Oceania's Action Plan for Coronavirus

[Flatbush Flyer]

16 minutes ago, manuwolf said:

Nautica is berthing at CC02 at SIN Cruise Centre at Sentosa Harbourfront; CC01 is occupied by Seven Seas Mariner which will be docked overnight.

I checked again today and was told CC01. I will check again in the morning. Nautica will also be there overnight on March 3.

In any case, the March 4 cruise is going (from/to Singapore) with or without the handful of couples (on the various virus related CC threads) who, though it means tossing thousands of dollars down the drain, honestly think/fear/whatever that they will directly be exposed to the virus. As 'I've posted earlier: way too much viewing of zombie apocalypse movies and/or gullibility when it comes to the biased/selective data analysis being peddled by a particular couple of CC naysayers.

There are 6 million people in Singapore who do not have Coronavirus and all sorts of increasingly restrictive policies designed to keep it that way.

Folks here on CC need to maintain a sense of perspective before deciding what to do.

Edited February 19, 2020 by Flatbush Flyer

[Flatbush Flyer]

45 minutes ago, manuwolf said:

Nautica is berthing at CC02 at SIN Cruise Centre at Sentosa Harbourfront; CC01 is occupied by Seven Seas Mariner which will be docked overnight.

Just checked the Singapore Cruise Centre website schedule search engine: Nautica is at berth CC01:

https://www.singaporecruise.com.sg/index.php/?page_id=110&action=cruise

[creativegirl]

8 hours ago, Hawaiidan said:

 Chinese herbs?   Viruses are not bacterial.  Placebo effect?    

Then there is the time honored method..avoid the possibility of contact with the disease  .  Your choice could be the best deterrent.

Uggh. Please don't put words in my mouth.  I didn't say they were anti- bacterial...specifically, there are many herbs are anti-viral as well....

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2948634/

[creativegirl]

1 hour ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

I checked again today and was told CC01. I will check again in the morning. Nautica will also be there overnight on March 3.

In any case, the March 4 cruise is going (from/to Singapore) with or without the handful of couples (on the various virus related CC threads) who, though it means tossing thousands of dollars down the drain, honestly think/fear/whatever that they will directly be exposed to the virus. As 'I've posted earlier: way too much viewing of zombie apocalypse movies and/or gullibility when it comes to the biased/selective data analysis being peddled by a particular couple of CC naysayers.

There are 6 million people in Singapore who do not have Coronavirus and all sorts of increasingly restrictive policies designed to keep it that way.

Folks here on CC need to maintain a sense of perspective before deciding what to do.

I'm really glad you are getting off.....

[4Lakes Lady]

Where is your port of embarkation & cruise?

Miami


Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Petoonya]

2 hours ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

There are 6 million people in Singapore who do not have Coronavirus and all sorts of increasingly restrictive policies designed to keep it that way.

Folks here on CC need to maintain a sense of perspective before deciding what to do.

+1

[Flatbush Flyer]

On a separate Nautica note: Since this is the last R ship to get the NEXT renovation, be advised that the PC computers in the Oceania@Sea lab, are running old versions of Internet Explorer.

Thus, if you are a gmail user, you will nitvbe able to get on the gmail website. You can still receive/send gmail via your smart phone (via the built-in mail app or gmail app) or laptop/tablet. But the computer lab PCs will not do gmail's website.

I mention this because the fluidity of airline scheduling may find you preferring to work on reservations using a desktop computer.

[irr]

Coronavirus Update

For those warning about a sense of perspective keep in mind that cruise ships seem to have a unique environment for infection. The Diamond Princess index case was one passenger from Hong Kong (where there were fewer cases at the time than  there currently are in Singapore. The Diamond princess has more cases than any country in the world other than China. This is despite the fact that screening measures were in place at the time of the cruise. 

• 79 new cases on the Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan. So far, a total of 621 infected people were found among 3,011 passengers and crew members tested (21% infection rate) out of 3,711 total people on the ship.
•  1 new death in Hong Kong: a 70-year-old man with underlying health issues (diabetes and kidney problems). He had taken a day trip to mainland China on January 22, then fallen ill on February 2, with his conditions becoming critical on February 14, when his case was confirmed.
• 3 new known cases in Singapore bringing the total to 84 compared to 1 new case in Hong Kong (now banned for cruise ship travel) bringing the total number of known cases to 63 

At least one other cruise ship case known after travel in SE Asia and that is one patient from the Westerdam. Many expect that further cases will be discovered from that cruise ship even if they have not been identified yet. 

[corpkid]

7 hours ago, irr said:

Coronavirus Update

For those warning about a sense of perspective keep in mind that cruise ships seem to have a unique environment for infection.

 

Let's be honest - there's no "seeming" about it - cruise ships in general are a very effective transmission vector as anyone who's had or been around Noro will confirm.

 

That said - I just talked to a coworker in Singapore and he said so far, all good.  I had previously said I would not go on our May cruise.  I'd like to modify that and say, simply "maybe."  

 

We haven't cancelled anything yet.

[corpkid]

17 hours ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

On a separate Nautica note: Since this is the last R ship to get the NEXT renovation, be advised that the PC computers in the Oceania@Sea lab, are running old versions of Internet Explorer.

Thus, if you are a gmail user, you will nitvbe able to get on the gmail website. You can still receive/send gmail via your smart phone (via the built-in mail app or gmail app) or laptop/tablet. But the computer lab PCs will not do gmail's website.

I mention this because the fluidity of airline scheduling may find you preferring to work on reservations using a desktop computer.

I've been out of the loops for so long with Oceania (been doing Crystal for the past few years) I didn't even know they renovated.  That's great news. 

[irr]

Before you make a decision about getting on a cruise related to how things are for someone who lives and works in Singapore I know you are well aware that there is a big difference between living in an area where the virus is a concern where you have access to health care and support and visiting an area like Singapore without that where you may not know the best approach if you get sick. it is another risk entirely to get on a CRUISE SHIP in Singapore and travel to other high risk areas with hundreds of other people. 

There are also concerns being raised by some in the medical community that this may be a relapsing illness for some.

 

https://www.yahoo.com/news/75-000-ill-2-000-145036978.html

[corpkid]

17 minutes ago, irr said:

Before you make a decision about getting on a cruise related to how things are for someone who lives and works in Singapore I know you are well aware that there is a big difference between living in an area where the virus is a concern where you have access to health care and support and visiting an area like Singapore without that where you may not know the best approach if you get sick. it is another risk entirely to get on a CRUISE SHIP in Singapore and travel to other high risk areas with hundreds of other people. 

There are also concerns being raised by some in the medical community that this may be a relapsing illness for some.

 

https://www.yahoo.com/news/75-000-ill-2-000-145036978.html

While we do not have "trip" insurance, we do have medical evac insurance.  I'm not even sure trip insurance would cover this as it's an "act of God" by their terms.

 

Everyone's tolerance to risk is different.  For us, we will roll the dice (so far).  I really do feel for the folks on the March cruises - this is a difficult decision.  Keep in mind, the cost of the cruise is a "sunk cost" meaning you shouldn't let the lost money drive your thinking.

Edited February 19, 2020 by corpkid

[irr]

You cannot be evacuated with this virus for public health reasons. If you get sick you will need to be quarantined in whatever way the cruise ship deems you should. We now know the way NOT to address this on a cruise ship. We do not yet know the best way to address this on a cruise ship. 

It is just too bad that we are forced into having this conversation when the cruise line is putting passenger, crew and the pubic's health secondary to corporate policy.  This is not even a good business decision. Just ask Princess or Holland America. Even if nothing goes wrong we will never travel with Oceania again, nor will any of our friends or family (and our friends travel a lot) We are not shy travelers. We have been to an eco  lodge with no electricity or walls  hours from civilization, areas of Turkey during periods of unrest with Syria when others cancelled, areas of Canada unreachable by car etc etc etc. This is an entirely different kettle of fish because not only would we put our health at risk we risk the health of our community if we come back contagious as has already happened with at least one traveler who passed through Singapore. We also add an undue burden to those in countries currently struggling to figure out how to screen and care for their own citizens. 

[corpkid]

1 minute ago, irr said:

You cannot be evacuated with this virus for public health reasons. If you get sick you will need to be quarantined in whatever way the cruise ship deems you should. We now know the way NOT to address this on a cruise ship. We do not yet know the best way to address this on a cruise ship. 

It is just too bad that we are forced into having this conversation when the cruise line is putting passenger, crew and the pubic's health secondary to corporate policy.  This is not even a good business decision. Just ask Princess or Holland America. Even if nothing goes wrong we will never travel with Oceania again, nor will any of our friends or family (and our friends travel a lot) We are not shy travelers. We have been to an eco  lodge with no electricity or walls  hours from civilization, areas of Turkey during periods of unrest with Syria when others cancelled, areas of Canada unreachable by car etc etc etc. This is an entirely different kettle of fish because not only would we put our health at risk we risk the health of our community if we come back contagious as has already happened with at least one traveler who passed through Singapore. We also add an undue burden to those in countries currently struggling to figure out how to screen and care for their own citizens. 

I agree with you that Oceania should probably offer folks a bail out plan.  I'm not impressed with how they are handling it, either. That said, it is what it is and you either go or don't - it's a "sunk" cost. If it becomes untenable, I'm pretty sure Oceania isn't going to do it, though.

 

[irr]

You  are right. I guess, thinking of this as a health care professional I am trying to figure out the potential risks to the general US public (as I live in the US) . Our health care system is not really ready to handle people coming back who are not screened, potentially contagious  and scattering to the four corners the way things happened in Europe. Not everyone potentially infected (who may have never travelled but caught it from someone who did) will be insured, even with insurance we have no idea what the costs will be here for screening and treatment. Until we know more about this virus it is better for the public health to delay or minimize  transmission as much as possible. Sending hundreds of reluctance cruisers to an area where the risk is greatest on a floating incubator really does not do much to address the broader issues. if they still want to continue the cruise they should at least offer refunds or credits for those who do not want to go like everyone else has including the airlines, hotels, land tour companies etc. If you are a cruise line you are either part of the global community or living alone in your cruise cave oblivious 

[corpkid]

20 minutes ago, irr said:

You  are right. I guess, thinking of this as a health care professional I am trying to figure out the potential risks to the general US public (as I live in the US) . Our health care system is not really ready to handle people coming back who are not screened, potentially contagious  and scattering to the four corners the way things happened in Europe. Not everyone potentially infected (who may have never travelled but caught it from someone who did) will be insured, even with insurance we have no idea what the costs will be here for screening and treatment. Until we know more about this virus it is better for the public health to delay or minimize  transmission as much as possible. Sending hundreds of reluctance cruisers to an area where the risk is greatest on a floating incubator really does not do much to address the broader issues. if they still want to continue the cruise they should at least offer refunds or credits for those who do not want to go like everyone else has including the airlines, hotels, land tour companies etc. If you are a cruise line you are either part of the global community or living alone in your cruise cave oblivious 

One thing I have been thinking about if we find we won't go is perhaps the credit card company could provide some cover.  No clue, and not suggesting they will - but worth investigating if you go that route.  We paid for everything on our platinum Amex, and they have been good about other "disputes" in the past, though none were $15k ($25k all in).  LOL

Edited February 19, 2020 by corpkid

[drkitkat123]

3 minutes ago, corpkid said:

One thing I have been thinking about if we find we won't go is perhaps the credit card company could provide some cover.  No clue, and not suggesting they will - but worth investigating if you go that route.  We paid for everything on our platinum Amex, and they have been good about other "disputes" in the past, though none were $15k ($25k all in).  LOL

Until there is official government advice not to travel to a specific place, and the cruise or the airline was not making a refund, I would imagine there would be no recourse to claim from insurance. Can anyone confirm this?

[Neliska]

Good news. 😊
 

Our travel agent has just rung to say that Oceania have cancelled our cruise 4 March

She had advised me yesterday that Oceania we’re having a meeting and an announcement was going to be made, but at that stage she didn’t know what was happening. 
 

 

[corpkid]

1 minute ago, Neliska said:

Good news. 😊
 

Our travel agent has just rung to say that Oceania have cancelled our cruise 4 March

She had advised me yesterday that Oceania we’re having a meeting and an announcement was going to be made, but at that stage she didn’t know what was happening. 
 

 

Wow.  That's BIG news for many people.  Thank you for sharing. 

[Pearl64]

My travel agent just emailed me that our April 13th Cruise is cancelled. I know no details about compensation.

[Zesty Italian]

Where was the April 13 cruise going?

[Pearl64]

The cruise was going from Tokyo to Singapore. If you go under Refund Oceania you will find the list of all cancelled cruises. Both the Nautica and the Insignia were impacted. There are no Oceania cruises in Asia through June.

[manuwolf]

9 minutes ago, Pearl64 said:

The cruise was going from Tokyo to Singapore. If you go under Refund Oceania you will find the list of all cancelled cruises. Both the Nautica and the Insignia were impacted. There are no Oceania cruises in Asia through June.

We are on March 18 sailing on Nautica. Where do you find the list of affected cruises exactly?

[Paulchili]

2 minutes ago, manuwolf said:

We are on March 18 sailing on Nautica. Where do you find the list of affected cruises exactly?

Here (post #22)from the "horse's mouth" 😀 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2735392-refunds-from-oceania/?tab=comments#comment-59442450

 

[jeanine]

March 4thcancelled!