COVID Testing on Iona

[davecttr]

Taking on extra manning in essential roles means danger of infection during the voyage. They probably have additional officers with a masters certificate so will be OK if the captain keels over but what about engineering, medicine etc.

 

Not many comments on the Cunard boards yet but the USA should all be asleep.

 

I see QM2 is still alongside but may have to move today as 2 cruise ships are approaching and Norwegian epic looks as if it will only fit in the berth occupied by QM2

 

Glad I got my cruise sorted and wonder if P&O will pause cruising for a few weeks.

[Eddie99]

… it makes the January 35 nighter on Ventura look pretty precarious.

 

Long ago and far away I was booked on it - having moved to it from  a 2020 booking, in hope that 2022 might see us free of this curse.  How optimistic we were then.  I think that original October 2020 cruise has been transferred 4 times now … what do you reckon are my chances for March 2024 to the Med?

 

Seriously - I feel for those who still have a Ventura booking for January.  What a dilemma if P&O don’t pull it.  What a disappointment for some if they do

[Selbourne]

4 minutes ago, davecttr said:

 

Glad I got my cruise sorted and wonder if P&O will pause cruising for a few weeks.

I should think that there’s a possibility of that, but certainly the longer cruises will now be at risk. As many of us said a very long time ago, the longer duration cruises were always going to be the challenge. With shorter cruises, even if there is an outbreak on board many infected passengers will have disembarked before they become symptomatic, so the extent of viral spread on the ship is never really know (although 2 day PCR tests should begin to shed a bit more light on this). With longer cruises passengers will go through the whole cycle whilst onboard. 
 

Without wishing in any way to undermine the seriousness of Covid, it does appear that Omicron is mild and I hope that in time they can’t treat it more like a Norovirus outbreak. As we know, with a Norovirus outbreak, the affected passengers would be quarantined to their cabins and the buffet would be served by staff. The rest of the cruise would carry on as normal and most passengers would be unaware of any issue. Sadly, even with a milder Covid variant such as Omicron, once it gets hold it seems to be game over. Port stops cancelled and even more restrictions that affect all passengers. 

[emam]

89 ships are being investigated.

 

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-12-28/connecticut-s-blumenthal-calls-on-cruise-lines-to-halt-sailings

[bee-ess]

4 minutes ago, Eddie99 said:

… it makes the January 35 nighter on Ventura look pretty precarious.

 

Long ago and far away I was booked on it - having moved to it from  a 2020 booking, in hope that 2022 might see us free of this curse.  How optimistic we were then.  I think that original October 2020 cruise has been transferred 4 times now … what do you reckon are my chances for March 2024 to the Med?

 

Seriously - I feel for those who still have a Ventura booking for January.  What a dilemma if P&O don’t pull it.  What a disappointment for some if they do

 

I think I would be looking to move it if they would let me, if not I'd be hoping it is cancelled. I would not like to be going on a 5 week cruise at this time.

[Dermotsgirl]

8 hours ago, terrierjohn said:

If all the passengers have the information they may all want to use the speciality restaurants, and you could be squashed in the crush.

Not if all the other passengers think that information is pointless and they can’t act on information that they have been given ! 

[Cathygh]

16 minutes ago, emam said:

89 ships are being investigated.

 

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-12-28/connecticut-s-blumenthal-calls-on-cruise-lines-to-halt-sailings

Deleted sorry!

Edited December 29, 2021 by Cathygh

[Dermotsgirl]

9 hours ago, wowzz said:

So, QM2 is sailing directly back to the UK. What would you  have done differently if you were onboard? 

You still don’t get it.

 

Prior to this point they haven’t been given enough information to be able to make informed  decisions to change their behaviour. No passengers on board thought anything was amiss until the bombshell dropped yesterday. 

[Dermotsgirl]

51 minutes ago, davecttr said:

Taking on extra manning in essential roles means danger of infection during the voyage. They probably have additional officers with a masters certificate so will be OK if the captain keels over but what about engineering, medicine etc.

 

Not many comments on the Cunard boards yet but the USA should all be asleep.

 

I see QM2 is still alongside but may have to move today as 2 cruise ships are approaching and Norwegian epic looks as if it will only fit in the berth occupied by QM2

 

Glad I got my cruise sorted and wonder if P&O will pause cruising for a few weeks.

I noticed from the letter that they intend to stay in the Barbados area until 2nd January. This seems optimistic. Not only do they have to round up replacement crew, surely the replacement crew would need quarantine before going on QM2. The last thing they want is the new crew testing positive when they are on board and adding to the epidemic 

[bobstheboy]

Cruising is a risky holiday at this time, arguably, the most risky. Some on here, not many, are prepared to take that risk, most are not. 

 

Spain will not want to stop tourists if they can avoid it,  too many rely on the income, but with numbers climbing, how much longer cruise companies keep cruising this winter ? They will not want to stop, maybe circumstances will force them.

[Dermotsgirl]

36 minutes ago, Eddie99 said:

… it makes the January 35 nighter on Ventura look pretty precarious.

 

Long ago and far away I was booked on it - having moved to it from  a 2020 booking, in hope that 2022 might see us free of this curse.  How optimistic we were then.  I think that original October 2020 cruise has been transferred 4 times now … what do you reckon are my chances for March 2024 to the Med?

 

Seriously - I feel for those who still have a Ventura booking for January.  What a dilemma if P&O don’t pull it.  What a disappointment for some if they do

I’ve long been  surprised that they still scheduled the 35 night Ventura cruises. The longer the cruise, the more likely it is for ‘events’ to happen, and the further from home it is, the more difficult it is for ‘events’ to be dealt with.

 

if I recall correctly, one of Aurora’s replacement cruises for her restart is a 40 night  round trip from Southampton. When that was announced I commented on here that it was a bold move, to knowingly schedule a long cruise in the Covid era

[Interestedcruisefan]

With information it allows passengers to take more care on many ways:

 

Ensure they take more care with social distancing

Avoid crowded spaces, sharing tables

Avoid the lifts (if physically capable)

Stay outdoors rather than indoors more

Ensure they sanitise their hands more often

Ensure they are more thorough washing their hands

Be careful not to touch their mouth, nose and eyes etc

Be extra careful with mask wearing 

 

Why wouldnt a ship with a known serious outbreak NOT want and actually NEED all passengers and all crew to be taking extra care with all of the above?

 

Let's be honest?

 

Now on top of all that I would personally feel aggrieved and insulted if things were deliberately being hidden from me by a cruise line that could have an impact on the health and safety of my family on board. Unacceptable. IMO

 

I don't need exact stats but I do expect fair warning when theres clearly a problem on the ship

 

I'm an adult not a schoolchild 

Edited December 29, 2021 by Interestedcruisefan

[purplesea]

20 hours ago, zap99 said:

This wasn't Antigua but ........🛳️

Snap🤣🤣    Here's mine!!

[Interestedcruisefan]

13 minutes ago, bobstheboy said:

Cruising is a risky holiday at this time, arguably, the most risky. Some on here, not many, are prepared to take that risk, most are not. 

 

Spain will not want to stop tourists if they can avoid it,  too many rely on the income, but with numbers climbing, how much longer cruise companies keep cruising this winter ? They will not want to stop, maybe circumstances will force them.

I guess for those still prepared to cruise you can enjoy the cruise as long as it lasts and then take the 125 per cent FCC on top!

 

The longer the cruise the more chance of another free cruise on top!

 

This could be the new way to promote overseas cruises!

Edited December 29, 2021 by Interestedcruisefan

[Selbourne]

28 minutes ago, Dermotsgirl said:

I noticed from the letter that they intend to stay in the Barbados area until 2nd January. This seems optimistic. Not only do they have to round up replacement crew, surely the replacement crew would need quarantine before going on QM2. The last thing they want is the new crew testing positive when they are on board and adding to the epidemic 

I believe that there has been an interchange of crew between QM2 and Queen Victoria, which is being used (in the Caribbean) to house crew in quarantine prior to deployment plus (presumably) to offload infected crew from other ships. It seems as though the initial ‘swap’ was to maintain the numbers infected on QM2 to the 1% maximum required to still be able to make some port stops. Things have obviously now overtaken them and they cannot keep the infections below the required level. However, there should be enough crew on Queen Victoria to replace most infected crew but presumably the delay is due to needing to fly in the specialist crew members who need replacing and where there are no suitable staff available in the area. 

[Interestedcruisefan]

9 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

I believe that there has been an interchange of crew between QM2 and Queen Victoria, which is being used (in the Caribbean) to house crew in quarantine prior to deployment plus (presumably) to offload infected crew from other ships. It seems as though the initial ‘swap’ was to maintain the numbers infected on QM2 to the 1% maximum required to still be able to make some port stops. Things have obviously now overtaken them and they cannot keep the infections below the required level. However, there should be enough crew on Queen Victoria to replace most infected crew but presumably the delay is due to needing to fly in the specialist crew members who need replacing and where there are no suitable staff available in the area. 

The swapping of positive and negative crew can't exactly have helped with controlling the spread 

 

Jan 2nd may be ok due to existing positive crew becoming negative again?

[Megabear2]

I've just read that letter and I do not like the limited flights to the UK option.  I'm not normally a gambler but my bet is those flights will be on the p&o flights back to UK on those dates.  I will not be a happy bunny if that is indeed their intention and would consider it almost reckless endangerment.  123 came out on our flight and that is what I expect to go back.  Anymore than that and I will be having BIG words with the CEO's office once I return. 

[Interestedcruisefan]

14 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

I've just read that letter and I do not like the limited flights to the UK option.  I'm not normally a gambler but my bet is those flights will be on the p&o flights back to UK on those dates.  I will not be a happy bunny if that is indeed their intention and would consider it almost reckless endangerment.  123 came out on our flight and that is what I expect to go back.  Anymore than that and I will be having BIG words with the CEO's office once I return. 

I would imagine as long as people pass a PCR test that plane will be allowed to take as many people home as it wants. P and O passengers,  crew and even others. 

 

P and O surely won't need as many crew in Caribbean as they anticipated next few weeks?

 

Things are changing quite rapidly now Megabear 

 

Who knows P and O might want/need to put some crew etc onto Queen Mary to head back to UK themselves 

 

Or even  other Cunard ships in due course

 

Would think  in times of crisis things become more of a team effort for cruise lines?

 

They will all help each other when needed I'm sure

 

Talk of using cruise ships as quarantine hotels in Caribbean 

 

Which might help all cruise passengers for all cruise lines?

 

I wouldn't rule anything in or out

 

There may even be Britannia Passengers at the end of the cruise who fail PCRs who Cunard are able to help out in turn in due course? 

 

 

Edited December 29, 2021 by Interestedcruisefan

[wowzz]

12 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

I've just read that letter and I do not like the limited flights to the UK option.  I'm not normally a gambler but my bet is those flights will be on the p&o flights back to UK on those dates.  I will not be a happy bunny if that is indeed their intention and would consider it almost reckless endangerment.  123 came out on our flight and that is what I expect to go back.  Anymore than that and I will be having BIG words with the CEO's office once I return. 

Everyone on the flight will have had a negative PCR test, so I am not really sure what your concern is ? How can it be considered "reckless" ? 

[Megabear2]

They are not doing PCR tests onboard here to enter Barbados, they are only lateral flow to meet the UK government requirements.  Any mixing of passengers from a ship with known serious problems will leave us severely disadvantaged.  Mixing of passengers from other ships on organised excursions has not been allowed throughout the voyage so why on earth should it be okay for it to happen on an aeroplane.

[cruising.mark.uk]

I agree with ICF.  Carnival has arranged charter flights.  if they have passengers / crew members other than those from Britannia who they need to get back to the UK and there are plenty of empty seats on these aircraft, why wouldn't they fill them rather than having to spend tens of thousands more pounds chartering further aircraft?  As ICF says, all travellers will have to have a negative test prior to flying.  Yes, there will be a risk that a passenger who is positive for Covid will board the flight undetected by that test, but that risk will be the same wherever the passengers come from.  

[Interestedcruisefan]

4 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

They are not doing PCR tests onboard here to enter Barbados, they are only lateral flow to meet the UK government requirements.  Any mixing of passengers from a ship with known serious problems will leave us severely disadvantaged.  Mixing of passengers from other ships on organised excursions has not been allowed throughout the voyage so why on earth should it be okay for it to happen on an aeroplane.

4 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

They are not doing PCR tests onboard here to enter Barbados, they are only lateral flow to meet the UK government requirements.  Any mixing of passengers from a ship with known serious problems will leave us severely disadvantaged.  Mixing of passengers from other ships on organised excursions has not been allowed throughout the voyage so why on earth should it be okay for it to happen on an aeroplane.

 

Don't worry about it til it happens Megabear. 

 

An awful lot could change between now and then 

 

Ps have you thought about offering to swap your flights for a balcony cabin back to UK on Queen Mary?

 

I'm being serious 

 

 

Edited December 29, 2021 by Interestedcruisefan

[Son of Anarchy]

2 hours ago, davecttr said:

Taking on extra manning in essential roles means danger of infection during the voyage. They probably have additional officers with a masters certificate so will be OK if the captain keels over but what about engineering, medicine etc.

 

Not many comments on the Cunard boards yet but the USA should all be asleep.

 

I see QM2 is still alongside but may have to move today as 2 cruise ships are approaching and Norwegian epic looks as if it will only fit in the berth occupied by QM2

 

Glad I got my cruise sorted and wonder if P&O will pause cruising for a few weeks.

Don't know about engineering officers, but navigation officers hold the quals of at least one rank above them, ie 3rd mate holds a 2nd mate's ticket, 2nd mate holds a first mate's ticket and so on up the chain.  Captain's jobs can be dead man's shoes, so much so, that apparently a lot of 2nd mates are Master Mariners waiting as you say for a Captain to keel over 😲

[wowzz]

4 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

They are not doing PCR tests onboard here to enter Barbados, they are only lateral flow to meet the UK government requirements

The tests are far more rigorous than the self administered LFTs you do in the UK.

[Megabear2]

I'm sure they are. However having been literally screamed at by a P&O tour guide in St Lucia for allowing some Americans from Crystal Serenity to sit at the opposite end of a table about the evils of track and trace etc I consider it pretty rich if they do allow this.  The TUI staff on the way out told us we are tracked and traced on the plane and cannot move seats as we had to be socially distanced.  We have now had our seat allocation as normal.  If, and I admit it is an if, my thoughts are correct I would expect at the very least the cabins to carry separate ship's passengers in each area and not for mix and match.  It is one thing to travel on an effectively bubbled flight where 2 sets of tests have been done prior to a flight than to actively bring in people who may have been exposed to either strain of covid.

 

And no, I'm not being paranoid. I reported at the start of my voyage that 7 members of my family had covid.  All were shown to have Delta not Omicron and one is now extremely seriously ill.