Testing positive for Covid after returning from a cruise

[sjde]

We had to have a negative covid test within 2- 3 days of boarding in order to be allowed on our Princess Alaska cruise earlier this month.

 

But some of those traveler's tests could have been false negatives (maybe some had covid but at that point were asymptomatic so the test isn't as accurate), and some could have gotten it after the test  on the flight, or on a shore excursion.

 

I know someone (the CDC?) is monitoring cases and they haven't been high enough to shut down the ships.

And we saw 1/2 of one deck closed off, I'm assuming for quarantine for those who got sick on the cruise.

 

But I keep hearing about people testing positive in the week after they return home. No one is tracking that I suppose.

 

So I'd like to know if you or someone in your party did test positive after. 

 

In our party of 11 that disembarked last Saturday, two tested positive on Sunday and I did this morning. At least 3 others have symptoms and are awaiting results.

Edited July 12, 2022 by sjde

[VMax1700]

2 minutes ago, sjde said:

I keep hearing about people testing positive in the week after they return home

Not just from cruises, but from travel, socialising and general human to human contact.  It is with us and will stay with us for a considerable time.  

[ColeThornton]

4 minutes ago, sjde said:

But I keep hearing about people testing positive in the week after they return home. No one is tracking that I suppose.

 

So I'd like to know if you or someone in your party did test positive after. 

 

Seems like you already answered your question since you've already heard of people testing positive when they got home.

 

Not trying to be difficult, just not sure of what answer you are looking for.

[Essiesmom]

There are threads on every cruise line forum here from people reporting testing positive after they got home, along with people from their roll call, people from their FB groups, etc.  Old news.  EM

[sjde]

Just trying to get an idea of how MANY are getting it on ship and being positive after home.

 

I thought asking a general question would give me a better idea than posting for each individual cruise line.

[Tonsoffun44]

44 minutes ago, sjde said:

Just trying to get an idea of how MANY are getting it on ship and being positive after home.

 

I thought asking a general question would give me a better idea than posting for each individual cruise line.

Whose to say they got it on the ship at all.  Could also get it on the way home on flight, taxi/bus, hotel, gas station, restaurant....  Way too many variables to say how many are due to the cruise specifically.  Not to mention the numbers of people that are asymptomatic and don't feel sick so don't test.  The numbers are flawed regardless. 

[Keksie]

49 minutes ago, sjde said:

Just trying to get an idea of how MANY are getting it on ship and being positive after home.

 

I thought asking a general question would give me a better idea than posting for each individual cruise line.

There is no way to know.  Since people test at home there is no way to capture that data.  Not everyone who cruises posts on CC.  There is just no way to get enough data to answer your question.

[mom says]

I think you need to be satisfied with knowing that SOME people get COVID while on a cruise. You aren't going to get any meaningful numbers just by asking here. As noted above, not everyone even bothers testing. Not everyone is symptomatic. Not everyone who tests positive caught it on thecruise. Not everyone is on Cruise Critic.  And not everyone on Cruise  Critic  will read this thread.

[shipgeeks]

IMO, a question could be "How many will test positive if everyone in the country tests on a Tuesday?" One fb group started asking for numbers. When I questioned whether they had symptoms that led them to test, some said "No, but going to a party" or "No, but just went to the mall".  So assuming any positive test is the result of being on a cruise might be akin to seeing a black cat and then having an unhappy incident.  Who knows?  I'm not convinced, or I wouldn't be cruising as often as I do.

[sjde]

Well ya- I wouldnt have bothered testing if I was asymptomatic . So I assume those who report being positive on these threads had symptoms. 

[lynncarol]

46 minutes ago, sjde said:

Well ya- I wouldnt have bothered testing if I was asymptomatic . So I assume those who report being positive on these threads had symptoms. 

Not necessarily.  While disembarking from our 11 day cruise this past April, the captain over the intercom said several passengers had tested positive but all contacts had been notified.  Although I had not been notified I decided to test when I got home despite having NO symptoms. Very strong pink line on test, so definitely positive.  I notified my doctor and did not leave the house till testing negative one week later. Never did have symptoms.

[pris993]

I was in a group of 7.  One person tested positive after getting off a 10-day cruise.  3 of us traveled together after leaving the ship, so we were all together for about 1/2 - 1 hour.    Person who tested positive had minor nasal symptoms that morning.  None of us got Covid other than the 1 person.   We were not wearing masks at the time either.   So luck of the drawn.

[cruizergal70]

Were those in your party wearing masks, using sanitizer,  and avoiding crowds?

[sjde]

Kind of hard to avoid crowds on a cruise ship!

[shipgeeks]

2 hours ago, sjde said:

Well ya- I wouldnt have bothered testing if I was asymptomatic . So I assume those who report being positive on these threads had symptoms. 

Nope, as I mentioned above, some said they tested for social reasons, without any symptoms. Some were neg, some were pos.

[sjde]

It’ll remain an unknown just like the total number of positive cases since many positive at- home tests aren’t reported. 

[2wheelin]

4 hours ago, sjde said:

Just trying to get an idea of how MANY are getting it on ship and being positive after home.

 

I thought asking a general question would give me a better idea than posting for each individual cruise line.

What difference does it make? If it's just idle curiosity, you won't have any better information from answers on here than you had before posting the question.

[ldubs]

At the risk of repeating myself, I'll actually answer the OPs question.  

 

We were a group of 15 on a May cruise.  Five tested positive shortly after disembarkation.   People can say all the "not necessarily's",  "what ifs" and "could haves" they want.  The positives were more than likely from exposure on the cruise ship.   

[cruizergal70]

6 hours ago, sjde said:

Kind of hard to avoid crowds on a cruise ship!

Actually,  it's not.

[sjde]

So far, 5 of the 11 of us have tested positive days after getting home.

[navybankerteacher]

9 hours ago, cruizergal70 said:

Actually,  it's not.

It depends on the ship.

[pris993]

22 hours ago, cruizergal70 said:

Were those in your party wearing masks, using sanitizer,  and avoiding crowds?

Only when required.

[sjde]

It’s only going to get worse as the BA.5 Omicron variant has become the predominant one this month and is the most transmissible of any so far. And apparently is evading the vaccines and boosters. 

Edited July 13, 2022 by sjde

[cruisingguy007]

You'll probably have better luck on bookface, but you'll have to join each of the roll calls to gather info. Most participants are reporting back if they popped positive. Even there, though much more participation than CC, it's still a small sample of actual cruisers, probably single digit representation so I'm not sure how much it would help or the value of any data compiled. Nearly all my extended family had/have covid recently, one part from international travel and another two groups from general community transfer. These are folks that avoided covid since the beginning, even with one working mainline healthcare. Now three sub groups all have it and all members of these groups have it. It's much more transmissible and I'm seeing (anecdotally anyway) that it's not a person or two getting it, whole families are getting it. There is a LOT of covid out there. Assume it's everywhere. Alaska is a covid hot spot as well. Any travel by plane, train, bus, ship etc or crowded conditions like theme parks will put anyone at a higher chance. It's not only a cruise thing. It's a traveling anywhere thing and a get together 4th of July party thing right now.   

Edited July 13, 2022 by cruisingguy007

[6rugrats]

Yes, I’ve dodged Covid since it began.  I’m fully vaccinated with two boosters.  I wear a mask in public, but work in a very busy airport with hundreds of unmasked passengers.  So, guess why I am off work this week?  This new variant is very, very contagious.