Just got off the Oosterdam in Venice and my wife had Covid on the cruise, it has become a nightmare

[1pinehurst]

We were quarantined in a Vancouver hotel with about 50 others (on our bus). Our quarantine was for 10 days while others had less. We had minor symptoms but did test positive and never a WORD from HAl and nothing but a form email from the Canadian government. They also called our home # in the states and left a message saying we should pick up the phone. Evidently they had no idea where we were binging quarantined or would have called our hotel.We could have gotten off the HAL transport bus to the covid hotel and taken a cab to the airport and gone home and no one would have known or evidently cared.However, our cruise was great until the 6th day, and I am now an expert ordering food from the Vancouver door dash😀PS The hotel ( Sheraton Airport) required the full 10 night stay prepaid (450 US per night) before we got to the hotel. 

[terrydtx]

8 minutes ago, AFNavigator said:

It doesn't matter if a guest catches COVID onboard or offboard.  It's not a fault issue so much as a contract issue.  If the COVID coverage is specified as a cruise line responsibility in your cruise contract, then it's the cruise line's responsibility.

 

HAL may have some legal wiggle room regarding the non-COVID hotel room's cost though.  They could say the OP had the option to stay in the same room as his COVID-positive wife and, in choosing (smartly likely) to stay in a separate hotel room, chose to lodge at his own expense.  If HAL does still stick him with the 2nd room and room service bills, hopefully his insurance will cover those costs.

The worst part was a guest services person suggesting I fly home and leave my 73 year old wife to stay in quarantine and fend for herself. Who would have done this? Fortunately I can afford to pay me expenses if the insurance doesn't cover them.

[LocoLoco1]

Hoo-boy. Noro. Covid. Tuberculosis. Dengue. Yellow fever. Dysentery etc. etc. Cruisers need to seriously think while cruising. My RN spouse splats sanitizer on the tarmack thence to the soles of her shoes before boarding after shore excursions. And yet we still cruise…

[terrydtx]

1 minute ago, 1pinehurst said:

We were quarantined in a Vancouver hotel with about 50 others (on our bus). Our quarantine was for 10 days while others had less. We had minor symptoms but did test positive and never a WORD from HAl and nothing but a form email from the Canadian government. They also called our home # in the states and left a message saying we should pick up the phone. Evidently they had no idea where we were binging quarantined or would have called our hotel.We could have gotten off the HAL transport bus to the covid hotel and taken a cab to the airport and gone home and no one would have known or evidently cared.However, our cruise was great until the 6th day, and I am now an expert ordering food from the Vancouver door dash😀PS The hotel ( Sheraton Airport) required the full 10 night stay prepaid (450 US per night) before we got to the hotel. 

For us HAL had to notify the Italian Health authorities about my wife positive covid test and 5 day quarantine on the ship. We were told that her passport way flagged and that we could not leave Italy until she had a negative test and the Italians released her.  If I had been in Vancouver I would have just gone to the airport and flown home. The Sheraton here is charging only about $130 per night.  

[Mary229]

3 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

The worst part was a guest services person suggesting I fly home and leave my 73 year old wife to stay in quarantine and fend for herself. Who would have done this? Fortunately I can afford to pay me expenses if the insurance doesn't cover them.

Ummm, I saw this happen two days ago on my Alaska cruise tour.  I was completely stunned.  I reiterate, we were told that if we tested positive to expect to pay upfront and our costs would be reimbursed by HAL 

[Florida_gal_50]

2 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

The worst part was a guest services person suggesting I fly home and leave my 73 year old wife to stay in quarantine and fend for herself. Who would have done this? Fortunately I can afford to pay me expenses if the insurance doesn't cover them.

The whole thing sucks for sure.  That said I do know a couple where the wife was Covid free and the husband tested positive.  She flew home.  They would be around the same age. I think if you decide to stay unfortunately that is on you.  I could see it if she’s disabled, that’s totally different.  

[terrydtx]

4 minutes ago, LocoLoco1 said:

Hoo-boy. Noro. Covid. Tuberculosis. Dengue. Yellow fever. Dysentery etc. etc. Cruisers need to seriously think while cruising. My RN spouse splats sanitizer on the tarmack thence to the soles of her shoes before boarding after shore excursions. And yet we still cruise…

Every time we passed a hand sanitizer station we used it on the ship, but some were even empty, and still got covid. We had a supple of wipes with us and wiped down tables and still got covid.

[terrydtx]

Just now, Florida_gal_50 said:

The whole thing sucks for sure.  That said I do know a couple where the wife was Covid free and the husband tested positive.  She flew home.  They would be around the same age. I think if you decide to stay unfortunately that is on you.  I could see it if she’s disabled, that’s totally different.  

If it had been me positive, I might have told my wife to fly home without me. I was a very savvy world traveler in my pre-retirement days and could have handled the situation on my own very well. My wife is not that well-traveled so no way I would consider leaving her. 

[Guest ldtr]

2 hours ago, silversneakers said:

I would hope that people would be honest and report it and it makes you wonder if that is what is going on now....people not wanting to ruin their vacation but don't care about others!

 

From what I have seen on recent cruises your hopes are not really occurring. More so after the recent announcements concerning testing and vaccination.

[1pinehurst]

48 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

The worst part was a guest services person suggesting I fly home and leave my 73 year old wife to stay in quarantine and fend for herself. Who would have done this? Fortunately I can afford to pay me expenses if the insurance doesn't cover them.

 

[Sunseeker810]

Sadly, I think that your chances of getting COVID on a cruise ship is very high.  I was on the Boston to Bermuda NCL Pearl and came home with it.  So did my sister-in-law who came with me.  Who know how many others?  They don't tell you that!

[echoshipmate]

1 hour ago, Mary229 said:

You would be proud😉.  I just stared down two grabbers in the lido forcing them to change their minds about touching the food .  Hands are dirty implements 

It amazes me after all of us have seen the lickers and no hand washers that almost no one wears gloves in the lido. We take tons of the thin plastic gloves like you can use at gas stations. We put them on immediately after washing our hands as we enter. We get the strangest looks, but so far so good. Even the lido servers are touching everyone's plate. So a licker has handed their plate to the server, who hands it back. Then it's your turn, you hand them your plate and then they hand it back. Ready to wear gloves now?

Doug

[Sea42]

51 minutes ago, echoshipmate said:

Ready to wear gloves now?

Nope. The world is full of bacteria, viruses etc.

I wash my hands, keep them away from my face, and hope for the best. So far, so good.

[Caribbean Chris]

2 hours ago, terrydtx said:  If I had been in Vancouver I would have just gone to the airport and flown home. 

You would have flown knowing your wife tested positive if you hadn’t been in Italy with stricter regulations and controls? 

[Roz]

I don't understand the 5 day quarantine on the ship and then 10 days on land.  Isn't that excessive?  At work we only have to stay home for 5 days after testing positive.

[colin v]

2 hours ago, terrydtx said:

Every time we passed a hand sanitizer station we used it on the ship, but some were even empty, and still got covid. We had a supple of wipes with us and wiped down tables and still got covid.

Given it’s an airborne disease….makes sense. Apologies if I missed it but what was your masking situation?  Most COVID posts seem to suggest 100% usage yet they still catch COVID. 

[Florida_gal_50]

1 hour ago, echoshipmate said:

It amazes me after all of us have seen the lickers and no hand washers that almost no one wears gloves in the lido. We take tons of the thin plastic gloves like you can use at gas stations. We put them on immediately after washing our hands as we enter. We get the strangest looks, but so far so good. Even the lido servers are touching everyone's plate. So a licker has handed their plate to the server, who hands it back. Then it's your turn, you hand them your plate and then they hand it back. Ready to wear gloves now?

Doug

I’ve been know to wear gloves on transit.  As soon as I get off the bus I throw my gloves right into the trash bin.  New pair next time.  I’ve seen my neighbor and she’s told me she uses them multiple times 🤮.  They are not self cleaning.  I clean my phone multiple times a day.  I wonder how many people do that after it’s been in dirty hands.

[echoshipmate]

7 minutes ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

I’ve been know to wear gloves on transit.  As soon as I get off the bus I throw my gloves right into the trash bin.  New pair next time.  I’ve seen my neighbor and she’s told me she uses them multiple times 🤮.  They are not self cleaning.  I clean my phone multiple times a day.  I wonder how many people do that after it’s been in dirty hands.

Same with us, one time use then gone! We clean our phone all the time also, if we have touched with dirty hands or if we have had to hand our phone to someone else it gets wiped with a clorox wipe. Sounds like we both may be a little over the top, 11 separate cruises since the re-start, so far so good.

Doug

[PACD_JG]

1 hour ago, echoshipmate said:

It amazes me after all of us have seen the lickers and no hand washers that almost no one wears gloves in the lido. We take tons of the thin plastic gloves like you can use at gas stations. We put them on immediately after washing our hands as we enter. We get the strangest looks, but so far so good. Even the lido servers are touching everyone's plate. So a licker has handed their plate to the server, who hands it back. Then it's your turn, you hand them your plate and then they hand it back. Ready to wear gloves now?

Doug

 

2 minutes ago, echoshipmate said:

Same with us, one time use then gone! We clean our phone all the time also, if we have touched with dirty hands or if we have had to hand our phone to someone else it gets wiped with a clorox wipe. Sounds like we both may be a little over the top, 11 separate cruises since the re-start, so far so good.

Doug

 

Sounds?  🤔

[Florida_gal_50]

5 minutes ago, echoshipmate said:

Same with us, one time use then gone! We clean our phone all the time also, if we have touched with dirty hands or if we have had to hand our phone to someone else it gets wiped with a clorox wipe. Sounds like we both may be a little over the top, 11 separate cruises since the re-start, so far so good.

Doug

I don’t want anyone touching my phone and visa versa.  I’d rather be safe than sorry.   I’ve only done 4 cruises so far (2 b2b) and no Covid.  I haven’t had Covid in real life either and no one in my family has either.  I’ve been around plenty of work people that have.  That’s my scary place.  I hope my luck continues.

[echoshipmate]

4 minutes ago, PACD_JG said:

 

 

Sounds?  🤔

Ok, we are! It works for us and really anybody who puts the effort to stay healthy

[Florida_gal_50]

6 minutes ago, echoshipmate said:

Ok, we are! It works for us and really anybody who puts the effort to stay healthy

It would be nice if everyone was so careful.  For some reason it’s a reason to ridicule 🙄.

[fieldsofclover]

25 minutes ago, echoshipmate said:

Ok, we are! It works for us and really anybody who puts the effort to stay healthy

Sounds like taking personal responsibility to me. Not expecting other people to change their behavior, just taking care of your own situation. /salute

[Guest ldtr]

1 hour ago, colin v said:

Given it’s an airborne disease….makes sense. Apologies if I missed it but what was your masking situation?  Most COVID posts seem to suggest 100% usage yet they still catch COVID. 

First of all no one is masking 100% on a cruise ship.  So there are some opportunities for transmission to occur when dining, drinking, adjusting mask, etc.  

 

Masking reduces transmission rates in a population, it does not guarantee that everyone that masks will not catch covid, but it does reduce the potential contact points.  A fully masked environment reduces spread by about 50% compared to an unmasked population.  On board ship at this time, where few are masking (5-10%) and where many continue to move about the ship even after symptoms develop masking may reduce ones risk, but too many potential transmission sources so potential for transfer exists whenever the mask is off in a public place (buffet, lounge, crows nest coffee bar, MDR, etc.)

 

 

Edited September 5, 2022 by ldtr

[iancal]

What does it matter how or where covid was picked up.  Is that not a little beside the point?  

 

It could have been transmitted by any fellow passenger, crew member, or from the public whist on shore.  

 

The real issue here is the OP's description of the environment on the ship and how the cruise line did next to nothing to assist. 

 

Worse still, they suggested to the cruiser that he fly home and leave his spouse quarantine in Italy.  And that 'assistance' apparently  only came after multiple calls to HAL.  

 

Seems to me the cruise line 'dumped' them and the problem on someone else.

 

Fortunately the OP did not book direct.  He was eventually  able to have his TA go to bat for him. 

 

Is HAL a 9-5 PST business hours only operation, except during weekends and holidays?  Or are they a 24X7 organization that is always there for their customers?  Appears to be the former.

 

Cannot imagine anyone on this forum wanting to go through a similar experience.

 

 

Edited September 6, 2022 by iancal