Corona Virus.. anyone worried??

[Mark_UK]

Younger people (which I count myself as) should also respect the fact that by not caring about catching the virus they will only contribute to its spread which will no doubt affect an older person or someone in I'll health further down the infection chain. 

 

 

[travelgoddess1]

17 hours ago, Oshunj said:

Welp, this is disconcerting....State department is advising against getting on cruises. Wonder what the cruise industry response will be.

 

This is the first step in saying if theres a problem on your cruise dont be surprised if we (US Gov) dont intervene....

 

(still hoping things calm down or my trip to london/amsterdam is going to tragic in that it wont happen.  This is the first time i have started to worry)

 

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/before-you-go/travelers-with-special-considerations/cruise-ship-passengers.html?fbclid=IwAR23mRlu4-382HLuSM8i0KWQBSaZ4heDniggmxR3kBR6e2EgWiKr6B0EseM

 

And now there is this (sorry if it has already been posted, I have not seen it before now):

 

https://www.khon2.com/top-stories/state-official-asks-white-house-to-stop-cruise-ships-from-docking-in-hawaii-over-covid-19/

[LuCruise]

6 minutes ago, PMGS247 said:

Also the other thing someone pointed out was anything purchased through cruise planner...excursions, on board packages, etc. would be a straight refund regardless of timing.

Sorry if this has been answered but I haven't read the whole thread.  

 

If we cancel a cruise within the 48 hours, do we explicitly need to first cancel any excursions, drink packages?  Or as part of the cancellation, that will be automatic (with getting credit to CC and cruise itself going to FCC)?

[retire2cruise55]

Thanks!  I understand the 48 hr cancellation policy which gives FCC if the cruiser makes the decision to cancel.  I’m wondering if the cruise line cancels, if they will issue a refund in the form of original payment instead of FCC.  All hypothetical..

[AshleyDillo]

9 minutes ago, Luxurycruise2 said:

I’m wondering if the cruise line cancels, if they will issue a refund in the form of original payment instead of FCC.  All hypothetical..

 

Typically this is how they handle it.  You may get a more lucrative deal if you rebook (FCC and OBC) but if they cancel your cruise they usually offer full refund to the way that you paid for the cruise.

[Tulsacoker]

15 minutes ago, LuCruise said:

Sorry if this has been answered but I haven't read the whole thread.  

 

If we cancel a cruise within the 48 hours, do we explicitly need to first cancel any excursions, drink packages?  Or as part of the cancellation, that will be automatic (with getting credit to CC and cruise itself going to FCC)?

you dont need to cancel those. RCI will cancel and refund the money to the original form of payment. If you used OBC from RC you are SOL on getting the OBC on future cruise  

Edited March 9, 2020 by Tulsacoker

[gammite]

8 hours ago, L454S said:

 

Here, I will post this again in case you missed it

 

Infectious Disease Specialist Dr. Abdu Sharkawy................

I'm a doctor and an Infectious Diseases Specialist. I've been at this for more than 20 years seeing sick patients on a daily basis. I have worked in inner city hospitals and in the poorest slums of Africa. HIV-AIDS, Hepatitis,TB, SARS, Measles, Shingles, Whooping cough, Diphtheria...there is little I haven't been exposed to in my profession. And with notable exception of SARS, very little has left me feeling vulnerable, overwhelmed or downright scared.

I am not scared of Covid-19. I am concerned about the implications of a novel infectious agent that has spread the world over and continues to find new footholds in different soil. I am rightly concerned for the welfare of those who are elderly, in frail health or disenfranchised who stand to suffer mostly, and disproportionately, at the hands of this new scourge. But I am not scared of Covid-19.

What I am scared about is the loss of reason and wave of fear that has induced the masses of society into a spellbinding spiral of panic, stockpiling obscene quantities of anything that could fill a bomb shelter adequately in a post-apocalyptic world. I am scared of the N95 masks that are stolen from hospitals and urgent care clinics where they are actually needed for front line healthcare providers and instead are being donned in airports, malls, and coffee lounges, perpetuating even more fear and suspicion of others. I am scared that our hospitals will be overwhelmed with anyone who thinks they " probably don't have it but may as well get checked out no matter what because you just never know..." and those with heart failure, emphysema, pneumonia and strokes will pay the price for overfilled ER waiting rooms with only so many doctors and nurses to assess.

I am scared that travel restrictions will become so far reaching that weddings will be canceled, graduations missed and family reunions will not materialize. And well, even that big party called the Olympic Games...that could be kyboshed too. Can you even imagine?

I'm scared those same epidemic fears will limit trade, harm partnerships in multiple sectors, business and otherwise and ultimately culminate in a global recession.

But mostly, I'm scared about what message we are telling our kids when faced with a threat. Instead of reason, rationality, openmindedness and altruism, we are telling them to panic, be fearful, suspicious, reactionary and self-interested.

Covid-19 is nowhere near over. It will be coming to a city, a hospital, a friend, even a family member near you at some point. Expect it. Stop waiting to be surprised further. The fact is the virus itself will not likely do much harm when it arrives. But our own behaviors and "fight for yourself above all else" attitude could prove disastrous.

I implore you all. Temper fear with reason, panic with patience and uncertainty with education. We have an opportunity to learn a great deal about health hygiene and limiting the spread of innumerable transmissible diseases in our society. Let's meet this challenge together in the best spirit of compassion for others, patience, and above all, an unfailing effort to seek truth, facts and knowledge as opposed to conjecture, speculation and catastrophizing.

Facts not fear. Clean hands. Open hearts. Our children will thank us for it. 

 

This doctors opinion is very inadequate and uninformed in light of the facts that have been presented by what is actually going on right now that we can literally see with our own eyes around the world.  

 

I can appreciate the doctor's attempt to be optimistic in light of this current situation.  But we can literally see what is happening around the world.  His educated "opinion" does not coincide with the facts that we can see.

 

Covid-19 is very infectious and it is irresponsible to pretend that everything should proceed as normal.

 

Do you want someone that has been exposed to Covid-19 to come in contact with your elderly parents or loved ones considering that the elderly population is more susceptible to complications from the virus?  Even doctors of young age have succumbed from Covid-19

 

There should be no run on masks, hand sanitizer, bleach, bath tissue, etc.  That is ridiculous.  But to pretend that this is business as usual is purely irresponsible. 

 

It will be interesting to see how people who have a cavalier attitude regarding this pandemic will respond once it hits their neighborhood.

 

 

[hollon]

My cruise is this Sunday, we just dont' know whether to cancel.  I have a question, who gets quarantined? The people who are sick or ALL the passengers on the ship?  

[hollon]

If we cancel our cruise this sunday, do we get a Future Cruise Cert and have to use in 1 year? What about shore excu. we paid for?  Also, big question, I used points for some of our payments?  

[Laurba99]

2 minutes ago, hollon said:

My cruise is this Sunday, we just dont' know whether to cancel.  I have a question, who gets quarantined? The people who are sick or ALL the passengers on the ship?  

From what I can see posted it’s all the passengers but not sure that happened on regal princess which I’m still not sure has been allowed to dock yet. I think grand process has not docked and everyone is quarantined but not 100% sure.

[Laurba99]

1 minute ago, hollon said:

If we cancel our cruise this sunday, do we get a Future Cruise Cert and have to use in 1 year? What about shore excu. we paid for?  Also, big question, I used points for some of our payments?  

What cruise line? If royal or celebrity Clearly  on their website. You have to sail on or before 12/31/2021. I don’t know what the other lines are doing.

[hollon]

10 minutes ago, Laurba99 said:

What cruise line? If royal or celebrity Clearly  on their website. You have to sail on or before 12/31/2021. I don’t know what the other lines are doing.

Thank you for your answers, yes, Royal - HOS - what about the ports, have yall heard anything bad about west. caribbean? So, if someone gets sick w/ the flu, etc - the whole ship is quarantined?  It's my son's honeymoon 😞

[LMaxwell]

2 minutes ago, hollon said:

Thank you for your answers, yes, Royal - HOS - what about the ports, have yall heard anything bad about west. caribbean? So, if someone gets sick w/ the flu, etc - the whole ship is quarantined?  It's my son's honeymoon 😞

Any add-ons such as excursions, drinks, spa, specialty dining, etc., purchased through Royal Caribbean will be refunded back to your original form of payment.  

[hollon]

1 minute ago, LMaxwell said:

Any add-ons such as excursions, drinks, spa, specialty dining, etc., purchased through Royal Caribbean will be refunded back to your original form of payment.  

thank you.  do you know if someone gets sick w/ the flu, etc. does everyone get stuck back in their cabin or just the ones sick?

[Laurba99]

7 minutes ago, hollon said:

Thank you for your answers, yes, Royal - HOS - what about the ports, have yall heard anything bad about west. caribbean? So, if someone gets sick w/ the flu, etc - the whole ship is quarantined?  It's my son's honeymoon 😞

So far knock on wood no royal Caribbean  ships have been troubled and I have not heard of any issues at any of the ports RCC goes to

[GM1999]

We are set to sail on the Symphony this Sat. Family and friends are telling us to cancel because of the govt warning. However, if we cancel we're out $4000 in airfare. Now we're thinking go to Disney World/Universal instead? Although what's the difference in being around crowds there vs on a cruise ship where crew is disinfecting all the time? No one is taking temps at the Disney entrance right? Trying to keep a level head but when friends are telling us they're all cancelling their plans it makes us think. Haven't heard anything about Harmony or Liberty ships having trouble so that makes me feel better. I wish we didn't have to make a decision in 36 hours. 

[johnjen]

8 hours ago, L454S said:

 

Here, I will post this again in case you missed it

 

Infectious Disease Specialist Dr. Abdu Sharkawy................

I'm a doctor and an Infectious Diseases Specialist. I've been at this for more than 20 years seeing sick patients on a daily basis. I have worked in inner city hospitals and in the poorest slums of Africa. HIV-AIDS, Hepatitis,TB, SARS, Measles, Shingles, Whooping cough, Diphtheria...there is little I haven't been exposed to in my profession. And with notable exception of SARS, very little has left me feeling vulnerable, overwhelmed or downright scared.

I am not scared of Covid-19. I am concerned about the implications of a novel infectious agent that has spread the world over and continues to find new footholds in different soil. I am rightly concerned for the welfare of those who are elderly, in frail health or disenfranchised who stand to suffer mostly, and disproportionately, at the hands of this new scourge. But I am not scared of Covid-19.

What I am scared about is the loss of reason and wave of fear that has induced the masses of society into a spellbinding spiral of panic, stockpiling obscene quantities of anything that could fill a bomb shelter adequately in a post-apocalyptic world. I am scared of the N95 masks that are stolen from hospitals and urgent care clinics where they are actually needed for front line healthcare providers and instead are being donned in airports, malls, and coffee lounges, perpetuating even more fear and suspicion of others. I am scared that our hospitals will be overwhelmed with anyone who thinks they " probably don't have it but may as well get checked out no matter what because you just never know..." and those with heart failure, emphysema, pneumonia and strokes will pay the price for overfilled ER waiting rooms with only so many doctors and nurses to assess.

I am scared that travel restrictions will become so far reaching that weddings will be canceled, graduations missed and family reunions will not materialize. And well, even that big party called the Olympic Games...that could be kyboshed too. Can you even imagine?

I'm scared those same epidemic fears will limit trade, harm partnerships in multiple sectors, business and otherwise and ultimately culminate in a global recession.

But mostly, I'm scared about what message we are telling our kids when faced with a threat. Instead of reason, rationality, openmindedness and altruism, we are telling them to panic, be fearful, suspicious, reactionary and self-interested.

Covid-19 is nowhere near over. It will be coming to a city, a hospital, a friend, even a family member near you at some point. Expect it. Stop waiting to be surprised further. The fact is the virus itself will not likely do much harm when it arrives. But our own behaviors and "fight for yourself above all else" attitude could prove disastrous.

I implore you all. Temper fear with reason, panic with patience and uncertainty with education. We have an opportunity to learn a great deal about health hygiene and limiting the spread of innumerable transmissible diseases in our society. Let's meet this challenge together in the best spirit of compassion for others, patience, and above all, an unfailing effort to seek truth, facts and knowledge as opposed to conjecture, speculation and catastrophizing.

Facts not fear. Clean hands. Open hearts. Our children will thank us for it. 

The post of the YEAR. You are the wind beneath us RATIONAL people that don't have cable TV "news" or those of us that do not follow ANY of it....

[marci22]

2 minutes ago, johnjen said:

... RATIONAL people that don't have cable TV "news" or those of us that do not follow ANY of it....

 

Not optimal either.

[whirledpeas]

On 3/2/2020 at 6:13 AM, pmck said:

Good Morning,

 

My family and I are booked for a May, 2020 cruise out of Puerto Rico. Every day more and more stories are on the news about the Corona Virus.

I'm trying not to over react, but it is a little scary.  What do you think?  I'm thinking that maybe the screening process getting on the ship will be more comprehensive.

My husband thinks that we won't have any issues, but we still have to get through 69 days and who knows what can happen in that time..

 

 

Our trip leaves Friday and we are traveling from Seattle (yes, the hotbed of this wicked killer! kidding) on Tuesday. The cruise line says we are in penalty if we cancel now (no refund) so we are going ahead, trusting that the cruise will go on as planned. If not, the airlines are offering no fee change on flights so we'll come home. Not crazy about flying across the US twice, but it's possible we can stay an extra day or two in Fort Lauderdale. Nothing wrong with that! And I believe the flight will not be full. Bonus points! I am not worried about being denied docking at our ports of call. I'm sure the captain will come up with someplace great for us to go! (we've done this before, with a hurricane at our heels.) Lastly, if we are quarantined, we are quarantined. It's just another adventure on bumpy road of travel these days. (I pray we don't get quarantined, don't get me wrong!- but at this point, i don't think that solves anything. The virus has spread too far) Lastly, if the cruise line does cancel the cruise, we get our money back. Otherwise, we don't. 

[alfaeric]

1 minute ago, johnjen said:

The post of the YEAR. You are the wind beneath us RATIONAL people that don't have cable TV "news" or those of us that do not follow ANY of it....

So you are suggesting that rational people are also uniformed?  Or just choose to be ignorant of the world around them?

 

Again, a real rational person would use the information to weigh the risks to know if they should travel or now- JUST LIKE FOR NORMAL TRAVEL.  

 

Why does news have to mean people are a panic?  There isn't a vaccine, which means the odds of even getting this are higher than influenza, just as the odds of it spreading is also higher due so the lack of vaccine.  That's a reality that a rational person needs to use to decide.  

 

I still maintain that the letter from the "expert" is more panic over the short term economic impact vs anything else.  Big deal- we will recover, just like every other outbreak in human history.

[whirledpeas]

43 minutes ago, gammite said:

 

This doctors opinion is very inadequate and uninformed in light of the facts that have been presented by what is actually going on right now that we can literally see with our own eyes around the world.  

 

I can appreciate the doctor's attempt to be optimistic in light of this current situation.  But we can literally see what is happening around the world.  His educated "opinion" does not coincide with the facts that we can see.

 

Covid-19 is very infectious and it is irresponsible to pretend that everything should proceed as normal.

 

Do you want someone that has been exposed to Covid-19 to come in contact with your elderly parents or loved ones considering that the elderly population is more susceptible to complications from the virus?  Even doctors of young age have succumbed from Covid-19

 

There should be no run on masks, hand sanitizer, bleach, bath tissue, etc.  That is ridiculous.  But to pretend that this is business as usual is purely irresponsible. 

 

It will be interesting to see how people who have a cavalier attitude regarding this pandemic will respond once it hits their neighborhood.

 

 

It IS in my neighborhood and i still agree with the doctor. I do think we need to safeguard those with impaired immunity but there is a healthy middle ground here. The attitude is not cavalier. It's one of common sense. Wash your hands, take precautions as you would the flu. By the way, the deaths in Kirkland were all in one facility, who had been sited for poor health practices. They literally had a huge party that infected all of them. There are only a few cases otherwise in all of Washington state. Take a closer look at your numbers. The higher counts of infected are due to more available test results. Look at the recovery numbers. If you continue to be freaked out, self quarantine. But the virus is out there now. You, or someone you know is going to get it. We all may get it. But the death rate is very low for a virus. Please do not jump on the media panic wagon. 

[praiser]

21 minutes ago, GM1999 said:

We are set to sail on the Symphony this Sat. Family and friends are telling us to cancel because of the govt warning. However, if we cancel we're out $4000 in airfare. Now we're thinking go to Disney World/Universal instead? Although what's the difference in being around crowds there vs on a cruise ship where crew is disinfecting all the time? No one is taking temps at the Disney entrance right? Trying to keep a level head but when friends are telling us they're all cancelling their plans it makes us think. Haven't heard anything about Harmony or Liberty ships having trouble so that makes me feel better. I wish we didn't have to make a decision in 36 hours. 

We were booked on that cruise as well. While I was not worried with regard to the virus as far as catching it, etc, the thought of getting quarantined b/c someone on board is sick/suspected of having corona, that was the deciding factor for us in cancelling. We are avid cruisers, but I just didn't want to take the chance of getting quarantined to my interior cabin. I think my husband and I would've killed each other LOL. There's no way of knowing if that would happen, or what the protocol is on RCCL, but I didn't want to find out. Our flights were nonrefundable, but they did give us the $ back for a future flight, which was fine by me. We will definitely cruise once this is all over, so I'm confident we'll use the flight credit. It's a hard decision. Just go with your gut. 

 

[LMaxwell]

33 minutes ago, hollon said:

thank you.  do you know if someone gets sick w/ the flu, etc. does everyone get stuck back in their cabin or just the ones sick?

 

If they suspect Coronavirus everyone will be sent to cabins until they can do testing. 

 

Grand Princess has 21 cases...they only tested 45 people out of 3,500 onboard by flying test kits to the ship last week.  The ship will dock today and all guests onboard will go to 14-30 day quarantine at military bases

[CavePearl]

1 hour ago, gammite said:

 

This doctors opinion is very inadequate and uninformed in light of the facts that have been presented by what is actually going on right now that we can literally see with our own eyes around the world.  

 

I can appreciate the doctor's attempt to be optimistic in light of this current situation.  But we can literally see what is happening around the world.  His educated "opinion" does not coincide with the facts that we can see.

 

Covid-19 is very infectious and it is irresponsible to pretend that everything should proceed as normal.

 

Do you want someone that has been exposed to Covid-19 to come in contact with your elderly parents or loved ones considering that the elderly population is more susceptible to complications from the virus?  Even doctors of young age have succumbed from Covid-19

 

There should be no run on masks, hand sanitizer, bleach, bath tissue, etc.  That is ridiculous.  But to pretend that this is business as usual is purely irresponsible. 

 

It will be interesting to see how people who have a cavalier attitude regarding this pandemic will respond once it hits their neighborhood.

 

 

Are you an infectious disease specialist Gammite? You sound like you have information other than what we read in the media. We would all appreciate it if will provide us with actual data rather than speculation. 

[gammite]

15 minutes ago, whirledpeas said:

It IS in my neighborhood and i still agree with the doctor. I do think we need to safeguard those with impaired immunity but there is a healthy middle ground here. The attitude is not cavalier. It's one of common sense. Wash your hands, take precautions as you would the flu. By the way, the deaths in Kirkland were all in one facility, who had been sited for poor health practices. They literally had a huge party that infected all of them. There are only a few cases otherwise in all of Washington state. Take a closer look at your numbers. The higher counts of infected are due to more available test results. Look at the recovery numbers. If you continue to be freaked out, self quarantine. But the virus is out there now. You, or someone you know is going to get it. We all may get it. But the death rate is very low for a virus. Please do not jump on the media panic wagon. 

 

i am definitely not on the media panic wagon.

 

i am observing countries that have literally quarantined entire cities and u.s. health officials stating that there is a possibility of that happening here in the states.

 

if this thread is indicative of people's response to this situation then we may be on our way there.