Face Burning Lava or Escape on Rescue Cruise Ship - US Embassy Warns

[harkinmr]

21 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

I agree that it doesn't matter in the end however it does put one of those two groups in a bad PR position if they are preventing humanitarian aid based on who has been vaccinated.

I don't disagree with that at all.  The OP on this thread was placing the blame on the CDC and it's guidance on cruising.  Not the case.  The islands are making the requirement and the cruise lines are obviously complying.

[At Sea At Peace]

3 hours ago, Ourusualbeach said:

There was nothing in that article to suggest one way or another whether it is the cruise lines or the receiving countries requirement for the antigen test. 

 

I don't know if this will help.  It is from the OSAC (identified below), an Advisory Council for US Secretary of State.

 

https://www.osac.gov/Content/Report/12cddb35-1bef-48e8-b899-1b58a6386152

 

Security Alert: St. Vincent & The Grenadines, Maritime Evacuation from St. Vincent

Location: St. Vincent and the Grenadines

 

Event: The U.S. Embassy is coordinating with Royal Caribbean Cruises for a maritime evacuation of U.S. citizens from St. Vincent on Friday, 16 April to Dutch Sint Maarten.  Boarding on the Celebrity Reflection will begin at 7:00 A.M. and will depart Kingstown Port, St. Vincent at 1:00 P.M.  The ship will arrive in Philipsburg, Sint Maarten on the morning of Saturday, 17 April at approximately 7:00 A.M. 

  

There is no cost or travel fare for the evacuation via the cruise ship.  However, U.S. citizens will be responsible for making their own onward travel arrangements.  Please plan accordingly, including potential hotel stays in Sint Maarten and booking onward commercial airline flights from the Sint Maarten Princess Juliana International Airport which offers direct flight to multiple U.S. cities.

 

U.S. citizens who decide not to depart St. Vincent should be prepared to shelter in place for an undetermined amount of time.  There are currently no future plans for additional evacuations.

 

Actions to Take:

Please register online by completing the U.S. Mission Bridgetown and the Eastern Caribbean - Evacuation Manifest Form.  The deadline to register for the evacuation cruise is Thursday, April 15 at 12:00pm noon.  

Travel Restrictions:

• No children under the age of six months.
• No pregnant women over 23 weeks of gestation.
• No individuals requiring dialysis.
• No individuals with terminal conditions.
• No individuals who have been identified as close contacts of a suspected or confirmed COVID-19 case.
• No pets allowed. 

Travel Requirements:

• All departing passengers 2 years of age and older are required to have a negative COVID Antigen Rapid Test (taken within 24 hours of boarding).  A printed copy of your negative test results will be required prior to boarding the cruise ship.  A testing center, Health Solutions Inc., is located near the seaport in St. Vincent.  Call to arrange an appointment for testing (Ph:  1-784-451-2836).  Cost is $160EC/$60USD.
• All passengers are required to complete a health questionnaire prior to boarding.  The ship will have the form available at the pier. 
• Travelers are required to complete an online immigration (ED) card prior to travel to Sint Maarten (https://stmaartenhas.com).
• Travelers are required to purchase mandatory COVID-19 health insurance prior to travel to Sint Maarten (https://www.sxmprotectionplan.com).
• All airline passengers to the U.S. ages two years and older must provide a negative COVID-19 test (either PCR or Rapid Antigen) taken within three calendar days of travel.  Alternatively, travelers to the U.S. may provide documentation from a licensed health care provider of having recovered from COVID-19 in the 90 days preceding travel.  Check the CDC website for additional information and Frequently Asked Questions.

Important Travel Information:

• Masks are required until guests reach their staterooms onboard.
• Any guest that requires medicines (insulin, etc.) should board with adequate stock for several days.
• Food and water will be provided onboard the cruise ship.
• Travel Information for Sint Maarten
• CDC COVID-19 Testing Requirements for the U.S.

Assistance:

• U.S. Embassy Bridgetown, Barbados

          Phone number: +1 246-227-4000

          Email address:  BridgetownACS@state.gov

          Embassy website:  https://bb.usembassy.gov

• State Department – Consular Affairs: 888-407-4747 or 202-501-4444

 

[At Sea At Peace]

14 minutes ago, harkinmr said:

I don't disagree with that at all.  The OP on this thread was placing the blame on the CDC and it's guidance on cruising.  Not the case.  The islands are making the requirement and the cruise lines are obviously complying.

 

Please, another day of you posting intentional falsehoods about other members posts or intentions.  Stop.

 

Here is the OP.  Again, please stop.

 

 

[harkinmr]

2 minutes ago, At Sea At Peace said:

 

Please, another day of you posting intentional falsehoods about other members posts or intentions.  Stop.

 

Here is the OP.  Again, please stop.

 

 

Thanks for reposting.  You only serve to make my original point for me.  The tweet put out under the Royal Caribbean blog was that the cruise lines were warning people not to flee the danger on a cruise ship because cruise ships were unsafe.  And you (and others) repeated the totally false claim a number of times. You should stop. 

[At Sea At Peace]

6 minutes ago, harkinmr said:

Thanks for reposting.  You only serve to make my original point for me.  You have no original point, just constant, blatant negative attacking banter 24-7-365.  The tweet put out under the Royal Caribbean blog was that the cruise lines were warning people not to flee the danger on a cruise ship because cruise ships were unsafe.  And you (and others) repeated the totally false claim a number of times. You should stop. 

 

Well, I'm sorry for you very sad situation.

[harkinmr]

8 minutes ago, At Sea At Peace said:

 

Well, I'm sorry for you very sad situation.

Right back at you my friend.

 

EDIT:  Apparently, negative comments are only allowed when talking about the CDC.  Got it!

Edited April 18, 2021 by harkinmr

[broberts]

39 minutes ago, At Sea At Peace said:

 

Please, another day of you posting intentional falsehoods about other members posts or intentions.  Stop.

 

Here is the OP.  Again, please stop.

 

 

 

So how is one supposed to interpret the unattributed quote near the top of the OP if it is not an attack on the CDC?

[Goodtime Cruizin]

3 hours ago, broberts said:

 

It's truly sad that so many are determined to prolong the pandemic by refusing to get vaccinated.

 

I'm vaxed friend but I respect other's points of view. For every one person vaxed these is at least one other person that does not believe in the vaccine. For whatever reason. This isn't sad to me. We could be. like S. Korea and just knock on doors arrest people, haul them away and force innauculations. That would be sad.  

[John&LaLa]

This may have been asked, but wouldn't all lava burn your face 🤔

[ReneeFLL]

On 4/17/2021 at 8:55 AM, Keksie said:

.....Schools virtual to the point that children are behind in school and may never catch up.....

It’s called summer school, or do they not have that anymore?

[A&L_Ont]

34 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

wouldn't all lava burn your face 🤔

You bet, like all of Meg’s farts in a box. Unsafe cruise ship, or lava burnt face... easy choice to make. 
 

Video link for those that don’t get the Meg reference. 
 

https://youtu.be/uUwuXW5Ph8w

 

[Etta1213]

On 4/17/2021 at 12:33 PM, harkinmr said:

Yes, guidance, just as has occurred routinely with various states over the last year.  Guidance that has been ignored.  Michigan for very good reason, but which will be ignored.  We know how well state residents have reacted to lockdowns the before...

I think it's tough for US citizens to agree cheerfully to ongoing restrictions as we watch people pour across our southern border and be transported, unvaccinated, around this country. 

[Etta1213]

1 hour ago, ReneeFLL said:

It’s called summer school, or do they not have that anymore?

I actually requested to enroll a grandchild in summer school last summer, after struggling with the homeschooling. The answer was no. I'm assuming Covid had a lot to do with it. 

[harkinmr]

8 minutes ago, Etta1213 said:

I think it's tough for US citizens to agree cheerfully to ongoing restrictions as we watch people pour across our southern border and be transported, unvaccinated, around this country. 

This conversation again?  🙄

[ReneeFLL]

8 minutes ago, Etta1213 said:

I actually requested to enroll a grandchild in summer school last summer, after struggling with the homeschooling. The answer was no. I'm assuming Covid had a lot to do with it. 

I was thinking more of next year so students can get caught up. Keksie said that students may never get caught up because of the schools being closed. Hers is a bad argument, because they can always catch up.

 

Edited April 19, 2021 by ReneeFLL

[Keksie]

8 hours ago, ReneeFLL said:

It’s called summer school, or do they not have that anymore?

The children here have been in school since September but in other parts of the country they are still virtual.  I don't know what the plan is for those children to get them caught up when they can go back to school.  

[Keksie]

7 hours ago, ReneeFLL said:

I was thinking more of next year so students can get caught up. Keksie said that students may never get caught up because of the schools being closed. Hers is a bad argument, because they can always catch up.

 

Research Shows Students Falling Months Behind During Virus Disruptions - The New York Times (nytimes.com)

[smokeybandit]

Kids will most certainly fall behind. In some states like California and Maryland, it's basically an entire school year lost. Kids will get promoted to the next grade out of pity, but they'll be so far behind.

[ipeeinthepool]

2 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

Kids will most certainly fall behind. In some states like California and Maryland, it's basically an entire school year lost. Kids will get promoted to the next grade out of pity, but they'll be so far behind.

Hopefully school will focus on getting the math and reading skills up to expected grade levels, I’m not worried about the other subjects.   

[cruise wizard]

18 minutes ago, ipeeinthepool said:

Hopefully school will focus on getting the math and reading skills up to expected grade levels, I’m not worried about the other subjects.   

 

Lots of parents and grandparents are not up to the "new - new -new" math (I know that I'm not)...............so it is almost impossible to teach the subject. The kids are confused enough and times tables and the "Older" models for multiplication and division are obsolete. Some "woke" schools think math is racist and there isn't a wrong answer - God help us - engineers will be designing with flawed math.

[broberts]

Are any of these posts by parents and grand parents that don't have a problem taking kids on a cruise during school periods?

 

Getting kids caught up is going to be a big job. That is going to take more resources. Which is likely going to be the real problem. 

[cruise wizard]

1 hour ago, broberts said:

Are any of these posts by parents and grand parents that don't have a problem taking kids on a cruise during school periods?

 

Getting kids caught up is going to be a big job. That is going to take more resources. Which is likely going to be the real problem. 

 

We only take the grandkids during their school recess  - Thanksgiving (twice) and Summer vacation. I don't believe in taking kids out of school during their "school days". I do think that a "Summer School" should be open (either in the classroom face-to-face or virtual classes) for those failing or "falling behind". I do not believe in "just pass them along" and "everybody gets a trophy".

[Crazy planning mom]

On 4/17/2021 at 3:20 PM, harkinmr said:

Yes, because testing is required to get back to the states.  That will be required whether flying back from St. Vincent or any of the nearby islands accepting evacuees.  The cruise ships are also requiring that evacuees boarding the vessel be tested for COVID.  Presumably, those testing positive will be isolated.  Makes perfect sense.  Again, the CDC did NOT advise against securing an evacuation spot on any cruise ship.  The CDC guidance, which has existed for months, was included in the Embassy's announcement because it was necessary for full disclosure.  No other reason.  Good grief!!

Full disclosure!!!  So, the residents can decide whether to risk their lives dying in a volcano!

It was absolutely ridiculous to include in the Embassy's statement.  This is not a 7 day leisure cruise but a ferry to safety.

[harkinmr]

1 minute ago, Crazy planning mom said:

Full disclosure!!!  So, the residents can decide whether to risk their lives dying in a volcano!

It was absolutely ridiculous to include in the Embassy's statement.  This is not a 7 day leisure cruise but a ferry to safety.

Then tell that to the Embassy!!  The CDC did NOT put the statement in there themselves.  It was included because of testing and quarantine guidance under the CDC's cruise ship guidance statement recently updated.  And the Embassy and the CDC guidelines have nothing to do with local residents.  The Embassy is advising US citizens currently on St. Vincent.  AGAIN, neither the Embassy or the CDC is telling any US citizen to state put and die instead of being ferried to another island.  Preposterous!

[Crazy planning mom]

29 minutes ago, harkinmr said:

 

 

Edited April 19, 2021 by Crazy planning mom