Posted on 03/22/2020 6:55:04 AM PDT by Theoria
Nearly 400 Americans and Canadians were evacuated from the Costa Luminosa, an Italian cruise liner, after several passengers tested positive for the coronavirus. They flew home anyway.
In the end, said passengers who fled a cruise ship because of a coronavirus outbreak at sea, the evacuation and journey back to the United States was more harrowing, chaotic and frightening than their ill-fated maritime voyage.
Weak and sick from no food for nearly 24 hours, several passengers fainted. Two went into respiratory distress. Others had fevers so high that they had to be separated from the rest of the travelers aboard the chartered flight. Several had severe coughs.
“This was almost as much of a debacle as the cruise was,” said Jennifer Catron, a former medic who spent the entire nine-and-a-half hour flight providing medical care. At one point, she took over the in-flight announcements and begged passengers to donate spare peanuts to help revive those who were passing out from low blood sugar.
“It was probably scarier than the cruise,” Ms. Catron said of the flight, which landed at about 6:30 a.m. Friday and then idled on the tarmac in Atlanta for about five hours, because health officials learned that three of the evacuees had tested positive for the coronavirus.
The test results became known to officials during the flight, triggering the hourslong delay that frustrated, angered and scared those on the plane. The Carnival Corp. confirmed that the tests were taken before the passengers left France, but the results came while the plane was en route.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
'Kelly D. Edge, 60, a former HGTV decorator who lives in Miami, booked the cruise at the last minute with her husband, Woody Edge, 65. Rates on the Costa Cruises itinerary were already so appealing — starting at $350 a person for a windowless cabin — that the couple booked a suite for $1,250 a person. After the epidemic, Ms. Edge wanted her money back, but the company wasn’t giving refunds. She packed a roll of paper towels and disinfectant wipes.
When they arrived for their sailing on March 5, Costa sent them an email saying that the United States wouldn’t let the ship go to Italy, so their final destination would be Marseille, instead. They got a $500 shipboard credit.
“So we committed and went on,” Ms. Edge said. “So we felt manipulated from the beginning.”
The ship was only half full.'
I’m glad they’re back. But, you have to admit, they did sail into the teeth of the storm, tempted by the low rates in the face of a rising contagion.
Cruise line business is finished for 2020, and I think half of the operations will be shut down by summer of 2021, permanently.
Did they pay with 2 coins? :)
Although with inflation, the Ferryman may be asking for me.
They sailed on a floating petrie dish on March 5. Were they crazy? I have less respect for them than for the young people on the Florida beaches. They have the excuse of youthful lack of judgment on their side.
With all the impending lawsuits against cruise companies, - especially Carnival - I don’t know how they’ll be able to survive financially.
I admit that I don’t know how most viruses work so I have a question. Is the severity of your illness determined by how much of the virus you are exposed to or can just a brush with it send you into full blown sickness? For instance, if you touch a barely contaminated surface, say with one finger, that has a tiny bit of virus on it are your risks as great as if you touched a surface that somebody had full on sneezed on and covered with the virus? Just trying to learn. I know how to lessen your chances (hand washing, etc.) but don’t fully understand how it works.
I’ve never been on a cruise ship and even prior to all this coronavirus madness I had no desire to go on one. Traveling on a floating, horizontal hotel packed with a probability of a good chunk of idiot passengers isn’t very appealing. I’m a social distancer by nature anyway.
ROFL!!!!!!
One Trillion. LOL
I’ve burst out laughing 3 times today already and it’s only 10am.
FReepers are on a roll today :)
This one is Great!
The people who landed in Atlanta should have all be quarantined in Atlanta. Preferably near the airport.
Did we let more infected fly home and not quarantine them .
It was there awful decision to cruise during a china virus .
Are we insane ?
There home now to infect us .
Is DHS pure stupidity ?
Oh good now they brought it all home, sorry no sympathy from me for their “harrowing” trip. I notice the article didn’t give that angle.
Where is Carnival based? Any US based cruise line will be protected legally in a bailout. The US isn’t going to pay legal parasites while helping a business bounce back.
Everybody is a victim now. No one chose to do something stupid like take a cruise ship of their own free will.
Should have got a
when they were cheap...
That’s complete and utter insanity.
1/10 of a quadrillion.
Staggers the mind
Italian flagged. Fck em.
Thank goodness, the NYT, FINALLY has a horror story that they can highlight.
More pearl clutching, hand wringing, hair on fire...we can all relax now.
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