Grand Princess Coronavirus Discussion (retitled after merger of several topics)

[CruisinCindy]

7 minutes ago, AWorldCruise4Me said:

 

That makes sense. But this couple has symptoms.

 

From the article "Cummins said her husband has been very ill in recent days with no appetite, trouble breathing, and a fever at one point as high as 103 degrees. She told ABC7 News they have been self-quarantining at their Santa Clara home. Mrs. Cummins also said at one point she felt weak and fainted."

 

I just posted it so people can be prepared if they get the same run around. When your sick it is often hard to make good decisions, especially when everyone tells you to go someplace else. A sick person might just give up and get sicker at home. It looks like someone notified abc news and the news outlet is attempting to get them headed in the right direction to get tested but are also having no luck.

 

I agree, I can't believe with all the coverage and involvement of the healthcare agencies that people with symptoms are having this much difficulty.  I can see why they didn't want to test us, but this couple needs to be tested and taken care of before they get any worse.

[caribill]

5 hours ago, TwoMisfits said:

https://www.navy.mil/navydata/fact_display.asp?cid=4625&tid=200&ct=4

 

1000 beds...

 

Passengers around 2600. Crew around 1100.

 

Need 2700 more beds.

[TwoMisfits]

Just now, caribill said:

 

Passengers around 2600. Crew around 1100.

 

Need 2700 more beds.

Not if you only evacuate the positives...but keep both out at sea...unless you have more than 1000 positives...

[caribill]

4 hours ago, Just_Westy said:

 

The USA has a perfect opportunity to show it can do it better than Japan but I suspect it will be justy order everyone home to self quarantine.

 

 

 

First the people need to get home. For those who did not drive to the port:

a) Rides to airports or to home in LA area.

b) Flights to home city

c) Rides home (if not using own car)

 

How willing would you be to get on a plane with Grand Princess passengers on it?

 

[SouthAltaCruisingFamily]

1 minute ago, CruisinCindy said:

 

The CA Governor announced last night that his office has the passenger manifest for our cruise and will be working with the county health authorities to contact the passengers in each of their counties.  Princess turned over the manifest to the Governor, so I don't think Princess will be contacting us.  Haven't heard from anyone yet, and I imagine it will take some time to coordinate.

A 50 year female from Calgary, Alberta, Canada area recently returned on February 23 from the Grand Princess Ship.  She is the first presumptive case in this province.  Media is reporting that Alberta Health Officials are trying to get the passenger manifest to conduct tests.

https://globalnews.ca/news/6638137/alberta-health-presumptive-case-coronavirus/?utm_source=GlobalCalgary&utm_medium=Facebook&fbclid=IwAR2y0zl4YFdRtsv5fupcUYds0aMjHEwtdNTDXqLceSun_yKm3hk9z-feZAU&fbclid=IwAR2pPlGMl6bdnzEr29_5LUw9XnjsD5u7RPkvQq4OCEXCeDsSq9H7HLcDZEo

[caribill]

1 hour ago, TwoMisfits said:

So, hopefully, they don't have 1000+ already infected...I'm sure the reason we haven't heard what the option will be for passengers is they don't want to set a firm plan til they know the rough parameters.  20 sick and the Navy ship becomes possible.  1500, and they might as well all stay put.  2 and they might be able to come in and get folks off.

 

Just one person currently on the Grand that is confirmed positive means that every other person on the Grand may have been exposed, either directly or indirectly.

[CruisinCindy]

5 minutes ago, kathy49 said:

sort of late...I assumed that was standard on embarkation on all ships...guess not.

 

We thought there would be enhanced screening or taking temperatures when we boarded the Grand on Feb 11, but there was not.  Just filling out the little questionnaire asking if you were recently sick or traveled to Asia, etc.

[tk-4]

Confirmed case in Toronto, Canada linked to the Grand Princess.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ontario-confirms-3-new-cases-coronavirus-1.5486670

[jwattle]

1 hour ago, kathy49 said:

hey they can bring the test kits they can bring meals 

Using a helicopter to bring one round of test kits versus 3700 meals these times a day...totally different scenarios

[clskinsfan]

11 minutes ago, flyguyjake said:

They do in China now and we should be doing it here too. We have to do what's necessary.

It doesnt matter. People can still be carriers without a temperature.

[Boatdrill]

5 hours ago, Loreni said:

I just read one of the linked stories and while it had a number of inaccuracies, it stated that the captain did not inform the passengers until FIVE HOURS after the Governor’s new conference.  If this is true, it is inexplicable.  

 

Considering the planning and coordination that had to take place before any official announcement was made, five hours sounds reasonable.  Here's a partial list of people and organizations that Princess ops have to deal with: Port of San Francisco,  Port Agent (San Francisco),  State of California Governor's office, Port of Ensenada,  Port Agent (Ensenada), US Customs and Immigration (permission NOT to stop in Ensenada as required by law), medical officials, CDC, ship's staff/department heads,  US Coast Guard, plus Princess' own department heads, etc.    Many of these contacts aren't done by a quick phone call.

Emails take time to compose,. write, send and reply. Contracts take time to review and implement. 

Get the picture ? 

[flyguyjake]

 

[flyguyjake]

This is so surreal, it's like watching a movie. They are following their every move.

[wrongwaywatson]

We usually cruise every year in March or the very early April (school spring break for DH).  Thankfully, this year we didn't book a spring cruise as we are going to Alaska May 30 (on the Grand!).   I do have a compromised immune system, but missing the extra 2 weeks of work due to a quarantine would be very hard for our jobs as well as arranging people at home to take care of our 2 dogs longer.   My thoughts and prayers are with everyone involved!  

Also, for the very first time we purchased our airline tickets through Princess instead of independently.  

[brisalta]

3 hours ago, Pushka said:

But they've known this has been coming for many weeks. If we can get test kits in Australia to test everyone with a relevant history then it's crazy that the US hasn't done the same. And we do it for free!

 

Part of the reason Governor Newson declared an emergency in California was to make the private health insurance companies pay for testing.

Edited March 6, 2020 by brisalta

[brisalta]

1 hour ago, flyguyjake said:

This is so surreal, it's like watching a movie. They are following their every move.

 

When I passed by pier 27 at about 5 pm their was a TV broadcast truck camped out there waiting.

 

Earlier while driving on the Pacific coast road I spotted what looked like the Grand Princess about 2 to 5 miles out in the Pacific ocean

Edited March 6, 2020 by brisalta

[caribill]

3 hours ago, flyguyjake said:

Royal just announced temp screenings of all pax on embarkation day

 

Good for possibly identifying those with symptoms.

 

Not good for identifying those who are infected but not yet having a raised body temperature.

 

Not just a problem for cruise ships. Same problem when they take temps of those flying into the country from an infected area. Those who may be infected but not yet having a raised temperature will be cleared to continue their journey to wherever they are headed.

 

There is no obvious solution to this problem.

[caribill]

3 hours ago, TwoMisfits said:

Not if you only evacuate the positives...but keep both out at sea...unless you have more than 1000 positives...

 

They are not testing the 3500+ people on board, just less than 100 of them, those passengers who were B2B from the previous voyage and those who had flu-like symptoms reported to the ship's Doctor.

 

 

[NorthwestCruiser]

2 hours ago, jwattle said:

Using a helicopter to bring one round of test kits versus 3700 meals these times a day...totally different scenarios

They don't have to be out as far at sea as they are.    It isn't a big deal to have a crew boat bring supplies to a ship in harbor, they do that all the time for the tankers and freighters anchored out here -- although it would be a *lot* more convenient if the ship were at a dock.   Maybe too convenient for officials to board as happened in Japan (some are now positive), but way easier to get supplies.

 

My guess is that they will find a commercial dock somewhere, put a barbed wire fence around it with 24/7 security (keeps curious people and reporters out) and go from there.   However politics may interfere.

[brisalta]

9 minutes ago, NorthwestCruiser said:

They don't have to be out as far at sea as they are.    It isn't a big deal to have a crew boat bring supplies to a ship in harbor, they do that all the time for the tankers and freighters anchored out here -- although it would be a *lot* more convenient if the ship were at a dock.   Maybe too convenient for officials to board as happened in Japan (some are now positive), but way easier to get supplies.

 

My guess is that they will find a commercial dock somewhere, put a barbed wire fence around it with 24/7 security (keeps curious people and reporters out) and go from there.   However politics may interfere.

 

Once in San Francisco Bay the Grand Princess has to dock, cut engines and use shore power. Currently they are not allowed to dock.

[Boatdrill]

43 minutes ago, brisalta said:

 

 

 

Earlier while driving on the Pacific coast road I spotted what looked like the Grand Princess about 2 to 5 miles out in the Pacific ocean

That was probably the GP.  They are well offshore, doing 11-12 knots.   

[brisalta]

2 minutes ago, Boatdrill said:

That was probably the GP.  They are well offshore, doing 11-12 knots.   

 

There are not many white ships in the vicinity with that distinctive shape. From what I remember the vehicle transporters which are a similar shape that come to this area are darker in colour and smaller in size.

The Grand Princess would need to be maintaining headway so 11 -1 2 knots would be reasonable.

 

Edited March 6, 2020 by brisalta

[flyguyjake]

Updated March 5, 2020 10:00PM PT

Grand Princess Update

In collaboration with the U.S. Centers of Disease Control (CDC) and local authorities, samples were collected today from 45 people on Grand Princess (which includes a mix of guests and team members). The samples were delivered to the California Department of Public Health in Richmond for processing. The results of these tests are expected by tomorrow.

Princess Cruises can confirm there are 3,533 people currently onboard Grand Princess, including 2,422 guests and 1,111 teammates. In total, they represent 54 nationalities.

Following guidelines received today from the CDC, all guests have been asked to stay in their staterooms while test results are pending. Guests are receiving meal deliveries in their staterooms by room service, and additional television and movie options have been added to in-room programming. Guests have also been provided complimentary internet service to stay in contact with their family and loved ones, and the ship’s internet bandwidth has been increased.

Immediate family members of guests onboard Grand Princess may call the appropriate number in their region to speak with Family Assistance representatives: US and Canada: +1 888-358-8055, International: +1 872-201-6779.

[rugerdog]

10 minutes ago, flyguyjake said:

Updated March 5, 2020 10:00PM PT

Grand Princess Update

 

Thank you for posting.

[NorthwestCruiser]

Video from the helicopter of the kits being delivered.   Eerie to see the sun deck and pool empty of people.