RC Health Plan - Health and Safety Panel Report are now released

[beerman2]

4 minutes ago, orville99 said:

What I find interesting is the two columns to the right of the list that indicate which recommendations are “modifiable” and which ones are permanent changes. Makes all the difference ion the way that the cruise lines treat their response once a vaccine or antiviral is approved.

Agree completely 

22 modifiable in time

52 locked in 

[Motterman]

I think we were okay with testing, masks, social distancing, and curbed buffets. 

 

Think not being able to debark to eat and shop at ports of call is a deal breaker for us though.

[gadaboutgal]

Medicare Insurance Facts:

Will Medicare pay for medically-necessary health care services I get on a cruise ship?

          

"Medicare may cover medically-necessary health care services you get on a cruise ship in these situations:

•The doctor is allowed under certain laws to provide medical services on the cruise ship.

•The ship is in a U.S. port (USVI including St Thomas or Puerto Rico included;  or no more than 6 hours away from a U.S. port when you get the services, regardless of whether it’s an emergency."

No where have I found how 6 hours away from US is calculated, but I am guessing the Bahamas would be covered.  Anyone know for sure?

[d9704011]

3 minutes ago, gadaboutgal said:

No where have I found how 6 hours away from US is calculated, but I am guessing the Bahamas would be covered.  Anyone know for sure?

It’s over 180 miles from Miami to Nassau.  I don’t think that’s within six hours for a cruise ship.

[nelblu]

1 hour ago, nelblu said:

I got mine via a MedExpress facility.  Made appointment and waited in car.  A nurse came out in the parking lot, took my temperature and asked key medical questions.   About 10 minutes later, Physician came to my car, asked/confirm the  medical questions and finally swabbed my nostrils.  Test results within 2-3 days.  No Doctor order required and Medicare paid 100%.

Correction, Medicare reimburses at 80%, balance picked up by my supplementary "plan F" insurance.  Haven't received Medicare EOB and don't know what Medicare approved for payment.  Also, Plan F covers 80% of medical costs incurred outside the US.

[ipeeinthepool]

6 minutes ago, nelblu said:

Correction, Medicare reimburses at 80%, balance picked up by my supplementary "plan F" insurance.  Haven't received Medicare EOB and don't know what Medicare approved for payment.  Also, Plan F covers 80% of medical costs incurred outside the US.

 

I think there may be a lifetime limit on the charges that Plan F pays outside of the US.  I think the limit is around $50k

[gadaboutgal]

There is a ferry between Nassau and Port Everglades that does the trip in 2 1/2 hours; but I don't know how fast it goes.  The distance is 164.29 nautical miles(198 miles)-if a ship like Oasis can do a max of 25 knots (28.2mph) what does that compute to?  Could they do it in less than 6 hours? 

[Milwaukee Eight]

1 hour ago, Kokomo91165 said:

FL tests range $119-$250 per person

You paid for a COVID19 test in Florida out of pocket?

 

M8

[Milwaukee Eight]

1 hour ago, Plum Happy said:

Wow, if they let the passengers just go, they would get on a plane with everyone else, wouldn't they?  So, of course the cruise line is going to ensure that they are taken to their destination.  You can go back and see what the CDC informed the cruise line to to do to minimize the spread.

I’m talking about onshore medical facilities. Who pays? Why should Cruise ships be allowed to disembark CV sick people and leave it up to healthcare workers to treat?  I believe this has been an issue with the CDC since day one. The CDC even suggested that maybe the Cruise lines should provide a hospital ship. How does anything we have seen to date addressed this?

 

Maybe Royal can setup Medical facilities at Coco Cay. Disembark infected there. Once treated and no longer positive, transport them back to the States. 
 

M&

[Milwaukee Eight]

30 minutes ago, ipeeinthepool said:

 

I think there may be a lifetime limit on the charges that Plan F pays outside of the US.  I think the limit is around $50k

A few days in the ICU and that money will be burned up. 

[goodoldan]

So if you couldn't keep someone from hogging deck chairs, smoking in no smoking areas or violating a dozen other rules that were in place on ships "pre-COVID", what's to make anyone think that irresponsible/selfish folks on cruises will suddenly follow the rules relative to COVID?  The same jerks who won't follow a mask requirement on land aren't likely to cooperate on a ship, either... their viewpoint is that the rules are for "sheep", and certainly not for them. 

 

Much credit to the cruise lines for trying to make this work, but in addition to their new guidelines I think that until we have vaccines and a vaccination certificate is required to board (without exception)... sadly, cruising will be difficult and there will be episodes of ship-wide disease spread as we saw early in 2020.  Try as they might, I don't think the cruise lines are going to be very successful in changing the behavior of some customers... to the detriment of us all.

[Ashland]

1 hour ago, Motterman said:

I think we were okay with testing, masks, social distancing, and curbed buffets. 

 

Think not being able to debark to eat and shop at ports of call is a deal breaker for us though.

Well I still want my buffet...they can serve it just like they do during a Noro outbreak. 

I'm not interested in sitting for a long length of time in a dining room...the only good thing will be that those 2/tops will have to be spread out further apart !

[goodoldan]

1 hour ago, gadaboutgal said:

Medicare Insurance Facts:

Will Medicare pay for medically-necessary health care services I get on a cruise ship?

 

 

In a word, NO, as a practical matter. I have a Plan "G" Medigap policy, and while there is a limited amount of "foreign" coverage ($50K lifetime), it would be difficult to use and does not provide key features (medical evac/repatriation, etc).

 

I ALWAYS buy a good trip insurance policy that includes $500K+ medical insurance (primary coverage) PLUS medical evacuation and repatriation. You won't find that at the cruise line.... several excellent providers are online. For the past several years I have also purchased a standalone international travel medical policy from GeoBlue that allows unlimited foreign trips (up to 70 days each) with a limit of up to $500K.  A bit redundant, but covers quick trips to Canada or wherever, too.

[firefly333]

20 minutes ago, Ashland said:

Well I still want my buffet...they can serve it just like they do during a Noro outbreak. 

I'm not interested in sitting for a long length of time in a dining room...the only good thing will be that those 2/tops will have to be spread out further apart !

I've read that on msc that they spread out the 2 tops but that people are always passing thru on their way in and out as are the waiters, that it's not working exactly. People finish dinner and get up to walk back to their cabin and dont necessarily put their masks on right away. Though it's a fast pass thru. Only a few seconds. It's the 15 minutes not just a brush pass that gets you really sick, though I'm no medical expert. That's why few people get it grocery shopping but more get it from extended sitting in restaurants and bars. Idk, just what I read about msc moving tables apart .. yes . ... but.

[Sunshine3601]

1 hour ago, Milwaukee Eight said:

A few days in the ICU and that money will be burned up. 

$50K would be gone in a few hours if in a ICU on a venilator.

[Sunshine3601]

39 minutes ago, goodoldan said:

 

In a word, NO, as a practical matter. I have a Plan "G" Medigap policy, and while there is a limited amount of "foreign" coverage ($50K lifetime), it would be difficult to use and does not provide key features (medical evac/repatriation, etc).

 

I ALWAYS buy a good trip insurance policy that includes $500K+ medical insurance (primary coverage) PLUS medical evacuation and repatriation. You won't find that at the cruise line.... several excellent providers are online. For the past several years I have also purchased a standalone international travel medical policy from GeoBlue that allows unlimited foreign trips (up to 70 days each) with a limit of up to $500K.  A bit redundant, but covers quick trips to Canada or wherever, too.

GeoBlue does offer some great coverages.    Their Trekker plan that we had for the year does not cover covid related medical expenses (other than a test).    I think it has to be their voyager plan to cover covid expenses and that plan is priced per trip (total number of days).    I was generally looking online and very few will cover anything covid any than the cost of a test.

When we know a date that cruises will actually restart it would be great if CC had that insurance specialist answer questions and offer recommendations for all of us. 

 

[Ocean Boy]

2 hours ago, gadaboutgal said:

There is a ferry between Nassau and Port Everglades that does the trip in 2 1/2 hours; but I don't know how fast it goes.  The distance is 164.29 nautical miles(198 miles)-if a ship like Oasis can do a max of 25 knots (28.2mph) what does that compute to?  Could they do it in less than 6 hours? 

164.29 / 25 = 6.5716 Hrs.

164.29 NM with a crossing time of 2.5 hrs. would be 65.716 knots. It doesn't seem possible.

 

From a Google search.... Australian ferry builder Incat Tasmania's world first high speed dual-fuel vehicle and passenger ferry is the world's fastest ship having achieved a lightship speed of 58.1 knots – (107.6 kilometres an hour).May 2, 2019

[reallyitsmema]

2 hours ago, gadaboutgal said:

There is a ferry between Nassau and Port Everglades that does the trip in 2 1/2 hours; but I don't know how fast it goes.  The distance is 164.29 nautical miles(198 miles)-if a ship like Oasis can do a max of 25 knots (28.2mph) what does that compute to?  Could they do it in less than 6 hours? 

 

29 minutes ago, Ocean Boy said:

164.29 / 25 = 6.5716 Hrs.

164.29 NM with a crossing time of 2.5 hrs. would be 65.716 knots. It doesn't seem possible.

 

From a Google search.... Australian ferry builder Incat Tasmania's world first high speed dual-fuel vehicle and passenger ferry is the world's fastest ship having achieved a lightship speed of 58.1 knots – (107.6 kilometres an hour).May 2, 2019

 

The ferry from Port Everglades goes to Freeport not Nassua.

[bigrednole]

I have not read it and I do not have the time at the moment. I will get to it at some point. With the CDC announcement (and quick retraction) that Covid-19 is not passed from contact with things but through the droplets in air, are we going to finally see the end of smoking and vaping pretty much everywhere in public?

 

I am going to read through it to see if that is addressed. Vaping and smoke are horrible carriers of communicable diseases and can carrier it even farther than 6'. This would be a great change to cruising and everything else.

[time4u2go]

1 minute ago, bigrednole said:

I have not read it and I do not have the time at the moment. I will get to it at some point. With the CDC announcement (and quick retraction) that Covid-19 is not passed from contact with things but through the droplets in air, are we going to finally see the end of smoking and vaping pretty much everywhere in public?

 

I am going to read through it to see if that is addressed. Vaping and smoke are horrible carriers of communicable diseases and can carrier it even farther than 6'. This would be a great change to cruising and everything else.

Smoking and vaping are not addressed. 

[bigrednole]

Just now, time4u2go said:

Smoking and vaping are not addressed. 

Well, it needs to be added in my opinion and banned. Some may whine, but they don't need to go.

[A&L_Ont]

 

5 hours ago, Pratique said:

Folks these are just recommendations from the panel - this is not "the plan" each cruise line must submit to the CDC for approval.

 

There is more to come.

Exactly. I see it as the basis of their plan, but the final outcome will be dictated by the CDC. 

 

5 hours ago, Sweetsue5680 said:

So I have booked Baltic excursions with outside agencies already.  Trip is for June 2021.  Does this mean I have to cancel and only use RCCL?  If so, I imagine they can raise their prices as there is no competition anymore.

Yet to be known. Hopefully more will be known overtime but I suggest booking fully refundable flights and hopefully you booked that way as well. 

 

4 hours ago, Mapleleafforever said:

Thanks for posting. Now I have something to read tonight after the kids go to sleep. Is this a Scotch read or can I get by with an herbal tea?

Tequila might be a better option. 😂

 

3 hours ago, sjb317 said:

You are right about temperature checks, they give a false sense of security.  As do 5 day old lab results😂😂

 

Sherri🙂

You are so right about temperature checks, as a spike temperature is one of the last signs that you have Covid.  The test only tells you your status at that moment in time. 

[HBE4]

8 hours ago, boscobeans said:

Comrade Cuomo's New York. In Florida you have a Governor not a tyrant.

Don't know why LabCorp is requiring doctor's orders when Quest isn't, but that was their recorded answer this morning.

 

 

Yeah, I need get tested sometime this November for travel so I started to check into my testing options. There has to be 30+ places I can get tested within a 1/2 hour drive of me but there is a Hodge-podge of rules that are as clear as mud.

Some sites are drive-up testing facilities run by the state that may or may not be free, others are private - labs, doctors offices, urgent care, pharmacies (CVS, Walgreens, etc) - some which require a doctor's note, others do not, some are walk-in, others require a reservation, most require a pre-screening of some sort  (virtual, phone, in-person), some guarantee results in 48-72 hours, others 7-9 days. Most places say insurance should cover all or most of the cost while I would pay the typical co-pay.....or not.   Oh, and some places do only one kind of test that may not meet my test requirements (molecular PCR).

 

I need to draw some sort of Venn diagram or Excel spreadsheet to figure out where and when to go! 

 

8 hours ago, Milwaukee Eight said:

I guess the charge $ and Dr Order requirement is a way to artificially keep the number of cases low. 😇

 

 

4 hours ago, Milwaukee Eight said:

It’s odd that NY requires a Dr order and charges for the test.

 

I wonder why?😇

 

Because NY likes things to be confusing.  But despite that, it's still #1 state in the nation in testing per capita.  Well, #4 actually but the first 3 are so small in population, I don't count them. 😉

 

https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/testing/states-comparison 

 

Nothing nefarious going on here. 😇

 

Edited September 21, 2020 by HBE4

[WAMarathoner]

8 hours ago, kruzinkel said:

  Looking forward to reduced capacity as well!

 

I don't think you'll have to worry about that.  The more restrictions, the fewer people will be cruising that line.

 

My question is, we've already pre-paid for a cruise in the fall and are not going to go if we have to wear masks.  What's the best way to get a full refund rather than credit (since I doubt we'll be using RCCL any more.)

[Ashland]

1 minute ago, bigrednole said:

Well, it needs to be added in my opinion and banned. Some may whine, but they don't need to go.

I had never really seen in person any one vaping until we were out on deck late one night in Aruba....

OMG the thick dense fog this person created was unbelievable ....

He came up and stood very close to us....we left quickly !!!