Blogging from the Ruby Princess

[PacnGoNow]

4 minutes ago, swomom said:

I just got off the Ruby Princess yesterday. It is an understatement to say disembarkation was awful. People needing assistance getting off the ship sat in the Vines area and it was freezing cold. This desert rat didn’t even have a sweater (my fault)…my time was scheduled for 10:00….I got off the ship about 12:15. It took almost 45 minutes to locate my luggage and get to my bus. So grateful it had waited and that I had a late flight. I traveled with 4 friends who all tested positive for Covid….one in the hospital now. I am negative.

 

Pulling out onto Embarcadero was deja vu all over again. I will try to post a few shots that I took out of the bus window. We were in the “old” terminal because the Majestic was in the new one. You can’t get much perspective from the photo of how long the line was. It looked liked it was all the way down to Fisherman’s Wharf.

I have already cancelled my future Princess cruises. 

Unreal!  Glad you are negative.  Sorry your friends testing  positive. Prayers for the one in the hospital.  What a mess.

Why such a delay getting off? 

[swomom]

We were never told about the reason for the delay. I think this is one of the many reasons passengers are feeling so…..so…..so ignored? frustrated? undervalued?

[swomom]

My apologies. I absolutely did not mean to hijack this thread……just wanted to underscore the realities about how Princess is dropping the ball in so many areas. I do hope J & G are doing well. I can’t imagine how dreadful it would be to be thrust into quarantine alone. Room service was virtually unattainable. I wanted a glass of milk one night and knew I could never make it to Horizon Court and back on the bouncing ship. I called RS off and on for 2.5 hours and never got through. 

[SwimCarrie]

On 4/11/2022 at 3:48 PM, PescadoAmarillo said:

Hard to say. Perhaps because once they’ve tested positive and survived quarantine, they don’t have to worry about quarantine again in the near future. The better question might be why new guests want to take the risk. 

I cancelled the second I heard there were over 100 cases when they came to SF from the Panama Canal. Nope! 

[PescadoAmarillo]

1 minute ago, swomom said:

My apologies. I absolutely did not mean to hijack this thread……just wanted to underscore the realities about how Princess is dropping the ball in so many areas. I do hope J & G are doing well. I can’t imagine how dreadful it would be to be thrust into quarantine alone. Room service was virtually unattainable. I wanted a glass of milk one night and knew I could never make it to Horizon Court and back on the bouncing ship. I called RS off and on for 2.5 hours and never got through. 

No worries. I’m sorry you went through that (and you probably also had the 2.5 hours in line at embarkation 15 days earlier), and thank you for sharing your thoughts and for the good wishes. 

[DeeniEncinitas]

45 minutes ago, swomom said:

I just got off the Ruby Princess yesterday. It is an understatement to say disembarkation was awful. People needing assistance getting off the ship sat in the Vines area and it was freezing cold. This desert rat didn’t even have a sweater (my fault)…my time was scheduled for 10:00….I got off the ship about 12:15. It took almost 45 minutes to locate my luggage and get to my bus. So grateful it had waited and that I had a late flight. I traveled with 4 friends who all tested positive for Covid….one in the hospital now. I am negative.

 

Pulling out onto Embarcadero was deja vu all over again. I will try to post a few shots that I took out of the bus window. We were in the “old” terminal because the Majestic was in the new one. You can’t get much perspective from the photo of how long the line was. It looked liked it was all the way down to Fisherman’s Wharf.

I have already cancelled my future Princess cruises. 

🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺

Good for you canceling 

your cruise! Our cruise 2/19-3/8 Panama Canal on Ruby was awful and never again! Will stick with Oceania and HAL! Princess sucks with its protocols and how they treat passengers!! If this gets taken off it shows how Princess is covering up big time!

Denise

Edited April 12, 2022 by DeeniEncinitas
Spelling

[Steelers36]

5 hours ago, PescadoAmarillo said:

Yesterday’s COVID test came back negative, but I’m positive for pneumonia. Let’s be careful out there. 

That may have been a surprise to you.  GWS and hope you now have G to nurse you.

[syesmar]

Thank you to @PescadoAmarilloand everyone who has shared your onboard experiences. Your accounts are very insightful. I love cruising—it was the highlight of my year BC—but I still have not yet returned to it just yet.

For those who tested positive onboard, are antivirals like Paxlovid, etc., offered by the medical staff? I’m assuming passengers should bring a supply of various OTC medications, but what medications are typically given by the ship’s medical staff?

Thanks again and best wishes to all!

[bmc alabama]

15 hours ago, swomom said:

I just got off the Ruby Princess yesterday. It is an understatement to say disembarkation was awful. People needing assistance getting off the ship sat in the Vines area and it was freezing cold. This desert rat didn’t even have a sweater (my fault)…my time was scheduled for 10:00….I got off the ship about 12:15. It took almost 45 minutes to locate my luggage and get to my bus. So grateful it had waited and that I had a late flight. I traveled with 4 friends who all tested positive for Covid….one in the hospital now. I am negative.

 

Pulling out onto Embarcadero was deja vu all over again. I will try to post a few shots that I took out of the bus window. We were in the “old” terminal because the Majestic was in the new one. You can’t get much perspective from the photo of how long the line was. It looked liked it was all the way down to Fisherman’s Wharf.

I have already cancelled my future Princess cruises. 

Wow.  This is giving me flashbacks.  We did a Serenade of the Seas cruise on RCCL back in 2015 out of New Orleans and dare I say it was even worse than this.  Made us (along with a number of other issues on that cruise) swear off RCCL for a long time...

[BabySarge]

@PescadoAmarillo so sorry to read of your pneumonia diagnosis but at least now you know it isn't Covid and you have a definitive diagnosis so you can receive the proper, and hopefully, best antibiotics/medications to treat it.  Wishing you all the best and hoping you are on the road to a full recovery quickly. 

[PescadoAmarillo]

15 minutes ago, BabySarge said:

@PescadoAmarillo so sorry to read of your pneumonia diagnosis but at least now you know it isn't Covid and you have a definitive diagnosis so you can receive the proper, and hopefully, best antibiotics/medications to treat it.  Wishing you all the best and hoping you are on the road to a full recovery quickly. 

Thank you!  I’m still in a kind of shock that it isn’t COVID, but after several tests spaced well apart, I’m convinced. But, seriously…get the second booster!  And if you’re brave, get a common variety cold the week before you leave. I tend to believe that both of these things protected me, because there really is no other explanation. 

[mturvey]

We were also in that fiasco disembarkation on Monday from the Ruby then waited in line for over an hour for a taxi.  Ludicrous situation.  All the taxis must have gone to the Majestic terminal.  Made embarkation a breeze which it obviously wasn’t.

 

DH felt oncoming cold like symptoms half way home on plane to London, so did a test when we arrived home.  It was positive.  I am negative so far! I’m wondering if half the cruise ship has now got Covid.  We masked everywhere, washed hands twenty times a day and are both fully boosted.  Obviously all that made no difference.  We are just thankful we are home and can quarantine here.

[PacnGoNow]

12 minutes ago, mturvey said:

We were also in that fiasco disembarkation on Monday from the Ruby then waited in line for over an hour for a taxi.  Ludicrous situation.  All the taxis must have gone to the Majestic terminal.  Made embarkation a breeze which it obviously wasn’t.

 

DH felt oncoming cold like symptoms half way home on plane to London, so did a test when we arrived home.  It was positive.  I am negative so far! I’m wondering if half the cruise ship has now got Covid.  We masked everywhere, washed hands twenty times a day and are both fully boosted.  Obviously all that made no difference.  We are just thankful we are home and can quarantine here.

I remember you, was trying to help you to find a pre cruise covid test in SF.

So sorry to hear DH is positive and hope for a quick recovery!

Must have really been a lot infected.

Well, the vax and boosted should definitely help DH from a severe case.  

Take care of each other.  Tonna

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 13, 2022 by PacnGoNow

[mturvey]

Yes that’s right about your help with speaking to our hotel re the Covid test.  That turned out to be a mistake booking for us.  Apparently two days before our test the State decided to charge for all Covid tests for travel at 99 dollars each.  They kept pointing to a letter when we queried we had booked for 25 dollars. We had not received any notification from them otherwise.  It was in a tent down a dodgy looking back street and hard to find.  The taxi driver didn’t know where it was either so we were dropped off in the street walking up and down trying to find it.  We were not happy and would not recommend City Health as we paid 25 dollars at home in a lovely new building for the same thing.  May as well use the ship test at that price. I felt ripped off being told one thing and encountering a charge four times higher.

Obviously you were extremely helpful so I thank you for that as it wasn’t your fault or the hotels.  We should have checked the rules again before we travelled there as would have booked something else if we had been informed beforehand nearer to the port.

DH is suffering from heavy cold symptoms but so far nothing worse than that.

 

[PacnGoNow]

34 minutes ago, mturvey said:

Yes that’s right about your help with speaking to our hotel re the Covid test.  That turned out to be a mistake booking for us.  Apparently two days before our test the State decided to charge for all Covid tests for travel at 99 dollars each.  They kept pointing to a letter when we queried we had booked for 25 dollars. We had not received any notification from them otherwise.  It was in a tent down a dodgy looking back street and hard to find.  The taxi driver didn’t know where it was either so we were dropped off in the street walking up and down trying to find it.  We were not happy and would not recommend City Health as we paid 25 dollars at home in a lovely new building for the same thing.  May as well use the ship test at that price. I felt ripped off being told one thing and encountering a charge four times higher.

Obviously you were extremely helpful so I thank you for that as it wasn’t your fault or the hotels.  We should have checked the rules again before we travelled there as would have booked something else if we had been informed beforehand nearer to the port.

DH is suffering from heavy cold symptoms but so far nothing worse than that.

 

I am so sorry for the test problems. I really hate to hear that.  
Prayers for DH for quick recovery and hope you stay negative.

 

[syesmar]

@PescadoAmarillothanks so much for your reply! I saw it earlier when I wasn't logged in, but don't see it anymore. Info straight from actual passengers vs. stated protocols regarding medical treatment is quite helpful to those of us considering cruising again. 

Get well soon! 

[MJSailors]

@PescadoAmarillo Not good to hear that you have pneumonia. I have had it and double pneumonia in the past while I was teaching. I haven’ t had it since I retired.

But, when I was hit with it, I always felt like I was hit by a Mack truck !

Best thing is to get as much rest as possible, some sunshine and lots of fluids.

Hoping things will soon be on an upswing for you and G.

Take care 💐

MJ

[PacnGoNow]

9 hours ago, syesmar said:

Thank you to @PescadoAmarilloand everyone who has shared your onboard experiences. Your accounts are very insightful. I love cruising—it was the highlight of my year BC—but I still have not yet returned to it just yet.

For those who tested positive onboard, are antivirals like Paxlovid, etc., offered by the medical staff? I’m assuming passengers should bring a supply of various OTC medications, but what medications are typically given by the ship’s medical staff?

Thanks again and best wishes to all!

I wondered too, if they would give Paxlovid?  Depends on symptoms?

[Astro Flyer]

9 hours ago, syesmar said:

For those who tested positive onboard, are antivirals like Paxlovid, etc., offered by the medical staff?

A cruise friend who got Covid on Discovery’s inaugural cruise was not provided Paxlovid. Apparently it’s in short supply & even had problems finding a pharmacy at home that had it available but it did help to reduce the symptoms.

[PescadoAmarillo]

26 minutes ago, PacnGoNow said:

I wondered too, if they would give Paxlovid?  Depends on symptoms?

They give nothing. They do not take any medical history, monitor medical symptoms, provide OTC meds for comfort…none of these. They put guests who test positive in a room and, if they’re very lucky, bring them food and drinks. I would hope that if someone became horribly ill they would step up,  but there is no pulse ox monitoring going on, or temperature taking, so I’m not certain how they would even know. 

[AnyMajorCruiseDude]

9 minutes ago, PescadoAmarillo said:

They give nothing. They do not take any medical history, monitor medical symptoms, provide OTC meds for comfort…none of these. They put guests who test positive in a room and, if they’re very lucky, bring them food and drinks. I would hope that if someone became horribly ill they would step up,  but there is no pulse ox monitoring going on, or temperature taking, so I’m not certain how they would even know. 

Odd that we were visited by medical staff on Ship when we had a positive test.  Odd that we had plenty of food and contact whrn in quarantine.  Odd that we were released once we had multiple negative tests.  Very odd.

[PacnGoNow]

12 minutes ago, PescadoAmarillo said:

They give nothing. They do not take any medical history, monitor medical symptoms, provide OTC meds for comfort…none of these. They put guests who test positive in a room and, if they’re very lucky, bring them food and drinks. I would hope that if someone became horribly ill they would step up,  but there is no pulse ox monitoring going on, or temperature taking, so I’m not certain how they would even know. 

Thanks for the reply.  That is scary if someone was really ill.  I hope you are feeling a little better.  Take care of yourself and G.

 

[PacnGoNow]

28 minutes ago, Astro Flyer said:

A cruise friend who got Covid on Discovery’s inaugural cruise was not provided Paxlovid. Apparently it’s in short supply & even had problems finding a pharmacy at home that had it available but it did help to reduce the symptoms.

Thank you for replying.  I guess one could check with their Dr before travel.

Especially, if they are going out of the country.

[PacnGoNow]

3 minutes ago, AnyMajorCruiseDude said:

Odd that we were visited by medical staff on Ship when we had a positive test.  Odd that we had plenty of food and contact whrn in quarantine.  Odd that we were released once we had multiple negative tests.  Very odd.

What ship were you on?

[AnyMajorCruiseDude]

3 minutes ago, PacnGoNow said:

What ship were you on?

On the Grand. And on the Discovery.