COVID After Cruise

[cr8tiv1]

My experience (and only my opinions/theories/observations).  I have been on 10 cruises with a total of 98 days since cruising resumed (2020).  Only caught covid once and it was on a ship (well technically on a bus).  Have been "exposed" to several active covid family members, but never caught it from them.  

 

I am positive my covid case was from a very long excursion day on a bus.  Symptoms showed up within a few days.  Finally decided it wasn't asthma and confirmed by Medical Center and isolated.  I was wearing a mask for most of the time when out and about the ship.  I felt falsely secure since the weather was nice and I was outdoors.  

 

In my opinion:  Today's covid is much more contagious and less lethal.  But incubation time is just a few days.

 

If you get covid:

You are on a 7 day cruise, you will probably test positive when you get home.

You are on a 14 day cruise, you will probably test positive while still on your cruise.

 

I was recently told (after my sister brought covid to my house after a family graduation in another state) that all she had to do was wear a mask while testing positive and as long as she had a fever (ref:  Kaiser).  No other restrictions as long as she wore a mask.  

 

Isolate for 5 days from onset of symptoms plus fever free for 24 hours.  

 

Covid is not just from a cruise.  Air travel can be a source.  Somebody has got to bring it on the ship with them.

 

I thought I could avoid getting it since I am vaccinated to the max and still wear a mask when in crowds or around people I don't know well.  I am in the minority.  But the two states I am in have higher than average cases of covid.  You will see a lot more people wearing masks in Honolulu.

 

I am not about to stop cruising or traveling.  I am just cautious and proactive.  My case was very mild.  Some are not as fortunate.  I believe Covid is hear to stay.  

 

 

 

 

[crawford]

8 hours ago, MsSoCalCruiser said:

I’ve never heard of those tablets. Is there a certain brand that you prefer? I’m going to bring a small pharmacy with me and plenty of test kits. I hope I don’t get sick again, but I don’t want to stop cruising. 

Lots of generics on the market. If you prefer a brand, I suggest Robitussin Long-Acting CoughGels.

[ontheweb]

12 hours ago, coldweather said:

Yup COVID is alive and well on the ships. Had it early summer on ship in Alaska. Best friend had it later this summer on a ship in Alaska  

 

My suggestion is to bring cough and cold supplies with you just just in case.  Our ship was sold out of all cough and cold medicine.  It was also obvious that many passengers were coughing.  By the end of the cruise is was obvious some people were sick. 

 

I would consider bringing a large bag of cough drops and a bottle of cough medicine. I would also bring a bandana or large handkerchief. It takes no space and you would have something to help cover your cough.  Most of the people coughing were holding their fist about 6 inches from their mouth and coughing into their fist.  Not effective at all. 

When DW had a coughing problem and we were in the airport in Reykjavik after a cruise, I found it difficult to find cough drops. Finally did find one airport shop selling them, and after seeing the price in dollars after getting our credit card bill, I can say they were incredibly overpriced. Good advice to bring cough drops.

[PescadoAmarillo]

8 hours ago, MsSoCalCruiser said:

I’ve never heard of those tablets. Is there a certain brand that you prefer? I’m going to bring a small pharmacy with me and plenty of test kits. I hope I don’t get sick again, but I don’t want to stop cruising. 

This is what I just ordered.  I used to get them at Sam’s Club but they didn’t have them when I checked last week.

 

https://a.co/d/2WDqdqd 

 

 

Edited Saturday at 12:27 PM by PescadoAmarillo

[IndyKid]

My only bout with Covid was 2 years ago, symptoms started less than 48 hours after returning home from Mexico, so likely contracted it down there. This was when you still had to be tested and show a negative result 24 hours before getting on a plane back to the US, so I was lucky. I was fully vaxxed and felt lousy for about a day, with a cough for about 3 days. I still get my booster shots when they become available - just did the latest one along with my flu shot. As far as travel is concerned, I'm not changing my plans. And no masks unless specifically required by law, I'm done with all that.

[MsSoCalCruiser]

1 hour ago, PescadoAmarillo said:

This is what I just ordered.  I used to get them at Sam’s Club but they didn’t have them when I checked last week.

 

https://a.co/d/2WDqdqd 

 

 

Thank you!

[crawford]

40 minutes ago, MsSoCalCruiser said:

Thank you!

 

2 hours ago, PescadoAmarillo said:

This is what I just ordered.  I used to get them at Sam’s Club but they didn’t have them when I checked last week.

 

https://a.co/d/2WDqdqd 

 

 

Not sure if you need guiafenesin, which is an expectorant, along with the dextromethorphan, but you can order it as a single entity.

[startedwithamouse]

FWIW, more free COVID-19 tests just dropped on the USPS website.

 

Four per address, ships next week.

[PescadoAmarillo]

13 minutes ago, crawford said:

 

Not sure if you need guiafenesin, which is an expectorant, along with the dextromethorphan, but you can order it as a single entity.

I do have both, but for our upcoming cruise, I’m packing the combination. If I have a cough bad enough to need dextromethorphan, I usually need an expectorant also. 

[Jadn13]

At least 15 cruise since the restart and haven't caught Covid.

[julia]

So, let's see....

You:

Wore masks - still got covid

Never went to the theater - still got covid

Four times vaxxed - still got covid

Avoided buffet - still got covid

 

I'm not sure why is this still being discussed in 2024... covid is here to stay, (you will never, ever know where you got it), so just live.

 

[ontheweb]

2 hours ago, julia said:

So, let's see....

You:

Wore masks - still got covid

Never went to the theater - still got covid

Four times vaxxed - still got covid

Avoided buffet - still got covid

 

I'm not sure why is this still being discussed in 2024... covid is here to stay, (you will never, ever know where you got it), so just live.

 

It should be noted that though it is here to stay, it is no longer a dangerous epidemic.

[Cruise Raider]

5 hours ago, Jadn13 said:

At least 15 cruise since the restart and haven't caught Covid.

My DH has never gotten it either.  There is some train of thought that some just have natural immunity to it.  He’s been around me through the last 4 years and I have contacted it 4 times.  But at this point, I think I’ve had common colds that made me feel much worse than CoVid, although, neither of us are immunocompromised.  RSV was probably the worst one of all that hit us both about 2 years ago.  
 

[Jadn13]

25 minutes ago, Cruise Raider said:

My DH has never gotten it either.  There is some train of thought that some just have natural immunity to it.  He’s been around me through the last 4 years and I have contacted it 4 times.  But at this point, I think I’ve had common colds that made me feel much worse than CoVid, although, neither of us are immunocompromised.  RSV was probably the worst one of all that hit us both about 2 years ago.  
 

That may make some sense. I travel often and work part time in a school and still Covid free. 

[MsSoCalCruiser]

28 minutes ago, Cruise Raider said:

My DH has never gotten it either.  There is some train of thought that some just have natural immunity to it.  He’s been around me through the last 4 years and I have contacted it 4 times.  But at this point, I think I’ve had common colds that made me feel much worse than CoVid, although, neither of us are immunocompromised.  RSV was probably the worst one of all that hit us both about 2 years ago.  
 

My friend is like your DH. She has been around me both times that I caught it, but she never gets sick. I have not had a common cold in probably 15 or 20 years but I have caught Covid twice. My friends got their Covid booster and flu shots to prepare for their upcoming travels. Unfortunately I ended up in ICU after my last Covid booster so I have not been able to have any type of vaccination since. My doctor is considering giving me a flu shot after I return home from my cruise, but he doesn’t want to try it before I leave on my cruise in a few weeks. 

[vswan]

I've gotten covid twice. Once I know it was the taxi driver on the way to the ship. We were in the taxi when he was on the phone telling whoever he was talking to how crappy he felt and he was going home after dropping us off. A couple days later my husband had what we thought was allergies - not uncommon for him in different climates/areas - runny eyes and nose. On the last night of the cruise I started with a scratchy throat and thought, oh crap, we have covid.

 

The second time I was at about day 9 on an 11 day cruise. Started to feel a scratchy throat and thought okay, I probably have covid. Tried to social distance, stay out of crowded areas, and ate in the cabin, and tested once I was off the ship.

 

For me, I am fully vaccinated and next week am going for the next round of booster 2 weeks before a land vacation. Symptoms are similar to a bad cold - nothing that would prevent me from going and doing what I wanted to do. I pack the good Advil cold and sinus - pills. In MN you have to get behind the counter at a pharmacy. Some states don't sell at all. This is the stronger than regular on the shelf by the same name.

 

For me, I know that covid isn't that big of a deal - at least with the current varieties.