Iona Construction ?

[zap99]

5 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

I don't believe that cruise lines need anyone to "allow" them to sail, just as long as they meet all current maritime legislation, and I am hoping that the CLIA is in regular contact with the correct govt depts, in order to develop safe protocols that will enable the FCO to lift its blanket ban on cruising.

Our next cruise is June next year followed by Iona at the end of August, so in no great rush for them to start again. The important thing for us is that they get it right first time. We have been on one UK holiday so far and have more booked. Not venturing abroad till April. We have had a few meals out and will continue to sample Rishi's menu. We will continue with 'new normal' best we can, but will be aware that our safety is somewhat in our hands. If it don't look safe, walk away. I won't allow FCO to rule my life.

[wowzz]

13 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

I don't believe that cruise lines need anyone to "allow" them to sail, just as long as they meet all current maritime legislation, and I am hoping that the CLIA is in regular contact with the correct govt depts, in order to develop safe protocols that will enable the FCO to lift its blanket ban on cruising.

I agree that "allow" is probably not the right word. However,  I do not believe that even the implementation of new procedures will be sufficient to persuade the government to change its advice regarding cruising for some considerable time.

[terrierjohn]

16 minutes ago, wowzz said:

I agree that "allow" is probably not the right word. However,  I do not believe that even the implementation of new procedures will be sufficient to persuade the government to change its advice regarding cruising for some considerable time.

Wowzz, the govt do have the last word with their FCO travel advisories, but they also have the responsibility to ensure that businesses are enabled to operate successfully to provide jobs and prosperity for the nation. A difficult conundrum at present, but you can bet that getting the economy moving is having a significant impact on govt thinking.

[wowzz]

1 minute ago, terrierjohn said:

Wowzz, the govt do have the last word with their FCO travel advisories, but they also have the responsibility to ensure that businesses are enabled to operate successfully to provide jobs and prosperity for the nation. A difficult conundrum at present, but you can bet that getting the economy moving is having a significant impact on govt thinking.

Totally agree - I'm just not convinced that cruising is massively important to the UK economy in the overall scale of things.

[Addict]

1 hour ago, terrierjohn said:

I don't believe that cruise lines need anyone to "allow" them to sail, just as long as they meet all current maritime legislation, and I am hoping that the CLIA is in regular contact with the correct govt depts, in order to develop safe protocols that will enable the FCO to lift its blanket ban on cruising.

Hmm. They do need to be "allowed".  As you said, the FCO have to lift its blanket ban on cruising to allow cruising to sail. 

[cruisenewbie1976]

20 minutes ago, Addict said:

Hmm. They do need to be "allowed".  As you said, the FCO have to lift its blanket ban on cruising to allow cruising to sail. 

Its only advice, not law. Although I can't imagine many people would travel against that advice. Plenty have continued to travel to Spain though. 

[wowzz]

5 minutes ago, cruisenewbie1976 said:

Its only advice, not law. Although I can't imagine many people would travel against that advice. Plenty have continued to travel to Spain though. 

But the advice means no insurance. No insurance is against P&O's T&Cs, therefore cruises cannot go ahead.

P&O have stated publicly that they will  not resume cruising whilst the current advice is in place. 

[terrierjohn]

Just now, wowzz said:

But the advice means no insurance. No insurance is against P&O's T&Cs, therefore cruises cannot go ahead.

P&O have stated publicly that they will  not resume cruising whilst the current advice is in place. 

I do wish people would accept that both the cruise lines and the govt will be looking very hard at how soon they can put together safety procedures that enable the FCO  advisory to be withdrawn. 

[Addict]

21 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

I do wish people would accept that both the cruise lines and the govt will be looking very hard at how soon they can put together safety procedures that enable the FCO  advisory to be withdrawn. 

I think most people are doing that.  It would be potential suicide (in more ways than one) to sail on a ship which is flouting the advice (and I'm sure no cruise line would do that anyway).  No insurance is a big deal.

[wowzz]

33 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

I do wish people would accept that both the cruise lines and the govt will be looking very hard at how soon they can put together safety procedures that enable the FCO  advisory to be withdrawn. 

I think we all accept that. But regardless of the safety procedures,  the key issue, that as far as I can see has not been answered, is what happens if a case of CV19 occurs on board.

[Denarius]

1 hour ago, wowzz said:

Totally agree - I'm just not convinced that cruising is massively important to the UK economy in the overall scale of things.

Sadly I agree.

Most of the big cruise lines like Carnival/P&O are overseas companies. If they went bust their doing so would not reflect on the UK. Whilst they employ many people, principally on their ships, the majority of these are neither UK citizens nor residents. The loss of the latter's  jobs would not impact on UK unemployment figures. Their would of course be indirect job losses in the UK but these rarely make the headlines. So the cruise industry is unlikely to be the goverment's top priority.

[Addict]

So, can we get back to guessing when Iona will be delivered now? LOL 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[terrierjohn]

21 minutes ago, wowzz said:

I think we all accept that. But regardless of the safety procedures,  the key issue, that as far as I can see has not been answered, is what happens if a case of CV19 occurs on board.

Someone did suggest quarantine in a lifeboat being towed behind the ship, but I suspect that was in jest.

More seriously the EU document, that was posted on here some weeks ago, did address this issue, and talked about a separate designated quarantine section, with it's own hotel crew as a possibility to avoid further spread, so options are being discussed.

[davecttr]

It does not really matter if the FCO lifts its cruising advisory if the cruise lines are not compliant with this

http://www.emsa.europa.eu/publications/guidelines-manuals-and-inventories/item/3978-covid-19-eu-guidance-for-cruise-ship-operations.html

 

If P&O don't pay very close attention to it there won't be any European ports to cruise to.

[emam]

1 hour ago, Addict said:

So, can we get back to guessing when Iona will be delivered now? LOL 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

 

This has come up on my phone. I haven't read it all yet and can't copy the site link. It's in the Southern Daily Echo.

 

4 August 20More News >

Biggest ever UK cruise ship Iona to join P&O fleet before autumn

[jake 26]

1 hour ago, davecttr said:

It does not really matter if the FCO lifts its cruising advisory if the cruise lines are not compliant with this

http://www.emsa.europa.eu/publications/guidelines-manuals-and-inventories/item/3978-covid-19-eu-guidance-for-cruise-ship-operations.html

 

If P&O don't pay very close attention to it there won't be any European ports to cruise to.

 

This latest document (dated July 27th 2020) is incredibly comprehensive, and seems to address every aspect of cruising with Covid 19.

To achieve all the training required, and putting all the measures in place on board, in ports, and with associated health authorities is going to take a long time, and with all the social distancing measures for crew and passengers number limitation, together with procedures for dealing with outbreaks I can't see large vessels such as Iona operating.

I think P&O should really publish their intentions as this situation is a major game changer for cruising.

 

Edited August 5, 2020 by jake 26
Typo

[Dermotsgirl]

5 hours ago, Eddie99 said:

 

 

I think my underlying “miss” is spontaneity.  Retirement gave us so much freedom to  do things as we wished, without planning or much forethought.  Now it feels like each day is a bit of a challenge, needing military-grade preparation!  However, especially compared with many others, it’s ok

Yes, I agree with that.

 

We stopped working at the end of 2014, so we had 5 good years of pleasing ourselves. It was possible to get up in the morning, and decide to go to, for example, a National Trust property, and just go. Now, it involves booking, and making sure you get there at your allotted  time, make sure you are kitted out with hand sanitser and masks, and make sure you negotiate the one way system round the property! 

 

We always said that we intended to enjoy our freedom while we could..... but we expected the time we'd stop would be at some point at least 15 years away due to general advancing age.... not due to a global pandemic!

 

This links in with cruising as well. If cruising returns, I'm sure we'd have to pre book meals and theatre shows etc, and not just turn up when the mood takes us  

[Addict]

1 hour ago, emam said:

 

This has come up on my phone. I haven't read it all yet and can't copy the site link. It's in the Southern Daily Echo.

 

4 August 20More News >

Biggest ever UK cruise ship Iona to join P&O fleet before autumn

I know, I have seen that, but we still don't have a date. LOL

[Dermotsgirl]

3 hours ago, terrierjohn said:

I do wish people would accept that both the cruise lines and the govt will be looking very hard at how soon they can put together safety procedures that enable the FCO  advisory to be withdrawn. 

 

I accept  and agree that the cruise lines will be looking at every possible way that they can start cruising again.  But I don't think it is any great priority of the government.  They have much more pressing issues like getting the schools back and managing local outbreaks

 

Lets face it, the closed community of a cruise ship is ideal for the spread of viruses.  The cruise companies must make sure that we are as safe at sea as we are on land, in a way that doesn't spoil what is (for most people) an expensive holiday. Not forgetting that this is a virus that can kill or leave a person with many health problems afterwards - and P&O's core market outside of the school holidays are the people who are most at risk.  Then they have got to prove they can manage an outbreak without curtailing everybody's holiday.

 

It's so complex - I'm sorry to say that taking all this into consideration.  I think cruising will be the last sector to open back up. 

 

 

[Addict]

Sorry, posted on wrong cruise line. LOL

Edited August 5, 2020 by Addict
Wrongly posted

[Dermotsgirl]

1 minute ago, Addict said:

I know, I have seen that, but we still don't have a date. LOL

Maybe we need a sweepstake. 

 

I'll have 1st September, mainly because it's a Tuesday, and we know that announcements are made on Tuesdays! 

[Dermotsgirl]

1 hour ago, jake 26 said:

 

This latest document (dated July 27th 2020) is incredibly comprehensive, and seems to address every aspect of cruising with Covid 19.

To achieve all the training required, and putting all the measures in place on board, in ports, and with associated health authorities is going to take a long time, and with all the social distancing measures for crew and passengers number limitation, together with procedures for dealing with outbreaks I can't see large vessels such as Iona operating.

I think P&O should really publish their intentions as this situation is a major game changer for cruising.

 

I think you are right. Even on one ship, it's going to take a while to put everything in place and then test it to make sure the systems are robust, before any paying passengers come on board.

 

It would seem that it's no longer enough just to keep announcing another batch of cancellations every few weeks, in the hope that things return to normal.  There are going to be fundamental changes to cruising - I think they will also need to change their itineraries. Maybe shorter cruises closer to home will make people  feel more confident.  

[Addict]

2 minutes ago, Dermotsgirl said:

I think you are right. Even on one ship, it's going to take a while to put everything in place and then test it to make sure the systems are robust, before any paying passengers come on board.

 

It would seem that it's no longer enough just to keep announcing another batch of cancellations every few weeks, in the hope that things return to normal.  There are going to be fundamental changes to cruising - I think they will also need to change their itineraries. Maybe shorter cruises closer to home will make people  feel more confident.  

 

Absolutely agree with you.  I don't personally care where the ship goes as long as it sails out of Southampton.

[davecttr]

cruises to nowhere are going to be the first ones tried. I am not sure about UK only ports though. Calling at a quiet Scottish port and disembarking hundreds of passengers, all potential COVID risks may not please the locals 😱

 

a scenic cruise to Norway might be doable if it basically involved long periods of fjord sailing with lots of lovely mountains but no disembarking the ship. Plus if some one tested positive aboard take them back to the UK

Edited August 5, 2020 by davecttr

[AnnieC]

7 minutes ago, davecttr said:

cruises to nowhere are going to be the first ones tried. I am not sure about UK only ports though. Calling at a quiet Scottish port and disembarking hundreds of passengers, all potential COVID risks may not please the locals 😱

 

a scenic cruise to Norway might be doable if it basically involved long periods of fjord sailing with lots of lovely mountains but no disembarking the ship. Plus if some one tested positive aboard take them back to the UK

Trouble is, Dave, by what means? I can't see commercial airlines welcoming a covid positive passenger on board and the government isn't likely to be prepared to fly pax home from cruises again. Quarantine them on board until the ship returns to the UK?