Here we go again :( 48 Covid cases on Royal Caribbean returning to Miami

[DisneYE]

This new variant seems to be circulating really fast and all over the world
It feels like March 2020 all over again

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/business/tourism-cruises/article256719962.html

 

[dvcgirl67]

Yeah....well, this is going to be all over the news for the next couple of months. I have a pet-sitting business and have had two families cancel today for Christmas week. One family with a 2 and 4 year old were scheduled on DCL, but the father and the two little ones both got Covid over the weekend. They are all symptomatic, but sounds like a moderate to bad flu for all three. The other family had a trip planned for a week in the UK to visit family. Two of their three college kids came home and tested positive within a day. The college kids are asymptomatic so far....parents got them a hotel room nearby to try and keep the rest of the family from getting positive.

I'm in the NYC metro area and have heard of at least one dozen different families testing positive in the last few days. This variant is so contagious that it's really going to disrupt any travel situation where you need to test in order to board a ship or flight. Stay safe everyone....get some rapid tests if you can. I think the safest bet to get on a cruise in the next couple of months is to test before you leave the house....and then avoid people as much as you possibly can before boarding.. There are a ton of people walking around with asymptomatic covid in my area. It's the most I've heard of people getting the virus....way more than the first scary months. If it's not in your area...it will be soon. Stay tuned...stay safe, and get some rapid tests if you can so you know your situation before you attempt to travel. If you do travel in mixed company...planes, airports, ride-share....wear an N-95 or KN-95 if you can.

 

[hrhdhd]

This new variant seems to be circulating really fast and all over the world
It feels like March 2020 all over again

No, it doesn't. 48 mostly asymptomatic, mostly vaccinated passengers/crew out of more than 6,000? Not a particular concern for me.

 

[dclpluto]

No, it doesn't. 48 mostly asymptomatic, mostly vaccinated passengers/crew out of more than 6,000? Not a particular concern for me.

no concern for me either. We have to learn to live with it.

 

[DisneyMom_13]

Yeah....well, this is going to be all over the news for the next couple of months. I have a pet-sitting business and have had two families cancel today for Christmas week. One family with a 2 and 4 year old were scheduled on DCL, but the father and the two little ones both got Covid over the weekend. They are all symptomatic, but sounds like a moderate to bad flu for all three. The other family had a trip planned for a week in the UK to visit family. Two of their three college kids came home and tested positive within a day. The college kids are asymptomatic so far....parents got them a hotel room nearby to try and keep the rest of the family from getting positive.

I'm in the NYC metro area and have heard of at least one dozen different families testing positive in the last few days. This variant is so contagious that it's really going to disrupt any travel situation where you need to test in order to board a ship or flight. Stay safe everyone....get some rapid tests if you can. I think the safest bet to get on a cruise in the next couple of months is to test before you leave the house....and then avoid people as much as you possibly can before boarding.. There are a ton of people walking around with asymptomatic covid in my area. It's the most I've heard of people getting the virus....way more than the first scary months. If it's not in your area...it will be soon. Stay tuned...stay safe, and get some rapid tests if you can so you know your situation before you attempt to travel. If you do travel in mixed company...planes, airports, ride-share....wear an N-95 or KN-95 if you can.

It may disrupt travel but not for long, it is already peaked in South Africa. With how much faster it will help it peak faster also. Plus its time to start living with it and not talking about every asymptomatic case, even the NFL is just announced they aren't going to test people with no symptoms only those with symptoms.

 

[DisneYE]

No, it doesn't. 48 mostly asymptomatic, mostly vaccinated passengers/crew out of more than 6,000? Not a particular concern for me.

Well I hope you're right. But this variant seems to be spreading like wildfire in many countries, especially Europe.
Hopefully this is a nothing burger but it's been almost 2 years and despite the vaccines and countless protocols there doesn't seem to be an end in sight.

 

[tvguy]

The important thing for Disney cruisers on this forum with trips booked, be prepared.

 

[AquaDame]

I'm sorry to clean up opinion, but please follow the rules outlined here: https://www.disboards.com/threads/policy-on-covid-related-discussions.3840344/

 

[MoonFaerie]

Ugh. We're supposed to finally be sailing in 6 weeks in a VGT cabin, 13 months after our 20th anniversary. Due to staffing issues at work that are out of my control but turning out to be 100% my problem now, I've had to beg and plead to keep my pre-approved vacation request. This anniversary trip is so cursed.

 

[cvjw]

Sailing in 3.5 weeks. Not nervous at all.

 

[ladyofthetramp]

Happy right now I cancelled my NYE cruise. But unhappy-I wanted to go. Not sure even vaxxed and boosted we would have made it on the ship. I would be a nervous wreck. Not any way to vacation.

 

[mevelandry]

I have a feeling it's gonna peak in North America early January. Better be flexible!

 

[dvcgirl67]

Happy right now I cancelled my NYE cruise. But unhappy-I wanted to go. Not sure even vaxxed and boosted we would have made it on the ship. I would be a nervous wreck. Not any way to vacation.

This is how I feel with respect to travel right now that in any way requires testing to go, testing to return, or testing to avoid quarantine. I agree with the poster above that just said that this will likely peak in January, but that may be just the Northeast of the US. The rest of the country may be days to a couple/few weeks behind.

In the original article, it seems that one person tested positive and then they did some contact tracing, tested and found the 44 people....who then had to quarantine for the duration of the cruise. What is Disney's policy on this? If you get on the ship and there's an outbreak....are they following that same protocol......testing and then required quarantining of positive cases? I'm also wondering if the cruise lines are going to be able to continue with the "test to board" policy without turning massive numbers of people away at the dock. At least, for the next couple of months that's the likely scenario.

 

[Marrila]

It may disrupt travel but not for long, it is already peaked in South Africa. With how much faster it will help it peak faster also. Plus its time to start living with it and not talking about every asymptomatic case, even the NFL is just announced they aren't going to test people with no symptoms only those with symptoms.

I believe the NFL is not going to test fully vaccinated asymptomatic folks.
Back to my cruise planning ...

 

[DisneyMom_13]

I believe the NFL is not going to test fully vaccinated asymptomatic folks.
Back to my cruise planning ...

Yes that is correct but it is still a step in the right direction IMO and on cruise ships the vast majority or all are vaccinated. There needs to be a plan to work toward living with it and that is a baby step.

 

[mousefan73]

Just love how again the cruise industry is highlighted in the media again. Take a town with 6000 and you probably have more cases. Right now most people I know are more concerned about the consequences with a positive result and not the actual virus. ( most who make this comment are boosted).

Important if you travel is have a plan B and maybe C. It didnt stop us and wont stop us. We need to live.
I hope this goes through like wild fire and all signs are pointing that direction. Right now things are different. I know so many more now who are positive vs past waves. All are vaxxed and have very very mild symptoms. Worse is simply the 14 day quarantine here in Germany. Most find the boredome worse than the mild symptoms they have.

 

[DisneyMom_13]

Just love how again the cruise industry is highlighted in the media again. Take a town with 6000 and you probably have more cases. Right now most people I know are more concerned about the consequences with a positive result and not the actual virus. ( most who make this comment are boosted).

Important if you travel is have a plan B and maybe C. It didnt stop us and wont stop us. We need to live.
I hope this goes through like wild fire and all signs are pointing that direction. Right now things are different. I know so many more now who are positive vs past waves. All are vaxxed and have very very mild symptoms. Worse is simply the 14 day quarantine here in Germany. Most find the boredome worse than the mild symptoms they have.

I agree. I also agree its going to peak fast and move on and hopefully by the last major disturbance. We need to stop testing everyone with no symptoms, which honestly is happening a lot of places. No one is testing unless required to do so. Even many with symptoms aren't testing anymore. This is def not the same as even last year.

Cruising always gets bad rep in the news with any illness , just a nature of the industry.

 

[Dug720]

What is Disney's policy on this? If you get on the ship and there's an outbreak....are they following that same protocol......testing and then required quarantining of positive cases?

100% yes. That is the cruiseline protocol required in the return to sailing.

 

[lanejudy]

What is Disney's policy on this? If you get on the ship and there's an outbreak....are they following that same protocol......testing and then required quarantining of positive cases?

Yes. and to tag on to what PP posted...

DCL is currently only testing during the cruise for someone with symptoms, and all unvaccinated passengers the day prior to debarkation on cruises of 5+ nights. There have been reports of families who had to quarantine the last night because their child tested positive. I have not heard/read any reports of an adult testing positive during the cruise, but it's possible. Quarantine means moving to deck 2 and remaining in your stateroom for the remainder of the cruise.

 

[dvcgirl67]

100% yes. That is the cruiseline protocol required in the return to sailing.

Ugh...that makes cruising extremely dicey for the next several weeks/months. Rapid tests aren't going to pick up every single case. If someone is newly infected and asymptomatic at the time of testing....it doesn't always catch it. I think the best bet one has cruising right now would be on shorter cruises.....meaning anyone who gets through the net won't likely become symptomatic until the end of the cruise...or after the cruise has ended. So the risk of exposure and quarantine is lower.