ship and some have been flown home.... Has anybody experienced any  of these senarios ?

[Annabel50]

Not personally but I dont think anyone can guarantee what will happen, like you I have read the various stories, some being kept on board, some transferred to other ships and some sent to primitive isolation facilities. Worth bearing in mind that you may if travelling with a partner be separated from them. It is a fast moving scenario which is constantly changing, so if you are not prepared for this probably better to wait until things improve :-)

[wowzz]

Basically,  in Europe,  if you test positive, you and your travelling companion (regardless of their test result) will be diesembarked and sent to a quarantine hotel. 

The situation in the Caribbean is less straight forward,  but mostly people seem to be being quarantined on board ship.

[Bav]

Thank you  Annabel50 and wowzz...... not very comforting...I will wear a  gas mask on board and disposable rubber gloves...unless anybody has a better idea !!!

Thank you both, anyway... I have  paid in full now so will make the best of it.   If I am quarantined I expect my wife will want to stay on board to get away from me !

[Lauale]

My husband tested positive  at 09.30 on both PCR and antigen on day 5 of the new year cruise on Marella Explorer 2, whilst the ship was docked in Valencia. I tested negative on both tests. We were both toldto isolate in our balcony cabin on deck 8 , and at 17.45 he was taken off the ship in a full haz mat suit (luggage fumigated in the corridor) . We had no idea where he was going. I was not allowed to isolate with him as I had tested negative.  He was taken to a quarantine hotel in Valencia.  From that moment he was only in contact with guest services from Marella when he contacted them. He quarantined for 7 days, and luckily he was permitted to fly home on day 8 without additional testing. The whole experience has left us dissolusioned about further cruises. No one spoke to my husband and asked about his welfare. The phone in his room did not work and he was told to email reception with any queries.  He had no British Tv and went 3 days without a hot drink, as the breakfast was left outside his room with no knock on the door.  No tea / coffee facilities in his room.  Had we not had the foresight to pack him with all our available toiletries, he wouldn’t have been given any.  
he had to download a translator to understand the menu. 
luckily he was not hospitalised. Another passenger paid 2000 euro for an ambulance to take him to hospital.  
we have an Alaska cruise booked in April, with a week in Canada beforehand and are having 2nd thoughts about travelling based on this experience. 

 

[ronpes]

12 minutes ago, Lauale said:

My husband tested positive  at 09.30 on both PCR and antigen on day 5 of the new year cruise on Marella Explorer 2, whilst the ship was docked in Valencia. I tested negative on both tests. We were both toldto isolate in our balcony cabin on deck 8 , and at 17.45 he was taken off the ship in a full haz mat suit (luggage fumigated in the corridor) . We had no idea where he was going. I was not allowed to isolate with him as I had tested negative.  He was taken to a quarantine hotel in Valencia.  From that moment he was only in contact with guest services from Marella when he contacted them. He quarantined for 7 days, and luckily he was permitted to fly home on day 8 without additional testing. The whole experience has left us dissolusioned about further cruises. No one spoke to my husband and asked about his welfare. The phone in his room did not work and he was told to email reception with any queries.  He had no British Tv and went 3 days without a hot drink, as the breakfast was left outside his room with no knock on the door.  No tea / coffee facilities in his room.  Had we not had the foresight to pack him with all our available toiletries, he wouldn’t have been given any.  
he had to download a translator to understand the menu. 
luckily he was not hospitalised. Another passenger paid 2000 euro for an ambulance to take him to hospital.  
we have an Alaska cruise booked in April, with a week in Canada beforehand and are having 2nd thoughts about travelling based on this experience. 

 

I am very sorry to read of this bad experience. I hope your husband has  now fully recovered. 

May I ask, what assistance (if any) did your travel insurance provide ?

[Bav]

Wow....what a nightmare... I  thing you have been treated deplorably... We are on a Cruise in April   this year.   Hope that we don't have the same problem.   Thank you for  posting this experience. All the best on next cruise

[Lauale]

My husband is now fully recovered, thank you. Our travel insurance were very good.  They were supportive, and if pushed would have paid up front.  He returned to the UK Tues, and we have submitted an online claim with all the necessary documents on Friday.  Our insurance is with our bank, and we do have a £75 excess.   We will see how the reimbursement process plays out.  

[ronpes]

10 minutes ago, Lauale said:

My husband is now fully recovered, thank you. Our travel insurance were very good.  They were supportive, and if pushed would have paid up front.  He returned to the UK Tues, and we have submitted an online claim with all the necessary documents on Friday.  Our insurance is with our bank, and we do have a £75 excess.   We will see how the reimbursement process plays out.  

Thank you for the update and good luck with your reimbursement process.

[dog]

On 1/16/2022 at 12:51 PM, Lauale said:

My husband is now fully recovered, thank you. Our travel insurance were very good.  They were supportive, and if pushed would have paid up front.  He returned to the UK Tues, and we have submitted an online claim with all the necessary documents on Friday.  Our insurance is with our bank, and we do have a £75 excess.   We will see how the reimbursement process plays out.  

Did you have the option of staying in Spain with him?

[Lauale]

Not in the same hotel. Our travel insurance said I could have stopped in another hotel in Valencia.  As I tested negative on both antigen and PCR , they refused to let me stay with him. 

[dog]

Anyone know how Princess handled this kind of situation last season?  Stay on ship at ports or put in hotels? Spain, Prortugal & Canaries- specically. Southampton uK return 

[Suzez]

On 2/5/2022 at 2:38 AM, dog said:

Anyone know how Princess handled this kind of situation last season?  Stay on ship at ports or put in hotels? Spain, Prortugal & Canaries- specically. Southampton uK return 

"still trying to find out what may or may not happen. I've jut been kept on hold with Princess for 50 minutes. I've given up for now. May be to early for our cruise. Hoping Princess will do an update on their website soon.

 

Edited February 14, 2022 by Suzez

[dog]

2 hours ago, Suzez said:

"still trying to find out what may or may not happen. I've jut been kept on hold with Princess for 50 minutes. I've given up for now. May be to early for our cruise. Hoping Princess will do an update on their website soon.

 

fAQ at bottom gives a bit of info on this. Princess website 

[les37b]

On 1/16/2022 at 5:26 PM, Lauale said:

My husband tested positive  at 09.30 on both PCR and antigen on day 5 of the new year cruise on Marella Explorer 2, whilst the ship was docked in Valencia. I tested negative on both tests. We were both toldto isolate in our balcony cabin on deck 8 , and at 17.45 he was taken off the ship in a full haz mat suit (luggage fumigated in the corridor) . We had no idea where he was going. I was not allowed to isolate with him as I had tested negative.  He was taken to a quarantine hotel in Valencia.  From that moment he was only in contact with guest services from Marella when he contacted them. He quarantined for 7 days, and luckily he was permitted to fly home on day 8 without additional testing. The whole experience has left us dissolusioned about further cruises. No one spoke to my husband and asked about his welfare. The phone in his room did not work and he was told to email reception with any queries.  He had no British Tv and went 3 days without a hot drink, as the breakfast was left outside his room with no knock on the door.  No tea / coffee facilities in his room.  Had we not had the foresight to pack him with all our available toiletries, he wouldn’t have been given any.  
he had to download a translator to understand the menu. 
luckily he was not hospitalised. Another passenger paid 2000 euro for an ambulance to take him to hospital.  
we have an Alaska cruise booked in April, with a week in Canada beforehand and are having 2nd thoughts about travelling based on this experience. 

 

 

Sorry to hear of your nightmare scenario.

 

We faced a similar situation to yours on a Silversea 16 night Panama cruise. We were testing ourselves every other day and generally keeping safe and mask wearing etc. On day 10 my wife tested positive. I was negative. After the ship did a further antigen and PCR, she was frog marched (almost literally!) off to the ships red zone. I was left on my own to isolate,  though eventually was moved from my "contaminated room" to one adjacent.

 

After day 4 my wife tested negative. Unfortunately, the rule is you must complete 10 days. On day 15 we arrived in Ecuador where everyone had to have a PCR. She failed, I passed.

 

We were left with a choice. We could disembark in Guayaquil as scheduled, but then on to a 14 day quarantine (the 6 days served counted for nothing!). Or stay on and hope we could get mobility passed for Chile who had been notoriously slow in completing and risk missing the next chance of getting off in Valparaiso and having to stay on until Montevideo as Argentina had closed borders.

 

Apart from the first 2 days, where cold food and drinks were served, things improved to good levels after complaints and the CD getting involved who herself had also been in quarantine. The choice was a no brianer and after completing 10 days we were reunited to near rockstar status by the crew who couldn't have done more. We were very well treated by the CL and happy to sing their praises. When we disembarked on day 25, we were given a letter informing us the 10 days in quarantine would give us a pro rata refund. A 16 night South American cruise extended to 25 ended up almost free. Our flights were changed 3 times during the course and without fuss or cost. I have 3 more SS in the pipeline and will sail with confidence.

 

I was looking at booking a UK to Norway to UK cruise in a couple of months. I was basically told if I either caught COVID, we would be kicked off to fend for ourselves and "make sure we had insurance.". I was told the cruise cost would be forfeited but we would "generously" be given a 10% discount on a future cruise.

 

Some CL go above and beyond. Some wash their hands off you and dump you to fend for yourselves. Lesson learned and happy to report what was at the time a difficult situation turned out fine and can be spoken about fondly.

[Harters]

On 3/10/2022 at 7:11 AM, les37b said:

we would be kicked off to fend for ourselves and "make sure we had insurance."

Having insurance is obviously good but also bear in mind, if you were kicked off, Norway recognises the UK's GHIC card (EHIC if yours hasnt run out yet).

[les37b]

6 hours ago, Harters said:

Having insurance is obviously good but also bear in mind, if you were kicked off, Norway recognises the UK's GHIC card (EHIC if yours hasnt run out yet).

 

Yes, I have. Luckily I didn't need for any health problems. Not 100% sure what would have been covered if I needed to hotel quarantine and sort flights. Certainly my car parking extension was only partially covered. (Excesses are a pain!)

 

Better to have a CL that doesn't kick you off, is all I'm saying.

[wowzz]

13 hours ago, les37b said:

Better to have a CL that doesn't kick you off, is all I'm saying.

It is not a CL decision. Under EU rules,  they have no option but to disembark you.

[les37b]

5 hours ago, wowzz said:

It is not a CL decision. Under EU rules,  they have no option but to disembark you.

 

I've not seen this instruction anywhere. I've seen the term guidance  which falls short of instruction and mandatory. Most countries are doing the reverse.

 

Happy to be corrected.

[wowzz]

20 hours ago, les37b said:

 

I've not seen this instruction anywhere. I've seen the term guidance  which falls short of instruction and mandatory. Most countries are doing the reverse.

 

Happy to be corrected.

All I can say is that passengers are still being taken off ships and being quarantined as we speak.

[les37b]

I'll take that to mean you also couldn't find this instruction you'd said was a mandatory.

 

To refresh you.

 

"It is not a CL decision. Under EU rules,  they have no option but to disembark you."

 

On my South American cruise In Jan, people DID chose to disembark. That was their choice. We chose to stay on. Indeed, we stayed on without cost for a further 9 days beyond our original disembarkation point because that was the first available airport to return home from. I guess what I'm implying is that some cruise lines are accommodating, some are not. I rather suspect these same CL would kick passengers off in South America too.