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Post by jo on Feb 8, 2020 23:16:50 GMT -5
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Post by jo on Mar 5, 2020 0:47:53 GMT -5
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Post by jo on Mar 5, 2020 0:50:49 GMT -5
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Post by njr on Mar 5, 2020 12:38:14 GMT -5
I’m going on a Caribbean cruise out of Miami on Mar. 28th. Celebrity is following very strict protocol. They sent us 3 emails and this is the most recent: Dear Guest, We look forward to welcoming you aboard for your upcoming Celebrity Cruises vacation. Before you embark on this exciting journey, we would like to provide some important information regarding your travel plans. As we monitor global developments related to the coronavirus, our priority remains the health and safety of our guests and crew, as well as providing you an amazing vacation experience. To comply with guidance from CDC, WHO, public health authorities around the world, and the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), we are enhancing our rigorous global boarding and screening measures to protect our guests and crew. These temporary safety precautions will remain in place for a projected period of 30 days and will be reviewed daily. Until further notice, any person, regardless of nationality, who has traveled to, from or through mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, Italy, Iran, or South Korea 15 days prior to embarkation, will be unable to board our ships. This includes traveling on connecting flights through these areas or coming in to contact with people who have traveled to, from or through mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, Italy, Iran, or South Korea. The CDC characterizes contact with an individual as coming within six feet (2M) of a person. As a result, it is imperative that you review your air travel itinerary closely to ensure you do not transit through any gateway in mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, Iran, South Korea, or Italy. Guests who have air travel booked through Flights by Celebrity will be re-accommodated on alternate routes and receive new flight information automatically. Guests with independent air travel arrangements need to contact their air carriers directly to make all required adjustments and changes to their air travel. Boarding will also be denied for any person who within 15 days prior to embarkation, has had contact with, or helped care for, anyone suspected or diagnosed as having COVID-19, or who are currently subject to health monitoring for possible exposure to COVID-19. We have also increased secondary health screening requirements. The following guests will need to undergo extra screenings at the cruise terminal: Any person who reports feeling unwell or displays flu-like symptoms. Any person who has traveled to, from, or through Japan or Thailand in the 15 days prior to embarkation. Any person who is uncertain about contact with individuals who have traveled in the 15 days prior to embarkation to, from, or through mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, Iran, Italy, South Korea, Japan, or Thailand. In some cases, guests presenting certain symptoms in the specialized health screenings may be denied boarding. All guests who are denied boarding due to these restrictions will receive full refunds. Additional restrictions may be imposed based on local circumstances. For example, certain countries may deny visas or prohibit entry based on travel history or nationality. We have rigorous medical protocols in place to help passengers and crew members who feel unwell while sailing. Our protocols include: Professional medical treatment Isolation of unwell individuals from the general ship population Intensified ship cleaning, air filtration, and sanitization procedures We are assessing developments constantly and will update these measures as needed. Finally, you can contribute to a healthy onboard environment by taking a few simple steps that will help prevent colds, flus and stomach viruses – both onboard and on land. Make sure to wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds after using the restroom and before any meal or snack. Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue (or with your upper sleeve) if you happen to sneeze. Avoid sneezing or coughing into your hands or without covering your nose and mouth. Use hand sanitizer as often as possible. Rub the gel thoroughly, and in-between your fingers, until your hands are dry. If you don’t feel well while onboard, it’s imperative that you visit our onboard medical facility immediately for a complimentary checkup. Our onboard doctors and nurses are always available and ready to assist. If you or someone in your stateroom has traveled to, from, or through, mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, Iran, South Korea, or Italy, please contact your Travel Advisor immediately or contact us at 1-844-418-6824 in North America or (316) 554-5961 worldwide. You can also visit www.celebritycruises.com/contact-us for a complete list of global contact information. We have elected to take these precautionary steps due to the recent increase in coronavirus cases around the world, to help avoid the spread of the virus and to ensure the continued safety of our guests and crew. While vacations are our passion, our primary responsibility is to maintain a safe and healthy environment onboard our ships, as well as in the ports we visit. We look forward to welcoming you aboard for a truly incredible vacation. Sincerely, Celebrity Cruises |
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Post by mamaleh on Mar 5, 2020 16:34:55 GMT -5
Wow, that’s truly stringent. I hope all goes well with your cruise, Nancy.
Ellen
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Post by jo on Mar 5, 2020 22:49:42 GMT -5
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Post by jo on Mar 7, 2020 0:30:51 GMT -5
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Post by njr on Mar 10, 2020 13:16:39 GMT -5
Wow, that’s truly stringent. I hope all goes well with your cruise, Nancy. Ellen Several of my friends are not going and I’m 99% sure I’m not either. I just don’t want to take the chance of being quarantined in my cabin and then on land for 2 weeks! (Not to mention possibly getting the virus!) The experts said the past two days, “Do not get on a cruise ship!” But why the government hasn’t cancelled all cruises is beyond me! I even tweeted Trump about it! Will lose big $ because I paid extra for solo cabin. But, Delta will refund my airfare and I can cancel the hotel I booked for the night before the cruise without charge. If StarVista or the government cancels, then we might get refund or credit towards the 2021 cruise which has already gone on sale! Nancy |
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Post by mamaleh on Mar 10, 2020 13:58:02 GMT -5
As things are developing, it’s probsbly best not to go on a cruise at this time. I hope you get everything refunded.
Ellen
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Post by jo on Mar 10, 2020 19:42:12 GMT -5
Life is strange --
The world has become so uneasy with the virus... keeping us up to date on the infection and mortality rates every reporting second!
A few years ago, when a storm surge ( technically different from a tsunami but identical effect) hit one of our islands because of typhoon Yolanda ( international name, I think, was Haiyan?) -- we lost over 3,000 lives in one day! And remember that tsunami which hit one of the Indonesian islands after Christmas Day ( lost some 200,000 lives in one day!)? Those are incomprehensible stats -- beyond mind-boggling...
Maybe because communication these days is so easy...so knowing the rising infection rate all over the world has made us all jittery and changing us to nervous wrecks ??
As I wrote - the world will right itself up again ( the story of my flowers during and after our recent volcanic eruption) -- hopefully soon, as what is infecting everyone is fear itself!
Keep well - in body and mindset!
(I have to give the same advice to myself!)
Jo
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Post by luzie on Mar 11, 2020 9:09:57 GMT -5
Wow, that’s truly stringent. I hope all goes well with your cruise, Nancy. Ellen Several of my friends are not going and I’m 99% sure I’m not either. I just don’t want to take the chance of being quarantined in my cabin and then on land for 2 weeks! (Not to mention possibly getting the virus!) The experts said the past two days, “Do not get on a cruise ship!” But why the government hasn’t cancelled all cruises is beyond me! I even tweeted Trump about it! Will lose big $ because I paid extra for solo cabin. But, Delta will refund my airfare and I can cancel the hotel I booked for the night before the cruise without charge. If StarVista or the government cancels, then we might get refund or credit towards the 2021 cruise which has already gone on sale! Nancy
Ah, that's too bad.  Even if it's probably the right decision, it's still a pity. Hopefully you get at least all your money refunded!
On the whole I'm so tired of this entire panic-mongering. Now all events with over 1000 spectators are cancelled here and any bigger sports events take place as so-called "ghost games" without spectators. Precautions are certainly necessary in some cases, but what currently happens here is so exaggerated and scare tactics! Politicians don't care if people have planned and already spent money for any trips to any sports events or concerts, that are now cancelled. I'm only glad that Hugh's tour was last year or I would already worry that the first concerts here in Europe might be cancelled. We have theatre tickets for end of April for a musical show inspired by TGS with all the TGS songs and other songs from music films and movie musicals - hopefully until then everything goes on as usual again!
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Post by jo on Mar 11, 2020 11:42:01 GMT -5
Can you believe this... here where I live -- One option that is supposed to being considered is to lockdown our capital region ( center of government, business, and everything else ) because the infections - 49 cases as of now - have been confirmed in the region to isolate it from the rest of all the other regions. No government declaration yet -- but it is being talked about in media very much... So, what are people doing - panic-buying everything, esp food. Btw, surgical masks and rubbing alcohol have been gone from shelves since a long time ago. Today I was at a supermarket to pick up the usual weekly stuff-- I followed someone on the checkout line who must have bought food supplies for an extended time...But that was nothing - according to the cashier - she serviced someone who bought eight (8) cartloads of groceries and supplies! Maintenance meds ( usually sourced out of China or India which buys its raw materials from China) will likely be the next to be hoarded. The cashier said - it is sad...in their case, she said they can only panic ( no money to buy stuff)! And how ridiculous that I was checked twice for my body temperature at a department store entrance - I left to move to another nearby store and then reentered the 1st department store - and there went the thermal thermometer on my forehead again. When I left the final time - I asked the security guard if they want to check it again  I went to my bank and the manager told me that they have been asked by management to observe the temperature check procedure, too. She said, what if the client is showing slightly feverish body temperature … but wants to make a large deposit? Should she turn her away...and maybe create permanent ill will? What if people simply refuse because they feel offended ( it is like being security-checked at airports)? I told her that maybe they should let the guards tell them that it is an extra service they now offer if the client is interested? Lol - this is getting ridiculous in a sense. On another aspect of this crisis -- One can already feel on the Broadway chat boards the evolving fear that many things will shut down ( it is not just lost money for producers...but no jobs for actors and crew), including Broadway itself! It does evoke that time of 9/11 when New York shut down, Broadway included, for a short time for security reasons and for the city and its people to get back its emotional bearings... I guess the uncertainty ( as to length of time and seriousness of infections) for the current health threat makes it more unpredictable. People sound a lot more nervous about New York and how empty some of the transport lines are … or how even Times Square is changing into a place where people from all over the world and the United States no longer mill around... Hopefully...all these things will pass soon...even in most cases, it will get worse before it gets better. But human beings are a resilient lot  Jo |
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Post by jo on Mar 11, 2020 12:15:17 GMT -5
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Post by njr on Mar 11, 2020 13:05:57 GMT -5
Several of my friends are not going and I’m 99% sure I’m not either. I just don’t want to take the chance of being quarantined in my cabin and then on land for 2 weeks! (Not to mention possibly getting the virus!) The experts said the past two days, “Do not get on a cruise ship!” But why the government hasn’t cancelled all cruises is beyond me! I even tweeted Trump about it! Will lose big $ because I paid extra for solo cabin. But, Delta will refund my airfare and I can cancel the hotel I booked for the night before the cruise without charge. If StarVista or the government cancels, then we might get refund or credit towards the 2021 cruise which has already gone on sale! Nancy
Ah, that's too bad. Even if it's probably the right decision, it's still a pity. Hopefully you get at least all your money refunded!
On the whole I'm so tired of this entire panic-mongering. Now all events with over 1000 spectators are cancelled here and any bigger sports events take place as so-called "ghost games" without spectators. Precautions are certainly necessary in some cases, but what currently happens here is so exaggerated and scare tactics! Politicians don't care if people have planned and already spent money for any trips to any sports events or concerts, that are now cancelled. I'm only glad that Hugh's tour was last year or I would already worry that the first concerts here in Europe might be cancelled. We have theatre tickets for end of April for a musical show inspired by TGS with all the TGS songs and other songs from music films and movie musicals - hopefully until then everything goes on as usual again!
Thanks! Not sure - depends if the government or StarVista cancels the cruise. May get refund, credit toward rescheduled cruise, or credit towards the 2021 Flower Power cruise which goes on pre-sale Apr. 11th. (my earlier info was incorrect) I heard talk that they might not let anyone 70 or older on the cruise! That would exclude many performers as well as passengers! |
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Post by njr on Mar 12, 2020 12:07:11 GMT -5
One of the bands cancelled and they got The Cowsills to replace them. Arlo Guthrie also cancelled.
And you’ve probably heard, Tom Hanks and his wife have Covid-19 and are stuck in Australia. 😢
Nancy
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Post by njr on Mar 12, 2020 12:09:21 GMT -5
And on a lighter note...  |
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Post by jo on Mar 12, 2020 16:39:48 GMT -5
Broadway will go dark... . |
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Post by jo on Mar 12, 2020 18:02:44 GMT -5
Posting this again -- under this topic It seems that these are "the days that the earth stood still" -- did you ever see the long-ago movie with the title " The Day The Earth Stood Still"? Maybe there are blessings that attach to the universal health catastrophe now affecting the entire planet? *In Beijing, satellite photos reveal the smog that forever blanketed the city's atmosphere has gone away...maybe this is nature's return of the gift of clean air...which may eventually be felt in all the places where travel and congregating in large groups has now been curtailed? Maybe the problem of climate change can be a little arrested as the earth is allowed to breathe again ( no fuel related ozone layer impact?)? *Maybe it is time to appreciate the beautiful things that nature offers, which are immediately around us? How about those forsythia bushes that will soon brighten the yards? And the spring-blossoming trees that will come not too far away from now? *Maybe it is time to appreciate nature's gifts, via a healthier lifestyle? It has been suggested that one way to combat the virus is to maintain good nutritional habits ( from fresh produce and other nature's bounty), rules of cleanliness ( apart from exercising the lungs by singing the most famous song in the world twice over everytime ), avoiding unnecessary encounters ( doing simple gym work in the house, instead of outside). *Families have sometimes become estranged because people are too busy...and spend a lot of time over work and play outside. Maybe this is the time for the blessings of a closer-knit family to return as we are advised to stay indoors with our loved ones more and more? The kids will be exempt from attending school but it would be welcome noise to hear them playing inside the house? *Many have become a little burdened, financially-speaking, because of the shopping attractions outside? This time, we are also giving our credit cards a little time to rest? *Stress is a common work-related or business-related illness of modern society. Allowing us pause from the day-to-day stress gives us time to breathe in the clean air of rest and relaxation? Of course there are new stresses that come with the virus - but here we can now concentrate on our priorities? Maybe we can start counting some of our newfound blessings...as we deal with resolve on helping each other beat the ubiquitous virus! Jo |
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Post by njr on Mar 13, 2020 11:36:52 GMT -5
Jo, that’s all well and good, but with schools closing and both parents having to work, who is going to take care of the kids? If this had happened 25 or so years ago when my kids were young, I wouldn’t know what to do! I’m a retired O.R. nurse who couldn’t just walk off the job. My ex-husband, who was a computer programmer/analyst might have been able to work from home, but not sure.
Some people are not just “a little” burdened financially, but A LOT! They have little or no savings, so if they can’t work, they are screwed.
I’m quite thankful my mom and I can spend the majority of our time at home and have plenty of money saved. My daughter works from home in Advertising, but will probably have to stop seeing clients in person and only call them. My son, however, works at a warehouse pulling orders and has to go to work. The company is Japanese, so I don’t know what might happen with that!
Nancy
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Post by jo on Mar 13, 2020 14:32:24 GMT -5
I am not belittling or minimizing the problems that have spread worldwide - I am just saying that sometimes there is a whiff of a silver lining somewhere from which we can take some comfort on.
Re being " slightly financially-burdened" - I was not referring to the current situation at all - it was meant to refer to using our credit cards to the max in the past, sometimes more for luxury purchases. Now is the time for more judicious use of this credit facility.
In my country - the situation is dire, too. Our president has just declared a "community quarantine" ( aka lockdown) for the national capital region for a whole month, as of now. People cannot leave or enter the Metropolitan Manila region, to be implemented via highway checkpoints manned by the police and military... including no domestic flights in & out of the capital, save for some exceptions ( such as if you are working in the capital but live outside or vice versa, those needing urgent medical treatment, fresh food suppliers and other important cargo, and international flights to and from Manila, except from certain countries with a history of local transmissions ). This brings back unwelcome memories of martial law days here ( when we had midnight curfews for so many years), although of course now it is for the health and welfare of everyone in general. No congregating for 500 people or more (never mind entertainment...but this also impinges on religious services...and some even see this as a threat to political freedoms). There are expected job losses in great numbers for the whole country ( esp the tourism/travel sector and those industries that have exported to or imported raw materials from China, albeit they would likely be of a temporary nature)... but we know we have to adjust, for the common good.
Here's a sad but also heartwarming video clip - from Italy, which is the hardest hit in Europe and the country is now in full lockdown -- they still feel a little joy when they act as a community...by singing together!
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Post by jo on Mar 13, 2020 21:16:28 GMT -5
Sometimes humor is what keeps us going |
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Post by jo on Mar 13, 2020 21:31:42 GMT -5
While more Italians join in the community-while-quarantined activity they love most! Music!
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Post by jo on Mar 13, 2020 23:58:11 GMT -5
Here in the capital region of my country -- they have just announced a curfew of 8:00 pm to 5:00 am!
Sigh...
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Post by jo on Mar 14, 2020 3:39:17 GMT -5
This resonated with me so much -- I couldn't help but shed a few tears!
This is the song that the Ferrari crew sing so full of heart at the Formula One trophy ceremonies whenever FERRARI wins - the national anthem of Italy!
So many beautiful memories of magnificent victories - now a song to unify the downhearted Italians ( whose country is now the epicenter of the pandemic!)
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Post by jo on Mar 14, 2020 6:49:25 GMT -5
They said sing -- they didn't say we have to dance, too  |
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