Tracking Cruising Restart: News and Updates

[John VN]

I wondered if they would go that far. Glad they did. I wouldn't want to be the family left behind, but I'm (mostly) a rule follower and I'm kinda glad to see MSC fired a warning shot. I'm guessing there will not be a second incident now that people know they weren't kidding.



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IMO, I feel that it was NOT a warning shot but more of a direct hit since it ended the cruise for the offending family.

 

[iannovich]

IMO, I feel that it was NOT a warning shot but more of a direct hit since it ended the cruise for the offending family.

Good point.

 

[monkeydawn]

DW cancelled our August MSC cruise before PIF and received refund in less than 2 weeks.

You should probably play the lottery. LOL

Glad to hear about them coming through in a better than timely fashion for someone.

IMO, I feel that it was NOT a warning shot but more of a direct hit since it ended the cruise for the offending family.

Maybe they meant a warning shot to the other people on the cruise. LOL

 

[John VN]

You should probably play the lottery. LOL

Glad to hear about them coming through in a better than timely fashion for someone.


Maybe they meant a warning shot to the other people on the cruise. LOL

We have 2 more MSC cruises with next PIF coming up shortly and will most likely cancel rather than re-book so will be time for a "we shall see?"

Reading what the "can't fix stupid family did" had me wrongly thinking --- "we have a constitutional right to NOT PAY ATTENTION to rules" just like so many this side of the pond. fire suit on

 

[Intr3pid]

Some interesting bits from this episode:

-----------------------------
...
Any person who has a temperature is immediately denied boarding. If they pass the temperature test and have a negative antigen test, a passenger is cleared to board.

During pre-embarkation in Genoa, five antigen swab tests came back positive. Each passenger who tested positive went through secondary testing through molecular tests. All were negative, Rosenthal said.

Another few passengers were denied embarkation because they didn't meet boarding residency requirements.

For now, MSC is limiting its guests to those who are residents of Europe’s 26-nation Schengen visa-free travel zone.

After the excursion, three people tested positive on an antigen swab test in Naples. Each of the passengers who tested positive are awaiting results of a secondary, molecular test that need to be completed by health authorities in Naples.

"The individuals stayed overnight in isolation for their safety and were offered the opportunity to join the ship in Palermo," Rosenthal explained, noting they instead opted to embark on the following Grandiosa cruise departing Aug. 23.

-----------------------------

https://www.usatoday.com/story/trav...rs-who-break-covid-19-regulations/5605867002/

 

[Intr3pid]

^^^
It means that you run the risk of a positive swab test even if not actually infected and may have to be left behind despite the so-called excursion in a bubble.

 

[iannovich]

Some interesting bits from this episode:

After the excursion, three people tested positive on an antigen swab test in Naples. Each of the passengers who tested positive are awaiting results of a secondary, molecular test that need to be completed by health authorities in Naples.

"The individuals stayed overnight in isolation for their safety and were offered the opportunity to join the ship in Palermo,"


https://www.usatoday.com/story/trav...rs-who-break-covid-19-regulations/5605867002/

I can't find it now, but I thought I read a version of this story that said the 3 that tested positive in Naples were just joining the cruise (not excursion participants). I haven't sailed with MSC, but apparently any of the ports can be your embarkation port as they cycle the same ports over and over. Your 7 day Med might be different than the 7 day Med of the other passengers, if I understood it correctly.

I can't decide if the idea of a constant ebb and flow of new passengers is a good idea, or if it doesn't really matter. I think I lean toward the preference of being on board with the same couple of thousand people for the 7 days, rather than introducing some new folks at each port...

 

[Makmak]

Along the ship’s itinerary,guests will be able to go ashore to enjoy the different ports of call, but only as part of an MSC Cruises shore excursion as an added level of protection, so that their experience ashore follows the same high standards of health and safety as on board.

thats interesting, makes me wonder about DCL. If they do that for my September 2021 Norwegian Fjords, then I will stay on the ship. I wanted to do DIY in the ports , not DCL over priced excursions. I wonder too would that be a deal breaker for many people.

If you worry about overpriced why do DCL in the first place?!

 

[BadPinkTink]

If you worry about overpriced why do DCL in the first place?!

because I want the Disney Cruise experience. I have no interest in a generic cruise ship, I want the Disney themeing on the ship, I want the Disney entertainment on the ship,I want the Disney themed restaurants. I want the Disney customer service. The ship is the destination for me. I will pay for the Disney experience on the ship but I have no interest in paying the Disney surcharge for port excursions. I live in Europe and I have traveled a lot in Europe and I am very comfortable being on my own in a town or country where English is not the first language.

 

[Intr3pid]

I can't find it now, but I thought I read a version of this story that said the 3 that tested positive in Naples were just joining the cruise (not excursion participants). I haven't sailed with MSC, but apparently any of the ports can be your embarkation port as they cycle the same ports over and over. Your 7 day Med might be different than the 7 day Med of the other passengers, if I understood it correctly.

I can't decide if the idea of a constant ebb and flow of new passengers is a good idea, or if it doesn't really matter. I think I lean toward the preference of being on board with the same couple of thousand people for the 7 days, rather than introducing some new folks at each port...

Turns out that the three new guests in Naples were fine - negative results on the second molecular test - but had to be left behind since the second test took time.

If a port (Naples in this case) isn't equipped to process the second test on the same day, you run the risk of missing your boarding from a 'false positive'.

And there's no guarantee that these three guests will get an all-clear a week out.

So, a lesson here is to allow the guests to submit to a first test a day early in the ports that have testing delays.

https://www.cruisecritic.com/news/5540/

 

[kaseyC]

I haven't sailed with MSC, but apparently any of the ports can be your embarkation port as they cycle the same ports over and over. Your 7 day Med might be different than the 7 day Med of the other passengers, if I understood it correctly.

That's exactly correct. You can embark in each of MSC Med ports.

 

[KashasMom]

Group of passengers removed from the first MSC Med sailing for ignoring the rules by leaving an MSC sponsored excursion and going off on their own.

https://cruiseradio.net/kicked-off-...dxledR70T33qTYSOEHT4gGBwfCyL2vRBEGvTNy0T74h_o

Yup, that's the deal breaker for me. NOT doing a cruise line excursion. Ugh...hope things are looking a whole lot different a year from now for our next Disney cruise!

 

[monkeydawn]

So, a lesson here is to allow the guests to submit to a first test a day early in the ports that have testing delays.

Then you have the problem of the guests not being in the MSC Bubble from the time the test is taken until boarding after the negative the next day, which is the whole reason for MSC only excursions. Unless MSC takes over a hotel to extend the bubble.

I think the lesson might be that there still isnt a safe way to cruise...yet.

 

[gotomu212]

If you worry about overpriced why do DCL in the first place?!

Not the poster you quoted, but an expensive DCL Cruise and the upcharge of DCL excursion aren’t the same for me. With the excursions I can book the exact same tour visiting the exact same places for $40/pp individually or $140/pp through DCL (and pay adult prices for my kids). The only difference is meeting on ship versus on dock and the guarantee of making sailing if running late (or transport to next port).

 

[Intr3pid]

Then you have the problem of the guests not being in the MSC Bubble from the time the test is taken until boarding after the negative the next day, which is the whole reason for MSC only excursions. Unless MSC takes over a hotel to extend the bubble.

I think the lesson might be that there still isnt a safe way to cruise...yet.

Well, we all agree that there isn't a safe way to cruise - or generally travel - until at least a therapeutic treatment is available. The early testing would be an option just for those whose current conditions might flash a false positive on a swab test in a port that cannot process the second confirmatory test immediately. Most passengers would still check in on the day of departure.

A set of isolation rooms with some staff in a nearby hotel should be a negligible cost compared to the revenue from the guests who would rather board from that port.

 

[monkeydawn]

Well, we all agree that there isn't a safe way to cruise - or generally travel - until at least a therapeutic treatment is available. The early testing would be an option just for those whose current conditions might flash a false positive on a swab test in a port that cannot process the second confirmatory test immediately. Most passengers would still check in on the day of departure.

A set of isolation rooms with some staff in a nearby hotel should be a negligible cost compared to the revenue from the guests who would rather board from that port.

The PCR testing would have to take place before the quick test since it takes longer to give results. That means every guest would need to be tested twice and in isolation for that to be an effective solution because how do you know who is going to fail the quick test? Doing the PCR testing on every cruise passenger would likely strain the local systems leading to longer wait times, which means more time in isolation prior to the cruise (and also inst great for the local infrastructure).

I dont see of a way around this other than to say if you flunk the quick test, then you dont get to embark. It sucks but if people want cruising to resume this will be one of the costs until a treatment or vaccine is available (and widely used).

I know MSC usually allows for multi port embarkations in Europe. For some reason I had the impression that wasnt the case for this cruise.

 

[Intr3pid]

The PCR testing would have to take place before the quick test since it takes longer to give results. That means every guest would need to be tested twice and in isolation for that to be an effective solution because how do you know who is going to fail the quick test? Doing the PCR testing on every cruise passenger would likely strain the local systems leading to longer wait times, which means more time in isolation prior to the cruise (and also inst great for the local infrastructure).

I dont see of a way around this other than to say if you flunk the quick test, then you dont get to embark. It sucks but if people want cruising to resume this will be one of the costs until a treatment or vaccine is available (and widely used).

I know MSC usually allows for multi port embarkations in Europe. For some reason I had the impression that wasnt the case for this cruise.

As MSC, you don't - and you might not care. In your cruise contract, you will state in no uncertain terms that if a guest fails the test, they are left behind. That's the easy - but potentially short-sighted - way out. No different than asking everyone to board from Genoa. Yes, MSC has a very close relationship with the Genoa port and controls what it can do there, but the populace of Rome and Naples is where the majority of the Italian guests come from.

So, the guests could you now have a third option when they cannot miss a specific departure in specific ports. If you live near Naples and can choose to defer your cruise or board from the next port, you show up on the day of. As usual. No problem.

BUT if you took that week off and cannot miss the departure, you are not sailing with MSC. For MSC, it comes down to the numbers. If the risk of a miss turns off enough, the early testing option may provide a way out.

Show up a day early, and take the quick test. If positive, take the second test and then wait for the results in isolation. If the results are ultimately negative the next day, you board. If positive still, you weren't going to sail anyways. If you show up a day early and take the quick test with a negative result, it's your call. Stay in isolation for a day and board the next day with the rest, or return the next day for a new quick test - which shouldn't turn positive if your conditions haven't changed.

 

[Intr3pid]

A video of how the buffet is being served onboard Grandiosa.

The drink station could use more staff...

 

[Intr3pid]

And here is a more detailed account of a youtuber in touch with those onboard:

 

[iannovich]

I can't describe how much fun that was to watch. I need a cruise...