Contact Tracing?

[CruiserKris34]

We're going on Apex 2/26.  I have not searched thru all of the X fine print, but does anyone know if they do contact tracing?  Like if we go on an excursion & sat next to someone who later gets covid, do we have to quarantine?  I guess i'm wondering if there is any way that we will have to quarantine, other than we feel ill & go to medical services & find out that way?  DH is a smoker 😞 & being in quarantine would not be good, but of course he would if he had Covid.  Thanks in advance!  Kris 

[Luvcrusn]

They do contact tracing but the methods are not clear. They don't use tracelets anymore. 

[jelayne]

Yes they do contact tracing.  Your example of being on a excursion has occurred.  If you are determined to have been in close contact with a person who tests positive you will be tested and quarantined in your cabin for about 24 hrs and then retested again.  If both tests are negative you can continue enjoying your cruise.

If you test positive you will be moved to a isolation cabin.

[leaveitallbehind]

Contact tracing currently is likely primarily through SeaPass activity.  Possibly supported by security data.

Edited February 18, 2022 by leaveitallbehind

[SbbquilterUT]

When I tested positive on the Constellation I was interviewed by a Security officer about contacts the previous 48 hours.

[jelayne]

2 hours ago, leaveitallbehind said:

Contact tracing currently is likely primarily through SeaPass activity.  Possibly supported by security data.

And the cameras which are everywhere. 

[Jim_Iain]

If a person reports feeling ill  and tests positive there is contract tracing done.  Initially it is done by the person reporting where and who they have been in contact with.   Security then searches excursions and ships video and facial recognition to identify anyone that was within 6 feet of them for 15 minutes or more.     These guest are picked-up by security and confined to their room until they test negative twice.   

 

If on a B2B if contact traced regardless if you tested negative you are not permitted to continue to the next cruise. 

[wrk2cruise]

If close contact and you get through the 24hr isolation with 2 negative tests you are still required to wear a mask for the rest of the cruise and as Jim says if your are B2B you must disembark at the end of the present sailing.

[leaveitallbehind]

5 hours ago, jelayne said:

And the cameras which are everywhere. 

Yes, agree - which is what I meant with referencing security data.  The facial recognition technology is quite sophisticated which would likely be an integral part of the contact tracing on board.

Edited February 19, 2022 by leaveitallbehind

[TeeRick]

Some of the isolation rules have changed for the better (see the CC News article link below) as of yesterday as the RC Group cruise lines are all signed up for the CDC Voluntary Program.  Changes are particularly around asymptomatic exposures.

 

One of the other things this program seems to require is that you are Up To Date on vaccines, a different definition than Fully Vaccinated.  Up To Date means boosters for those eligible to receive one.  It will be interesting to see how this now plays out in the Celebrity Health and Safety Protocols.

 

Quote from the CC News article:

"New guidelines have dropped the isolation period to five days for asymptomatic close contact passengers who are up to date with their COVID-19 vaccinations, including any boosters for which they are eligible. Asymptomatic close contacts who are not up to date with their vaccines should still be quarantined for 10 days."

 

https://www.cruisecritic.com/news/6777/

[RichYak]

50 minutes ago, TeeRick said:

Some of the isolation rules have changed for the better (see the CC News article link below) as of yesterday as the RC Group cruise lines are all signed up for the CDC Voluntary Program.  Changes are particularly around asymptomatic exposures.

 

One of the other things this program seems to require is that you are Up To Date on vaccines, a different definition than Fully Vaccinated.  Up To Date means boosters for those eligible to receive one.  It will be interesting to see how this now plays out in the Celebrity Health and Safety Protocols.

 

Quote from the CC News article:

"New guidelines have dropped the isolation period to five days for asymptomatic close contact passengers who are up to date with their COVID-19 vaccinations, including any boosters for which they are eligible. Asymptomatic close contacts who are not up to date with their vaccines should still be quarantined for 10 days."

 

https://www.cruisecritic.com/news/6777/

Maybe I'm reading this incorrectly but isn't this much worse? Until now, close contacts were only quarantined for 24 hours until 2 negative tests. Now it's 5 days.

[wrk2cruise]

I thought the 5 days was only for those ships declaring Excellence meaning 95% were up to date (boostered if eligible) otherwise isolation was 10 days.

 

I thought the same thing about close contacts and having to do the full isolation period, but then there is language about symptomatic people who don't test positive after 24 hrs and 2 negative tests can end isolation but have to wear masks for the rest of the voyage.  That is consistent with what has been going on.

[RichYak]

3 minutes ago, wrk2cruise said:

I thought the 5 days was only for those ships declaring Excellence meaning 95% were up to date (boostered if eligible) otherwise isolation was 10 days.

 

I thought the same thing about close contacts and having to do the full isolation period, but then there is language about symptomatic people who don't test positive after 24 hrs and 2 negative tests can end isolation but have to wear masks for the rest of the voyage.  That is consistent with what has been going on.

I can't find anything in the new guidance that mentions "24 hours" for close contacts. I hope I'm wrong, but this just increased the risk of cruising by a lot in my eyes.

[TeeRick]

33 minutes ago, RichYak said:

Maybe I'm reading this incorrectly but isn't this much worse? Until now, close contacts were only quarantined for 24 hours until 2 negative tests. Now it's 5 days.

It is better than originally recommended in the Voluntary program.  So that is the "improvement".   If you compare the newer guideline to the original guidelines when the voluntary program was announced on asymptomatic close contacts (as described in the article).  That is how I was interpreting it anyway.  This affects a minimal number of cruisers now anyway- albeit an unfortunate event to get trapped in.  The bigger issue in the Voluntary Program will be how the enlisted cruise lines will treat "Fully Vaccinated" vs. "Up To Date" going forward.  That impacts far more people cruising on any given cruise.

[LuvCruzn4Evr]

28 minutes ago, wrk2cruise said:

I thought the 5 days was only for those ships declaring Excellence meaning 95% were up to date (boostered if eligible) otherwise isolation was 10 days.

 

I thought the same thing about close contacts and having to do the full isolation period, but then there is language about symptomatic people who don't test positive after 24 hrs and 2 negative tests can end isolation but have to wear masks for the rest of the voyage.  That is consistent with what has been going on.

 

[LuvCruzn4Evr]

Just now, LuvCruzn4Evr said:

 

I thought if deemed a close contact, 5 days of isolation is required if the ship declares 'Excellence' which requires 95% fully vaccinated AND boostered. Otherwise, it requires 10 days. Since Celebrity does not require boosters, they would not be 95% boostered, so wouldn't they fall into the 10 day isolation requirement?

[TeeRick]

2 minutes ago, LuvCruzn4Evr said:

I thought if deemed a close contact, 5 days of isolation is required if the ship declares 'Excellence' which requires 95% fully vaccinated AND boostered. Otherwise, it requires 10 days. Since Celebrity does not require boosters, they would not be 95% boostered, so wouldn't they fall into the 10 day isolation requirement?

Let's see what happens if they adopt the "Up To Date" standard since they have now joined the Voluntary Program.

[LuvCruzn4Evr]

5 minutes ago, TeeRick said:

Let's see what happens if they adopt the "Up To Date" standard since they have now joined the Voluntary Program.

It is very confusing, for sure, and only time will tell.

[RichYak]

16 minutes ago, TeeRick said:

It is better than originally recommended in the Voluntary program.

Ok, thanks. That's comforting. I was comparing the new language with current practice--not old language. If Celebrity wasn't following the protocol for close contacts before, hopefully they continue that going forward.

[TeeRick]

Just now, RichYak said:

Ok, thanks. That's comforting. I was comparing the new language with current practice--not old language. If Celebrity wasn't following the protocol for close contacts before, hopefully they continue that going forward.

Nobody will be able to keep track of all these subtleties - too confusing for even experienced cruisers.  Then they keep making changes on top of that all the time.  It makes your head explode.

[Jim_Iain]

12 hours ago, leaveitallbehind said:

Yes, agree - which is what I meant with referencing security data.  The facial recognition technology is quite sophisticated which would likely be an integral part of the contact tracing on board.

Facial recognition is really becoming mainstream.   On our last 4 cruises they either used the automatic facial recognition for Customs and Immigration or on Millennium the agents shot our pictures on an iPhone type device and it popped up my details and he said ok your cleared.   We never showed our passports.

[leaveitallbehind]

17 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

Facial recognition is really becoming mainstream.   On our last 4 cruises they either used the automatic facial recognition for Customs and Immigration or on Millennium the agents shot our pictures on an iPhone type device and it popped up my details and he said ok your cleared.   We never showed our passports.

We had the same port experience at Bayonne and Port Everglades for our two recent RCCL cruises in October and December.  Very convenient!

 

The on board technology tied to your SeaPass card is of equal sophistication.  Used now on most (RCCL) ships at the photo kiosks whereby you enter your SeaPass card and any picture of you taken by the ship photographers is displayed on the screen.  Imagine the applications with the shipboard security cameras - which are everywhere.

Edited February 19, 2022 by leaveitallbehind

[Jim_Iain]

I was reading the other day that Alaska Airlines will shortly be using facial recognition for Check In at the terminal.