Covid x 2.

[Windsurfboy]

8 minutes ago, Wonky said:

It’s actually a bit more than policy, the CDC’s guidance is to isolate pax so I think they would be ill(!) advised to ignore that.

I thought this was a cruise out of UK to Europe.  So follow UK  EU guidelines which are no different on land or sea.  NB cruise lines association guidelines are their own policies not health authorities. 

[RedMeerkat]

As someone who came down with Covid 36 hours after disembarking from QV on 11 December and is now having no Christmas due to still being ill from it, I’m very grateful  to the OP for being honest about their symptoms.  I knew the risk of course, but I obviously caught it from someone onboard and there were certainly a few people around coughing, and any one of them could have been the one that has ruined my Christmas.  Luckily I’m in ok general health (and not yet 60) so expect to make a full recovery, but missing out on Christmas does rather suck.  I hope the OP and husband have a wonderful day tomorrow!

[Host Hattie]

I'm sorry to hear that you are still suffering, I hope you feel better soon. 

[Windsurfboy]

We are ignoring the real problem , the non existent controls for covid when boarding, testing thats not checked supervised .

 

Before we board we will keep away from people for a week and test, therefore can be pretty sure we will board covid free. We will only catch it if others bring it on board.

 

However Cunards  policy is basically a free for all, unsupervised tests and self validate questionaire. 

 

If they would keep Covid off th3 ship. Then no need at all for isolation and peoples holidays (or xmas) ruined. But they don't and won't. 

 

Keeping covid off yhe ship can only be done by supervised test before boarding and the knowledge that everyone will be tested 3 days after boarding. This is the only way to encourage people be very careful  before cruising. Of course this is impossible for anyone working or with children, and would put many off cruising.  Thus Cunard doesn't do it, aim is to maximise number of passengers, covid positive or negative doesn't matter. They encourage laxity and dishonesty .

 

Clearly they don't  want/expect people  with mild symptoms to come forward to be tested on board. Everything e.g  passing the buck to insurance is to discourage you from testing.

 

 

Edited December 24, 2022 by Windsurfboy

[Host Hattie]

Unfortunately it's not realistic to keep Covid off ships. Even with pre-boarding testing people can be infected but not yet testing positive. 

[Wonky]

1 minute ago, Host Hattie said:

Unfortunately it's not realistic to keep Covid off ships. Even with pre-boarding testing people can be infected but not yet testing positive. 

Correct, as with Flu, which is now hospitalising more.

[Host Hattie]

48 minutes ago, Wonky said:

Correct, as with Flu, which is now hospitalising more.

Unfortunately that's not correct for the UK now, rates for Covid are now higher than flu.

Anyway please keep comments relevant to cruising.

[sogne]

1 hour ago, Windsurfboy said:

We are ignoring the real problem , the non existent controls for covid when boarding, testing thats not checked supervised .

 

Before we board we will keep away from people for a week and test, therefore can be pretty sure we will board covid free. We will only catch it if others bring it on board.

 

However Cunards  policy is basically a free for all, unsupervised tests and self validate questionaire. 

 

If they would keep Covid off th3 ship. Then no need at all for isolation and peoples holidays (or xmas) ruined. But they don't and won't. 

 

Keeping covid off yhe ship can only be done by supervised test before boarding and the knowledge that everyone will be tested 3 days after boarding. This is the only way to encourage people be very careful  before cruising. Of course this is impossible for anyone working or with children, and would put many off cruising.  Thus Cunard doesn't do it, aim is to maximise number of passengers, covid positive or negative doesn't matter. They encourage laxity and dishonesty .

 

Clearly they don't  want/expect people  with mild symptoms to come forward to be tested on board. Everything e.g  passing the buck to insurance is to discourage you from testing.

 

 

On our QM2 Jan 22 Caribbean cruise we were tested prior to boarding and prior to Lisbon and Barbados and still people caught it. No isolation could lead to a large number infected and although as fully vaxed  symptoms will be mild for most there might be someone who could be seriously ill.

[milamber]

I was on QV for the pre Christmas cruise which ended yesterday. There were no enforced restrictions on distancing, testing or mask wearing either for crew or passengers. As a result it was up to individuals to choose what to do. Given the choice around 99% of passengers chose not to wear masks or distance. Mask wearing amongst crew was slightly higher, but that appears to more as a safeguard against the possibility of lost income should they test positive than against the risk of illness.

 

Why then does the tiny vociferous minority still think that they have the right to try to enforce what they want on the rest of us? They accuse Cunard of putting profit over passenger safety, but it's absolutely clear that the vast majority of passengers are totally fed up with mask wearing, isolation and other covid restrictions and are happy to take the risk. This is amongst a passenger group which probably averaged over 70, who are supposed to be more at risk, but we've seen the same sort of percentages amongst younger age groups with both Princess and Royal in recent months. For every person who complains that rigorous pre cruising testing should return, there are a hundred, like us, who breathed a huge sigh of relief when testing became recommended or scrapped altogether. Cunard know this, they ask the question on the post cruise survey. Personally I wouldn't cruise with a line which insisted on rigorous testing beforehand or on mask wearing or distancing on board. After 2 years of Covid I've had enough, as have practically everyone else looking at the evidence in recent months on three different cruise lines

 

Covid is here to stay along with every other infectious disease. Yes it's unpleasant, but so is flu and norovirus. Nobody is suggesting isolation or mask wearing against the risk of catching those. We still take the same precautions as we ever did against any illness that is possible in a situation where a large group of people gather together in a restricted space. I've had norovirus and don't want it again if possible.

 

At the end of the day Cunard and every other line are a business. They are going to do what the majority of passengers want. It's absolutely clear that the huge majority want a return to normal. 

 

I have absolutely no issue with anyone wanting to continue to wear a mask or go on a cruise where they choose to have no interaction with others, but equally those who want covid restrictions to continue need to respect the wishes of the majority and accept that most people want a return to normal and the slight risk that that entails, both on land and at sea. 

 

If they cannot do that, then a cruise is perhaps not the best choice for them. 

Edited December 24, 2022 by milamber

[majortom10]

1 hour ago, Host Hattie said:

Unfortunately that's not correct for the UK now, rates for Covid are now higher than flu.

Anyway please keep comments relevant to cruising.

According to The Times last week hospitalisations with flu are at there highest in last 4 winters and are higher than COVID.

Edited December 24, 2022 by majortom10

[NavyPanda]

56 minutes ago, milamber said:

There were no enforced restrictions on distancing, testing or mask wearing either for crew or passengers. As a result it was up to individuals to choose what to do. Given the choice around 99% of passengers chose not to wear masks or distance. 

 

56 minutes ago, milamber said:

They accuse Cunard of putting profit over passenger safety, but it's absolutely clear that the vast majority of passengers are totally fed up with mask wearing, isolation and other covid restrictions and are happy to take the risk.

 

...

 

who breathed a huge sigh of relief when testing became recommended or scrapped altogether. Cunard know this, they ask the question on the post cruise survey. Personally I wouldn't cruise with a line which insisted on rigorous testing beforehand or on mask wearing or distancing on board. After 2 years of Covid I've had enough, as have practically everyone else looking at the evidence in recent months on three different cruise lines

 

Hear. Hear. I agree with every word you wrote.

 

I was also on this cruise and was secretly delighted that vaccination status was not even asked about let alone proof requested (although I am vaccinated).

 

It is a strong indication that things are finally returning to normality. I was further pleased to see that Cunard have announced they intend to stand down their vaccination requirements for QM2 and QV after their world cruises and for QE shortly afterwards in addition to removing the need for a booster vaccination effective from the New Year.

 

You are right to mention profit. Cunard and its sister companies needs to make it. They couldn't do so with all the restrictions, reduced capacity and suppressed demand due to restrictions and rules. Hopefully we'll see Carnival plc return to profitability soon and with it the knowledge that the future of the Cunard will be secure.

 

I have mentioned before that there might be a gap in the market for people who would value cruising in a more 'Covid safe' environment. However I would expect the cruises to cost significantly more than an average Cunard cruise due to the higher costs and lower revenue per tonnage. I don't expect to see such a cruise line to emerge as I can't think of any comparable setup in any other service or travel industry.

 

We just need to see the cocktail parties return (it was suggested they might be back for the World Cruise)!

Edited December 25, 2022 by NavyPanda

[showingdiva]

2 hours ago, majortom10 said:

According to The Times last week hospitalisations with flu are at there highest in last 4 winters and are higher than COVID.

 

Which is definitely the case in the hospital I work in.   One entire ward closed and another isolating with influenza A.   Covid also on the rise, but in that case, mainly an incidental finding rather than the primary reason for admission.

[Host Hattie]

9 hours ago, majortom10 said:

According to The Times last week hospitalisations with flu are at there highest in last 4 winters and are higher than COVID.

That was true last week for one week only but the latest figures show that Covid has overtaken flu again. 

 

[moses0]

On 12/24/2022 at 6:14 PM, milamber said:

Why then does the tiny vociferous minority still think that they have the right to try to enforce what they want on the rest of us?

Thank you for your bold  post I agree with every word. Time to drop all restrictions like many other major cruise lines. 

[Host Hattie]

As the OP is now home & this is turning into a general Covid discussion, I'm closing this thread.