NCL Encore crew outbreak?

[david_sobe]

This Miami Herald article hints the crew of the NCL Encore are suffering with an outbreak of Covid-19.  However, NCL reps are telling the crew to keep quiet while not getting paid.

If true, this is so sad.  The crew needs help ASAP

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/business/tourism-cruises/article241500941.html

Edited March 30, 2020 by david_sobe

[Gershep]

I agree, if this is true the poor crew needs help.

[luv2kroooz]

Wow! They treat their crew in the same manner they treat their guests ....

 

It is important to note that crew members who have already reached their ‘end of contract date’ will no longer be paid during their extended period on board.”

[zqvol]

While everyone wants to blame the cruise lines for keeping people on their ships, maybe they should instead be looking to the ports and deciding whether or not there is someplace for the crew who have finished contracts to go.  Maybe the citizens of Miami  want all these people dumped off the ships so that they can stay there. Just because crew members are quarantined doesn't mean that they have COVID-19, they could have any number of illnesses, including noro. The whole article is a hatchet job.

[BirdTravels]

1 hour ago, blcruising said:

Wow! They treat their crew in the same manner they treat their guests ....

 

It is important to note that crew members who have already reached their ‘end of contract date’ will no longer be paid during their extended period on board.”

It is the state of Florida (in this case) who is not allowing crew to disembark. As nothing to do with NCL. 

 

RCL terminated crew contracts early for non essential personnel. 

[luv2kroooz]

6 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

It is the state of Florida (in this case) who is not allowing crew to disembark. As nothing to do with NCL. 

 

RCL terminated crew contracts early for non essential personnel. 

My understanding is that RCL is paying crew that has remained onboard the ship, regardless of reason.

[Trimone]

Welfare of all crew is the responsibility of NCL. Regardless 

[chengkp75]

If this is truly the case, and not a case of "you don't have to work, but if you don't you won't be paid, but if you do work, we'll continue to pay", I doubt this will survive a challenge under the Manila Labor Convention, which regulates work environment for seafarers.  I haven't reviewed all clauses of the MLC lately, but I believe that restriction to ship requires minimum wage at least, and I'm sure guys like Jim Walker are just salivating to hear this news.

[Waquoit]

1 hour ago, Trimone said:

Welfare of all crew is the responsibility of NCL. Regardless 

Yup, just more victim blaming.

[boatseller]

Why does everybody always assume to worst in people?  The crew will get all the 'help' they need.  If no one presents with serious symptoms, the worst that happens convalescence and quarantine.  The profile of most crew put them well into the low risk category.

[PATRLR]

2 hours ago, boatseller said:

Why does everybody always assume to worst in people?  The crew will get all the 'help' they need.  If no one presents with serious symptoms, the worst that happens convalescence and quarantine.  The profile of most crew put them well into the low risk category.

Having them muster a couple times since they've been parked.  Giving them a blood test and claiming it to be a test for COVID19.  I'm going to stop right there.  Those two are enough for me to assume that NCL does not have the best interest of it's crews in mind and therefore I have no reason to think "The crew will get all the 'help' they need".

 

[PATRLR]

16 hours ago, zqvol said:

While everyone wants to blame the cruise lines for keeping people on their ships, maybe they should instead be looking to the ports and deciding whether or not there is someplace for the crew who have finished contracts to go.  Maybe the citizens of Miami  want all these people dumped off the ships so that they can stay there. Just because crew members are quarantined doesn't mean that they have COVID-19, they could have any number of illnesses, including noro. The whole article is a hatchet job.

I have not seen anyone blaming the cruise line for keeping people on the ships in this thread.  The article didn't talk too much to that point other than mentioning that the ship holds the passports.  

I think the issue is how the ships are treating their crew.  From lack of communication to misinformation to ignoring the well documented advice to minimize the spread of the virus, etc.  Obviously I am not on the ships so I don't know how accurate the article is, but, it all sure seems plausible to me.    

Do you have anything to support your claim of "hatchet job"?

 

[knight2096]

With the way they treat their customers, this is not hard to believe.

[boatseller]

1 hour ago, PATRLR said:

Having them muster a couple times since they've been parked.  Giving them a blood test and claiming it to be a test for COVID19.  I'm going to stop right there.  Those two are enough for me to assume that NCL does not have the best interest of it's crews in mind and therefore I have no reason to think "The crew will get all the 'help' they need".

 

Haha, believe what you want.  First, The Miami Herald, Fake News, not even worth using in my bird cage.  The blood test thing is either a miscommunication between crew and doctor or Taylor Dolven isn't smart enough to understand what happened (it's the latter).

Sorry, drills still have to happen.

Most of the crew cannot be just let off in the United States.  If they can't fly home, they have to stay onboard.  (Again, way beyond M. Dolven's comprehension ability.)

Their contract ends so they don't get paid...and?  Sheltering aboard a brand new cruise ship (she's beautiful, I've been) isn't exactly the Amistad.  If NCL could send them home, they would, but can't for, well, reasons.

C19 isn't Ebola.  The officers are probably at most risk.

[mynameisvlad]

2 minutes ago, boatseller said:

Sheltering aboard a brand new cruise ship (she's beautiful, I've been) isn't exactly the Amistad.

 

Uh, it's not like the crew are going to enjoy her beauty stuck in crew quarters.

[boatseller]

3 minutes ago, mynameisvlad said:

 

Uh, it's not like the crew are going to enjoy her beauty stuck in crew quarters.

🙄 "Crew members stand outside their balconies on the Norwegian Encore at the Port of Miami on Thursday, March 26, 2020"

 

There's even a picture of it.

[luv2kroooz]

3 hours ago, boatseller said:

Why does everybody always assume to worst in people?  The crew will get all the 'help' they need.  If no one presents with serious symptoms, the worst that happens convalescence and quarantine.  The profile of most crew put them well into the low risk category.

I wonder if crew from Diamond Princess, Grand Princess, Oasis of the Seas, and Zaandam feel like they are low-risk....

[boatseller]

1 minute ago, blcruising said:

I wonder if crew from Diamond Princess, Grand Princess, Oasis of the Seas, and Zaandam feel like they are low-risk....

Low risk of complications.

[mynameisvlad]

6 minutes ago, boatseller said:

🙄 "Crew members stand outside their balconies on the Norwegian Encore at the Port of Miami on Thursday, March 26, 2020"

 

There's even a picture of it.

 

That's not the point. Replace "crew quarters" with "a guest cabin" and it's still there. Most cruise ships have enacted very strict protocols in which non-essential personnel are confined to their room. This means that you are stuck in a metal box for the majority of your day. Kind of hard to experience all the beauty of the ship regardless if you're in crew quarters or a guest cabin.

 

There, happy now?  🙄

Edited March 30, 2020 by mynameisvlad

[anyman]

6 minutes ago, mynameisvlad said:

 

That's not the point. Replace "crew quarters" with "a guest cabin" and it's still there. Most cruise ships have enacted very strict protocols in which non-essential personnel are confined to their room. This means that you are stuck in a metal box for the majority of your day. Kind of hard to experience all the beauty of the ship regardless if you're in crew quarters or a guest cabin.

 

There, happy now?  🙄

 

And the option is?

[mynameisvlad]

2 minutes ago, anyman said:

 

And the option is?

 

What option? The other commenter was making it seem like they're living a life of luxury enjoying the beauty of a brand new cruise ship, when in reality they're likely stuck in a 150sq. ft. metal box.

[boatseller]

2 minutes ago, mynameisvlad said:

 

That's not the point. Replace "crew quarters" with "a guest cabin" and it's still there. Most cruise ships have enacted very strict protocols in which non-essential personnel are confined to their room. This means that you are stuck in a metal box for the majority of your day. Kind of hard to experience all the beauty of the ship regardless if you're in crew quarters or a guest cabin.

Ok, they can't leave.  And that's not NCL's fault.  Even if mobility aboard is limited, that's little different than any high-rise residential building.  It's not bad just because it's a ship.

[mynameisvlad]

15 minutes ago, boatseller said:

Ok, they can't leave.  And that's not NCL's fault.  Even if mobility aboard is limited, that's little different than any high-rise residential building.  It's not bad just because it's a ship.

 

150 sq. ft. of completely unpersonalized space isn't anywhere near even a 500 sq. ft. studio in a high-rise residential building.

 

It's not NCL's fault, nobody said it was, and the situation sucks. So, for their own benefit, let's not pretend they're living a life of luxury on a brand new beautiful cruise ship.

[boatseller]

1 minute ago, mynameisvlad said:

 

150 sq. ft. of completely unpersonalized space isn't anywhere near even a 500 sq. ft. studio in a high-rise residential building.

 

It's not NCL's fault, nobody said it was, and the situation sucks. So, for their own benefit, let's not pretend they're living a life of luxury on a brand new beautiful cruise ship.

Except they are...we'll, they're getting room and board in accommodations most people pay a lot of money for.

[mugtech]

16 minutes ago, boatseller said:

Except they are...we'll, they're getting room and board in accommodations most people pay a lot of money for.

Really?  How much would you pay to be quarantined in a 150 square ft cabin?