Cancelling Cruises because of the C word

[Adawn47]

I'm thinking it could be fear of the unknown more than anything else. With flu etc you know what to expect.  We have our vaccinations and hope it helps. With covid19 we're in the dark, reading all kinds of scenarios and horror stories. It's difficult to try and get a personal grip on the situation when we are constantly being given conflicting advice as to helping protect ourselves against the virus when the goalposts are being continually moved.

[ann141]

I am going on a cruise next week.If P and O deny me boarding because I have a cough/am sneezing etc(I haven t got these at the moment) then I would expect them to issue the refund.They can t tell whether it is just a cold or the coronavirus but it will be their decision to stop me boarding not mine or the insurance companies.I think P and O haven t got an official line at the moment because things are changing daily and they don t want to commit at this point.I am hoping (from a selfish point of view!) that if others are cancelling I shall be able to upgrade from an inside cabin to a balcony cabin at a very cheap price!! once onboard

[wowzz]

23 minutes ago, davecttr said:

 

I am in the increased risk group because of age and medical conditions and it seems prudent to me not to put myself at unnecessary risk.

I am still  not sure why going on a cruise is any riskier than going shopping, eating in a restaurant,  walking through  a shopping centre etc. Unless you lock yourself away, you will come  into contact with thousands of people with the possibility of becoming infected, long before your cruise is due to start. 

 

[wowzz]

24 minutes ago, Harry Peterson said:

300,000 additional deaths in the UK alone - hardly trivial.

 Not sure I agree with the word "additional" .Many of those 300,000 would have died anyway (being  blunt).

[staygulf]

3 minutes ago, wowzz said:

I am still  not sure why going on a cruise is any riskier than going shopping, eating in a restaurant,  walking through  a shopping centre etc. Unless you lock yourself away, you will come  into contact with thousands of people with the possibility of becoming infected, long before your cruise is due to start. 

 

It is the closely packed environment which I think increases the risk. But it’s not just the risk of infection that is the problem. It’s the fear of going on an excursion and being denied reboarding because your temperature may be high, the fear of being quarantined for 2 weeks in your cabin because  1 individual displays symptoms etc etc 

[Harry Peterson]

20 minutes ago, wowzz said:

I am still  not sure why going on a cruise is any riskier than going shopping, eating in a restaurant,  walking through  a shopping centre etc. Unless you lock yourself away, you will come  into contact with thousands of people with the possibility of becoming infected, long before your cruise is due to start. 

 

I doubt it is, in reality - probably a much greater chance of contracting it on the London Underground or a London bus.  Or any public transport.  Or anywhere where people gather.

 

Greater potential consequences on a ship though perhaps - being quarantined wouldn't be too much fun.  And the medical facilities are too limited to cope with an outbreak.  But then, so are ours if it's a large one.

[wowzz]

16 minutes ago, staygulf said:

It’s the fear of going on an excursion and being denied reboarding because your temperature may be high,

Is there any evidence that passengers are having their temperatures checked everytime they rejoin their ship ?

[jeanlyon]

Sneezing and your nose running are not symptoms of this virus.  It's a dry cough and a fever.  It does sound like quarantining you in your cabin for 2 weeks is not going to happen after the Diamond Princess.  However, being left somewhere is a possibility.

[silversurf]

It has been shown from the Diamond Princess fiasco that putting all the crew and passengers in quarantine on the ship was not a huge success, so would they do that again?

[staygulf]

14 minutes ago, wowzz said:

Is there any evidence that passengers are having their temperatures checked everytime they rejoin their ship ?

I’m not on every cruise so I have no evidence. I can only go on what I’m told by people who are currently on cruises. 

Edited March 2, 2020 by staygulf

[silversurf]

Tried to phone my travel insurance company and TA this morning to see where we stand if we cancelled. Recorded message at travel insurance ‘we are very busy please send an e mail with your message.’

Girl at TA not trained in cancellations, leave message and they will contact me in a few days.

Very unsatisfactory.

 

 

[Bazrat]

17 minutes ago, Tablelamp said:

You ought not to sneer at the fears that other people might have.  A little kindness goes a long way.

True but kindness there’s actually nothing wrong with them there just panicking whatever happened to the Dunkirk spirit, oops they cancelled it.

[Tablelamp]

3 minutes ago, silversurf said:

Tried to phone my travel insurance company and TA this morning to see where we stand if we cancelled. Recorded message at travel insurance ‘we are very busy please send an e mail with your message.’

Girl at TA not trained in cancellations, leave message and they will contact me in a few days.

Very unsatisfactory.

 

4 minutes ago, silversurf said:

Tried to phone my travel insurance company and TA this morning to see where we stand if we cancelled. Recorded message at travel insurance ‘we are very busy please send an e mail with your message.’

Girl at TA not trained in cancellations, leave message and they will contact me in a few days.

Very unsatisfactory.

 

 

3 minutes ago, silversurf said:

 

You got further than I did, I just got a recorded message that told me to view their website.  Which said nothing that we don’t know already

 

[Bazrat]

Just out of interest is it safer to be in a crowd of 32,000 at a football match than going on a cruise.

Edited March 2, 2020 by Bazrat

[Tablelamp]

You got further than I did, I just got a recorded message that told me to view their website.  Which said nothing that we don’t know already

[Bazrat]

Just now, Tablelamp said:

You got further than I did, I just got a recorded message that told me to view their website.  Which said nothing that we don’t know already

Probably nothing as changed to warrant changing the information already out there

[Harry Peterson]

25 minutes ago, silversurf said:

It has been shown from the Diamond Princess fiasco that putting all the crew and passengers in quarantine on the ship was not a huge success, so would they do that again?

It was very much a success.  It was a quarantine operation, and quarantines are designed to protect the healthy (those in Japan) from the potentially infected (those on the ship).  It did just that. Protection of the people within the ship had nothing to do with the quarantine.

[Nn2036]

21 minutes ago, silversurf said:

It has been shown from the Diamond Princess fiasco that putting all the crew and passengers in quarantine on the ship was not a huge success, so would they do that again?

 

I think if there is clear guidance or direction of what the govt will do if there is coronavirus on board a ship, people will be less hesitate in booking future cruise or going in current cruise. The uncertainty makes people very nervous.

[kalos]

Some people I think will have very little option other than to lock themselves away if the virus over runs some of our towns and city's if they are at risk .
(W H O) Dr Tedros said: "If you are 60+, or have an underlying condition like cardiovascular disease, a respiratory condition or diabetes, you have a higher risk of developing severe COVID19.
"Try to avoid crowded areas, or places where you might interact with people who are sick."
Health Secretary Matt Hancock has said "he could not rule out banning big events where thousands of people would gather, if the situation gets worse."
Despite a "huge economic and social downside" closing down cities could not be taken "off the table at this stage because you have to make sure you have all the tools available if that is what is necessary".
Cemeteries and crematoriums are also reported to be drawing up plans to deal with a rise in bodies, with families possibly being allowed to hold funerals in their homes, schools, pubs or hotels if churches and chapels become overwhelmed.
The government also want us to carry on as normal for now ,which I take to mean carry on cruising as well ,which is fine but anyone who is in the at risk bracket, who could blame them if they cancel ?
 As said in other posts we are battling the unkown and the goal posts will be moved many times before this virus is finished with us . So do what feels right for you , your choice,your cruise.

[PRINCESSTHE BEST]

17 minutes ago, Harry Peterson said:

It was very much a success.  It was a quarantine operation, and quarantines are designed to protect the healthy (those in Japan) from the potentially infected (those on the ship).  It did just that. Protection of the people within the ship had nothing to do with the quarantine.

So basically, if there’s an outbreak on the ship, the rest of the passengers and crew are expendable to protect the greater good. This fits in with numerous countries refusing to allow infected ships to dock. In theory you could be left stranded at sea until all passengers and crew either recovered or died!!

[Harry Peterson]

8 minutes ago, PRINCESSTHE BEST said:

So basically, if there’s an outbreak on the ship, the rest of the passengers and crew are expendable to protect the greater good. This fits in with numerous countries refusing to allow infected ships to dock. In theory you could be left stranded at sea until all passengers and crew either recovered or died!!

That's the way quarantine works - it's to protect the uninfected from the infected.

[Harry Peterson]

This isn't just cruise ships now though, to be fair - it's about gatherings of people generally once the virus really starts to spread.

 

Not a good time to be holding hotel shares.

[Nn2036]

1 minute ago, Harry Peterson said:

That's the way quarantine works - it's to protect the uninfected from the infected.

 

 

There are other way to quarantine more humanely and effectively.

 

I think there will be future class action lawsuit against the Japanese govt for mishandling the quarantine.

[kalos]

48 minutes ago, cockneyjock said:

I've just sneezed. Bless You

Have I got corona? You Tell Us ?

Am I going to die? Yes one day 

Get a grip.and  get well soon 

😉

[davecttr]

1 hour ago, wowzz said:

I am still  not sure why going on a cruise is any riskier than going shopping, eating in a restaurant,  walking through  a shopping centre etc. Unless you lock yourself away, you will come  into contact with thousands of people with the possibility of becoming infected, long before your cruise is due to start. 

 

Well if I go on that cruise I will be travelling for hours on a train to get to the port, then staying overnight in a hotel. Aboard the ship I will be in close proximity to a couple of thousand people for 14 days. I don't drive so going to my local shopping centre about 6 times a week involves using a bus. however there are 3 alternative shopping outlets that are just smaller less than 30 minutes walk from home. So I walk instead. also only go shopping twice a week and get to the shops very early. in then out. I also go to the local social club twice a week, if it comes to it I have lots of other stuff to do.. it is about cutting risk not eliminating it entirely. I could get run over by the bus I am not catching.