CARNIVAL VS DCL: The discussion and comparison thread!

[smmco]

He is 10, he'll be turning 11 on the cruise in December. I guess he'll need a few before he can go to the 10-year ones. I do like the Government required haircut for the picture lol. He might fall for it.

I made my 17 year old shave. I told him you can’t have facial hair in a passport picture. I don’t know if that’s true, but it got him to shave.

 

[smmco]

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[we"reofftoneverland]

We are still in wdw and the last night the parks were open I was shocked to see the cast members lining the streets as we walked out of Hollywood studios at the end of the night. There was music playing and it was very emotional. All employees were there, front and back of the house: gift shop cast members, food service, chefs, maintenance workers, fireworks employees in jumpsuits, management, all waving, most of them CRYING, saying, “bye,” and, “see ya real soon.” Made me cry too— and I never cry!!
There are still a lot of visitors here and the cast members are just wonderful. Everything closes Friday. We are the last men standing. Holding the line. Lol

 

[smmco]

We are still in wdw and the last night the parks were open I was shocked to see the cast members lining the streets as we walked out of Hollywood studios at the end of the night. There was music playing and it was very emotional. All employees were there, front and back of the house: gift shop cast members, food service, chefs, maintenance workers, fireworks employees in jumpsuits, management, all waving, most of them CRYING, saying, “bye,” and, “see ya real soon.” Made me cry too— and I never cry!!
There are still a lot of visitors here and the cast members are just wonderful. Everything closes Friday. We are the last men standing. Holding the line. Lol

I'm glad you're having a good time. We'll be there on April 28. I owe 2500 in taxes if we can defer tax payments for 90 days like Mnuchin was talking about today. I might throw in a three-day cruise or a couple of days at Universal. I'll do my part to put money back in the economy LOL.

 

[belle032]

We are still in wdw and the last night the parks were open I was shocked to see the cast members lining the streets as we walked out of Hollywood studios at the end of the night. There was music playing and it was very emotional. All employees were there, front and back of the house: gift shop cast members, food service, chefs, maintenance workers, fireworks employees in jumpsuits, management, all waving, most of them CRYING, saying, “bye,” and, “see ya real soon.” Made me cry too— and I never cry!!
There are still a lot of visitors here and the cast members are just wonderful. Everything closes Friday. We are the last men standing. Holding the line. Lol

Aww I'm a former College Program CM and WDW CM and it's just heartbreaking that it's all "ending"! And I saw so many posts and videos on FB about the college program CMs being made to leave....so sad to watch! I understand why it has to be done, but it's such a shame.

I hope you have had a great time, even under the crazy circumstances. I imagine it's a much different atomosphere than normal. Enjoy the time you have left!

 

[smmco]

Aww I'm a former College Program CM and WDW CM and it's just heartbreaking that it's all "ending"! And I saw so many posts and videos on FB about the college program CMs being made to leave....so sad to watch! I understand why it has to be done, but it's such a shame.

I hope you have had a great time, even under the crazy circumstances. I imagine it's a much different atomosphere than normal. Enjoy the time you have left!

Do they live in dorm style housing? I’m wondering why they had to shut program down.

 

[belle032]

Do they live in dorm style housing? I’m wondering why they had to shut program down.

Yes, when I was there there were 3 apartment complexes and you lived with at least 3 other people in the same apartment. Shared bedrooms like a dorm. The International program had its own complex as well. I think with everything closed they had no “good” reason to keep the program going. Meaning they probably don’t want to pay thousands of college kids to just sit there. I also imagine those apartments would become a big liability in terms of spreading sickness. It’s too bad no matter how you look at it.

 

[we"reofftoneverland]

https://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/index.htm
Just to give everyone a bit of “off topic” perspective, yesterday the cdc released their 2019-2020 weekly seasonal flu report, which by the way, big surprise, did not make media headlines. So far THIS 2019-2020 season, direct quote: “CDC estimates that so far this season, there have been at least 36 million flu illnesses, 370,000 hospitalizations, and 22,000 deaths from flu.”

Those are USA numbers. Not world numbers.

 

[smmco]

https://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/index.htm
Just to give everyone a bit of “off topic” perspective, yesterday the cdc released their 2019-2020 weekly seasonal flu report, which by the way, big surprise, did not make media headlines. So far THIS 2019-2020 season, direct quote: “CDC estimates that so far this season, there have been at least 36 million flu illnesses, 370,000 hospitalizations, and 22,000 deaths from flu.”

Those are USA numbers. Not world numbers.

And this was a mild flu season.
I hope you stocked up on toilet paper before you left. My biggest concern in life is where I'm going to find toilet paper when I run out in two weeks. I know first world problems. LOL.

 

[wombat_5606]

https://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/index.htm
Just to give everyone a bit of “off topic” perspective, yesterday the cdc released their 2019-2020 weekly seasonal flu report, which by the way, big surprise, did not make media headlines. So far THIS 2019-2020 season, direct quote: “CDC estimates that so far this season, there have been at least 36 million flu illnesses, 370,000 hospitalizations, and 22,000 deaths from flu.”

Those are USA numbers. Not world numbers.

Saw something the other day that I agree with. When this is all over, we will never know if we overreacted to this pandemic, but there will be a way to know if we under reacted.

We have a flu vaccine and we have treatment for seasonal flu and most of the deaths are attributed to people that don't get vaccinated.

But maybe some additional information, just some food for thought from a friend of mine that has now retired from a career in a top position at Vanderbilt Hospital in Nashville, TN.


Flatten the curve !!

Understanding COVID-19.....simply A complex disease

Feeling confused as to why Coronavirus is a bigger deal than Seasonal flu? Here it is in a nutshell. I hope this helps. Feel free to share this to others who don’t understand...

It has to do with RNA sequencing.... i.e. genetics.

Seasonal flu is an “all human virus”. The DNA/RNA chains that make up the virus are recognized by the human immune system. This means that your body has some immunity to it before it comes around each year... you get immunity two ways...through exposure to a virus, or by getting a flu shot.

Novel viruses, come from animals.... the WHO tracks novel viruses in animals, (sometimes for years watching for mutations). Usually these viruses only transfer from animal to animal (pigs in the case of H1N1) (birds in the case of the Spanish flu). But once, one of these animal viruses mutates, and starts to transfer from animals to humans... then it’s a problem, Why? Because we have no natural or acquired immunity.. the RNA sequencing of the genes inside the virus isn’t human, and the human immune system doesn’t recognize it so, we can’t fight it off.

Now.... sometimes, the mutation only allows transfer from animal to human, for years it’s only transmission is from an infected animal to a human before it finally mutates so that it can now transfer human to human... once that happens..we have a new contagion phase. And depending on the fashion of this new mutation, thats what decides how contagious, or how deadly it’s gonna be..
H1N1 was deadly....but it did not mutate in a way that was as deadly as the Spanish flu. It’s RNA was slower to mutate and it attacked its host differently, too.

Fast forward.
Now, here comes this Coronavirus... it existed in animals only, for nobody knows how long...but one day, at an animal market, in Wuhan China, in December 2019, it mutated and made the jump from animal to people. At first, only animals could give it to a person... But here is the scary part.... in just TWO WEEKS it mutated again and gained the ability to jump from human to human. Scientists call this quick ability, “slippery”
This Coronavirus, not being in any form a “human” virus (whereas we would all have some natural or acquired immunity). Took off like a rocket. And this was because, Humans have no known immunity...doctors have no known medicines for it.
And it just so happens that this particular mutated animal virus, changed itself in such a way the way that it causes great damage to human lungs..
That’s why Coronavirus is different from seasonal flu, or H1N1 or any other type of influenza.... this one is slippery. And it’s a lung eater...And, it’s already mutated AGAIN, so that we now have two strains to deal with, strain s, and strain L....which makes it twice as hard to develop a vaccine.

We really have no tools in our shed, with this. History has shown that fast and immediate closings of public places has helped in the past pandemics. Philadelphia and Baltimore were reluctant to close events in 1918 and they were the hardest hit in the US during the Spanish Flu.

And let me end by saying....right now it’s hitting older folks harder... but this genome is so slippery...if it mutates again (and it will). Who is to say, what it will do next.

#flattenthecurve. Stay home folks... and share this to those that just are not catching on.
Stay safe

 

[smmco]

And back to regularly scheduled programming.....
I’ve been looking at Carnival cruises. I think I’m going to stick with the Mardi Gras . I’m starting to wonder if it will be delayed again due to the shut downs. I was considering a December cruise, but I hate to book again and have it cancelled.
I think have about a month before I’ll be able to get through on the phones to book anything.

 

[hdrolfe]

And back to regularly scheduled programming.....
I’ve been looking at Carnival cruises. I think I’m going to stick with the Mardi Gras . I’m starting to wonder if it will be delayed again due to the shut downs. I was considering a December cruise, but I hate to book again and have it cancelled.
I think have about a month before I’ll be able to get through on the phones to book anything.

I always book online, but if you have special circumstances or book through a TA then I guess you'd need to call. Mardi Gras looks amazing and I hope to book one on there, but probably not for a bit. I have Horizon booked in December and given the drop in CAD I will probably not be able to afford another one too closely after that. Any way! I'd assume a longer delay on Mardi Gras, though of course that could be way off and it'll be ready on time. I'd hate to get cancelled on and have to adjust from that.

 

[smmco]

I always book online, but if you have special circumstances or book through a TA then I guess you'd need to call. Mardi Gras looks amazing and I hope to book one on there, but probably not for a bit. I have Horizon booked in December and given the drop in CAD I will probably not be able to afford another one too closely after that. Any way! I'd assume a longer delay on Mardi Gras, though of course that could be way off and it'll be ready on time. I'd hate to get cancelled on and have to adjust from that.

I get 1500 off our two rooms because our original Mardi Gras Baltic cruise was cancelled. Yeah I have to call.
I know people on my cruise booked the next inaugural cruise in Nov. I wonder how that works if you get cancelled twice.

 

[hdrolfe]

I get 1500 off our two rooms because our original Mardi Gras Baltic cruise was cancelled. Yeah I have to call.
I know people on my cruise booked the next inaugural cruise in Nov. I wonder how that works if you get cancelled twice.

I imagine they'd get an even bigger amount off or obc? Yeah I'd probably wait to call if I were you, but probably not too long in case prices start to climb again. Do you have a PVP you can call? Might be easier to get through than calling the regular 800 number.

 

[smmco]

I imagine they'd get an even bigger amount off or obc? Yeah I'd probably wait to call if I were you, but probably not too long in case prices start to climb again. Do you have a PVP you can call? Might be easier to get through than calling the regular 800 number.

I'm not in a super big hurry. I'm still worried about my Europe cruise this Summer, We're on a DCL Baltic cruise this August and it's fully paid for. If Disney doesn't extend the 24-hour cancellation to August I may have to temporarily move my cruise out to a dummy cruise. Take a wait and see approach and then move it back. I'm not concerned about the virus being a problem. I'm starting to getting a little concerned about what the economic situation is going to look like over there. I do think Northern Europe will fare better than Southern Europe. My flights and hotels are all booked with points and fully refundable.

I just wish DCL would extend the cancellation policy until the end of Summer such as NCL did. If everything falls through my son wants to do the Panama cruise in November that would mean maybe doing a Carnival cruise next Spring.

I'm also going to book a room at WDW in June just in case they don't open back up in April and I have to reschedule that. Thankfully we don't have to worry about losing our jobs through all this. Worrying about vacations seems wrong, but it relieves a lot of stress. I'm really starting to get worried about the economy.

 

[we"reofftoneverland]

https://www.epicentro.iss.it/coronavirus/bollettino/Report-COVID-2019_17_marzo-v2.pdf
More “off topic” perspective: According to a new Italian study dated March 17, 2020, the average age of those who have died from the Coronavirus in Italy is 80 and 99% had pre-existing conditions.

How about we just get this high risk group to quarantine instead of shutting down the entire economy?

Why are car manufacturers like Ford, GM, and Chrysler shutting down in the US? Makes no sense. Why is a sheriff in California threatening to shut down a Tesla plant that is still operating? There is no evidence that these private enterprises have anything to do with the threat of Coronavirus. At this rate, there won’t be a cruise industry to sail with. Why? Because of a really bad pneumonia that is rarely deadly?

#doyourownresearch

 

[wombat_5606]

https://www.epicentro.iss.it/coronavirus/bollettino/Report-COVID-2019_17_marzo-v2.pdf
More “off topic” perspective: According to a new Italian study dated March 17, 2020, the average age of those who have died from the Coronavirus in Italy is 80 and 99% had pre-existing conditions.

How about we just get this high risk group to quarantine instead of shutting down the entire economy?

Why are car manufacturers like Ford, GM, and Chrysler shutting down in the US? Makes no sense. Why is a sheriff in California threatening to shut down a Tesla plant that is still operating? There is no evidence that these private enterprises have anything to do with the threat of Coronavirus. At this rate, there won’t be a cruise industry to sail with. Why? Because of a really bad pneumonia that is rarely deadly?

#doyourownresearch

https://www.statnews.com/2020/03/18...of-risk-confirms-young-adults-not-invincible/

 

[smmco]

https://www.epicentro.iss.it/coronavirus/bollettino/Report-COVID-2019_17_marzo-v2.pdf
More “off topic” perspective: According to a new Italian study dated March 17, 2020, the average age of those who have died from the Coronavirus in Italy is 80 and 99% had pre-existing conditions.

How about we just get this high risk group to quarantine instead of shutting down the entire economy?

Why are car manufacturers like Ford, GM, and Chrysler shutting down in the US? Makes no sense. Why is a sheriff in California threatening to shut down a Tesla plant that is still operating? There is no evidence that these private enterprises have anything to do with the threat of Coronavirus. At this rate, there won’t be a cruise industry to sail with. Why? Because of a really bad pneumonia that is rarely deadly?

#doyourownresearch

I've read about something like this happening for years, but never really thought it would happen and it happened so quickly. I'm not talking about the virus. I'm talking about economic collapse and taking away our civil liberties. Probably not a rabbit hole I want to go down not on these boards.

I read on another forum that when WDW reopens they may do it in a limited capacity. No parades, shows or fireworks, virtual lines, restaurants at 50% capacity, only online ordering at quick service. These are some of the ideas they are throwing around.

 

[AquaDame]

We need to keep this thread on topic please. If you wish to discuss the virus please take it over to the community board.

 

[lklgoodman]

I have a question for those who have cruised from Miami. What hotel/transport did you use? Any that you would recommend or never use again? I'm looking at Miami Comfort Inn and Suites because they provide a shuttle to the port and I can also book transport to the airport after the cruise. They don't have any pics on their website, so can't tell how nice/yucky it is. Whenever we cruise out of PC, I usually book somewhere with a nice pool since we usually get a morning flight and a lot of time to relax at a pool. We won't be able to get direct flights into Miami, so won't have much time at the hotel. But I still want something clean and non-smoking and pet free(asthma and allergies). So, if you read all this any recommendations? Thanks