Positive test Bliss = absolute shambles

[Twinbooty]

One of our party tested positive at 915 this morning second test around 10am.

 

Haven't got their bags back, nobody answering, nobody knows when bags will be back.

 

I called the call centre and they called the ships supervisors who would deal with it.  Am hour later still nothing so called again and theu said they would phone her right away.

 

Waited 30 minutes and still nothing so called again and of course they are now closed.

 

Nobody knows anything at the port.

 

With the test waiting room ticket system, could they not organise bags the same way and only send bags on once passenger is clear.

 

I know people will say she should have kept medicines but there is medicine in her case that no one would expect to be 7 hours without in these circumstances.

 

Apparently there is Hundreds all positive and not sailing.

[hallux]

4 minutes ago, Twinbooty said:

Apparently there is Hundreds all positive and not sailing.

 

4 minutes ago, Twinbooty said:

 

Haven't got their bags back, nobody answering, nobody knows when bags will be back.

I imagine the call center is pretty busy then, no surprise that you had trouble.

 

You're still at the port, right?  I see the ship is still there.  I bet the port folks are pretty busy trying to find bags for those that tested positive if there were that many.

 

6 minutes ago, Twinbooty said:

I know people will say she should have kept medicines but there is medicine in her case that no one would expect to be 7 hours without in these circumstances.

If I had any prescriptions I would never put them in a checked bag, no matter how short of a time I'd be without it.  ALL medications would be in my carry-on.  Sorry, but this part is on her.

 

 

[Twinbooty]

3 minutes ago, hallux said:

 

I imagine the call center is pretty busy then, no surprise that you had trouble.

 

You're still at the port, right?  I see the ship is still there.  I bet the port folks are pretty busy trying to find bags for those that tested positive if there were that many.

 

If I had any prescriptions I would never put them in a checked bag, no matter how short of a time I'd be without it.  ALL medications would be in my carry-on.  Sorry, but this part is on her.

 

 

Agree on the last part to be fair. 

[david_sobe]

It makes sense to test people prior to checking bags. It also makes sense to never pack medication inside a checked bag.  It sucks to lose a cruise.  However with the amount of positive cases on cruise ships, thank goodness this was discovered prior to boarding. 

[FBegg]

Aw, I'm so sorry this has happened "Twinbooty," so frustrating.

[roger001]

Wow!  I’m so sorry.  This whole thing is really getting worse with each weeks sailings, other cruises and lines also.  Sucks…again.  

[JamieLogical]

2 hours ago, Twinbooty said:

Apparently there is Hundreds all positive and not sailing.

 

Hundreds??!??! No wonder NCL isn't handling the situation well! Holy crap!

[TNcruising02]

That sounds miserable.  It would make so much more sense to test people before checking the bags, but maybe there isn't enough room in the tents for all of that luggage.  It almost makes it worth it to take a home test the morning of the cruise.

[CarolinaMamma]

This is the second post I’ve read about NCL not having a good plan for those who test positive at the pier. I’m so sorry this happened to you, OP.  Please keep us posted if you can.
 

We are sailing on Encore out of Miami in 3 weeks and we were really thinking NCL would take care of us if we did everything right (vaxxed, boosted, pre-tested with a PCR test) then ended up testing positive at the pier. I wonder if it would be better:faster to call our travel insurance company than to wait for NCL if we end up in a similar situation. Do they let you leave the port on your own and go to a hotel to quarantine, or do they hold you there?  Would be good to know in advance. 

[BirdTravels]

26 minutes ago, TNcruising02 said:

That sounds miserable.  It would make so much more sense to test people before checking the bags, but maybe there isn't enough room in the tents for all of that luggage.  It almost makes it worth it to take a home test the morning of the cruise.

You have to wait for your bags to be delivered to your room so they can be pIcked up and brought back to you just before sailing. The minimum wage call center people should have zero knowledge of your bags, so don’t get mad at them. Sit tight as you prepare for quarantine. 

[milolii]

I may be mistaken but did you post earlier in other threads that a member(s) of your party had symptoms/exposure in the past week?  But had negative tests?  
 

Good luck to you.  Oh my!  If hundreds are testifying positive that will make news in Los Angeles and we will see NCL’s  response. 

[Karaboudjan]

2 minutes ago, milolii said:

I may be mistaken but did you post earlier in other threads that a member(s) of your party had symptoms/exposure in the past week?  But had negative tests?  
 

Good luck to you.  Oh my!  If hundreds are testifying positive that will make news in Los Angeles and we will see NCL’s  response. 

If hundreds are testing positive I wonder how many did a self-test at home like NCL recommends?  Maybe not many if they are mostly locals who can go home to isolate/quarantine?

[milolii]

I think the OP stated the group were performing/obtaining some type of tests that

 were so far negative.  That was in other threads. 
 

I agree there may be many locals booked on this cruise. 

[Outerdog]

22 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

You have to wait for your bags to be delivered to your room so they can be pIcked up and brought back to you just before sailing.

 

So all bags are delivered to staterooms prior to sail away? That's new!

 

 

[debenson0723]

11 minutes ago, Outerdog said:

 

So all bags are delivered to staterooms prior to sail away? That's new!

 

 

With reduced capacity on the ships, bags are getting delivered quickly.  My bag on the Bliss was at my door by the time I got to my cabin at 1:30.

[dbrown84]

last January, I booked a cruise which left last Thursday.  It was a Christmas/New Years cruise.  At the time I thought "everything will be good by December".  Well, as the year went on and final payment approached, I decided to cancel.  I then started watching two B2Bs in January from San Juan.  I really miss cruising, but don't want to go thru the mess that is happening right now (especially mask wearing on the ship).  I'm going to now watch Bermuda for this spring/summer but I'm not holding my breath.

[Twinbooty]

To answer the various questions, the ones with symptons tested negative and are fine.  The issue we all had here was that everybody was fine to do tests the day before but as it was Xmas then home tests were the only option and you then get into a catch 22 situation.

 

If you do a home test and are positive then you cant fly to LGB BUT you also cant get a £2500 refund so it actually encourages you to NOT do a test, travel to the pier then find out the result which is just stupid really.

 

As for how it got resolved, eventually at 430pm some 7 hours after testing positive people were taken to their bags and then dropped off either at a local hotel or a place where they could be collected and were safe.

 

When the positive person left at 430 there were still over 50 people sitting waiting on secondary results though perhaps the decision had already been taken they were not getting on. 

 

[brad0576]

on the Dec 12 cruise about 30 were turned away - it is what it is......

[AnitaVacation]

wow....just so stressful...we are booked for a b2b leaving 1/3/22...we are flying to Orlando next Sunday (a day ahead)...we have booked a PCR test for Friday morning...Our biggest fear at this point is coming in contact with covid at the airport or flight...we have the good N95 masks and lots of washy washy...still super stressful.  PEOPLE, PLEASE... get tested before heading to the terminal...(I know it is going to be a requirement soon, now it is just a recommendation)...

At what point do you think the cruise lines are going to stop making accommodations for people that test positive??  This has got to be costing them a fortune.

 

I really wish the airports would start doing more to screen for covid...are they doing anything??

[Twinbooty]

3 minutes ago, AnitaVacation said:

wow....just so stressful...we are booked for a b2b leaving 1/3/22...we are flying to Orlando next Sunday (a day ahead)...we have booked a PCR test for Friday morning...Our biggest fear at this point is coming in contact with covid at the airport or flight...we have the good N95 masks and lots of washy washy...still super stressful.  PEOPLE, PLEASE... get tested before heading to the terminal...(I know it is going to be a requirement soon, now it is just a recommendation)...

At what point do you think the cruise lines are going to stop making accommodations for people that test positive??  This has got to be costing them a fortune.

 

I really wish the airports would start doing more to screen for covid...are they doing anything??

 

just on that last point, anyone with no pre tests were being told they had to pay the $200 a night for the hotel if they chose that option.

[Shayhooper]

57 minutes ago, Twinbooty said:

To answer the various questions, the ones with symptons tested negative and are fine.  The issue we all had here was that everybody was fine to do tests the day before but as it was Xmas then home tests were the only option and you then get into a catch 22 situation.

 

If you do a home test and are positive then you cant fly to LGB BUT you also cant get a £2500 refund so it actually encourages you to NOT do a test, travel to the pier then find out the result which is just stupid really.

 

As for how it got resolved, eventually at 430pm some 7 hours after testing positive people were taken to their bags and then dropped off either at a local hotel or a place where they could be collected and were safe.

 

When the positive person left at 430 there were still over 50 people sitting waiting on secondary results though perhaps the decision had already been taken they were not getting on. 

 

To be clear, people who were feeling symptoms didn't test prior to boarding a plane?  Or am I misunderstanding that?

 

ETA: I'm guessing I am wrong on this because you reference £2500, which leads me to believe you flew in from out of the country, which would have required a negative test prior to boarding the plane.

Edited December 27, 2021 by Shayhooper

[AnitaVacation]

29 minutes ago, Twinbooty said:

 

just on that last point, anyone with no pre tests were being told they had to pay the $200 a night for the hotel if they chose that option.

We sail in a week...we have not received any correspondence from ncl stating that.  Only a letter saying they 'highly recommend' you get tested 2-3 prior to sailing (which we have scheduled)...

 

I just can't understand why people think that ncl should offer anything more than a fcc if you test positive at the pier....it's not their fault if you contracted covid on the way to the ship...so, unless you have the travel insurance, why would you expect free quarantine accommodations??

[AnitaVacation]

8 minutes ago, Shayhooper said:

To be clear, people who were feeling symptoms didn't test prior to boarding a plane?  Or am I misunderstanding that?

Hey, if you don't test, you won't find any covid...so, good to travel 😉 THIS IS THE PROBLEM.

 

I honestly want to know why the airlines and or airports are not testing??  

[kpjb]

28 minutes ago, AnitaVacation said:

I just can't understand why people think that ncl should offer anything more than a fcc if you test positive at the pier....it's not their fault if you contracted covid on the way to the ship...so, unless you have the travel insurance, why would you expect free quarantine accommodations??

 

They do it presumably because a lot of people wouldn't book at all without this.  I know I wouldn't shell out that kind of money to be stranded across the country if I test positive at the pier after testing negative at home 2 days prior.  It's in their best interest financially to offer this.

[kpjb]

1 hour ago, Twinbooty said:

just on that last point, anyone with no pre tests were being told they had to pay the $200 a night for the hotel if they chose that option.

 

So since you tested negative ahead of time, they're taking care of you, correct?  If you can, please fill us in on what kind of accommodations they're giving you, if you get food/per diem credit, what the situation is for flying back home, etc.

 

Even though it's one person in your party, you all get this, correct?