Your Opinions about Covid risks - please nothing political - just interested in your thoughts!

[ACorgan]

While I really hope I don’t get COVID, personally, I could think of worse scenarios than being someplace that has room service (so I don’t have to cook), has beautiful views out my window, and when I already have coverage lined up for work. I would be sad to miss all my shore excursions that I’m looking forward to, but if the worst happened and I tested positive, at least I’d be in a situation where all I had to do was rest and recuperate 

[julia]

As you can see, the opinions are divided into two groups...  the "gotta live life" and the "not worth the risk".  Here's my take, based solely on your previous bout with covid.  Do not book this cruise.

 

As we all know, covid affects everyone differently, and in your case, it was severe.  Your bodies were struggling, a sign that perhaps your immune system was not as strong as others.  You may also have lasting side effects that haven't surfaced. And, the next variant might be worse than what you had. It's a crazy virus, and I just think caution would be the most prudent path to take at this time.

 

[syesmar]

@NiceAuntIt's a bit of a mystery why some get very ill and others hardly at all (although scientists are conducting some interesting studies on blood type and other factors). I have read numerous accounts of even cautious people testing positive aboard cruise ships, with a good amount saying the only place they removed their mask was for indoor dining. This HAL board has some very informative Threads from those who were quarantined, and while experiences can be varied from ship to ship and sometimes the level of care depends on conditions at the time, provide good insight into HAL passenger experiences, and can help gauge expectations.

 

I hope whatever decision you make is one you are comfortable with and right for you and your family. Wishing you the best!

[sfaaa]

Another NO vote. Not worth the risk giving your recent Covid experience. Save the money and do something else nice on land.

[goldie099]

19 hours ago, NiceAunt said:

I hope I don’t get bashed or shamed here for asking this question, but I truly am just interested in peoples thoughts these days.

 

I am 62 and my husband is 72. We both recently had Covid and it was really really bad  - it was nothing like a common cold or even the flu.   Believe me it was not fun.   We liken it to being beaten with a baseball bat over and over and over for 4 days.   We could hardly walk to the bathroom our muscle aches were so bad.   We just felt awful.   My husband needed to take Paxlovid due to being high risk.   He finally tested negative after 10 days and I am still testing positive after 4 weeks, even though I have no symptoms now. 

 

We are contemplating a cruise in January 2023 for 14 days through the Panama Canal. While  there are no guarantees, you could still contract Covid even if you do everything in your power such as wearing masks, isolating yourself, etc.   What worries us most is coming down with it and being  moved into a Covid floor  …possibly without each other if only one of us were to get sick … and basically locked down for a minimum of 5 days and possibly the duration and needing good quality medical care.  I’ve read a few recent posts where people were quarantined for almost their entire cruise, often away from their spouse and literally locked in their Covid room….no key card given so you can’t even walk 20 steps a day outside the room to get exercise. Even if we were permitted to stay in our own room, being locked in for 5+ days is concerning.

 

We are currently weighing the risks about continuing forward on this trip.My husband is reluctant to take the risk that we could contract Covid  again and be relegated to the Covid ward on the ship for who knows how long.  It was bad enough being at home in our own bed but can’t imagine being on a cruise ship stuck in a tiny room and being so sick,
 

i am really undecided. It is after all 5 1/2 months away, but if we are going to pull the plug on it we need to do it soon so that we can pivot our vacation plans toward something else.

 

Just curious as to everyone’s thoughts right now about the risk versus rewards of cruising. How would you feel if you tested positive and had to spend a significant part of your cruise isolated in a room that you were not permitted to leave at all, with little Wi-Fi or anything to keep you busy? And food that sounds like it is sub par at best.   And with lack of quality medical care if you had it bad?

 

Again, I am just interested in peoples thoughts here.   Please no political discussions, just what are your thoughts regarding the risks!  Would you take the risk?  
 

Thanks! 

My travel party is just returning from Alaska on the Koningsdam and we’re covid-cautious. We didn’t dine indoors and wore well fitting kn-95 or n95 masks whenever we were indoors or in crowded outdoor locations. We took food to outdoor tables or ordered room service and ate in our stateroom or on the balcony. So far so good, but definitely a different cruise experience!

[carolina_yankee]

We are COVID virgins and consider ourselves very lucky. We’ve also traveled cautiously every year of the pandemic. Last two years included flights and hotel stays. This year included a river cruise and we have two ocean cruises and one  Middle East land trip planned over the next year. I recognize we may well get COVID at some point, and we’ll deal with it when it happens. We are OK with being quarantined as we can self-entertain fairly well. We assume COVID won’t be serious for us, but we have no logical reason to think ourselves special in that way. It’s just a statistic roll of the dice.

 

My question would be whether or not one could relax enough to enjoy the cruise, even with precautions. If you can’t relax and enjoy the experience, it really isn’t worth it. Unfortunately, you won’t have a sense of either the policies or the prevalence of COVID for a particular cruise before final payment date. 

[vswan]

I have been on three cruises since they restarted, and leaving on another mid-August. I got covid on the second cruise. For my husband and I it was a very minor case and didn't even realize it was covid until a sore throat developed on our last night and tested positive after returning home - we drove, no flights. (stayed masked and in our room after sore throat developed.) We were very careful. Believe in masking, avoided crowded areas, ate all meals alone - no shared tables, etc. Even drove to the port to avoid air travel - we still got it.

 

This virus will find you. Not everyone on every cruise will get it, but some will. Many will not even know they have it and will continue on as they always have - infecting others without knowing it. Some will realize they have/may have it but do not want to go into quarantine and will just carry on. On one cruise a group I talked to occasionally were looking to get cold medicine at one of the stops - probably had covid but didn't want to test so didn't have to go into quarantine.

 

For me, when I tested on returning home I told the person administering the test I wasn't sure whether I hoped for a negative or positive. To some extent I'm grateful that I had it, it's sort of freeing to know that I came out the other end without any major complications and minor symptoms.

 

My opinion. There is a good chance that you may be exposed to covid on any cruise. Your behavior is only one component of whether or not you get it. If fellow passengers have it - whether they know it or not - and spread it around, you have a chance of getting it. If you are someone who gets very ill from covid I would probably look at another type of vacation.

[MISTER 67]

We will be going on 5th cruise since Thanksgiving next week on the Equinox. So far we haven't come down with Covid. We are double boosted and mask while indoors on the ships. When home we still mask up at Publix while shopping, we eat out twice a week and always asked to be seated away from others, we eat early breakfasts and early dinners as the restaurants aren't as crowded. Last year we attended a White Sox-Rays game in St. Petersburg and it was the Rays largest crowd of the season and Tropicana Field was sold out, this was when the virus was starting to wane plus most had had their first 2 vaccine shots, I thought we might catch the virus at that game.

Our cruise in March on the Rotterdam was sold out except for the quarantine rooms and we were in pretty close contact with fellow passengers, I was amazed that we didn't come down with Covid during that cruise.

I have read that people who have O positive blood type have less chances of getting Covid, we are both O positive so maybe that is helping us.

I'm a firm believer that this virus is not natural, I believe it was cooked up in the Wuhan Lab and for whatever reason is the 64 thousand dollar question.

Edited July 30, 2022 by MISTER 67

[twentyknots]

We wrestled with this conundrum for weeks before finally deciding to nix the December cruise.  We had booked an aft-facing corner neptune suite, but the thought of having to spend part of my cruise confined  there was out of the question for me, not to mention having to leave the suite and go to the medical deck.  No casino, no meals in the Pinnacle grill, no neptune lounge, no shows, no stops at the islands I wanted to visit, no people watching—all too much  for me.  I would be livid and impossible to live with.  I would rather be put off at the next port and stay in the best hotel until I tested negative and flew home.

 

Frankly, it amazes me how many people are willing to take the risk.  Give it another year or two.  See how it looks then.

 

 

[iancal]

Very much a personal decision.  We are late 60's/early 70's.  Both vaccinated. We have had covid but it was mild.  More like a cold.  Others that we know have not been so fortunate. 

 

We love cruising and often combine it with land trips.   We recently started traveling again.  Independently in Europe for five weeks. 

 

 We are not even considering a cruise at this point, let alone shopping of one.   For many of the reasons mentioned above.  Not the least is potential quarantine on the ship.  

 

Many others are not of the same opinion.  There is no right or wrong answer to this.  Only the one that you are both comfortable with.  At the end of the day that is all that really counts.

[cbr663]

We take cruises and any vacation for one reason and one reason only - to have a great time.  Of course there are things that can go wrong and there can be disappointments throughout the cruise.  We only book a cruise though when we feel confident that we are going to have a good time.

 

Right now with the pandemic we don't feel confident that we would have a good time.  There is simply too much risk that things can go wrong to spoil the vacation.  From testing issues, airport and flight issues, staying up to date on all the pandemic changes, possibility of testing positive on the ship...and even a very  strong possibility that the ship service level and ship experience would be less than or subpar.  I can go on  and the point is that at this time I don't feel confident that we are assured of a great time on a ship.

 

We are fortunate that we are early retirees and have a great life at home and that any vacation simply compliments that life.  We are blessed that we don't need to get away from our lives.  So, when we feel that cruising once again offers the experience we are looking for we will sail again.  

[jeh10641]

niceaunt,

You got COVID while staying home. I am truly sorry that you had that experience.

 

I am 80 and my wife is 78. We both have underlying health issues.  We go out for our daily normal lives but always wear masks except when eating or drinking ice tea/lemonade. We cruised (11 nights) in 12/21 having been double boosted. We toured Florida for a week before and after our cruise visiting friends and family (wearing our masks while they did not). We are going again in October 2023 for a transatlantic trip with 7 days in NY, 7 days in Amsterdam, 2 nights in London and 2 nights in Southampton before our 15 nights on the ship. We will be table sharing if possible. We plan to take whatever new boosters become available. We live near Seattle and Washington State's Covid cases have been going upwards steadily until the last week or so. 

 

I say go. The choice, however, is ultimately yours alone (with advice from your medical team).

 

Jim

[mammy123]

We are scheduled on this cruise but in November and due to all that is going on with the planes, pilots, luggage, testing and masks for the cruise, we have decided to call and cancel our cruise.  Just don't want to take the chance plus we are not thrilled with driving 3 days to get there if we don't fly.  Good luck with your decision.  

[RICHARD@SEA]

I haven't been on a cruise since before covid....Im also in my mid 60's & for the most part healthy.

 

I finally decided to book the 4th of July cruise on QM2 - 7 days NYC - Boston & a few other ports...living  in NYC it was easy - no flights etc.  I had done a similar cruise many years ago on QE2 & found it a nice way to spend the 4th.

 

On the day before I was to sail I received an email from Cunard stating there was Covid onboard the ship w quarentines in effect.  They said call my TA & discuss my options.

 

MY TA didnt know about the Cunard notice but said he would call me right back.  15 minutes later he did call & said Cunard would give me  a FCC or a total refund if I cancelled....I chose to cancel w full refund.  For me it just wasn't worth the risk of contracting covid especially since CUNARD took the initiative to send out the notice the day before the cruise.

 

So hopefully this sheds a different perspective on the subject.  i have travel insurance, wear a mask most places, avoid crowds... it may sound funny (or not) but its hard enough to get people to wash their hands after using a restroom....never mind wearing a mask & taking preventive measures w covid.

there is a predicted uptick  in covid cases for this fall...Im vaxed etc but have not booked anymore cruises for the foreseeable future - i miss being at sea...but my health comes first.

 

Plus navigating all the vaccination & testing requirements for all the ports visited is time consuming & constantly changes.  The cruise on QM2 had only USA & Canada requirements (& that was enough).

 

 

[threebluestars]

I caught COVID 3 weeks ago. I'm still not completely recovered (still coughing and stuffy, tired, but test negative). I was very, very sick (I'm in my 40s, good health, haven't been that sick since I had mono) yet my sister (who I caught it from, also in her 40s) was fine in 5 days. It's such a crap shoot as to what you'll get. I don't go anywhere but the grocery store and for walks and I mask up everywhere, but I live with my sister who works outside the house, so there was risk there.(PS: we're both O Pos and it didn't seem to help me lol)

 

I'm cruising for the first time since COVID at the end of the month. I'm nervous about getting it again, but plan to mask and avoid crowds. I'm travelling with my mom who hasn't had COVID yet, but is 4x vaccinated. I'm more nervous she'll get it. We can't get Paxlovid (Canadian), so I do worry she'll get hit hard like me.

 

Mentally, I really need a break though. It's been a horrible 3 years, and I just want to sit on the balcony with a book and a drink and relax.

 

[Horizon chaser 1957]

My husband and I had Covid in May. Each of us had one day where we felt bad enough to have phoned in sick to work back in the day. Our energy levels were very low for at least a week. Based on our experience, we have a fairly heavy cruise schedule coming up and feel good about it. However, if we had been as sick as you were, it would be a very different story and we would probably pass on the cruise. 
And @rafinmd’s suggestion of consulting a travel doctor is excellent. They can assess your level of risk far more accurately and suggest the best precautions if you do go.

Best of luck, whatever you decide!

[syesmar]

@NiceAunt here’s a thread about a recent experience from a HAL passenger on a cruise to Norway: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2870277-bad-experience/

All the Best!

 

[NavyCruiser]

Another NO recommendation.

No, to cruising.

But do go out & live your life...

Go book an AirBnB/VRBO in the countryside, at the beach, etc

Spend time with extended family

Go on a road trip, no buses, no airports

Go to an All-Inclusive resort, but just private dining, no crowded buffets

Book a few cruises for 2024 & beyond...

 

[AKJonesy]

On 7/30/2022 at 1:54 PM, vswan said:

This virus will find you. Not everyone on every cruise will get it, but some will. Many will not even know they have it and will continue on as they always have - infecting others without knowing it.

I posted this comment on another HAL board.  If POTUS can get covid after being vaxxed 2x and boosted 2x, and he is probably the most protected person in the entire country, then I think we can all expect to get it.  I am sure that everyone around POTUS is tested continuously.  Not trying to be funny at all, but just saying...

[Nymich]

We cruised 27 days in 2021 and 24 so far this year and we have 59 to go! Our goal was to make up for the days we lost that we would have cruised and we are doing that.

 

 To those who have decided to sit it out since March of 2020 I can understand that.  Each of us has to take their own age, risk tolerance and health into account and go with that.  Since everyone on cc is posting in a cruising community,  I can only assume that all want to cruise again.  I hope that happens for everyone.

 

 

[OHCruiser]

On 7/30/2022 at 7:44 AM, janmcn said:

In Covid Jail at this time on HAL ship…get out Aug.2 if all well. Both husband and I have it. I’m quite achy today with cough, slight fever, little sore throat. Ship is doing their best to help us. No changing cabins now…or at least not for us. We prepared “just in case” so have plenty of books, tv, movies I’ve downloaded etc.  However, I really don’t feel well enough to read right now.

This is the third cruise this year for us and first one we got Covid on in spite of always wearing masks (required by captain), eating in out of the way areas, no theater, no bars…none of those are what we do. At 80 and 78 we’re readers. I’m glad we took the chance on this cruise but not sure I’d chance it for a short one where you’d miss too much.

First of all, I really hope that you both feel better soon.

I was wondering if you were offered Paxlovid by the ship medical services?

[AKJonesy]

7 hours ago, OHCruiser said:

In Covid Jail at this time on HAL ship…get out Aug.2 if all well. Both husband and I have it. I’m quite achy today with cough, slight fever, little sore throat. Ship is doing their best to help us. No changing cabins now…or at least not for us.

First of all, I hope you both are feeling better and are out of quarantine.  Second: you mentioned you did not change cabins.  Are/were you in a balcony cabin?

[cruisemom42]

12 hours ago, AKJonesy said:

I posted this comment on another HAL board.  If POTUS can get covid after being vaxxed 2x and boosted 2x, and he is probably the most protected person in the entire country, then I think we can all expect to get it.  I am sure that everyone around POTUS is tested continuously.  Not trying to be funny at all, but just saying...

 

I know this is a bit of a tangent, but the President has many more contacts during the course of a single day (normal day that is, not when he has COVID....) than I probably do in an entire month. If you're not exposed, the chances of getting COVID are pretty slim. 

 

Also would just remind others that immune systems in older people are generally not as robust as in younger people -- and our President will be 80 this year and in a highly stressful position.

 

[BermudaBound2014]

31 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

I know this is a bit of a tangent, but the President has many more contacts during the course of a single day (normal day that is, not when he has COVID....) than I probably do in an entire month. If you're not exposed, the chances of getting COVID are pretty slim. 

 

Also would just remind others that immune systems in older people are generally not as robust as in younger people -- and our President will be 80 this year and in a highly stressful position.

 

 

I think the point AKJonsey was trying to make is that the people he is exposed to have been tested and testing didn't stop the President from being exposed and thus catching covid.

 

But I obviously agree that if you are choosing to live your life with no exposure then you are less likely to contract covid.

 

I also agree that Comorbidity is a significant variable (IMO, the MOST significant variable) in contracting covid.

 

 

 

 

[FlorenceItaly]

2 hours ago, AKJonesy said:

First of all, I hope you both are feeling better and are out of quarantine.  Second: you mentioned you did not change cabins.  Are/were you in a balcony cabin?

I read on another thread that they are in a balcony cabin.