France in Focus

Here we go again - the floating germ-water polluting cities: "Cruise ship with 800 Covid cases docks in Sydney"

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-63605824

Hate cruise ships anyway, and just seeing Qatars' solution to accommodating thousands of football fans soon, hmmmm, what could possibly go wrong?! (In theory, a good idea, as at least these new style ships are powered differently when docked, so not so polluting for the water, but still ....)

I've taken a cruise many moons ago. It was an okay experience, but not something I would ever consider these days. Even before Covid, the thought of being on a floating boat, in VERY close quarters with thousands of other people just sounds like absolute hell.

The article said they were arranging private transport and accommodations for those who tested positive. Why don't they just stay on the ship?

If I was resident there (Australia), I would not be happy about that. I presume there are many more among the passengers who will test positive in the coming days, but haven't just yet. We all know the story now, after more than 2 years. They will all be sharing their Covid with the people they come in contact with.

How nice.

'the thought of being on a floating boat, in VERY close quarters with thousands of other people just sounds like absolute hell'

ditto - not for me either.

Lori wrote: ↑Sat Nov 12, 2022 9:13 am the thought of being on a floating boat, in VERY close quarters with thousands of other people just sounds like absolute hell

More likely a floating flock of flats but with more cramped conditions ..... ghastly. I wonder what they do with the effluence from 6 or 7,000 people - the thought of untreated sewage emptied into the sea sounds grim, but perhaps they do something more eco-friendly

I’ve been on a cruise and I did enjoy it,however recently I haven’t heard of anyone who didn’t come back with Covid or knew someone who had so I won’t repeat the experience for a while
Having said that I have a friend who went to Italy the other week came back with Covid,developed breathing difficulties and ended up in hospital,she’s home now but still not well

[/quote] but perhaps they do something more eco-friendly
[/quote]

I seriously doubt it. They will do the cheapest thing possible. I no longer set foot in any ocean.

Pathca wrote: ↑Sat Nov 12, 2022 10:04 am I have a friend who went to Italy the other week came back with Covid,developed breathing difficulties and ended up in hospital,she’s home now but still not well

Curious as I have to travel next week and am not looking forward to it.

Does she have an idea where she got it? How did she travel - plane, train, private car? Did she wear a mask on public transport? Is she fully vaccinated? Did her travel companions get it too?

Sorry for the questions, but I'm trying to arm myself with as much precautions as I can for my journey next week.

Really sad that something that 'should' be a pleasant thing is now a nerve racking chore.

I haven’t seen her,but her husband also got it as well although not as badly,she is fully vaccinated and is a dentist so will be careful about things but I don’t know exact details

A friend worked as a swabber on a cruise ship - testing everyone onboard regularly - so maybe there is not only the issue of confinement and close proximity to others - but also some testing positive who are asymptomatic and would not have been caught if not on a ship.

As for a cruise - as an anti-social old grump the idea of being in close confinement with loads of others with faked entertainment does not appeal in the slightest.

Just a few facts on ship polloution.
In my day 1970s our ships had sewage treatment systems better than my own home installation today (but similar design and operation). The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) has a department MARPOL (maritime Pollution) with lots of regulations in law. Considering UK water boards are dumping raw sewage in the sea and rivers, ships are bound by law to prevent pollution.
With regard to power alongside a berth, the following.
"CLIA's 39 member cruise lines have also agreed to build ships engineered to connect to shoreside power by 2035.
The importance of shoreside plug-ins

On average, each ship that plugs in at a port can reduce diesel emissions by 80% and carbon dioxide emissions by 66%, according to the Port of Seattle, which is trying to phase seaport-related emissions by 2050. According to the port, connecting a ship to shore power eliminates the equivalent emissions to driving an average car from Seattle to New York 30 times.
When shore power is not available, those lines have agreed that their ships will use other available low-carbon technologies required by ports.
CLIA told me that today, 93% of ship capacity on order among members is expected to include shoreside electricity; 40% of cruise ships now in service have that capacity.
The number of cruise ports equipped to provide that shoreside electricity sits at 22 worldwide, which is less than 2% of cruise ports. Half of those ports are in North America, with many along the West Coast as far north as Juneau, Alaska, and as far south as Los Angeles.
Other ports with shore power include six locations in Europe, including Bergen, Norway, and Southampton, England, and another five in Asia like in Incheon, South Korea, and Shanghai."

It would seem that there is a lot of catch up to be done. It is not always the fault of ships.
Diesel generators are again by law, run on low sulphur fuels when in dock as well as at sea. LOx and NOx are regulated.