Covid on Bolette

[twotravellersLondon]

 

Several UK press sources are reporting that a passenger suffering from Covid and in isolation for several days onboard Fred Olsen's Bolette... on a cruise to the Amalfi coast... was transferred ashore at Salerno, Italy on Wednesday 20 April and passed away there on Friday 22 April. The Bolette is currently on route back to Southampton.

 

I'm sure that everyone will have every sympathy for the family and for everyone else affected by this immensely sad event.

 

Perhaps a lesson to us all, if any was needed, to be careful, cautious and considerate towards our fellow passengers at all times.
 

[tring]

18 hours ago, twotravellersLondon said:

 

Several UK press sources are reporting that a passenger suffering from Covid and in isolation for several days onboard Fred Olsen's Bolette... on a cruise to the Amalfi coast... was transferred ashore at Salerno, Italy on Wednesday 20 April and passed away there on Friday 22 April. The Bolette is currently on route back to Southampton.

 

I'm sure that everyone will have every sympathy for the family and for everyone else affected by this immensely sad event.

 

Perhaps a lesson to us all, if any was needed, to be careful, cautious and considerate towards our fellow passengers at all times.
 

 

Indeed a very sad event and I, like I am sure many others, feel for the family.

 

I have done a search to see what I could pick up about this and noticed that one article said that at one stage, the local hospital in Solerno wanted to transfer the lady to one with a covid specialist unit that was 18 miles (or 18 Kms) away, but by then she had developed “Cardiogenic Shock”, which according to the NHS website, “develops when the heart muscle has been damaged so extensively it can no longer pump enough blood to maintain many of the body's functions”, so sounds like she may well have had a large heart attack.  It was reported her heart rate and BP became very low at that stage (as they would), so she was not considered well enough to be moved to the other hospital.  The breathing issues may have triggered that, though equally, severe breathlessness is a symptom of heart disease of course.

 

However, you can never be sure of anything reported in the media and it was also reported by a number of sources that after she had been taken ashore, “the ship left swiftly”, yet it seems they stayed docked in Solerno for two days (the previous tender port to Sorrento being cancelled due to storms).  The ship then moved on to Amalfi, though again, could not tender, so they did some scenic cruising of the coast and were heading towards a port in Sardinia, before their final, planned call at Cadiz.  I have seen no more reports from the ship after that.  It seems most press articles were written after an article had appeared in an Italian paper, so does not look like first hand information in the English articles either, from what I saw.

 

I must admit we have been thinking in the last few weeks that, at our age, we should perhaps not risk long periods of time at sea, when specialist medical attention would take a long time to reach, though even when relatively near land a shorter delay can still be crucial.

 

Must admit we do not understand people who seem adamant that they do not want to be transferred ashore with covid as we always think being in air conditioning is not good if we have any respiratory infections and we have always maintained being in a hotel would be a better option for that reason and anyone who is high risk would be far safer ashore as well, though problems can occur for anyone.  Even in balcony cabins, we have suffered from dry air at night and often sitting out on a balcony is not possible due to the climate – in a mini suite on Princess last autumn we could not even open the balcony door much of the time at sea, presumably due to the wind, even though it was a Med cruise.  There are also a lot of people now anxious to see testing and mask requirements removed, but it seems very sensible in our eyes to retain these for a while yet. Yes we have now reached the stage when covid is not the fear it was (if vaccinated), but uncertain yet if other strains will be more of a problem and some strains of Flu were always a big problem in the winter season, for vulnerable people.

 

[alanandpam]

I have just disembarked from Bolette in Southampton on last Tuesday, Today I tested positive for coronavirus. Straightaway I doubt infection occurred onboard the ship, as their procedures where exemplory. The most likely occurrence being on a escorted trip. Probably on the escorted tour to Scara Brae on the Saturday when our party was infiltrated by a group of Tom Dick and Svens and other non Bolettas. The house visit was very cramped and damp, our Guide was unable to accompany us and it was very slow travelling through. The other suspect might have been the 4hour magical mystery coach tour the following day, more of this in later episodes. So far I fell ok just brain fog and low oxygen levels.

 

Will report back late when recovered. Alan

[LandC]

Sorry to hear that and I hope you recover quickly.  We are due to embark Bolette on 2nd July for a Norwegian Fjords cruise.  We have only booked one excursion - on the Flam railway.  People are  required to wear masks inside buildings and transport  in Norway, so we hope this will offer some protection!  

I look forward to reading your further observations when you are feeling better.

 

[tring]

13 hours ago, alanandpam said:

I have just disembarked from Bolette in Southampton on last Tuesday, Today I tested positive for coronavirus. Straightaway I doubt infection occurred onboard the ship, as their procedures where exemplory. The most likely occurrence being on a escorted trip. Probably on the escorted tour to Scara Brae on the Saturday when our party was infiltrated by a group of Tom Dick and Svens and other non Bolettas. The house visit was very cramped and damp, our Guide was unable to accompany us and it was very slow travelling through. The other suspect might have been the 4hour magical mystery coach tour the following day, more of this in later episodes. So far I fell ok just brain fog and low oxygen levels.

 

Will report back late when recovered. Alan

 

If you left the ship last Tuesday and only just tested positive, but were OK previously, chances are you caught it after you left the ship, since Omicron is reported to have a far shorter incubation period - just two days in many cases it seems.  Though it is possible you had the infection previously and did not test yourself.  When I had it in March I was showing symptoms a day or so before the test showed positive, though I was pretty sure I had it, since DH had it at the time.

 

Hope you remain fairly well and recover soon.  Covid has had a big spike and is everywhere of course, so could get even worse, but the annoying thing to me is that you are still quarantined in a cabin if on a cruise ship and I have heard some cruise lines still insist on a ten day isolation, even if you test negative earlier.  I do not know if that is a true report, or if it is just some cruise lines doing that.  We will be taking some tests with us on a future cruise though, so can test if quarantined and at least make an attempt to get released earlier. 

 

We are due to sail very soon though and am not keen to do so given the increased risk of contracting covid, combined with the risk of being quarantined for so long.  The cruise line we are going with next time has the tests done two days before embarkation as well, so a lot of people could be positive by the time they board, as well as have the risk of incubating it at that time (which was always there).  

 

Hey Ho, that is life now.  I hope you enjoyed your cruise and glad you were not ill when onboard.

 

 

Edited June 18, 2022 by tring

[Coravel]

We left the ship this morning after an 18 night Balkans cruise.  Over 100 passengers were declared to have Covid and estimates were twice as high as that.  The policy according to the captain was anyone with a positive test had to quarantine for 10 days but since the Government say we now have to live with Covid testing was not mandatory.  It was clear from the amount of coughing that most adopted the latter course.  

 

Embarkation was incredibly slick with absolutely no hold ups apart from waiting for the results of the Covid Tests.  Disembarkation was equally efficient as Deck 3 starboard passengers were in the baggage hall before 8.30 am.  A few of the ports such as those in Albania and Bosnia were not really geared up for tourists and we were allegedly the first cruise ship to visit.  All part of the Olsen adventure!  

 

Food has improved somewhat in the View but was mediocre in the Bloomsbury restaurant.  Lots sent food back because of quality or lack of warmth.  The show company was more polished since I was last aboard in December but it was the same cast.  The supporting acts have been returning for decades and I can't watch them anymore.

 

Some of the "enrichment talks" were very good, especially the ones on DNA profiling and the scientist talking about black holes and Einstein. 

 

 

[alanandpam]

Finally tested clear after 15 days, my wife test clear yesterday so now both all clear. For me symptoms were mild and came out the Tuesday I disembarked., my wife was not so lucky and had a heavy cold. Convinced the bio- security on ship was not at fault, constant cleaning going on all the time plenty of "spit and polish". Convinced infection came when ships"Bio Bubble" was breached when when excursions mingled with others who had nothing to do with the ship i.e. Belfast, Orkney's and Inverness.

Feel Saga have possibly the right idea with, as I understand it, banning independent excursions, which I am sure would put a lot of people off cruising. Anyway its over now and I don't think I will go cruising for a while

 

Alan and Pam

[twotravellersLondon]

 Let's hope that we can all look forward to cruising with no worries as soon as possible!

[david05]

12 hours ago, alanandpam said:

Feel Saga have possibly the right idea with, as I understand it, banning independent excursions, which I am sure would put a lot of people off cruising. Anyway its over now and I don't think I will go cruising for a while

Saga did only allow passengers to go on organised excursions for longer than other lines but have allowed independent excursions for a few months now.

[alanandpam]

Further to my reply last night we have just had an Email from friends of ours who are on the Balmoral up in Spitzbergen who have been "pinged" and because the isolation cabins are full are confined to their cabins. This makes 3 couples that are friends of ours to be affected by this bug !!!

Regent 7 Seas up and around Alaska, though I do suspect that the Rocky Mountaineer train journey or the flight home from Canada might be the cause.

Sky Princess described by them as the voyage from hell to Norway and back , confined to their cabins for 9 days

Balmoral, as described as above.

Ourselves, post cruse as described previously.

Cannot suspect the boats, as cleaning and bio security scrupulously observed, for those of a certain age think "The Guardroom". This only only leaves excursions both organised and in my case both the the excursions to Belfast's Titanic Museum or Skara Brae adjoining farm were on reflection the most likely events when at least I should at least have worn a mask. Our party were joined by non cruisers and we were in confined spaces, so the bug could spread easily. Lesson learnt.

 

Alan and Pam