How bad is Covid on Celebrity ships?

[Jim_Iain]

On 5/19/2022 at 12:46 PM, VitaminSea53 said:

If you can, get a Certificate of Recovery for each of you.  Then you have fail safe access to get on the cruise ship, bypass contact tracing and fly back to the US.  I would almost get Covid on purpose just to get the COR.

For those that may look at a COR there is a little provision that to use it for embarkation you need an original PCR Positive test while for return to U.S. they accept either PCR or LFT.    Inbound to the U.S. it is only valid for 3 months from failed test. 

[indy406]

There's some serious angst about Covid on these boards and that's to be expected. Somebody tests positive, gets hauled to Deck 3 and locked up. Not a fun way to spend a vacation. But I've heard no "official" numbers, other than what ship captains have reported to passengers. It often is 1 percent testing positive. That's 30 on a ship with 3,000 souls. One person in 100. Not terribly scary, but I don't blame anybody who cancels. Hey, it's easy for me to say, sitting here at home, but I'll be on a Celebrity ship next week. No bus tours (private or small-group only), no theater shows, no crowded elevators. And we have N95 masks and were vaccinated and double-boosted. Might we catch it? Sure. Do I think we will? Nope. Guess we'll find out. In the meantime, I've decided to go with a glass-half-full outlook. I'll make it Woodford Reserve.

[Ommadawn]

On 5/19/2022 at 9:51 AM, Lastdance said:

Your honesty is refreshing;  I keep telling my DH that no matter how prepared we are that it can happen, even doing private tours with everything we can think of in case of quarantine.  Then there are the people who do just fine and have a great cruise.  I have been in school for 2 1/2 years without contacting Covid, but according to my MD, we will all get it sooner or later, some of us more than once.

 

 

My wife has had it three times: once in 2020, once in 2021 and once in 2022.

[RWilbourn]

I was on the May 6-15 Celebrity Equinox cruise.  This was my fourth cruise since March 2020 but the only time I have ever contracted Covid.  I felt like I had a bad case of the flu with a lot of coughing. 

I think Celebrity’s Covid strategy is to identify infected passengers and isolate them.  Other than receiving a bottle of generic Nyquil Cold liquid, I noticed no treatment effort. 

 

I don’t know how I got Covid but my cabin attendant was replaced (with no explanation) on the same day I noticed Covid symptoms.  Also, when I ate in the main dining room that night, the waiter who had previously served me was not working despite his name still being on the table card.  So two Celebrity people I had come in regular contact with both disappeared at the same time.  Also, I was in the medical facility and it appeared to me to be full of Covid cases.  Despite being assigned an appointment time and escorted to the facility, it was so crowded I was placed in an examination room with another Covid patient.  I was then moved to what appeared to be the operating room.  Yet, I didn’t hear any more Covid updates from Captain Matt. 

 

Getting complete and accurate information was difficult.  The room service number I was given connected me to standard room service.  No one with Celebrity told me I could order off the main dining room menu which is much better than the standard room service menu.  I discovered that option from a cruise social media website.  In addition to the Covid passenger disembarkation information, I was given all the regular disembarkation information – most of which did not seem to apply to Covid passengers.  I was told I would be moved to a new cabin.  Thankfully, no one ever moved me.  I was not believed when I truthfully said I was the only occupant in my cabin.  Celebrity’s records showed two other people assigned to my cabin with me.  I discovered this error early in the cruise and asked Guest Relations (GR) to fix it.  I was assured by GR that it would.  Apparently, it never did.  I still wonder who Joni and Kolleen are.  

 

On departure day, as directed I waited in my cabin for someone to come get me.  After two hours I called GR and was promised someone would be there within 15 minutes.  No one came.  I tried GR again and after a long wait on hold, someone picked up, and then the line immediately went dead.  After three hours of waiting, I just left my cabin dragging my two large suitcases – one with clothes and the other with my scuba diving gear.  Thank goodness that I did.  While I was flagged by the computer and not allowed to disembark through the regular exit, I was told to go to deck 2. 

To disembark from the ship a person coming from Celebrity imposed quarantine must prove he a) has his own car, b) a rental car reserved to drive himself home, or c) a local hotel room reserved in which to quarantine.  I had made a rental car reservation.  To leave the ship, I presented my reservation confirmation showing on my phone.

 

Except where the Covid passenger has his own car, he must allow Celebrity to transport him to a car rental place or his quarantine hotel.  I was transported in a very nice vehicle to Budget rental car at the Ft. Lauderdale Airport.  Note, the driver of the Celebrity provided car did nothing to confirm I entered Budget.  I could have easily gone into the airport terminal and tried to board my flight.  Instead, I rented the car and canceled my flight. 

 

I believe many people would rather not report they are ill than go through what I went through.  Covid for most otherwise healthy people is somewhere between a non-event and the flu.  Those who don’t need to move away from uninfected companions will be tempted to keep their Covid symptoms secret.  As noted, I didn't receive treatment and I was treated like a nuisance by the medical staff.  Additionally, the information I received was incomplete or contradictory.  In fact, the only time I had a real conversation with a doctor was when she called me to investigate my claim that I had no companions in my cabin.  Also, I got boring food (until I learned from the internet that I could order off the main dining room menu), had to quarantine, and since I couldn’t honestly fly home, I had to drive 900 miles.  Additionally, most Covid passengers are moved to another cabin and some report they receive an inferior cabin. 

 

The government recently sent me several Covid tests and I wish I had brought them.  If I had, I would have used them first.  Note, Celebrity’s initial Covid test of me was NEGATIVE.  But they always test you a second time.  Moreover, once they know you have symptoms, they can keep testing you as much as they want to.  By contrast, once you get a positive result, they stop testing you.  My request for a third test was refused.  One positive test result by Celebrity's medical personnel and your pleasure cruise is over.

 

Even if I had tested positive using a self-test, knowing what I know now I would have just self-quarantined until the cruise ended or five days elapsed.  Is there a difference between self-quarantining and Celebrity quarantining?  Yes.  A lot!  The Celebrity documents I received say:

 

“The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines provide for a minimum of five days of isolation.  On days five and six, we will administer an antigen test.  If either of these test results are positive, you must isolate for 10 days onboard.”

 

According to a doctor I know who manages Covid treatment for a large hospital, a positive antigen test does not mean a person is still infectious.  Unless they have fever, he says that after five days they are no longer infectious.  However, in most instances, they will continue to test positive for Covid. 

 

If my doctor friend is correct, that means most Celebrity Covid passengers will end up being unnecessarily quarantined on board for ten days.  Note that Celebrity indirectly confirms what my doctor friend told me.  In the documents Celebrity gave me Celebrity states, “If your sailing ends more than five days after your initial positive test, you do not need to continue isolating after you disembark, and you may continue your travel home.”  (emphasis in original)  In other words, if you got a positive Covid test on day 5 you must quarantine onboard through day 10.  But as soon as you walk off the ship, even if before day 10 you suddenly no longer need to quarantine.  In that instance, Celebrity thinks it’s perfectly okay for you to hop on a crowded airplane and fly anywhere in the world. 

 

Also, not reporting mild symptoms and self-quarantining may be easier for Celebrity since Celebrity avoids having to be the CDC's enforcer and doesn’t have to report there was another Covid case.  My experience makes me wonder whether the cruise lines really want you to report mild to moderate Covid symptoms. 

 

Another thing I might have done differently is to consider keeping my flight.  I was by myself.  That made the 900-mile drive home especially difficult – a drive that necessarily resulted in me coming into contact with many people including drive-through servers at fast-food restaurants, people in and around public restrooms, and the front desk staff at the hotel where I overnighted.  Additionally, someone had to clean my hotel room and my rental car.  Even assuming I was still contagious, would it have been safer overall for me to fly two hours home with a mask on - thus getting away from everyone quickly - instead of driving 900 miles over two days across three states?  I wonder.

 

One potential advantage of reporting Covid symptoms is Celebrity says it will reimburse some of my travel expenses.  Specifically, the paperwork I was provided states that for those who drive home in a rental car, “The costs associated with the car rental can be reimbursed, up to $150 per day.”  Of course, it cost me well over $300 to rent a car, stay one night in a Hampton Inn, and pay for modest meals during my drive home.  Also, despite submitting a request to be reimbursed along with copies of my receipts, Celebrity has not acknowledged my submission.

doc20220520162221.pdf

[lv2cruisgrl]

3 minutes ago, RWilbourn said:

I was on the May 6-15 Celebrity Equinox cruise.  This was my fourth cruise since March 2020 but the only time I have ever contracted Covid.  I felt like I had a bad case of the flu with a lot of coughing. 

I think Celebrity’s Covid strategy is to identify infected passengers and isolate them.  Other than receiving a bottle of generic Nyquil Cold liquid, I noticed no treatment effort. 

 

I don’t know how I got Covid but my cabin attendant was replaced (with no explanation) on the same day I noticed Covid symptoms.  Also, when I ate in the main dining room that night, the waiter who had previously served me was not working despite his name still being on the table card.  So two Celebrity people I had come in regular contact with both disappeared at the same time.  Also, I was in the medical facility and it appeared to me to be full of Covid cases.  Despite being assigned an appointment time and escorted to the facility, it was so crowded I was placed in an examination room with another Covid patient.  I was then moved to what appeared to be the operating room.  Yet, I didn’t hear any more Covid updates from Captain Matt. 

 

Getting complete and accurate information was difficult.  The room service number I was given connected me to standard room service.  No one with Celebrity told me I could order off the main dining room menu which is much better than the standard room service menu.  I discovered that option from a cruise social media website.  In addition to the Covid passenger disembarkation information, I was given all the regular disembarkation information – most of which did not seem to apply to Covid passengers.  I was told I would be moved to a new cabin.  Thankfully, no one ever moved me.  I was not believed when I truthfully said I was the only occupant in my cabin.  Celebrity’s records showed two other people assigned to my cabin with me.  I discovered this error early in the cruise and asked Guest Relations (GR) to fix it.  I was assured by GR that it would.  Apparently, it never did.  I still wonder who Joni and Kolleen are.  

 

On departure day, as directed I waited in my cabin for someone to come get me.  After two hours I called GR and was promised someone would be there within 15 minutes.  No one came.  I tried GR again and after a long wait on hold, someone picked up, and then the line immediately went dead.  After three hours of waiting, I just left my cabin dragging my two large suitcases – one with clothes and the other with my scuba diving gear.  Thank goodness that I did.  While I was flagged by the computer and not allowed to disembark through the regular exit, I was told to go to deck 2. 

To disembark from the ship a person coming from Celebrity imposed quarantine must prove he a) has his own car, b) a rental car reserved to drive himself home, or c) a local hotel room reserved in which to quarantine.  I had made a rental car reservation.  To leave the ship, I presented my reservation confirmation showing on my phone.

 

Except where the Covid passenger has his own car, he must allow Celebrity to transport him to a car rental place or his quarantine hotel.  I was transported in a very nice vehicle to Budget rental car at the Ft. Lauderdale Airport.  Note, the driver of the Celebrity provided car did nothing to confirm I entered Budget.  I could have easily gone into the airport terminal and tried to board my flight.  Instead, I rented the car and canceled my flight. 

 

I believe many people would rather not report they are ill than go through what I went through.  Covid for most otherwise healthy people is somewhere between a non-event and the flu.  Those who don’t need to move away from uninfected companions will be tempted to keep their Covid symptoms secret.  As noted, I didn't receive treatment and I was treated like a nuisance by the medical staff.  Additionally, the information I received was incomplete or contradictory.  In fact, the only time I had a real conversation with a doctor was when she called me to investigate my claim that I had no companions in my cabin.  Also, I got boring food (until I learned from the internet that I could order off the main dining room menu), had to quarantine, and since I couldn’t honestly fly home, I had to drive 900 miles.  Additionally, most Covid passengers are moved to another cabin and some report they receive an inferior cabin. 

 

The government recently sent me several Covid tests and I wish I had brought them.  If I had, I would have used them first.  Note, Celebrity’s initial Covid test of me was NEGATIVE.  But they always test you a second time.  Moreover, once they know you have symptoms, they can keep testing you as much as they want to.  By contrast, once you get a positive result, they stop testing you.  My request for a third test was refused.  One positive test result by Celebrity's medical personnel and your pleasure cruise is over.

 

Even if I had tested positive using a self-test, knowing what I know now I would have just self-quarantined until the cruise ended or five days elapsed.  Is there a difference between self-quarantining and Celebrity quarantining?  Yes.  A lot!  The Celebrity documents I received say:

 

“The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines provide for a minimum of five days of isolation.  On days five and six, we will administer an antigen test.  If either of these test results are positive, you must isolate for 10 days onboard.”

 

According to a doctor I know who manages Covid treatment for a large hospital, a positive antigen test does not mean a person is still infectious.  Unless they have fever, he says that after five days they are no longer infectious.  However, in most instances, they will continue to test positive for Covid. 

 

If my doctor friend is correct, that means most Celebrity Covid passengers will end up being unnecessarily quarantined on board for ten days.  Note that Celebrity indirectly confirms what my doctor friend told me.  In the documents Celebrity gave me Celebrity states, “If your sailing ends more than five days after your initial positive test, you do not need to continue isolating after you disembark, and you may continue your travel home.”  (emphasis in original)  In other words, if you got a positive Covid test on day 5 you must quarantine onboard through day 10.  But as soon as you walk off the ship, even if before day 10 you suddenly no longer need to quarantine.  In that instance, Celebrity thinks it’s perfectly okay for you to hop on a crowded airplane and fly anywhere in the world. 

 

Also, not reporting mild symptoms and self-quarantining may be easier for Celebrity since Celebrity avoids having to be the CDC's enforcer and doesn’t have to report there was another Covid case.  My experience makes me wonder whether the cruise lines really want you to report mild to moderate Covid symptoms. 

 

Another thing I might have done differently is to consider keeping my flight.  I was by myself.  That made the 900-mile drive home especially difficult – a drive that necessarily resulted in me coming into contact with many people including drive-through servers at fast-food restaurants, people in and around public restrooms, and the front desk staff at the hotel where I overnighted.  Additionally, someone had to clean my hotel room and my rental car.  Even assuming I was still contagious, would it have been safer overall for me to fly two hours home with a mask on - thus getting away from everyone quickly - instead of driving 900 miles over two days across three states?  I wonder.

 

One potential advantage of reporting Covid symptoms is Celebrity says it will reimburse some of my travel expenses.  Specifically, the paperwork I was provided states that for those who drive home in a rental car, “The costs associated with the car rental can be reimbursed, up to $150 per day.”  Of course, it cost me well over $300 to rent a car, stay one night in a Hampton Inn, and pay for modest meals during my drive home.  Also, despite submitting a request to be reimbursed along with copies of my receipts, Celebrity has not acknowledged my submission.

doc20220520162221.pdf 816.7 kB · 1 download

Good review thanks for sharing. Makes me want to stay home and not cruise.  We did 4 cruises since covid and got sick the last cruise on the last day. Thank goodness we just drove home from the ship. 

[goofysmom99]

A close friend and her neighbor have both had it three times, most recently on their Princess Hawaii cruise in February, R/T out of San Diego.  They got it the 4th day and never got to see Hawaii.  My friend recovered quickly, her neighbor didn't and is suffering from long-covid and on oxygen.  Princess didn't give them the refund option either, only FCC (and the neighbor says she'll never cruise again). 

 

For a couple of weeks I've been chewing over the risk associated with long flights and precruise sightseeing in Italy.  Kind of difficult for my sister to see the Vatican without a crowd.  So today, we just decided to skip this year's usual fall TA and substitute a 2-week land vacation instead, probably Cape Cod.  If Italy eases up on their draconian covid rules AND the testing requirement for return flight to the US is dropped, I'll definitely reconsider next year.  BTW, in canceling the TA, I forfeit the value of my comped zenith cruise (use it within a yr from date you reach zenith; can't be moved out any further).  Bummer.  

[Two Boys Cruising]

5 hours ago, RWilbourn said:

I was on the May 6-15 Celebrity Equinox cruise.  This was my fourth cruise since March 2020 but the only time I have ever contracted Covid.  I felt like I had a bad case of the flu with a lot of coughing. 

I think Celebrity’s Covid strategy is to identify infected passengers and isolate them.  Other than receiving a bottle of generic Nyquil Cold liquid, I noticed no treatment effort. 

 

I don’t know how I got Covid but my cabin attendant was replaced (with no explanation) on the same day I noticed Covid symptoms.  Also, when I ate in the main dining room that night, the waiter who had previously served me was not working despite his name still being on the table card.  So two Celebrity people I had come in regular contact with both disappeared at the same time.  Also, I was in the medical facility and it appeared to me to be full of Covid cases.  Despite being assigned an appointment time and escorted to the facility, it was so crowded I was placed in an examination room with another Covid patient.  I was then moved to what appeared to be the operating room.  Yet, I didn’t hear any more Covid updates from Captain Matt. 

 

Getting complete and accurate information was difficult.  The room service number I was given connected me to standard room service.  No one with Celebrity told me I could order off the main dining room menu which is much better than the standard room service menu.  I discovered that option from a cruise social media website.  In addition to the Covid passenger disembarkation information, I was given all the regular disembarkation information – most of which did not seem to apply to Covid passengers.  I was told I would be moved to a new cabin.  Thankfully, no one ever moved me.  I was not believed when I truthfully said I was the only occupant in my cabin.  Celebrity’s records showed two other people assigned to my cabin with me.  I discovered this error early in the cruise and asked Guest Relations (GR) to fix it.  I was assured by GR that it would.  Apparently, it never did.  I still wonder who Joni and Kolleen are.  

 

On departure day, as directed I waited in my cabin for someone to come get me.  After two hours I called GR and was promised someone would be there within 15 minutes.  No one came.  I tried GR again and after a long wait on hold, someone picked up, and then the line immediately went dead.  After three hours of waiting, I just left my cabin dragging my two large suitcases – one with clothes and the other with my scuba diving gear.  Thank goodness that I did.  While I was flagged by the computer and not allowed to disembark through the regular exit, I was told to go to deck 2. 

To disembark from the ship a person coming from Celebrity imposed quarantine must prove he a) has his own car, b) a rental car reserved to drive himself home, or c) a local hotel room reserved in which to quarantine.  I had made a rental car reservation.  To leave the ship, I presented my reservation confirmation showing on my phone.

 

Except where the Covid passenger has his own car, he must allow Celebrity to transport him to a car rental place or his quarantine hotel.  I was transported in a very nice vehicle to Budget rental car at the Ft. Lauderdale Airport.  Note, the driver of the Celebrity provided car did nothing to confirm I entered Budget.  I could have easily gone into the airport terminal and tried to board my flight.  Instead, I rented the car and canceled my flight. 

 

I believe many people would rather not report they are ill than go through what I went through.  Covid for most otherwise healthy people is somewhere between a non-event and the flu.  Those who don’t need to move away from uninfected companions will be tempted to keep their Covid symptoms secret.  As noted, I didn't receive treatment and I was treated like a nuisance by the medical staff.  Additionally, the information I received was incomplete or contradictory.  In fact, the only time I had a real conversation with a doctor was when she called me to investigate my claim that I had no companions in my cabin.  Also, I got boring food (until I learned from the internet that I could order off the main dining room menu), had to quarantine, and since I couldn’t honestly fly home, I had to drive 900 miles.  Additionally, most Covid passengers are moved to another cabin and some report they receive an inferior cabin. 

 

The government recently sent me several Covid tests and I wish I had brought them.  If I had, I would have used them first.  Note, Celebrity’s initial Covid test of me was NEGATIVE.  But they always test you a second time.  Moreover, once they know you have symptoms, they can keep testing you as much as they want to.  By contrast, once you get a positive result, they stop testing you.  My request for a third test was refused.  One positive test result by Celebrity's medical personnel and your pleasure cruise is over.

 

Even if I had tested positive using a self-test, knowing what I know now I would have just self-quarantined until the cruise ended or five days elapsed.  Is there a difference between self-quarantining and Celebrity quarantining?  Yes.  A lot!  The Celebrity documents I received say:

 

“The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines provide for a minimum of five days of isolation.  On days five and six, we will administer an antigen test.  If either of these test results are positive, you must isolate for 10 days onboard.”

 

According to a doctor I know who manages Covid treatment for a large hospital, a positive antigen test does not mean a person is still infectious.  Unless they have fever, he says that after five days they are no longer infectious.  However, in most instances, they will continue to test positive for Covid. 

 

If my doctor friend is correct, that means most Celebrity Covid passengers will end up being unnecessarily quarantined on board for ten days.  Note that Celebrity indirectly confirms what my doctor friend told me.  In the documents Celebrity gave me Celebrity states, “If your sailing ends more than five days after your initial positive test, you do not need to continue isolating after you disembark, and you may continue your travel home.”  (emphasis in original)  In other words, if you got a positive Covid test on day 5 you must quarantine onboard through day 10.  But as soon as you walk off the ship, even if before day 10 you suddenly no longer need to quarantine.  In that instance, Celebrity thinks it’s perfectly okay for you to hop on a crowded airplane and fly anywhere in the world. 

 

Also, not reporting mild symptoms and self-quarantining may be easier for Celebrity since Celebrity avoids having to be the CDC's enforcer and doesn’t have to report there was another Covid case.  My experience makes me wonder whether the cruise lines really want you to report mild to moderate Covid symptoms. 

 

Another thing I might have done differently is to consider keeping my flight.  I was by myself.  That made the 900-mile drive home especially difficult – a drive that necessarily resulted in me coming into contact with many people including drive-through servers at fast-food restaurants, people in and around public restrooms, and the front desk staff at the hotel where I overnighted.  Additionally, someone had to clean my hotel room and my rental car.  Even assuming I was still contagious, would it have been safer overall for me to fly two hours home with a mask on - thus getting away from everyone quickly - instead of driving 900 miles over two days across three states?  I wonder.

 

One potential advantage of reporting Covid symptoms is Celebrity says it will reimburse some of my travel expenses.  Specifically, the paperwork I was provided states that for those who drive home in a rental car, “The costs associated with the car rental can be reimbursed, up to $150 per day.”  Of course, it cost me well over $300 to rent a car, stay one night in a Hampton Inn, and pay for modest meals during my drive home.  Also, despite submitting a request to be reimbursed along with copies of my receipts, Celebrity has not acknowledged my submission.

doc20220520162221.pdf 816.7 kB · 6 downloads

Thank you for sharing your detailed experience and so sorry you had to go through it.  I agree with all of your "knowing what I know now" points.  Our family member is ending up having to stay 11 nights in Vancouver.  Five are supposed to be paid by Celebrity, along with the meals for those nights.  The other 6 we got for her using points, lucky we had them to spare.  I'm definitely done with cruising outside the U.S. until there is greater transparency without the chance of an unplanned 11 night stay.  Unless the cruise lines do a better job of managing Covid, I agree with whomever above said there are other safer vacation options and I will make use of those.  

[Ms2paint]

I have a cruise coming up in August to Iceland Ireland. Final payment has been made. Mask mandates may be necessary for indoors if Celebrity really wants us to cruise safely. Also, Celebrity may need to rethink this pre-boarding testing, it does not appear to be working. I am at the point where I believe a variant of Covid will always be with us.  I will need to learn  to control my anxiety and deal with Covid, and quarantine if necessary.  I want to travel and cruise to different countries. 

[floralscent]

19 minutes ago, Ms2paint said:

I have a cruise coming up in August to Iceland Ireland. Final payment has been made. Mask mandates may be necessary for indoors if Celebrity really wants us to cruise safely. Also, Celebrity may need to rethink this pre-boarding testing, it does not appear to be working. I am at the point where I believe a variant of Covid will always be with us.  I will need to learn  to control my anxiety and deal with Covid, and quarantine if necessary.  I want to travel and cruise to different countries. 

The testing pre-cruise is important but also sort of nonsense as it only identifies those that are positive at the time of testing. We tested two days prior to flying from the US to Vancouver and although we were negative at test time, there was a lot of travel that took place between test time and boarding...which means lot of time to catch COVID. 

 

Cruising is a risky endeavor right now due to the closeness of all the passengers and sometimes we are together for days on end if there are multiple sea days. People need to start covering coughs and being respectful of others while onboard. I am not a germaphobe at all but I was absolutely shocked by the number of passengers on my Celebrity cruise (that was less than a month ago) that never even tried to cover a cough. I don't see that type of behavior locally more than once or twice here and there and for some reason many on my sailing lost all of their manners. So disrespectful and disappointing after all we have been through as a society.

[lexmiller]

9 hours ago, RWilbourn said:

I was on the May 6-15 Celebrity Equinox cruise.  This was my fourth cruise since March 2020 but the only time I have ever contracted Covid.  I felt like I had a bad case of the flu with a lot of coughing. 

I think Celebrity’s Covid strategy is to identify infected passengers and isolate them.  Other than receiving a bottle of generic Nyquil Cold liquid, I noticed no treatment effort. 

 

I don’t know how I got Covid but my cabin attendant was replaced (with no explanation) on the same day I noticed Covid symptoms.  Also, when I ate in the main dining room that night, the waiter who had previously served me was not working despite his name still being on the table card.  So two Celebrity people I had come in regular contact with both disappeared at the same time.  Also, I was in the medical facility and it appeared to me to be full of Covid cases.  Despite being assigned an appointment time and escorted to the facility, it was so crowded I was placed in an examination room with another Covid patient.  I was then moved to what appeared to be the operating room.  Yet, I didn’t hear any more Covid updates from Captain Matt. 

 

Getting complete and accurate information was difficult.  The room service number I was given connected me to standard room service.  No one with Celebrity told me I could order off the main dining room menu which is much better than the standard room service menu.  I discovered that option from a cruise social media website.  In addition to the Covid passenger disembarkation information, I was given all the regular disembarkation information – most of which did not seem to apply to Covid passengers.  I was told I would be moved to a new cabin.  Thankfully, no one ever moved me.  I was not believed when I truthfully said I was the only occupant in my cabin.  Celebrity’s records showed two other people assigned to my cabin with me.  I discovered this error early in the cruise and asked Guest Relations (GR) to fix it.  I was assured by GR that it would.  Apparently, it never did.  I still wonder who Joni and Kolleen are.  

 

On departure day, as directed I waited in my cabin for someone to come get me.  After two hours I called GR and was promised someone would be there within 15 minutes.  No one came.  I tried GR again and after a long wait on hold, someone picked up, and then the line immediately went dead.  After three hours of waiting, I just left my cabin dragging my two large suitcases – one with clothes and the other with my scuba diving gear.  Thank goodness that I did.  While I was flagged by the computer and not allowed to disembark through the regular exit, I was told to go to deck 2. 

To disembark from the ship a person coming from Celebrity imposed quarantine must prove he a) has his own car, b) a rental car reserved to drive himself home, or c) a local hotel room reserved in which to quarantine.  I had made a rental car reservation.  To leave the ship, I presented my reservation confirmation showing on my phone.

 

Except where the Covid passenger has his own car, he must allow Celebrity to transport him to a car rental place or his quarantine hotel.  I was transported in a very nice vehicle to Budget rental car at the Ft. Lauderdale Airport.  Note, the driver of the Celebrity provided car did nothing to confirm I entered Budget.  I could have easily gone into the airport terminal and tried to board my flight.  Instead, I rented the car and canceled my flight. 

 

I believe many people would rather not report they are ill than go through what I went through.  Covid for most otherwise healthy people is somewhere between a non-event and the flu.  Those who don’t need to move away from uninfected companions will be tempted to keep their Covid symptoms secret.  As noted, I didn't receive treatment and I was treated like a nuisance by the medical staff.  Additionally, the information I received was incomplete or contradictory.  In fact, the only time I had a real conversation with a doctor was when she called me to investigate my claim that I had no companions in my cabin.  Also, I got boring food (until I learned from the internet that I could order off the main dining room menu), had to quarantine, and since I couldn’t honestly fly home, I had to drive 900 miles.  Additionally, most Covid passengers are moved to another cabin and some report they receive an inferior cabin. 

 

The government recently sent me several Covid tests and I wish I had brought them.  If I had, I would have used them first.  Note, Celebrity’s initial Covid test of me was NEGATIVE.  But they always test you a second time.  Moreover, once they know you have symptoms, they can keep testing you as much as they want to.  By contrast, once you get a positive result, they stop testing you.  My request for a third test was refused.  One positive test result by Celebrity's medical personnel and your pleasure cruise is over.

 

Even if I had tested positive using a self-test, knowing what I know now I would have just self-quarantined until the cruise ended or five days elapsed.  Is there a difference between self-quarantining and Celebrity quarantining?  Yes.  A lot!  The Celebrity documents I received say:

 

“The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines provide for a minimum of five days of isolation.  On days five and six, we will administer an antigen test.  If either of these test results are positive, you must isolate for 10 days onboard.”

 

According to a doctor I know who manages Covid treatment for a large hospital, a positive antigen test does not mean a person is still infectious.  Unless they have fever, he says that after five days they are no longer infectious.  However, in most instances, they will continue to test positive for Covid. 

 

If my doctor friend is correct, that means most Celebrity Covid passengers will end up being unnecessarily quarantined on board for ten days.  Note that Celebrity indirectly confirms what my doctor friend told me.  In the documents Celebrity gave me Celebrity states, “If your sailing ends more than five days after your initial positive test, you do not need to continue isolating after you disembark, and you may continue your travel home.”  (emphasis in original)  In other words, if you got a positive Covid test on day 5 you must quarantine onboard through day 10.  But as soon as you walk off the ship, even if before day 10 you suddenly no longer need to quarantine.  In that instance, Celebrity thinks it’s perfectly okay for you to hop on a crowded airplane and fly anywhere in the world. 

 

Also, not reporting mild symptoms and self-quarantining may be easier for Celebrity since Celebrity avoids having to be the CDC's enforcer and doesn’t have to report there was another Covid case.  My experience makes me wonder whether the cruise lines really want you to report mild to moderate Covid symptoms. 

 

Another thing I might have done differently is to consider keeping my flight.  I was by myself.  That made the 900-mile drive home especially difficult – a drive that necessarily resulted in me coming into contact with many people including drive-through servers at fast-food restaurants, people in and around public restrooms, and the front desk staff at the hotel where I overnighted.  Additionally, someone had to clean my hotel room and my rental car.  Even assuming I was still contagious, would it have been safer overall for me to fly two hours home with a mask on - thus getting away from everyone quickly - instead of driving 900 miles over two days across three states?  I wonder.

 

One potential advantage of reporting Covid symptoms is Celebrity says it will reimburse some of my travel expenses.  Specifically, the paperwork I was provided states that for those who drive home in a rental car, “The costs associated with the car rental can be reimbursed, up to $150 per day.”  Of course, it cost me well over $300 to rent a car, stay one night in a Hampton Inn, and pay for modest meals during my drive home.  Also, despite submitting a request to be reimbursed along with copies of my receipts, Celebrity has not acknowledged my submission.

doc20220520162221.pdf 816.7 kB · 11 downloads

Thank you so much for taking the time to write such a detailed and articulate account of your experience. Your insights are valuable. It is time for covid to be, as I put it, “decriminalized”.  The most critical piece for this to happen is to end the requirement to test to fly to the United States.  

[C4HCG]

7 hours ago, TheHawk1 said:

Apparently you haven't heard of long Covid, which recent studies show can affect up to 30% of infected people.  I've never heard of long Flu. These viruses are not the same thing.

 

Perhaps people who haven't been boosted or aren't keen on wearing masks could stay home so the rest of us can can cruise with peace of mind?

If masks were mandatory then people would have to wear them and if that was the case, I would stay at home as I don’t want to be on a cruise and have to. The current rules state they aren’t needed so I will cruise and not wear one unless the Captain decides to introduce rules whilst on board.  If you have an issue with the covid rules as they stand you should direct them at the medical experts who make them, not people like me who will make judgement on whether we cruise or not based on them, and always abide by them.

 

And we can’t live the rest of our lives with restrictions because of the fear of long covid, we have to learn to live with it somehow 

[Cruise a holic]

3 hours ago, C4HCG said:

If masks were mandatory then people would have to wear them and if that was the case, I would stay at home as I don’t want to be on a cruise and have to. The current rules state they aren’t needed so I will cruise and not wear one unless the Captain decides to introduce rules whilst on board.  If you have an issue with the covid rules as they stand you should direct them at the medical experts who make them, not people like me who will make judgement on whether we cruise or not based on them, and always abide by them.

 

And we can’t live the rest of our lives with restrictions because of the fear of long covid, we have to learn to live with it somehow 

I will continue to  wear a mask on board when in an indoor crowded venue.  It will not prevent me from having a great time. I will try to use the stairs and only go in empty elevators.  I find that this is a small price to pay to stay healthy and cruise.  I continue to wear a mask when shopping, not because I have been told to- but because it makes sense to me.  I have had my shots and booster.

Edited May 21, 2022 by Cruise a holic

[Ladyshopper23]

17 hours ago, PTC DAWG said:

Scratchy throat, shut down industry..crazy. 

It's been way more than that for me. Today is day 8 for me - yesterday was the first day I was actually capable of getting out of bed and spending a few hours downstairs during the day (which then completely wiped me out and I had to go back to bed!).

 

My husband hasn't been as bad as me luckily, but still had to take a day off work (he works from home) as he felt so rough.

I'm not agreeing that the cruise industry should be shut down by the way, just saying that for a lot of people it is still way worse than just a scratchy throat.

[TeeRick]

44 minutes ago, Ladyshopper23 said:

It's been way more than that for me. Today is day 8 for me - yesterday was the first day I was actually capable of getting out of bed and spending a few hours downstairs during the day (which then completely wiped me out and I had to go back to bed!).

 

My husband hasn't been as bad as me luckily, but still had to take a day off work (he works from home) as he felt so rough.

I'm not agreeing that the cruise industry should be shut down by the way, just saying that for a lot of people it is still way worse than just a scratchy throat.

Agree with you and sorry to hear of your illness.  But the important distinction is that you are treating yourself and isolating at home for the most part.  Many people are vaccinated and boosted.  So the disease is still very contagious, but symptoms are very mild for some and a bit more severe for others.  Yes there are of course differences and we will hear of severe cases,  but I am speaking in general here.  Unlike the early pandemic, very few people need to go to the hospital and even fewer die.  But on cruise ships we are still treating this as a deadly plague.  

Edited May 21, 2022 by TeeRick

[Ladyshopper23]

10 minutes ago, TeeRick said:

Agree with you and sorry to hear of your illness.  But the important distinction is that you are treating yourself and isolating at home for the most part.  Many people are vaccinated and boosted.  So the disease is still very contagious, but symptoms are very mild for some and a bit more severe for others.  Yes there are of course differences and we will hear of severe cases,  but I am speaking in general here.  Unlike the early pandemic, very few people need to go to the hospital and even fewer die.  But on cruise ships we are still treating this as a deadly plague.  

I guess they're treating it as such because there are still a number of people who get it badly, like I did. They don't want their staff going off sick with it and being bedridden for a week, that causes huge staffing issues. Nor do they really want to deal with passengers who are suffering with it that badly either.

Don't get me wrong, I don't know what the solution is. Just saying how it's been from my perspective (and I am vaccinated and boosted). 

[lexmiller]

18 hours ago, TeeRick said:

 But on cruise ships we are still treating this as a deadly plague.  

Yes exactly-my words as well-this is NOT the bubonic plague. And those that catch it are being treated like criminals. This is not two years ago. We have the vaccine, we have the booster, and more research is being done to even further protect us from severe illness moving forward. So it is indeed time to move forward.  And I can’t stop saying it, the US MUST stop testing to fly into the country. 

[Ronin23]

COVID is endemic, hence testing needs to end. You can be sure that short of being on my death bed, no way I will be testing onboard and reporting it to Celebrity. 

[donovanrs28]

On 5/20/2022 at 11:18 AM, AbbyCruiser45 said:

Recent reports shows that this is not happening anymore. A few threads have COVID positive people saying they were only asked who was in their travel group and not gathering a history of where they've been on board. Still a good word of caution. We have definitely changed how we're booking excursions and only go with Celebrity if the time in port is tight/or if a large distance is traveled. 

5/6-5/14 Edge here and on excursions when on bus they came around asking for room numbers and submitted that document to Celebrity. This is how they contact trace if doing celebrity excursion. 

[Susanb10567]

2 hours ago, donovanrs28 said:

5/6-5/14 Edge here and on excursions when on bus they came around asking for room numbers and submitted that document to Celebrity. This is how they contact trace if doing celebrity excursion. 

Interesting..still debating my 9/3 Edge cruise…with final payment coming up…

 

are the excursions and buses packed ..if we sail was thinking of doing private excursions since I really don’t want to get caught up in contract tracing…

 

I hope you are having a great cruise.

 

I just hope I can let go of my anxiety of being isolated and stuck in my cabin if I test positive and then take forever to get a negative test.

[Purplsmurf]

2 hours ago, donovanrs28 said:

5/6-5/14 Edge here and on excursions when on bus they came around asking for room numbers and submitted that document to Celebrity. This is how they contact trace if doing celebrity excursion. 

We are currently on Reflection. We get off of the ship tomorrow. We have done all Celebrity excursions because we had a lot of OBC to use. Today, our last day, they asked us for cabin numbers while on the excursion. I found it odd that they only did it the last day!

[rachiem]

2 minutes ago, Purplsmurf said:

We are currently on Reflection. We get off of the ship tomorrow. We have done all Celebrity excursions because we had a lot of OBC to use. Today, our last day, they asked us for cabin numbers while on the excursion. I found it odd that they only did it the last day!

Was it a longer coach journey? 
I don’t know if they do it for anything under 15 mins?

[Michidoeme]

2 hours ago, donovanrs28 said:

5/6-5/14 Edge here and on excursions when on bus they came around asking for room numbers and submitted that document to Celebrity. This is how they contact trace if doing celebrity excursion. 

None of that on our recent Beyond ship tours and no social distancing either.

Masks only compulsory on transportation (bus, ferry) as by Italian law.  Nowhere else on tours nor on ship.

Edited May 22, 2022 by Michidoeme

[hrhdhd]

2 hours ago, donovanrs28 said:

5/6-5/14 Edge here and on excursions when on bus they came around asking for room numbers and submitted that document to Celebrity. This is how they contact trace if doing celebrity excursion. 

Or how they make us think they're contact tracing . . .

[sherylc]

31 minutes ago, Purplsmurf said:

We are currently on Reflection. We get off of the ship tomorrow. We have done all Celebrity excursions because we had a lot of OBC to use. Today, our last day, they asked us for cabin numbers while on the excursion. I found it odd that they only did it the last day!

Have there been a bunch of Covid cases in last few days to account for the change?

[TeeRick]

48 minutes ago, Purplsmurf said:

We are currently on Reflection. We get off of the ship tomorrow. We have done all Celebrity excursions because we had a lot of OBC to use. Today, our last day, they asked us for cabin numbers while on the excursion. I found it odd that they only did it the last day!

If you were on a Celebrity ship excursion they already have your cabin numbers and contact information, right?