Here’s the bottom line on deciding to cruise for now

[BigAl94]

The world is slowly but steadily closing down to cruise ships. That trend will accelerate hugely over the coming weeks. No part of the world will be exempt. The shutters will come down to prevent the spread of a pandemic. This won't go away any time soon not this year and maybe next or even further. Just my opinion.

[wallysdtr]

2 hours ago, mitz18 said:

agree however just out of curiosity, what is the youngest age you would consider “elderly”? (& no offense taken!!)

In medical terms, elderly is anyone over the age of 65 - regardless of medical history or conditions.   I am 66 but physicians I have worked with said they would never consider or call me elderly. 

[Cruising89143]

19 minutes ago, BigAl94 said:

The world is slowly but steadily closing down to cruise ships. That trend will accelerate hugely over the coming weeks. No part of the world will be exempt. The shutters will come down to prevent the spread of a pandemic. This won't go away any time soon not this year and maybe next or even further. Just my opinion.

And now we are starting to see this....

 

https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/news/2020/03/08/coronavirus-sistine-chapel-vatican-museums-shut-down/4994193002/

[Realblonde474]

I'm 56; my husband is 67 and we are taking our cruise in May. I wouldnt consider either one of us "elderly" (especially my hubbie)  and with no underlying health issues we feel quite safe cruising. His parents are in their early 90's and with their health issues I wouldn't put them on a cruise ship right now. 

 

BTW, we all bathe daily after our trip to the gym.

 

And since my hands are clean I am enjoying this thread with my popcorn 😘😘😘😁,

Donna

[goofysmom99]

This is this morning's Meet the Press with Dr Fauci, CDC spokesman.  His travel advice starts at about the 2:30 point.  BTW, Dr Fauci is 79.

[NMTraveller]

8 minutes ago, goofysmom99 said:

This is this morning's Meet the Press with Dr Fauci, CDC spokesman.  His travel advice starts at about the 2:30 point.  BTW, Dr Fauci is 79.

 

No beating around the bush there.  "Just don't get on a cruise ship"

Edited March 8, 2020 by NMTraveller

[JonnyCT81]

Most data shows that the older you are, the higher mortality rate there is - that's not a personal opinion, that's the medical data.   Being that cruises (depending on sailing date, line, etc.) have a lot of seniors, it would make sense that they are the most affected by this travel issue.   Just because you say you're healthy, that you can run a 5k and go to the gym doesn't mean you can't get sick and potentially die from this disease.  Bottom line it's your travel (and life) - do what you feel comfortable with, however the data doesn't lie - the mortality rate is higher the older you are.

 

Image Data Source: https://www.popsci.com/story/health/covid-19-coronavirus-death-rate-by-age/

[AidenL]

3 hours ago, cruisetonowhere10 said:

We are wrestling with this same line of thinking. We have no major coronovirus fears but rather disruption to life should we be quarantined.  Our 5 night getaway can’t last a month.

Same thoughts here. Don’t fancy the risk of quarantine.

[cbr663]

So many negative and ageist attitudes being presented.  And subjective arguments about what it means to be healthy don't help either.

 

The main reason why older people are advised to avoid cruising and large crowds has to do with the biological fact that as we ALL age, our immune system weakens.  Doesn't matter how we all feel, the older we get, the weaker our immune system.  And it starts after middle age - so yeah, late 40s.  Our doctors rarely test for this, so for most of us we have no way of knowing just how much how immune systems have weakened once we reach middle age.

 

A weakened immune system means you will have a harder time fighting infections and viruses.  It's a fact.  The easiest thing that you can do when you have a weakened immune system is to lower your risk of catching a virus or infection, especially a new virus.  A new virus means that no one's immune system has been exposed before so someone with a weakened immune system will have a heck of a time fighting it - some will fail and unfortunately die.  

 

It's just biology folks.  So it doesn't matter if you are 65, 67, 75 or whatever and don't feel like a senior or consider yourself a senior - your immune system is that age and it is more than likely weakened.

[helen haywood]

1 hour ago, NMTraveller said:

 

No beating around the bush there.  "Just don't get on a cruise ship"

Not quite.  The full quote is “Don’t get on a cruise ship if you have an underlying condition.”

[NMTraveller]

4 minutes ago, helen haywood said:

Not quite.  The full quote is “Don’t get on a cruise ship if you have an underlying condition.”

He also mentioned the elderly.  But I sure would not want to mention elderly in this thread. 🙂🙂🙂🙂

 

[helen haywood]

Right.  Elderly (did he define that?) and those with underlying health issues.  Neither describe me.  So far.  Today. 😉

[Lastdance]

People are going to do whatever they choose to do, but hopefully the huge majority will choose correctly.  If you say yes, someone else will say no!  That's just how it works.  

 

 

Edited March 8, 2020 by Lastdance

[esp15]

My opinion as an Emergency Physician who is in active practice and lived through H1N1 in 2009:

 

1. The higher risk is certainly more of a logistic problem then health related for most people. If you decide to go on the cruise, realize there is a very small risk that you my need to quarantine yourself in the event that one of the other 1000-5000 passengers develops a Coronavirus infection "after" returning from your cruise even with the added medical screenings since many may be asymptomatic in the prodromal phase. With the added health screenings, there is an even smaller risk that someone actively starts showing signs of infection after boarding during your cruise that could lead to an on-ship quarantine as we have seen on the Diamond and Grand Princess. That could extended your total quarantine period to 14-21 days post-cruise. With the denominators still being so small, less than 500 active cases in the US with a population of over 300,000,000 people, the risk is still very, very, very low of you having any disruptions. 

2. As for the virus and infection itself, setting an age cutoff is not realistic. A 40 year old with severe asthma and COPD is a much higher risk than an active 70 year old with no respiratory problems or other major medical problem. The decision whether or not you should travel should be a discussion to be had with you physician and medical practitioner. It should also involve your level of comfort when it comes to taking risks. I would not zip line or para sail while in a foreign country, nor would I rent any motorize equipment such as scooters or mopeds. I also don't go out in the sun without sunscreen and I am very respectful of the ocean when it comes to snorkeling and swimming.

3. It is great that the cruise lines are offering the ability to cancel an are giving people a future cruise credit, but if everyone including those that have minimal risk decided to go forward with this and cancel, it will lead to other future issues. Your future credit vouchers will lead to greater difficulty in finding future availability for yourself and for us who want to continue cruising without vouchers. This also results in decreased income for the cruise lines that will certainly lead to increased fares, possible layoffs, reduced services, etc... this all has a domino effect that will most likely effect the cruising industry for years.

 

I hope everyone will educate themselves follow this simple advice:

 

1. Speak with your medical provider and ask their advice on whether or not your health could be adversely affected in the event that you should get coronavirus. Age is a factor, but other underlying health issues is the most important.

 

2. Practice universal precautions to prevent infections. I do this everyday in the Emergency room. Wash you hands often (15-20 second minimum) most people spend less than 10 seconds. Use hand sanitizer properly rubbing it vigorously into your hands and allowing it to dry, Avoid touching your face with your hands. Do not put anything near your face or mouth  that hasn't been cleaned and sanitized, (pens, liking your fingers to turn pages, handling money, door knobs etc).. If you have to cough or sneeze, cough into your arm or better yet  inside your shirt. Don't shake hands. Keep a respectful distance when talking to other people. Practice this before you go on vacation.

 

3. Get your flu shot every year. 

 

4. Don't travel if you are sick. Celebrity Cruises has given you a great incentive to cancel. Contain yourself and be respectful of others. Someone with  common cold or influenza could easily trigger panic or knee jerk reactions by others.

 

5. Relay and enjoy your cruise, and practice good hygiene above and you will be fine. 

 

 

[C-Dragons]

7 minutes ago, esp15 said:

My opinion as an Emergency Physician who is in active practice and lived through H1N1 in 2009:

 

1. The higher risk is certainly more of a logistic problem then health related for most people. If you decide to go on the cruise, realize there is a very small risk that you my need to quarantine yourself in the event that one of the other 1000-5000 passengers develops a Coronavirus infection "after" returning from your cruise even with the added medical screenings since many may be asymptomatic in the prodromal phase. With the added health screenings, there is an even smaller risk that someone actively starts showing signs of infection after boarding during your cruise that could lead to an on-ship quarantine as we have seen on the Diamond and Grand Princess. That could extended your total quarantine period to 14-21 days post-cruise. With the denominators still being so small, less than 500 active cases in the US with a population of over 300,000,000 people, the risk is still very, very, very low of you having any disruptions. 

2. As for the virus and infection itself, setting an age cutoff is not realistic. A 40 year old with severe asthma and COPD is a much higher risk than an active 70 year old with no respiratory problems or other major medical problem. The decision whether or not you should travel should be a discussion to be had with you physician and medical practitioner. It should also involve your level of comfort when it comes to taking risks. I would not zip line or para sail while in a foreign country, nor would I rent any motorize equipment such as scooters or mopeds. I also don't go out in the sun without sunscreen and I am very respectful of the ocean when it comes to snorkeling and swimming.

3. It is great that the cruise lines are offering the ability to cancel an are giving people a future cruise credit, but if everyone including those that have minimal risk decided to go forward with this and cancel, it will lead to other future issues. Your future credit vouchers will lead to greater difficulty in finding future availability for yourself and for us who want to continue cruising without vouchers. This also results in decreased income for the cruise lines that will certainly lead to increased fares, possible layoffs, reduced services, etc... this all has a domino effect that will most likely effect the cruising industry for years.

 

I hope everyone will educate themselves follow this simple advice:

 

1. Speak with your medical provider and ask their advice on whether or not your health could be adversely affected in the event that you should get coronavirus. Age is a factor, but other underlying health issues is the most important.

 

2. Practice universal precautions to prevent infections. I do this everyday in the Emergency room. Wash you hands often (15-20 second minimum) most people spend less than 10 seconds. Use hand sanitizer properly rubbing it vigorously into your hands and allowing it to dry, Avoid touching your face with your hands. Do not put anything near your face or mouth  that hasn't been cleaned and sanitized, (pens, liking your fingers to turn pages, handling money, door knobs etc).. If you have to cough or sneeze, cough into your arm or better yet  inside your shirt. Don't shake hands. Keep a respectful distance when talking to other people. Practice this before you go on vacation.

 

3. Get your flu shot every year. 

 

4. Don't travel if you are sick. Celebrity Cruises has given you a great incentive to cancel. Contain yourself and be respectful of others. Someone with  common cold or influenza could easily trigger panic or knee jerk reactions by others.

 

5. Relay and enjoy your cruise, and practice good hygiene above and you will be fine. 

 

 

Thanks for your balanced thoughts and suggestions.

[mafig]

esp15

Thank you so much for your post.  Really appreciate it.❤️

[NMTraveller]

1 hour ago, helen haywood said:

Right.  Elderly (did he define that?) and those with underlying health issues.  Neither describe me.  So far.  Today. 😉

The newscaster that he was on with mentioned 60+ during the discussion...

 

I am not elderly yet.  Yahoo! 🙂  Now time to go wash my hands again. 🙂

Edited March 8, 2020 by NMTraveller

[CHUCKIE50]

As far as I'm concerned this State Department warning is good enough for me

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

I am not a doctor and have no medial training whatsoever.  I will not be sailing for a while. Makes me sad.

[lv2cruisgrl]

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/business/tourism-cruises/article241013416.html

Edited March 8, 2020 by lovrccl

[bEwAbG]

I speculated a day or two ago that the decision was about to be made for the cruise industry.  The writing was on the wall with this second Princess ship situation.  Too many resources to devote to people who are now willingly putting themselves into risky situations for leisure travel.

[lv2cruisgrl]

22 minutes ago, CHUCKIE50 said:

As far as I'm concerned this State Department warning is good enough for me

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

I am not a doctor and have no medial training whatsoever.  I will not be sailing for a while. Makes me sad.

Agree! ☹️

[calicakes]

5 hours ago, jcpc said:

I'm somewhat amazed at the fact that "over 60" is considered "elderly".  Lots and lots of folks in their 60's are still working every day and are in no way what I would consider elderly.  I guess perception of elderly changes as one gets older!!

 

Exactly, my wife is 2 years away from 60 and is a police Sgt with LAPD.  Hardly elderly.  LOL.  

[az_tchr]

1 hour ago, esp15 said:

My opinion as an Emergency Physician who is in active practice and lived through H1N1 in 2009:

 

1. The higher risk is certainly more of a logistic problem then health related for most people. If you decide to go on the cruise, realize there is a very small risk that you my need to quarantine yourself in the event that one of the other 1000-5000 passengers develops a Coronavirus infection "after" returning from your cruise even with the added medical screenings since many may be asymptomatic in the prodromal phase. With the added health screenings, there is an even smaller risk that someone actively starts showing signs of infection after boarding during your cruise that could lead to an on-ship quarantine as we have seen on the Diamond and Grand Princess. That could extended your total quarantine period to 14-21 days post-cruise. With the denominators still being so small, less than 500 active cases in the US with a population of over 300,000,000 people, the risk is still very, very, very low of you having any disruptions. 

2. As for the virus and infection itself, setting an age cutoff is not realistic. A 40 year old with severe asthma and COPD is a much higher risk than an active 70 year old with no respiratory problems or other major medical problem. The decision whether or not you should travel should be a discussion to be had with you physician and medical practitioner. It should also involve your level of comfort when it comes to taking risks. I would not zip line or para sail while in a foreign country, nor would I rent any motorize equipment such as scooters or mopeds. I also don't go out in the sun without sunscreen and I am very respectful of the ocean when it comes to snorkeling and swimming.

3. It is great that the cruise lines are offering the ability to cancel an are giving people a future cruise credit, but if everyone including those that have minimal risk decided to go forward with this and cancel, it will lead to other future issues. Your future credit vouchers will lead to greater difficulty in finding future availability for yourself and for us who want to continue cruising without vouchers. This also results in decreased income for the cruise lines that will certainly lead to increased fares, possible layoffs, reduced services, etc... this all has a domino effect that will most likely effect the cruising industry for years.

 

I hope everyone will educate themselves follow this simple advice:

 

1. Speak with your medical provider and ask their advice on whether or not your health could be adversely affected in the event that you should get coronavirus. Age is a factor, but other underlying health issues is the most important.

 

2. Practice universal precautions to prevent infections. I do this everyday in the Emergency room. Wash you hands often (15-20 second minimum) most people spend less than 10 seconds. Use hand sanitizer properly rubbing it vigorously into your hands and allowing it to dry, Avoid touching your face with your hands. Do not put anything near your face or mouth  that hasn't been cleaned and sanitized, (pens, liking your fingers to turn pages, handling money, door knobs etc).. If you have to cough or sneeze, cough into your arm or better yet  inside your shirt. Don't shake hands. Keep a respectful distance when talking to other people. Practice this before you go on vacation.

 

3. Get your flu shot every year. 

 

4. Don't travel if you are sick. Celebrity Cruises has given you a great incentive to cancel. Contain yourself and be respectful of others. Someone with  common cold or influenza could easily trigger panic or knee jerk reactions by others.

 

5. Relay and enjoy your cruise, and practice good hygiene above and you will be fine. 

 

 

An excellent recap. The only point I would challenge is there is a growing chance if quarantine. Since people do not all have symptoms, what are the chances of just 1 person - crew or passengers - coming down with COVID during your cruise?  If that happens everyone will be tested - great - and then quaranteened. That one is not so good.

 

I totally agree that for young people - anyone under 60 - have little long term health risk. We agree those with health conditions like COPD probably might think about not cruising today.

[travel1light]

 

9 minutes ago, bEwAbG said:

I speculated a day or two ago that the decision was about to be made for the cruise industry.  The writing was on the wall with this second Princess ship situation.  Too many resources to devote to people who are now willingly putting themselves into risky situations for leisure travel.

 

But  this advisory from the State Department doesn’t  change that. As long as cruises run, people will continue to go, and disproportionate resources are still going to be called into play.   

[calicakes]

I have to say, I'm 53, and I have an auto-immune disease( psoriatic arthritis).  I'd really think twice about cruising( right now), not only for my health, but for the possibility of quarantine, being stuck in a room away from my dogs for weeks at a time.  The quarantine would be the worst part for me.   I'm glad our next cruise isn't until Dec 2020.