PRINCESS SHIPS & CORONA VIRUS

[cruzsnooze]

I hope they keep final payment just where it is. I am booked to japan in July and if Princess blinks first I get 25% off a future cruise.

[thinfool]

To the OP...do you have travel insurance?  If not this is a nice opportunity to get it.

[BulldustHHH]

Unfortunately, I expect to see a blow out in case numbers in the USA as test kits get rolled out en masse. The CDC had been standing on the proverbial hose, but testing rules have now been relaxed. I expect the plan will quickly shift from containing the virus to slowing the spread. Slowing the spread will minimise the size of the peak (active cases) so as to (hopefully) not overburden the health system. Once the system is at capacity, triage will come into effect. Hope that it doesn't get there, because the CFR (Case Fatality Rate) will rise under that scenario.

[chipmaster]

10 minutes ago, BulldustHHH said:

Unfortunately, I expect to see a blow out in case numbers in the USA as test kits get rolled out en masse. The CDC had been standing on the proverbial hose, but testing rules have now been relaxed. I expect the plan will quickly shift from containing the virus to slowing the spread. Slowing the spread will minimise the size of the peak (active cases) so as to (hopefully) not overburden the health system. Once the system is at capacity, triage will come into effect. Hope that it doesn't get there, because the CFR (Case Fatality Rate) will rise under that scenario.

 

Numbers will climb all but a certainty, its science and biology and very predictable.

[beckym]

Interesting to read the original post, in  light of the situation now with Grand Princess, its current cruise that sailed to Hawaii and is about to return to SF, and its previous cruise that sailed roundtrip SF to Mexico and back.
I'll be following  to see if family and I  (and/or Princess!) will continue on with Grand Princess West Coast cruise May 5.

[Pushka]

I'm having a hard time believing that so few tests have been conducted in the US thus far. 

[Maya1234]

On 2/9/2020 at 8:30 PM, riffatsea said:

I just think that people are getting wild in their fears that are not based on the reality of the situation. Just because there is an outbreak in Japan on a Princess ship there , does not mean there is an outbreak in LA on a ship going to Hawaii.

 

Wow. Of course you are right on the “ just because”. But That ended up being quite the statement as of today. 

[brisalta]

On 2/27/2020 at 7:39 PM, BrennerM said:

I’m very surprised (and disappointed) that Princess hasn’t yet updated their screening to include travel from Korea, Iran, and the affected Northern Italy regions.

 

The following was updated yesterday March 4th, 2020 https://www.princess.com/news/notices_and_advisories/notices/coronavirus-update.html

It includes Korea, Iran and Italy in the list of countries that are on the restricted list.

[BulldustHHH]

17 minutes ago, Pushka said:

I'm having a hard time believing that so few tests have been conducted in the US thus far. 

My understanding is that it had to do with the CDC's requirements for testing. As those testing restrictions were relaxed recently (in the last couple of days) many more tests will now be performed. Consequently I believe a lot of cases will be 'revealed' which couldn't be tested previously due to the restrictions of the testing regime. No doubt the media will react with shock and horror. 

 

Here is one example:

https://www.businessinsider.com.au/new-york-man-denied-coronavirus-test-japan-trip-fever-cough-2020-3?r=US&IR=T

 

You won't find something if you aren't looking for it.

[Pushka]

5 minutes ago, BulldustHHH said:

My understanding is that it had to do with the CDC's requirements for testing. As those testing restrictions were relaxed recently (in the last couple of days) many more tests will now be performed. Consequently I believe a lot of cases will be 'revealed' which couldn't be tested previously due to the restrictions of the testing regime. No doubt the media will react with shock and horror. 

 

Here is one example:

https://www.businessinsider.com.au/new-york-man-denied-coronavirus-test-japan-trip-fever-cough-2020-3?r=US&IR=T

 

You won't find something if you aren't looking for it.

Absolutely agree. And which is why I think Bali has many cases that we just won't find out about. 
 

The following was updated yesterday March 4th, 2020 https://www.princess.com/news/notices_and_advisories/notices/coronavirus-update.html

It includes Korea, Iran and Italy in the list of countries that are on the restricted list.

 

How on earth do they plan to manage Med cruises then? They start next month. 

 

Edited March 5, 2020 by Pushka

[Loreni]

I read an article from a Purdue professor saying, unlike planes, cruise ship ventilation systems don’t filter viruses.

 

I don’t really want to stop cruising, but I also don’t want to get sick....even with just the regular flu.  So I was researching online and shopping for a portable air purifier that kills viruses.  Apparently they exist and the use UV light.  I also found an article saying that most people wouldn’t even accept a free cruise right now.  With all the cancellations form both the passengers and Princess, the ships may end up empty anyway.  This could be an opportunity to make some improvements to the ventilation system.  

[chipmaster]

That is but one thing, how do they take care of the elevator, the theater where you climb over 10 people to get to your seat or have 10 people climb over you, how do you santize the handrails, how to you sanitize the thongs in the buffet line, how to you sanitize the menus that are used hundreds of times in the dining room, and on and on and on. 

 

Let's not forget the cruise employees who eat and sleep and probably engage in all sorts of other activity in tight quarters then come up to serve the customers!    

 

 

[caribill]

The easiest way to get infected is to be within six feet of a person who has the virus and is contagious. No air filtration system will help if you are within six feet of a coughing contagious person.

[Loreni]

I agree that improving the ventilation won’t prevent virus transmission.  But could it reduce it in a meaningful way?  Another way to ask would be: is there anything at all that can be done to significantly reduce the current rate of virus transmission on cruise ships?  If the answer is “no” what does this mean for passengers?  If the answer is “yes” or “maybe” then shouldn’t it be investigated and, if feasible, implemented.  If the ships will be empty anyway, why not take the opportunity to make real improvements.

 

Edited March 5, 2020 by Loreni

[BulldustHHH]

6 hours ago, BulldustHHH said:

The CDC had been standing on the proverbial hose

My bad, it's actually the FDA that controlled the testing regime, not CDC as I recalled. There is an excellent (though somewhat technical) run down on this channel (Medcram):

 

[Jemnibabe]

On 2/28/2020 at 7:49 PM, scottca075 said:

 

Just got back from this wonderful trip on the Star Princess.

 

There was EXTENSIVE screening. We had to fill out a form; Have you been to China recently, Y or N ? Do you have a cough, Y or N ? Do you have a temperature, Y or N ? No, no, no??? Okay, get onboard....

 

 

And what about all those people who honestly don't have those symptoms yet but are carrying the virus?  Only takes one of them aboard to cause a whole lot of problems.

 

Judy in SW Florida

 

[GonzoWCS]

7 hours ago, beckym said:

Interesting to read the original post, in  light of the situation now with Grand Princess, its current cruise that sailed to Hawaii and is about to return to SF, and its previous cruise that sailed roundtrip SF to Mexico and back.
I'll be following  to see if family and I  (and/or Princess!) will continue on with Grand Princess West Coast cruise May 5.

Yes how many cruises will be affected especially after Princess' "EXTENSIVE" screening techniques?

 

Wake up Princess and get a grip on your processes!

[Psoque]

It's interesting that even this physician in the video is slightly confused about what is quarantine vs. isolation, exposure vs. infection.  Sigh.

[mcrcruiser]

 How much damage to both Princess & the other cruise lines can not be determined just yet  . Should containment of this virus get out of hand  then it is in the short term the end of cruises  .Who would want to board a ship only to get sick or worse ?

[GonzoWCS]

13 minutes ago, mcrcruiser said:

 How much damage to both Princess & the other cruise lines can not be determined just yet  . Should containment of this virus get out of hand  then it is in the short term the end of cruises  .Who would want to board a ship only to get sick or worse ?

This

[PrincessLuver]

8 hours ago, Pushka said:

I'm having a hard time believing that so few tests have been conducted in the US thus far. 

 

I agree.....especially when a country like Korea is testing over 10,000 people a day.....

[capriccio]

1 hour ago, GonzoWCS said:

Yes how many cruises will be affected especially after Princess' "EXTENSIVE" screening techniques?

 

Wake up Princess and get a grip on your processes!

What do you propose?  I think asymptomatic patients are the biggest threat to the healthy population but, as the virus spreads, they can’t be identified without testing of everyone.  

[billco]

6 hours ago, chipmaster said:

That is but one thing, how do they take care of the elevator, the theater where you climb over 10 people to get to your seat or have 10 people climb over you, how do you santize the handrails, how to you sanitize the thongs in the buffet line, how to you sanitize the menus that are used hundreds of times in the dining room, and on and on and on. 

 

Let's not forget the cruise employees who eat and sleep and probably engage in all sorts of other activity in tight quarters then come up to serve the customers!    

 

 

Important question of the day! Just how do you sanitize the thongs in the buffet line?

[GonzoWCS]

13 minutes ago, capriccio said:

What do you propose?  I think asymptomatic patients are the biggest threat to the healthy population but, as the virus spreads, they can’t be identified without testing of everyone.  

Testing is the key fur sure.  

[Hlitner]

4 minutes ago, GonzoWCS said:

Testing is the key fur sure.  

Perhaps, but that is not practical.  It takes hours to even get a preliminary result and several days to get confirmation from either the CDC lab or other labs who meet CDC guidelines.  There are still shortages of the test kits.  Also consider that one would need to test all the workers at all the ports and those tests would not be valid once the employee has contacted any other folks.  And if one is tested positive then what?  The norm would be to tell them to self-quarantine in their own home, but that does not work for those in travel status.  To sum it up, this virus has created a mess which might have been best expressed by a Disease Specialist physician we heard on TV who said something along the lines of "I am going to get this virus and you are also likely to get this virus.  Most folks will experience mild to no symptoms and will likely not even know they had the virus."  And therein lies the big problem.  With most folks exhibiting mild or no symptoms it becomes nearly impossible to stop the spread.  And we have not heard anyone answer a simple question.  If one has had this COVID-19 virus can they get it again?  What a mess!

 

Hank