Thank you Carnival for going the 95/5 route!

[MrMarc]

1 hour ago, firefly333 said:

Just a fyi we do not know what rcl would do in a similar situation. The situation we are comparing to was out of nassau, not the usa. They did have to make previous arrangements and insurance to go out of nassau.

 

The first time rcl out of usa and tests positive as it enters home port we will know. Right now comparing nassau to usa carnival might be apples to oranges. I'm watching myself as I'm doing Galveston on rcl in dec. Today was independence test cruise. Let's see how apples compare to apples.

That's true.

[MrMarc]

48 minutes ago, SheSailsFL said:

I wouldn’t worry about it @deweytrader.  You just happened to have voiced your frustrations in a thread where only 2 or 3 other users are  “correct” .  Literally always.  Try a different Carnival thread and you’ll find a lot more empathy for your situation.  Best wishes to you and your family!

I don't know which thread you are reading,  but everyone in this thread has been sympathetic with her situation,  we were just pointing out that Carnival wasn't a total disaster.   I think she agreed.  The only dissent was rather the room service charge was a major deal.

[matymil]

On 7/31/2021 at 5:08 PM, rtazz17 said:

Its a matter of hours before carnival requires negative covid test from vaccinated cruisers. Mark my words.Really not a big deal. A 60 second test. Results 1/2 hr later. Done. Its coming to carnival. Undoubtedly. 

I'm going in Sept and I'd actually prefer this if I'm being honest. My only thought, if everyone is getting getting tested before boarding I wondering if that means that kids don't need a negative PCR test and they can just do it there.

[soremekun]

7 hours ago, MrMarc said:

It sounds like RCCL for all their changes and miscommunication, or noncommunication, is clearly handling positive cases far, far, far better than Carnival.  I am curious as to who is willing to take a COVID positive person from Galveston into Houston, other than an ambulance crew.  .RCCL is apparently transferring people by ambulance to the airport and flying people to their home in a private jet, at least from Nassau.

I am interested in learning how Royal Caribbean will assist passengers after October 31.

[ontheweb]

9 hours ago, MrMarc said:

Ok, you really are obsessed with the room service charge.  They made a mistake, who knows what the reason is.  Even the person who was involved is not nearly as upset as you are.  Have you never had an accidental charge while on a ship?  Or them showing that you have a towel out when you do not?  Covid or not, people make mistakes. 

Let me explain more fully. I do not blame the crew onboard for this incredibly insensitive charge, but I do blame the highly paid executives. They had months and months to come up with policies to deal with what would inevitably happen. Cruise travel is a service industry that competes with other travel alternatives. To do something like this is totally unthinking and insensitive. Their job was to not allow things like this to happen. It is not "just a minor mistake"; it is an example of poor or no planning at all.

[ontheweb]

9 hours ago, BlerkOne said:

Norovirus is not primarily airborne; Covid is. It is fine to confine noro people to their cabins. With proper personal hygiene. noro is easily avoided. Not going to debate your endless assumptions.

So you do not think Carnival (and other cruise lines) have had experience with quarantining passengers for norovirus because it is "easily avoided" and not primarily airborne?

 

How Norovirus Spreads | CDC

[Fivehole]

2 hours ago, soremekun said:

I am interested in learning how Royal Caribbean will assist passengers after October 31.

Indeed. Seems like the limo to private jet to limo routine is unsustainable. 

[arkaine23]

Responding to mutiple things but quotes are failing me. 

 

This seems very likely the first cases Carnival has dealt with in Galveston, almost certainly the first for the crew of Breeze.  Majority of the crew is newly hired, and was recently rushed through training.   Rumors about Horizon indicate that at least some cases are being detected days after the cruise, so no crew response possible for those.  Not trying to make excuses, just that's the situation at the moment.

 

From that list of hotels....

 

Webster is close to galveston and cheaper than galveston hotels, which double their prices in the summer.  At least one is by an airport.  And one is by the Texas Medical Center, the largest group of medical facilities in the world.  So some options there based on a passenger's priorities- price, flying home, medical care needed...

 

As for room service charges... this is a complaint about a mistake/lack of good hospitality.  Other lines have done better at the little things like that.

Edited August 2, 2021 by arkaine23

[Babr]

10 hours ago, firefly333 said:

Just a fyi we do not know what rcl would do in a similar situation. The situation we are comparing to was out of nassau, not the usa. They did have to make previous arrangements and insurance to go out of nassau.

 

The first time rcl out of usa and tests positive as it enters home port we will know. Right now comparing nassau to usa carnival might be apples to oranges. I'm watching myself as I'm doing Galveston on rcl in dec. Today was independence test cruise. Let's see how apples compare to apples.

Royal’s written policy does not make a distinction about which ports are eligible for assistance, but you are correct. It could make a difference. We are all waiting to see.

[kleibo]

6 hours ago, matymil said:

I'm going in Sept and I'd actually prefer this if I'm being honest. My only thought, if everyone is getting getting tested before boarding I wondering if that means that kids don't need a negative PCR test and they can just do it there.

 

Testing means nothing.  Test 3 days prior - negative, fly down day before and stay overnight, or just drive to ship.  Test at embark - negative, 3 days into cruise start to feel symptoms, test positive.  Or be asymptomatic and feel nothing and no one knows covid is on the ship.  With vaxxed and unvaxxed spreading the virus, there is no stopping it at this point.  But you can try and make yourself safer by masking inside in crowded places and when you can't social distance.  I don't want mask mandates on cruises and most likely will cancel if masking is a requirement but for now, if people feel unsafe, they should mask or not go.  Some, if not all, cruises are going to have Covid cases.  Decisions need to be based on  - yes there will be covid on my cruise - do I want to deal with that.

[firefly333]

1 hour ago, Babr said:

Royal’s written policy does not make a distinction about which ports are eligible for assistance, but you are correct. It could make a difference. We are all waiting to see.

Looks like royals policy is for all cruises until the end of oct, after that people are wondering. Lol my rcl cruises all after oct. 

[LHARTWICK]

On 7/31/2021 at 4:08 PM, rtazz17 said:

Its a matter of hours before carnival requires negative covid test from vaccinated cruisers. Mark my words.Really not a big deal. A 60 second test. Results 1/2 hr later. Done. Its coming to carnival. Undoubtedly. 

Agreed. I think it’s coming sooner than later. I just hope we are allowed to provide a negative 72 hour PCR test result in order to board for those of us who drive 8 hours to get to a port so that we can get tested before we leave home.

[undertoes10]

We need more 100% VAX cruises.

[sailingships]

7 minutes ago, LHARTWICK said:

Agreed. I think it’s coming sooner than later. I just hope we are allowed to provide a negative 72 hour PCR test result in order to board for those of us who drive 8 hours to get to a port so that we can get tested before we leave home.

I would think that's what they will require to start with. It would take so long to test everyone at the terminal. But at least that test should show who is already sick.

[LHARTWICK]

12 minutes ago, undertoes10 said:

We need more 100% VAX cruises.

AGREED!!! 

[sweety51901]

On 7/31/2021 at 5:58 PM, MrMarc said:

Yes, but the trick is to not let yourself get aggravated, even though that is difficult at times.  The way I look at it, it would be better to be on a cruise with a mask on, than at my house with no mask. If I have to get a test, well that part of my brain hasn't been cleaned since I took my first test.

I like the way you think! Completely agree. My husband and I booked our cruise last year. We have been canceled, changed ships, changed ports, changed destinations, changed rooms, but none of that matters. We are so happy to be cruising again, we're just going to go with the flow. We're both vaccinated, but will do whatever the new regs say to keep us and everyone else safe. Now, with that said, my oldest is a senior and currently planning his senior trip. He wanted to take a cruise and I talked him into a destination vacation instead. We have a 3 year old that cannot get vaccinated and I do not want to deal with the hassle of everything changing with the cruising industry. We're planning this trip for nearly 20 people, so it's much easier to choose something that isn't changing quite so rapidly. But, that's the beauty of it. We have the choice to do or not do. 😉 Keep the positive attitude!

[cyclist_guy1]

5 hours ago, arkaine23 said:

Majority of the crew is newly hired, and was recently rushed through training.

i disagree. where did you read this? do you have a link to verify this?

 

all the video posts that john heald has posted where he is talking to crew members appear to be previous crew members that have been hired back or never left.

[lazydayz]

1 hour ago, cyclist_guy1 said:

i disagree. where did you read this? do you have a link to verify this?

 

all the video posts that john heald has posted where he is talking to crew members appear to be previous crew members that have been hired back or never left.

 

There was a mix of returning and new crew members on our Horizon cruise.  I would expect the same on every ship, pandemic or not.  

[Cruise Related]

2 minutes ago, lazydayz said:

 

There was a mix of returning and new crew members on our Horizon cruise.  I would expect the same on every ship, pandemic or not.  

I know the majority of the crew I spoke with on the Horizon were vastly veterans. Matter of fact, I didn’t meet a single newbie. Then again, my areas of interest were very limited to the Havana, Alchemy, and Food. So, can’t say I met everyone. 

[BlerkOne]

1 minute ago, Cruise Related said:

I know the majority of the crew I spoke with on the Horizon were vastly veterans. Matter of fact, I didn’t meet a single newbie. Then again, my areas of interest were very limited to the Havana, Alchemy, and Food. So, can’t say I met everyone. 

I know all of the room service staff was new because their boss told me so. They did a great job. It was a mix, but even so, there was still a year and a half of rust that had to wear off.

[Cruise Related]

2 minutes ago, BlerkOne said:

I know all of the room service staff was new because their boss told me so. They did a great job. It was a mix, but even so, there was still a year and a half of rust that had to wear off.

Oh ok. Maybe that’s why they showed up 10-15min early every morning. Not that I minded, in the past it was usually the opposite. But everyone did an amazing job that I met. Really the crew helped make it an amazing cruise. 

[Anyislandwilldo]

On 8/1/2021 at 9:40 AM, surfergirl15 said:

So did your sister feel bad at all or do you think her test was false positive.

She definatley tested positive.  She spent 4 days in ICU because she couldn't breathe.