Cruising Panama Canal in 10 days....what if we get Covid on our trip??

Are you fully vaccinated and boostered? If so, there is no point to stress out and you should try to enjoy your vacation.

My Dad is 93 and lives in a long term care home. He caught Covid about 4 months ago and was quarantined in his room for only 5 days. Even though he still had symptoms (lots of coughing) and tested positive when I tested him with a home antigen test, the facility still let him mix with the other elderly residents in the common areas after 5 days. I complained to the director of care because I was worried that my dad might make the other residents sick (or vice versa if my dad is exposed to other positive residents). The director of care told me that that the health authority's policies are being followed. They told me that the covid vaccinations are working to control this disease and that as long as my dad was not running a really high fever or in need of ventilator, his viral load after 5 days is too low to infect others even though he may still be positive. The care home did not even bother to test him.

Just before we went on our trip to Spain last month, both Canada and Spain terminated their covid admission requirements. We still had to wear a mask to board a bus or train in Spain, but everywhere else masks were almost non-existent. I mostly still carry and wear a mask when I go shopping at home, but vast majority of people do not.

There's always a chance covid can mutate and become more deadly. At this time, there is a nasty flu and a particularly bad respiratory disease affecting kids which is causing more problems than covid.

Sorry, I could not answer your question. Just trying to give you a different perspective. I suggest that you go to cruisecritic.com and ask your question there if you are still concerned. Lots of people there in the same boat as you.

In the past, passengers who test positive for Covid have been moved to a special section of the ship designated for quarantine purposes. It is generally located near the ship’s medical center. They receive room service for their meals and are expected to quarantine. This is part of the CDC guidelines.

Anyone traveling has to recognize that their trip may change if they get Covid. However, if you are fully vaccinated and use reasonable precautions, there is every chance you will do just fine.

Have you looked here?

https://www.princess.com/plan/cruise-with-confidence/cruise-health/

Positive cases that do not require admission to the ship’s medical center, or medical disembarkation, will most likely be moved to a different stateroom for the duration of isolation.

I found this. I see why you have your question. Sounds like staying in your room is not likely.

If you feel you really need a definitive statement, I see no alternative to using one of these contact methods (https://book.princess.com/captaincircle/customerCare.page) and persisting until you get an unambiguous reply

Look under the FAQ section for North American sailings. It says “anyone testing positive will most likely be moved to another stateroom for the duration of the cruise”. I think that means no, you can’t expect to stay in your stateroom. Fact is they can do whatever they think they need to do to keep everybody else safe. Read your contract of carriage. They are exceedingly boring, but when you book and pay, you agree to do whatever they tell you to do. If it makes you feel any better, it does say that a FCC is available to those testing positive. Do you have cruise/travel insurance? What does it say? PS. I am fully vaccinated and boosted and I wore a mask and avoided crowded areas onboard as well. I tested tested positive and had a mild case treated with paxlovid 2 days after I got home. Two months ago, my husband got it, quarantined and I didn’t get it. There are no guarantees. You pay your money and take your chances.

I had my booster last March and two months later got COVID. It was the Omicron variant. I had a sore throat, but otherwise no big deal. I am 74 years old.

COVID is going to be around forever, although it is not as deadly as it was. If you want to enjoy life, DO IT.

Somewhere in this forum is a thread where somebody rants nonstop about their trip and how travel insurance wasn’t considering the trip ruined and wouldn’t pay them for a canceller trip because they had Covid and got quarantined on a cruise.

Personally, the one thing Covid has made me very aware of is that I will probably never get on another cruise ship. But if you go, you need to understand that should you get about Covid you will not be enjoying the cruise ship. You will be enjoying your small room. They will deliver food. They will pick up trash and that’s about it.

Hard to imagine what else the cruise line could do.

If you really get down to it, many people have already had COVID and have antibodies.

Everyone in our family has had it once or twice. We're not sure the vaccine and booster does much to prevent COVID, but it could lessen the disease somewhat. And COVID has not been as bad second time around as it was when it first came to light.

No cruises for me. The idea of quarantine in a room while on a cruise isn’t for me. I’ll pass. Princess would need to answer that question, not Costco. Costco is good if you need to rebook or change something.

I have a friend who just returned from back-to back Princess cruises, to use up credit from 2020. She & her husband both got mild Covid early in the second cruise. They took Paxlovid (which she had brought with them just in case), had to quarantine in their balcony cabin for 5 days, tested negative & were allowed out.

Friends returned last week from a Princess cruise in South America. Their COVID experience was similar to what Charlene reports re: her friends.
They were allowed to quarantine in their balcony cabin, all meals were brought to their door. Husband caught it first, on day three of quarantine wife tested positive. So they spent a total of eight days in quarantine.

Before you do the canal, be sure and read the wonderful book of the history of the canal, "The Path Between the Seas" by David McCullough.

Transiting the canal is interesting, but the novelty wears off quickly. By the second lock, one thinks “can we speed this up.” Then, waiting in Gatun Lake for your ship’s turn to transit gets old. At least you’ll be on a cruise ship. The entire transit will take between 8-10 hours. Of the three times I transited it, the longest took 12 hours. Hopefully you’ll make the transit during the day since there is some pretty scenery.

This is a question for the Princess Forum on Cruise Critic though it appears that two posters had the answer for you.
I can add that I just finished a 14-day transatlantic from Spain to the US. My husband and I were among the 1-2% who masked religiously because I knew that masking is important to a family member we are visiting. We did not attend any shows in the theater to avoid crowded seating though the ship was only half full. I heard that some people were in quarantine, but I don't know how many or where. We weren't on Princess.

Thank you, all, for your feedback.... it's very helpful.

If we get it, we hope to be like Charlene & Katheryne's friends who were allowed to quarantine in their balcony cabin.

We are vaxed and boosted. Will check with our primary caregiver regarding Paxlovid.

Traveling with sisters & brother-in-law, and we will be masking, and trying to avoid crowds.

If Covid is suspected, can passengers self-quarantine?

"The Path....is a great book and we've watched some interesting YouTube documentaries.
We will be transiting during the day.

We do not have travel/cruise insurance.

Hope to share some fun adventures upon our return mid-January.

Reacting on:

We do not have travel/cruise insurance

Is it too late to get it? It is essential. What if you actually get sick and quarantine doesn't cut it, but you need to be flown home, or sent to hospital in Panama City? I do not wish that in you, but it can happen!

Princess should be selling a travel insurance up to the last minute. NCL did. This does NOT include trip cancellation but does include medical, delay, interruption, baggage loss, repatriation. Accidents do happen, and I've seen ambulances arrive in a port to take passengers to the hospital.

Other companies sell cruise insurance as well.

https://www.allianztravelinsurance.com/lp/ppc/cruise.htm

Recent travel/weather challenges have shown the importance of insurance as well. Dear friends had 24 hours of stress waiting in an airport for a new flight after weather issues cancelled the original one. They made their cruise, but their luggage did not! Insurance protects you financially for the unexpected.

Yes, my husband was one of the "I've seen people taken off ships in port in an ambulance". Our health insurance picked up all of his medical expenses, but the trip insurance paid for the ambulance, my hotel while he was hospitalized, an extra couple days in a hotel so they could follow up on him before traveling, and our flights home. While he was in hospital, I broke a bone in my foot, leaving me with a 10-inch diameter foot and ankle. When I hobbled up to check in with him in a wheelchair, the agent took one look at us and upgraded us free of charge. Other than this hiccup, the honeymoon was great.

Chase/VISA has us covered for trip cancellation/delay.... up to $6K. which is the cost of our cruise.

Working on medical, interruption, baggage, repatriation.

Thanks for your input!!

OP you are forgetting that "we" are unlikely to get it simultaneously one will test positive first - that person should be moved to quarantine to minimize the risk to your cabin mate. I know a couple travelling with an adult daughter and all 3 got it on a trans-Atlantic earlier this year - the last one standing stayed in the original cabin - the others were relocated to other balcony cabins. If you concern is that you'll have access to a balcony - certainly that was the policy on Cunard (sister company to Princess).