Anyone knows what quarantine is like on board?

[KirkNC]

I hope the OP will come back and tell us about disembarkation.

[lupaglupa]

@JCP3 put a photo up on his Instagram of San Diego with the words "free at last" so those who are worried should know the gentlemen have disembarked and seem to be fine. 

[canadianbear]

3 minutes ago, lupaglupa said:

@JCP3 put a photo up on his Instagram of San Diego with the words "free at last" so those who are worried should know the gentlemen have disembarked and seem to be fine. 

Thanks for update. I don’t have Instagram so good to know. 

[JCP3]

We did get off the boat this morning at 8 am.   I was just enjoying the freedom.    Our disembarkation was strangely easy.    We had 2 guest services people come to our room at the appointed time.   They took our bags and walked us to the gangway and that was it.  We weren’t tested prior to disembarkation.   Most people indicate that we would still test positive but would not be contagious, After 5 days of isolation and no fever or symptoms for 4 days. We will continue to mask aggressively for the next 5 days and be tested again after 3 weeks.

[CampbellsAK]

Thank you again. My husband has decided to pack his crossword puzzle book in case of quarantine! Safe travels home and happy new year!

 

[OlsSalt]

11 hours ago, JCP3 said:

We did get off the boat this morning at 8 am.   I was just enjoying the freedom.    Our disembarkation was strangely easy.    We had 2 guest services people come to our room at the appointed time.   They took our bags and walked us to the gangway and that was it.  We weren’t tested prior to disembarkation.   Most people indicate that we would still test positive but would not be contagious, After 5 days of isolation and no fever or symptoms for 4 days. We will continue to mask aggressively for the next 5 days and be tested again after 3 weeks.

 

 

CDC changed their quarantine regulations right in the middle of your time in isolation. This is the latest from CDC - five days and no more testing, if you have been previously injected:

 

https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2021/s1227-isolation-quarantine-guidance.html 

 

Thank you also for your daily reviews of your own experience - agree, very well written timely and hopeful.

[sassy~one]

I so hope you are feeling better! I enjoyed your story, and even sent an email.  Enjoy and stay healthy! Debbie

[nocl]

3 hours ago, OlsSalt said:

 

 

CDC changed their quarantine regulations right in the middle of your time in isolation. This is the latest from CDC - five days and no more testing, if you have been previously injected:

 

https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2021/s1227-isolation-quarantine-guidance.html 

 

Thank you also for your daily reviews of your own experience - agree, very well written timely and hopeful.

That is likely to change to 5 days, then need negative test.  That is currently under discussion.

 

The initial logic was that the recommendation was quarantine for 5 days, then mask for 5, and that if there was a negative test many would not bother to mask, so no test requirement.

 

Based upon feedback they are probably going to change to 5 days, negative test .

[CalgaryMac]

I would go crazy as well if I was sequestered in a small cabin. I am not sure what there is to do but as is suggested by the writer - there are a lot more questions than answers as far as how one gets infected. You can't protect yourself if the risk is everywhere.

[willoL]

This was such a helpful post! It may be the single most valuable information I've ever gotten here on Cruise Critic (having followed the link and read all three blog posts), and I've been here for quite awhile now. Thanks to the OP and JCP3!

 

Happily, we are a family of mostly introverts, so quiet time in a stateroom is no real hardship, especially if it has a balcony for fresh air and sunshine. If I can order what I like from room service--and I now know enough to pack a set of stainless cutlery and a real cup for my own happiness--I'm reassured.

 

I'm a big fan of XS Liberty wooden jigsaw puzzles for travel, and will definitely pack one or two if we cruise-during-Coronavirus, in addition to loading up my tablet with downloaded content.

 

Now my only remaining question is, since we will be a family of four cruising with HAL come August:

 

* What if my husband and I test + but my children do not? Would my older teen (>18) be allowed to supervise the younger sibling (also a teen, but a minor) in their original room (even though to book one person on the reservation must be over 21)? Or would kids testing - be forced into a small room with + parents?

 

* If we all four tested + on a cruise, would we get two quarantine cabins since we were booked in two staterooms, or would we have to share one? 😬 (To clarify, I'd love to spend quarantine days with my kids, but sharing a bathroom with them would feel like punishment!) Even being forced to separate DH+one kid and me+one kid may tip the scale against the choice to cruise. My husband rarely takes a vacation, so time with him (away from his demanding job) is perhaps too precious to gamble.

 

This may be the fine point of quarantine policy that I need clarified before our final payment is due. Now I know exactly what to ask my travel agent!

 

--willo

[GeezerCouple]

45 minutes ago, willoL said:

This was such a helpful post! It may be the single most valuable information I've ever gotten here on Cruise Critic (having followed the link and read all three blog posts), and I've been here for quite awhile now. Thanks to the OP and JCP3!

 

Happily, we are a family of mostly introverts, so quiet time in a stateroom is no real hardship, especially if it has a balcony for fresh air and sunshine. If I can order what I like from room service--and I now know enough to pack a set of stainless cutlery and a real cup for my own happiness--I'm reassured.

 

I'm a big fan of XS Liberty wooden jigsaw puzzles for travel, and will definitely pack one or two if we cruise-during-Coronavirus, in addition to loading up my tablet with downloaded content.

 

Now my only remaining question is, since we will be a family of four cruising with HAL come August:

 

* What if my husband and I test + but my children do not? Would my older teen (>18) be allowed to supervise the younger sibling (also a teen, but a minor) in their original room (even though to book one person on the reservation must be over 21)? Or would kids testing - be forced into a small room with + parents?

 

* If we all four tested + on a cruise, would we get two quarantine cabins since we were booked in two staterooms, or would we have to share one? 😬 (To clarify, I'd love to spend quarantine days with my kids, but sharing a bathroom with them would feel like punishment!) Even being forced to separate DH+one kid and me+one kid may tip the scale against the choice to cruise. My husband rarely takes a vacation, so time with him (away from his demanding job) is perhaps too precious to gamble.

 

This may be the fine point of quarantine policy that I need clarified before our final payment is due. Now I know exactly what to ask my travel agent!

 

--willo

 

I certainly understand your concern about "who would go where" if some tests end up positive during a cruise.  But I'd strongly suggest that you not rely upon whatever your TA tells you, because HAL may have given an answer to them that was accurate "at that time" (or... maybe wasn't even that?), but the situation could have changed, and thus the "rules changed".

Things are going to be very fluid for quite some time, I'm afraid.

 

So as they say, "Prepare for the worst, and hope for the best" - which has NOT really been our "vacation mantra"!

 

Good luck!

 

GC

[julia]

@willoL

Everything is soooo fluid right now, that it would be hard to give you some definite answers, but I can almost certainly say that your minor children (albeit one older teen) would not be separated from you.  I would think that if you (and DH) were both positive and quarantined, the minors would be asked to quarantine with you.

[IPB4IGO]

23 minutes ago, julia said:

@willoL

Everything is soooo fluid right now, that it would be hard to give you some definite answers, but I can almost certainly say that your minor children (albeit one older teen) would not be separated from you.  I would think that if you (and DH) were both positive and quarantined, the minors would be asked to quarantine with you.

Quarantining minor children sure hasn't been as issue here on the Zuiderdam. There is not a single child on board! A crew member told a friend of mine that they closed up Club HAL because there are no minors aboard.  Surprisingly, very few scooters as well. But we are at less than 50% capacity.

[RGEDad]

Just FYI: there is a new Quarantine thread from a cruiser on the Zuiderdam - Quarantine just started

 

 

 

[SULLJO]

On 12/29/2021 at 4:30 PM, JCP3 said:

I’m currently on Koninsdam in quarantine.   It’s better and worse than you might think  You can read our account of it at https://markmcelroy.com/what-happens-when-you-get-covid-on-a-luxury-cruise/

Very well written.  I am very sorry but thankful for your account.

[igraf]

19 hours ago, willoL said:

 

 

Happily, we are a family of mostly introverts, so quiet time in a stateroom is no real hardship, especially if it has a balcony for fresh air and sunshine. If I can order what I like from room service--and I now know enough to pack a set of stainless cutlery and a real cup for my own happiness--I'm reassured.

 

I....

 

--willo

 

You should check to see if a knife can be brought onboard through ship security.  This may sound strange given that knives are provided, though I suspect that the waiters make sure that all sharp knives are accounted for after dinner.

 

igraf

 

 

 

[HAL Sailer]

5 minutes ago, igraf said:

You should check to see if a knife can be brought onboard through ship security.

 

I think @willoL meant a typical dinner place setting with a place knife as OP had reported their frustration that quarantine room service only provided disposable sporks with quarantine meals.

[OVgirl]

17 minutes ago, igraf said:

 

You should check to see if a knife can be brought onboard through ship security.  This may sound strange given that knives are provided, though I suspect that the waiters make sure that all sharp knives are accounted for after dinner.

 

igraf

 

 

 

Just get a couple sets of flatware from the Lido and keep it in your room. Then if necessary wash and hide it from stewards if you are quarantined.

[leerathje]

1 hour ago, OVgirl said:

Just get a couple sets of flatware from the Lido and keep it in your room. Then if necessary wash and hide it from stewards if you are quarantined.

 

Apparently, the stewards never come into you room, so no need to hide anything.  You get to make your own bed and clean your own bathroom.

 

L.

 

[SumoCitrus]

Quarantine sounds awesome! Maybe HAL can put those accommodations up for sale on their site. The fare is a little less than inside cabin. Unlimited turkey sandwiches and temperature checks. What a vacation.

Edited January 8, 2022 by SumoCitrus

[willoL]

On 1/8/2022 at 12:16 PM, HAL Sailer said:

 

I think @willoL meant a typical dinner place setting with a place knife as OP had reported their frustration that quarantine room service only provided disposable sporks with quarantine meals.

 

Exactly so, @HAL Sailer! I still have the toddler sized flatware from when my kids were little. It lives with our lunchbox gear now. I have systemic arthritis (mostly in the small joints) and really struggle with bendy plastic forks. And does anyone like those awful sporks?!?

 

But HAL prohibits "Knives with a blade over 6.35 cm (2 ½ inches), or ½ inch at widest point" making @igraf's point fair. My baby butter knife is about that size, but not at all sharp, which is mentioned in the prohibited item list.

 

The thread @NMCruiser123 is writing from quarantine now added a couple more vital items to my "just in case of quarantine" packing list: a set of exercise/resistance bands and my mini USB table fan.

 

These shared experiences are so helpful for clarifying what quarantine would be like. It really helps me to feel I could make an informed decision for my family about whether we should gamble with infection when it comes to our summer cruise.