MDTrip

4 hours ago, STLCRUISIN said:

We were recently stranded in Amsterdam due to me testing positive the day before our flight home. I contacted QuickMDdotcom (was recommended by our Rivercruise line) to arrange for a Certificate of Recovery letter. I did not have to provide my passport number and I received the letter via email within 12 hours of speaking to a doctor (doctor was located in California).

Where did you quarantine in Amsterdam? Do you have anyplace to recommend? Was it easy to get food delivered or get take-out food? Thank you. 

2 hours ago, capecodmercury said:

You would be ineligible to be boosted and outside the 270 day period for vaccination.   This is a major consideration. 

I have read that, in the US anyway, the rules have changed. You can receive a booster as soon as you recover from Covid. 

A friend got her second booster, then tested positive three weeks later.

If X says there are 3% with Covid on board you can bet it is much much higher. I would guess 5-10 times higher, with people asymptomatic, people who are not reporting they are sick, and people who are pre-symptomatic. 

What is your guess?

If we cancel our shore excursions, how close to the cruise date can we cancel? Also, do we get OBC or an actual refund? Thanks.

On 5/6/2022 at 6:17 PM, mikewomb said:

 

Don't count on timing the booster to work. I had two friends who got their second booster (fourth Pfizer shot) and got covid three weeks later. There are always exceptions, espectially with the newer variant of omicron that is 25% more contageous. 

Wonder if being in a suite gives her better isolation treatment...

On 4/30/2022 at 11:20 PM, VitaminSea53 said:

So glad to hear Celebrity has heard us and is allowing quarantined passengers a breath of fresh air. Mental health is an important factor to be considered in caring for the Covid positive passengers. If this continues ( quarantining in a balcony cabin), I will reconsider my fall cruise out of Rome. 

I wonder if they are quarantined on a balcony cabin because they were suite passengers. Just a thought.

6 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

 

 

Jim - did you get any indication of how many positive cases there were on the ship?

If I buy the upgraded wifi on the last day, will it be enough bandwidth to do the video-proctored Covid test to fly back to the US? I will be on Apex.

We reserved a long time ago (under CWC) and just this week, friends have decided to go. We got select dining, which is now sold out, so they must choose early dining. I thought if we linked our reservations, that would help us get dining reservations togethebut I hesitated because of potentially canceling the cruise. My question is, if one party decides to cancel the cruise, if our reservations are linked, must both cancel? (They would not be under CWC.)

Canceling due to quarantine fears and having to test to re-enter US.

On 4/23/2022 at 4:52 PM, Ken the cruiser said:

We're getting ready to go on an 18 day Princess cruise and they allow CC Roll Call functions, such as  Meet & Greets and Sailaway gatherings. Infact there are over 100 passengers signed up for the M&G on our cruise, which we won't be going to. On our past 9 Celebrity cruises since cruising started back up, Celebrity did not allow them. Has their policy changed or are they still a no-go? 

Celebrity just reinstated meet and greets.

3 hours ago, renji said:

I had covid last week (no idea where I got it, perhaps at work 6 days before I tested positive). I have no health issues and am 54, my Pfizer booster (I had Pfizer, considered getting Moderna but it wasn’t available) was October so was definitely due for the 4th shot. But in January my partner and I were both exposed, same mild flu symptoms, he tested positive and I did not (omicron 1?)  So I was surprised to get so sick and flemmy that I had a tough time breathing deeply (omicron 2? No idea). The Paxlovid (which I had to wait a day for because even though my insurance covered, my usual pharmacy couldn’t code it, so I had to find another pharmacy) was a game changer. Within 1-2 hours I was considerably better and was breathing freely. In fact, every time I took it, I advanced meaningfully (and quickly) but then stayed feeling the same level of symptoms until the next dose.  And then stayed the same for over a week after the final dose, still sick but so much better.  I think every passenger should have Paxlovid with them so they can start it right away….I am not sure why it is so limited right now, there is supposedly plenty of supply.  The bitter taste in my mouth for a week was unpleasant but worth it.  

I just read a medical article today about Paxlovid. Apparently some people can rebound and test positive and be sick again 14 days later. I thought that was interesting. Just FYI.

I would like the answer also, so I am following this post. 

I have the same question. The test kit supplied by Celebrity is not helpful if it is not give PRIOR to departure and if the wifi is not sufficient to support the 15 min video connection for the test. 

This has been very informative. I think we are going to cancel our upcoming cruise. 

59 minutes ago, CruiseMrB said:

It's time to consider wearing masks on your own again.

 

We recently were on RCCL Independence of the Seas last month and we decided to wear N95's everywhere outside our room except while eating and while sitting separated from others on the outside deck. By observation, well under 10% of the pax were wearing masks, and that percentage decreased as the cruise went on.

 

We have since received our second booster. We also have an X cruise scheduled for October. Our plan for now is to go on the cruise and use the N95's as on the last cruise.

 

Things that would change that thinking:

• Removal of testing requirement. Would cancel.
• Removal of vaccine requirement. Would cancel.
• State of per 100K infection rate here in Florida. Would have to make decision based upon information available. Limited information, though. Florida reports only once every 2 weeks now.

 

Sounds very logical. What is your tipping point for number of infections per 100,000 people in Florida?

We are sailing out of Amsterdam. Is it possible to check in for the cruise, leave our luggage and then leave the ship to explore Amsterdam a bit more before sailing?

I wish the fact that X offers the emed proctored tests for US bound passengers meant that they would guarantee the internet would have enough bandwidth to complete the test! I fear it won't on a regular wifi package. 

21 hours ago, dgraham said:

 

For us, Coq au Vin is one of our favourites and theirs is the best we have eaten anywhere (even better than the one we enjoyed in Le Havre). So we will be rushing there when we board on Saturday. and all their other offerings are outstanding, probably because they work from their own kitchen, and we note that the new exclusive dining room on the Beyond will be right beside the Bistro and perhaps may even use the same kitchen?

 

But maybe because of your recommendation we may also go there Sunday

I agree that the Le Bistro Coq au Vin is excellent. I make my own using Julia Child's recipe. Theirs is identical except they do not include carrots. Instead they have a few Brussels sprouts on the side. I wish they served it on additional days instead of just Saturday!!

I tested at 6:30 AM Central USA. 

Did anyone else see this on an Edge FB page? Is this a new policy? I thought if you were a close contact and then had two negative tests, you were free??

Here is the post:

"I am writing this post, because I do not want anyone to experience what we did this week on the Edge. First of all, I want everyone to know that Celebrity is still and will always be our favorite cruise line.

On Wednesday as we were in the catamaran about to push off, a Celebrity representative came and asked us to come with her. She proceeded to tell us that we were were identified as a close contact and had to be tested and go directly to our cabin.

Long story short, we were tested for 4 days and negative each time. We do know who we exposed and we certainly do not have any ill feelings toward him. A couple asked us to have lunch with them in Luminae and of course we did. They are a lovely couple. Thankfully the gentleman is perfectly fine.

I would suggest to everyone to eat with only the people you are directly traveling with.

As a result of our lunch, we had to be tested daily, wear a mask and eat every meal in our cabin. Such a bummer especially when you are in the Retreat. We were also instructed that we wear a mask on the pool deck and not get in the water.

I want to give a HUGE shout out to our Butler. Katarina was a hero! She delivered all of our food to us with a smile on her face. If it was not for her, we may have withered away to nothing.

I understand that this is the risk we take when traveling right now, but I firmly believe that unless you test positive none of your rights should be taken away."

Did anyone else see this on an Edge FB page? Is this a new policy? I thought if you were a close contact and then had two negative tests, you were free??

Here is the post:

"I am writing this post, because I do not want anyone to experience what we did this week on the Edge. First of all, I want everyone to know that Celebrity is still and will always be our favorite cruise line.

On Wednesday as we were in the catamaran about to push off, a Celebrity representative came and asked us to come with her. She proceeded to tell us that we were were identified as a close contact and had to be tested and go directly to our cabin.

Long story short, we were tested for 4 days and negative each time. We do know who we exposed and we certainly do not have any ill feelings toward him. A couple asked us to have lunch with them in Luminae and of course we did. They are a lovely couple. Thankfully the gentleman is perfectly fine.

I would suggest to everyone to eat with only the people you are directly traveling with.

As a result of our lunch, we had to be tested daily, wear a mask and eat every meal in our cabin. Such a bummer especially when you are in the Retreat. We were also instructed that we wear a mask on the pool deck and not get in the water.

I want to give a HUGE shout out to our Butler. Katarina was a hero! She delivered all of our food to us with a smile on her face. If it was not for her, we may have withered away to nothing.

I understand that this is the risk we take when traveling right now, but I firmly believe that unless you test positive none of your rights should be taken away."

Yes I will wear one except when eating. My husband (who does not cruise) has leukemia. I also will not cruise if the testing requirement is dropped. If he gets Covid he has a one in three chance of dying. When I come back from a cruise I isolate and test before seeing him.