In quarantine on Equinox. Ask me anything. I’m bored.

[Tatra603]

1 hour ago, Jeremiah1212 said:

 

From the website:

 

We’re with you every step of the way no matter where in the world you travel with us. If you test positive for COVID-19 onboard during your cruise, Celebrity Cruises will cover the cost of your onboard COVID-19 medical treatment, land-based isolation, and private air transfer home for you and your traveling party, if required*.

 

This came up a few weeks ago. Short of needing an air ambulance to get home, if you have a viable option to drive or quarantine locally they are not flying you home on a private flight. 

 

 

I have read on another thread that they are only willing to foot the bill for change of flights if you booked those flights through Celebrity.

[AliceS]

I was on Enchanted Princess in November…..Masks were required!   Why Celebrity chose to make masking optional is beyond me!   Please keep the mask mandate in place.

 

Good luck to the ones who kept us informed for a safe trip home.

[Spif Barwunkel]

Very fortunate to have passengers on board like Parkerson. It is unfortunate when fellow passengers seem to do more for themselves and each other, than do certain staff and crew. A very important and critical thread here. It certainly helped us to validate our decision.

 

Canceled our 1/09/'22 Equinox cruise today. Don't like where we are with this virus and the inability of X - and others - to keep up. Although vaxxed to the max, not worth the risk and the possibility of a pseudo-transatlantic for 12 nights. This was a lift & shift from 1/21 so we will apply the FCC to an April '22 European cruise, assuming that one will sail.

 

We have been to all islands on this itinerary, both land and cruise vacations. At least we are not missing anything that we haven't already seen. 

 

The best of health to all passengers, whether debarking this latest adventure or embarking on a future one.  

  

[weregoingcruising]

29 minutes ago, Ipeeinthepools said:

 

Maybe it's not such a good idea to book my pre-cruise hotel next to the port.  It sounds like I could be surrounded by covid quarantine people if I stay on 17th street next to the port.  I've been looking for cheap rates, maybe I should book a very expensive hotel for 1 night to minimize the chance it will be used as a quarantine hotel.

Do it.

[Issyalex]

On 1/2/2022 at 2:28 PM, MISTER 67 said:

I may be wrong but I don't think any of the lines are incuding boosters in the protocols.

Boosters are mandatory at the moment  on cruise ships embarking from U.K. 

[riversound]

We are taking next cruise on Equinox 1/9.

Flying from LAX on 1/8

see cancellations on roll call opting for future cruise in the Spring…I am on the fence .. so much to cancel hotels/Air/etc.

appreciate your advice ..

[DCPIV]

2 hours ago, phoenix_dream said:

After reading this, I am more concerned than ever.  Their safe sailing website information says that if you test positive they will arrange private transportation home for you (not sure of exact wording but that's the main point).  Reading this, they say they "may be able" to assist you in that regard.  What?!?!  That implies they also may not be able to assist you!!  What kind of baloney is that!  Basically it means I would most likely be stuck trying to find a hotel that would take me, and then being stuck there in quarantine for who knows how long.  And while they apparently would reimburse for the hotel cost, what about meals, what about potentially higher air fare to fly home?  IMHO this does NOT track with what they are promising us!  Is it just me?  Does anyone else read this the same way??

 

To be honest, that letter actually gave me some comfort.  Considering how overwhelmed Celebrity is at the moment, I'd much rather make my own arrangements than wait to hear from them.

 

Here's hoping this all is a holiday peak that goes away quickly over the next several days, but it wouldn't bother me if they keep these specifics in place.

 

I also agree with the other poster that pointed out that private travel arrangements would be made only if necessary.

[Cruising is my passion]

We had decided to cancel our B2B 1/9 and 1/21 on Equinox before reading this thread on 1/31. With X being closed for the holiday, we waited until yesterday and canceled everything….cruise, flights, hotel, driver…….everything! Disappointed for sure, but after reading this whole encounter, we made the right choice. I appreciate the OP for his openness and honesty and his wonderful humor where a lot of us would be moaning and groaning. The information and honesty provided was invaluable and for those who still opt stay the course, I hope you remain safe and well. We will cruise again…hopefully, in the Spring, if all goes well. 

[Spif Barwunkel]

1 minute ago, riversound said:

We are taking next cruise on Equinox 1/9.

Flying from LAX on 1/8

see cancellations on roll call opting for future cruise in the Spring…I am on the fence .. so much to cancel hotels/Air/etc.

appreciate your advice ..

If you read my post #385, you will see my reasoning. We are certainly not encumbered by the logistics that are attached to your cruise. There is much more for you to consider, especially with cross-country flights.  We only have to drive 150 miles to Ft. Lauderdale but we go a day early and have a hotel stay.

 

Be very sure in your decision, leave no doubts unturned. Like DW and me, we looked each other in the eyes and said, "this is the right thing for us."

[JFontaine]

15 hours ago, Parkerson said:

I got guest services on the line and told them they need to call you immediately!  Hoping that happens now. 
 

Your kindness to help someone clearly in distress in the midst of your own problems made me teary with gratitude.  There are such nice people in the world.  Thank you. 

[Shaya113]

On 1/1/2022 at 7:07 PM, Parkerson said:

Felt a little off on the night of the 30th when we went to bed. Woke up yesterday morning feeling like I did a day after my second Covid shot (and the same after the booster). 
 

Called Med Services and they came to the room to test me.  I was positive and my wife was negative. 
 

Lots of delays until I was put in quarantine today.  I’m in a deck 6 balcony room and just met my covid-y neighbors. My wife stayed in our room in hopes of not being positive for our return home (driving, luckily). 
 

as Morpheus has said, we just were denied entry to Nassau. 
 

Seems that they are trying to make it as best as possible. Gave us internet and movie channels. We can order anything from any menu, not just the basic room service menu. 
 

I’ve got the drink package and they’ve brought anything I’ve asked for so far. As thinking of pushing it and asking for an Old Fashioned from the World Class Bar, but it won’t taste very good in a paper cup. 

How long are you quarantined for?

[bap335i]

Thank you for everyone who participated in this thread.  Very helpful to hear the compliments, criticism, and the 'thinking out loud' of people who cruise Celebrity and just trying to make a good decision.  Before this thread we cancelled a February 6 Edge cruise, and have a final payment due in two weeks for an April cruise.  A lot of viewpoints expressed here that will help with decision making for the next few months.  Good luck to all who participated from the ship getting home and thank you to everyone else who added their comments.  One of the most calm and rational threads I have read on Cruise Critic discussing a serious topic. 

[PTC DAWG]

46 minutes ago, AliceS said:

I was on Enchanted Princess in November…..Masks were required!   Why Celebrity chose to make masking optional is beyond me!   Please keep the mask mandate in place.

 

Good luck to the ones who kept us informed for a safe trip home.

You should cruise Princess then..Celebrity had different protocols..

[cruisemom42]

2 hours ago, phoenix_dream said:

I don't know the actual Covid numbers on this ship, but I am presuming/guessing fewer than 100, and most likely quite a bit lower than that.  Given the ease of transmission of Omicron, it is not unlikely that a ship could end up with hundreds of cases on a sailing.  What in the world would they do to handle that??

 

This is where all of those CDC suggestions and requirements come into play.

 

Remember -- everyone thought these requirements were too onerous, but the cruise lines clearly NEED to plan for the worst-case scenarios and should be fully prepared to deal with them. One of the things I recall from the CDC is suggestions on what to do when a threshold % of COVID cases is reached onboard ship. Some thought it was ridiculous. Now, however, everyone can see what happens when even a presumed-to-be relatively low % of passengers are in quarantine, with all of the special attention that requires.

 

If cruise lines cannot operate SAFELY with more than x% of passengers in quarantine, they need to end the voyage and perhaps cancel an upcoming cruise or two while omicron rages. 

[Arizona Wildcat]

2 hours ago, phoenix_dream said:

Agree you may be right.  But that is poor management in the extreme.   What kind of plans are they if they only allow for a few cases onboard!  

 

Some are saying they hope the CDC doesn't read this thread.  Frankly, I'm hoping they do.  If the cruise lines can't handle what is happening they need to be shut down again for a couple of months until this peak passes.

Am wondering how Celebrity can " only allow a few cases of covid onboard!"

With the NIH and CDC stating the infected individuals can infect others before they are symptomatic; would like an explanation as to how to keep cases under the 1% CDC rate?

[sarahandsam1970]

Hi thanks for answering all these questions very useful as we should be going on 12th Jan on reflection .. wondering how often they were testing on board ? Obviously the one before boarding but is there others before trips / departing in each country ? Thank you and get covid free soon 

[weregoingcruising]

30 minutes ago, riversound said:

We are taking next cruise on Equinox 1/9.

Flying from LAX on 1/8

see cancellations on roll call opting for future cruise in the Spring…I am on the fence .. so much to cancel hotels/Air/etc.

appreciate your advice ..

Go with you gut feelings>

[wishuponasea]

On 1/2/2022 at 10:29 AM, RollWave said:

 

Do you know if the area to the corridor where the quarantine cabins are located is being manned by crew to keep others from entering that hallway?

 

Any word on the overall vibe of the ship as positive cases are being announced? Is it getting more somber or business as usual (perhaps more of a question for your wife since she can be out & about).

 

We were on Constellation in November. There was an announcement the last night of the cruise, during the dinner hour, about a positive case. It was a slap of reality that changed the energy in the room.

 

 

 

 

 

[MISTER 67]

53 minutes ago, Issyalex said:

Boosters are mandatory at the moment  on cruise ships embarking from U.K. 

That's good.

[canderson]

1 hour ago, jelayne said:

After reading this DH and I decided that if 1 of us tested positive and had to go into quarantine the other would not join them.  It sounds like having your partner not with you would give you someone on the outside who could advocate for you which may have helped @dollyd get tested and treatment faster.

Quite possibly the most insightful and most useful takeaway of this entire thread, @jelayne.  Having a fully mobile advocate could prove invaluable, concurrently willing to perform the periodic phone wellness checks that X did not perform.

[Tebcruiser]

1 hour ago, Tatra603 said:

I have read on another thread that they are only willing to foot the bill for change of flights if you booked those flights through Celebrity.

What thread is that? 

[wishuponasea]

We were on the Constellation with you, 1st cruise for the Constellation since the Covid shut down of cruises. You are right, when the Captain announced the one case during dinner, there was a Big Quiet that came across the whole room. We are scheduled to be on Equinox this Sunday, and then 3 days later back on the Constellation. We bought N95 masks, but are now wondering about cancelling or not. Still on the fence. Don't want to cancel.....

 

[Oceangoer2]

7 minutes ago, Tebcruiser said:

What thread is that? 

This is the link to someone's UK reporting, ...Post #32

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2821572-positive-pre-cruise-test/page/2/

 

Edited January 3, 2022 by Oceangoer2

[kidz_rn]

1 hour ago, riversound said:

We are taking next cruise on Equinox 1/9.

Flying from LAX on 1/8

see cancellations on roll call opting for future cruise in the Spring…I am on the fence .. so much to cancel hotels/Air/etc.

appreciate your advice ..

Take a sheet of paper, draw a line down the middle, label column 1 Reasons for Going, column 2 Reasons for Canceling. Then fill in the columns. Now assign weights (1-10) to each reason, add up the columns, and go with the larger number. 

[LGW59]

1 minute ago, kidz_rn said:

Take a sheet of paper, draw a line down the middle, label column 1 Reasons for Going, column 2 Reasons for Canceling. Then fill in the columns. Now assign weights (1-10) to each reason, add up the columns, and go with the larger number. 

Bottom line is we all have to as we feel best.  I suppose it is helpful to see what other actual cruisers are experiencing, then we can extrapolate from that and decide for ourselves what we would do.