Coronavirus and how the cruise ship crumbles

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lowlysubaruguy

Contributor
Messages
171
Reaction score
60
Location
The Gorge
# of dives
100 - 199
First my advice for people getting ready to book a cruise any time soon and something I will do from now on.
Get fully refundable trip insurance coverage for any reason at any time not ones that require certain things to happen and coverage of air fare hotel and transportation. Book all shore excursions from the ship we most likely will lose our pre paid dives if they can’t be moved a day and we can’t even make those arrangements yet because we don’t know the new itinerary.

the long version. I’m in a hotel near Long Beach California part of yesterday’s Carnival Panorama fiasco. There’s six in my group. We were part of the first group supposed to board. When we loaded the taxi to get to the cruise the taxi driver told us the cruise was on hold or so she thought. Attempted to call and verify this but there phone lines were going into outer space and nothing was posted on the web sight or on our app for the cruise.
What followed was what often happens when a big event goes south. Seen it in airports and a few other things. Someone up top needs to wake up make a decision and tell us what was is and what might happen and long before everyone gets pissed off.

we dropped out luggage at 11 am were told the ships running an hour late and they knew nothing. Same bs story. Mid day we knew a passenger on the ship from the las cruise was sick and no one was getting off until that person was tested.

now what occurred for me we ended up laying on the ground next to a group of people who happened to have a friend on the ship who had more accurate information and at least an hour ahead of the 3000 people now congregating all over the port. The story grows from there. To many details but Some people wanted to cancel and did but they were not being allowed to pick up there luggage and things were about to really get out of hand. I wanted to book a ride and a hotel but the cruise ship kept dangling there bs story and not telling us the truth and not fast enough which is pretty standard not right but normal.

by the time they did put the cruise on hold for the night there were no rides nor hotels available. Smaller groups probably found accommodation easier but the six of us with dive gear struggled to get rides and the hotels we booked on line like our ubers and lift rides we booked and waited booked and waited they were full or didn’t want to deal with the head now unfolding in the port, finally close to midnight we checked into our hotel room. Agitated and hungry we decided to cancel and go home.

then the well ughs another cruise ship cancelled before ours sent us out of the port, flights out of here doubled or tripled in price along with the lodging costs it’s a total fubar. Things have calmed down the passenger did not have coronavirus and since the six of us can’t find a solution to get everyone home or somewhere we want to go we have decided to return to the ship, our wishful thinking is that there prescreening everyone on the ship a little closer and maybe it will turn out to be a great trauma free event. Fingers crossed.

If people from the cruises and airlines are watching. Get out in front of a problem make decisions and LET US KNOW i don’t want to be stuck in an unsafe environment or be part of spreading a plague faster than it will normally spread ( this flus going to span the globe like most do and there’s no stopping that but in its own way and time is probably best) I have been through similar events one was the American Airlines computer crash a number of years ago. Dragging the truth out isn’t saving face it just pisses people off. I can handle the truth. It was obvious from the people fighting in the street while trying to get rides out of there and the level of how pissed off people were at the check in location trying to get there luggage you just got lucky that it stayed as contained as it did.
 
First my advice for people getting ready to book a cruise any time soon and something I will do from now on.
Get fully refundable trip insurance coverage for any reason at any time not ones that require certain things to happen and coverage of air fare hotel and transportation. Book all shore excursions from the ship we most likely will lose our pre paid dives if they can’t be moved a day and we can’t even make those arrangements yet because we don’t know the new itinerary.

the long version. I’m in a hotel near Long Beach California part of yesterday’s Carnival Panorama fiasco. There’s six in my group. We were part of the first group supposed to board. When we loaded the taxi to get to the cruise the taxi driver told us the cruise was on hold or so she thought. Attempted to call and verify this but there phone lines were going into outer space and nothing was posted on the web sight or on our app for the cruise.
What followed was what often happens when a big event goes south. Seen it in airports and a few other things. Someone up top needs to wake up make a decision and tell us what was is and what might happen and long before everyone gets pissed off.

we dropped out luggage at 11 am were told the ships running an hour late and they knew nothing. Same bs story. Mid day we knew a passenger on the ship from the las cruise was sick and no one was getting off until that person was tested.

now what occurred for me we ended up laying on the ground next to a group of people who happened to have a friend on the ship who had more accurate information and at least an hour ahead of the 3000 people now congregating all over the port. The story grows from there. To many details but Some people wanted to cancel and did but they were not being allowed to pick up there luggage and things were about to really get out of hand. I wanted to book a ride and a hotel but the cruise ship kept dangling there bs story and not telling us the truth and not fast enough which is pretty standard not right but normal.

by the time they did put the cruise on hold for the night there were no rides nor hotels available. Smaller groups probably found accommodation easier but the six of us with dive gear struggled to get rides and the hotels we booked on line like our ubers and lift rides we booked and waited booked and waited they were full or didn’t want to deal with the head now unfolding in the port, finally close to midnight we checked into our hotel room. Agitated and hungry we decided to cancel and go home.

then the well ughs another cruise ship cancelled before ours sent us out of the port, flights out of here doubled or tripled in price along with the lodging costs it’s a total fubar. Things have calmed down the passenger did not have coronavirus and since the six of us can’t find a solution to get everyone home or somewhere we want to go we have decided to return to the ship, our wishful thinking is that there prescreening everyone on the ship a little closer and maybe it will turn out to be a great trauma free event. Fingers crossed.

If people from the cruises and airlines are watching. Get out in front of a problem make decisions and LET US KNOW i don’t want to be stuck in an unsafe environment or be part of spreading a plague faster than it will normally spread ( this flus going to span the globe like most do and there’s no stopping that but in its own way and time is probably best) I have been through similar events one was the American Airlines computer crash a number of years ago. Dragging the truth out isn’t saving face it just pisses people off. I can handle the truth. It was obvious from the people fighting in the street while trying to get rides out of there and the level of how pissed off people were at the check in location trying to get there luggage you just got lucky that it stayed as contained as it did.
Good luck - but I'm honestly amazed that anyone would willingly get on a cruise ship packed with thousands of other folks in close quarters at present. The likelihood of the cruise getting cut short/denied entry into ports, and ending up in a quarantine is pretty high.
 
Thank you for posting this. For people that cannot fly, or sit for long drives, a cruise ship can be the only way to get a fun vacation.
I am not giving up on cruising, even if i get tan lines from my face mask and elbow gloves.
 
I don’t believe there exists an ‘any hazard’ policy for trip insurance in the US. I’m only aware of ‘named hazard’ type policies. Even if such a thing existed, I’m afraid it would be very very expensive. Does anybody know of such a thing?
 
Listening to the news on the radio today --- it appears to be getting worse for the cruise ship vacationeers.
 
For people of limited means, mobility, or comfort zone, it’s one way to see the world. The alternative might be not to go at all.
 
I am happy to be off the ship. This was not a highlighted vacation in my book however it will be one we will remember so theres that.

From what I heard as we disembarked quite a few cruise lines are putting all cruises on hold cleaning there shops top to bottom and waiting for what ever is going to happen to happen.

While this cruise wasn’t in my top anything vacation my previous cruise was amazing. For those who have never done a good cruise I can state it can be a great way to travel see a variety of places and travel in comfort.

I believe I’m headed home to snow and a viral shut down looks like schools and many other things are shut down which will be interesting to see unfold.
 
I just don't get the appeal of cruises. I've never wanted do one, and after this mess, absolutely not.
I hear similar statements in regards to diving. All I can say is give it a try, you may like it.
 
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