New travel recommendations from CDC

[Gray Eagle02]

https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/page/cruise-ship-asia

[flossie009]

The phrase "shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted" comes to mind.

It is very easy to provide sage advice with the benefit of hindsight or in this case simply pandering to the existing paranoia of travellers.

[Hambagahle]

I find saying "Avoid contact with sick people" to be, to say the least, bizarre.  Of course everyone want to avoid contact with sick people but very often you do not know they are sick!   How many times have we all caught a cold or the flu from a friend who failed to mention s/he was coming down with something...

[rcandkc]

Also, you could be the one coming down with something and not know it yet.  

[alexandra cruiser]

My concern is many will go on their booked cruises,even if they may fear they might be sick.Due to the loss of money inv.

The travel ins. won t pay unless cruise is cancelled by company,,,from another post I read.

Then,,if they booked own air,,big loss or possiblity of paying to switch to another flight in yr.

I m facing similar,,,not sick,,but fear the big loss. If I didnt already have cruise and flight booked, I would NOT book one at this time.

Sure others in same boat. WIll most likely go anyway,,and just hope for the best.Not in that area affected,but every nite on TV they tell of other countries being affected.

Still can avoid final payment, take air credit,,,have 2 wks.to decide on first.Till June for second.

What are others doing??

[mrlevin]

16 minutes ago, alexandra cruiser said:

 

What are others doing??

 

We just booked Explorer transatlantic in April; great deal.  We are on Mariner Vancouver to LA in September; no plans to cancel.  If any other great deals pop up we will jump on them.

 

Marc

[ronrick1943]

We have not plans at all to cancel our cruises.  One we couldn't anyway as we leave April 1, 2020, the other we'd only lose $200.00 booking fee.  You just need to be extra careful at this time, just like during flu season.  You can pick something up at the grocery store.  The fact I had to take someone to ER a few months ago, all good---except I pick up a virus needing an RX to take care of it.  They say it must have been while I was in the waiting area.

[Travelcat2]

3 hours ago, ronrick1943 said:

We have not plans at all to cancel our cruises.  One we couldn't anyway as we leave April 1, 2020, the other we'd only lose $200.00 booking fee.  You just need to be extra careful at this time, just like during flu season.  You can pick something up at the grocery store.  The fact I had to take someone to ER a few months ago, all good---except I pick up a virus needing an RX to take care of it.  They say it must have been while I was in the waiting area.

 

Hope that you thoroughly enjoy your April Fools cruise (that could be a lot of fun -- just the fact that it is April Fools Day).  We will be on Splendor in three weeks and have no worries whatsoever about catching coronavirus (but will take precautions).  What you stated about flu season is so important for everyone to remember.  Not all fevers indicate that you have coronavirus.  

 

Sorry to hear that you became ill from being an the ER with someone else.  When I went for an annual physical a few weeks ago, I wore a mask (they also give them out in the waiting area).  I figured that I was there for a general health check-up but there were likely several people in the crowded waiting room with the flu/colds, etc.  I was the only person wearing a mask so they likely thought that I was sick.  Unfortunately, it does not occur to many people to protect others from their illness.

 

 

[ronrick1943]

7 hours ago, Travelcat2 said:

 

Hope that you thoroughly enjoy your April Fools cruise (that could be a lot of fun -- just the fact that it is April Fools Day).  We will be on Splendor in three weeks and have no worries whatsoever about catching coronavirus (but will take precautions).  What you stated about flu season is so important for everyone to remember.  Not all fevers indicate that you have coronavirus.  

 

Sorry to hear that you became ill from being an the ER with someone else.  When I went for an annual physical a few weeks ago, I wore a mask (they also give them out in the waiting area).  I figured that I was there for a general health check-up but there were likely several people in the crowded waiting room with the flu/colds, etc.  I was the only person wearing a mask so they likely thought that I was sick.  Unfortunately, it does not occur to many people to protect others from their illness.

 

 

Thanks, things happen---believe it or not I took precautions, even sat away from people.

[Hambagahle]

We board Splendor in under 3 weeks from now - 14 March.  And we can't wait.  I certainly do not want to catch the Corona virus but then I don't want to catch the flu, measles, chicken pox etc.  We are taking normal precautions (flu shots, Bronco Vaxom etc plus taking Dettol wipes with us) but we are not paranoid about that virus or any other.   After all - we are going to die one day and I would rather "see the Spendor and die" than see Naples and die.   Anyway can't do any more than I am doing...

[Will Work for Tiramisu]

We board Splendor in NYC on April 16th, for TA to Barcelona.  I have it on good authority that regular application of Veuve Cliquot to the alimentary canal will effectively block uptake of the Covid 19 virus.  (Or at least make one care less about the symptoms!)  Rather than too much hand wringing, we will be doing lots of hand washing, also.  

[Travelcat2]

25 minutes ago, Will Work for Tiramisu said:

We board Splendor in NYC on April 16th, for TA to Barcelona.  I have it on good authority that regular application of Veuve Cliquot to the alimentary canal will effectively block uptake of the Covid 19 virus.  (Or at least make one care less about the symptoms!)  Rather than too much hand wringing, we will be doing lots of hand washing, also.  

 

LOVE your post!

[Mudhen]

11 hours ago, Will Work for Tiramisu said:

We board Splendor in NYC on April 16th, for TA to Barcelona.  I have it on good authority that regular application of Veuve Cliquot to the alimentary canal will effectively block uptake of the Covid 19 virus.  (Or at least make one care less about the symptoms!)  Rather than too much hand wringing, we will be doing lots of hand washing, also.  

You guys are my kind of people! Cheers!

[btreklaw]

We are taking the Splendor Barcelona to Rome in late April. We are excited and ready to go. DH says alcohol kills germs...planning on enjoying as much as we can while participating on what will be a wonderful cruise. I love Rum. DH prefers Bourbon. :) 

I’m a hand washer in normal times. We’ve been on many cruise and land programs where fellow travelers came the first day with a cold/flu/bronchial thing. We watched it pass around to other guests. We have yet to become ill. Stop the fear and panic folks. Enjoy your lives. 

 

[flossie009]

I see that the latest CDC travel notice for Hong Kong  remains at Level 1 with the advice being "At this time, CDC does not recommend canceling or postponing travel to Hong Kong"; whereas the CDC travel notice for Italy is now at Level 3 with the advice being that "travelers avoid all nonessential travel to Italy"

[greykitty]

Huh - US State Department, which issues travel advisories for its citizens, has had Hong Kong as Level 2 since February 20.  Italy got bounced up to Level 3 yesterday.  

 

Now CDC for whatever reason retains Level 1 for Hong Kong - but Level 2 for Iran, Italy, Japan. I guess were I traveling I'd consult both databased and probably use the more conservative for guidance.

 

Interesting to me is that  Venezuela now joins China and South Korea as CDC Level 3 as places I won't be visiting any time soon.

 

https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices

 

 

[flossie009]

1 hour ago, greykitty said:

Now CDC for whatever reason retains Level 1 for Hong Kong - but Level 2 for Iran, Italy, Japan.

Level 1: Hong Kong Kong

Level 2: Japan

Level 3: Iran & Italy

[greykitty]

21 minutes ago, flossie009 said:

Level 1: Hong Kong Kong

Level 2: Japan

Level 3: Iran & Italy

Thanks for the correction!

[Travelcat2]

As has been said by another poster (on another thread), Italy was already at Level 2 so it jumped 1 level.   

[Hambagahle]

8 hours ago, btreklaw said:

We are taking the Splendor Barcelona to Rome in late April. We are excited and ready to go. DH says alcohol kills germs...planning on enjoying as much as we can while participating on what will be a wonderful cruise. I love Rum. DH prefers Bourbon. 🙂

I’m a hand washer in normal times. We’ve been on many cruise and land programs where fellow travelers came the first day with a cold/flu/bronchial thing. We watched it pass around to other guests. We have yet to become ill. Stop the fear and panic folks. Enjoy your lives. 

 

Thank you,   I agree entirely...

[Travelcat2]

8 hours ago, btreklaw said:

We are taking the Splendor Barcelona to Rome in late April. We are excited and ready to go. DH says alcohol kills germs...planning on enjoying as much as we can while participating on what will be a wonderful cruise. I love Rum. DH prefers Bourbon. :) 

I’m a hand washer in normal times. We’ve been on many cruise and land programs where fellow travelers came the first day with a cold/flu/bronchial thing. We watched it pass around to other guests. We have yet to become ill. Stop the fear and panic folks. Enjoy your lives. 

 

 

You obviously have a lot of faith in what your DH says.  Yes - alcohol (peroxide and bleach) all kill germs but not all germs.  If it were that simple, no one would be spreading the current virus.  And, if you want to pack alcohol, suggest you try getting it at the store ASAP (we were at a large store a couple of days ago and they were almost sold out of alcohol, wipes, and disinfectant soap ..... did not check bleach as we would not pack bleach.  

 

Agree that the panic should stop but, precautions should not (IMHO).  I was not sick for years ..... until I was (on a cruise ship).  Please don't take anything for granted.  Past experiences are really not a good predictor for future experiences. 

 

Enjoy your cruise.  

[wristband]

Italy now Level 4 this afternoon:

 

"In a press conference Saturday, Vice President Mike Pence announced that the US has raised the travel warning to level 4 — its most severe warning — regarding travel to affected areas of Italy and South Korea. "

https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/2020/02/29/coronavirus-trump-adds-travel-restrictions-italy-south-korea/4914822002/

 

CDC site still has Italy at Level 3:  https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices/warning/coronavirus-italy   

CDC statement:    "CDC recommends that travelers avoid all nonessential travel to Italy."

 

 

[Journey99999]

I see another ship is in limbo...............


 

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Operators of a British cruise ship that was turned away from its destination due to fears of the new coronavirus said Saturday they have chartered planes to ferry passengers home — but don't yet have permission to dock anywhere.

The Braemar, which had been scheduled to disembark its hundreds of passengers in the Dominican Republic on Friday, was still cruising through the Caribbean more than a day later, with no immediate word on where it might wind up.

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines issued statements insisting that nobody aboard had symptoms consistent with the COVID-19 illness. Dominican officials had refused to allow the vessel into port due to what the company said were “a very small number of influenza-like cases on board.”

That left both those aboard the ship and people who had arrived in the Dominican Republic to start a new 14-day cruise aboard the vessel in limbo.

“Now that we have secured aircraft, we are continuing discussions with nearby Caribbean islands to confirm our next port of call, and acquiring the necessary permissions to land at the appropriate airports,” the company said in a statement.

“These discussions are ongoing, and whilst we are unable to confirm final arrangements on when these flights will depart, and from which island, we are having positive discussions with the relevant authorities,” it added.

It was one of at least three cruise ships turned away from Caribbean ports over the past week due to concerns over possible viral infections, though no passengers on any of the ships has been confirmed to have the disease.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/virus-fears-keep-hundreds-cruise-202154168.html

[fudgbug]

On 2/26/2020 at 8:33 PM, Will Work for Tiramisu said:

We board Splendor in NYC on April 16th, for TA to Barcelona.  I have it on good authority that regular application of Veuve Cliquot to the alimentary canal will effectively block uptake of the Covid 19 virus.  (Or at least make one care less about the symptoms!)  Rather than too much hand wringing, we will be doing lots of hand washing, also.  

See you on board!

[Travelcat2]

For better or worse, I do not believe one source - no matter who it is.  And, I prefer stats from WHO rather than CDC for many reasons that I do not need to go into here (other than to say that the CDC has prevented American's from getting treatment for potentially fatal diseases for years while they move like turtles doing their testing).  Prediction:  The U.S. has developed potential cures/vaccines for the virus but I have no doubt that another country will conduct clinical trials and the vaccine will be available months (if not a year) before the U.S.    

 

So, "we" are warned not to travel to some areas of Italy or Korea but anyone (except from China, Hong Kong, etc.) can visit the U.S.  As with any recent news report, this makes little sense.  You could have someone from Italy standing right next to you in a supermarket and have no idea that they just arrived and were exposed to coronavirus.

 

This "news" is in the same category as "masks don't do anything" but the supply is low and health care workers need them (obviously they need them for a reason -- it is just easier to say that they don't help).

 

One more thing and I'll stop venting.  The statement "CDC recommends that travelers avoid all nonessential travel to Italy".  So, that means that if YOU determine that your trip is essential, you can visit Italy.and possibly be exposed to the virus that you could spread when you get home?  I think that some common sense is needed!

 

Note:  We are not cancelling cruises and are not panicking.  We did purchase a couple of containers of alcohol, peroxide, a supply of gloves (that we always have on hand) and wipes.  We always have the "approved" masks that "do nothing" if you are not a healthcare worker!

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 29, 2020 by Travelcat2