Coronavirus : general discussion focussed on the impact on the cruise industry

[Rob Lightbody]

News reports this morning on the Majestic Princess Cruise ship, docking in Sydney with 800 passengers having tested positive for Covid 19 prior to disembarkation.  The story is that half way through the 12 night cruise passengers started testing positive.  There are around 4000 passengers and crew on the ship. One report says 4000 and another 4600.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-australia-63605824

There is more details on this Australian web page plus lots more reports on the web.

https://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-updates/health-safety/covid-outbreak-looms-on-majestic-princess-cruise-ship/news-story/86df1216b4b4909129d90d3c627be693

Princess Cruises seem to have had a particularly bad time of it right from the start of the pandemic ... or maybe their testing is better and more transparent than some others...

[Lynda Bradford]

Princess Cruises seem to have had a particularly bad time of it right from the start of the pandemic ... or maybe their testing is better and more transparent than some others...

Given that there was an increase in cases half way through the cruise, it is quite possible that the Australian authorities asked for all passengers to be tested before the ship docked in Sydney. 

The Cunard ship Queen Elizabeth is in Australia just now and I read a Facebook post this morning that suggests there has been a return to passengers being asked to wear masks.  The person also said that although passengers were not informed about Covid number, he suspected there was a lot of people confined to cabins and even more walking around the ship who did not admit to symptoms as they did not want to be isolated. 

I wish cruise lines would give more information on the numbers of covid cases, but I guess this would not be good for business.  When we sailed on QE in January a Covid test was done at the terminal.  In August when we sailed on QV, you self declared that you had a negative result, which I thought could result in some people not testing but declaring they were negative.  I read that before QE left Barcelona an observed Covid test was required (paid for by the passengers), but a passenger who had paid a lot of money for the required test said they had not been asked to show the documentation before boarding the ship. 

Another person posted they had sailed from Barcelona, the first seven days masks mandatory, then no masks required.  On the 12th day they tested positive and had to spend 10 days in isolation.  She did say Cunard staff checked up on them to make sure they were okay and food served in their cabin was fine.  But not an ideal situation spending 10 days in a cabin.

A reminder that Covid is still out there and we need to adjust to living with the virus.  If we want to cruise we need to accept that Covid can be on the ship just as it is around when travelling or shopping at home. 

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

A reminder that Covid is still out there and we need to adjust to living with the virus.  If we want to cruise we need to accept that Covid can be on the ship just as it is around when travelling or shopping at home.

To me, the problem is this... when at home, I can decide to shop when few people are around, or I can decide to have my shopping delivered. I can opt for an outdoor restaurant or café, and I can stay away from crowds and from places where people are not required to wear masks.

On a ship with thousands of passengers, in an enclosed space (for most of the time), I do not have any of these options. I am in close proximity with very many people, most of whom will not be wearing masks, but who have come to enjoy themselves -- which involves loud talk, drinking and dancing. To me, that does not feel like a safe space -- and on top of that, there is no getting away from it either! On land, I can just walk out of an uncomfortable situation and go home -- not on a moving ship.

No cruising for me for the time being -- but short-haul ferries with open decks might be a different story. I do enjoy the sea and the feeling of a moving ship!

[June Ingram]

And also, being confined to a cabin has little to do with controlling the spread of the virus unless the air circulation system is equipped with filters that can trap viruses.

[Rob Lightbody]

Nearly 3 years since it all started, Cunard still impacted, this time in Australia.

https://www.smh.com.au/national/cruise-turns-back-to-australia-abandons-bali-leg-after-covid-outbreak-20221126-p5c1hw.html

[Lynda Bradford]

I have been following the cancellation of the Bali stop on a Facebook page.  A passenger onboard the ship said that the ship was at level 3 - 10% of passengers (and crew) around 300 have tested positive.  Passengers tested at least once on the ship, which would account for positive cases being identified. Another example of having to live with the virus. 

[Chris Thompson]

I'm sure all of us who worked on passenger ships remember how quickly a cold or stomach bug would circulate around the ship! Coronavirus is just another thing to have to deal with, although I do think that the ventilation systems need improving. Although I have been told by friends in the business that steps have been taken you are essentially trapped in a large box with many people when you go on a cruise.

[Rob Lightbody]

I think the current rules here in the UK say you need to be vaccinated before going aboard, however that only stops you getting seriously ill.  You can be vaccinated but still catch & spread the virus, thats always been the case.

I'm afraid that I think they should never have stopped doing testing at the port, prior to embarkation.  This would have the added benefit of stopping anyone who knows or suspects they have covid, from boarding, which I am certain has been happening a lot.

[Rod]

 "I'm afraid that I think they should never have stopped doing testing at the port, prior to embarkation.  This would have the added benefit of stopping anyone who knows or suspects they have covid, from boarding, which I am certain has been happening a lot. "

When Deb worked in the NY office, they found that this was often the case with the Norvoo virus. If the questioned the passengers that were suspected of being the initial case, the excuse was that they didn't know they had it! Yeah Right!
One guest even said "You found it, you fix it" This was after a full refund had been given!

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

And also, being confined to a cabin has little to do with controlling the spread of the virus unless the air circulation system is equipped with filters that can trap viruses.

But of course, once you are confined in a cabin, you will not be able to approach other passengers closer than 1.5 m and even without a face mask, so at least you are out of circulation, and any viruses that reach the ventilation system will be much diluted before hitting other passengers and crew members. Certainly if I were the healthy passenger, I would prefer the infected passengers not to be circulating on board in my close proximity and without their face masks.

[Chris Thompson]

I'm afraid that I think they should never have stopped doing testing at the port, prior to embarkation.  This would have the added benefit of stopping anyone who knows or suspects they have covid, from boarding

Whilst I agree that embarkation day testing would help it is not 100% effective as some people can be infected but not show positive for several days.