TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin Cruise Ship Waiting to Dock?

This has made the national news as they could not return to their home port of the Dominican Republic.

DAILY HERALD STORY

I don't want to minimize a medical threat like the Corona Flu but most medical experts I have recently seen interviewed say the same thing. Basically the Corona Flu is another strain of flu. Like other influenza s, it is more serious to seniors but unlike some other strains, it is less serious for children. The mortality rate is the same as other strains also. I received an email yesterday that suggested I look on the back of a Lysol can to read that it is effective in combating the Corona Flu. Are we over reacting?

Overall, probably there is an over reaction. Various strains of flu have been around for years. There is a vaccine each year for a particular strain or strains. Sometimes it works and sometimes it does not. Kind of like the shingles vaccine. My wife had the original vaccine and then had 2 mild cases of shingles that were diagnosed and treated by a doctor.

Unfortunately, flu symptoms are similar so you can't blame anyone for taking precautions. As far as this article stating allowing people to leave ship and fly out, a better choice would be a fully functional airport other than SXM which is not fully operational. Another post mentioned a French couple suspected of the virus being kept off a flight in SXM and held in a building on the airport. Is PJIA equipped for this?

Supposedly they are but who knows for sure?

This one to me is different, because the ship was supposed to home port somewhere else. If SXM lets the ship dock, what will happen to it then? Is it going to be stuck at the docks for days or weeks? And it doesn't sound like anyone has even been tested for COVID19. More importantly, they are potentially going to expose busses/taxes/etc and the airport also to COVID19, as passengers would fly out from PJIA?? The test is not very reliable, but before I exposed PJIA to this thing, I would require a test anyway.

Sounds like a potential mess to me and for a LOT of people.

If anyone hears an update on this, please post. As of now, the ship is NOT in port.

Looking at Marine Traffic, it appears that Braemar has docked in P’burg.

St. Maarten is unloading the passengers from the Braemar to charter flights at Airport and new cruise passengers will board the cruise ship for a Thursday new cruise.

I think it's time for all the cruise ships to remain at their home based docks. Lose money?? Well so will the airlines, stock market investors, travelers, etc.,and just about everyone will have some part of a loss from this. Why should the cruisers be exempt?

I know we shouldn't let all this upset us and that, as some say, it may be blown out of proportion but maybe before it's too late the government which always sticks its nose into our lives should do it this time and stop ALL flights and cruises and subsidize these businesses for a couple of weeks for their losses.

I'm in Rhode Island and today it's been reported a woman has tested positive for the virus. She just returned from Italy. I know nothing more---was she on a cruise? Did she fly? Through which airport before she was diagnosed?

This does need to be taken seriously and it is . The key to react sensibly to situations like this is to have accurate information from a professional reliable source. The WHO maintains a continuously updated web page dedicated to this crisis. It provides expert guidance on dealing with this as well as credible information on where and how the disease is spreading. Perhaps most importantly, it dispels the falsehoods and incorrect assumptions rampant on the internet and web boards . Get informed. It's the best defense we have.

So agree with your assessment.
This forum is an excellent way to find the right airline , the place to eat or stay and other items concerning SXM.
However there are those who always have an opinion on this forum and they should not be relied upon as respects this virus.
Educate yourself with the facts.
A great place to start is the World Health Organization website.
Based on your information and not hearsay from others make your decision .

Hey Tom
overreacting?? Corona beer stocks tumbled.....nuff said!!!

This was not on SXM...
http://www.rfi.fr/en/wires/20200301-police-clash-french-islanders-fearing-coronavirus-among-tourists

Flight tracking information is a bit limited, but two chartered Airbus aircraft arrived in SXM from La Romana (LRM) in the DR around 11:00 last night. At least one departed again just after 3AM, headed in the direction of Europe. I see nothing regarding a second departure, but as I said, tracking information is a bit limited. Braemar has left port, and is somewhere in the USVI/BVI headed for Jamaica.

https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/officials-allow-cruise-ship-to-turnaround-at-st-maarten

Thank you for the update.