AoS Refused Entry to St Lucia And Antigua

[Cruzin RN]

I have a couple of questions about the AOS/Swine Flu topic:

 

Were any other ships denied entry to these islands???

 

Is it reasonable to think that most ships coming into port would have AT LEAST a few people on board that are sick with a contagious infection???

 

The quote below is from the CDC H1N1 website:

 

"WHO’s decision to raise the pandemic alert level to Phase 6 is a reflection of the spread of the virus, not the severity of illness caused by the virus."

http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/update.htm

 

I am not supporting or condemning the decisions made, but ALL contagious diseases are contagious...Any virus can be taken onto an island....why not react the same to all infectious diseases??? I guess this one is more "FEARED" than others.

If cruise ports are going to react this way, it will probably close down the travel industry come fall.

PS. I'm booked on AOS 6/21 and plan to have a great time...hopefully, we will get a few ports along the way and will stay healthy!!!!

[CrucianGal]

No need to be so defensive OceanBoy.

I am just saying that people's experiences and associations form their opinions and viewpoints. I live in the Caribbean so my viewpoint is different from someone who is worried about missing a port of call or someone who is a Royal Champion.

[Cruzaholic41]

Another person posting is a Royal Champion so it is possible that this person would not want the cruise line he champions to look bad by missing a port.

 

Oh Geezus! Get over the RC thing already! :rolleyes:

[Ocean Boy]

No need to be so defensive OceanBoy.

I am just saying that people's experiences and associations form their opinions and viewpoints. I live in the Caribbean so my viewpoint is different from someone who is worried about missing a port of call or someone who is a Royal Champion.

 

I actually was not getting defensive. I thought you were making some very good points and it is interesting to get the perspective of someone who lives on the islands. I especially find the information that you provide on the medical capabilities of the islands of interest. I have thought from time to time about moving to the islands. I have not yet looked into what it would be like to provide medical care down there.

 

Of course our experiences shape our viewpoints. However, do you really think that people's lives are so narrow that they are "shaped" by being a Royal Champion? For many of us RCI is part of our lives one week of the year. The other 51 weeks have far more influence on who we are and what we think. I don't know if your comment about the Champions was directed toward me or not. It doesn't really matter. You were making some great points on this thread until you had to resort to try to bring into question other people's credibility and portraying them of having some shallow Royal Champion or being more concerned with missing a port of call type interests while painting yourself as the champion for the good people of St. Croix and their health and welfare.

[iluvnyc]

Acutally, OceanBoy - and I don't know who is a RC or not and I could care less - I came a little late for that discussion - but yes, some people on here seem only to care about missing a port that they paid for and seem to also use the facade that the islanders will be missing out on revenue as an outrage - when those that do live in the islands on this board have clearly (I think) been grateful to the governments from not allowing KNOWN ill people/ships that could be a NEW virus that they don't want in their island from docking. That's just my opinion, though and we all know about them....:D

[Ocean Boy]

Acutally, OceanBoy - and I don't know who is a RC or not and I could care less - I came a little late for that discussion - but yes, some people on here seem only to care about missing a port that they paid for and seem to also use the facade that the islanders will be missing out on revenue as an outrage - when those that do live in the islands on this board have clearly (I think) been grateful to the governments from not allowing KNOWN ill people/ships that could be a NEW virus that they don't want in their island from docking. That's just my opinion, though and we all know about them....:D

Well, maybe there are some posts like that on this thread. They don't stick in my mind. Personally, I would love to see the U.S. government be more concerned with keeping certain diseases, far more dangerous than the flu, out of this country. I have had to do some medical clearances for people immigrating into Australia. You should see the hoops that they have to jump through before ever setting foot in that country.

 

Still trying to figure out what it is that I like about you.... gotta be that NYC connection.:D

[iluvnyc]

 

Still trying to figure out what it is that I like about you.... gotta be that NYC connection.:D

Lol!:p Either that or my *sparkling* personality!:D

[B767drvr]

I am relieved that none of the crew nor passengers on AoS tested positive for Swine Flu as they were in St. Croix yesterday and shopping in the store I manage.

 

Your sentence above gets to the crux of what many are attempting to point out. ONLY 3 out of 5,000+ crew and pax were tested (to my knowledge) for H1N1. Are you under the impression EVERYONE was tested? How do you know you were not exposed to multiple passengers with H1N1? :confused: A fever and coughing/runny nose are common symptoms, but not all with H1N1 exhibit these symptoms (according to CDC and WHO).

[Driftwoodgal]

I haven't read this entire thread but do know that the cruise line does the same thing that the islands do. The don't allow passengers that they feel are carriers.

They didn't allow several people in San Francisco to sail with us. One cruiser answered the medical form honestly and wasn't allowed on the ship. This person didn't have the flu, fever, sniffles etc. They have a medical condition that is ongoing, but is not contagious. This person was checked out by the ship’s doctor and told they could not sail with us. The person contacted their doctor in Australia; got medical records sent to Seattle and had another doctor in Seattle certify that they were healthy. They were allowed to board the ship in Seattle and continue the rest of the cruise to Vancouver. All expenses were paid for by the cruiser, doctors, air hotel, and phone bills. The doctor in Seattle couldn't believe the cruiser was denied boarding.

 

What is unfortunate about the above is, this person was honest and didn't have anything. Crew members boarded with some sort of flu, but were quarantined. I am still not 100% sure that they had the swine flu. Reports were on the Alaska state website that they did. The ship stopped in Mexico before arriving in San Francisco. Ports were cancelled in Mexico after warnings were issued to not to travel to Cozumel. Lots of scrubbing was going on during the 14 days of cruising, along with posts in the compass every day about washing your hands.

 

I don't have the answers, but it seems to me that the policy for denying boarding, missing ports is not consistent. Viruses are everywhere and definitely on a cruise ship. I wonder how many people are truly honest when boarding any form of transportation that transfers them with others. Do they stay home if they are sick or fly on out to their cruise and then go into a port? My bet is that most will continue with their vacation even if they have trip insurance.

 

I know I stay away from anyone with a cold etc before I go on vacation. I am sure the islands are doing what they feel they need to do, just as the cruise line do.

[misika]

It was your choice to book a cruise that spent days at a time at sea. That is not everyone's idea of fun. Possibly that has something to do with why these people on Adventure chose to book that cruise instead of one going to Hawaii. The southern itineraries have quite a reputation for being port intensive cruises.

 

You are correct, that is probably why those people booked that particular cruise - because they chose those particular ports.

 

I was just stating that if given a choice between going in circles in the ocean, OR being changed from warm ports to chilly ones that I didn't choose, I personally would choose the circles. But then I love a warm day on a deck chair with a good book.

 

Everyone is different, and just as going to colder ports is not my idea of fun, some people prefer ports - even if it is not their chosen ports- to sea days.

[Scotsnomad]

Well we have now had our first confirmed death here in Scotland, hearing the news is like being hit with a sledge hammer....Oops better watch out I might be accused of being a scare monger !.

 

As yet Im not aware of the sex/age of the individual but it brings home the point that this flu is continuing to affect more and more people. The person however did not have underlying medical problems.

 

Its not exactly very good news when you hear the Authorities are not giving medication to those in close proximity to the patient as there is no point. It makes you wonder if its worth the risk of going to the 'Take that' concert, especially with the crowds that are expected....

[Scotsnomad]

I got it wrong, they did have underlying health problems.... heres the story

 

Date: 15/6/2009 02:57:28

 

Search: UK swine flu

 

 

More details are expected to emerge about the first UK death of a patient suffering from swine flu.

The patient, who had underlying health problems, died in hospital in Scotland.

The death is the first to be reported outside the Americas, where there have been at least 145 fatalities of people suffering from the virus.

The patient was one of 10 being treated in hospital in Scotland and is understood to have died at the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley.

Scottish health secretary Nicola Sturgeon said: "I'd like to express my condolences to the patient's family and friends. But tragic though the death is, I would like to emphasise that the vast majority of those who have H1N1 are suffering from relatively mild symptoms."

Professor Hugh Pennington, a bacteriologist at Aberdeen University, said: "It's very sad, but with the number of cases we have seen it is really something which was always going to happen sooner or later. Unfortunately it is to be expected.

"It does not point to the virus getting nastier. All the evidence to date suggests the virus is not changing at all. This is a flu virus. It is in no way different from an ordinary winter flu virus, so if there are enough cases some people will have to be admitted to hospital and some will die."

[Scotsnomad]

It has just been confirmed that the person who died here in Scotland due to the Swine flu did have underlying medical problems. The female aged 38 was the woman who had given a premature birth 2 wks ago. The baby is also reported as suffering from swine flu. The birth was reported as 11 wks premature.

[stanford's girl]

Does anyone know if any ship has been denied to dock in any port because of the Norovirus??

[Ocean Boy]

You are correct, that is probably why those people booked that particular cruise - because they chose those particular ports.

 

I was just stating that if given a choice between going in circles in the ocean, OR being changed from warm ports to chilly ones that I didn't choose, I personally would choose the circles. But then I love a warm day on a deck chair with a good book.

 

Everyone is different, and just as going to colder ports is not my idea of fun, some people prefer ports - even if it is not their chosen ports- to sea days.

 

Trust me, I'll be right there with you taking the warm circles over a cold port no matter how many days those circles last!:D

[Ocean Boy]

I got it wrong, they did have underlying health problems.... heres the story

 

Date: 15/6/2009 02:57:28

 

Search: UK swine flu

 

 

More details are expected to emerge about the first UK death of a patient suffering from swine flu.

The patient, who had underlying health problems, died in hospital in Scotland.

The death is the first to be reported outside the Americas, where there have been at least 145 fatalities of people suffering from the virus.

The patient was one of 10 being treated in hospital in Scotland and is understood to have died at the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley.

Scottish health secretary Nicola Sturgeon said: "I'd like to express my condolences to the patient's family and friends. But tragic though the death is, I would like to emphasise that the vast majority of those who have H1N1 are suffering from relatively mild symptoms."

Professor Hugh Pennington, a bacteriologist at Aberdeen University, said: "It's very sad, but with the number of cases we have seen it is really something which was always going to happen sooner or later. Unfortunately it is to be expected.

"It does not point to the virus getting nastier. All the evidence to date suggests the virus is not changing at all. This is a flu virus. It is in no way different from an ordinary winter flu virus, so if there are enough cases some people will have to be admitted to hospital and some will die."

Looks to me like an expert's opinion for those who have been clamoring for one.

[Moeve]

Does anyone know if any ship has been denied to dock in any port because of the Norovirus??

 

YES 2 or 3 years ago a P&O ship in the med.

[Antiguan]

According to CC news, the AOS captain was quoted the night before they were to dock in St. Lucia that the lab tests for H1N1 hadn't come back yet. They came back several days later after the ship was scheduled to stop in Antigua. After the little independant island of Antigua heard that St. Lucia had turned away the AOS because the ship said they had people on the boat with "flu like symptoms" and that Swine Flu tests hadn't come back from the lab yet.... Antigua decided to follow St. Lucia.

Mexico's cruise tourism was destroyed because of Swine Flu and the same RCL line that is "dissapointed" cancelled all of their cruises there because the country had cases of swine flu. Mexico is a huge country that has all sorts of other industry. Antigua is a tiny country totally dependant on tourism. Do you think that the US or the UK would pump money into the economy if there was a swine flu scare and people stopped coming to the island? Get real.

A swine flue outbreak on Antigua would be more devastating to our economy than Hurricane Katrina or even 9/11 was to the economy of the USA.

This isn't about carelessly ruining the holidays of the AOS passengers. This is about protecting the lives of an entire nation. I believe that within 6 months H1N1 will be more prevalent, there will be more understanding and the fear will be less. By that time a case of H1N1 on a tiny island in the Caribbean won't be such a big deal in the news.

I guess all of this is beside the point. My main point here is that the decision to block the AOS this time was made purely because of a statement from the RCL AOS where they said that the people who had "flu like symptoms" had been tested for H1N1 and that these tests hadn't come back.

[coxswain]

It has just been confirmed that the person who died here in Scotland due to the Swine flu did have underlying medical problems. The female aged 38 was the woman who had given a premature birth 2 wks ago. The baby is also reported as suffering from swine flu. The birth was reported as 11 wks premature.

 

 

Yeah and like we're to believe them !!

 

 

 

 

jj......

[Aplmac]

A mere three cases of flu (and still not confirmed it's swine flu)

among a couple of thousand folks and the ship cannot dock?

This whole swine flu frenzy was overhyped to begin with, due in great part to media hysteria.

I would bet more than three people from any ship walk off with some type of illness

that could be contagious and possibly harm people.

And, who can say that there are not some island residents with a contagious disease a passenger could catch.

We can't live in a bubble.

Agreed! Much of it is pure hype.

More people die from tobacco-induced lung cancer every day, and in car crashes!

 

 

 

Speaking as an island resident

please know that the decision to bar entry to a 'floating gold mine' as we see it...is not taken lightly!

Cruise ship visitors bring ashore and spend many needed U.S.Dollars

and we need your green stuff -so please know that we miss you too!

 

 

 

I think I heard on local island-TV the same night that Adventure didn't dock

that Government had made a decision to set at SIX...the numerical limit of cases on board that would deny a ship entry?

-but don't quote me on that!

 

There was also talk of coming up with a regional-governmental policy re. this whole health issue

that denies both you guys your shore trips, and island residents the chance to earn some revenue! :cool:

 

The grind goes both ways, my friend...both ways

and no-one likes it.

 

We hope to high heaven and the W.H.O.(World Health Organisation who just issued a pandemic status--like that helps!)

that the whole thing blows over sooner than they come up with

a cure for tobacco addiction or for car crashes!

 

 

.

[kd6183]

Hello Everyone,

 

Just back from the Adventure sailing that was denied the ports and was surprised to find a whole thread on this :eek: we didn't realize it was being posted on CC so quickly. It was myself, DH, our adult DS and a friend and our adult DD and a friend. We were in 3 cabins and our kids were 2 decks down from us. DH and I woke up early and showered and prepared for our excursion to the beach in St. Lucia. DH had gotten up early and gone to the gym and when he came back to the cabin he said it's strange I don't see land yet. I had been sitting on the balcony earlier and just thought our side of the ship wasn't port side so figured he just was looking out the wrong side of the ship. :rolleyes: We packed our beach bags and were heading to the Windjammer to meet the kids for breakfast before going ashore when DS called our cabin and said did you get the note outside the door we are not going ashore. DH and I looked at each other very confused since he had just gotten back to the cabin shortly before and there was no note. We opened the door and indeed there was a note in our door and one in the handle of every door. The note told us that 1 crew member and 1 passenger were suffering from flu like symptons and that the ports of St. Lucia and Antiqua would not allow allow us to dock as a precaution. The term swine flu was NEVER mentioned and I will say no one was even talking that term around the ship. We were told that we would be spending the day at sea instead and that the next day instead of Antigua we would go to St. Thomas. We were immediately refunded all of our excursion money as ship board credit. They actually were handing out free cocktails at the pool bar and around the promenade. It was disappointing as we love St. Lucia as DH and I have sailed this exact route before but it was a first for our kids and their friends who had never been to either of those ports. We all have been to St. Thomas many times so we decided to make it a beach day. When we arrived in St. Thomas the next morning it was pouring rain so the beach was out. We hadn't booked it as an excursion were just going to take a taxi to Megan's Bay but instead we ended up just taking a taxi and wandering around town shopping and then stopped and sat for a bit and had a cocktail at an outside bar in the courtyard there in town. There is a really funny bartender Rick nicknamed Spanky who we always stop and say hi to in St. Thomas who is very witty and tells some funny jokes. We told him he reminds us of the bartender in the movie Cocktail. ;) We made the most of the situation and still had a good time and the ship printed a new compass for those days and added a lot of activites when we were left at sea and added an excursion list for St.Thomas. I will say the mood around the ship was very positive there was no uproar that we saw or complaining that we heard. People did fill up the pool area quickly once they realized we weren't going ashore and they had a lot of pool games and contests to entertain everyone. Our feeling was we were still on vacation and having fun so we will just have to sail the route for a 3rd time to get the kids to the ports they missed! ;)

We did meet one couple from Canada I felt really bad for as they sailed this exact route in October they told us for their honeymoon and misssed a lot of the ports because of a hurricand so were sailing again to get to go to those ports and were now missing the same ones again. :eek: I guess others who sailed with us may have had a different experience but for us it was still a fun vacation we love that ship. For those who are on any upcoming sailing I would not worry the staff was great, the announcements were regular keeping us updated the captain apologized and we had a great trip!

 

Happy Sailing!

[Scotsnomad]

Yeah and like we're to believe them !!

 

 

 

 

jj......

 

Well in this case yes ! The family have already been on tv confirming it !

 

The baby is the first one recorded as being born with Swine Flu, it was born 11 wks premature and due to the birth medical problems arose which were affected by the Swine flu virus.

[Antiguan]

The term swine flu was NEVER mentioned and I will say no one was even talking that term around the ship.

 

Although the term "swine flu" wasn't mentioned to you on board the term's H1N1 and swine flu were mentioned by RCL when communicating with Antigua before the ship was turned away. As i mentioned above, the people in Antigua were told by the AOS that H1N1 tests (which we have since found out were carried out in Trinidad) were being done but hadn't come back from the lab at the time. With this info Antigua made the decision. Like my good friend in Barbados who is always quick on issues regarding other island's issues, says the decision was an extremely painfull one which caused many here on the island big financial costs. I think much of the responsibility on this mess sits with RCL for being slow on the topic of testing. Why the heck don't they have a proper testing lab on the boat? They should be able to tell if someone has H1N1 within an hour!

[dna1990]

Just back...and lived thru it. Although it would have been nice to call in sick today for work I suppose.

 

Boy, what a thread to have missed. I am too relaxed to get into the hype/outbreak/WHO/tourism/ conspiracy stuff. But in general I am still in the camp that this is all 'practice' for something bigger to come.

 

We were VERY sad to miss these ports. Part of the justification for flying to SJU, is for the Southern ports. But, we also know that ports are no guarantee.

 

What kept going thru our discussions, were - why didn't we get told earlier in the day that St.Lucia would be skipped. We got a note in our room, about an hour after the announcement. We would have shifted into SeaDay mode alot sooner and made more of the best of it.

 

Those 'cocktails' were simple virgin drinks...nothing to get excited about.

 

The other point, was - why did St.Thomas/Maarten/Croix - all think things were an acceptable risk? I scanned and think I understand the locals who have posted here, that have a delicate balance between a shipload of gold and a shipload of crippling press and medical problems, should a real risk be present...Looks like Antigua and St.Lucia played safe, just hoped the locals saved enough from high-season profits to carry them thru.

 

We had independent tours for both St. Lucia and Antigua, both quickly refunded any deposits and both apologized/agonized that they would be missing our business.

 

Our group received $50 OBC per cabin, our assumption is for refund of port charges for one missed stop. Would like to hear if others had same/different.

 

I don't think it has been mentioned, but we were delayed into Barbados as well, maybe 1.5 hours I think. I suppose while they made up their mind or something. We did RCCL excursions (Tiami) and while there was little communication up front - our trips left when everyone got to the marina (as the scheduled starttime hadd already passed) and lasted the full duration. We sailed away 1.5 hours later than originally planned to make the difference.

 

Oddly enough, it was a San Juan taxi driver yesterday that was the most vocal. Due to rain, we actually went to airport first, checked in bags, and then took a taxi to Old SJ. When he heard we just got 'off' AOS, I think he wanted to kick us out...as a local, he was very scared (wrongly so, if you ask me) - but scared in an un-educated way to the point of the hype that has been talked about here.

[Rosby316]

I was on the AOS this past week while the whole flu thing was going on... i was very upset when they told us we would be missing TWO of our scheduled ports. They kept telling us that St. Thomas was a much better port than St. Lucia and Antigua combined (which i highly doubt) and that it was no big deal. Well... it was a big deal for me, I chose that cruise that was more expensive than the others b/c of the fact that there was only 1 day at sea and 5 ports of call. for that i could have left on a cruise from miami where i live rather than fly to puerto rico and leave from there. One thing i dont understand is that if you read USA Today it says that RCL had proof that it was not in fact H1N1 and just the common flu and the islands still rejected us why is that?! RCL also said that they would not give us ANY sort of reimbursment or ship credit... not even the port fees to the port in which we did not stop at! Reguardless of the itinerary i still had a good time though b/c i had never been to any of those islands so it was still a new experience for me. Btw Scuba diving in St. Croix is beautiful! and swimming with the turtles in St. Thomas was an amazing experience too. I just wish that RCL would have stepped up their game and taken responsibility for what had taken place rather than blame it on other people. Oh another thing... before you board you have to fill out a waiver saying that you have no illnesses... why wasnt this taken care of at that time? They think they made it better by giving the guests free bloddy mary's for one WHOLE hour... to me that was a slap in the face!

It didnt go exactly as i had hoped it would but it was still a vacation!