M&A

The parking garage is across the street in front of the terminal.  Last time there we parked first and wheeled our luggage over to the terminal.  But I think you can unload in front of the terminal drop off your bags and have your spouse stay with the bags while you park.

I don't think there was a check-in entrance at the garage it was at the terminal

2 hours ago, HBE4 said:

 

Ditto.

 

I've been saying it's like a 2 month long snow day. We even got a dusting of snow Saturday morning, when the normal temp should be between 50 (low) and 70 (high). 

 

Is this what living in Canada feels like? 😉

Yes - we normally are not back in Canada until into May and haven't experienced a Canadian winter for 10 years.  But with the pandemic we had to come back early, April was record cold and May so far has been freezing cold, snow on Saturday too and cold today.

We should've been coming off our Med cruise now and staying for a week in Italy...........

Just wish we were back in our Florida home........😒

On 5/4/2020 at 5:14 AM, heatherb1958 said:

I think It is ridiculous that they are bringing Canadian crew over to Southampton from the US waters and flying them back to Canada when it would be much simpler to drop them off in Canada , take them by bus to isolate them in a closed hotel for however long it takes and then home for them.

I am sure there are logistics to consider I have not thought about but p***  up and brewery does come to mind . 

Canadian ports are closed until July 1st.  There are over 300 Canadians still at sea

https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/cruise-ships-stranded-crew-members-cdc-covid-19-1.5552424

16 hours ago, taglovestocruise said:

Maybe cancel every other cabin, let those that are left scramble to find new cabins. 6 feet between tables and have MDR open 24/7.  No fun chat or making friends in the DL.

Maybe they will only sell balcony cabins.  Eliminate the cheaper inside and oceanview rooms.

They can put the tables 6 feet apart but how do they enforce distancing on the elevators?

15 people can crowd on to an elevator on their way to dinner, and then when they get to the dining room they have to sit 6 feet apart?  damage done.  

Do they shut down the elevators on ships? would there be someone at every elevator ensuring only 2 people at a time?

How about the tenders?  every seat is filled on tenders, that's to get people off the ship fast.  If they restrict to 6 feet apart it would take hours to get off the ship in a tender port.

What about hot tubs?  do they police that?  one person per hot tub?

Too many places where you can't social distance,  it's going to be impossible on a cruise ship

12 minutes ago, zonacruiser25 said:

Just sell balcony cabins

Plus no buffets, no more than 2 people per table in the dining areas and only 2 people at a time on elevators.  Testing before you board and probably after re-boarding at each port

When they canceled our Med cruise we decided to put it off until the fall and go back to Europe then, so we took the FCC.  But now as this virus shut down drags on we decided to get a refund, I don't think we will be cruising for a long time, not even next year.

On 4/22/2020 at 3:51 AM, Smiles1984 said:

I don't need to speculate, I can tell you. On a UK or EU sailing, I spend about an hour or two every evening while my partner gets ready for the evening, and the same towards the end of the night. On a 7 nighter I'll usually have either one or two 'big nights' there.

 

On a US sailing, I don't even enter. I'm a big fan of the USA but the American attitude to smoking is sadly lagging behind most of the world these days. 

Do you think so?  restaurants and bars are all smoke-free in most places.  Yes casinos allow smoking, they seem to have their own rules.     In some counties in Florida they allow smoking on patios other counties they don't.

After having spent time in Spain where people were smoking in every bar and restaurant I would disagree with you.  France didn't seem to be smoke-free either.  Eastern Europeans are heavy smokers and smoke everywhere.  China everyone smoking everywhere, they have the highest rates of smoking in the world.

I actually thought that the UK had a lot more smokers than the US or Canada

If you google the world smoking rates per capita the US is like 85th in the world and most Euro countries including Germany, Italy, Spain, Netherlands the UK have higher per centage of smokers.   Of course the Russians, Chinese and Asian countries top of the list.

38 minutes ago, orville99 said:

As a Floridian, I would look at where in Florida the hot spots are rather than look at the state as a whole. The vast majority of Florida's 67 counties are virtually virus free. the exceptions seem to be Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach (all cruise port counties), and the Orlando MSA (a major tourist hub)

We are in Charlotte county and some beautiful empty beaches here.   Only 9 deaths total and 139 cases, yet like many other counties a high population of seniors.

1 hour ago, livingonthebeach said:

Figuring out how the Muster Drill will be held going forward is going to be a walk in the park compared with what to do with the Spa / Salon / Fitness services.  Most cruise lines outsource the Spa services, however, they receive a percentage of revenue --not sure what that percentage is.  Imagine all the empty space and lost revenue they will have due to a closed Spa as social distancing is not possible for massages, haircuts, manicures, etc.  Somehow the cost of lost revenue will have to be transferred to the consumer or they will be forced to discontinue operations. 

What about the elevators?  max would be 2 people, 6 feet apart.  Or do they close them off and make everyone take the stairs?  Tender ports?  only 20 per tender?

What happens in an emergency and they have to evacuate the ship?   only 20 people per life boats?

We can speculate all we want but on a cruise ship it would have to return as it was.   You will sign a document before you board agreeing that there is no social distancing etc you are in a confined space.   If you don't agree you don't cruise.

55 minutes ago, lr657 said:

 

Don't think this is actually proven according to this article. If this is true, why has Florida had so many cases. Our temps have been in the 80's with high humidity for months?

But Florida with a population of 21 MILLION has only had 800 deaths so far.  When you consider that from Jan to Mar it's one of the most visited places in the world, and the hundreds of thousands that come and go form all over the world to the cruise ports, that's pretty good numbers.

Also Florida has the highest number of seniors in North America, you would think that the nursing and care home rates would be much higher.

32 minutes ago, gb52877 said:

I agree with you 100%.  They should have closed the state before spring breakers came down.  Our numbers would be way lower.  By the way I am not cranky.  I have plenty to do and I am blessed to be in Florida where our weather is beautiful. We can go outside for beautiful walks.  I just do not think people should say things like the numbers are actually higher in other states. They do not know that.  I may have said it in a cranky way but I am really not. HAHA!

Yet Florida has "only" 400 virus deaths out of a population of 21 Million.    Considering that millions visit Florida in Jan/Feb/Mar for Disney, the beaches and to the cruise ports,  and the fact that Florida has more retirees than anywhere else in North America, that's a low number.

As for spring breakers,  how many flew back from Mexico?   we were in Cancun a couple of years ago in March and I'm sure there were more spring breakers there than I've ever seen on any beach in Florida.   The attraction with Mexico is they can drink at any age and do whatever you want there without the police getting involved

1 hour ago, boatseller said:

Oh dear...no.  Sorry, but no.

The US isn't even in the top 10 for mortality and if the 'curve' is flattening, we'll stay in good shape.  Now, yes, we should be showing a lot better and there's plenty of blame to share between...wait for it, the Governor and Mayor of the New York State and City.

Noteworthy fact, Canada and California have nearly equal mortality.  UHC?

Please go ahead and stitch your heart back together, we're good.

That's right,  look at Florida,  millions from all over the world come to Florida in Feb/March to go on cruise ships,  visit Disney and just come to the beaches.    Also it has the highest percentage of retired/elderly people anywhere,  you would've thought that their death rate would be much higher but  only 354 right now.      The population of Florida 21 MILLION,  15,883 cases,  the province of Quebec with only 6 million people has 500 deaths and 20,000 cases.

What are they doing right in Florida?   what happened in Quebec?

29 minutes ago, zap99 said:

Book a SAGA cruise in UK.

We sailed P&O a couple of years ago and no children allowed on the Arcadia,  adults only.

1 hour ago, boatseller said:

Seriously, might as well smelt all the airplanes into soda cans, turn all the theme parks into wildlife preserves and tear down all the malls...wait, that's already happening...because clearly, everyone is super looking forward to spending the rest of their lives at home, staying 6 ft away from each other...

I've heard people say that they won't cruise or go to a sporting event or any event until there is a vaccine.   Problem is that a vaccine is 18 months away from being produced.   Then you have to figure that everyone in North America will demand it and that would require 350 MILLION doses.

I would imagine it would be years before everyone was vaccinated.

Someone on another thread said that the solution would be to test all people before they get on a cruise.   To test 3500 people waiting to get on a ship would  be impossible, the new rapid test that they have developed still takes 30 minutes to get a result.    

Then you would have to test everyone again after each port stop

Forget vaccines and testing,  it's going to be about a lot fewer people sailing and everyone taking precautions like no shaking hands, washing hands continually and no one with what appears to have a cold would be allowed to board.

15 hours ago, JAMESCC said:

There is absolutely no fresh air on a plane. Its all recirculated air. If cruise passengers weren't such pigs, the small minority that are, if they washed their dam hands every time they saw a Purell station and especially in the buffet there would probably be next to no issues on ships. Its the disgusting few that refuse to washy, washy, and like to touch, yes TOUCH the food in the buffet that ruin everything. When I see the Purell stations on the ship I get giddy. I love the smell of Purell. 

One of the ideas that was put forward by another cruise line to start again,  was eliminating the buffet.    Wait staff would serve people in the buffet areas.

 That may make sense,  even though it could slow things down quite a bit and long line ups to get into buffet areas.   They may have to give passengers a specific time to get into the buffet area.

3 hours ago, MADflyer said:

I could see the Schengen visa applied to all countries that do not have direct medical agreements with European countries. This visa has a proof of health care provision so that European countries do not get stuck with the bill for these visitors if they suffer illness or injury. This already applies to all but 50 countries in the world. That could be reduced and then require visas for Americans. 

 

Canada and Australia usually have direct agreements for care of their citizens while abroad and they are usually reciprocal. 

Canada has an agreement for care of their citizens abroad?   first I've heard of that.

Canadians travelling outside of Canada must buy health insurance.

On 3/27/2020 at 5:22 PM, LXA350 said:

It's a good time to get rid of Empress and Majesty given that they anyway cost more to operate than the other ships in the fleet, given their age alone more maintenance work is needed etc. For the smaller ships, there is still Vision, Enchantment and the Radiance Class left (Grandour supposedly to be sold given that this is still on)

Didn't RCI buy back the Empress a few years ago for it's Cuba cruises?    I would've thought that with the cancellation of Cuba cruises they would sell it.    

1 hour ago, chengkp75 said:

I've commented on most of the points you make in other posts, either here or other threads.  But this one is the first time this has come up, and in fact, no, they don't pay any tax on the fuel, but then again, neither does a US flag ship, because it is engaged in "interstate or foreign commerce" and therefore exempt from sales or fuel taxes.

Just reading about the NCL "Pride of America"  the only US registered cruise ship in the world.

Because it's US registered,  the crew has to be US citizens for US residents.   Wait staff, cabin staff etc all American.     When a ship is US flagged it's subjected to US Labor Laws.

Someone on another thread was talking about temporarily making ships US registered for the Alaska cruises,  but it would mean the entire crew that is mainly drawn from countries like Philipines, India, Malaysia etc,  wouldn't be allowed to work.   It would be impossible to find US citizens to fill the positions.    They wouldn't be able to find sailors to sail the ships either.

3 hours ago, chengkp75 said:

The cruise lines do not employ 400k people in the US.  Their industry may support that many jobs, just like the overseas manufacturing plants support jobs in the US like longshoremen, truck drivers, and Best Buy salespeople.  That doesn't mean they are entitled to financial aid.  Those jobs in the US that are "supported" by the cruise line will receive aid from the stimulus package, but the foreign cruise lines will not.

 

And just to be clear.  Foreign corporations, for the most part, that make earnings in the US have to pay corporate taxes on those earnings.  However, section 883 of the USC, allows foreign operators of ships and airplanes exemption from US taxes on earnings made by those assets.  So, the cruise lines and airlines are a bit unique to foreign corporations as far as US taxes are concerned.

The cruise industry has a huge impact on the economy of Florida.     If you look at how many cruises depart Florida ports during the winter and the amount of passengers that sail in a week it's enormous.    I think I counted 100 cruises departing Florida/Galveston in a typical month of March.   Most cruises ships with up to 5,000 people on board (passengers/crew)for each sailing multiply by 100,  each week the food industry must supply food for over 100,000 people.

I would imagine that farmers are growing a lot of food for the cruise industry.

Then you figure most passengers will take a hotel pre-cruise,  the restaurants/bars near the cruise terminals, the taxis.    How many seats on airlines flying in and out of Fort Lauderdale/Miami are cruise passengers.    Just twenty sailing a week out of Fort Lauderdale/Miami mean over 60,000 people in an out of the airports.

Hundreds of workers at the ports unloading/loading supplies.     Ships take on a lot of fuel,  the fuel is shipped and stored at the ports,  the cruise lines paying for the fuel and the taxes from the fuel.   

Then you have RCI headquarters in Miami with close to 4,000 employees.   Carnival probably twice that number of employees in Miami,  all paying taxes.

Just because the ships are registered in foreign ports doesn't mean that the cruise industry won't pay taxes or don't have a huge impact on the economy.

3 minutes ago, grandgeezer said:

The way I understand it is all cruises leaving from the U.S. must have a foreign port stop (I think it's called the Jones Act). Going to Alaska, where else are you going to stop?

You are correct,  I just looked it up.   Unless it's a US registered ship they can't go US port to US port.

None of the cruise lines are registered in the US

19 minutes ago, awestover89 said:

 

Unless the US government pauses the PVSA (which I cannot imagine them doing) that won't work, they still have to dock in Canada to be legal cruises.

I had forgotten about the Jones Act,   all the cruise ships are foreign flagged therefore only US registered ships can go from a US to US port

5 minutes ago, BND said:

The PVSA would come into play with no foreign port visits.  

So all Alaska cruises must stop in Canada?? 

4 minutes ago, Mapleleafforever said:

Full refund should be coming your way. 

Maybe not if they decide to change the itinerary and have extra stops or extra days in places like Bar Harbor, Portland, Boston etc  Or just cruising the St Lawrence and Saguenay rivers without a Canadian port stop.

36 minutes ago, mike123abc said:

https://www.citynews1130.com/2020/03/13/feds-announce-flight-restrictions-cruise-ship-ban-amid-covid-19-outbreak/

 

Canada ports now closed to ships with more than 500 passengers until July 1st.

 

There goes the AK cruises...

 

 

No just means Alaska cruises will leave and return from Seattle

Carnival owns Princess, HAL, P&O, Costa, Cunard, Carnival cruises and Seaborn but they are only suspending the Princess line.

I doubt RCI would shut down while their big competitor is still operating.   Princess is just one small part of the Carnival empire.

If Carnival had said they were suspending all their cruise lines then yes I think RCI would suspend too.