Covid on Eclipse

[MISTER 67]

14 hours ago, Karen Lynn said:

I should add - I do realize profit is what all cruise lines are all about .. but it feels like they’ve gone from 0 to 100 a bit too quickly to me 

I agree, 400 people a day are still dying because of Covid. 

There should still be testing 2 days before sailing.

[Karen Lynn]

9 minutes ago, MISTER 67 said:

I agree, 400 people a day are still dying because of Covid. 

There should still be testing 2 days before sailing.

 We were all tested before boarding in Vancouver as per regulations at that time , new rules came out whilst onboard .. crew were also required to mask, that’s now also changed. Mix that with no longer having to be vaccinated to sail? 🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️

[Jldevlin]

2 hours ago, Karen Lynn said:

I guess from my viewpoint , it is a calculated risk to cruise  ( or do many things !) and I realize we cannot control everything.  The  unfortunate side effect though is not really thinking after 18 month planning , on 4 - B2B sailings  that one could be told you’re positive and sorry , you’re off the ship tomorrow at the end of the first sailing.  Happened to our friends travelling with us last week along with quite a few others.
 

One has to be prepared for that move and none of us were.

We were originally booked from Vancouver and then on two more b2b and we bailed 6 months ago. It was too expensive to be sitting in our room looking out at Fiji while everyone else goes ashore. 

[fenton04]

8 hours ago, Cruise a holic said:

Unfortunately passengers on all cruise lines getting covid now.  We were on a RC cruise a couple of months ago and many got Covid.  They do not wear masks in theatre, crowd into elevators, and go on crowded shore x's.  We were very careful and didn't get covid. We avoid the buffets also.

 

I suggest everyone follow covid precautions.  Mask up, sanitize your hands. Don't go into a crowded elevator.

 

Washing your hands frequently is the best policy to avoid Norovirus, influenza, COVID.  We were on the Eclipse Vancouver to Honolulu leg and was surprised when the Captain made the mask mandate and no mention hand washing?   I would think the medical personnel would have said something. OBTW two of our table mates got COVID.  We did not.  (Again the handwashing thing)

Edited October 13, 2022 by fenton04
spelling

[fenton04]

3 hours ago, jgmorgan said:

On our recent, very full, cruise out of Southampton on the Silhouette the Captain announced toward the end of the cruise that the number of Covid cases had reached the threshold and asked that passengers wear masks in crowded locations and exercise caution. Some folks responded by wearing masks in the theater, casino and elevators, although many did not.  Not surprising.

 

The thing that I did find surprising though, was that it was actually quite easy to maintain a reasonable level of social distancing while on board.  Even though the Martini Bar was always packed (apparently Brits love their martinis 😀), we were always able to find another location that was much less crowded.  The World Class Bar was great (maybe my new favorite).  The early show in theater had plenty of seats to spread out and by the time we got to Blu each evening, the crowd had thinned and we almost always were seated with vacant tables next to us.  The excursion buses were a bit of a challenge but even they were not full and we generally were able to sit in seats that were adjacent to vacant seats and wear our masks.  So, all in all, we were able to reduce (not eliminate) risk without sacrificing having a great cruise.

 

As for the elevators, it seemed every time a really crowded elevator stopped and we would wait instead of making it even more crowded, the next one would be empty or nearly so.

 

As others on this thread have said, Covid is with us and will likely always be (although comparing it to the flu significantly understates the seriousness of Covid).  But with a bit of effort, the risk can be reduced and thereby increase the chances of cruising without getting sick.  The good news is that the same precautions one uses for Covid also reduce the risk of other contagious diseases.

 

Happy cruising.

 

 

 

  

Sadly my Sister died from the Flu.  That's  pretty serious.

[prmssk]

5 minutes ago, fenton04 said:

Washing your hands frequently is the best policy to avoid Norovirus, influenza, COVID.  We were on the Eclipse Vancouver to Honolulu leg and was surprised when the Captain made the mask mandate and no mention hand washing?   I would think the medical personnel would have said something. OBTW two of our table mates got COVID.  We did not.  (Again the handwashing thing)

COVID is an airborne virus. Hand washing won’t do a lot to prevent it. On the other hand, Norovirus is primarily spread through surfaces and so hand washing is incredibly important for that. 
 

And from my experience, there often is no good explanation why one table mate gets COVID and the other doesn’t. On my June cruise 3 of the 8 of us in my group tested positive at the end. All 3 of us were in different cabins and somehow didn’t manage to spread it to our cabin mates. I assumed once  I tested positive my husband would eventually as well but he never did. 

[PTC DAWG]

Recently off a 9 day Equinox..no concerns or issues on my part…I’ve moved on. No unneeded testing when I got home etc..

[Karen Lynn]

Funny thing is for our group - 3 of the 4 of us travelling together didn’t test positive - only thing I can surmise is we’d all previously had covid not too long prior to then . But .. the CEO of Pfizer had it twice in 6 weeks so maybe there goes that!

[Jeremiah1212]

Do whatever you have to do. Some people don't care. Some do. 🙈 I'm nearly four weeks out since testing positive after getting off Reflection. It was not a minor cold. I'm in my late 30's, in far better shape than most, and I'm still not back to 100%. 

[Arizona Wildcat]

My DW and I are both over 65.  She has several health issues past and present.  We are both vaxxed and double boosted.

We recently cruised and traveled outside the US for several months.  On our Summit cruise many were quarantined and lots of others with nasty coughs.   We did stay away from those who appeared ill while on board.

Wear masks only when required or requested.  Have friends who became ill with covid while in our residence earlier this year.  I was recently tested to see if I had ever contracted covid - nope.  

Go figure

[zook50]

I'm fascinated by the different viewpoints around Covid mitigation measures.  In Canada, in the early stages of Covid, we all washed surfaces obsessively, including purchased items, home/business surfaces, and ourselves, as we were told that was the key to prevent transmission.  Then we learned that Covid is an airborne virus, which meant protecting oneself from Covid aerosols was key (masking, distancing, etc.).  Finally, we learned that outdoor congregation is best.  Indoors, efficient ventilation/air exchange/fresh air is the biggest protection of all (hence the great need for it in all indoor spaces where people congregate).  We visited the States last winter, and it was amazing how many people were not masked or distanced at all during a definite Covid wave, but were only doing lots of extra handwashing, which they swore would protect them more than masks or distancing.  I still mask indoors, distance appropriately, and use hand sanitizer when I can't wash my hands (I've always been a dedicated handwasher as a teacher, as it's important for preventing other things, as well).   But I know that fresh/filtered/often recirculated air is key to preventing transmission.  And yes, eye protection in areas with possibly questionable air exchange (airports, planes, small unventilated indoor spaces, etc.) is as necessary as a mask.  These are all the basics that we have been taught by our medical experts here. 

[PaperSniper4]

3 hours ago, PTC DAWG said:

Recently off a 9 day Equinox..no concerns or issues on my part…I’ve moved on. No unneeded testing when I got home etc..

I really like reading that someone is healthy!😉 We plan on doing the same on our cruise in another 8 days or so..........knock on wood.....where's some wood.........oh, here on my desk.😌

 

 Doug

[jgmorgan]

17 hours ago, fenton04 said:

Sadly my Sister died from the Flu.  That's  pretty serious.

Sorry for your loss.  I didn't mean to minimize the risks of flu, my point was that, so far, Covid is much more likely to lead to worse outcomes.

[lexmiller]

On 10/12/2022 at 9:17 PM, Karen Lynn said:

I should add - I do realize profit is what all cruise lines are all about .. but it feels like they’ve gone from 0 to 100 a bit too quickly to me 

But in fact, Celebrity is losing money by doing mandatory back to back testing, because the passengers get a cash refund for their time in isolation.  Someone must have done a cost benefit analysis on this - allow the spread of the virus by being at full capacity but yet, force people to test and have to refund their isolation in cash.......testing really has to stop.  Passengers, the cruise line, can't have it both ways.  Until back to back testing ends, back to back cruising is fraught with anxiety - a high percentage of people on the Eclipse are back to back passengers as you don't fly half way around the world for a short period of time, and a fair number of those are caught in the back to back testing dragnet.  Their cruise fares, the time in isolation has to be refunded by the cruise ship yet the line says that masks are "urged" but not mandatory......even masking for the crew at least on some of the ships, has become no longer mandatory.   So restrictions are being dropped but hey, we are going to make you test and if you are positive, we have to lock you up.  It's all just out of hand at this point, considering the way the rest of the world is handling this thing - get vaxxed, boosted, take care of your health, know the risks if you are immunocompromised - and let's get on with it.  

[1960Travel]

We sailed Eclipse Sept 4-11 for Alaska...By the end of the cruise alot of people were showing symptoms.  WE did get very mild cases when we returned home, we were lucky.  Vaccinated and boosted but still got it..I belive if your travelling now you are risking getting covid.  Like everywhere else you go.  Only you know if your willing to risk it or not there really is no right answer.  

[realnice46]

3 hours ago, 1960Travel said:

We sailed Eclipse Sept 4-11 for Alaska...By the end of the cruise alot of people were showing symptoms.  WE did get very mild cases when we returned home, we were lucky.  Vaccinated and boosted but still got it..I belive if your travelling now you are risking getting covid.  Like everywhere else you go.  Only you know if your willing to risk it or not there really is no right answer.  

We sailed Eclipse September 11-22 I was tested twice pre cruise and was negative. A lot of rooms on our deck had do not disturb signs on entire cruise. Day after we returned home both were positive, my husband had no symptoms but I was down for about 8 days. Both of us fully vaccinated and boosted plus I had Covid several months ago. Just happy to make it home without quarantine.  

[SbbquilterUT]

On 10/13/2022 at 5:20 AM, forgotmyCCname said:

We have been cruising since restart and every ship had multiple Covid cases be it a fully masked and distanced, no smoking in the casino RCL Symphony at 25 percent capacity or a half-masked Allure at 98%. 
As a couple who worked the front lines in a large city before vaccines , we travel frequently and fearlessly but responsibly

Your chance of being exposed to Covid is just as great in a movie theater, grocery store, doctor's office or talking to your neighbors at the post office as it is on a cruise ship.

 

Its quite simple and I do NOT mean to sound patronizing. If you can't bear to be in a crowded elevator or excursion bus or airplane because of Covid fear, do not travel. We are seeing a large number of influenza patients and the flu is highly transmissible and quite virulent this year. Many more flu patients than Covid. Some have both. Unless the cruise lines are testing for both flu and Covid for those with respiratory illness on board, we have no way of knowing if the symptoms are from flu or Covid as it is common at this time of year to test positive for both but have a sub clinical case of Covid. You can test positive for Covid without any symptoms. You can test negative for flu with a full-blown case of influenza.
 

I have never advocated cruising for any high risk patients as cruising by nature exposes one to multiple, multiple pathogens that one does not necessarily get exposed to in their usual setting . You and your cruise mates visit 

nations that are basically "third world " nations without access to routine  vaccines or more than rudimentary health care for many of the residents.

 

The mask shaming and crowded elevator complaining is getting old, fellow cruisers. This is not a new phenomenon. You know the risk, you know the cruise line guidelines/restrictions and you are updated as they with the absolute ability to change your mind and not travel if you are in fear. Whether or not you have travel insurance or are able to get a FCC or reschedule - you have the ability to cancel your cruise.

 

This isn't on the cruise lines , it's on each of us to travel as we feel comfortable.

 

And for those complaints about the company only caring about profit-- I'm not an economist, but I do not know how we would be able to cruise if the cruise lines were bankrupt and not operating. You cannot expect any company to operate at a loss forever. If you find their lack of mitigation unethical and greedy then you should not support them with your hard earned dollars. 

If you do cruise, wash your hands, stop touching your mouth , nose and eyes while sitting at that slot machine , don't blow your nose with toilet paper in a public restroom, wear a mask if you want and have a great time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When I was tested for illness on the Constellation in January, the results included Flu A, Flu B and RSV as well as Covid 19.  That allows the cruise medical staff to handle appropriately.

[PaperSniper4]

Wow, I think I'm glad I'm sailing on the Infinity rather than the Eclipse. Please, is anyone knows any covid horror stories about that ship, please keep them to yourself!😁😉

 

 Doug

[broker1217]

We sailed Eclipse Vancouver to Hawaii September 22.

Coughing started around day 5 and we started masking up and did more room service meals, on top of dining outside. We did not go on tenders, to casino or shows---but we never do. We did eat in Blu and the tables for 2 are extremely close.

Captain announced increased COVID cases and implemented masks in casino and theater.

Most people started masking at this point.

A day or two later---masks required everywhere indoors.

We passed through that really dark bar on our way to Blu that night---and overheard a woman coughing (no mask) and saying "oh-I have a tickly throat". Err---that would be COVID ma'am-lol.

 

But there were still those who would not mask--even in elevators.

Our last night we waited for an elevator after 2 maskless people got on the elevator.

The (masked) woman nearest us told us that 9 of her group of 23 were positive.

 

This is a VERY contagious variant. 

Be aware that you may contract COVID and understand what will happen if you test positive at any point in your trip. Insure for those possibilities.

 

I wish Celebrity was more transparent regarding number of cases, it is possible that they could have slowed the spread. Maybe not.

 

 

[SusieAV8R]

On 10/13/2022 at 6:30 PM, PaperSniper4 said:

I really like reading that someone is healthy!😉 We plan on doing the same on our cruise in another 8 days or so..........knock on wood.....where's some wood.........oh, here on my desk.😌

 

 Doug

DH and I have been on 3 cruises in the past year (August most recently).  We don't mask or do the social distance thing (I am a hugger).  No issues with any illnesses; either one of us.  (My work place is generally non-spacially oriented and I did not wear a mask  during the Covid "shut down" due to inhaling my CO2 gave me headaches and laryngitis.). None of our friend reported popping positive after being around us.  Guess we both have "herd immunity".

[Karen Lynn]

Or .. you were lucky 🤷🏼‍♀️

Others around you perhaps not so lucky?

 

[wineoclock]

I managed to escape it until March this year, even when dh had it. I’ve never been so unwell. It was grim. I know I’m taking a risk but I’m sailing on Monday so too late to back out now! 

[PaperSniper4]

9 hours ago, SusieAV8R said:

DH and I have been on 3 cruises in the past year (August most recently).  We don't mask or do the social distance thing (I am a hugger).  No issues with any illnesses; either one of us.  (My work place is generally non-spacially oriented and I did not wear a mask  during the Covid "shut down" due to inhaling my CO2 gave me headaches and laryngitis.). None of our friend reported popping positive after being around us.  Guess we both have "herd immunity".

I hope more and more of us have that immunity!

[Kilroyshere]

These Covid cruise stories are not encouraging and are of concern to us with a December X cruise booked.

 

Question: Does X provide masks if requested and if so, are they common paper/poly/cloth masks or NIOSH certified N95's?

 

In crowded ship interior spaces e.g.; elevators, tour buses, theaters, etc., it seems to us, prudent to mask up. A small effort and price to pay that might avoid a Covid infection...

Edited October 15, 2022 by Kilroyshere
spelling mistake

[travelwide]

Disembarking Summit and very very very  few pax wore masks. The ages on the ship are 60's and up. Very mature crowd and they don't care. I believe the states they live in is what is driving their actions. Just saying.....