My Recent Covid Experience on the Equinox September/October 2022

[Ipeeinthepools]

I'm seeing several reports of what happens when you test positive for Covid while onboard a ship and I thought I would share my recent experience.

 

We were booked on the Equinox departing on September 26, 2022 (10 day) and a second B2B leg leaving on October 6, 2022 (9 day).  We were booked in a standard veranda cabin on Deck 8.  We tried to be responsible.  We didn't go to any shows and avoided crowded elevators or for that matter crowds anywhere.  The Equinox was ailing at near capacity with about 2600 guests.  Around day 6 or 7 or the first leg I started to develop a sore throat and I hoped it was just a common cold.  We were vaccinated with the latest bivalent Covid booster a little more than 2 weeks before we left for the cruise.  I had a supply of my own Covid tests if we felt sick.  My plan was to control my own destiny if we got sick with mild or no symptoms.  Under those conditions we would responsibly self-isolate but perhaps not report to medical.

 

However, early morning on day 8, I got the chills, nasal congestion and started to develop a cough.  I tested myself and tested positive.  Although my symptoms weren't severe, I wasn't having much fun.   After thinking about the situation, I called Medical to self-report.

 

Medical told me to immediately come to Medical for testing and to have my DW also come along.  Since I was having symptoms, I think they did some kind of PCR test that took about 30 minutes and my wife did not have any symptoms, she was given an antigen test.  I tested positive and my DW tested negative.  I was given a bottle of generic DayQuil, some Ibuprofen and we were both escorted back to our cabin and instructed to stay in our cabin.  My DW did not have the option of moving to another cabin because no cabins were available.

 

We were escorted back to the cabin by staff member wearing an N-95 mask through the crew elevators and interior hallways.  Gone are the days of Hazmat suits.

 

The Equinox has something that I have not heard described on other ships, a Quarantine Concierge.  He was our single point contact for anything we needed and it worked very well.  About an hour after we returned to our cabin the Quarantine Concierge stopped by and gave me a copy of my positive test results and letter describing what Celebrity would do for me.  Celebrity would provide any drugs or medical care I needed, we were given access to the main dining room menu for room service, room service for anything that was part of our drink package, upgraded our internet to streaming, given access to telephone service and pay per view movies.  When we returned to Fort Lauderdale Celebrity provided car service to anywhere we wanted to go.  I kept my TA informed of my situation and told her that she didn't need to do anything.

 

The Quarantine Concierge indicated that my prorated refund for my first cruise and a refund for the second cruise would be handled automatically 7 to 14 business days after we returned.  He also said that Celebrity was not providing any reimbursement for hotels in Fort Lauderdale because we could fly home whenever we desired.  This was in contradiction to what was published on Celebrity's website.  

 

Quarantine went well.  Medical called every day to check on me, the Quarantine Concierge checked in with me to make sure everything was ok, room service was always quick and called ahead of time to get our meal orders.   The staff did not seem too concerned that I was Covid +.  Room service delivered our meals into the room and the cabin steward came to the room to pick-up garbage and deliver fresh towels.  Everyone was wearing a N-95 mask.  Quarantine was ok, but I think it would have been difficult if we did not have a balcony.    I made arrangements to stay in Fort Lauderdale and Celebrity had a premium car service take me to the hotel.  There wasn't any discussion about staying on the ship for the second cruise, I'm not really sure if that was an option.  I asked several times if they many Covid cases and all they said was a few.  

 

After I returned home, I waited 7 business days and then I called to find the status of my refunds.  I was transferred to the Engagement Center and the agent took all of my information.   My refund process had not started.  Maybe if I had waited another week it would have started but I doubt it.

 

According to the Engagement Center, my TA needed to call and report the issue for the refund process to get started on the cruise where I was quarantined.  The second cruise where I was denied boarding, the Engagement Center was able to start the process.  

 

For the quarantine cruise the prorated refund is based on the cost of the cruise but the fees and taxes as well as the Celebrity CruiseCare Insurance are not prorated.  For the cruise where I was denied boarding, the taxes and fees are refunded but the CruiseCare Insurance is not refunded.  Supposedly they will also refund shore excursions, upgraded internet and Specialty Dining that I purchased.  I'm a little irritated about the CruiseCare insurance because the cruise never started and I would have received the same refund even if I didn't purchase the insurance.  Supposedly another 30 - 40 days to process the refund.  I'll report back when the refund come through.

 

So overall grades for Celebrity:  Onboard Care:  A+,   Shoreside Refunds:  Incomplete.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[JFontaine]

Thanks for your report, sorry this happened to you (did your wife get it?), glad you seem to be OK now, and thanks for doing the right thing (despite your username!).  Glad to hear that at least one ship has it together.  

[Tee & Chilli]

Hope you’re feeling much better.

[Midlo]

Sorry to hear about your illness and thank you for reporting your experience. My wife and I just finished the October 6 Equinox sailing that you missed. I felt some scratching in my throat Friday night and though I felt crummy on Saturday during the trip home I tested negative. Tested this morning and it was positive. Like you we got the latest booster two weeks before the cruise and so far symptoms aren’t too bad. 
As far as the Equinox is concerned, it seemed as though Covid never existed. Crew no longer required to wear masks as of this cruise. Occasionally you see someone wearing a mask but it was rare. Went to the theater one night to see if we wanted to stay and it was full. Didn’t stay. Elevators packed like the old days. People seem to be over it.

[Ipeeinthepools]

57 minutes ago, JFontaine said:

Thanks for your report, sorry this happened to you (did your wife get it?), glad you seem to be OK now, and thanks for doing the right thing (despite your username!).  Glad to hear that at least one ship has it together.  

 

56 minutes ago, Tee & Chilli said:

Hope you’re feeling much better.

 

Thanks.  I was feeling better after about 5 days but I still have a little bit of a scratchy throat.   I don't know if it's lingering Covid effects or if I've caught a cold.  I continue to test negative.  My DW tested positive the day we left the ship.

[Ipeeinthepools]

33 minutes ago, Midlo said:

Sorry to hear about your illness and thank you for reporting your experience. My wife and I just finished the October 6 Equinox sailing that you missed. I felt some scratching in my throat Friday night and though I felt crummy on Saturday during the trip home I tested negative. Tested this morning and it was positive. Like you we got the latest booster two weeks before the cruise and so far symptoms aren’t too bad. 
As far as the Equinox is concerned, it seemed as though Covid never existed. Crew no longer required to wear masks as of this cruise. Occasionally you see someone wearing a mask but it was rare. Went to the theater one night to see if we wanted to stay and it was full. Didn’t stay. Elevators packed like the old days. People seem to be over it.

 

Glad your symptoms are mild, I hope you feel better soon.

 

I am a little disappointed that the new bivalent booster didn't protect either of us from getting breakthrough cases.  

 

[remarcm]

Thanks for your report. we are leaving on a cruise next week and are boosted with the bivalent vax. I will now be more careful than what I was planning on, again thanks for the info.

[Midlo]

2 hours ago, Ipeeinthepools said:

 

Glad your symptoms are mild, I hope you feel better soon.

 

I am a little disappointed that the new bivalent booster didn't protect either of us from getting breakthrough cases.  

 

Thanks, I too was hoping it would be preventive. Wife is still negative so maybe it’s working for her. 

[Honolulu Blue]

For all those who reported here: I'm sorry you caught this iteration of the virus and get well soon. 🙏 I am happy the concierge seems to be working well, but distressed that the bivalent booster seems  to be less effective than expected against symptomatic disease.

[Ipeeinthepools]

23 minutes ago, Honolulu Blue said:

For all those who reported here: I'm sorry you caught this iteration of the virus and get well soon. 🙏 I am happy the concierge seems to be working well, but distressed that the bivalent booster seems  to be less effective than expected against symptomatic disease.

 

For anyone keeping score, I had the Pfizer shot and my DW had Moderna.  Both had the same result.

[Luvtoeat]

We were on the 9/17 9 day sailing and went to medical on the 22nd and tested positive. My wife wanted me to stay in our cabin and not move to deck 3. I agree that Celebrity could not have been nicer regarding the food and giving us the premium wi-fi and assigning a concierge who kept checking on us. At the end of the cruise they provided transportation to the hotel to pick up our car and we drove home. If I had to do it again we would have worn our masks everywhere except when eating. Except for the crew almost none of the passengers had on masks. Don't know if I caught it traveling down to Florida or on the ship. Makes me wonder how many people on the sailing got sick and I'm sure it's nothing they would advertise. 

[mfs2k]

11 hours ago, Ipeeinthepools said:

I am a little disappointed that the new bivalent booster didn't protect either of us from getting breakthrough cases.  

With people from all over the world flying and cruising who knows what variant you got.. 

Glad to hear you and your wife didn’t get severely sick. Do you have any future cruises booked?  Would you do anything differently the next time?

[Team Stag]

11 hours ago, Ipeeinthepools said:

 

I am a little disappointed that the new bivalent booster didn't protect either of us from getting breakthrough cases.  

 

Thank you for sharing your experience.  The stories really seem to vary ship to ship.  I'm curious if this is the first time tested positive for Covid?

[Ipeeinthepools]

21 minutes ago, mfs2k said:

With people from all over the world flying and cruising who knows what variant you got.. 

Glad to hear you and your wife didn’t get severely sick. Do you have any future cruises booked?  Would you do anything differently the next time?

 

That's an interesting question.  I don't think I would do anything different but I might stay away from longer cruises in other parts of the world.  I had every shot and every booster available and I tried to stay away from crowds.  I probably wouldn't cruise if I had to wear an N95 mask everywhere I went.  I flew First Class to minimize the crowding effect on the airplane.  Getting kicked off the ship in Fort Lauderdale isn't a big deal.  I know the area.  I can easily find a hotel at a reasonable price and I have lot's of choices to fly home or even drive.  But what happens if you get kicked off the ship in Singapore?  The local rules may be a lot different and it would likely be a lot more difficult to fly home at a reasonable price.  For the foreseeable future, I think you need to expect to catch Covid on a cruise and have a Plan B and insurance to cover your trip home.  This will likely affect my choice of cruises.

[Cruise Gopher]

8 hours ago, Ipeeinthepools said:

 

For anyone keeping score, I had the Pfizer shot and my DW had Moderna.  Both had the same result.

How long after the Moderna booster did your DW get Covid?

 

Also, just curious what age range you are? Not that it really matters much, just more curious. 
 

Were there certain areas of the ship you tended to hang out more?

 

What was your pre-cruise situation? Did you fly long distances (ex. Overseas, multiple connections)? Did you wear masks on planes and in airports?

 

[Ipeeinthepools]

19 minutes ago, Team Stag said:

Thank you for sharing your experience.  The stories really seem to vary ship to ship.  I'm curious if this is the first time tested positive for Covid?

 

Yep, first time for me and my DW.  

Edited October 18, 2022 by Ipeeinthepools

[Ipeeinthepools]

7 minutes ago, Cruise Gopher said:

How long after the Moderna booster did your DW get Covid?

 

Also, just curious what age range you are? Not that it really matters much, just more curious. 
 

Were there certain areas of the ship you tended to hang out more?

 

What was your pre-cruise situation? Did you fly long distances (ex. Overseas, multiple connections)? Did you wear masks on planes and in airports?

 

 

My wife tested positive about 3 weeks after the last booster.  We are in our mid 60's and we tend to hang out in the Solarium, Sky Lounge and our balcony.  We had dinner at a table for two in the back of the MDR away from crowds.  We walk through the casino in the evening to watch people play at the roulette table.    We had about a 2 1/2 hour flight to Fort Lauderdale from the Midwest.  We flew First Class and wore masks during the boarding and deplaning processes on the airplane.  We took a couple of snorkeling excursions and were outside most of the time.

Edited October 18, 2022 by Ipeeinthepools

[mfs2k]

18 minutes ago, Ipeeinthepools said:

For the foreseeable future, I think you need to expect to catch Covid on a cruise and have a Plan B and insurance to cover your trip home.

 

What's stopping someone from getting off the ship at the port of debarkation after quarantine, and getting on a plane home as originally planned, after testing positive on the ship?  Does Celebrity notify the airline you have Covid and shouldn't fly home? 

[Ipeeinthepools]

4 minutes ago, mfs2k said:

 

What's stopping someone from getting off the ship at the port of debarkation after quarantine, and getting on a plane home as originally planned, after testing positive on the ship?  Does Celebrity notify the airline you have Covid and shouldn't fly home? 

 

Nothing.  The Quarantine Concierge told me that since the airlines don't require Covid tests I was good to fly home in any condition.  If you are on a B2B and are denied boarding you don't have any plans in place and you need to develop a Plan B.  Purchasing airline tickets for departure within a few days can be very expensive and seats may be limited.

[Oceangoer2]

13 hours ago, Ipeeinthepools said:

I'm seeing several reports of what happens when you test positive for Covid while onboard a ship and I thought I would share my recent experience.

 

We were booked on the Equinox departing on September 26, 2022 (10 day) and a second B2B leg leaving on October 6, 2022 (9 day).  We were booked in a standard veranda cabin on Deck 8.  We tried to be responsible.  We didn't go to any shows and avoided crowded elevators or for that matter crowds anywhere.  The Equinox was ailing at near capacity with about 2600 guests.  Around day 6 or 7 or the first leg I started to develop a sore throat and I hoped it was just a common cold.  We were vaccinated with the latest bivalent Covid booster a little more than 2 weeks before we left for the cruise.  I had a supply of my own Covid tests if we felt sick.  My plan was to control my own destiny if we got sick with mild or no symptoms.  Under those conditions we would responsibly self-isolate but perhaps not report to medical.

 

However, early morning on day 8, I got the chills, nasal congestion and started to develop a cough.  I tested myself and tested positive.  Although my symptoms weren't severe, I wasn't having much fun.   After thinking about the situation, I called Medical to self-report.

 

Medical told me to immediately come to Medical for testing and to have my DW also come along.  Since I was having symptoms, I think they did some kind of PCR test that took about 30 minutes and my wife did not have any symptoms, she was given an antigen test.  I tested positive and my DW tested negative.  I was given a bottle of generic DayQuil, some Ibuprofen and we were both escorted back to our cabin and instructed to stay in our cabin.  My DW did not have the option of moving to another cabin because no cabins were available.

 

We were escorted back to the cabin by staff member wearing an N-95 mask through the crew elevators and interior hallways.  Gone are the days of Hazmat suits.

 

The Equinox has something that I have not heard described on other ships, a Quarantine Concierge.  He was our single point contact for anything we needed and it worked very well.  About an hour after we returned to our cabin the Quarantine Concierge stopped by and gave me a copy of my positive test results and letter describing what Celebrity would do for me.  Celebrity would provide any drugs or medical care I needed, we were given access to the main dining room menu for room service, room service for anything that was part of our drink package, upgraded our internet to streaming, given access to telephone service and pay per view movies.  When we returned to Fort Lauderdale Celebrity provided car service to anywhere we wanted to go.  I kept my TA informed of my situation and told her that she didn't need to do anything.

 

The Quarantine Concierge indicated that my prorated refund for my first cruise and a refund for the second cruise would be handled automatically 7 to 14 business days after we returned.  He also said that Celebrity was not providing any reimbursement for hotels in Fort Lauderdale because we could fly home whenever we desired.  This was in contradiction to what was published on Celebrity's website.  

 

Quarantine went well.  Medical called every day to check on me, the Quarantine Concierge checked in with me to make sure everything was ok, room service was always quick and called ahead of time to get our meal orders.   The staff did not seem too concerned that I was Covid +.  Room service delivered our meals into the room and the cabin steward came to the room to pick-up garbage and deliver fresh towels.  Everyone was wearing a N-95 mask.  Quarantine was ok, but I think it would have been difficult if we did not have a balcony.    I made arrangements to stay in Fort Lauderdale and Celebrity had a premium car service take me to the hotel.  There wasn't any discussion about staying on the ship for the second cruise, I'm not really sure if that was an option.  I asked several times if they many Covid cases and all they said was a few.  

 

After I returned home, I waited 7 business days and then I called to find the status of my refunds.  I was transferred to the Engagement Center and the agent took all of my information.   My refund process had not started.  Maybe if I had waited another week it would have started but I doubt it.

 

According to the Engagement Center, my TA needed to call and report the issue for the refund process to get started on the cruise where I was quarantined.  The second cruise where I was denied boarding, the Engagement Center was able to start the process.  

 

For the quarantine cruise the prorated refund is based on the cost of the cruise but the fees and taxes as well as the Celebrity CruiseCare Insurance are not prorated.  For the cruise where I was denied boarding, the taxes and fees are refunded but the CruiseCare Insurance is not refunded.  Supposedly they will also refund shore excursions, upgraded internet and Specialty Dining that I purchased.  I'm a little irritated about the CruiseCare insurance because the cruise never started and I would have received the same refund even if I didn't purchase the insurance.  Supposedly another 30 - 40 days to process the refund.  I'll report back when the refund come through.

 

So overall grades for Celebrity:  Onboard Care:  A+,   Shoreside Refunds:  Incomplete.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You were looking forward to this cruise and I'm so sorry you contracted the virus to spoil your vacation.  Did your DW ever come down with it after returning home?  We're boarding in a few weeks and wondered how the ship would handle those who became ill with Covid. Seems you both were treated well by Equinox staff...🙂

[Ipeeinthepools]

1 minute ago, Oceangoer2 said:

You were looking forward to this cruise and I'm so sorry you contracted the virus to spoil your vacation.  Did your DW ever come down with it after returning home?  We're boarding in a few weeks and wondered how the ship would handle those who became ill with Covid. Seems you both were treated well by Equinox staff...🙂

 

Yep, DW tested the day of departure.  The Equinox staff treated us very well.  I hope you avoid getting Covid, enjoy your trip.

[Virginia100]

It is disheartening to know the newest booster is not that effective. If you started to feel sick on day 7 I would say you definitely got it on the ship. Incubation period  is 3-5 days to symptoms. A crowded ship is a risk. I go in less than three weeks out of San Juan on the Millennium. Now I wonder about us.we are getting our omicron booster 12 days prior. Hmmmm.

31 minutes ago, Ipeeinthepools said:

 

Yep, first time for me.  

 

[Oceangoer2]

9 minutes ago, Ipeeinthepools said:

 

Yep, DW tested the day of departure.  The Equinox staff treated us very well.  I hope you avoid getting Covid, enjoy your trip.

We're scheduled for the latest booster tomorrow....3 weeks from sailing.  We haven't had the virus although several in our golf club circle have and we've been in close company with them at 'functions', finding out later they and MANY others came out of them with covid.   We also have had colds but never had the flu in our lifetime, so wonder about our natural immunity.  In any case will NOT think we won't contract it on board as circumstance might catch up to us...😒.  Now I'm thinking of masks, etc and a 'plan B' as you suggested JIC.  Thanks for sharing...helps me in decision making.

Edited October 18, 2022 by Oceangoer2

[Honolulu Blue]

16 minutes ago, Virginia100 said:

A crowded ship is a risk. I go in less than three weeks out of San Juan on the Millennium. Now I wonder about us.we are getting our omicron booster 12 days prior. Hmmmm.

What a small world this is - we're on the same cruise! 😃 I got my bivalent booster about a month ago, so I'm as prepared as I can be. Let's hope the ship isn't too crowded. 🙏

[gold1953]

My husband gotcovid 3 weeks after the bivalent after dodging it all along