If You Have Covid A Day Before You Cruise

[Megabear2]

5 minutes ago, picsa said:

If you have optional tests and people don’t opt to test then they are not concealing anything - ‘have you tested positive’ - then ‘no’ is a truthful answer if you have not opted to test.

 

 

An as my cruise is a ‘bargain bucket’ cruise then it isn’t required, but is optional. Will I opt to take a test before the cruise - probably not. 

 

 

No I have not checked with my insurance company because the wording is clear and straightforward.

 

And as for how it is spreading so quickly - we’ll stick a few thousand people into close quarters and irrespective of any measures you take it will spread. But these days with vaccinations and anti-virals, and all the other treatments, then it’s not the same situation as March 2020 for most - and for the few where it is serious, well I am not sure I would be choosing to go into close quarters with a few thousand others.

See my amended comment above re your cover - here's presumably your policy's updated terms.

 

If I test positive for COVID-19, am I covered to cancel my trip? 

Yes, if you're forced to cancel your trip as a direct result of a positive COVID-19 test, you’re covered for cancellation. You'll need to provide confirmation and evidence of a positive test result.

[wowzz]

As a matter of interest, if I test positive, is there anything to stop me disembarking at the next port,  so that I can continue my holiday, or can P&O hold me on board against my will ?

[wowzz]

10 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

You'll need to provide confirmation and evidence of a positive test result.

Which, as you have said, is virtually impossible !

[picsa]

5 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

See my amended comment above re your cover - here's presumably your policy's updated terms.

 

If I test positive for COVID-19, am I covered to cancel my trip? 

Yes, if you're forced to cancel your trip as a direct result of a positive COVID-19 test, you’re covered for cancellation. You'll need to provide confirmation and evidence of a positive test result.

My policy says - 

 

COVID-19: What am I covered for?
Your HSBC Premier Travel Insurance will provide cover for events relating to COVID-19, such as:
• emergency medical expenses abroad, cancelling or coming home early if you fall ill with COVID-19.
• cancelling or coming home early if
you have to self-isolate or quarantine before you travel or while on your trip due to COVID-19 (please be aware, this doesn’t include having to self-isolate or quarantine when you return from your trip).
• cancelling or coming home early due to an FCDO advisory notice being in place advising against all or all but essential travel to your destination or, the FCDO are advising British citizens to leave the area in which you are staying. Cover for cancellation is only available if the advice is in place during the 31 days before your departure date.
If you have suffered with COVID-19 and needed medical treatment, then as with other medical conditions you may need to tell us about this. We will then screen it
and tell you if this affects your cover.

So cancellation because you have tested positive is covered under the first bullet point - you have fallen ill with COVID-19.

 

Then in the ‘making a claim’ section it says - 

 

For medical claims, we will send a medical certificate for completion by the patient’s doctor to confirm the reason for your claim
• Evidence of your booking and the cancellation

 

So again fine, as although I am certain my doctor would not wish to see me if I had tested positive for COVID-19, I would of course contact them to tell them and why I was telling them.

 

Now you might not find that sufficient given you are on an expensive cruise, but on the ‘bargain bucket’ cruise I am on then I am perfectly satisfied.

[Megabear2]

7 minutes ago, wowzz said:

As a matter of interest, if I test positive, is there anything to stop me disembarking at the next port,  so that I can continue my holiday, or can P&O hold me on board against my will ?

That's a very interesting question!  I recall someone on a Cunard cruise I was on pre pandemic asking to leave early and being allowed to, but post pandemic I'm not sure if they have to notify local officials.

[Fionboard]

Do Randox, Prenetics, etc,  on line tests supply a results certificate showing positive result?

[picsa]

4 minutes ago, wowzz said:

As a matter of interest, if I test positive, is there anything to stop me disembarking at the next port,  so that I can continue my holiday, or can P&O hold me on board against my will ?

Unless the destination requires tests, then the only way you going to test positive during the cruise is if you test yourself or volunteer to be tested. 
 

You might, many won’t.

[picsa]

7 minutes ago, wowzz said:

As a matter of interest, if I test positive, is there anything to stop me disembarking at the next port,  so that I can continue my holiday, or can P&O hold me on board against my will ?

 

1 minute ago, Megabear2 said:

That's a very interesting question!  I recall someone on a Cunard cruise I was on pre pandemic asking to leave early and being allowed to, but post pandemic I'm not sure if they have to notify local officials.

It certainly used to be possible in Europe before Brexit but even then it was a lot more paperwork for the cruise line if you did. Post-Brexit or for non-EU destinations I suspect the answer is ‘no chance’.

 

But then if someone was travelling light and just left with their luggage and didn’t get back on, then what are they going to do, and is it any different from being late back and missing the ship.

[picsa]

5 minutes ago, Fionboard said:

Do Randox, Prenetics, etc,  on line tests supply a results certificate showing positive result?

They do, but if it is a self-test it proves nothing as it is rather easy to fake a positive or negative self-test.

[Megabear2]

9 minutes ago, picsa said:

My policy says - 

 

COVID-19: What am I covered for?
Your HSBC Premier Travel Insurance will provide cover for events relating to COVID-19, such as:
• emergency medical expenses abroad, cancelling or coming home early if you fall ill with COVID-19.
• cancelling or coming home early if
you have to self-isolate or quarantine before you travel or while on your trip due to COVID-19 (please be aware, this doesn’t include having to self-isolate or quarantine when you return from your trip).
• cancelling or coming home early due to an FCDO advisory notice being in place advising against all or all but essential travel to your destination or, the FCDO are advising British citizens to leave the area in which you are staying. Cover for cancellation is only available if the advice is in place during the 31 days before your departure date.
If you have suffered with COVID-19 and needed medical treatment, then as with other medical conditions you may need to tell us about this. We will then screen it
and tell you if this affects your cover.

So cancellation because you have tested positive is covered under the first bullet point - you have fallen ill with COVID-19.

 

Then in the ‘making a claim’ section it says - 

 

For medical claims, we will send a medical certificate for completion by the patient’s doctor to confirm the reason for your claim
• Evidence of your booking and the cancellation

 

So again fine, as although I am certain my doctor would not wish to see me if I had tested positive for COVID-19, I would of course contact them to tell them and why I was telling them.

 

Now you might not find that sufficient given you are on an expensive cruise, but on the ‘bargain bucket’ cruise I am on then I am perfectly satisfied.

Thaats pretty standard wording to be honest and is great if you have the required positive test. You're right, hearing of some people's experiences on here and elsewhere including one of my best friends I'd want to know what sort of proof my insurer would require.

 

I'm glad you are happy and it is suitable for your needs.

[Bill Y]

6 hours ago, Harry Peterson said:

Worth bearing in mind here, perhaps, that it’s the terms and conditions at the time of booking which matter. Not later versions modified to suit P&O.

A good point but what happens if the cruise was moved?

 

We booked (not P&O) pre covid then the 2021 cruise was moved to 2022 then again to 2023, I expect if we challenged their later added T&C that a positive test would result in a removal to a quarantine hotel and reparation at our expence we would be met with it was a cancellation and rebooking under the T&C.s at the time of rebooking.

 

I imagine that quite a few are in similar position, Is there any precedent or is it down to who requested the rebooking?

[yorkshirephil]

10 minutes ago, Fionboard said:

Do Randox, Prenetics, etc,  on line tests supply a results certificate showing positive result?

Yes

[Megabear2]

12 minutes ago, picsa said:

Unless the destination requires tests, then the only way you going to test positive during the cruise is if you test yourself or volunteer to be tested. 
 

You might, many won’t.

Or you could be an unfortunate close contact to someone. It's been happening elsewhere and the  positive person is asked about table companions etc.  On my Celebrity and Princess cruises we were effectively tracked on excursion buses and in restaurants.

[picsa]

4 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

Thaats pretty standard wording to be honest and is great if you have the required positive test. You're right, hearing of some people's experiences on here and elsewhere including one of my best friends I'd want to know what sort of proof my insurer would require.

 

I'm glad you are happy and it is suitable for your needs.

The proof is stated in the policy document - ‘we will send a medical certificate for completion by the patient’s doctor to confirm the reason for your claim’ - to which the response from the GP would be, ‘patient self-tested and identified they were positive for COVID-19 and in-line with NHS COVID protocols was not examined by me to confirm and they did not require subsequent treatment’.  
 

Now if the insurer wanted anything more than that then they need to make that clear, otherwise the FCA is going to be having strong words with them.

[Megabear2]

5 minutes ago, picsa said:

The proof is stated in the policy document - ‘we will send a medical certificate for completion by the patient’s doctor to confirm the reason for your claim’ - to which the response from the GP would be, ‘patient self-tested and identified they were positive for COVID-19 and in-line with NHS COVID protocols was not examined by me to confirm and they did not require subsequent treatment’.  
 

Now if the insurer wanted anything more than that then they need to make that clear, otherwise the FCA is going to be having strong words with them.

As I said, as long as your happy, nothing to worry about.  Enjoy your cruise.

[picsa]

5 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

Or you could be an unfortunate close contact to someone. It's been happening elsewhere and the  positive person is asked about table companions etc.  On my Celebrity and Princess cruises we were effectively tracked on excursion buses and in restaurants.

I don’t share tables, and on none of the P&O cruises I have been on in the last 12 months (including the full ‘COVID protocol’ cruises to the Med last September) has there been any tracking of people on shuttle buses.

[picsa]

Just now, Megabear2 said:

As I said, as long as your happy, nothing to worry about.  Enjoy your cruise.

And enjoy yours as well.

[zap99]

23 minutes ago, wowzz said:

As a matter of interest, if I test positive, is there anything to stop me disembarking at the next port,  so that I can continue my holiday, or can P&O hold me on board against my will ?

You could tell them you have a family emergency and need to leave. Not that folk would tell fibs. I completed our health questionnaires this morning . We both passed.😉

[GSPG]

1 hour ago, Josy1953 said:

What makes you think that anyone would be so selfish as to deliberately put potentially hundreds of other people at risk of serious illness in even death ?

My gut feeling is that with people being jabbed has largely taken away the risk of serious illness. If people think they are ‘vulnerable’ in some way, I think it is naive of them to cruise and put themselves at risk. They increase their chances of catching it 100 fold.

And as discussed even the testing before cruising has been pointless in many cases with large outbreaks on many ships.

Cruising is definitely NOT the environment for those who think this illness will endanger them. 

[Megabear2]

23 minutes ago, GSPG said:

My gut feeling is that with people being jabbed has largely taken away the risk of serious illness. If people think they are ‘vulnerable’ in some way, I think it is naive of them to cruise and put themselves at risk. They increase their chances of catching it 100 fold.

And as discussed even the testing before cruising has been pointless in many cases with large outbreaks on many ships.

Cruising is definitely NOT the environment for those who think this illness will endanger them. 

Totally true but some of those people booked months or years ago and P&O may have lulled them into a false sense of security.  There is no openness on how many cases there have been onboard, probably because cruise lines don't want to put people off.  

 

Anyone reading the website updates may well think it's far safer for them than it actually is.  It isn't them being stupid just too trusting.

[terrierjohn]

1 hour ago, Harry Peterson said:

Who knows, John, but I’d hazard a guess that they’ll be checking any that go down with it within a short time of boarding. It would be outrageous to lie, but people will and in the way that other forms of fraud are detected this might well be too. Substantial sums could be at stake in any negligence claim.

But it would be impossible to prove without doubt just who had infected any other passengers.

[picsa]

1 minute ago, Megabear2 said:

There is no openness on how many cases there have been onboard, probably because cruise lines don't want to put people off.

Or because it no longer helps. 
 

There is no detail on COVID cases in the UK because it was no longer found to be helpful, so would it help knowing the number of infected people in a cruise ship restaurant but not a land based restaurant, or in a cruise ship cinema but not not a land based cinema, or even how many other people wandering around local supermarket are infected.

[Megabear2]

10 minutes ago, picsa said:

Or because it no longer helps. 
 

There is no detail on COVID cases in the UK because it was no longer found to be helpful, so would it help knowing the number of infected people in a cruise ship restaurant but not a land based restaurant, or in a cruise ship cinema but not not a land based cinema, or even how many other people wandering around local supermarket are infected.

It's not a problem to me but clearly is to the immune deficiency people some of whom are only just getting brave enough to go out.

 

The poor lady on the Ventura Masks thread might have wanted to know so she didn't book for instance.

[Harry Peterson]

10 minutes ago, picsa said:

Or because it no longer helps. 
 

There is no detail on COVID cases in the UK because it was no longer found to be helpful, so would it help knowing the number of infected people in a cruise ship restaurant but not a land based restaurant, or in a cruise ship cinema but not not a land based cinema, or even how many other people wandering around local supermarket are infected.

There is still some detail, but it’s not that easy to find because it was deemed unhelpful. Whether you agree with that analysis depends on whether you like your facts public or hidden, and if you need that information to enable you to calculate your own personal risk - you’re stuffed! And quite possibly in an ICU bed.

[Megabear2]

2 minutes ago, GSPG said:

If the term ‘dangerous’ is being used and people either blaming each other for putting ‘lives at risk’ etc, why are we still cruising?

 

If it is still that dangerous that people have to mask up to protect others, why are we still cruising?

 

Is safety to some, if the disease is considered dangerous still being compromised for people spending money on cruising?

 

It does not add up to me.

Either it’s safe or not, so why wear the masks still?

And if the masks are there to protect certain people, should they be on there in the first place if their health isn’t the best.

 

People who are concerned or are likely to be affected if they catch the virus should not be on the ship.

I don't disagree but they'll lose all their money now they are restricted on moving cruises.  

 

I'm.not suggesting a right or wrong approach merely a more flexible one for these auto immune people who've been trapped into protecting their money for an age and are now having to travel.or maybe lose the lot.

 

If one of these people God forbid contracts the disease and dies the repercussions for the cruise line will.be enormous, particularly if the press get wind of it.