# Cruise ship disembarks in New Orleans with at least 17 COVID cases, including a "probable" Omicron infection



## Eric

Bad time for a cruise.

_New Orleans_ — A Norwegian Cruise Line ship with at least 17 passengers and crew members infected with COVID-19 docked Sunday in New Orleans, where health officials said the ship was disembarked amid efforts to prevent any spread into the community. At least one of the infected crew members is suspected to have the new Omicron variant of the coronavirus, the Louisiana Department of Health said late Sunday.









						Cruise ship disembarks in New Orleans with at least 17 COVID cases, including a "probable" Omicron infection
					

At least one of the infections on the Norwegian Breakaway was a crew member suspected of having the new Omicron variant.




					www.cbsnews.com


----------



## MEJHarrison

A cruise?  Tiny, cramped places with probably poor ventilation?  Large crowds?  Nowhere to escape to?  Oh hell no!  Anyone taking a cruise these days should have their obituaries posted in the Covid Stupid thread.  That's the last place I'd want to be trapped for a week with an ongoing pandemic.


----------



## Herdfan

MEJHarrison said:


> A cruise?  Tiny, cramped places with probably poor ventilation?  Large crowds?  Nowhere to escape to?  Oh hell no!  Anyone taking a cruise these days should have their obituaries posted in the Covid Stupid thread.  That's the last place I'd want to be trapped for a week with an ongoing pandemic.




We used to take a cruise a year.  Haven't been since January 2019.

The wife finally agreed to push back against her mom controlling Christmas and we scheduled a cruise over Christmas 2019.  Her mom was so pissed she had to fall and fracture 2 vertebra in her back the Sunday after Thanksgiving. (Ok, she probably didn't do it on purpose, but she did it by being stupid which is almost the same thing), so we cancelled it.  Rebooked for Christmas 2020. We know how that went.  

So maybe by 2023 or 2024 we might make it.


----------



## Alli

Believe it or not we have a cruise scheduled in January. In order to board the ship you need proof of vaccination and a negative test taken no earlier than two days prior to embarkation. They’re also limiting the number of guests.


----------



## ronntaylor

A good friend starting to take 2-4 cruises a year after retiring ~6 years ago. She hasn't been on one since Fall 2019 (she cancelled a New Year 2020 cruise through the Caribbean due to a Legionnaires outbreak in Co-op City where she lives). She use to be like me and always worried about catching something on a floating city. She's being inundated with specials to get her back. Doubt she's ever doing another.


----------



## Eric

Alli said:


> Believe it or not we have a cruise scheduled in January. In order to board the ship you need proof of vaccination and a negative test taken no earlier than two days prior to embarkation. They’re also limiting the number of guests.



We have been talking about taking one for years, next year we'll likely plan for it.


----------



## Herdfan

Eric said:


> We have been talking about taking one for years, next year we'll likely plan for it.




Being on the west coast, have you considered Alaska?

Wife and offspring pushed for years to do Alaska and I resisted.  I liked the Caribbean and being able to dive at many locations in a week.  But they finally talked me into it and it was the best cruise we have ever taken.  So much cool stuff in Alaska both to see and do.  Look forward to going back.


----------



## Edd

I took my first cruise maybe 6 years ago from Boston to Bermuda, with a group of 4 other people. My wife didnt want to go because of a bad cruise she had like 20 years earlier. I enjoyed it but can’t talk her into doing one.

She’s left the door open for perhaps a Viking River cruise in Europe, which I’d try in a heartbeat.

There‘s just too many trips and not enough time and money. My dream vacation is a ski trip to Japan.


----------



## Herdfan

Edd said:


> She’s left the door open for perhaps a Viking River cruise in Europe, which I’d try in a heartbeat.




A couple of our neighbors did one a few years ago.  We could have gone with them, but it was right after the offspring started college and we didn't want to be on the other side of the world her first month.

And other than a bout of food poisoning they had a great time.  

It would probably no be my idea of a good time.  Some people like to see old buildings, but for my money I would rather see natural things.  About the only man (alien)-made things I really want to see are the Pyramids.


----------



## Alli

Herdfan said:


> Being on the west coast, have you considered Alaska?
> 
> Wife and offspring pushed for years to do Alaska and I resisted.  I liked the Caribbean and being able to dive at many locations in a week.  But they finally talked me into it and it was the best cruise we have ever taken.  So much cool stuff in Alaska both to see and do.  Look forward to going back.



I second that. My mother and I did Alaska a few years ago and it was amazing!


Edd said:


> She’s left the door open for perhaps a Viking River cruise in Europe, which I’d try in a heartbeat.



I’d like to get my husband to do that, but he resists the part of the trip where you have to fly from the US to Europe. I like river cruising though. We did the American Queen Steamboat a couple of years ago from Memphis to Louisville. A week on the boat to cover what’s basically a six-hour car ride. The boat was incredible. It was actually the bourbon tour, so we stopped at every town with a distillery for a tour. We didn’t do the distillery tours, but found some of the most amazing museums and gardens in tiny pieces of America.


----------



## Runs For Fun

MEJHarrison said:


> A cruise?  Tiny, cramped places with probably poor ventilation?  Large crowds?  Nowhere to escape to?  Oh hell no!  Anyone taking a cruise these days should have their obituaries posted in the Covid Stupid thread.  That's the last place I'd want to be trapped for a week with an ongoing pandemic.



Seriously. How can anyone think going on a cruise in a pandemic is a good idea?


----------



## Alli

Runs For Fun said:


> Seriously. How can anyone think going on a cruise in a pandemic is a good idea?



Because so much of the activity is outdoors, and you will only be with other people who have been vaccinated. I can’t get that guarantee anywhere else.


----------



## rdrr

Serious but probably a stupid question.   Why not book a trip(s) and go directly to the destinations that the Cruise ship docks for a day or less?  Personally I'd rather tour the destination than spend time in a cramped cabin on boat in the ocean.


----------



## MEJHarrison

I've never been on a cruise and have no plans to do so.  I'm a light-skinned red-head.  The sun and I aren't on speaking terms.  I'd spend the whole day indoors or trying to finding shade.

I'm also not a fan of strangers.  Cruises seem like they would be filled to the brim with friendly folks wanting to strike up a conversation.  No thanks.  If I'm going to do a large crowd, I'll go Vegas-style where everyone is too self-absorbed to care about anyone else and I can just people watch without being bothered.

Finally, the ocean is cool to look at.  For about 5 minutes.  Then it's just... more ocean.  Never ending flatness.  How boring!  If I'm going on a trip, I want something more interesting to see than just water for days on end.

What I want to do is a train ride though a place like Northern California or Colorado.  I think that would be a blast!


----------



## Herdfan

rdrr said:


> Serious but probably a stupid question.   Why not book a trip(s) and go directly to the destinations that the Cruise ship docks for a day or less?  Personally I'd rather tour the destination than spend time in a cramped cabin on boat in the ocean.




Actually not stupid at all.  Wife used to be a travel agent and got this question all the time.

I guess it all depends on what you like to do.  If you like to spend all day at the beach, a cruise is probably not for you.  If you really like to immerse yourself in local culture, again probably not for you.

But if you like to see bits and pieces of a lot of places while unpacking once, then a cruise might suit you.  Between going with my parents and as an adult, I have probably been on close to 30 cruises and have gotten to see things I never would have gone to see as a destination.  These include ruins in Mexico, swimming with stingrays in Grand Cayman, climbing the falls in Jamaica, diving spectacular sites all over the Caribbean, seeing the Panama Canal, glaciers in Alaska and too many other things to list.

As for spending time in a cramped cabin, you don't.  Other than sleeping and getting ready, I spend no time in the cabin.  The wife likes to read on the balcony so she does that while I am out doing any other number of activities on the ship.  There is almost always something to do for almost everyone.

Everyone talks about "the food".  I probably lose a couple of pounds on a cruise just because 1) I am more active and 2) I don't feel the need to eat just because it is available.  I eat 3 meals a day just like always, the exception being I will grab a slice or 2 of pizza mid-afternoon.  But I am also not a "I have to try this or that because it is there" person.  

We never did this because I have been to Bermuda and wasn't super impressed, but there are itineraries that sail there and spend 3-4 days docked.  So you can tour the island and use the ship as a hotel.  Now we have done a couple of Bahama's cruises where the ship docks in the morning and doesn't leave Nassau until the next afternoon.  These are nice because I could get in 6 dives in 2 days.  

The wife always recommended a 3-day out of FL for those who weren't sure.  Worst case is it only lasts 3 days.  Super worst case, you can fly home from Nassau the next day if you absolutely hate it.


----------



## rdrr

Herdfan said:


> Actually not stupid at all.  Wife used to be a travel agent and got this question all the time.
> 
> I guess it all depends on what you like to do.  If you like to spend all day at the beach, a cruise is probably not for you.  If you really like to immerse yourself in local culture, again probably not for you.
> 
> But if you like to see bits and pieces of a lot of places while unpacking once, then a cruise might suit you.  Between going with my parents and as an adult, I have probably been on close to 30 cruises and have gotten to see things I never would have gone to see as a destination.  These include ruins in Mexico, swimming with stingrays in Grand Cayman, climbing the falls in Jamaica, diving spectacular sites all over the Caribbean, seeing the Panama Canal, glaciers in Alaska and too many other things to list.
> 
> As for spending time in a cramped cabin, you don't.  Other than sleeping and getting ready, I spend no time in the cabin.  The wife likes to read on the balcony so she does that while I am out doing any other number of activities on the ship.  There is almost always something to do for almost everyone.
> 
> Everyone talks about "the food".  I probably lose a couple of pounds on a cruise just because 1) I am more active and 2) I don't feel the need to eat just because it is available.  I eat 3 meals a day just like always, the exception being I will grab a slice or 2 of pizza mid-afternoon.  But I am also not a "I have to try this or that because it is there" person.
> 
> We never did this because I have been to Bermuda and wasn't super impressed, but there are itineraries that sail there and spend 3-4 days docked.  So you can tour the island and use the ship as a hotel.  Now we have done a couple of Bahama's cruises where the ship docks in the morning and doesn't leave Nassau until the next afternoon.  These are nice because I could get in 6 dives in 2 days.
> 
> The wife always recommended a 3-day out of FL for those who weren't sure.  Worst case is it only lasts 3 days.  Super worst case, you can fly home from Nassau the next day if you absolutely hate it.



Doesn't sound as bad as I imagined, however just as you said it doesn't appeal to me.  I like to explore the local culture and find the road less traveled.   I have always been attracted to the odd thing like going to Death Valley in August, or taking two days to drive to the the remote northern rim of the Grand Canyon (Toroweap Overlook).


----------



## DT

MEJHarrison said:


> I've never been on a cruise and have no plans to do so.




Same, we'll never do it.

We boat, dive, snorkel, take frequent trips to The Keys (often for lobster season), surf, SUP, love the water and all things related to it ... but a cruise has zero interest for us.


----------



## Joe

Yeah, I have zero interest in a cruise as well. Some friends have asked if I wanted to go on a gay cruise. I said hell no. The thought of being trapped on a boat with a bunch of queens sounds like hell. I would jump off the boat after 2 days.


----------



## MEJHarrison

DT said:


> Same, we'll never do it.
> 
> We boat, dive, snorkel, take frequent trips to The Keys (often for lobster season), surf, SUP, love the water and all things related to it ... but a cruise has zero interest for us.




I got PADI certified for a PE class in college and haven't dived since.  It's just too cold here, and I don't know other divers.  But I'd love to do it again some day.  At least when I got certified, it was on Catalina Island.  That was a fun weekend and a nice place to dive.  At least it was better than the swimming pool.


----------



## Herdfan

DT said:


> Same, we'll never do it.
> 
> We boat, *dive,* snorkel, *take frequent trips to The Keys* (often for lobster season), surf, SUP, love the water and all things related to it ... but a cruise has zero interest for us.




Have you done the Duane or the Bibb?  Those are on my bucket list.  And maybe The Atocha only because my dad was always looking for unique items to give mom for Christmas, so one year we were on a cruise that stopped in Key West and visited the museum.  The wife saw some of the coins and called him to see if he wanted to get her a coin for Christmas.  So we now have a very nice Atocha real pendant.  I have seen videos and it doesn't look like a great dive, but I would do it anyway.


----------



## Herdfan

MEJHarrison said:


> I got PADI certified for a PE class in college and haven't dived since.




Great class for a PE credit.

As mentioned above, I have been to Bermuda.  It was like between my sophomore and junior years in college and I went with my parents.  Was basically bored and saw the hotel offered Discover Scuba.  One of those we teach you a little and take  you down 20' just to experience it.  Loved it and my parents felt bad there wasn't much for me to do so they paid for me to take the full class at the hotel.  Got my AOW when my wife was getting her OW.


----------



## MEJHarrison

Herdfan said:


> Great class for a PE credit.




It was!  I also did Self-Defense for Men (basic martial arts stuff).  And Aerobics, which was the only required PE class.  For my final PE credit, it was summer and there weren't a lot of options.  So my roommate and I signed up for Tap Dancing.  It was a room full of girls who were theater majors and us two guys.    We both got A's.  There were no invites to join the theater department.  But at least we didn't embarrass ourselves!


----------



## Alli

For my PE credit in college I took bowling.


----------

