Garlick spent the last two days of the cruise in seclusion in his cabin, and then, as per protocol, the Holland America cruise escorted him on a bus with 14 others, who then went to Vancouver’s Sheraton Airport to spend another eight days in quarantine. Under federal rules, Canadians returning from abroad must self-isolate if they have tested positive for COVID-19. Linda was negative and flew home. Dave Garlick and his wife Linda Chakmak were enjoying their Alaskan cruise before Dave tested positive for COVID-19. (Linda Chakmak) The hotel quarantine cost $5,700, which he had to pay in advance. He said Holland America would reimburse him for any amount not covered by his travel insurance. Garlick admits the experience wasn’t much of a hassle for him, but warns others to prepare for the possibility that it might happen to them. “If people want to pretend that COVID is gone, then they’re really pretending. I think if you’re going to go on a cruise, you’re taking a very calculated risk,” he said, adding that he’s not against government requirements. “I don’t think it’s time to remove all these regulations.” Dave Garlick recounts his experience of being quarantined in a Vancouver hotel after a cruise trip to Alaska. (Dale Molnar/CBC) Epidemiologist Colin Furness opposes hotel quarantine, saying hotels are not quarantine facilities and there is still opportunity for spread. He said he believes more needs to be done to improve air quality in public spaces and should tell people to wear respirators, such as the N-95 variety, when in contact with others instead of being quarantined. “I don’t think quarantining the way we’re doing it actually has that much benefit. It would be better if we had a firm rule that says if you’re traveling you have to wear a respirator out in public for 10 days,” Furness said. , adding that the measures are necessary to stop the spread of the variants. CBC News has reached out to Public Health Canada for comment. Jacqueline Mizon, owner of LaSalle Travel Services Inc., advises travelers to purchase travel insurance that covers trip cancellation and medical issues. “As of now, because we are not considered non-essential, most insurance companies will cover you. Once we are considered non-essential travel [by the federal government] then you have to get medical insurance for COVID,” Mizon said. Mizon said there haven’t been many cases of people she booked travel having to be quarantined, maybe just one or two. As for Garlick, he said his experience in quarantine wasn’t bad. “My wife calls it a writer’s retreat,” recalls the retired school principal. “He went online, found two writing pads for me, sent them to me. They were there within a day. So I had four pens and two writing pads and two good books to read.”
