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Merged:Outbreak on QM2 as it pulls into New York?

Annabel50

By Annabel50,
in Cunard Line

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hamrag

hamrag

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, BigMac1953 said:

...so that begs the question, where are their close contacts, i.e. partners and family?

 

That's the element that Cunard are 'keeping mum' about....it will doubtless come out eventually....

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ovccruiser

ovccruiser

Posted
Posted
4 hours ago, comcox said:

I'm an American and I know when I've cruised with Fred Olsen I ve always been required to buy insurance.  When I booked my Cunard sailings, I don't recall if they said I had to buy insurance or not; but I've always bought policies for any overseas trip. 

Us Brits, when booking a cruise then have to fill in voyage personal details all of which asks for Travel Insurance company and telephone numbers. I am not sure if this is the case for US Citizens from reading this thread.

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Interestedcruisefan "Live from...." Rare

Interestedcruisefan

Posted
Posted (edited)
2 hours ago, BigMac1953 said:

...so that begs the question, where are their close contacts, i.e. partners and family?

 

These are the passengers normally described as "disgruntled" when they speak out!

 

Lol

 

Who the cruise lines try and pretend don't exist  in any disembarkation figures

 

And who the insurance companies don't cover when they "choose " to leave the ships to stay with their families 

 

The "forgotten ones"

 

Edited by Interestedcruisefan
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tv24

tv24

Posted
Posted

We disembarked in NY yesterday.  By now I guess you know that the initial reports were inaccurate.  And the captain made an announcement on board on Monday to verify the truth:  10 passengers tested positive on Sunday during the on-board antigen testing, they were taken off-board to isolate in hotels in NY.  There was no panic on board.  Most pax continued with their NYC plans and many, many continued with the cruise to the Caribbean.  I cannot complain about how Cunard handled this issue that was almost inevitable. My only criticism is about the lack of testing staff at the dock in Southampton which resulted in a 90 minute wait in line for the test followed by 30 more minutes waiting for the results.  Some people may have passed the virus while waiting in that long line.

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Interestedcruisefan "Live from...." Rare

Interestedcruisefan

Posted
Posted (edited)
4 minutes ago, tv24 said:

We disembarked in NY yesterday.  By now I guess you know that the initial reports were inaccurate.  And the captain made an announcement on board on Monday to verify the truth:  10 passengers tested positive on Sunday during the on-board antigen testing, they were taken off-board to isolate in hotels in NY.  There was no panic on board.  Most pax continued with their NYC plans and many, many continued with the cruise to the Caribbean.  I cannot complain about how Cunard handled this issue that was almost inevitable. My only criticism is about the lack of testing staff at the dock in Southampton which resulted in a 90 minute wait in line for the test followed by 30 more minutes waiting for the results.  Some people may have passed the virus while waiting in that long line.

So you believe those 10 positives were taken off on their own?

 

What happened to their loved ones who weren't positive when the 10 positives were taken off?

 

And what happened to close contacts of any positives who werent loved ones?

 

In terms of quarantine?

 

 

Edited by Interestedcruisefan
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Dermotsgirl

Dermotsgirl

Posted
Posted
7 hours ago, CABINET said:

The interesting thing for me is that 10 people apparently tested negative upon boarding and are now positive.

 

They have been mingling with other guests so I think it is quite likely that during the weeks crossing they have managed to infect some other passengers who, if I am correct in my assumptions, will go on to infect others during the Caribbean leg of the cruise who may find themselves off loaded in New York on the way back.

 

 

Or offloaded in the Caribbean 

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Dermotsgirl

Dermotsgirl

Posted
Posted
12 minutes ago, tv24 said:

We disembarked in NY yesterday.  By now I guess you know that the initial reports were inaccurate.  And the captain made an announcement on board on Monday to verify the truth:  10 passengers tested positive on Sunday during the on-board antigen testing, they were taken off-board to isolate in hotels in NY.  There was no panic on board.  Most pax continued with their NYC plans and many, many continued with the cruise to the Caribbean.  I cannot complain about how Cunard handled this issue that was almost inevitable. My only criticism is about the lack of testing staff at the dock in Southampton which resulted in a 90 minute wait in line for the test followed by 30 more minutes waiting for the results.  Some people may have passed the virus while waiting in that long line.

Was there any indication what was happening to the 10 positive people's close contacts, such as their dining companions? Are they isolating on board the ship? 

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tv24

tv24

Posted
Posted
14 minutes ago, Dermotsgirl said:

Was there any indication what was happening to the 10 positive people's close contacts, such as their dining companions? Are they isolating on board the ship? 

The Captain said nothing about anyone being removed from the ship other than those who tested positive.  I assume that their cabin-mates were also taken off;  that would make sense.  The protocol on board was fairly safe.  We all (and I mean all!) had to wear masks when out and about, in theaters, etc.  The only exceptions were while eating and drinking.  In bars many seats were blocked so there was little opportunity to sit close together.  Very little group seating in restaurants other than those traveling together.  So while it is certainly possible that one of those who tested positive might have been guilty for passing the virus to someone else of the 10 pax who tested positive (and maybe someone else who tested negative!), the opportunity to do so was limited by the sensible protocol.  Again there was no panic on board.  Personally I am more concerned about the possibility that someone might get infected while touring or dining in NYC and spread the virus on the Caribbean segment.  There is a lot of Omicron in NYC, sadly.  This is a tough time to be traveling, written as one who is in Dallas visiting family for Christmas where we are all getting tested, yet again.  Just doing the best we can.

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mcloaked

mcloaked

Posted
Posted (edited)

If you think about the overall situation in an objective way and assess the risks, comparatively between the autumn period of UK staycation cruises and the TA and onward QM2 voyage that is current, you can see there is a big difference in the level of risk.  During the period of staycation cruises, it was mainly UK passengers who would arrive for embarkation from within the UK, having had their jabs as required and passing the tests, but also coming from a population where the Covid case rate was relatively low, and mainly then the Delta variant.Also anyone being required to leave the ship will have been taken to a UK destination. The latest QM2 TA that sailed westward from Southampton, would have had a presumably quite substantial proportion of passengers who may have flown across on flights from the US, which would have carried a higher than previous risk of exposure to the virus on a 7 or more hour flight, as well as possibly some public transport, in the days prior to embarkation. Anyone being infected in that period may well still pass the negative pre-departure tests, but could become positive a few days later. Cunard appears to have done what they can to limit exposure to the other passengers prior to arrival in NYC. Presumably some fraction of the passengers would have left the ship anyway, so a new cohort of passengers (anyone know how many?) would have embarked in NYC for the Caribbean sector, coming from an area with a high case rate currently of Omicron variant, which is known to be a lot more infectious and transmissible than Delta was. Latest figure I saw was that Omicron is now about three quarters or more of new cases in the US on average now. So it is entirely possible that of those who are now on board sailing to the Caribbean there is an increased risk that some will become symptomatic, and/or test positive, in the next week. So anyone booking a cruise from NYC will presumably know the risk has risen, and choose to book despite the chance they may be exposed to Omicron during the Caribbean sector. So it is entirely possible there may be a repeat of some people being tested positive and being required to leave the ship at one or other port in the Caribbean. I understand that current requirements are for double jabbed evidence, and no requirement to have had a booster jab, though in recent weeks it has become clear that protection against infection for Omicron is significantly reduced once several months has passed after the second dose, so unless such passengers have had a booster dose in the past month or so then they risk a higher chance of being infected, as well as an increased risk of  becoming symptomatic, and also an increased risk of infecting others. But everyone makes their choice.to book or not to book, in full knowledge of these facts.

Edited by mcloaked
typo
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mcloaked

mcloaked

Posted
Posted

Oh I have just seen that in the past couple of hours Cunard is now emailing booked passengers informing of a change to vaccination policy and requiring passengers to have had a booster jab if they more than a few months after jab two.  Very sensible change of policy which will offer a significant reduction in risk to passengers on board.

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Interestedcruisefan "Live from...." Rare

Interestedcruisefan

Posted
Posted
5 minutes ago, kohl1957 said:

I am determined now to start my own cruise line for the times: The Hide Under the Bed Steam Navigation Co. Ltd.  Sounds like I will have a lot of customers.

 

My final word on this subject.

 

Back to picking which of three dinner jackets to take on QM2 14 January 2022 on what, given tenor of the postings here, is The Voyage of The Damned already.

 

Stay safe. And have fun everyone... out from or under your beds. 

Is insurance included? 

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PORT ROYAL

PORT ROYAL

Posted
Posted
6 minutes ago, kohl1957 said:

I am determined now to start my own cruise line for the times: The Hide Under the Bed Steam Navigation Co. Ltd.  Sounds like I will have a lot of customers.

 

My final word on this subject.

 

Back to picking which of three dinner jackets to take on QM2 14 January 2022 on what, given tenor of the postings here, is The Voyage of The Damned already.

 

Stay safe. And have fun everyone... out from or under your beds. 

Take all three DJ and rotate.😀

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Victoria2 Great Review Rare

Victoria2

Posted
Posted
13 minutes ago, kohl1957 said:

I am determined now to start my own cruise line for the times: The Hide Under the Bed Steam Navigation Co. Ltd.  Sounds like I will have a lot of customers.

 

My final word on this subject.

 

Back to picking which of three dinner jackets to take on QM2 14 January 2022 on what, given tenor of the postings here, is The Voyage of The Damned already.

 

Stay safe. And have fun everyone... out from or under your beds. 

I hope you have a fantastic time on the Voyage of The  I Won't Give a Dam. Just keep safe.🙂

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Underwatr

Underwatr

Posted
Posted
On 12/22/2021 at 6:08 AM, comcox said:

This morning when I opened my email, I found one from Cunard suddenly asking me to sign "as soon as possible" an  ACKNOWLEDGEMENT & ACCEPTANCE OF RISKS FOR COVID-19 form for my Jan. 3rd TA on QM2.  Looks like the lawyers are getting nervous.

That's not new (I got it in November for the current sailing a couple of weeks after I canceled) but they seem to be sending it out fairly close to embarkation day 

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Host Hattie

Host Hattie

Posted
Posted
20 minutes ago, BigMac1953 said:

I still don't understand.

 

Were there only 10 solo travellers? Nobody had partners, husbands, wives or all of the above?

Unless they all start posting here, we're not going to find out. Cunard won't release that information.

 

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