5 minute test = Carnival's way back to safe operation?

[Elbozi]

here is what is like on MSC  ,  Nutshell, Temp + Swab test.  Fail either you are denied boarding.   Everyone is issued a tracking wrist band, to monitor whom you have been around as well.     You can buy Coronavirus insurance for $18 euro per passenger.  So if you don't do that, sounds like your out your money, if you are denied boarding.    You can only go on Cruise endorsed excursions.    They have spent $600k US per cruise for medical testing.   Ouch. 

 

 

[BlerkOne]

I understand MSC is bundling excursions so the bite isn't so bad for the passengers.

[sanger727]

7 hours ago, vintagegarage said:

As a practical matter, once almost instant testing is in place during embarkation, what happens if you test positive, and are denied boarding?  Do you receive any kind of refund for your fare?  What if the test proves later to be a false positive?  Not a big deal for a 7 day Caribbean cruise, but what if you are denied boarding on a 100 day world cruise? 

 

Since there may be more positive results for others during the cruise, are they put off at the next port, or do they continue, quarantined in their room?  Does it depend on if they need medical attention or are asymptomatic?

 

Is there any official answer from Carnival to these questions?  I know in the Bloomberg interview with Arnold Donald, he said that it is not unexpected that one or more cases will still turn up on board and so Carnival will have a plan to handle the situation before they resume sailing.   That is the only official information that I have seen from Carnival.

 

I'm ready to cruise now, and don't care if there are covid cases discovered aboard my ship after it sails, as long as the cruise continues, those that need medical care receive it, and I can get home after the cruise.  At 72, I think taking a certain amount of risk is worth the benefit of seeing the world.  What is life worth if all you want to do is shelter under your covers in your bed?   I seem to be in the minority on this board..

I don’t believe carnival has made an announcement one way or another so all we can do is look at other cruise lines. Uniworld had a case of Covid discovered after boarding (which ended up being a false positive); immediately canceled the cruise and turned back to the embarkation port AND cancelled future cruises. So, while I agree that for cruising to work they have to have a plan for a Covid case discovered after embarkation that doesn’t just cancel the sailing, we haven’t seen that yet.

 

as far as receiving a positive result on embarkation, I believe that could end up being a really big deal. And sting even more if it ends up being false. If you flew to the port, now you have a positive test which will keep you from boarding and getting on a plane to return home. So now your $1,000 cruise fare (I suspect they best they may offer is FCC) is gone. And you are racking up thousands more dollars with changed flight fees, a hotel to quarantine in, And only getting food delivered since you can’t leave your room. Not to mention your 7 day vacation just turned in 14 days so more time lost from work. And what happens if you are traveling with your wife and in laws. They don’t want to travel without you. What happens to their cruise fare? MSC is apparently offering Covid insurance. I’m curious to find out what that covers and how it works.

[skridge]

In case of a positive test are they going to leave the sick guest and there bags on the dock at Ocho Rios to fend for themselves?  That will be a great PR move for Carnival.

[jimbo5544]

1 hour ago, skridge said:

In case of a positive test are they going to leave the sick guest and there bags on the dock at Ocho Rios to fend for themselves?  That will be a great PR move for Carnival.

Really?  

[sanger727]

23 minutes ago, jimbo5544 said:

Really?  

 

It's either that or quarantine the person, and their family, and any close contacts to their cabin the remainder of the cruise AND post a guard to enforce it. Either way, it will be dicey.

[vintagegarage]

Prior to this year, I think everyone always filled out a health questionnaire during the embarkation process, at least for the past few years anyway.  As I understand it, based on your answers on the questionnaire or if you presented worrisome symptoms, you could be pulled aside and evaluated by a medical team or person.  I presume, but never saw it happen, that the evaluation might result in a no-boarding decision made for you.   Does anyone have any first hand experience with this, and if so, how was it handled?   Did the cruise line refund your cruise fare, or make any other accommodations?

[crewsweeper]

There are a couple of Pharma firms looking to produce a fast results test.  Swab from cheek or nose.  similar to home pregnancy testing.  Can detect early stages.  Comparison is getting a cup of instant coffee vs a brewed expresso. These supposedly don't capture the lingering DNA from any past exposure, an issue with some of the lab tests.  Can be OTC and very reasonably priced. Waiting on FDA approval which takes time.  something similar will be a good choice for cruise lines to pick up.  They would probably add the cost back into your cruise fare.  $40-$80 pp per cruise.

 

Could allow you to DIY in ports, subject to not catching CV19 while in port.  But you might not show positive on reboarding.  Could be the next test though. That scenario could lead to  contagion, unfortunately.

[pc_load_letter]

On 3/28/2020 at 2:08 PM, Roz said:

Should I be allowed to cruise? 

 

Sorry but no.

[chipmaster]

42 minutes ago, crewsweeper said:

There are a couple of Pharma firms looking to produce a fast results test.  Swab from cheek or nose.  similar to home pregnancy testing.  Can detect early stages.  Comparison is getting a cup of instant coffee vs a brewed expresso. These supposedly don't capture the lingering DNA from any past exposure, an issue with some of the lab tests.  Can be OTC and very reasonably priced. Waiting on FDA approval which takes time.  something similar will be a good choice for cruise lines to pick up.  They would probably add the cost back into your cruise fare.  $40-$80 pp per cruise.

 

Could allow you to DIY in ports, subject to not catching CV19 while in port.  But you might not show positive on reboarding.  Could be the next test though. That scenario could lead to  contagion, unfortunately.

 

Your last line is lost on most that makes prevention of a person infected from getting on board IMPOSSIBLE!    You can screen fo for people that are full on infected but not those that just got it. 

 

This is also why even in places like China/Taiwan etc. that have almost suppressed it completely still see new outbreaks from foreigners even with 

 

Whether from port or on embarkation anyone who just caught the virus won't test positive to either blood or swab because the viral won't have been multiplying enough in the host to invoke a positive.   

[chipmaster]

1 hour ago, pc_load_letter said:

 

Sorry but no.

 

Only if you are from the US, the risk for Far East and Europe for now at least far lower risk.

[crewsweeper]

1 hour ago, chipmaster said:

 

Your last line is lost on most that makes prevention of a person infected from getting on board IMPOSSIBLE!    You can screen fo for people that are full on infected but not those that just got it. 

 

This is also why even in places like China/Taiwan etc. that have almost suppressed it completely still see new outbreaks from foreigners even with 

 

Whether from port or on embarkation anyone who just caught the virus won't test positive to either blood or swab because the viral won't have been multiplying enough in the host to invoke a positive.   

Well the MSC Med cruise seemed to go well with just 60% capacity observing social distance and temp checks, and no one with CV19.  And that was from Italy, not exactly a spot that has avoided CV19.

 

 

[pc_load_letter]

1 hour ago, chipmaster said:

 

Only if you are from the US, the risk for Far East and Europe for now at least far lower risk.

 

Perhaps, but even still, until there is a vaccine or reputable treatment, I would advise anyone over 60 or with ANY medical condition, even asthma, to not cruise. 

[Roger88]

9 hours ago, skridge said:

In case of a positive test are they going to leave the sick guest and there bags on the dock at Ocho Rios to fend for themselves?  That will be a great PR move for Carnival.

I doubt they will leave you all alone or something. You luggage will be sent home and you will be give some special transport or put in a local hospital or some other institution for 2-3 weeks 

[chipmaster]

1 hour ago, crewsweeper said:

Well the MSC Med cruise seemed to go well with just 60% capacity observing social distance and temp checks, and no one with CV19.  And that was from Italy, not exactly a spot that has avoided CV19.

 

 

 

Don't count your good fortune yet, remember virus symptoms don't necessarily show up till a week later, and if you are young and healthy and not obese as most Europeans are then you might end up being asymptomatic transmitter.

 

Not that I'm a glass is half empty, it is encouraging, but just like the Feb-April time frame, many ships sailed and returned with nothing while other ships it exploded. 

 

Scientists are still trying to figure out the confluence of things that make some events superspreaders and others seem to be so benign.     But clearly gathering people from all over the place for a long duration in close quarters and letting them return to the world is a recipe for superspeader event.

 

 

 

Edited August 26, 2020 by chipmaster

[coevan]

2 hours ago, pc_load_letter said:

I would advise anyone over 60 or with ANY medical condition, even asthma, to not cruise. 

 

 

Well that will quickly get you to 50% capacity

[coevan]

2 hours ago, Roger88 said:

some other institution for 2-3 weeks 

 

 

This is interesting

[autofan]

The main concern is how accurate is the test?  Some of these rabid test are not all that accurate.  In fact there was a couple being pitched for use that were only 50% accurate but due to low cost they would be of benefit.  However, they would be of no

benefit for something like this.  If you will look at the actual data there are problems with all of the test.  

[darwinsrule]

3 hours ago, Roger88 said:

I doubt they will leave you all alone or something. You luggage will be sent home and you will be give some special transport or put in a local hospital or some other institution for 2-3 weeks 

 

Hope you brought your passport with you.   Actually that raises an interesting question as to whether a passport becomes a requirement for U.S. citizens?  As MSC showed, fail to stick with tour group and go off on your own you aren't going to get back on the ship.  Also applies in the case of testing positive while returning on one of islands.  

 

 

[a,j,&fam]

Is test still approved to be use in emergency? What is the accurate of the test? What will the price tag be per cruise?

Just so many questions

[coevan]

Carnival has no idea, nor do any other U.S. cruise line. Anything Covid at this point is purely speculation and innuendo 

[ray98]

On 3/31/2020 at 6:24 PM, Elbozi said:

If this mutates into a deadlier strain like happened in the second wave of the Spanish Flu; then you may not be looking at cruising until far into 2021. That would send us into an economic depression.  Few would have the spare coin to waste.   

 

....or it could also mutate like the original SARS-COV-1 into something that no longer targets humans.

[ProgRockCruiser]

On 8/26/2020 at 6:16 AM, skridge said:

In case of a positive test are they going to leave the sick guest and there bags on the dock at Ocho Rios to fend for themselves?  That will be a great PR move for Carnival.

From what I gather, the intent it to dedicate a block of cabins as quarantine rooms for anyone who pops positive after returning to the ship at a port (or develops symptoms and tests positive during the cruise, I suppose).

 

I don't think the foreign ports will be too happy with patients being dropped off on their dock.  The ship will need to leave with the problem they brought.

 

This got me thinking:

 

If I get off the ship at a port and carouse and party and mingle for six hours, how likely is it I am going to actually test positive when I try to get back on board?  Not likely - it takes more than a few hours to develop enough of the virus in your body to be detectable by a test.  At least 48 hrs, IIRC, and may depend on whether you start to develop symptoms or not.

 

So while any proposed tests upon re-boarding are useful at detecting "new" cases, the infected person was likely contagious before they left the ship.  Thus, testing when boarding is a useful trigger, not an actual filter that will stop the on-board spread in time.

 

I am therefore not quite sure of the value other than "we're doing something, dangit!"

[TNcruising02]

The value of testing is that the cruise lines will be doing what is reasonably necessary to continue to operate a business until the virus is no longer an issue.  Unless someone's symptoms are so severe that the person requires hospitalization, I think quarantining in a special area of the ship will be fine.  Testing before boarding is a great step to minimizing issues.  A person is very unlikely to go from testing negative to needing hospitalization within a few days.  Since the majority of those infected display mild symptoms, this reduces the issues even further.

Those who don't want to get the virus and are very afraid should stay away from people everywhere, including grocery stores, businesses, restaurants, amusement parks, etc.  The risk is everywhere.  Anyway, I will happily submit to a covid test in order to cruise.  I will also happily get the vaccine.  Those who are concerned can stay home.

Edited August 27, 2020 by TNcruising02

[ray98]

20 minutes ago, ProgRockCruiser said:

 

This got me thinking:

 

If I get off the ship at a port and carouse and party and mingle for six hours, how likely is it I am going to actually test positive when I try to get back on board?  Not likely - it takes more than a few hours to develop enough of the virus in your body to be detectable by a test.  At least 48 hrs, IIRC, and may depend on whether you start to develop symptoms or not.

 

So while any proposed tests upon re-boarding are useful at detecting "new" cases, the infected person was likely contagious before they left the ship.  Thus, testing when boarding is a useful trigger, not an actual filter that will stop the on-board spread in time.

 

I am therefore not quite sure of the value other than "we're doing something, dangit!"

 

Yup....worthless.  You don't get exposed and then 2 hours later pop positive on the test.