Caronavirus - effect on A/NZ cruise market

[mr walker]

You just enjoy - if that means good use of the DBP then all good!

 

Overnighting in Tauranga opens up some possibilities to travel further afield, or at least having more time at places without the time pressure to 'get back to the ship'. 

[MMDown Under]

Did anyone see the video of the boy in the mask beside his grandfather in a hospital corridor in China?  The grandfather died and it was thought the grandmother was going to die.  That was the saddest scene which told the true story of the agony behind the spread of the virus.  Just not enough hospital beds, despite the Chinese building those hospitals in record time.  

 

I'm curious how the Chinese Government knew it would need to build so many hospitals in such a short time?  And why so many people are dying in China?  

[OzKiwiJJ]

10 minutes ago, MMDown Under said:

 And why so many people are dying in China?  

One reason may be that it's winter there, and more people have lower resistance to illnesses in cold weather.

[Beanb41]

60 million people live at Coronavirus ground zero. How many have died about 400  . Too complicated for me to work out a percentage buts not a lot

[MMDown Under]

8 minutes ago, Beanb41 said:

60 million people live at Coronavirus ground zero. How many have died about 400  . Too complicated for me to work out a percentage buts not a lot

Over 500 have died in China now.  It is more than SARS when ships were redeployed to Australia and elsewhere. 

[Beanb41]

7 minutes ago, MMDown Under said:

Over 500 have died in China now.  It is more than SARS when ships were redeployed to Australia and elsewhere. 

If the film on our news showing an old man and lady not getting treatment for the disease in China is anything to go by there will be a lot more. The film showing a young man pleading for help for his grandfather and grandmother. The grandfather died shortly after the film was shot.

 

[LittleFish1976]

1 hour ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

One reason may be that it's winter there, and more people have lower resistance to illnesses in cold weather.

I've been reading as much as I can get my hands on today and it seems that their medical facilities are enormously over-stretched. They are not able to care for, nor treat people adequately. It sounds like a real crisis. Awful. I believe that's why more people are dying there - just not enough facilities or equipment.

[ilikeanswers]

2 hours ago, MMDown Under said:

Did anyone see the video of the boy in the mask beside his grandfather in a hospital corridor in China?  The grandfather died and it was thought the grandmother was going to die.  That was the saddest scene which told the true story of the agony behind the spread of the virus.  Just not enough hospital beds, despite the Chinese building those hospitals in record time.  

 

I'm curious how the Chinese Government knew it would need to build so many hospitals in such a short time?  And why so many people are dying in China?  

 

The problem is China should have nipped this in the bud when the first doctors started reporting a strange flu. Instead they threatened those doctors to shut up or end up incarcerated😕. It should have never reached this stage in the first place since after SARS WHO made it clear that if China didn't regulated their markets better and implement some health and safety standards there will be another contagion outbreak. But unfortunately China spends more resources regulating their social media than public health.

 

Weird thing is China has some empty hospitals already so I don't understand why they did not just equipe those rather than building prefabricated hospitals🤔. There was a video that came out of a doctor screaming down a phone that he needs to sleep. He had apparently done four shifts back to back😓 and his bosses were demanding he do another.They are under staffed and resourced and despite offers from the international community to send help they don't seem willing to accept. Combine this with the high numbers of infected and statistically it makes sense China would have the highest mortality rate.

Edited February 6, 2020 by ilikeanswers

[Apple4]

I am in Honolulu and scheduled to fly to Sydney next week, returning from Auckland.  My plan had been to book a last-minute AU/NZ cruise on the Maasdam in an inside cabin, the only category left.  I’ve been following the Coronavirus news and reading all the posts on CC.  I haven’t yet booked the cruise as I have concerns, even though I know the chances are low that someone on the cruise would get the illness.  The Maasdam has also had mechanical issues this week and I have been unable to confirm if this has been fixed.  My options are to go on the cruise and take my chances; a land-only vacation in AU/NZ; or cancel the flights and stay in Hawaii.  I’m interested in opinions that might help me make this decision by the end of this week.  This would be my 3rd HAL cruise and I haven’t travelled to AU/NZ since 1980!

[Porky55]

deleted

 

Edited February 6, 2020 by Porky55

[Aus Traveller]

53 minutes ago, Apple4 said:

I am in Honolulu and scheduled to fly to Sydney next week, returning from Auckland.  My plan had been to book a last-minute AU/NZ cruise on the Maasdam in an inside cabin, the only category left.  I’ve been following the Coronavirus news and reading all the posts on CC.  I haven’t yet booked the cruise as I have concerns, even though I know the chances are low that someone on the cruise would get the illness.  The Maasdam has also had mechanical issues this week and I have been unable to confirm if this has been fixed.  My options are to go on the cruise and take my chances; a land-only vacation in AU/NZ; or cancel the flights and stay in Hawaii.  I’m interested in opinions that might help me make this decision by the end of this week.  This would be my 3rd HAL cruise and I haven’t travelled to AU/NZ since 1980!

Only you can make the decision, but maybe the idea of a land vacation in Aust/NZ would be a good idea. Accommodation etc should be easy to book with a lot of overseas tourists not able to come to Australia.

[lissie]

2 hours ago, Apple4 said:

I am in Honolulu and scheduled to fly to Sydney next week, returning from Auckland.  My plan had been to book a last-minute AU/NZ cruise on the Maasdam in an inside cabin, the only category left.  I’ve been following the Coronavirus news and reading all the posts on CC.  I haven’t yet booked the cruise as I have concerns, even though I know the chances are low that someone on the cruise would get the illness.  The Maasdam has also had mechanical issues this week and I have been unable to confirm if this has been fixed.  My options are to go on the cruise and take my chances; a land-only vacation in AU/NZ; or cancel the flights and stay in Hawaii.  I’m interested in opinions that might help me make this decision by the end of this week.  This would be my 3rd HAL cruise and I haven’t travelled to AU/NZ since 1980!

Well there are no cases in NZ and Australia has 14 cases and the US 12 - so your odds are looking extremely good. 

 

Both NZ and Australia have closed their borders to non-citizens who have been to China in the last 14 days. 

 

There is a great line from an Aussie movie (STrictly Ballroom) - "a life  lived in fear is a life half lived" 

[MMDown Under]

13 hours ago, Apple4 said:

I am in Honolulu and scheduled to fly to Sydney next week, returning from Auckland.  My plan had been to book a last-minute AU/NZ cruise on the Maasdam in an inside cabin, the only category left.  I’ve been following the Coronavirus news and reading all the posts on CC.  I haven’t yet booked the cruise as I have concerns, even though I know the chances are low that someone on the cruise would get the illness.  The Maasdam has also had mechanical issues this week and I have been unable to confirm if this has been fixed.  My options are to go on the cruise and take my chances; a land-only vacation in AU/NZ; or cancel the flights and stay in Hawaii.  I’m interested in opinions that might help me make this decision by the end of this week.  This would be my 3rd HAL cruise and I haven’t travelled to AU/NZ since 1980!

Good idea to listen to your concerns Apple4.  Whilst Maasdam has interesting itineraries of much interest to me, I have not booked a cruise on the ship because of its on-going mechanical issues.  

I suggest you consider flying to Sydney next week, then do a land tour of NZ before returning from Auckland.  

[mr walker]

16 hours ago, MMDown Under said:

I'm curious how the Chinese Government knew it would need to build so many hospitals in such a short time?  

 

Since the announcement of the outbreak, there was TV footage of earthmoving equipment reportedly clearing land for a new hospital required  for use for this epidemic, and the plan was for it to be done in a week. Not sure if it was completed in a week, but there have been reports that this new hospital is now in use. Can't confirm any of this of course.

 

But just imagine how far the building of a new hospital would have progress here in a week, or even a year, maybe even 5 years!

[NSWP]

One wonders if this virus has been rife in China for much longer than we know.

[Beanb41]

5 minutes ago, mr walker said:

 

Since the announcement of the outbreak, there was TV footage of earthmoving equipment reportedly clearing land for a new hospital required  for use for this epidemic, and the plan was for it to be done in a week. Not sure if it was completed in a week, but there have been reports that this new hospital is now in use. Can't confirm any of this of course.

 

But just imagine how far the building of a new hospital would have progress here in a week, or even a year, maybe even 5 years!

Apparently the first 1500 bed hospital took 10 days and is now in operation. Our local news this morning said that the number of new outbreaks in China has declined for the first time. Lets hope it continues

[LittleFish1976]

20 minutes ago, NSWP said:

One wonders if this virus has been rife in China for much longer than we know.

Quite likely. Also, that the reported statistics are only showing the most severe 10% or so of cases - most less severe ones are unreported. The fact people can be infected and have minimal symptoms leads to more difficulty in controlling the spread of the virus as they may not know they have it and continue to go about their business, mingling in public etc.

[MicCanberra]

1 hour ago, Beanb41 said:

 Our local news this morning said that the number of new outbreaks in China has declined for the first time. Lets hope it continues

Seconded.

[MMDown Under]

56 minutes ago, NSWP said:

One wonders if this virus has been rife in China for much longer than we know.

Yes, sad story of the death of a doctor who identified that there was a new virus and warned other doctors to wear protection, has died.  He was reprimanded by local police and made to sign a retraction.  (Li Wenlieng, aged 34)

5th person, from one group of travellers in isolation at the GC Hospital, has been identified with the virus. 

Hong Kong has identified three people, in one building with the virus, who haven't mixed with anyone with the virus from Mainland China.  

[The_Big_M]

3 hours ago, mr walker said:

 

Since the announcement of the outbreak, there was TV footage of earthmoving equipment reportedly clearing land for a new hospital required  for use for this epidemic, and the plan was for it to be done in a week. Not sure if it was completed in a week, but there have been reports that this new hospital is now in use. Can't confirm any of this of course.

 

But just imagine how far the building of a new hospital would have progress here in a week, or even a year, maybe even 5 years!

 

Difference between emergency and long-term planning. 

 

Also these new ones were built as "field hospitals" with a temporary nature and the videos were even prepared specifically to show the special effort they were doing, which is not like normal construction.

[lissie]

18 hours ago, Apple4 said:

I am in Honolulu and scheduled to fly to Sydney next week, returning from Auckland.  My plan had been to book a last-minute AU/NZ cruise on the Maasdam in an inside cabin, the only category left.  I’ve been following the Coronavirus news and reading all the posts on CC.  I haven’t yet booked the cruise as I have concerns, even though I know the chances are low that someone on the cruise would get the illness.  The Maasdam has also had mechanical issues this week and I have been unable to confirm if this has been fixed.  My options are to go on the cruise and take my chances; a land-only vacation in AU/NZ; or cancel the flights and stay in Hawaii.  I’m interested in opinions that might help me make this decision by the end of this week.  This would be my 3rd HAL cruise and I haven’t travelled to AU/NZ since 1980!

 I saw this article and I thought you might find it interesting https://www.traveller.com.au/coronavirus-on-cruise-ships-in-australia-what-are-the-risks-h1llk5

[mr walker]

49 minutes ago, The_Big_M said:

 

Difference between emergency and long-term planning. 

 

Also these new ones were built as "field hospitals" with a temporary nature and the videos were even prepared specifically to show the special effort they were doing, which is not like normal construction.

People needing immediate attention probably don't care for the difference, only that they get treatment.

[The_Big_M]

Of course, they're built like that for quicker medical handling, not as long term buildings.

Edited February 7, 2020 by The_Big_M

[MMDown Under]

Has anyone heard mention of any ships being redeployed to Australia/NZ during this virus?  I read that one ship was being redeployed to the Mediterranean.

[OzKiwiJJ]

5 minutes ago, MMDown Under said:

Has anyone heard mention of any ships being redeployed to Australia/NZ during this virus?  I read that one ship was being redeployed to the Mediterranean.

Not yet but it wouldn't surprise me.