It’s a very modern pandemic dilemma. What do you do when you suspect that cruiser at the table next to you may be breaking Covid quarantine?
A Cruise Passenger reader approached us recently with what we suspect is an increasingly common question. She overhead a passenger’s phone call talking about how his partner had contracted Covid and was confined her cabin. He tested negative.
Next day, the man and his partner were spotted at breakfast – and a table next to our reader and her friends.
She quickly made an excuse and persuaded her friends to move. But, she asked us, did she make the right move?
She stayed silent why they moved and didn’t say another word. Even when the couple again turned up on an island tour.
Should she have:
- Told her friends about what she knew?
- Reported the couple to the ship’s crew in case they were breaking quarantine?
- Said nothing, as we’re all getting used to living with Covid?
Our readers had differing views about how to handle the situation.
Linda said: “You don’t know if she was tested negative that morning. We don’t isolate at home.. I live in a small rural town and some people believe covid is rife. It’s no different on a cruise ship. I do know it’s the bogy man in the room.”
Ann Moir wrote: “As someone who caught Covid on a cruise recently this makes me mad. Quickly spoilt my cruise for sure.”
Judy Z told us: “Sat next to some “new friends” at breakfast on recent cruise! The lady says” I feel so unwell. I have a sore throat…
“Ohhhh Nooo I thought. Suddenly my hubby and I sighted friends on the other side of the main dining room and just had to go join THEM…
Nikki said: “Interesting as a lot of people still go on cruises when they are testing positive on embarkation day as there is no “policing” of the tests as such. It is just like pre covid days when you had to do health declarations for things like gastro.
For Sharon, it was simple: “Definitely report as they can quickly spoil other cruisers holidays.”
And Scott agreed: “Dob them in immediately.”
Judy told us: “We shared a 8 seat table in MDR . We were informed other 6 had virus going around and we would be sure to get it as well.
“Pondered this for a minute – then got up and walked away. Waiter intersected me I explained. He found me a new seat and then went and got husband. We managed to avoid the virus going around. So glad I moved.”
Join the debate: tell us what you think below
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Do you want t testing for flu, nor virus,measles and every other contagious illness before boarding as well?
My dad passed away from covid on 10th January 2022. I didn’t get to say goodbye because I was in lockdown. He caught the virus from someone who just dismissed their sore throat and cough as a cold.. now he has passed because of it.. if you have symptoms then get tested, don’t be selfish and consider the elderly and people with weak immune systems. I took my mum on a princess cruise and we wore masks everywhere inside and carried a small bottle of sanitiser everywhere we went. People would get in the lift without a mask and I would ask them to please put their mask on. Alternatively if we were waiting for a lift and the doors opened and people weren’t wearing a mask we just wouldn’t get in. We did not catch covid although there were a few people about that looked really sick..we avoided them. if you have symptoms get tested and stay in your cabin. I will never see my dad again because of one person who was selfish.
We have just returned from a Christmas and New Year river cruise in Europe, run by an Australian company. There was ‘ something’ going round the many Australians on board. I don’t know if it was Covid, but some were quite ill. The staff were aware of it and one or twice the was a mention of wearing a mask in public areas and on coaches. There was so much coughing on the coach trips and hardly any masks worn. We always sat on a table for two, but they were very close to tables for four. One day we chatted to a lovely Australian family. The next day we heard they were ill. They were good and isolated, but most didn’t. There was no point reporting the lack of mask wearing and isolation to the crew, as they were well aware that people were ill. Somehow, through mask wearing on the coaches and being careful who we sat near and good luck, we didn’t catch whatever it was. It has made me very wary of river cruise, though, particularly with this company.
Interesting to read the comment from Carolyn Burman.
We did a Christmas cruise that year and on reflection I believe that my husband contracted covid.
It had been choppy, all doors were shut and there were a lot of sick people.
He had a number of health problems and deteriated over the next year then died a year later.
Yes ,he did see a Dr but no infection was detected and it was before the mention of covid.
Every passenger boarding must be tested by crew b4 boarding.
This is to ensure the safety of all passengers.
Not testing or simply asking question is a flaw
That reflects on the cruise ships reluctance to take precautionary measures.
We got covid on day eight of our cruise so 6 days isolated in cabin so I would definitely dob people in if I knew they had it its not fair to other people’
Just move on ..like the rest of the world if u r that worried don’t go to the shops at home ..don’t go cruising..stay in bed
We tested negative before boarding our long awaited Christmas cruise recently, after being very squeezed in while waiting to embark in Adelaide as the computers were down. No back up manual backup. And the back of the queue were pushing forward constantly. Three days later we were negative but the following day everyone on the ship had to do a RAT and we both tested positive. So we spent 8 days in isolation in our cabin. Thank goodness we had a balcony and fresh air. Princess looked after us very well but we missed every Christmas thing on the ship.
Many people were disregarding the mask wearing rule. If I knew of anyone who had tested positive but went to breakfast or anywhere, I most certainly would have reported them.
ATM, this is a very difficult topic, l have just returned off the Grand Princess, there were 8 in our group and none of us got it whilst onboard and so far non of us have COVID after returning home. I need to ask people what precautions they take when they go to a shopping centre, how often do you test yourself, COVID is definitely still around with people mostly getting very mild symptoms but it can also be a virus which is unrelated to COVID. If you are at all concerned, l suggest you don’t cruise, l note that ships are operating around 70% capacity mainly because of staffing levels so if 20% of passengers get it/have it, what’s that say about the amount of people walking around shopping centres and on public transport, l think we’d just all like this to go away but unfortunately it’s going to be around for awhile yet ️
Personally I don’t think you can avoid Covid when travelling on a ship. My husband and I did everything right on our cruise November 2022, only 2 days trip, and we both got it. Both fully immunised and still got a bad case requiring anti virals. My belief now is that it is unavoidable, just a game of 50-50! We were unlucky, no more cruising for us!
My partner and I were on the Grand Princess from 21 Dec – 3 Jan sailing out to NZ from Melbourne – we tested negative on the day prior to boarding and then tested negative 2 days in on the 23 Dec. On Xmas morning 25 Dec I felt unwell and tested myself and I was positive. My partner tested negative but tested positive the following day. We certainly caught the virus on the ship. Because we were in NZ waters on Xmas Day we were locked into our cabin for a total of 8 days – NZ requirements are stringent than Australia – 25 Dec – 1 January when my partner tested negative. The treatment by the medical staff was appalling. Not once did we get tested again during our lock-down or not even a phone call from the medics to see if we were OK. We were given 5 days of antivirals which was needed as my partner has severe cardiomyopathy. We had to fight with guest services to get our room cleaned which first happened after day 4. Guest service rang each day to ask if we need fresh towels and water. Luckily we were in a mini-suite. Initially were were told to order from the room service menu available on the TV set-up but it took a fight to get lunch and dinner menus delivered each day -our food selections were then delivered to the room door at 1pm (lunch) and 7pm (dinner). We have been advised verbally that we will receive some form of compensation but since getting back on Monday this week (we did have a 6 day add on cruise from Melb- SA and back from 3-9 Jan) I have made several phone calls and sent 2 e-mails to Princess but we have heard nothing to date. The fight will continue!
We contracted COViD on a cruise 5 days into a 10 day cruise.
We were tested together at the start and from then on it was an honesty test in your cabin. I spoke to the captain that he knew, as I, there were people who were there with COViD on the ship who didn’t own up. His comment was, we asked them to take a test in their cabin and they respected their answer for privacy.
The main reason they carried out the above was that when asked by the media it showed a low number affected on that cruise and thus the media in most cases failed to mention that ship in their COViD reporting.
Reporting doesn’t always work in the way you expect, would I do it again the answer is a resounding yes.
I cannot believe how SELFISH and INCONSIDERATE some people are.Actions by self centred idiots of non disclosure re contagence of ANY description is absolutely unforgivable .Why do we do RATs before boarding???if we don’t declare when we are sick.!!!Beyond belief!!!!
I don’t need my safety being debated I would rather just not cruise. opinion shouldn’t determine outcome data and facts should
My wife and I both caught Covid on a recent cruise and isolated in our cabins until we were tested negative by the ship. Some people don’t adhere to the protocols and completely ignore that others may be immuno compromised, or have other health issues, which could make them severely ill if they catch the virus.
Very selfish people.
Last August I did a Hurtigruten cruise of West Greenland. The agreement to cruise was 5 days cabin isolation if covid +ve. One fellow wouldn’t stay in his room so had a security guard sit outside his room for 5 days.
A cruise costs a lot of money therefore it is selfish to carry on as normal and contaminate other holiday makers. As some people become very ill from Covid we should all do our best to prevent spreading it. If you are unfortunate enough to contract Covid no matter how mild or bad, I firmly believe you should at least isolate until you have a negative test or no more symptoms as well as wearing a mask in public unless eating or drinking. There is no reason why more people’s holidays should be ruined through your misfortune in contracting Covid.
We recently went and a cruise and 7 out of 9 of us tested positive within a week of getting home. Despite one testing positive who had shared a cabin with the other two – they didn’t get it. We wore masks in the lifts on the ship and sat outside when we could. We have not avoided crowds or worn masks recently at home at all yet have not had Covid previously. Did we get it on the cruise – who knows. On the flight to our departure city the day before we joined the cruise we had a passenger behind us in the plane who was obviously sniffling all the way during the hour and a half flight. He was not wearing a mask. We all tested negative before we departed but we could have come into contact with it before we left. People we know tested positive around the same time as we did and they were not on the cruise. There is no rhyme or reason as to who will get this and it is everywhere. If you are going to get it you are whether its on a plane, a train, a tram, in a shopping centre or a cruise ship or even just in a restaurant. My daughter had very little if any symptoms and would not have known she even had it except that the rest of us got sick and took the test. She tested for fun. Would I dob someone in. You just don’t know if its Covid. So many other things are going around. People just need to do the right thing and it would be courteous to wear a mask if you have any cold symptoms – especially on a plane or in an any enclosed space.
Well as a person who caught Covid on a cruise(Dec 2019-Jan 2020)just prior to the actual naming of it,we listened to severally people getting on the huge Shio in Tauranga NZ say how DREADFUL they felt after all getting the “Flu”a couple of days prior..I just knew that something wasn’t right..by the time we got to Milford Sound,half the ship was ill including the staff…but then they had all got off at Port Chalmers and met with friends/colleagues from the other ship that was in the same day.
By the time we got to Sydney (9th Jan)we could barely move.
Three weeks later the Diagnosis and name was out and in the media.If someone on the ship I was on seemed ill I’d definitely say something…make no mistake.
People are just selfish.