PRINCESS SHIPS & CORONA VIRUS

[Earthworm Jim]

12 hours ago, npcl said:

The biggest issue in the Caribbean, same for now in south pacific is not the illness, but how the island governments will treat cruise ships in order to keep it away.  Have heard that at least 1 ships was denied a port call in the Caribbean (I think it is earlier this this stream).  In the south pacific I had a cruise booked that had 6 islands ports.  5 of the 6 have already announced that they are stopping cruise ship calls.

 

I agree. And as you said in another post, there's no indication the people on the 2 ships in the Caribbean are infected with coronavirus and not the normal viral infections present on every cruise. The risk of being denied entry to a port is real, but since dozens of ships make port Caribbean port stops daily and only two have been denied entry the odds aren't particularly high. That could change in an instant though.

 

Nonetheless, in regards to Cruisinforpeace who was cancelling a Caribbean cruise over coronavirus fears, it doesn't seem logical, at least at this point. There aren't cases of coronavirus on Caribbean cruises, and only 12 cases in the entire nation of 327 million people. Even if you did end up missing one or more ports, a day at sea is better than losing your money and staying home.

 

That said, if Cruisinforpeace is suffering from anxiety over this, the decision is understandable. (Strictly a theoretical. I obviously have no knowledge of Cruisinforpeace's mental health) The risk may not be of consequence, but the anxiety is real and shouldn't be discounted. It's easy for me to say things would be better on the ship, but for an anxiety sufferer, it would be far worse.

Edited February 6, 2020 by Earthworm Jim

[chipmaster]

17 minutes ago, Earthworm Jim said:

So with 10 new cases, does that start the 14 quarantine clock all over again? If those 10 are just infections from before the quarantine started that were, until now, in the incubation period it shouldn't. But if they are newly transmitted cases from, say, the crew distributing food, it should.

 

I don't know how they could possibly tell the difference.

 

Interesting isn't it, can the Princess with multi-national citizens hold like China can Hubei ?    

 

The 14 day is so speculative, yeah maybe some data, but until China gets independent validation nobody knows.

 

Case is you could be a strong person or have a host body that is slow to develop the symptons so a person could be infected and show symptoms in a few days to a few weeks depending on your personal health and how the virus and your body interact.   Just like some people are very resistant and others aren't, clearly good health and age are huge factors like any other disease

 

All it takes is a few of the 3 thousand, including the 1K crew who live in very close quarters to be harboring the virus without any symptons well after the quarantine and then move along and spread it to others, many get sick, some recover and could harbor the virus for weeks or more and keep it leaping alone till next winter, that is how they all survive and spread.

 

But have no fear at somepoint it will either die out or we get control thru aggressive containment like MERs, SARs, ebola, Measles etc... and some like the various versions of the flu never.

[capriccio]

1 minute ago, chipmaster said:

 

Interesting isn't it, can the Princess with multi-national citizens hold like China can Hubei ?   

 

Isn't it Japan doing the holding by not allowing disembarkation not Princess?

[chipmaster]

Just now, capriccio said:

 

Isn't it Japan doing the holding by not allowing disembarkation not Princess?

 

I think any port the ship sails to will have similar restrictions and Japan is likely the most Modern health care and sane adminstrators, also why would princess burn fuel etc. to go to say HK, China or other nearby port, LOL

 

Nobody is getting of even if it was docked in US

[caribill]

20 hours ago, Earthworm Jim said:

Didn't they take out the barrel chairs and small tables from the cabins last year? Can you imagine having 2, and maybe 3 or 4 people in the cabin for 2 weeks with only one chair to sit in?

 

That's rough. No one plans for this kind of thing when they decide to have 3 or 4 in the cabin on the basis that they only use the cabin to sleep.

 

As quoted in a newspaper article:

 

Clyde and Renee Smith, an American couple are on the ship with their two adult grandsons.

 

The couple’s room “is tiny, we don’t have a window, there are four of us – and only one chair”, Renee, 80, said earlier in the day, adding that they had passed the time by watching films.

[Cruzinforpeace***]

7 minutes ago, Earthworm Jim said:

 

I agree. And as you said in another post, there's no indication the people on the 2 ships in the Caribbean are infected with coronavirus and not the normal viral infections present on every cruise. The risk of being denied entry to a port is real, but since dozens of ships make port Caribbean port stops daily and only two have been denied entry the odds aren't particularly high. That could change in an instant though.

 

Nonetheless, in regards to Cruisinforpeace who was cancelling a Caribbean cruise over coronavirus fears, it doesn't seem logical, at least at this point. There aren't cases of coronavirus on Caribbean cruises, and only 12 cases in the entire nation of 327 million people. Even if you did end up missing one or more ports, a day at sea is better than losing your money and staying home.

 

That said, if Cruisinforpeace is suffering from anxiety over this, the decision is understandable. (Strictly a theoretical. I obviously have no knowledge of Cruisinforpeace's mental health) The risk may not be of consequence, but the anxiety is real and shouldn't be discounted. It's easy for me to say things would be better on the ship, but for an anxiety sufferer, it would be far worse.

You’re absolutely right; I do suffer from anxiety.  However, my entire family is wholeheartedly on board with this decision.😀. 
 

Remember the situation is VERY fluid now.  I just read a story that when the Japan cruise Americans are finally able to come home they will most likely be quarantined upon arrival into the USA.  In the end,  they could conceivably be away from their homes for months.  Even a Carribean Cruise is considered “international travel” so anybody on an international cruise could be in that “boat” at this present moment.   For me and my family there are just too many unknowns at this point and we’re not comfortable taking that chance.  Everyone is different and may have a higher threshold for risk.  I guess ours is fairly low.  I’m very much at peace with our decision.  

[fragilek]

I get you cruizinforpeace, I would be so apprehensive all the time I would not enjoy it anyway.   I am just back from our cruise 22nd Jan and so glad as I am sure I would no longer go even although it was in the Caribbean.  The long haul flight would have worried me as would  terminal transfer through Heathrow before I even got on the cruise 

 

We don't really know yet what we are handling let alone how  each individual government will ultimately deal with each emerging scenario, I do not want to end up somewhere away from my hematologist team who monitor me every four weeks. 

 

I have no Lymphocytes so I am at risk from any virus to the extent I take antivirals (along with antibiotics) every day and if I need to see my GP she will do a phone consultation first and if I have to see her I go at the start of the day first appointment.  So  although I have tried to live the last 2 years since I got into remission  as carefree as possible  I am  very wary of any travel at the minute and fully understand others being so too.  My thoughts go out to all caught up in this situation.

[Cruzinforpeace***]

8 minutes ago, fragilek said:

I get you cruizinforpeace, I would be so apprehensive all the time I would not enjoy it anyway.   I am just back from our cruise 22nd Jan and so glad as I am sure I would no longer go even although it was in the Caribbean.  The long haul flight would have worried me as would  terminal transfer through Heathrow before I even got on the cruise 

 

We don't really know yet what we are handling let alone how  each individual government will ultimately deal with each emerging scenario, I do not want to end up somewhere away from my hematologist team who monitor me every four weeks. 

 

I have no Lymphocytes so I am at risk from any virus to the extent I take antivirals (along with antibiotics) every day and if I need to see my GP she will do a phone consultation first and if I have to see her I go at the start of the day first appointment.  So  although I have tried to live the last 2 years since I got into remission  as carefree as possible  I am  very wary of any travel at the minute and fully understand others being so too.  My thoughts go out to all caught up in this situation.

Sending you healing prayers🙏🙏🙏

 

I’m also a cancer survivor (thyroid cancer) and my immune system isn’t the greatest.  That’s also a reason not to “overexpose” myself to germs right now.  

 

[voljeep]

i'm "sure" there are family groups on this cruise in different cabins - maybe even a balcony then an inside across the hall 

 

if that was us, you better believe there would be some 'movement' of passengers between those 2 cabins unless there was security outside stopping us

 

sorry

[capriccio]

52 minutes ago, chipmaster said:

 

I think any port the ship sails to will have similar restrictions and Japan is likely the most Modern health care and sane adminstrators, also why would princess burn fuel etc. to go to say HK, China or other nearby port, LOL

 

Nobody is getting of even if it was docked in US

 

I agree totally.  I misinterpreted your comment as Princess was holding the passengers at their own discretion!

[Host CJSKIDS]

8 minutes ago, voljeep said:

i'm "sure" there are family groups on this cruise in different cabins - maybe even a balcony then an inside across the hall 

 

if that was us, you better believe there would be some 'movement' of passengers between those 2 cabins unless there was security outside stopping us

 

sorry

 

From reports and David Abel's live videos, there are people in the hallways absolutely enforcing the quarantine.

 

Very hard thing because for years we cruised on Princess with us in a mini-suite and the kids in an inside across the hall.  I would not have been able help to help myself and would have to see them.

Edited February 6, 2020 by Host CJSKIDS

[Cruzinforpeace***]

6 minutes ago, voljeep said:

i'm "sure" there are family groups on this cruise in different cabins - maybe even a balcony then an inside across the hall 

 

if that was us, you better believe there would be some 'movement' of passengers between those 2 cabins unless there was security outside stopping us

 

sorry

Exactly.  What are they going to do, kick them off the ship?!  
 

I wonder if any of the crew are quarantined.  Having worked on ships I can say crew quarters are even tighter than the smallest passenger cabin.  I could open my bathroom door from my bed! I’m sure they need as many crew as possible to run the “quarantine operation”.  All I’m saying is that I’m sure this isn’t a tightly run, CDC type quarantine.  It looks like crew are just wearing gloves and masks in pictures I’ve seen online and they’re handling trays and items that passengers have handled.  In China, the caretakers are in full on hazmat suits.  Just saying.  I think they’re all going to be there a while.  Honestly the WHO should send in some emergency workers to assist.  I don’t know, maybe they’re on their way (I hope).

[capriccio]

30 minutes ago, Host CJSKIDS said:

 

From reports and David Abel's live videos, there are people in the hallways absolutely enforcing the quarantine.

 

I just heard passenger David Abel's interview on BBC News on NPR.  The interviewer asked pertinent questions and Mr. Abel's answers were informative.

[greykitty]

29 minutes ago, Host CJSKIDS said:

 

From reports and David Abel's live videos, there are people in the hallways absolutely enforcing the quarantine.

 

Very hard thing because for years we cruised on Princess with us in a mini-suite and the kids in an inside across the hall.  I would not have been able help to help myself and would have to see them.

Wouldn't they, at the beginning of the quarantine, inform the adults to decide who is staying with whom (let's say one adult in a cabin with a child in each cabin) and then, yep, those doors are locked til the end of quarantine.  

 

I was quarantined as an adult some years back due to picking up mumps (we think from administering a test to a large group of young adults applying for a fire department exam - at the time there was a lot of handing paper IDs and such back and forth).  Who knew that my MMR wouldn't last 40 years; I didn't!  And obviously thanks to some folks, herd immunity is not a given anymore.   In any event, my health department wasn't fooling around; if I tried to break quarantine once in, they'd know about it (you know those tapes they put across doors?)

[K.T.B.]

The one thing this crisis has done for me is that this 100% guarantees I'll never book an inside cabin again.  Period.  I will always book a balcony now.

[Moeve]

Some are already going starr crazy and calling upon Donald Trump to come and rescue them! They insist that they do not feel safe anymore and that the Diamond is unsanitary. 
 

me: you are quarantined to your cabin - are you making such a mess of it? 🙄 well then ask for cleaning supplies and clean up after yourself. 
 

I get that clean sheets and towels will be an issue but this will probably also be addressed shortly. One thing at a time! 
 

As to unsafe wait until you see the inside of a Chinese hospital these days. Lady you would wish you had stayed onboard the Diamond.......

[NFL Traveler]

I have no faith in the number of people the Chinese govt claims are infected within their own country.  They began building extra hospitals 10 days ago for numbers that did not match what they were reporting.  None of should ever believe anything reported by China or similar countries; they have a looong history of "lying."

 

A google search for the number of people infected with Coronavirus in China showed a report out of Taiwan from "Tencent."  Apparently, an error was made in posting the numbers infected and moments later the report was changed to reflect what is being reported by Western media.  The numbers in China were in excess of 150,000 with deaths over 25000 (about 16%).  These numbers, to me, seem to far more realistic to what we are being spoon fed.  Some will try to compare the numbers reported with SARS outbreak to Coronavirus and consider the reports accurate.  Not a political statement, but closed Socialist/Communist countries are not known for honesty.  I will link the Tencent article at the bottom of my post.

 

This would explain the need for China to build large temp hospitals with more than 1000 beds.  Also, a well-known US news consolidator had an article reporting that China has been cremating hundreds of bodies per day.  

 

I'm scheduled to sail on the Princess Diamond on 2 April.  I don't mind saying my wife is in total panic.  I'm not of a mind to panic, but prefer to gather data before making a rational decision.  I am inclined to believe Tencent and at some point will probably cancel (I'm hoping something positive will come about in treatment, but...).  If we cancel, we will still venture to Japan, but spend our time traveling the country on our own without the fear (unless there is a sudden explosion of cases in Japan).

 

https://www.ccn.com/alleged-tencent-leak-suggests-coronavirus-death-toll-spiraling-to-25000/

[junglejane]

1 hour ago, Cruzinforpeace*** said:

Exactly.  What are they going to do, kick them off the ship?!  
 

I wonder if any of the crew are quarantined.  Having worked on ships I can say crew quarters are even tighter than the smallest passenger cabin.  I could open my bathroom door from my bed! I’m sure they need as many crew as possible to run the “quarantine operation”.  All I’m saying is that I’m sure this isn’t a tightly run, CDC type quarantine.  It looks like crew are just wearing gloves and masks in pictures I’ve seen online and they’re handling trays and items that passengers have handled.  In China, the caretakers are in full on hazmat suits.  Just saying.  I think they’re all going to be there a while.  Honestly the WHO should send in some emergency workers to assist.  I don’t know, maybe they’re on their way (I hope).

I've been wondering as well about the crew. It seems that so far Princess has risen to the challenge of dealing with a very difficult and unprecedented situation, redeploying crew on new tasks. But it only works if the crew doesn't get sick. As far as I  know, only one crew member has been diagnosed, right? If there are more cases among the crew then this could get even more challenging.

[dog]

On CNN reporter went into quarantine for 14 days in Beijing hotel after leaving city where virus started. He and staff went out today wearing masks. 

[paphoslady]

I can fully understand the anxiety that this is causing, to be honest I personally wouldn't travel to the Far East at the moment. I saw the report about the number of deaths being many times the reported number and to be honest I think its very likely to be correct. The little information that is coming out of China is very worrying. Hotels, convention centres being converted into temporary hospitals with hundreds of beds. Very sick people being turned away from hospitals as there are no beds free. The Chinese doctor who tried to warn others about the disease when he spotted 7 cases of pneumonia in patients has today died of the virus. This may be contained mostly in China, the number of cases in the rest of the world are small. As for everyone on Diamond Princess, my heart goes out to you. Princess will I'm sure start to give fresh towels etc its going to take time for them to get organised. I hear that they are now letting quarantined passengers choose from a menu of sorts, delivering the meals to everyone's cabins must be very time consuming for the crew!  

[KL Smith]

After 50 cruises on many lines I find myself for the very first time actually hoping they cancel our cruise due to the potential quarantine issue. 

Even though we are probably in the most likely age group (65) to be infected, I have no worries about getting sick. I do however have a great fear of someone else getting sick and the ship being quarantined with us locked in our INSIDE cabin for 2 weeks. 

 

Our cruise leaves Los Angeles for Hawaii in 6 days and I have no cancelation insurance, so it would be a 100% loss for us.

 

Has anyone else canceled on this cruise or considering it?

 

Has anyone heard of any potential no-charge cancelling policies from Princess for upcoming cruises other than the ones in Asia already announced?  

[dog]

Only you can decide what you are comfortable with. I would plan to go. Hold out if cruise line cancels since they would offer compensation. Try to move to balcony. Princess is not cancelling cruises except in Asia area at this point. 

[Doug R.]

There is a big difference between prudent caution and unreasonable panic born of fear of what might occur in the worst possible instance.

[reedprincess]

2 minutes ago, Doug R. said:

There is a big difference between prudent caution and unreasonable panic born of fear of what might occur in the worst possible instance.

Nailed it. 

Princess has screening processes in place, no one from contaminated areas allowed aboard, those cases in the USA are being monitored - certainly not boarding a cruise ship, etc.  

Personally, I wouldn't even be concerned, beyond a normal concern I have for noro on a cruise, or flu this time if year in confined spaces.  Not for this Itinerary.  

But - as with anything that may have an element of risk, every one has to make those decisions for themselves, based in their health, their risk tolerance, etc.  

If the OP is this worried already, I can't imagine the cruise will be all that much fun, with panic or paranoia any time someone coughs, etc.  They'll beed ti decide for themselves whether they're going or not. Can't see Princess cancelling this one, barring some drastic change in situation in the next few days. 

[dog]

Holland America Westerdam picked up passengers in Hong Key ng can’t disembark in Japan. News articles reporting