Swine flu updates from Cruise Critic

[kelship]

I'm supposed to leave Mobile, AL on the Holiday in a day and a half. Headed for Cozumel. I called and they told me they haven't made an official announcement yet but we will NOT be going to Mexico. Once they make the announcement, he said I'd have 24 hours to cancel for a full refund. He also said they are still deciding on whether to take us to another port or just do a big circle in the ocean.

 

Thank you, zipzappa! I'll be on the cruise with you and am very anxious to see what happens.

[SusieCruises]

Hope to hear something soon since we're sailing out on Saturday and two of our stops are in Mexico. I would understand one additional sea day but I hope they'll reroute us to another port if they are both cancelled... four sea days on a seven day cruise would be a bit excessive.

We are sailing out Sat on the Liberty and then on May 14 on the Destiny....both with stops at Coumel.I am very glad that Carnival made the decision they did.......I am just fine with an extra sea day or a different port or whatever. At this point I am just as concerned about a crowded airport or airplane. Sounds like a nasty germ and I hope everyone is careful about hand-washing and other precautions and we'll all have a great vacation to talk about for years to come!

Hope you all have a wonderful cruise........I plan on doing the same!

[Cruisinglife63084]

The information will be posted on www.carnival.com and then click on Travel Advisory: view

Keep watch on it daily and we all will know what's going on!

[poobears]

I figured it would be short term updates (30 days or so), ours will still be in limbo. I'm a planner, I hate not knowing where we are going LOL

 

Right now it's Progresso and Coz from New Orleans, is there any other port they would hit on a 5 day?

[Dave_MaryJo]

Just spoke with Carnival, they have not info yet either. They said the management is still in a meeting and I should check in around 6pm.

 

 

Thanks for the update, I haven't been able to get through to them. I'm really hope they can come up with different ports for us next week rather than 4 days at sea... :mad:

[mjpohl]

I would assume they could hit Grand Cayman, Montego Bay, or Belize City. Maybe even Key West.

[poobears]

I would assume they could hit Grand Cayman, Montego Bay, or Belize City. Maybe even Key West.

 

 

Any of those would be awesome so that scenario works for me :p

[nolaAlive]

Holland America has posted their plans...

 

http://www.hollandamerica.com/news/Main.action?tabName=Travel+Advisories

 

Holland America Line cancels calls to Mexican Ports

April 28, 2009 1:00pm PDT

In accordance with the recent travel advisory from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) recommending against non-essential travel to Mexico, Holland America Line, in an abundance of caution, has decided to cancel its upcoming calls to Mexican ports in April and

early May.

 

Of the line’s 14 ships, a total of five ships (and five sailings) are impacted by these changes. Four are the current sailings of the ms Ryndam, ms Statendam, ms Westerdam and ms Zuiderdam. The May 1, 2009 cruise of the ms Veendam will also be impacted,

The itinerary planning team at Holland America Line is developing alternate itineraries for these sailings and the new ports of call will be announced as they are confirmed.

If the CDC travel advisory changes prior to the conclusion of any of these five sailings, the cruise line may consider re-instating the original itineraries if possible.

[Isasprings]

Hi can someone tell me if Carnival cancel the port of Cozumel.

We are leaving this sunday I hope if they cancel we can go another port.:)

[zipzappa]

kelship - no prob, ill post again if I hear something. We were going to do the zip-line in Cozumel :(

 

who you crusin with? let's all meet up!

[yst347]

A five day cruise from New Orleans cannot reach MoBay, Belize City or Grand Cayman for any longer than a very short stop. They are just too far for a round trip. Remember, a five night cruise means four full days plus embarkation and debarkation day. Those three ports are two day sailings from New Orleans. A more likely scenario is an hour stop in Cozumel or Calica followed by a port day in Key West. Key West is not an option without touching a foriegn port to get around the PSA.

[karefree]

To all the people on the board who chose to make fun of some worried people yesterday with "The sky is falling", you are all jerks!

 

The sky is falling! The sky is falling!

 

Sorry, couldn't resist.

 

I've never seen so much paranoia and hype.

 

I go in less than three weeks, and the only thing that will stop me is CCL canceling, or the govt banning the travel all together. And I seriously doubt either of those will happen.

 

All this worry is ridiculous!

[Cruisin' Ron VA]

Hi can someone tell me if Carnival cancel the port of Cozumel.

We are leaving this sunday I hope if they cancel we can go another port.:)

 

A very good morning ladies and gentlemen and welcome to Freeport! :rolleyes:

[Kurbanfan]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_swine_flu_california_deaths;_ylt=AtaugEvfsxOrijo31yw3FnCs0NUE

[chelsita]

A doctor differs from your opinion. They said the germs had a 6 ft range, like on a subway, bus or closed area, they could infect someone within a 6 ft circle of the person who had it. If they sneeze and dont cover up or whatever the germs will go out from the person who has the flu.

 

 

I don't think you read the post that you commented on very well. The poster said that you can't get if from someone who isn't showing any symptoms without contact... certainly you can get it from someone who IS showing symptoms. Also, the germs don't have a 6 foot range, that is just an average of how far the germs can be spread if someone sneezes. Either way, the swine flu is no more potent than regualr flu, there just isn't a medicine for it yet, which is why they say it is more dangerous. If you are in good health, you don't have any more of a chance of getting it than you do of getting regular flu. (BTW, regular flu season isn't over).

[floridacruzin]

I thought they cancelled that cruise?

 

Really everyone, please use the search function. Or at least read the first page of posts. Do not even go to the second page as you will see EVERYTHING on the first page

 

There are 1,000 posts about the same thing

[mjpohl]

well those three ports are the only options Carnival has. What they might do is have 3 Days at Sea and still hit just one of those ports.

[kelship]

kelship - no prob, ill post again if I hear something. We were going to do the zip-line in Cozumel :(

 

who you crusin with? let's all meet up!

 

Aw man! This is only my second cruise...the first one we actually did go to Cozumel, so switching ports isn't too sad for us.

 

I'll be travelling with my boyfriend, who are you cruisin with? If they choose to just do a big circle in the ocean, boyfriend might want to cancel but I may be able to talk him out of it. Any day on a cruise ship is better than a day at work!! :rolleyes: I am very anxious to see what the new plan is.

 

Thanks for keeping us updated!!

[yst347]

To all the people on the board who chose to make fun of some worried people yesterday with "The sky is falling", you are all jerks!

 

In all honesty Karefree, how do you explain ships sailing from Texas (Where cases of swine flu have been confirmed) skipping port calls in Cozumel? (Where no cases of swine flu have been confirmed).

 

It's hard to argue "The Sky is Falling" isn't a part of this. It is quickly turning into hysteria.

[CCParrott]

Holland America has posted their plans...

 

http://www.hollandamerica.com/news/Main.action?tabName=Travel+Advisories

 

Holland America Line cancels calls to Mexican Ports

April 28, 2009 1:00pm PDT

In accordance with the recent travel advisory from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) recommending against non-essential travel to Mexico, Holland America Line, in an abundance of caution, has decided to cancel its upcoming calls to Mexican ports in April and

early May.

 

Of the line’s 14 ships, a total of five ships (and five sailings) are impacted by these changes. Four are the current sailings of the ms Ryndam, ms Statendam, ms Westerdam and ms Zuiderdam. The May 1, 2009 cruise of the ms Veendam will also be impacted,

The itinerary planning team at Holland America Line is developing alternate itineraries for these sailings and the new ports of call will be announced as they are confirmed.

If the CDC travel advisory changes prior to the conclusion of any of these five sailings, the cruise line may consider re-instating the original itineraries if possible.

 

Holland America and Carnival are owned by the same parent company. One would think that Carnival will follow suite.

[melissa@cruisecritic]

Hang tight...our contacts at Carnival said we should get some information before 6 (that is in six minutes, though, so I'm not holding my breath).

 

In the meantime, of interest is the fact that Royal Caribbean has just announced it is temporarily suspending its port calls in Mexico: "All but one of the affected ships will either make alternative port calls or spend additional time at sea. Royal Caribbean International’s Mariner of the Seas will sail a fully revised itinerary, visiting Canada and the U.S. West Coast. The temporary suspension takes effect immediately and will be in effect for the immediate future. It will be regularly reviewed in light of any Swine Flu developments."

 

We'll be publishing a full news report on all new itinerary announcements as soon as possible. Stay tuned.

[JoeSmooga]

Pass this along to CCL for the rest of us... In the words of Judge Smails... "Well....... we're waiting!"

[lkleach]

Hang tight...our contacts at Carnival said we should get some information before 6 (that is in six minutes, though, so I'm not holding my breath).

 

In the meantime, of interest is the fact that Royal Caribbean has just announced it is temporarily suspending its port calls in Mexico: "All but one of the affected ships will either make alternative port calls or spend additional time at sea. Royal Caribbean International’s Mariner of the Seas will sail a fully revised itinerary, visiting Canada and the U.S. West Coast. The temporary suspension takes effect immediately and will be in effect for the immediate future. It will be regularly reviewed in light of any Swine Flu developments."

 

We'll be publishing a full news report on all new itinerary announcements as soon as possible. Stay tuned.

Melissa, thanks for the updates. Where did you get that update from RCI? I looked at their site and didn't see any new info.

[mafig]

Still showing the 8 AM advisory.:mad:

[ozman13]

Again,

Thanks Melissa for all the updates you can provide....:)