Jump to content

This could get cruises going again!


Scrumps

Recommended Posts

What you mean the may test for more than corona and on that basis refuse future cruises?

What rapid results could they have from a blood test?

What if the test was done by a third party with no affliation to RCI? 

Genuine question. 

This of course means no port cruising ..... what about crew they going to be tested at every reboard?

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Tell me if I'm being too optimistic but I believe this could get cruises going at the end of this arbitrary 100 day ban. It would slow things down a bit at the port but better than not sailing at all. Its just a price of the finger, results in 10 minutes. Its coming to all airlines. Until a vaccine this could be the ticket to flying, cruising and other things. I'll leave the video below. I just want to sail in Sept! Prick my finger twice, I don't care. 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Looking at several reports there is a rapid screening test that is intranasal vs blood, the test takes about 15 minutes for a negative result and a positive result in as soon as 5 minutes.  Ok even though I work with needles all day I have been stuck with far too many diabetic lancets and know that those things hurt far worse to me than sticking me with a 16 gauge needle! My fingertips hurt for DAYS after each and every one.?  I can also say that I would prefer either of the aforementioned tests vs some of the current tests that go through the nose and into the back of the throat.  I have seen those things administered several times and it makes me absolutely CRINGE each and every time!  It is almost a new form of torture, I am grateful that they have come out with less invasive testing!   There is a black line on the swab and its hard to believe that they have to go all the way in your nose to the line.?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sure .... then a person shows up at the port that is tested asymptamatic positive (and even more importantly, a false positive) --- then your vacation stops at that point .....

Big time bummer.... not worth the stress, the potential loss of of $$$ from non-refundable flights, hotels, etc.....

Testing at the port will backfire on the business, people will choose to spend their vacation dollars elsewhere just to avoid the stress.

Now, where this could go is having a doctors note saying you're negative.... but the real question is, the 2-week issue.... how would that be dealt with?

You get tested more than 2 weeks out, you don't know what the situation is the final two weeks leading up to the cruise, or, you get tested within two weeks

and you come out asymptamatic positive, again, no vacation.... game over.

I guarantee, people will just spend their money elsewhere, not worth the stress

 

And, what I didn't bring up is this --- a person shows up, tests positive (showing no symptoms) --- what does that do to the status of all the other passengers that may have been around that person?  Again, it's human nature to take the path of least resistance, and that includes the path that's the least stressful --- Cruising as a vacation option will be off the table for many.

You can't have rapid testing at the port without a rapid cure......

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 minutes ago, coneyraven said:

Sure .... then a person shows up at the port that is tested asymptamatic positive (and even more importantly, a false positive) --- then your vacation stops at that point .....

Big time bummer.... not worth the stress, the potential loss of of $$$ from non-refundable flights, hotels, etc.....

Testing at the port will backfire on the business, people will choose to spend their vacation dollars elsewhere just to avoid the stress.

Now, where this could go is having a doctors note saying you're negative.... but the real question is, the 2-week issue.... how would that be dealt with?

You get tested more than 2 weeks out, you don't know what the situation is the final two weeks leading up to the cruise, or, you get tested within two weeks

and you come out asymptamatic positive, again, no vacation.... game over.

I guarantee, people will just spend their money elsewhere, not worth the stress

 

And, what I didn't bring up is this --- a person shows up, tests positive (showing no symptoms) --- what does that do to the status of all the other passengers that may have been around that person?  Again, it's human nature to take the path of least resistance, and that includes the path that's the least stressful --- Cruising as a vacation option will be off the table for many.

You can't have rapid testing at the port without a rapid cure......

 

This is the inconvenient truth, I'm afraid.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

18 hours ago, Zambia-Zaire said:

LoL...once again, word predict on my phone.   Should have quoted Jim Carey, "all-righty than"

Will fix my friend.

Actually i was going to ask " what the hell your original post had to do with cruising when Matt had posted that certain topics were not allowed" 

 

Someone posted about tests being done on flights and how it could be used for cruiseships, straight away you turn it into a world wide conspiracy just to get your DNA. 

Im pretty sure thats the type of thing matt is refering to with regards comments not to post.

Theres a time and a place for that type of thing 

 

This isnt the time and this site is definitely NOT the place 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Tests are great but they are a "right now" snapshot of your state.  

Who is to say that the very instant you become infected you will test positive 5 seconds later?  How long does it take once infected before you do test positive?  10 minutes?  One hour?  8 hours? 

You are in a hotel room the night before the cruise.  You take an Uber to the port.  Between the two of them you are exposed to the virus but it hasn't taken hold to the point you test positive. 

The last passenger in an Uber sneezed and the Uber driver didn't clean their car very well between passengers.  You grab the handle of the Uber car door that has virus on it as you step out at the port.  You unload your luggage, hand the porter a tip and you touch your face to scratch that itch.  Sixty seconds later you get tested.  The virus has been introduced to your blood stream but it hasn't multiplied or taken root. 

You pass the port instant test with flying colors, board the ship and the first thing you do is start drinking.  Your drunken immune system can't fight of the multiplying virus within your body.  It reaches critical mass and now there is enough virus in you that you do test positive, except you've already tested negative, boarded the cruise and it's day 2. 

The porter is now infected from your cash tip and is interacting with other guests arriving every 30 seconds.  Twenty five percent of them become infected but they get tested 60 seconds later when the virus hasn't taken hold in them yet.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 minutes ago, twangster said:

Tests are great but they are a "right now" snapshot of your state.  

Who is to say that the very instant you become infected you will test positive 5 seconds later?  How long does it take once infected before you do test positive?  10 minutes?  One hour?  8 hours? 

You are in a hotel room the night before the cruise.  You take an Uber to the port.  Between the two of them you are exposed to the virus but it hasn't taken hold to the point you test positive. 

The last passenger in an Uber sneezed and the Uber driver didn't clean their car very well between passengers.  You grab the handle of the Uber car door that has virus on it as you step out at the port.  You unload your luggage, hand the porter a tip and you touch your face to scratch that itch.  Sixty seconds later you get tested.  The virus has been introduced to your blood stream but it hasn't multiplied or taken root. 

You pass the port instant test with flying colors, board the ship and the first thing you do is start drinking.  Your drunken immune system can't fight of the multiplying virus within your body.  It reaches critical mass and now there is enough virus in you that you do test positive, except you've already tested negative, boarded the cruise and it's day 2. 

The porter is now infected from your cash tip and is interacting with other guests arriving every 30 seconds.  Twenty five percent of them become infected but they get tested 60 seconds later when the virus hasn't taken hold in them yet.  

My point exactly.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

These tests may work for flights.  The likelihood that you would go from testing negative to being symptomatic on a even a 12 hour flight would be very low.  A cruise is much different, testing negative before you board provides no assurance that you would not become sick over the next 7 days.  Or even become an asymptotic carrier.  A snapshot in time doesn’t work for the cruise industry. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Rapid testing, even if far more effective than it is now, would not result in anyone getting your DNA. It's providing either a drop of blood or swab which is immediately tested for antibodies then discarded. The solvents added to the test would not make the sample viable for saving for even a few hours, as they are made to degrade cells in order to better test. Sorry, molecular genetics and molecular immunology degree coming out.

If you really think a government could or would save old samples for some form of DNA database, not only is that factually impossible, it's downright at conspiracy theory level.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I won´t bump the coke freestyle with my knuckle again without thinking very seriously. WASHY  WASHY times 10. We have been extra careful for along time with Noro virus issues, RCI does a pretty good job keeping us safe. Please lets stay away from conspiracy theories, they don´t do any of us any good. I just want to get on with the process what ever it turns out to be.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Unfortunately, I think the only really useful information is to know that you have had the virus, developed antibodies and are [presumably] now unable to transmit the virus to anyone.  Even this aspect isn't really known at this time, but assuming, for now, that you will no longer be infectious after you have successfully fought off the illness.

Not sure where that leaves the rest, who have never had the virus.

Honestly, I think by the time cruising resumes, it will be a game of reducing the risks to an acceptable level.  Nothing will EVER been 100% fool-proof.  There will always be disagreement on what level of risk is acceptable, but either cruising will go away forever or the cruise lines and the public will have to accept some amount of risk.  Those are the only 2 options. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

Unfortunately, I think the only really useful information is to know that you have had the virus, developed antibodies and are [presumably] now unable to transmit the virus to anyone.  Even this aspect isn't really known at this time, but assuming, for now, that you will no longer be infectious after you have successfully fought off the illness.

Not sure where that leaves the rest, who have never had the virus.

Honestly, I think by the time cruising resumes, it will be a game of reducing the risks to an acceptable level.  Nothing will EVER been 100% fool-proof.  There will always be disagreement on what level of risk is acceptable, but either cruising will go away forever or the cruise lines and the public will have to accept some amount of risk.  Those are the only 2 options. 

Agree with this. We aren't looking for an absolute 100%, just an acceptable amount of risk. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The ultimate solution is showing proof of a vaccine.  My point is why would RCI, or any cruise company when within a year-ish there will be a vaccine?

I don’t think it will entice enough people to cruise to make up for the cost of a short term fix.  Not to mention will likely be too big brother like for some people.  What about false positives, or worse, false negatives.

I’m not really sure it makes good financial sense to gear up all their ports/ships with this technology.  Does anyone know how long it would take to get the necessary equipment deployed and personnel trained?  Could they get it done before the vaccine hits?

Mike

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My first take upon seeing this post first thing today was..."that's a no from me"

Seeing all of the comments about it, lead me to more of a thought that there is no way to protect ourselves adequately from any germ short of doing the most common sense thing...and that is wash hands regularly and thoroughly.

The Spanish flu eventually went away, and this one will too. We can all be personally responsible for our own hygiene knowing we can't be 100% safe from anything, anywhere, ever.

Personally, I worry about obsessive focusing on sterilization and sanitation to the detriment of the average person's immune system not getting a work out from time to time with all the nasty invisible things that float around or sit on surfaces.

If we create safe bubbles everywhere, are we really all that safe? Can we really effectively micromanage all these barriers to infection when we can culturally affect greater attention to hand washing and being considerate of those around us? I think we can, and I think Royal does a really good job promoting good hygiene, even if there is always room for improvement.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, Ray said:

Actually i was going to ask " what the hell your original post had to do with cruising when Matt had posted that certain topics were not allowed" 

 

Someone posted about tests being done on flights and how it could be used for cruiseships, straight away you turn it into a world wide conspiracy just to get your DNA. 

Im pretty sure thats the type of thing matt is refering to with regards comments not to post.

Theres a time and a place for that type of thing 

 

This isnt the time and this site is definitely NOT the place 

The thesis of this thread, base on the video above, a procedure for the cruise industry to quickly test cruisers, similar to what Emirates apparently are doing. My comment is directed at the method of testing...that is not a conspiracy. I prefer not give blood to an unknown/unnamed entity, contracted by cruise line, with no discernable verification how my personal DNA is being properly disposed of, with insurance it's not being recorded in a database. I have no desire of having my blood taken from anyone outside of my personal doctor...and even then, I dislike the idea of it being in an established database. That video appear to simulate the ease & convenience, without concern I would have; when there are just as quick & less evasive measures that can be performed, on the spot, like swabbing, that efficiently being performed currently. It was not conspiratorial statement, just an expressed concern...and certain not political. I think the way one read & process what they read, in their own way, take things or read things, in a way they feel; and, not necessarily, the way that person address it. In this case, you may not be cognizant of it...how you perceive my opinion. No harm done...

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 minutes ago, Zambia-Zaire said:

That'd be nice.  It doesn't do a whole lot of good when you have to wait longer to get your test results than your quarantine lasts.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

21 hours ago, twangster said:

Tests are great but they are a "right now" snapshot of your state.  

Who is to say that the very instant you become infected you will test positive 5 seconds later?  How long does it take once infected before you do test positive?  10 minutes?  One hour?  8 hours? 

You are in a hotel room the night before the cruise.  You take an Uber to the port.  Between the two of them you are exposed to the virus but it hasn't taken hold to the point you test positive. 

The last passenger in an Uber sneezed and the Uber driver didn't clean their car very well between passengers.  You grab the handle of the Uber car door that has virus on it as you step out at the port.  You unload your luggage, hand the porter a tip and you touch your face to scratch that itch.  Sixty seconds later you get tested.  The virus has been introduced to your blood stream but it hasn't multiplied or taken root. 

You pass the port instant test with flying colors, board the ship and the first thing you do is start drinking.  Your drunken immune system can't fight of the multiplying virus within your body.  It reaches critical mass and now there is enough virus in you that you do test positive, except you've already tested negative, boarded the cruise and it's day 2. 

The porter is now infected from your cash tip and is interacting with other guests arriving every 30 seconds.  Twenty five percent of them become infected but they get tested 60 seconds later when the virus hasn't taken hold in them yet.  

Well this is depressing. How can any cruise line hope to restart then before this whole issue is over ? 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As for how soon after you're infected a test works, it depends on the test. The swab test checks the actual presence of the virus' RNA in your system, and would show a positive test fairly quickly (less than an hour for most people). The antibody test, which shows that your body has produced antibodies against the virus would show up a bit later, depending on how healthy your immune system is.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you read the embedded text on the Emirates video, it says they are "planning to scale up on-site testing for passengers traveling to countries that require COVID-19 test certificates"

So my first question is: which little Stalin-esque countries are actually requiring this?  It's not uncommon to require a certificate of immunization (yellow fever), but as @Twangster pointed out, the test is only a snapshot of your (maybe) positive status at that very second.  Are we supposed to show up for our flight  / cruise / high school graduation / NHL hockey game 14 days prior to the event and then quarantine in a little tent before getting our finger pricked?  I think not.  So what exactly would this be accomplishing?

I'm already annoyed that I have to get my temperature checked when entering my place of employment.  But I do it, along with washing my hands frequently, wearing the little mask, and standing 6 feet apart.  Right now, that's probably as good a defense against COVID-19 as any.  Eventually this will shift to more of a common "If you're sick or have been in contact with someone who has tested positive, don't travel" approach instead of the charades we are seeing now.    

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...