bazzaw

We got Covid last month on an 8 day cruise - it was our first time. Nobody truly knows how, when, where or why - but I am thinking that sooner or later everybody will get it. I am actually happy now that we got it - even though I understand that this doesn't mean much anyway. My thoughts as to why we had not caught it earlier - well our life is fairly quiet , mostly at home with occasional shopping trips - most of our socialising is done outside in the open air. We have both had worse cases of respiratory infections in the past - for me at least I did not really get any respiratory type symptoms - the fatigue and utter boredom of spending 5 days in bed doing the only thing possible for me in a ship cabin (watch TV) was the thing for me . Too cold and windy out on the balcony - and eyesight not good enough for much reading. I am unsure of how smoking affects people who get Covid.

This Covid is going to be around for quite some time yet - with or without mask wearing.

Keep an eye out for this late next week. http://www.bom.gov.au/australia/charts/viewer/index.shtml Play the forecast vid.

There could be an argument that masks actually increase the spread of the virus (due to the actions above). However no "study" could prove this in the same way that no study could disprove it.

Cunard QE was supposed to start an NZ cruise yesterday - but is instead heading for Cairns - was in Eden today. I have heard conflicting reports that it is weather caused or an ongoing dirty hull situation as in the January NZ cruise

The Doctor on Cunard QE asked me all kinds of questions ( I am 76) and then told me that there were 2 different antivirals - BUT I did not qualify for the first kind and he did not recommend the second kind as they would make me sicker than I was. 🙂 This was on the second day and I wasn't feeling all that bad and agreed with him. Apart from the fatigue, after the initial bout of extreme vomiting, I was quite OK and agreed with him.

and what makes it all even worse is that it seems to me that every cruiseline is acting differently in how they are handling this - some even require Apps on phones. Cruising is no longer much fun here in Australia. I will cruise again - but only after ALL of these mandatory requirements cease.

I had not thought much about the requirements of various destinations . Of course I can understand the wariness of the small islands - but this even confirms my need to answer the question " what if --" before booking things.

That would make sense as to the differences between cruise ships - it is the destination that is the "problem"

What makes you think that Insurance is mandatory for your cruise? - it is usually HIGHLY RECOMMENDED and they have a place for you to register the name of your particular Insurance Company and the name of any Emergency Company - BUT I have never been on any cruise (last one was cruise number 25) where they checked that you actually have insurance. Of course they want you to have it - and you should have it - but you dont need to overworry about it all.

I know quite a few people who have travelled overseas lately - long trips to Europe, USA, Asia and even South America. Quite convoluted trips including cruises, bus tours, river cruises, flights all over the place - and have had no problems at all. I on the other hand go away on an 8 day cruise from Sydney and get isolated for half the cruise 😞 I have heard of people doing those very expensive train/cruise/coach trips in British Columbia being abandoned at one of the overnight hotels, left to fend for themselves and told to "take it up with your Travel Insurer" because they tested positive to Covid. Right now I feel confident to drive and book hotels/motels in Australia and not fall foul of any "administrative" effects of Covid - but I have to apply my "what if" question to many other things. Even flying to London and booking into the Ritz is OK and the "what if" question has no impact. BUT - going on a cruise anywhere in the World - and things like coach trips fail the question completely. So that will be it for me from now on until these last Administrative requirements (isolation, masking, testing, vaccinating) are shelved. This doesn't mean of course that I wont test , isolate, mask up and vaccinate - but will avoid the necessity of having to do it.

On QE, my wife who was an untested "close contact" also had those semi-restrictions.

Yes - we were on the 20 Jan eight day cruise to Hobart and Burnie. Our gratuities were also listed but zeroed out - we just assumed it was because we had been isolated?

No compensation for Covid isolation for us on Cunard Queen Elizabeth, But at least they cancelled the daily gratuities which are sizeable (around $20 per day per person if I recall correctly) They also fairly quickly reimbursed a shore tour which we had booked and paid for - money came back into our CC account.

Thanks for that info - this is new info for me.

Personally, I know that many Aussies dont like Noumea for various reasons - but I love it because it is one of the few places close by where I can play the game "Aussie Tourist in France". I wouldn't dream of trying to get some French style pastries in a local patisserie or a beer at the 3 Brasseurs without paying in XPF . https://cuenet.nc/3-brasseurs/ those who want to pay in AUD should stay at home and go down to the Gold Coast.

Coff's probably also still has a Bank too - but don't bet on that not changing soon!!!!

IMO - an "Upgrade" is only something that takes you from out of one cabin category to another higher category . Cruiselines often/mostly consider upgrades to be to a higher grade of cabin within the same category. Sometimes these kind of "upgrades" can actually be a downgrade.

I never know what to say in answer to these kind of questions about Australia and cruising. I always am tempted to ask a question myself in reply - "I am going to North America (Canada, Alaska, Continental USA, Mexico , Caribbean ) for the very first time on a 10 day cruise - which cruiseline and which itinerary do you recommend.? My general answer to the first question is that I don't recommend cruising in Australian waters at all for overseas travellers. A cruise around NZ can be very nice and manageable - but Australia ? Nah!!! Forget it!! EXCEPT - that many/most foreign cruisers that I do meet on Aussie ships seem to enjoy most the company of the Australian passengers that they meet on these ships. It is this experience that they take home with them - plus maybe Sydney Harbour. Great Barrier Reef is a waste of time unless you dive - or at least confidently snorkel. The Outback and Aboriginal culture is not serviced by cruiseship - even the World famous (Only God knows why) Australia Zoo is largely inaccessible from a cruiseship. So a cruise to NZ , starting and ending in Sydney is the way to go. Cruiseline doesn't matter much - they are all going to be full of Aussies.

Barry's Rules of cruising in Australia - 1. Never sail north of Brisbane in Summer 2. never sail south of Brisbane in Winter 3. Never sail westwards across the Great Australian Bight ever!!!

My observation of a P&O Comedy cruise from years ago - so-called comedian uses the F word - everybody laughs loudly - rinse and repeat for the next 2 hours.

How to win friends and influence people.

We flew with our own new KN95 masks. Not wearing masks now because we are isolating at home and still testing positive after 8 days. Once we start testing negative, we will do what everybody else in Australia is doing - not wearing masks.

The disembarkation procedure for Cunard Queen Elizabeth was that we "unclean" were given a special white tag for a our luggage and told to put them outside the room on the previous night as per usual. We were told to be ready for departure by 10AM when we would be personally "collected" and taken to a central point to be discharged to the wharf. We were issued with extra special super dooper masks which were so uncomfortable that I ripped mine off at the first available opportunity. I am not really sure what this forensic procedure was supposed to achieve anyway - as it simply resulted in 50-60 infectious Covid people being released into the wilds of Sydney, all scattering to the winds. People - Covid is all around you!!! on land or at sea. BTW - Day 8 for me today - still testing positive. I am so happy that I am not on a cruiseship.

Me neither - but it doesnt cost me Thousands of Dollars to visit these places. Cruising does!!