Cruise drama: Friends break friendship for 40 years because of Corona!

Cruise drama: Friends break friendship for 40 years because of Corona!

A woman from the USA brings to light a touching story in the "Dear Annie" column of the "Anchorage Daily News" that comes to a bitter end after more than 40 years of friendship. Her closest travel companions cut off contact with her after she took a cruise to Iceland despite a positive corona test. This experience not only tests the boundaries of friendship, but also raises fundamental questions about responsibility during the pandemic.

The woman received the positive test result just two days before departure. In a conversation with a doctor, she was assured that she could travel. She began taking the drug Paxlovid and wore a mask aboard the cruise for the first five days to prevent possible transmission. However, her efforts to act responsibly ended in personal tragedy: After returning to the United States, she, her husband and a friend also tested positive for Covid-19. The woman expresses her sadness about the abrupt end of her long-standing friendships and emphasizes that she did not want to endanger anyone.

Breach of trust or protective measures?

Columnist Annie Lane understands the friends' angry reaction and sees the woman's decision as a breach of trust. She recommends writing an honest letter to friends that acknowledges their feelings and apologizes. This suggestion shows how important communication and understanding are in interpersonal relationships, especially in such difficult times.

A more recent example of the vulnerability of cruise ships during the pandemic occurred in the summer of 2024 on board the “Mein Schiff 2” from Tui Cruises. Passengers reported several corona infections on board. One passenger in particular, Nadine T., spoke of chills and the long wait for treatment from the on-board doctor, who ultimately tested positive.

Chaos during quarantine

Nadine T. then had to go into quarantine and was only able to test herself after three symptom-free days. Reports from other passengers confirmed similar experiences, although general care during quarantine was a cause for criticism. Many were dissatisfied with the long waits for food and poor information from the crew regarding corona cases on board. Although Tui Cruises denied a cluster of infections, concerns remained that the ship could be stranded on return if the infections became public.

In this context, the woman's story from the USA is another example of how Covid-19 can put close interpersonal relationships under pressure. The challenges brought by the pandemic are felt in many aspects of life and affect not only personal health, but also the dynamics within friendships.