On Celebrity Equinox quarantined in my cabin with Covid

[WNcruiser]

2 hours ago, Bluewake said:

So, to be clear, your contention is that someone with covid aboard a ship should not have to quarantine or engage in any other precautions to prevent spreading it to others?  They should be free to participate in all shipboard activities and anyone who feels threatened by them shouldn't cruise?   Or, perhaps I am misunderstanding...

Going on a cruise right now is the same as going to a restaurant, movie theater, concert or flying. You accept the risk of getting Covid. If getting Covid is concerning to anyone, they should not cruise. 

[Anita Latte]

@peanuthead  @Lovincruisin1321  Just jumping in here to ask if you have heard of or researched Evushield? I recently came across it and it doesn’t seem to be talked about too much. Immunocomprised are eligible for this COVID preventative shot. You maybe better informed than I, but just in case you aren’t…

[CyberTag]

10 hours ago, latserrof said:

OP Flyonby, thanks for your report.

 

FWIW,  others in quarantine have reported that they were allowed to order food from the specialty restaurants too.

Are the menus on the app for the different restaurants? 

[Firepath]

They let my brother enjoy both verandas in January.

[Mark_T]

5 hours ago, CyberTag said:

Are the menus on the app for the different restaurants? 

Yes, the only exception is Oceanview.

[Flyonby]

Good morning all! We got a knock on the door this morning at 6:30 to do our covid tests. Luckily with a 5 yo in the room we weren't sleeping 🤪

 

The temp/O2 checks had been coming at noonish, so this was unexpected. I don't know if they are just getting busy down in the medical office and moved up the schedule, or if they were trying to come at a less noticeable time for the other passengers. 

 

She said she was administering an antigen test, so we will see. I'd been told to expect a PCR, so my hopes are up right now. The results should be known to the medical office in about an hour she said. Then the results are forwarded to guest services who should email them to us.

 

Fingers crossed!!!

[TMLAalum]

@Flyonby

Good Luck! DD came down with Covid at home on 5/24. She had signed on to be part of the crowd being filmed earlier this week for the Loaves/Fishes episode of the Chosen. A negative PCR test was mandated and she was + on 6/4, 6/5 and luckily negative on 6/6 just in time to be among the multitude. So there is hope for you all!

[TeeRick]

18 hours ago, Lovincruisin1321 said:

I feel sorry for you being quarantined but "none of us are feeling any worse than mild cold" is how I feel about these tests.   Have you ever cruised with a mild cold in the past?   Have you ever been at work going about your day with a mild cold?   Did you ever quarantine with a mild cold?   You have been vaccinated and a booster, wearing a mask.    I just think the CDC is taking this a bit too far.   You just lost out on a wonderful cruise.

I understand your opinion which is shared by a lot of people.   Let's just step back and reflect. The Omicron variants, along with vaccines, have helped transition the original virus and resulting COVID disease to "cold-like" status for many people.  Few hospitalizations.  Far fewer deaths.  But some "long COVID" symptoms do exist for a portion of the population.  Unlike common cold.    Very good news overall.  And there are upcoming vaccine versions aimed at Omicron.  So the world is progressing from the "no immunity" pandemic stage in 2020 to the mostly protected endemic stage in mid 2022.  The CDC, WHO and other government health authorities are slowly changing from COVID panic mode to COVID long-term management mode.  It takes time.  There will still be surges and new variants.  But all must be managed in a routine way for decades to come.  Cruise ships will get there and improve in how they treat COVID on board.  Right now they isolate and if we choose to cruise we know that before we pay and before we board.  But it would not be wise to allow Covid-infected people even with minor symptoms to walk around the ship.  And Irresponsible.  But Why?  Because Omicron is still one of the most highly infectious pathogens known.  Would you allow people infected with measles (high infectivity too) to roam the ship?  Not likely.

[mayleeman]

"I'm tired of the restrictions so I think covid isn't serious enough to have any."

 

Cruise ships need restrictions more than any land-based activity because if the infection spreads among the crew, the cruise will be horrible for everybody.

[PTC DAWG]

20 hours ago, Lovincruisin1321 said:

I feel sorry for you being quarantined but "none of us are feeling any worse than mild cold" is how I feel about these tests.   Have you ever cruised with a mild cold in the past?   Have you ever been at work going about your day with a mild cold?   Did you ever quarantine with a mild cold?   You have been vaccinated and a booster, wearing a mask.    I just think the CDC is taking this a bit too far.   You just lost out on a wonderful cruise.

I am 100% in this boat. 

[Flyonby]

So the test was positive. For all of us 😭. They won't be testing again.

 

The doctor called and asked about symptoms ( no fever, little residual sniffiness for some). She said we would be allowed to leave the ship. She asked if we were flying, we are not. She said we could drive home and needed to continue isolating for the full 10 days after the first positive test. She did not say what would be needed if we were flying. 

 

Obviously we are disappointed by the outcome. We will find out soon what the procedure is for getting off the ship. I'm sure it isn't just strolling off with everyone else 

[jelayne]

Sorry to hear you are still testing positive. Did they give you copies of the first positive test results?  You may want those to get a Certificate of Recovery just  case you need going forward.

 

 

[latserrof]

2 hours ago, mayleeman said:

"I'm tired of the restrictions so I think covid isn't serious enough to have any."

 

Cruise ships need restrictions more than any land-based activity because if the infection spreads among the crew, the cruise will be horrible for everybody.

And cruise ships and/or ports may not have adequate treatment facilities.

[Calgary3]

3 hours ago, Flyonby said:

So the test was positive. For all of us 😭. They won't be testing again.

 

The doctor called and asked about symptoms ( no fever, little residual sniffiness for some). She said we would be allowed to leave the ship. She asked if we were flying, we are not. She said we could drive home and needed to continue isolating for the full 10 days after the first positive test. She did not say what would be needed if we were flying. 

 

Obviously we are disappointed by the outcome. We will find out soon what the procedure is for getting off the ship. I'm sure it isn't just strolling off with everyone else 

I'm so sorry to hear this - I was hoping for a better outcome for all of you.  Hope you get a redo of the cruise some time in the future.  Safe travels home.

[peanut head]

Thank you so much for keeping us posted and so very sorry to hear the outcome.  Be well, heal quickly and all the best.

[Silkroad]

3 hours ago, Flyonby said:

So the test was positive. For all of us 😭. They won't be testing again.

 

The doctor called and asked about symptoms ( no fever, little residual sniffiness for some). She said we would be allowed to leave the ship. She asked if we were flying, we are not. She said we could drive home and needed to continue isolating for the full 10 days after the first positive test. She did not say what would be needed if we were flying. 

 

Obviously we are disappointed by the outcome. We will find out soon what the procedure is for getting off the ship. I'm sure it isn't just strolling off with everyone else 

I’m so sorry to see this. 
 

Other cruisers who’ve tested positive while aboard have been escorted from the ship via a separate exit and driven to their cars. Procedures could be different on your sailing, but this is what has been posted recently. I hope you have a smooth disembarkation and trip home.
 

 

[12cruise2]

We were able to fly home June 3 after 5 full days in isolation on land in a hotel after he tested positive on the ship on 5/28, next to last day.  These are per instructions from Salvatore, Covid Director, on board the Equinox.  If you remain on the ship, it's 10 full days in isolation (because a ship is a congregate living facility); presumably you can fly home after 10 days in isolation, of course wearing masks.  They never emailed us the positive PCR test result, but handed it to us in an envelope as we disembarked the ship--that's the important test result, the PCR test, which is what you need to accompany the Certif of Recovery, but then he tested positive Sat., and we disembarked on Sunday 5/29, so maybe they would have emailed it to us.  Stay on top of that test result, the PCR one, so you get a copy of it.

[wrk2cruise]

Also make sure to get instructions for receiving compensation for your days in quarantine (refund/FCC)

[terrydtx]

On 6/7/2022 at 10:25 AM, Flyonby said:

Title pretty much says it all. Sitting on the balcony looking out at beautiful St Thomas not on my excursion.  

 

Tested neg on a PCR 2 days before cruise. Got on ship in Fort Lauderdale feeling fine on Sat. By Sat night felt a bit off, but attributed it to the moldy hotel the night before. Next day mild cold like symptoms for my husband and I. Tested with a home test before dinner that night just to be sure, and blam double line.

 

Called the medical office to self report. They sent up a nurse to administer a PCR test for both of us and my daughter and mother. All 4 positive. 

 

We are confined to our own cabins, they didn't move us to a isolation ward or anything. They send up room service when we call, so we are fed. The medical office has offered us medicine if needed, but we brought our own just in case. They said they would run another PCR on day 5 and 6 of quarantine. If that is still positive, then we are stuck. 

 

We will be allowed to disembark in Fort Lauderdale and continue on our own. We are US based and are not going international.  

 

We have escaped covid for 2 1/2 yrs. All double vaccinated and all but my daughter boosted. We all wear masks indoors always.  Best guess is that we picked it up on the drive down since we all came down with it at the same time. 

 

We all wore masks the entire time we were out on the ship, so hopefully we didn't infect anyone else. I'd guess that 99.5% of the guests we encountered were not masked. 

 

No really specific question I guess. Just wondering if anyone has advice 

 

So sorry to hear you all have Covid and glad you are doing well.  Just proves pre board testing and masking doesn't provide much protection from the Virus. My sister and brother in law got off a NCL Hawaii cruise last Sunday and after getting home Monday after flying for 10 hours, both tested positive for Covid. They had no symptoms until about half way into the flight home. They also had gone 2 and 1/2 years not getting the virus.

Edited June 11, 2022 by terrydtx

[latserrof]

1 hour ago, terrydtx said:

  Just proves pre board testing and masking doesn't provide much protection from the Virus.

It doesn't "prove" that at all. That's like saying some drivers wearing seatbelts die in car crashes, so that proves seatbelts don't provide much protection.

 

Just because some folks on a cruise get Covid, how many others escape it due to pre board testing and masking?

 

The purpose of the protocols is not to keep Covid off a ship, but to keep the virus at a manageable level.

Edited June 11, 2022 by latserrof

[Flyonby]

5 hours ago, latserrof said:

It doesn't "prove" that at all. That's like saying some drivers wearing seatbelts die in car crashes, so that proves seatbelts don't provide much protection.

 

Just because some folks on a cruise get Covid, how many others escape it due to pre board testing and masking?

 

The purpose of the protocols is not to keep Covid off a ship, but to keep the virus at a manageable level.

I strongly believe we caught covid on the drive down ( which we naively thought would be safer than flying!!). 

 

We tested before we left the house and before getting on the ship, but obviously we missed it somewhere and brought it on board.  2 1/2 yrs with masks and every safety precaution we could reasonably take, and this cruise was supposed to be our reward. When we planned it, we were assuming that there would be a summer lull instead of the surge we are seeing. 

 

Bottom line is that life has risks. If you don't want to take any chance on quarantine on a cruise ship then this isn't the right time to sail. My guess from peeking at the nurse's paperwork when they come for their daily check is that there are maybe 30-50 other people in the same situation. Obviously quarantine on a ship isn't ideal, but it is a closed environment and it is important to protect those around you. Most people on this ship are fine, and statistically I'm sure sailing is safe, but there are of course risks.  My husband refuses to try and gamble again and won't cruise until this pandemic is in the books. I think that the protocols are sound and that we just got unlucky, I'd be willing to try again sooner. Your mileage will vary of course 

[Flyonby]

So the latest on our disembarking...

 

We are kindly asked to leave the ship between 7:30-8 to avoid exposing the "general public". We must self carry all of our bags ( regretting the extra bags I packed and didn't need for quarantine!!). There is supposed to be a letter detailing all of this soon. 

 

It doesn't sound like we will be driven anywhere, or receive any assistance getting off. I  assuming this must be because we tested positive so long ago (6 full days and counting)

[Flyonby]

Capt made an announcement. He said 1% of people on ship are in quarantine. He said they did contact tracing and no one had gotten sick from contact with the positive passengers 

[ruag8tr2]

On 6/9/2022 at 8:31 PM, Anita Latte said:

@peanuthead  @Lovincruisin1321  Just jumping in here to ask if you have heard of or researched Evushield? I recently came across it and it doesn’t seem to be talked about too much. Immunocomprised are eligible for this COVID preventative shot. You maybe better informed than I, but just in case you aren’t…

I got the Evushield back in March.  They report it being about 77% effective for immune- compromised patients.  Unfortunately, I tested positive this past Thursday and am battling covid now.  Luckily, I opted for the Paxlovid and it appears to be working.   

[CaliforniaAC]

We caught Covid-19 while on the Equinox in March/April this year. We did a 20 day B2B and caught it on the second leg. Since we were on the next cruise, we were tested for covid on the first leg (the tests were negative) . The Captain had a very carefree attitude about all the reported cases (over 1%). We vaccinated, boostered, masked (and masked and masked), hand washed, hand sanitized,  we did everything whether everyone did, or not. This was our third cruise since the return, with no problems.

 

What is it with the Equinox?