Entire Group Got Sick on Celebrity

[PTC DAWG]

I'm not testing unless I need it to board a ship. Period.  I don't see the point. Y'all carry on.

 

Sailed 3 times since the restart, no covid so far.  Sailing again in September...

[cull3t]

15 hours ago, Lena11033 said:

I can't even get a second 😞

Here only over 60's can get a second booster

Just walk in a pharmacy (Shoppers) and ask for vax of your choice.  Not many people want vax now given current low infection rate.  They would rather give it to you than let it expire.

[Barwick Cruiser]

1 hour ago, cruisn4evr said:

I just got off Celebrity summit with my brother and sister in law.  I never had covid before and neither did my SIL  and we both tested positive the day after we got home with full blown symptoms. We had the booster (our second!) 2 weeks prior to the cruise as a precaution.  This new variant B4 and 5 seems to  resist the vaccine. Our husbands were fine having had covid fairly recently before our trip

The issue is that the booster vaccines available currently were never formulated to fight these recent variations. Moderna and Pfizer are both working on new formulations for what’s catching people now but sounds like they won’t be available until the Fall. Your husbands got natural immunity because they were infected by the currents strains. 

[KKB]

It does seem that AK cruises are where I am hearing more comments about testing positive once home.

Our friends were on the Summit (or Solstice?) a couple weeks ago. She tested positive. Been pretty miserable..still not 100%.

Risk of travel these days, but I suppose an AK cruise where people aren't outside as much isn't suprising.

[Mark_T]

3 hours ago, sgmn said:

In UK over 50s will be getting our fourth test in the autumn along with the flu jab .

The final JCVI advice has not yet been issued, but unless it changes from the interim advice, the UK Autumn '22 vaccinations will be for the following groups:

 

Residents in a care home for older adults and staff

Frontline health and social care workers

Everyone 65 years of age and over

Adults aged 16 to 64 years who are in a clinical risk group

Edited July 6, 2022 by Mark_T

[jagoffee]

On 7/5/2022 at 10:38 AM, buckeyedonna said:

My husband and I just returned from our dream cruise to Alaska on the Celebrity Solstice. We met up with two other family member couples. The three couples flew in from three different US locations on three different airlines. The day after our cruise ended, all six of us tested positive for COVID. That was bad enough, but it got worse. In 2020, a Celebrity cruise for ten of us was canceled. We used a future cruise credit to book a Caribbean cruise in January, 2023. After getting sick last week, we decided we do not want to go on another cruise. One member of our group is 88 years old, and does not feel safe on ships any more. We told Celebrity that we do not want to cruise again. They basically told us, "tough luck," you agreed to our policies when you purchased your cruise in 2020. We have had four great cruises on Celebrity, but I have a very low opinion of them right now. 

Wishing you a speedy recovery.

I am a little confused about your “Tough Luck” comment.  You can cancel your cruise for 2023.  If you booked a non refundable fare, you will be charged $100 per person fee.  Any remaining balance and the FCC will be converted to a FCC without an expiration date.  And it can be transferred to someone else. 
Seems very fair to me.  Perhaps what I have stated in not true or there is a misunderstanding?

What were you expecting? 
 

Hopefully just a misunderstanding.

[TeeRick]

18 hours ago, Virginia100 said:

It protects for a very limited time per an Israeli study; 1-2 months. It’s why my second booster is 17 days prior to my departure for my cruise. The biggest mistake is getting the 2nd booster too far in advance of travel. So the question to people is not did you get the 2nd booster, but how far in advance of your cruise did you get it.

The current vaccines and boosters are all against the original COVID strain from Jan 2020.  That virus is long ago gone.  Although today it is still called COVID it is in name only as we are dealing with pretty much a new virus.  For actual  protection from infection, we will need Omicron-specific boosters which are on their way from both Pfizer and Moderna.  August/Sept time frame most likely.  At this point if I am cruising in the fall I am waiting to get these more specific boosters.

[dreamer321]

With the current COVID variants out there, you should assume you will get COVID if you cruise now.  Despite everyone being required to be vaccinated and present a negative COVID test before boarding, it's still spreading like wildfire. Consider yourself lucky if you don't get it post cruise. If you want a guarantee you won't get COVID on a cruise, don't cruise.  I say this as someone who is vaxed and double boosted and still got COVID a few weeks later just doing my day to day activities like shopping or dining out. Most people spreading it do so before they even realize they are sick or test positive.

[jelayne]

30 minutes ago, TeeRick said:

The current vaccines and boosters are all against the original COVID strain from Jan 2020.  That virus is long ago gone.  Although today it is still called COVID it is in name only as we are dealing with pretty much a new virus.  For actual  protection from infection, we will need Omicron-specific boosters which are on their way from both Pfizer and Moderna.  August/Sept time frame most likely.  At this point if I am cruising in the fall I am waiting to get these more specific boosters.

I hope the new boosters are available by mid September.  We have held off on getting the 2nd booster until shortly before our October cruise from Barcelona.

[mpk]

5 hours ago, Provence55always said:

The test is supervised……you get a proper print out saying you are COVID free. We had to wait 20 minutes for results.

My only advise to have a hard copy of everything printed out. We boarded in May with absolutely no problems.

 

Safe travels and have a wonderful cruise.

 

Needing a hard copy is worrisome.  At home, we have a printer, but it desperately wants to retire.  It takes several restarts, oiling the print head rail, etc. to get it to work.  Thought about getting a new one, but we really don't have a need for printing any more.  Asking around, no one around us has or wants a printer any more.

 

For many, testing has to be done at the embark city because of time limits.  It's hard to get a print out when traveling, perhaps in a different country  😕

Edited July 6, 2022 by mpk

[Crazy planning mom]

1 hour ago, TeeRick said:

The current vaccines and boosters are all against the original COVID strain from Jan 2020.  That virus is long ago gone.  Although today it is still called COVID it is in name only as we are dealing with pretty much a new virus.  For actual  protection from infection, we will need Omicron-specific boosters which are on their way from both Pfizer and Moderna.  August/Sept time frame most likely.  At this point if I am cruising in the fall I am waiting to get these more specific boosters.

If I got a 2nd booster in April, can I get the new shot in October?

[cruising sister]

If you qualify yes you can. 

[jelayne]

We have boarded without printing the Xpress pass or Covid test results.  We take a screen shot of Xpass and test results just before heading to the ship.  When we arrive we show the screen shots and our passports. 

[wrk2cruise]

55 minutes ago, jelayne said:

We have boarded without printing the Xpress pass or Covid test results.  We take a screen shot of Xpass and test results just before heading to the ship.  When we arrive we show the screen shots and our passports. 

 

On my last sailing the internet wasn't working on my phone in the terminal so I was glad I had hard copies.   Your suggested method of having Xpass and test results with a screen shot or otherwise stored locally on your phone is a good alternative.  Just don't depend on internet access.

 

FWIW  I figured out my internet issue was my phone automatically connected to the ships Wifi as I had been on the ship before.   Since I hadn't activated my WiFi package for the current sailing my wifi connection had no access to the internet and was priority over my cellular connection.

[travelberlin]

16 hours ago, sgmn said:

Over 75s here, happy to wait till Oct/Nov to have the second booster along with flu vaccine as we go into the Winter.

Had Omicron in Feb and my online NHS covid info says I have protection for 180 days , though with the new Omicron variants B.4 and 5 I'm not sure if that still holds true. 

A lot of younger people seem to be testing negative after 5 days with the new variants 

To the OP, hope you all feel better soon and make a full recovery 

We just had COVID after coming back from a cruise. We tested negative 13 days after symptoms started. There is no guarantee that a reinfection could not happen even though the experts estimate that it is possible but unlikely to happen within 3 months.

Ivi

[sgmn]

4 hours ago, Mark_T said:

The final JCVI advice has not yet been issued, but unless it changes from the interim advice, the UK Autumn '22 vaccinations will be for the following groups:

 

Residents in a care home for older adults and staff

Frontline health and social care workers

Everyone 65 years of age and over

Adults aged 16 to 64 years who are in a clinical risk group

They're talking about extending it to over 50s though not definitely announced yet.

 

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/2697117a-fc94-11ec-ab20-2fd534744dd7?shareToken=fc2612830c66d626d75f7213e9d49eac

Edited July 6, 2022 by sgmn

[Mark_T]

3 minutes ago, sgmn said:

They've just announced its been extended to over 50s 

 

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/2697117a-fc94-11ec-ab20-2fd534744dd7?shareToken=fc2612830c66d626d75f7213e9d49eac

That is anticipating an announcement, it may well be correct, but it has not yet been announced by the JCVI.

 

We are being asked to get ready for a significant vaccination program, I've already been emailed to check my availability as I've previously volunteered, but it is not yet confirmed...

[Virginia100]

4 hours ago, dreamer321 said:

With the current COVID variants out there, you should assume you will get COVID if you cruise now.  Despite everyone being required to be vaccinated and present a negative COVID test before boarding, it's still spreading like wildfire. Consider yourself lucky if you don't get it post cruise. If you want a guarantee you won't get COVID on a cruise, don't cruise.  I say this as someone who is vaxed and double boosted and still got COVID a few weeks later just doing my day to day activities like shopping or dining out. Most people spreading it do so before they even realize they are sick or test positive.

I would guess the spread will result in far more onboard Covid in July and August,  not post cruise. Current vaccines are basically worthless now. Bad time to cruise now. Glad I went in late March. 

[phoenix_dream]

6 hours ago, dreamer321 said:

With the current COVID variants out there, you should assume you will get COVID if you cruise now.  Despite everyone being required to be vaccinated and present a negative COVID test before boarding, it's still spreading like wildfire. Consider yourself lucky if you don't get it post cruise. If you want a guarantee you won't get COVID on a cruise, don't cruise.  I say this as someone who is vaxed and double boosted and still got COVID a few weeks later just doing my day to day activities like shopping or dining out. Most people spreading it do so before they even realize they are sick or test positive.

I think your first sentence statement is quite extreme.  Change the wording to say you need to be prepared that you may get Covid and then I would agree with you.  If positivity rates are running 1-3% or so, then that means 97-99% of people onboard are not getting Covid.  Even allowing that many do not self-report due to the strict quarantine rules (or being just plain stupid and not realizing they might have it), and that some people test positive when they get home, the percentage is likely still quite low.   You might read on these boards that this person and that person etc.  got Covid onboard or when they got home, and it seems like everyone onboard is catching it, but also keep in mind that people are hundreds of times more likely to post about negative experiences than positive ones.  That's just human nature, such as it is.

 

Yes, there are no guarantees and yes, most of us will catch it sooner or later no matter what.  But to say assume you will get it just because you are on a cruise is not a statement backed by fact.

[Jim_Iain]

6 hours ago, mpk said:

 

Needing a hard copy is worrisome.  At home, we have a printer, but it desperately wants to retire.  It takes several restarts, oiling the print head rail, etc. to get it to work.  Thought about getting a new one, but we really don't have a need for printing any more.  Asking around, no one around us has or wants a printer any more.

 

For many, testing has to be done at the embark city because of time limits.  It's hard to get a print out when traveling, perhaps in a different country  😕

Personally I use a soft copy.   I get the results and then take a screen shot just in case.  Never had a problem.

 

While it isn't ideal.   You can get copies at any FedEx or UPS store.     Also if staying a a hotel per-cruise most have a business center or if you email the front desk they will print for you.

[Ride-The-Waves]

On 7/5/2022 at 3:28 PM, Graciesmom2 said:

We just returned from Summit, cruise began on June 26. We are both Seniors and we weighed the chance of getting Covid and still went anyway. As we figured, we could get Covid going to Walmart. It’s a chance we were willing to take to have a cruise we had cancelled twice and waited 3 years to take. If we come down with Covid, it could have come from the cruise, from the buses we took, from the ferry we rode, from the rest areas we stopped at on the drive home or the restaurant we got food from once home. We won’t blame Celebrity and we will cruise again ! Life’s to short to hide at home! 

Haven't shopped at Wally's since March 2020 just for that reason.

[mayleeman]

Some of us are interested in the experience of cruisers reporting they tested positive. Seeing how many report severe vs mild/no symptoms helps us assess the risk if we do catch it. There are 2 risk assessments involved in deciding whether to go: first, the relative chances of catching it (which also includes seeing whether the precautions others report about may have worked or not), and second, the chances of getting through it relatively ok.

 

We do the same here in our (largely retired) community. Big outbreak lately, and most have been pretty mild, but some are much worse. Those experiences all feed into our calculus.

Edited July 7, 2022 by mayleeman

[cdn_tbird]

16 hours ago, Bo1953 said:

Actually, you mean that a pharmacy, if they are administered by them or your physician, will not administer as long as you pay them directly vs through insurance or government paying for it?

 

Many individuals here in the U.S. have done so, early on and a few are doing so now for the 'xtra' boost...

 

In health and bon voyage

It's actually illegal for a pharmacy/clinic/Dr to charge you for something that is covered under our single payer (aka universal) healthcare system. It ensures that people don't jump the queue just because some of us might have the financial means to do so.

[Arizona Wildcat]

7 hours ago, wrk2cruise said:

 

On my last sailing the internet wasn't working on my phone in the terminal so I was glad I had hard copies.   Your suggested method of having Xpass and test results with a screen shot or otherwise stored locally on your phone is a good alternative.  Just don't depend on internet access.

 

FWIW  I figured out my internet issue was my phone automatically connected to the ships Wifi as I had been on the ship before.   Since I hadn't activated my WiFi package for the current sailing my wifi connection had no access to the internet and was priority over my cellular connection.

Download the email confirmation to your phone.  No wifi then needed.  Same with ArriveCAN. 

[Bo1953]

7 hours ago, cdn_tbird said:

It's actually illegal for a pharmacy/clinic/Dr to charge you for something that is covered under our single payer (aka universal) healthcare system. It ensures that people don't jump the queue just because some of us might have the financial means to do so.

Does this mean that pharmacist cannot administer doses which may go bad because they were not used in time?

 

Just another option to consider. I know many here in my area canvassed, early on in the pandemic, pharmacies to gain access to shots which would go to waste and many were able to gain them.

 

I understand that this may not work in other countries around the world, just an idea as I Am sure there will be doses go bad daily and why waste them?

 

In health and bon voyage