News on the Westerdam

[kangforpres]

Maybe they should consider fueling up in Thailand and then head to Honolulu? I'm somewhat serious if there is no place for them to go in South East Asia,  China, Japan, Taiwan or South Korea they might as well start heading East.  I guess Australia or NZ would accept them?

 

-Paul

[Level six]

2 minutes ago, atexsix said:

This is getting ridiculous! Everybody's overreacting now, when the ship doesn't even have a single confirmed case (source: BBC).

 

 

True, but how could they have a confirmed case?  There are no tests on board.  I am not saying there is a case, just that no one knows.  

 

I was supposed to be on this cruise and it is insane what has happened, but I am so glad I decided not to board. 

[dillpickle48]

Under the present policy of US and Australia, I doubt they would accept them.  Both have ruled out entry to anyone from a known coronavirus center.  I wish all on board a quick resolution and a safe return home.

[teamflames]

9 minutes ago, atexsix said:

This is getting ridiculous! Everybody's overreacting now, when the ship doesn't even have a single confirmed case (source: BBC).

 

How could they know if they have one or not? They don’t have any testing facilities onboard. Many of the nations are banning all cruise ships in the region. I don’t know why Thailand is suddenly refusing HAL but I can only assume it is due to starting in Hong Kong?

[kazu]

50 minutes ago, Maya1234 said:

The Guardian, also reputable, also just posted that Thailand is a no-go. It’s really crazy. I feel bad for all the people on board who are in limbo w/r/t return flights. 

 

Sadly the Financial Post has said the same thing https://business.financialpost.com/pmn/business-pmn/thailand-refuses-entry-to-cruise-ship-with-no-coronavirus-cases

 

HAL’s post on FB and on their website made it sound like they had cleared two ports to disembark.

 

I can’t imagine how the people on board feel having packed thinking they are getting off and now this....
 

I hope someone has told them by now.

[atexsix]

11 minutes ago, teamflames said:

How could they know if they have one or not? They don’t have any testing facilities onboard. Many of the nations are banning all cruise ships in the region. I don’t know why Thailand is suddenly refusing HAL but I can only assume it is due to starting in Hong Kong?

Well, you have a point, but that chance is there with any flight/ship at this stage of the game. Without ports to call on the entire cruise industry will grind to a halt and when the dust settles they'll be begging for tourists to come back, and who will after being treated like lepers?

 

Hard to believe, we were warned about this type of scenario in college; how airplanes/travel would be our undoing.

Edited February 11, 2020 by atexsix

[3rdGenCunarder]

I can't believe HAL would announce they were going to a port without having clearance. So who in Thailand said yes? Is HAL going to be a victim of a tussle between two cabinet ministers? 

 

[Mandalay1903]

22 minutes ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

I can't believe HAL would announce they were going to a port without having clearance. So who in Thailand said yes? Is HAL going to be a victim of a tussle between two cabinet ministers? 

 

Believe it. Refer to post #219 on this blog in which HAL reiterated by email on Saturday 2/8 to its passengers booked on the 2/29 cruise that it would be leaving on schedule for a round trip from/to Yokohama. And at the time of Saturday's email, Japan had already banned the Westerdam (and any other international cruise ship) from its ports. Japan has not since lifted that ban and HAL has not since announced a new itinerary.

Edited February 11, 2020 by Mandalay1903
Date error

[atexsix]

Someone in the Coronavirus thread said they should get out of there and head to Hawaii, that'll be half the quarantine time by the time they get there, and if anyone does test positive they'll have access to American hospitals. It'll also give HAL time to move the ship to another market, giving it's current passengers first dibs on those sailings.

[teamflames]

3 minutes ago, atexsix said:

Someone in the Coronavirus thread said they should get out of there and head to Hawaii, that'll be half the quarantine time by the time they get there, and if anyone does test positive they'll have access to American hospitals. It'll also give HAL time to move the ship to another market, giving it's current passengers first dibs on those sailings.

Would the USA accept them? Guam (US territory) refused

[Viv0828]

53 minutes ago, Level six said:

I was supposed to be on this cruise and it is insane what has happened, but I am so glad I decided not to board. 

 

i am glad for you too. what a rotten situation. no winners in this debacle.

Edited February 11, 2020 by Viv0828

[boze9999]

I understand the general ports in the Philippines rejected the Westerdam, However, can anyone share an explanation for why the Westerdam could not port at any of our numerous military bases in the Philippines and safely quarantine as the planes are doing at US military bases? 

[Taters]

I read about this Bangkok refusal at about noon my time, and the passengers still have no official word, though some have learned this through FB just a couple of hours ago...  that's 6 hours after it was in the international news, folks.

 

What really bothers me at this point is that the suits at HAL have decided to bury their head in the sand, which IMHO, is very irresponsible.  And if you check out this updated article from Reuters, within the article it states, "Calls to the company’s media hotline went unanswered on Tuesday."

 

What on earth can HAL be thinking to let people just continue to spend money on flight changes when they know they are not going to be able to dock in Thailand and disembark passengers?  Why are they not communicating?  A lot of people do not book their flights using HAL's Flight Ease.  There are probably honeymooners on board who were gifted their cruise and have limited funds.  Not everyone is made of money.  What is going to happen to these folks?

 

I thought HAL was better than this, and I am very disappointed.

 

Here's the updated article:

 

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-health-thailand-cruiseship/thailand-refuses-entry-to-cruise-ship-with-no-coronavirus-cases-idUSKBN20503T

 

 

Edited February 11, 2020 by Taters

[SunNFunCruzer]

16 minutes ago, Taters said:

 

What on earth can HAL be thinking to let people just continue to spend money on flight changes when they know they are not going to be able to dock in Thailand and disembark passengers? 

 

How frustrating for those poor folks.  Under the circumstances, the airlines might be accommodating on a case-by-case basis.  I know a number of airlines have extended me courtesies over the years for various reasons, and offered a credit and/or refund, when extraordinary circumstances warranted it.  Both when I had frequent flier status and when I did not.

 

There's a really interesting thread about the Diamond Princess on the Princess Board that discusses all kinds of possibilities about docking and quarantines:

 

 

[icat2000]

It’s a terrible situation for all both passengers and the cruise line. However, some country is going to have to show a little bit of humanity and some compassion to allow this ship to dock to let passengers off.

 

However, any country that does take up this responsibility would have to be sure they had facilities to deal with the situation and if necessary quarantine the passengers until they all called be medically cleared.

 

It was probably a little bit unrealistic for Holland America to place the burden on these Asian counties that probably don’t have the facilities to deal with the volume to ensure they are not carrying anything.

 

i suspect that Holland America might have to look towards a western country to seek assistance.

[atexsix]

56 minutes ago, teamflames said:

Would the USA accept them? Guam (US territory) refused

I don't see how a U.S. state can refuse if it's up to the federal government, they can't float around forever.  And if it is a problem they can dock at a military base or tender to the nearest container port, in fact the U.S. government can probably pull it off quietly....makes me wonder if Bangkok got ruined in the first place because people were blabbing about it, some discretion is in order to avoid fits of hysterics by local media who blow most things out of proportion, I once worked at a major newspaper and good news does not sell newspapers.

[tcc8v]

1 hour ago, atexsix said:

This is getting ridiculous! Everybody's overreacting now, when the ship doesn't even have a single confirmed case (source: BBC).

 

Politicians react to public pressure.  Public pressure can inflame very fast with social media.  One can easily imagine the following scenario: people erupt with the HAL announcement that Westerdam is going to Thailand, the sudden increase in Diamond Princess infections to 135 inflames them more, Thai politicians decide that the heat is not worth whatever benefit Thailand would gain from admitting the Westerdam and they change their mind.

 

i truly hope that the news articles that Thailand has changed its mind are false.  But if you think how the DP outbreak must look to Asians, the plight of the Westerdam does not seem especially surprising.

[atexsix]

Just now, tcc8v said:

Politicians react to public pressure.  Public pressure can inflame very fast with social media.  One can easily imagine the following scenario: people erupt with the HAL announcement that Westerdam is going to Thailand, the sudden increase in Diamond Princess infections to 135 inflames them more, Thai politicians decide that the heat is not worth whatever benefit Thailand would gain from admitting the Westerdam and they change their mind.

 

i truly hope that the news articles that Thailand has changed its mind are false.  But if you think how the DP outbreak must look to Asians, the plight of the Westerdam does not seem especially surprising.

Then all the more reason to high tail it back to the west where people spend more time worried about what jewelry Kim Kardashian wore today or how much the Hollywood babes paid for their dress last night. Honestly, docking in LA is the best thing they could do.

[teamflames]

2 minutes ago, atexsix said:

Then all the more reason to high tail it back to the west where people spend more time worried about what jewelry Kim Kardashian wore today or how much the Hollywood babes paid for their dress last night. Honestly, docking in LA is the best thing they could do.

Just out of curiosity, how are you certain the USA would let them dock at any port?

[Taters]

10 minutes ago, atexsix said:

I don't see how a U.S. state can refuse if it's up to the federal government, they can't float around forever.  And if it is a problem they can dock at a military base or tender to the nearest container port, in fact the U.S. government can probably pull it off quietly....

One report I read about Guam's refusal is that they simply do not have the facilities needed to do testing and/or quarantine on such a large level.

[atexsix]

6 minutes ago, teamflames said:

Just out of curiosity, how are you certain the USA would let them dock at any port?

I can't really, not without bringing politics into it and I don't think we want to go there. 

 

Maybe they can go around dropping off each country's own citizens like a bus. At least this way they wouldn't overwhelm any one places resources.

[Wehwalt]

Westerdam is now off the southern tip of Vietnam. I suppose it's possible they will make no further announcement to avoid stirring things up. Maybe they're going to Sihonoukville? Not a lot of facilities there but if Cambodia will take the passengers ...

[MAVIP]

From the Facebook page of HAL 34 minutes ago: 

Westerdam Update: we are aware of the reports regarding the status of Westerdam’s call to Laem Chabang (Bangkok), Thailand. We are actively working this matter and will provide an update when we are able. We know this is confusing for our guests and their families, and we greatly appreciate their patience.

[markarmel]

This may sound ridiculous but would Darwin Australia be out of the question. There is a quarantine location there should they need it. Just throwing it out there.

[Two4Sea]

Regarding reading ship AIS positions, I've placed some info on a Seabourn thread .

 

Bill