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

[Cheburashka]

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.

This means that even if you're positive, you'll be free to go your own way after the cruise, correct?

 

[dez1978]

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.

Ugh.. I wish my workplace would get on board with that. We get rapid tested 3x a week and PCR tested weekly currently even if you are fully vaccinated. The PCR part has gone back and forth as to who and how often. For a while only non vaxx'd employees had to do it. But so far I've had the pcr test 23 times just because work says I have to (even tho I'm fully vaxx'd), not because I have any symptoms. My nose will never be the same lol

 

[Dug720]

This means that even if you're positive, you'll be free to go your own way after the cruise, correct?

Well, they're not going to keep you on the ship. I do not know if you'd be sent to a quarantine hotel or trusted to be responsible and either take yourself to a hotel or get a rental car to drive home so that you're not lying on your flight check-in that you have not tested positive.

 

[Cheburashka]

Duplicate

 

[dvcgirl67]

Well, they're not going to keep you on the ship. I do not know if you'd be sent to a quarantine hotel or trusted to be responsible and either take yourself to a hotel or get a rental car to drive home so that you're not lying on your flight check-in that you have not tested positive.

Well, we're all on the honor system in this country with respect to this kind of thing. Disney sets you free from quarantine....then it's up to the individual how they are going to behave. If you drove to the port, in theory you could drive home and mostly avoid people. You'd need to wear a well fitting KN-95 if you needed to go indoors to use a restroom on your return home to protect others. Or, quarantine in a hotel for 5-10 days, depending on the experts advice these days....before boarding a flight home.

Do I think most people are following anything close to these types of protocols.....nope. Other countries require you to quarantine at one of their approved hotels if you test positive. There are fines and one can even be arrested if they try and break out of that quarantine. But we're certainly not doing anything like that. That's why it's important for all individuals to assess their personal risk before embarking on a cruise right now.

 

[cmarsh31]

We've had 52 cases at my school of 650 since Thanksgiving. Most, including me, were vaccinated. No on batted an eye and we kept going. I hate how the cruise industry is treated by the media.

 

[Cheburashka]

Or, quarantine in a hotel for 5-10 days, depending on the experts advice these days....before boarding a flight home.

Do hotels even admit people who test positive for Covid? I've been temperature checked before checking into some hotels, so those obviously didn't want positive guests. Disney doesn't want Covid positive guests, right? I'm confused by people saying to "check into a hotel", when in my experience, hotels don't want positive guests.

 

[Azdisgirl]

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.

My family had to quarantine on the Fantasy back in October. We all were negative but our daughter was in close contact with a positive child at kids club. Daughter had two negative tests but out of caution we went to quarantine. We had to move from our room to floor 2. Disney was great about everything. It was on the last night of the cruise.

 

[dvcgirl67]

Do hotels even admit people who test positive for Covid? I've been temperature checked before checking into some hotels, so those obviously didn't want positive guests. Disney doesn't want Covid positive guests, right? I'm confused by people saying to "check into a hotel", when in my experience, hotels don't want positive guests.

Good question, and I'm not sure to be honest. I know for instance, in NYC they have a program available to people who test positive who can not isolate from family in their dwelling...think apartment and small homes...etc. I have the one customer who did send her two college aged kids to a local hotel. I am not sure if they told the hotel that they were positive. They're trying to salvage Christmas at home (instead of in London) for the family. If her kids test negative they'll come home. But you're right...it puts staff at the hotel at risk, especially housekeeping. I am doing my absolute best to avoid getting it, but my husband and I have discussed that if one of us gets it (it would likely be me because I'm out and about in the community for work)....we'd just tough it out together and hope for a mild case. From what I'm seeing in my part of NJ....*lots* of people are going to get it. Lots without masks in very packed restaurants...big Christmas parties in homes...etc.

I don't know what Disney is suggesting to guests disembarking with positive results....a good thing to know for sure though.

 

[Scalemaster34]

Do hotels even admit people who test positive for Covid? I've been temperature checked before checking into some hotels, so those obviously didn't want positive guests. Disney doesn't want Covid positive guests, right? I'm confused by people saying to "check into a hotel", when in my experience, hotels don't want positive guests.

In Florida I'm pretty sure a Hotel can't ask...

 

[Cheburashka]

In Florida I'm pretty sure a Hotel can't ask...

But you'd still know you were positive, so that would be deceptive (just like boarding a plane while positive would be deceptive), and endanger the housekeeper & the next guests who occupied your room.

 

[lanejudy]

This means that even if you're positive, you'll be free to go your own way after the cruise, correct?

To my knowledge, the cruiseline doesn't direct you anywhere specific after debarkation. Same as those who test positive at embarkation. DCL seems to take the stance that as long as the guest is not on the ship, it isn't their concern. I don't know what other cruiselines are doing for debarking positive cases.

Do hotels even admit people who test positive for Covid?

Yes, at least some do. It should be disclosed at check-in so appropriate precautions can be taken based on the hotel's protocol.

 

[Cheburashka]

Yes, at least some do.

I wonder if DCL or anyone has a list of those hotels. It seems like that would be a scramble to find on your own, especially at the last minute.

 

[jo-jo]

But you'd still know you were positive, so that would be deceptive (just like boarding a plane while positive would be deceptive), and endanger the housekeeper & the next guests who occupied your room.

Not to sound snarky. what does one do? Really, if you are positive, away from home, what can a person do? If that happened to me, I'd be lost. Can you check into a hotel/motel and say I need to stay for 10 days, no housekeeping or contact please.

 

[Cheburashka]

Not to sound snarky. what does one do? Really, if you are positive, away from home, what can a person do? If that happened to me, I'd be lost. Can you check into a hotel/motel and say I need to stay for 10 days, no housekeeping or contact please.

The PP just stated that some hotels accept positive guests. I suppose the best answer is to go to one of those. I have no idea how to find out which ones they are, though.

The other answer might be for posters in general to not to be so judgmental about people asking about what they can do: find a hotel, fly home, rent a car, all of which have major issues if you're Covid positive. Since options are so limited unless you happen to have your own car with you and live nearby, people are going to have to do something that involves risk to someone else, and nothing will be the perfect solution.

 

[ccsmith312]

My family had to quarantine on the Fantasy back in October. We all were negative but our daughter was in close contact with a positive child at kids club. Daughter had two negative tests but out of caution we went to quarantine. We had to move from our room to floor 2. Disney was great about everything. It was on the last night of the cruise.

I didn't think about having to quarantine b/c of a close contact in the kid's clubs onboard. Ugh, we are scheduled on a NYE cruise on the Dream. I'm afraid the possibility of a forced quarantine onboard might just be what makes us pull the trigger on canceling.

 

[juxtapose]

I wonder if DCL or anyone has a list of those hotels. It seems like that would be a scramble to find on your own, especially at the last minute.

My friend has this happen. Their cruise line (Royal Caribbean) had a hotel they sent positive passengers to and even had an Uber driver who they knew would take positive passengers to the hotel. They did not have to do anything themselves.

 

[mousefan73]

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.

I hope I dont get in trouble for saying this, but this is why things look different in the EU vs. the US. Here in Germany and many other countries they are looking for the needles in the haystacks ( asymtomatics). For example, kids have been tested since school start this year at least 3x a week in school, to find asymtomatic cases. Not just school but many other places. so of course numbers went up, since numbers went up, restrictions go up. Now for restaurants, some stores, and health clubs etc.. you have to be fully vaxed AND have a quick antigen test. If you are boosted you are exempt. I went to see the latest spiderman with my DD, who is fully vaxxed and not boosted, they tested at a pop-up testing tent at the theater.

her BF, fully vaxxed got an in-school postive, follow-up at the DR with a PCR test. positive. Fully vaxxed 15 year-old, had headache for one day, in quarantine over Christmas for 14 days ( and yes our health departments calle EVERY day to check if you are following this rule).

Just one other thing, here in Germany the antigen fast test is used to screen, if positive you then go get a PCR. The KPI "postive rate" here is based on only the Positive PCR test group. And with so many being tested daily, you are screening out most negatives with the antigen, hence the really high postive rate based off the PCR. It's the development over time that matters here.

 

[mousefan73]

The one thing everyone could do is invest in a N95 mask so if you are in the situation that you are postive and need to be in contact with people to get from A to B you can protect others a bit more. And wear it correctly, roll windows down, get a motel with outdoor access no hallways. maybe get on a red-eye flight with less people or kids who arent vaxxed etc IF flying home is the only option... Planes are definatly safer than trains or buses due to air filtering and closed group of people for the entire trip.

But seriously we shouldnt judge.

 

[DisneyMom_13]

I hope I dont get in trouble for saying this, but this is why things look different in the EU vs. the US. Here in Germany and many other countries they are looking for the needles in the haystacks ( asymtomatics). For example, kids have been tested since school start this year at least 3x a week in school, to find asymtomatic cases. Not just school but many other places. so of course numbers went up, since numbers went up, restrictions go up. Now for restaurants, some stores, and health clubs etc.. you have to be fully vaxed AND have a quick antigen test. If you are boosted you are exempt. I went to see the latest spiderman with my DD, who is fully vaxxed and not boosted, they tested at a pop-up testing tent at the theater.

her BF, fully vaxxed got an in-school postive, follow-up at the DR with a PCR test. positive. Fully vaxxed 15 year-old, had headache for one day, in quarantine over Christmas for 14 days ( and yes our health departments calle EVERY day to check if you are following this rule).

Just one other thing, here in Germany the antigen fast test is used to screen, if positive you then go get a PCR. The KPI "postive rate" here is based on only the Positive PCR test group. And with so many being tested daily, you are screening out most negatives with the antigen, hence the really high postive rate based off the PCR. It's the development over time that matters here.

All of that is so frustrating, I can't even imagine living like that , I am in Florida which is probably the complete opposite in every way. Our schools aren't tracking cases at all, haven't since mid Sept. Pretty sure very few quarantine anymore, life is almost fully normal here.