First Caribbean cruise, testing and only 53 passengers, Yet Covid shows up

[K32682]

Sea Dream numbers now at 7 positive. 

 

https://www.cruisecritic.com/news/5732/

 

"On Thursday afternoon, we were told that a group of five -- a family of six Americans traveling together -- have tested positive. Another person, not with the group, tested positive as well, along with his wife, for a total of seven cases. One person has been removed from the ship to a shoreside medical facility for observation, while the rest are still isolated in their cabins."

[pris993]

My two cents don't cruise if you are concerned, that simple.  I am booked for 2022, will reassess before final payment.  

[navybankerteacher]

3 hours ago, pris993 said:

My two cents don't cruise if you are concerned, that simple.  I am booked for 2022, will reassess before final payment.  

2022 leaves a lot of time for things to shake out — even without a vaccine, few plagues go on unabated. With a vaccine, as now appears likely - mid 2022 looks pretty promising.

[Nic6318]

Hi

 

From my perspective, I see this as as the eye opener that it should be.

 

Considering the large element of chance in the whole series of events that end up in the transmission of the virus, and with the smaller number of passengers, this sailing could just as easily gone off without incident, and there would have been congratulatory hand shakes (😃), noting how the "excellent" protocols put in place were the obvious answer. All the while ignoring the reality that if you take hundreds of people from communities where the virus is uncontrolled,  the likelihood of this type of event should (at least on occasion) be expected. As they say, it's back to the drawing board.

 

The question has always been, does the reward warrant the risk. It really isn't something that is important, it is just a cruise. I have a hard time understanding that some people can't cope with any "inconvenience" for a period of time.

 

 

[frantic36]

Maybe this is just hearsay but from what I read on the SeaDream board the main group who initially tested positive were a group of Americans travelling together. Allegedly they commented they had a fun time in Miami prior to boarding the ship. Maybe they picked up the virus on the plane or maybe in Miami but I would think it would be wise to not go out partying prior to boarding the ship?

 

I found it interesting that the ship travelled from Europe to Miami for 20 days with no positive cases. It was only 3 or 4 days after the new cruise started from Miami that the positive cases showed up and none of those were from crew.

[navybankerteacher]

51 minutes ago, frantic36 said:

...

Allegedly they commented they had a fun time in Miami prior to boarding the ship. Maybe they picked up the virus on the plane or maybe in Miami but I would think it would be wise to not go out partying prior to boarding the ship?

...

Doesn’t it strike anybody that people who “...go out partying...” are likely to be a major part of the problem?   Until people grow up, learn how to say no to themselves, and accept restrictions , efforts to contain contagion are doomed.

[BlueRiband]

We're close to an effective vaccine.  What happens next is the distribution logistics and prioritization.  One plan would have the inoculation site issuing  proof of vaccination not unlike the cards issued decades ago for each strain of polio.   If it maintains efficacy and a good portion of the population is willing to be vaccinated then covid cannot spread the way it now does.

 

The trickiest vaccine launch in U.S. history

[slidergirl]

Just my $.05:

 

Sure, maybe most survive.  But, you can have a mild "sniffles" version or a month-long stay in the hospital, attached to a ventilator and survive.  And, the "long haul" issues go far past the weeks you actually had COVID.  I'ved learned that from experience.  Right now, I'm dealing with several "gifts" - severe dizziness and losing my hair.  

The comment about 4% had COVID and 4% are OK - if you do indeed get COVID, your "immunity" is not total and guaranteed.  I lost my antibodies about 2 month after, some still have antibodies 8 months out.  They are now coming up with a T cell test which may be better at determining immunity.  But, I don't care.  I take the same precautions everyone else SHOULD.  NOTE: I had COVID back in February, before any mask suggestions, social distancing, or testing was available.  In fact, it was rarely discsussed by the Feds in February, so no way to know what to do.  

Testing.  No one should feel comfortable with a "negative" test 72 hours before a cruise.  The tests are only a snapshot into how you were on THAT DAY.  Nothing more.  So, it's totally possible that the Americans on that ship had their negative tests, but were infected after the tests were done and finally presented enough virus to test positive days into the cruise.  Being in South Florida, they wouldn't even have to go out partying to find COVID - right now, with the level of non-masking there, just being there presents a problem.  Testing is not a prophylaxis.  

 

Off my soapbox.  But, I'll leave with this:  #WEARTHEDAMNMASK

[jocap]

The UK couple I've been following on this cruise have just blogged that they are leaving the ship for the airport in two hours.

They are feeling well, and have been on board for 27 days.

[Luckiestmanonearth]

On 11/13/2020 at 6:09 AM, ontheweb said:

That sure does not sound like the fun cruise that they signed up for. But at least they got a few days that they did not have to wear masks. <sarcasm>

This is a huge disaster for the cruise industry for sure

 

i don’t think they could come up with enough protocols now that would make most people feel comfortable cruising 

[ka201458]

once the vaccine for the present virus is out, the mutations will still be here.

The flu shot should tell you that.

[clo]

8 hours ago, Luckiestmanonearth said:

This is a huge disaster for the cruise industry for sure

 

i don’t think they could come up with enough protocols now that would make most people feel comfortable cruising 

With the current surge I'll be shocked if the CDC doesn't extend, perhaps indefinitely, the embargo. I read yesterday that Oregon, for example, has put in a restriction on "gatherings." No more than six people from no more than two households, indoor or outdoor.

[navybankerteacher]

8 hours ago, clo said:

With the current surge I'll be shocked if the CDC doesn't extend, perhaps indefinitely, the embargo. I read yesterday that Oregon, for example, has put in a restriction on "gatherings." No more than six people from no more than two households, indoor or outdoor.

It’s about time - but, like so much else in this year of plague, it may be too little too late.   The deniers who resisted mild restrictions have brought about a situation in which major restrictions are called for.  And there are still states whose governors are reluctant to call for masks everywhere/every time you are in public.  

 

How many swamped hospitals and dead bodies will it take?

[clo]

6 minutes ago, navybankerteacher said:

How many swamped hospitals and dead bodies will it take?

One of our local hospitals has just opened a two story, 1400 bed 'thing' in their parking garage for COVID patients. For the first time I'm starting to feel a bit of fear. I did look today at a cruise, that we canceled for this past fall, for summer 2022.

[navybankerteacher]

1 minute ago, clo said:

One of our local hospitals has just opened a two story, 1400 bed 'thing' in their parking garage for COVID patients. For the first time I'm starting to feel a bit of fear. I did look today at a cruise, that we canceled for this past fall, for summer 2022.

While I feel a “bit of fear”,  it is not so much for my own safety.  I take all reasonable precautions, maintain as clean an environment as possible, and simply avoid 100% unnecessary exposure (sure, we like eating out - but can dine well at home - and have no interest in exposing ourselves to other people’s carelessness).

 

My “fear” is largely about the damage to my future lifestyle which will be done by so many people carelessly ignoring reality.   How will all the medical expenses be covered, how will all the extraordinary government spending to support those out of work be re-couped, how will local governments regain solvency, how will bankrupted landlords remain housing providers?

 

This year has gutted our economy - has run up previously unimaginable deficits - there is a lot of damage to be repaired - a lot of new taxes which will have to be levied - or perhaps a lot of inflation which will need to be swallowed as the printing presses generate “money” to pay these obligations.

 

Paying for our next cruise will be a minor worry.

[clo]

3 minutes ago, navybankerteacher said:

While I feel a “bit of fear”,  it is not so much for my own safety.  I take all reasonable precautions, maintain as clean an environment as possible, and simply avoid 100% unnecessary exposure (sure, we like eating out - but can dine well at home - and have no interest in exposing ourselves to other people’s carelessness).

 

My “fear” is largely about the damage to my future lifestyle which will be done by so many people carelessly ignoring reality.   How will all the medical expenses be covered, how will all the extraordinary government spending to support those out of work be re-couped, how will local governments regain solvency, how will bankrupted landlords remain housing providers?

 

This year has gutted our economy - has run up previously unimaginable deficits - there is a lot of damage to be repaired - a lot of new taxes which will have to be levied - or perhaps a lot of inflation which will need to be swallowed as the printing presses generate “money” to pay these obligations.

 

Paying for our next cruise will be a minor worry.

Good points as always. The market tomorrow should be a real doozy.

[BigGuy25]

I'm not worried about my family's protocols.  We're not hiding under our beds.  But, we wear masks outside whenever we can't social distance, sanitize and wash hands frequently, stay away from large gatherings, and don't eat inside restaurants .... and would never go out "partying" in a city before boarding a ship.  But, I'm not at all as confident in my fellow passengers.  We already have the "anti-maskers" in every city in the country constantly putting others at risk.  Why should we believe these people would be more cautious before boarding a ship?  I'm sure many voyages will go off without incident.  However, I won't take a chance being on one of those that doesn't. After 30+ cruises, 2022 is the earliest we'd consider booking again.

[Bevv]

On 11/11/2020 at 3:44 PM, getting older slowly said:

The 53 passengers on board include 37 Americans. There also are passengers from the U.K., Austria, Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Germany.

 

Well for a start  they could have pick just Americans....

 

then to a group who have flown half way round the world....a big risk

 

and the covid-19 numbers in America and the UK are horrendous..

 

Also Europe can do on a full size cruise ship....

so are we must be missing something. ???

 

Don

 The ship started in Europe as a repositioning cruise. That part of the cruise was something like 20 days. Many, if not all, of the European cruisers were on the ship from there and stayed on for the Barbados round trip.  Information from a youtuber who was on the ship said that covid was brought on the ship by a family from the US.

Edited November 16, 2020 by Bevv

[latserrof]

On 11/16/2020 at 5:53 AM, BigGuy25 said:

 2022 is the earliest we'd consider booking again.

 

I question how many of the ships/lines/ports will be (still) sailing by then, and what the prices and onboard and port conditions might be. Lots of folks apparently continue to book cruises as if some sort of normalcy will be returning soon, but I don't understand it.

 

 

Edited November 18, 2020 by latserrof