GlamorousGirl

I’m ready to sail as soon as they stop cancelling my cruises. I’ve had 6 cancel already including cruises in Nov, 2020 and Mar, 2021 - don’t know why so far out. My September back to back with Canadian ports is clearly not sailing even though they haven’t cancelled yet. The next I have scheduled that hasn’t cancelled yet is Panama Canal Jan, 2021. When they “officially” cancel my September dates I may book another in Nov or Dec - but I don’t know if I believe them anymore about the startup dates because they’ve been pushed back so many times already. In the meantime I can’t tolerate not traveling, and I’m a travel writer and creator so a portion of my livelihood depends on it, so I’m looking at some road trips. Maybe a Route 66 road trip. While I do feel safe taking a cruise I don’t feel safe flying.

I love back to backs, especially when I can get 2 itineraries. I love the nearly empty ship in between voyages, and the way the staff treats you like a VIP!

On 6/16/2020 at 5:50 PM, seaman11 said:

This is why.  The governers of florida and texas. Cost us august/sept.  Maybe more if they keep being in denial.  

Governors didn’t cause this. The Chinese government lying about it and letting planes leave China but not fly within China when the outbreak started are to blame. We would have been sailing months ago if it weren’t for that. Governors can’t stay locked down forever; the economy is vital too. There are people out of work for months who can’t pay their rent or utilities or buy food. That can’t be ignored.

On 6/16/2020 at 4:49 PM, Georgia_Peaches said:

I guess we all knew it was coming and it must be a relief to have an official announcement for those who are booked in August/Sept.  But I hope this isn't a reflection of how the meeting with the CDC went last week.

This is not a relief at all, because they’ve pushed the dates back so many times I don’t believe them anymore. They could easily extend it again, and multiple times. I’ll be “relieved” when the first ship sails.

This is totally absurd. Flights are far more dangerous because passengers are packed in like sardines in a can for the duration of the trip, and flights have never been grounded. I had to take one last week and it was 100% full and had a waiting list. The government needs to step in and refuse them stimulus money unless they reduce capacity. Meanwhile, cruises are being unfairly targeted. Social distancing is possible with changes (like staggered muster drills instead of one), and there are plenty of employees on the ship to enforce distancing. If planes can fly ships should sail.

I posted an update on everything I could find out about the COVID-19 cruise situation as of the time I produced this video (over the past few days). Of course, as you all know, things are changing day by day... hopefully we will be sailing again soon!

I’ve had 2 cruises canceled by NCL. One was a land based casino voucher and the other was a land-based casino upgraded tier level discount. I received FCC for both in the amount I paid cash (port taxes and fees in the case of the voucher) with 25% extra because I waited for them to cancel. I rescheduled the voucher to a week in September, and applied my FCC to future cruises I had booked already. If you had a voucher, they’re giving an extended time limit on when you can take the replacement cruise. If you cancel before they do, you will get 100% instead of 125%. The cruise next vouchers I used were also returned to my account.

No... For this very reason I always go on excursions through the cruise ship (unless docked overnight), and arrive a couple days early for embarkation (unless the port is local). I WOULD have missed the ship once if I hadn’t been on the cruise line’s excursion - the tour operator’s bus broke down and we got back an hour late. Fortunately the ship was forced to wait for us.

We went to New York City on March 13 for our March 15 cruise to the Caribbean on Norwegian Bliss... Needless to say, sadly it was cancelled 2 days before the cruise. So we stayed in New York 2 more nights. Hope this video will give some of you ideas on what to see and do in New York before or after your future cruise, or give you an idea on what you may see during your cruise excursions there! Click here to watch the video

She doesn’t know what she’s talking about. I just completed a college course on travel and environmental and social impacts. Cruises are taking great measures, more than most companies, to minimize their carbon footprint.

I will be less likely to sail out of ports I have to fly to. I won’t go to the crowded parties on the ship. I won’t go to shows unless I can sit away from others. I’ll take the stairs. I’ll disinfect the cabin and wash hands more. I already stay away from the lido deck so I don’t have to start doing that.

I miss it too and am chomping at the bit to travel again. And frankly I’d feel safer on a cruise ship right now than in the local grocery store. I won’t feel safe flying to any cruise port for a while though, have to drive.

Some states are already opening up. I think sometime between Aug 1 and Sep 1 is a great guess. As for ports - a  lot of the places that rely so heavily on tourism are really hurting economically. Nobody can keep this up forever. So I think a lot of them will open sooner than some people think.

NCL is my favorite, followed by RCL. But I wouldn’t rule out Carnival if I could get a much better price. Hoping NCL is around a good long time though

I’m not panicking yet. Filing bankruptcy and going out of business are NOT the same thing, and plenty of companies file without going out of business

Going on a “date” every night with my man in the restaurants and nightlife 

Salalah, Oman

Luxor, Egypt

Dubai, UAE

Aqaba, Jordan

St. Petersburg, Russia

I would still go, but I would choose other methods of travel a lot more often. The destinations - and ease of going to multiple destinations on one trip - is my favorite thing about cruising

In my experience, they charge you a “fine” if you cancel a person in the cabin and go alone after final payment, but won’t if you find someone else to take their place. Even though they know they’re going to have to feed that person and provide service to them, which costs the cruise line money. It’s very counterintuitive- but it’s because they expect that person to spend more on the ship than the cost of feeding and servicing them.

I agree with those who have said quality has gone down in the MDR. I’ve been noticing that for quite a while now.

4 hours ago, Sand and Seas said:

Someone has to go on the first few cruises.  Then, if all goes well, others will feel more comfortable about going.

I think I'm going to feel more comfortable on a cruise ship with all of the employees cleaning everything than shopping in my local Walmart.    (Not saying that the Walmart employees aren't trying hard....it's some of the idiots that are shopping I worry about!)

Same here. I’d feel safer on the ship than my local grocery store. I’m willing to be one of the “guinea pigs” cruising first as long as I don’t have to fly, get a doctors note, or wear a mask the whole time

I have one scheduled for September and another November and I’m fairly confident both will sail. Things are already starting to open up again. There’s a lot of time left in 2020. 

I’m not worried about anything changing even if they were to file bankruptcy. Lots of companies file bankruptcy and then continue business as usual. You wouldn’t even know it if you hadn’t heard it on the news. I’m not saying I think they will file - I don’t know. But what I do know is bankruptcy and out of business aren’t the same thing, and I’m not worried. 

I hope so, and I hope that includes my May cruise out of Amsterdam that still hasn’t cancelled. As much as I was looking forward to it I refuse to fly until at least November. Ironically they did cancel my cruise a year from now out of Asia, but not one next month!

Depends on the disembarkation point, your home state, and the Governor. My Governor has already said residents of the state will always be allowed to disembark and return home. I would hope other Governors would do that too but I haven’t heard any of the other Governors address this on the news, so I don’t know

4 hours ago, ColeThornton said:

I definitely wouldn't wear one.  I can't imagine wanting to cruise wearing a mask, social distancing (impossible on a cruise ship) or any of the other precautions.

 

Our Governor just extended our lockdown and finally is making people wear masks to stores, etc.  Don't get me started on that.  lol

While I wouldn’t wear a mask, I would social distance. I do believe it’s possible. I would avoid elevators, big parties, the lido deck, and crowded restaurants and dining time. I already prefer the quieter areas of the ship anyway.