Zaandam and Rotterdam Situation (merged topics starting March 22, 2020)

[cbr663]

42 minutes ago, arabrab said:

It is a dam mess.

 

I hope Rotterdam is required to quarantine all aboard for 14 days from today. Bringing passengers from an infected ship to an uninfected ship exposes a whole lot of folks on board the Rotterdam. The chances that none of the transferred passengers develop coronavirus in the next 14 days seems very, very small. 

I agree 100%

[cbr663]

19 minutes ago, bouhunter said:

Agree, an awful mess.  Someone here just posted it's a "good plan...…".   Well it's a plan and I guess the best they can do.  Little early to say it's a good one.

I agree an awful mess.  I don't think that it was the best that they could do.

 

With everyone on the Zdam, the virus is contained to one ship.  With passengers self isolated for only 5 days, there is no way for anyone to determine whether passengers currently not exhibiting symptoms have the virus or not.  Moving these passengers to another ship after only 5 days of self isolation significantly increases the risk of spreading the virus to another ship and all of that's ship's crew.  Should even 1 person on the Rdam start to develop symptoms then HAL will have another ship sailing the oceans looking for a port to dock.

 

Time will tell for sure.

[canadianjovigirl]

They’re reporting deaths on board https://www.businessinsider.com/holland-american-coronavirus-covid-19-zaandam-rotterdam-2020-3
 

 

Edited March 27, 2020 by canadianjovigirl

[CruiserBruce]

8 minutes ago, canadianjovigirl said:

They’re reporting deaths on board https://www.businessinsider.com/holland-american-coronavirus-covid-19-zaandam-rotterdam-2020-3
 

 

It was reported on this thread over an hour ago.

[arabrab]

10 minutes ago, canadianjovigirl said:

They’re reporting deaths on board https://www.businessinsider.com/holland-american-coronavirus-covid-19-zaandam-rotterdam-2020-3
 

 

That is a fascinating article with many more details than provided in the HAL statement. A total cluster.

 

3 deaths in the last day, 1 before that. 

Edited March 27, 2020 by arabrab

[canadianjovigirl]

10 minutes ago, CruiserBruce said:

 

Edited March 27, 2020 by canadianjovigirl

[canadianjovigirl]

12 minutes ago, Av8rix said:

 

Edited March 27, 2020 by canadianjovigirl

[portofrome]

My prayers for all onboard.

[TiogaCruiser]

52 minutes ago, ducklite said:

Is the Rotterdam a bigger ship?  Would they be able to place everyone removed into balcony cabins for fresh air instead of relying on re-circulated?  It seems that could make a big difference in curbing the potential spread of any disease--even the common cold.

Rotterdam and Zaandam are sister ships (both r class) and have similar capacities and facilities.

[ncgolferette]

Just on the news four people have passed away on the ship.  God bless them.

[Boatdrill]

34 minutes ago, cbr663 said:

I agree an awful mess.  I don't think that it was the best that they could do.

 

From the HAL statement : "Today we announced a plan to transfer groups of healthy Zaandam guests to Rotterdam, with strict protocols for this process developed in conjunction with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)."

Edited March 27, 2020 by Boatdrill

[timbom]

Where are they off to now that panama has refused transit of canal??

 

Will Mexico take them??

 

Looks like San Francisco to me as they handled the last so well.

[rafinmd]

7 minutes ago, timbom said:

Where are they off to now that panama has refused transit of canal??

 

Will Mexico take them??

 

Looks like San Francisco to me as they handled the last so well.

Where did you hear that they were refused transit?

 

Roy

[npcl]

This is absolutely horrid news.

 

Since CCL is a Panamanian company and unlike many other central american countries Panama has a very good medical system (a destination for medical tourism) that exports doctors to other countries and the ship is in that area, why can't they get permission to at least offload the sick patients there.

[TanTien]

Update from about an hour ago. https://www.washingtonpost.com/travel/2020/03/27/four-passengers-have-died-zaandam-cruise-ship-where-two-people-tested-positive-covid-19/

[cruisemom42]

48 minutes ago, canadianjovigirl said:

They’re reporting deaths on board https://www.businessinsider.com/holland-american-coronavirus-covid-19-zaandam-rotterdam-2020-3
 

 

 

From the article cited, these are chilling words:

 

"There is no other place for us to take the guests and no other means to provide assistance to the Zaandam and our fellow team members on board."

[ducklite]

11 minutes ago, npcl said:

This is absolutely horrid news.

 

Since CCL is a Panamanian company and unlike many other central american countries Panama has a very good medical system (a destination for medical tourism) that exports doctors to other countries and the ship is in that area, why can't they get permission to at least offload the sick patients there.

Because they don’t want to overload their hospitals. 

[gui218]

Zaandam, Thank you to all Crew members current and past.

We enjoyed a spectacular Antarctica/South America cruise in the past.

The Zaandam survived the Drake shake.

We salute the Compassionate Mariners on the Rotterdam for their assistance to the Zaandam.

Good luck and best wishes to all passengers and crew on the Zaandam and Rotterdam.  

[1ANGELCAT]

17 minutes ago, npcl said:

This is absolutely horrid news.

 

Since CCL is a Panamanian company and unlike many other central american countries Panama has a very good medical system (a destination for medical tourism) that exports doctors to other countries and the ship is in that area, why can't they get permission to at least offload the sick patients there.

Are you referring to Carnival Corporation or Carnival Cruise Line ? 
HAL ships are not registered in Panama. 

[JazzyV]

The Zaandam had planned to pass through the Panama Canal en route to Florida, but after being inspected by Panamanian authorities, the request to use the canal was denied, said canal Administrator Ricauter Vásquez. The Health Ministry “did not give permission,” Vásquez told reporters Friday. “The ship is in territorial waters but has to remain isolated.”

 

https://www.yahoo.com/news/4-passengers-dead-aboard-cruise-183733702.html

[canadianbear]

This is such a sad situation and I feel for all those on board including the staff.  It’s one of my favourite ships and holds wonderful memories for me.  

[rafinmd]

Do both ships need refueling before they can proceed?

 

Roy

[arabrab]

I wish them well, but I'm sorry that Rotterdam crew who didn't volunteer for this are being forcibly thrust into this situation. It is unfortunate that they did not ask for volunteers (in addition to the already planned medical staff)) and transfer the volunteers to the Zaandam who could live in cabins that are not occupied and provide support. (Zaandam was not full on this sailing)

[BellKat]

2 hours ago, arabrab said:

It is a dam mess.

 

I hope Rotterdam is required to quarantine all aboard for 14 days from today. Bringing passengers from an infected ship to an uninfected ship exposes a whole lot of folks on board the Rotterdam. The chances that none of the transferred passengers develop coronavirus in the next 14 days seems very, very small. 

You do know there are no passengers on Rotterdam right?

[cruisemom42]

4 minutes ago, BellKat said:

You do know there are no passengers on Rotterdam right?

 

But many crew that could be put at risk. 

 

And from what we've been told so far, they (the Rotterdam crew) were not originally told that they would be picking up passengers when they agreed (as is apparently required) to undertake the rendevouz mission.