Friend's Sapphire Princess cruise experience - 23 Aug 2023 sailing to Alaska

[ProgRockCruiser]

I usually hang out in the Carnival section, because that's what we cruise.  A friend recently sailed the Sapphire Princess 10-day Alaska cruise* (see note), starting 23 Aug out of Vancouver (I assume that's where it started based on what they've written elsewhere).

 

EDIT/Note: I just saw that they did indeed book a cruise-land excursion combo.  The normal cruise is 14-day, still on-going.

 

The first four days were great, but then one of them got sick, with, well, that virus.

 

When the ship docked on Day 7 in Anchorage, they, along with 40 other pax, were "escorted to" ("unceremoniously dumped at", in their words) the Anchorage airport, with no flight arrangements made.

 

After a couple of days scrambling to get a flight home, they eventually did.  Others in their party were fine, and continued the cruise as scheduled.

 

Um, is that typical behavior of this cruise line?  From what I've gathered where I usually lurk, the cruise lines usually just quarantine you in your cabin for the remainder of the itinerary.  Perhaps because they booked a partial itinerary?  (See note above.)

 

This really irks me - I feel like, as a fellow cruiser, that my friend and his wife really got let down.

Edited September 3, 2023 by ProgRockCruiser
correction

[memoak]

This sounds like a one off   I have gotten covid twice on ships and the standard procedure is a 5 day quarantine in your cabin. Is it possible these passengers refused to quarantine ?  No accusing just asking 

[cr8tiv1]

I understand that this is a second hand account post.  I am having a difficult time (line) following.

 

The edit says a 14 day cruise/land tour.  Vancouver to Anchorage (7 days) then 7 days land tour?)

 

Did passengers have insurance? 

Did they book through EZ Air? 

Did they see the Medical Center for positive test?  What happened to the "other" 40 pax? 

Were all passengers stranded or were some of them at the end of their cruise (no land)? 

 

If this was at the end of their cruise, they would not have been quarantined on the ship.  If they had tested positive for THAT (what ever "that" is), on day 5, they would have been quarantined for the rest of the time on the on the ship from "onset" of symptoms.  5 days in quarantine (or until they got off) plus 5 days of masking (CDC guidelines).  Insurance would have taken care of the rest (trip interruption).  

 

More information is needed for cc members to reply with suggestions.  

 

 

[jwattle]

Was the cruise a back to back, and they were on the first leg, so they were not allowed the second leg? I know that Covid is making a rather harsh return in this new wave...

[memoak]

28 minutes ago, jwattle said:

Was the cruise a back to back, and they were on the first leg, so they were not allowed the second leg? I know that Covid is making a rather harsh return in this new wave...

And there should have been some paperwork from medical I would like to know what that said

[cr8tiv1]

1 hour ago, jwattle said:

Was the cruise a back to back, and they were on the first leg, so they were not allowed the second leg? I know that Covid is making a rather harsh return in this new wave...

 

OP stated that it was a cruise/land tour.  If it was a back to back, they would have been quarantined on the ship until deemed safe to move about.  

[jwattle]

I understand that it was a cruise/land tour; my question was that the last seven days may have been part of a b2b on the ship. The ship may also be having some re-enhanced Covid protocols with the resurgence of a new wave, which may dictate B2B people being let off instead of being allowed to stay on for the second leg, per previous protocols (not per Sheldon Cooper, sorry 😄 )  IYKYK.

[ProgRockCruiser]

Sorry, let me clarify:

 

The Sapphire is doing a 14 day cruise (still on it, returning to Vancouver in three days).  They seem to have booked the first 10 days, with a land combo tour, I guess debarking in Skagway for the land portion - that would have been yesterday according to the plan.  They did not book a back to back or anything like that.

 

Upon further thinking, I am guess Princess decided it was better to debark them in Anchorage (Whittier) early in the planned trip because an airport is right there, vs letting them continue to Skagway which might have not been as useful for travel home - and they weren't about to be allowed to continue with the land portion.  And they weren't returning to Vancouver.

 

There was paperwork slipped under their door the day before they got to Anchorage telling them they were going to be shuttled to the airport.  I have no idea what it said, other than "pack yer stuff, yer getting off the ship" essentially.

 

When they get better I will follow up with some questions, but I guess I was mostly questioning the seeming abandonment of so many pax.  But I _think_ I've now rationalized it to myself - no sure how well it was communicated to them, and maybe being under the weather they didn't really have a chance to process it.

[cr8tiv1]

This might help.  Not sure the reasoning for disembarking 40 passengers in Whittier.  Just speculating that some chose to do on the 7 days (Vancouver to Whittier)?  Some caught The Virus.  But it would have been much easier for passengers to find transportation out of Anchorage rather than Skagway.

 

Appreciate any further updates when your friends are feeling better.  Most important would be if they had insurance.  I can see why Princess would not allow them to continue on the land portion of the cruise.  

 

I didn't know that Princess had a disembarkation in Skagway for a land portion.  I have watched youtube videos of passengers joining a ship in Skagway after a land tour.  Is this new?

 

Edited September 3, 2023 by cr8tiv1