Anyone following any covid protocols on cruises?

[kj2mom]

We just got off the Dream and we wore masks in the terminal, at the shows, in some of the lounges etc. We don't have any personal experience with Covid and would like to keep it that way if possible. My daughter is also leaving for international travel in two days so we were being extra cautious for her sake especially. We didn't feel uncomfortable at all, I think the fact that the staff was wearing them made it so that we didn't feel like we were standing out.

 

[DisneyDadBama]

No masks for us. We always wore one and got it anyway, so no point as far as I’m concerned. But i respect anyone else’s choice

 

[DMMarla07860]

We just got off the Dream and we wore masks in the terminal, at the shows, in some of the lounges etc. We don't have any personal experience with Covid and would like to keep it that way if possible. My daughter is also leaving for international travel in two days so we were being extra cautious for her sake especially. We didn't feel uncomfortable at all, I think the fact that the staff was wearing them made it so that we didn't feel like we were standing out.

I’m assuming you guys didn’t get Covid? With a autoimmune disease my mom is nervous about me cruising and getting Covid.

She saw me with the flu in 2014 funny thing is now flu is what they think started up my autoimmune symptoms. Was diagnosed 5 years later right before a cruise. Can take up to 5 year’s to diagnose Lupus

 

[kj2mom]

I’m assuming you guys didn’t get Covid? With a autoimmune disease my mom is nervous about me cruising and getting Covid.

She saw me with the flu in 2014 funny thing is now flu is what they think started up my autoimmune symptoms. Was diagnosed 5 years later right before a cruise. Can take up to 5 year’s to diagnose Lupus

So far soo good, we just returned yesterday and were gone 8 days on our trip (we flew down two days prior and flew home one day after).

 

[DMMarla07860]

So far soo good, we just returned yesterday and were gone 8 days on our trip (we flew down two days prior and flew home one day after).

Good hopefully your lucky ones and didn’t get it. I’ll be going and enjoying with mask on whenever I feel I need it

 

[anricat]

My daughter was told that Flu will test positive for Covid.

Wait. What? Like if you have the flu it will cause a positive Covid test, am I understanding correctly? If this is what she was told it is patently false. They are two completely unrelated viruses that will absolutely not trigger a positive test from one to the other. There is a separate test for flu.

 

[tee11]

Since you did a European cruise did you hear about the restrictions when testing positive while onboard? Room changes? Total cabin lockdown? Thank you!

No, this was not a European. I'm not sure what happens with the room when someone in your stateroom tests positive, but I don't think they would have a different protocol from one Disney ship to another. At some point I had read here that they move you to deck 2, but not sure if that is true. It would be a lot better if you could stay in your stateroom.

 

[tee11]

All of Deck 2 and the aft section of deck 5 was completely blocked off on the Dream last weekend. I assume it was for quarantine purposes.

Can confirm that aft of deck 5 was blocked off (which made access to kids clubs a pain, if you are already aft and were planning just to walk down), but I didn't know it was for quarantine purposes. It said "access for staff only".

 

[Trisaratops]

Wait. What? Like if you have the flu it will cause a positive Covid test, am I understanding correctly? If this is what she was told it is patently false. They are two completely unrelated viruses that will absolutely not trigger a positive test from one to the other. There is a separate test for flu.

As a doctor myself I'm very dubious an actual physician said this.....

 

[Kwami]

As a doctor myself I'm very dubious an actual physician said this.....

I wouldn't be surprised at all. I've heard a lot of doctors say a lot of crazy stuff over the past few years.

 

[bakerworld]

Wait. What? Like if you have the flu it will cause a positive Covid test, am I understanding correctly? If this is what she was told it is patently false. They are two completely unrelated viruses that will absolutely not trigger a positive test from one to the other. There is a separate test for flu.

This is good to know. I couldn't believe when she said that but everything is so up in the air. We traveled overseas and to return we had to have a negative covid test. Two people in our group tested positive but when they took the test 2 hours later they were negative and able to re-enter US. Really makes me wonder about the validity of the test.

My daughter was also told that for 3 to 6 months after testing positive for Covid she would test positive even if she was not. = So Confused.

 

[bakerworld]

I think your daughter needs a new doctor lol.

My daughter was also told that for 3 to 6 months after testing positive for Covid she would test positive even if she was not. = So Confused.

 

[bakerworld]

My better half told me yesterday that pre-cruise Covid testing to board has been halted. Has anyone else heard that?

 

[anricat]

My daughter was also told that for 3 to 6 months after testing positive for Covid she would test positive even if she was not. = So Confused.

6 months, no, not likely, but more like 1-3 months later a PCR test can still pop up a positive because the virus remains in your system for some time. A rapid test will more accurately show infectiousness. This is why DCL offers a 90 day recovery letter. It's less relevant now that they are accepting antigen tests in addition to PCR, but it covers you nonetheless so you aren't testing positive and denied boarding for a recent case. There can be both false positives and false negatives. False negatives are more common. Antigen tests are less reliable, but generally will still indicate actual infectiousness of a person. However, you generally need to be exhibiting symptoms. I had an asymptomatic infection and never tested positive, despite several rapid tests.

My better half told me yesterday that pre-cruise Covid testing to board has been halted. Has anyone else heard that?

A test is still required to board. For US and Canadian sailings, you now test on your own up to two days prior to the cruise. If you didn't test on your own, there is a test you can take on site prior to boarding (for a fee). Here is the thread with all the relevant information and discussion: https://www.disboards.com/threads/know-before-you-go-updated-may-17-testing-rule-changes.3883524/

 

[PezRuth]

A test is still required to board. You now test on your own up to two days prior to the cruise. If you didn't test on your own, there is a test you can take on site prior to boarding (for a fee). Here is the thread with all the relevant information and discussion: https://www.disboards.com/threads/know-before-you-go-updated-may-17-testing-rule-changes.3883524/

For European sailings, it is still testing at port day of.

 

[anricat]

For European sailings, it is still testing at port day of.

Yes, sorry, I'll edit to reflect US and Canadian.

 

[tee11]

Just a FYI, it seemed like daily we got notifications thru the DCL app if you were experiencing any type of sickness to report it. I wonder how many who may have had Covid symptoms actually came forth to do so if the consequence was leaving your cabin and having to quarantine on deck 2……

Agree, I don't think many people self report unless they feel really ill and are worried. Overheard two moms talking at the poolside Flo's that one just put her child "with a high fever" to "sleep it off" in the stateroom. Also, I imagine people choose differently in regards to disclosure on a 3N cruise vs. a 10N cruise. However, this was not necessarily any different before the pandemic. The ship's doc had to report on arrival to any port how many "ILI" (influenza-like-illnesses) were on board, and if it's too many, the ship may not be allowed to dock. I imagine it is similar or more specific nowadays.

 

[tee11]

Very confusing virus. DSis tested positive 4 days ago. We are 4x vacc. Flu/cold symptoms. Rapid test positive, mine too. PCR test the next day- she was positive but I was negative. I had same symptoms but now we think they weren't from Covid, just seasonal for both of us. I'm now rapid test negative. Strange. We share a home.

The rapid test is rarely, if ever, false positive (PCR as well). However, one thing to keep in mind is to wash your hands very well before handling the materials/test card/swab. Especially if one person in the house is positive, it is easy to touch something and potentially contaminate the test or materials. Same for the PCR test sites where you drop the *whole swab into the vial*, it's important that you sanitize your hands very well before you handle the swab, including for example for a child. Finally, some people only shed the virus for a few days as evident on a rapid test turning positive and quickly again negative, others stay positive (and infectious) on the rapid test for 10+ days (and on PCR probably longer, though the latter does not correlate with being infectious.) So for your sister who had a positive rapid test, followed by a positive PCR test, she clearly had Covid. For you, it is possible that your first rapid test got accidentally contaminated, since the follow up (PCR and then rapid) tests were negative. A PCR done the next day after a clearly positive rapid test should pick it up, unless the technique (swabbing) was suboptimal. Wishing your sister a speedy recovery!

 

[RysMomma]

I couldn't stop testing positive on a rapid. My husband was convinced I had a false positive (even though I told him that doesn't happen) because I wasn't feeling horrible. I took another and that line came up quickly. Originally, I was going to need a negative rapid to go back to work and they changed that, thankfully because by day 8, I was still positive! I just gave up and stopped testing. Luckily, neither my children nor my husband got it! I kind of wanted them to get it, but also get scared of how some people will handle it, of course.

 

[mullysisters]

I couldn't stop testing positive on a rapid. My husband was convinced I had a false positive (even though I told him that doesn't happen) because I wasn't feeling horrible. I took another and that line came up quickly. Originally, I was going to need a negative rapid to go back to work and they changed that, thankfully because by day 8, I was still positive! I just gave up and stopped testing. Luckily, neither my children nor my husband got it! I kind of wanted them to get it, but also get scared of how some people will handle it, of course.

Haha you’re like me. Seeing that my sister had very mild symptom, I was waiting to get my “free no-test pass”. Unfortunately 6 days later and I’m still negative. Darn. Is it wrong that I wanted to get C*vid after 2 years of protocols? We just learned that two of her choir probably caught it from her even though they are still singing with masks on. I can’t afford to keep paying for expensive PCR tests so I guess I’ll just have to wait and see.