by Ellen Lepping, The Telegraph, March 11, 2020
As soon as the ship pulled away from the Florida coastline on Sunday afternoon, I knew I'd made the right decision to go ahead with my long-awaited Caribbean cruise. Friends thought I was crazy not to cancel now coronavirus is causing cruise ships to hit the headlines for all the wrong reasons. At best, they believed I was willingly heading off to a floating quarantine or might spend a pointless week at sea, refused entry to ports anxious to avoid potentially infected passengers.
When I arrived in Fort Lauderdale to board Celebrity Edge for a seven-day round-trip, I did wonder if I should have thought more carefully. The very same day, the ship Regal Princess was refused permission to dock at the same port while coronavirus tests were carried out on two crew members on board (they were later given the all-clear) and the ship could be seen, suddenly stilled, off the coast. With the seed of paranoia planted, I couldn't help but reach for the hand sanitiser every time I handed my passport over and cringed inwardly as one staff member tapped the boarding pass on my phone with her gloved hands.
Yet the mood inside the terminal was calm and ordered. Every passenger had their temperature taken as they entered and all passports were checked thoroughly to ensure no one had visited a high-risk country in the last two weeks. Neither check had happened when I'd entered the US at Miami airport a day earlier. Later I learnt even cruise passengers who were remaining on board following the previous cruise on the same ship were required to present themselves for their temperatures to be taken again before the second cruise began.
Inside the departure lounge itself, strangers questioned each over how worried they were and whether they had considered cancelling. Most had barely given it a second thought. Though at least for once, not even the many British passengers waiting to board were talking about the weather. Coronavirus had officially become the conversation starter of choice.
But any initial fears were forgotten as soon as we were greeted by a glass of champagne on board. Thoughts turned immediately to restaurant bookings and shore excursions and coronavirus concerns were quickly replaced by the excitement of setting sail. On board, my previous worries about whether I should go ahead with the cruise seemed faintly ridiculous when surrounded by people all determined to have the trip of a lifetime. Now everyone had made the decision to carry on, it felt very much like business as usual.
The cruise line has done their best to make us feel relaxed too. During her welcoming address over the loudspeaker, Captain Kate McCure calmly assured passengers she looked forward to meeting us all in the coming days but would refrain from shaking hands given the current situation and suggested we all do the same, imploring us to please not be offended.
Of course there are also plenty of automatic hand sanitiser stations all over the ship and at the door of every restaurant, as well as sinks before the buffet. These were all already in place to combat the sickness bugs that can spread like wildfire on cruise ships though. The key difference now is that everyone is taking time to use the facilities provided. In my first two days on board, I’ve also noticed lift buttons being pressed with knuckles and elbows rather than fingers, proving the hygiene message has definitely got through.
Since we left on Sunday, the US government has advised Americans not to travel on cruise ships but it's hard to believe anyone on board Celebrity Edge this week wishes they had not sailed. Instead, a storm has caused a slight change to the intended route and conversation has once again returned to the weather. Coronavirus has been all but forgotten as passengers get on with enjoying themselves. I'm certainly glad I went ahead with my plans and don't feel at all concerned I'm putting myself at risk by being here. On board, it's impossible to equate the reports of panicked passengers and cancellations with the contented people I see all around me and the general upbeat mood on the ship.
Beth Howell, 38, a speech therapist from Arizona, agrees. "I've been on cruises before and it feels the same as it always does," she says. "I don't think anyone is really thinking about it. It's crossed my mind that we could be quarantined of course and it's not something I would look forward to but if it happens, it happens. I think I'd look on it as an adventure."
Are you due to travel on a cruise, or have you recently returned from a holiday at sea? Please share your comments below.
This article was written by Ellen Lepping from The Telegraph and was legally licensed through the NewsCred publisher network. Please direct all licensing questions to [email protected].
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