Government advises travellers to reconsider overseas cruising

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) has advised Australian travellers to "reconsider taking an overseas cruise at this time” – expressing particular concern for those with underlying health conditions in the wake of ongoing COVID-19 concerns.

“If, despite our advice, you proceed with your cruise and you're concerned about the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on your plans, check with your travel agent or cruise company and read and subscribe to our travel advisories for your destinations, including transit locations,” DFAT noted.

The Federal Government agency also added that travellers should not rely upon the option of repatriation from cruise ships if their cruise becomes affected by the virus.

Are you booked to go on a cruise in the near future? Are you worried about your upcoming travel plans? How are you approaching the situation?

7 comments

ANYONE would have to be brain dead to even considering a cruise OR any travel at this time, fancy having to tell people to   'reconsider' it should be BANNED

I have some friends that were told by their husbands to nook themselves a trip overseas and spare NO expense -- and they DID and are due to fly out,  business class 4 of them in June to Italy FGS

My major concen about cuising PlanB is will my travel insurance cover me, at age 76, if I get the 'plague'. I am on the lookout for discounted cuises and the prospect of picking something up on a ship is, and always has been, fartherest from my mind. In my life I have cheated death a few time, in war, road accidents, workplace incidents and desease, and know that eventually the Grim Reaper will catch me. In the meantime I am going to enjoy myself, not sit aound at home too fightened to do anything. I am probably more at risk if I cross the road at a crosswalk than on a cruise ship. I do not aspire to immortality.

Eddy, your travel insurance probably won't cover you if you get COVID-19 Coronoavirus on a cruise. Most travel insurance policies exclude epidemics and pandemics. 

Eddy - do a cruise in Aussie waters, did one last December. At our age, should anything happen, the next port is Australia and Medicare will look after you. And you won't even need a passport since you do not leave the country. For the moment do not go overseas.

I like Eddy's courageous spirit of adventure. I would only add keep an eye out for situations where the shipping line cancels the cruise. You should get a full refund, but at this time I'd check the fine print.

We are told the death rate is ONLY 2.4% and is quite low and all this hype is bullshit as it is mot really all that serious. HOWEVER the 2.4% is only an average and climbs quite quickly to 16% for older people and anyone who is over 70 and has an underlyung conditon such as camcer, diabetes, heart problems etc, IT IS A DEATH SENTANCE

But isn't that the same for seasonal flu? And we don't get all the panic that seems to come with Coronovirus.

Between 2010 and 2019, 336,000 people died of the flu, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and as bad as that statistic is, it gets worse: fully 90% of the deaths from the flu in 2017-18 were adults over 65.https://www.aging.com/a-guide-to-the-seasonal-flu-for-seniors/.  

I can't recall anything that caused the amount of hysteria and restrictions that is being whipped up by media and governments over Coronovirus.

Don't be so melodramatic mike. 

Cancer, diabetes, heart disease, respiratory diseases and even the annual flu season are "DEATH SENTENCES" for the elderly with underlying conditions.

For a point of interest - mortality rates for COVID-19 are reported at:

15-22% for over 80s

8% for those70-79

3.6% for those 60-69

1.3% for those 50-59

0.4% for those 40-49

and 0.2% in each age group from 10-39

There have been no deaths of cildren and infants 0-9yrs.

In comparison for flu in Australia in 2017 (the most recent figures available ABS) there were 1255 deaths with only 79 under the age of 64! 

in 2017 43,447 deaths (27% of all deaths) were due to various forms of heart and circulatory diseases (CVD). Those over 85 account for 53% (23026), men aged 75-84 were four times lower and women 6 times lower. And that is just Australia!

For diabetes in Australia in 2017, more than 17000 deaths were related to diabetes and death rates were three times hgher for the over 85s compared to the 75-84s.

Simply put, age is a mortality factor and COVID-19 is no different especially if you have an underlying co-morbidity.

 

A bit of perspective is necessary and less scaremongering.

I agree with you 110% KSS. It is pathetic how people feed off scaremongering. I say to those people GET A LIFE.  You can die from anything at anytime. Do what you can, stop complaining if you can’t get something from the shops because stupid people like yourself have succumbed to scare tactics and bought more than their fair share.

I did my usual online shop last night..almost half of the stuff was substituted for something else and of course no toilet paper. Am I going to gnash my teeth and swear..no..because it does NOT matter.

 

 

Hi Sophie, same here. Fortunately we always do a huge shop after Christmas so we've got good stocks.

Went into a whitegoods shop yesterday to pick up something and saw sold notices on almost all the freezers. Asked the salesman, what gives, and he said people are buying up and filling with frozen food in preparation for armageddon. They'd better pray the power doesn't go off!

Mike, I think I received my 'DEATH SENTENCE' the moment I took my first breath in 1943. Histrionics and melodrama aside, death is the final part of life and we make way for generations yet unborn. I am no more worried about Covid19 than I am about heart desease, cancer, influenza, golden staph (which I have already suffered), road accidents (had a couple of bad ones my in my life), electrocution (as a former electrician I have had a couple of real shockers), drowning, shark attack or any other things that can end my life. That is what it is - life.

Today Italy has been added to Australia's coronavirus travel ban alongside China, Iran, South Korea.

Think all travel both domestic and overseas, not just cruising, may be well off the agenda for many now as the coronavirus spread worsens.

Israel is putting every person who enters the country into quarantine for 2 weeks. We should be doing that and should have started it several months ago. I have no confidence in the way government authorities are handling this threat in Australia. Nor do I believe the figures quoted (113 nationwide yesterday) because the criteria for testing is so limited.

Here are the numbers of cases that have been recorded in each state and territory as of Tuesday evening:

NSW: 61

Queensland: 18

Victoria: 18

South Australia: 7

Western Australia: 6

Tasmania: 2

Northern Territory: 1

ACT: 0

 

 

Sorry, but this mass hysteria is ludicrous.  Have you thought how much the taxpayer will have to fork out if the hundreds of people entering Australian have to be screened and isolated for 14 days?

Judging by the mindless panic and stockpiling of useless stuff [if you're home quarantined you can't batter and fry a toilet roll to eat] it seems we haven't travelled very far from being primative.   Over 80% percent of cases are mild and people recover.  Keep up good hygiene and we'll be fine...providing a seagull doesn't have a heart attack in the sky and falls on your head and kills us.

Hahaha, like the humour. Yep good hygiene will do the trick. 

Wash your hands up to the elbows, do not pick your nose, kiss no one, hug no one, shower more often and stop the panic, you can only die once!

It's a plot 20/20. Have you observed the only deaths are in the older bracket? Not one child has died. 

It's the global plan by the Illuminati by which they could slowly dissolve the Old World . The Old World being old people who they consider a burden on the world's resources. I'll send you some stuff about this.

I heard that a baby had died the other day

I see Morrison is still telling everyone to go out into crowds and not change their ways -- utter madness -- this bloke is a follower NOT a leader -- we should be told to stay away from crowds -- FGS if you have to watch footy watch it on TV -- don't mix in crowds at all

Speaking of being out at sea, what about Tom? He drifted halfway across an ocean on a jerry-built raft in Cast Away and survived. He's a hero! Surely he can't succumb to coronavirus? Just not fair.

 

"I heard that a baby had died the other day"

 A mother and her baby arriving from Iran both tested positive. They are both fine now.

 

 

 

I don’t know about the Illuminati’s hand in anything Ray..but Italian doctors and nurses have been instructed to leave those unlikely to survive Covid-19 untreated, as hospitals there come under incredible strain. 

As a result, hospital staff are required to decide which patients get life-saving devices like ventilators. Those too old to be likely to survive the coronavirus will be left to die, as are those with significant comorbidities. At one hospital in Milan, patients older than 60 are not being intubated.

 Sounds like it’s survival of the fittest to me.

 

 

It is survival of the fittest and that is shocking! Awful for doctors to have to choose who they save and who they let die.

 

As there is no cure or treatment for Covid-19,

the doctors do not have to make a choice as to who lives or dies

 

 

Ah Sophie, make no mistake, power of the Illuminati still exists.

Seriously though, Italy did the right thing stopping all travel etc. because judging from the thousands of tourists they get weekly, they'd never be able to cope. Glad we went to see the rellies at Christmas.

It is meaningless to discuss the likelihood of infection for a disease we don't have  an antidote for, yet. It simply means that if everybody is meticulous in washing hands with soap and water at every opportunity (and don't touch the hand rails on the stairs and escalators) you will be almost 100% safe. Don't shake hands with ANYBODY and don't kiss anyone other than you beloved (and some will say even that could be risky).

So, why all the trauma? Basically because many people are so stupid it behoves us to take extraordinary precautions. As evidenced by the toilet roll scrimmages. In the act of fighting with some other idiot for the last packet of toilet rolls in a supermarket you could become infected with coronavirus, is that poetic justice or what?

Yes maybe IF everyone did wash their hands --but they darn well don't -- I see people in cafes etc and even filmed on TV handling food with BARE hands -- and I bet they  don't wash the Veg and or fruit etc either

As of Monday night the death rate in Italy was above 5%. 

Diagnosed cases = 9,172.   Deaths equalled 463.   5% of 9,172  = just below 459.

 

 

As coronavirus cripples cruise lines, one of the world’s most exclusive operators Viking Cruises has made the unprecedented decision to suspend its ocean and river trips.

The suspension in response to the global coronavirus outbreak is effective as of today, March 12, and will be in place until April 30. Viking currently operates 79 ocean and river ships worldwide.

https://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-updates/health-safety/viking-cruises-suspends-luxury-cruise-ship-sailings/news-story/582a3de0a14b1cc7f4b0dd5997d3a3d8

Princess Cruises, the operator of two ocean liners that were quarantined after they became hotbeds for coronavirus infections, said on Thursday it would suspend voyages of all its 18 ships for two months.

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