‘They think $100 per room is enough compensation?’ Caribbean 8-day Christmas cruise denied entry by ports due to COVID-19 outbreak

MarketWatch ^ | Updated: Dec. 26, 2021 | Quentin Fottrell

[Capt. Tom]

An undisclosed number of passengers tested positive for COVID-19 during a Christmas cruise, curtailing the cruise’s scheduled stops.

Take a cruise during a pandemic at your peril.

One Carnival Freedom passenger, Ashley Peterson, shared a letter from the captain offering a $100 gift voucher, apologizing for cutting two of the three stops, and assuring passengers that all protocols were being followed to keep them safe.

“People have spent thousands of dollars on this cruise and picked this cruise for the ports,” she tweeted “Now on an 8-day cruise we will have only gone to one place on a delayed schedule. They think $100 per room is enough compensation?”

Carnival Freedom, which is carrying 2,497 passengers and 1,112 crew members, was due to dock in Miami on Sunday after the eight-day cruise. Passengers were required to be vaccinated and test negative for COVID-19 before departure.

The captain’s letter read in part: “The rapid spread of the Omicron variant impacts how destinations are responding to even a small number of cases,” adding, “We know these unexpected changes are disappointing.”

‘People have spent thousands of dollars on this cruise and picked this cruise for the ports.’

Royal Caribbean said all passengers were required to be vaccinated and have negative COVID-19 tests. Those who tested positive were quarantined; their close contacts were also quarantined and monitored for 24 hours prior to testing.

Carnival Freedom did not immediately respond to comment regarding the number of people who tested positive for COVID-19 or the compensation offered by the company. Royal Caribbean was not immediately available for comment.

Travel on cruise ships is particularly popular among families and the elderly, and the risk of contagion is relatively high on a ship. Younger children with strong immune systems have the lowest fatality and hospitalization rates from COVID-19.

[LittleBillyInfidel]

I only go on cruises for reading books, walking the desks and having good food and drink.

And the concierges are all like "Hey, Mr. Adam's, get off my desk!!" 😜

[EQAndyBuzz]

I just need a beach. Barbados.

[cgbg]

“This Forum has a Chronic Cruiser who could be bought off with a front-row table at an Ethel Merman mock-up and a bag of pork rinds.”

I know who that is—I am so jealous I did not write this.

Stunningly great post!

[Leaning Right]

It would seem to me that a Covid outbreak is an implied risk when taking a cruise these days. Sort of like deciding to take a cruise during hurricane season. It’s the passenger’s choice to roll the dice.

I wonder if the cruise line was smart enough to insert a clause like that in the contract.

[Brian Griffin]

MY TOSSING RABBITS INTO BACKYARDS ANALOGY

If I breathe in a Covid particle, I will get infected again, even if vaccinated, and will almost always test positive.

Breathing in Covid into one’s body is like throwing rabbits into fenced backyards.

Each rabbit is going to run around each backyard for awhile. Each test for a rabbit in each backyard into which one is tossed will be positive.

But in the backyards with 50 rabbit catchers each, a rabbit won’t be running around for very long or be able to nibble at many carrots in the garden.

The vaccines basically put ‘rabbit catchers’ in one’s body ahead of actual infection.

[RBW in PA]

In all honesty the Cruise Line did not have to offer anything. The government’s at each port of call denied entry.

[Brian Griffin]

People should get the port tax back from each port they were not allowed into hopefully.

[devere]

“It would seem to me that a Covid outbreak is an implied risk when taking a cruise these days. Sort of like deciding to take a cruise during hurricane season.”

An intelligent comment.

[skr]

I fail to see how a cruise line can guarantee anything when it comes to viruses, aside from sanitizing the ships. They still housed and fed the passengers, even without all the port stops. If a port blew up or a revolution took over a country, do they still expect a refund?

[hillarys cankles]

“Who knows if we’d end up trapped on a ship like these people, all because of this nonsense.”

---

Thats where i am with cruises. Girlfriend wanted to book one but I’am totally against them. Im not afraid of getting sick at all. We are both unvaxxed so I’m not even sure we would be allowed on a cruise. However, I am very afraid of getting trapped on a ship because of the COVID hysteria. Pure misery........

[Capt. Tom]

“Travelling is a risky proposition these days.”`~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It certainly is.
You can see some of the panic on one of the ships pulling into Florida Today.
Go to the link below and scroll down to the twitter accounts. -Tom

https://www.fox5ny.com/news/3rd-florida-based-cruise-ship-has-covid-outbreak

[gathersnomoss]

See the USA in a motorhome.

[Tennessee Nana]

I should have been on this ship for my birthday 2 weeks ago but carnival cancelled my booking and refunded me my money against my wishes because I couldnt say I was jabbed ...

You have to be jabbed so tell me how did these fully jabbed passengers get the Wu Hu Flu if there were no ‘unvaccinated’ aboard ???

[Tennessee Nana]

I save my John Grisham paperbacks for cruises ...

[PJ-Comix]

I’m hoping the Omicron PANIC subsides by the time of our Jan. 21 cruise.

[Political Junkie Too]

I was reading the Royal Caribbean forum on Cruise Critic last night. Some interesting factoids:

• Royal is stopping providing on-board testing for people with international flight requirements beginning in January. This way, if Royal doesn't know their status then they won't be responsible for providing alternatives. Plus, it will no longer be a ship recordable case. People will now have to plan extra time to make their own post-cruise testing arrangements at their own cost.
• Symphony of the Seas had a COVID case that exposed an entertainer. Consequently, the entire entertainment staff was quarantined during the last cruise. The passengers weren't happy, because all the shows and bands were canceled, leaving the ship with no entertainment.
• Odyssey of the Seas was denied docking in Curacao, and therefore could not replenish. The ship was low on alcohol and ran out of mixers.

-PJ

[Allegra]

This Forum has a Chronic Cruiser who could be bought off with a front-row table at an Ethel Merman mock-up and a bag of pork rinds.

LOL - and is boosted out the ying-yang. And brags about it.

[LostInBayport]

However, I am very afraid of getting trapped on a ship because of the COVID hysteria. Pure misery........

The stories in 2020 ended any desire I had to try a cruise. The covid passengers were stuck in their cramped little cabins and food was left at the door. For weeks. Carnival's Prison of the Seas!

[LostInBayport]

Now I know who that is. He’d be showing Faux Ethel his vaccination card. Probably has it laminated on a chain around his neck.

[Political Junkie Too]

Royal Caribbean said all passengers were required to be vaccinated and have negative COVID-19 tests. Those who tested positive were quarantined; their close contacts were also quarantined and monitored for 24 hours prior to testing.

A Canadian passenger's account of testing positive and quarantining on the December 18 sailing of the Symphony of the Seas out of Miami: So I tested positive for covid on Symphony.

-PJ