megsie

3 hours ago, BRANDEE said:

Actually, there is another scenario.  Most of the international passengers had been in Sydney or Australian for a few days to two weeks prior the cruise.  They arrived virus free.  Now over 50 % of the passengers were Aussies who came by plane, train, bus, car to get on the cruise. One could say they brought on the virus.  But does it really matter.......In the end the Health Ministry screwed up and did not do their job either at the beginning of the cruise or end.  Stop pointing fingers and man up. No passenger went on the cruise with the purpose of dying.

Here’s a graph to show from the first case in Australia on Jan 25 the progression of cases. At the time of the departure of Ruby Princess there are very few cases here. Highly unlikely scenario but not necessarily impossible as it only takes one person to be carrying the virus to possibly cause over 600 cases and 14 deaths as we have seen on Ruby.  Sad for everyone.

I would think lot of borders around the world will not reopen until there is a vaccine available globally.

That's the medical opinion reported from a research institute here.

Even if here in Australia we get down to zero in 3 to 4 months, all contacts of positive cases have to be contactable and tested as well. We are in self isolation nationwide with severe restrictions and possibly with some restrictions until Christmas.

The report suggested it would be 12-18 months before borders would possibly open and when a vaccine is available globally.

But really who knows where we are heading with this damned virus.

12 minutes ago, Aus Traveller said:

Congratulations on your coming 50th. Why not plan a family celebration for 12 months' time?

Thanks for that Aus Traveller. We had plans for a family cruise this year on Pacific Explorer, daughter’s 20th anniversary, SIL 40th Birthday etc.  But still  there will be birthdays, anniversaries etc to celebrate again next year. 

There was an interesting article I read yesterday from the director/professor, of the Hunter Medical Research and other medical experts. They expected if our positive cases could get down around zero in June/July but we would be still living with some restrictions until around Christmas. All contacts of cases would have to be traceable and the contacts tested.

And comment was made that our border may be expected to be closed until a vaccine would become available globally, possibly  in 12 to 18 months. Not politicians’ views but that of medical researchers involved in research with Covid-19. 

Our 50th anniversary is next week, no cruise, no family dinner, no catchup with grandchildren so I guess it’s a virtual party for us.

1 hour ago, Aus Traveller said:

OK. Whoever gave the free cruises, it was a good gesture. Maybe NSW has forgotten that the cruise companies did donate during the bushfire emergency.

As did most of the population, airlines, corporations. businesses, celebrities worldwide donate to the Australian fire appeals. Great gestures by the Carnival and RC corporations for their donation and free cruises for the Australian people. 

27 minutes ago, Aus Traveller said:

Carnival Cruise Corp stood by Australia during the bush fires: they donated $350,000. After the emergency Carnival gave firies free cruises. Now we kick out a ship owned by Carnival Corp. 😠 

I believe the 3 free cruises for the first responders were donated by RC not Carnival. But Carnival's donation would have been greatly 

appreciated. 

43 minutes ago, Aus Traveller said:

Interesting points.🙂 If Australia would let the ships dock and non-essential crews disembark, I am sure that the cruise lines would arrange to fly them home - that is if their home countries would accept incoming flights.

I believe that is what Peter Duddon said today. Because the ships are now out of the 14 days isolation the crews on ships that are covid-19 free may be able to be sent home where possible and if not needed for their ships' return.

The medical teams are being sent to get a true assessment of the health of those on the ships. So far 14 crew from cruiseships have been brought ashore and treated. Voyager of the seas have cases also and are being treated onboard.

DiamondFour needs to calm down for their own sake. What will be is out of our hands atm. And not by any means meant to be a derogatory remark, just concerned how bad the situation is affecting you as all of us.

Pacific Explorer is presently on its way out of the harbour.

Maybe the demand for cruising  will not be there for a long time. The industry will need to rebuild the confidence of the people. 

And maybe the spokesman for P&O would be better to continue negotiations rather than posting on YouTube. RC have not reacted that way.

 I would have a guess that the locals would not be happy with a semipermanent cruise ship in their suburb as they have raised complaints in the past.

The  NSW Police Commissioner is  the State Emergency Operations Controller as appointed by the NSW Government recently.

Also posted an article I read earlier today but as I can see on tv atm an unfolding story with police attending Ruby Princess.

A bus driver in Napier has been tested positive also connected to Ruby Princess in Napier. He was driving cruisers around Napier and the test was returned as positive 13 days after the ship visited. This was a bus company not associated with the tour guide who is connected to the 3 cases in the Nursing home there.

This is a chart released daily by the Health Dept of the Australian Government. Currently there is only a small number of untraceable community acquired cases. We have severe restrictions for supposedly 90 days to reduce positive cases. No sport, gyms, picnics, gatherings, weddings for only 5, funerals for only 10max, schools open for essential workers’ children, beaches closed, shopping centres have most shops closed,  state and Australian borders closed or heavily restricted, no overseas travel for Australians and for those returning they have forced, guarded isolation in city hotels. And should this have happened sooner - of course. Note the proportion of cruiseship positive cases. Deaths so far from cruiseships are at 40% of the national total.

We hope all that we are doing will help.

Stay home, stay safe and healthy and take all precautions possible, sad times for all.

32 minutes ago, sydgal said:

The Ruby Princess has had at least 4 passengers die after disembarking this cruise. The government has said 10% of all Covid 19 cases in Australia now came from this cruise ship. It appears that you were embarked on a sick ship and are very lucky to have come through without catching the deadly virus.

You were indeed very lucky to avoid the covid-19. More than 40% of corona deaths here in Australia  have been from the cruiseships. Mostly from Ruby and now over 440 positive cases have been related to the Ruby.The next wave will be of those in contact with these passengers.

Everyone in the whole country is in home isolation and any returning from overseas by air or sea are now being housed in city hotels or a couple of islands under guard. Hopefully this may  help to minimize the spread here.

Hope our US cruising friends stay well.

52 minutes ago, Aus Traveller said:

HappyInVan referred to the infections on the Ruby Princess being one-quarter of the Aussies on board. These are his/her figures.

I noticed that post was done about the same time as mine. Thanks for pointing it out though. I think HappyInVan would be about right with the figures just posted. 

I think maybe they might have meant a quarter of the deaths that have occurred in Australia. 5 deaths of Ruby Princess passengers as today of a total 20 deaths nationwide.

3 other cruiseship passengers one from Diamond Princess, one from Celebrity Solstice and one from Voyager of the Seas have lost their lives as well. Totalling 8 out of the total 20 deaths nationwide. i.e. 40% are from cruiseship passengers, sadly.

I can’t see that cruising here in Australia will be at the number of cruises offered this season for many, many years if ever.

We are keen cruisers, Elite on Princess and D+ on RC, and we doubt that we will ever cruise again. The age restrictions will affect us and at the moment our confidence has gone. Probably our version of how cabin (house isolation) fever has affected us ! 

And it saddens us as we have enjoyed cruising so much.

I think Ruby Princess, Border Patrol and NSW health have responsibilities in this debacle. It still doesn’t alter the fact that these ill passengers and crew would still have come down with this virus whether still on the ship or not. Hopefully most have isolated as directed and there will be only a small number of contacts who may get it.

For repatriation of the crew by air, for whoever pays, would be a logistical dilemma. So many crew from all around the world. With our borders and a lot of overseas countries closed and  with only a minimum number of flights, it would be difficult to arrange even if charter flights had to be arranged. That could be 10 to 15 thousand crew on the 9 ships just off NSW. Sad story for all.

Correct, Aus Traveller,  the NSW Police Commisioner has the right to order the ships out of the coastal area and deny them berthing. He has asked for assistance from Aus Gov to direct the ships outside of the coastal zone and to return home. It can’t be good for the crew with this virus onboard but they have not been observing any isolation procedures by the look of the helicopter filmed views. 

Here’s another article, I’ve read today. Very interesting. Ruby is/was due to sail her Alaska season in May and is not returning next season to Australia.

16 minutes ago, Aus Traveller said:

I would not have thought the NSW Police Commissioner had the authority to order cruiseships to leave our waters. That would be up to the Federal government.

You are really challenging Aus Traveller, I am self isolating along with most others with not a great deal to do today except read or watch tv. All the headlines are there and confronting. 

From Sky News this evening.

Update - Sadly 5 deaths now from the Ruby Princess which is  more than a quarter of all the corona deaths in Australia.  Deaths here  also from Voyager of the Seas, Celebrity Solstice and Diamond Princess. 8 in total which more than 40% of all corona deaths in Australia.

In our state alone Ruby Princess has 211 positive cases, Ovation of the Seas has 79 cases, Voyager of the seas 30 and Celebrity Solstice 4.

As an elite cruiser with Princess and in December having one of the best ever family cruises on Majestic Princess it is so sad for all the passengers and crew affected on all cruiselines.

The NSW Police Commissioner has ordered all cruiseships (9 now off the coast of NSW, was 13) to return to their bases overseas. No passengers onboard. This summer season there were around 30+ cruiseships here, 6 being from Princess. 

10 minutes ago, Aus Traveller said:

I knew that three crew were evacuated from the Ruby Princess. You say "Another 3 crew". I cannot find any other reference to three additional crew being taken off.

If you check ABC news online, it was reported 5 hours ago.

Another 3 crew were evacuated overnight and taken to hospital from Ruby. 

The cruiseships are certainly still making the news here in Aus. With sadly 2 deaths from corona and 1 in 7 positive cases nationally are linked to cruiseships. You could check out the Australia-New Zealand cruisers’ forum on cruise critic.

I read an article yesterday in the Independent (UK) that as a package it is still being sold in UK. The journalist did a successful test booking, as reported.  It was suggested that by keeping the package open, some would cancel voluntarily and in that case would get FCC and not a full refund. With the severe UK and Australian travel restrictions, there would be no chance of the cruise or flight going ahead.

39 minutes ago, Pushka said:

Five of 6 positives in SA today from Ruby. 

Numbers from Ovation, Voyager and Solstice are on the rise still.

 Queensland statistics have 96% cases linked to or from overseas travel and nationally it is still 1 in 7 from cruise ships. 

Hopefully as the 14 day isolation times for sea and air travellers come to an end, the new positive cases will start to reduce.