Anyone else considering not cruising/traveling for the time being? ?

[AncientWanderer]

We have a very busy travel year plotted out and we are changing our plans.  What we have lined up isn't suitable to the current situation.  We will still travel, just to different places.

 

[iancal]

Some of our best trips were those made to destinations, where at the time, some nervous nellies were reading far to much into State dept. advisories and watching far too many CNN and Fox News clips.  Greece, Turkey, London, Thailand, Mexico, etc.  Some more than once.

 

One reason they were so good was because there were fewer tourists.  Accommodation, cruises, air were all less expensive and easier to obtain.  Thank you CNN and Fox!

Edited February 21, 2020 by iancal

[AncientWanderer]

19 minutes ago, iancal said:

Some of our best trips were those made to destinations, where at the time, some nervous nellies were reading far to much into State dept. advisories and watching far too many CNN and Fox News clips.  Greece, Turkey, London, Thailand, Mexico, etc.  Some more than once.

 

One reason they were so good was because there were fewer tourists.  Accommodation, cruises, air were all less expensive and easier to obtain.  Thank you CNN and Fox!

 

This is true.  Our concern is with regard to cruise itineraries with ports that may not receive ships. 

[Hlitner]

We are among those souls who were booked on the Westerdam for the 30 day cruise embarking on 4/11 from Yokohama to Vancouver.  Upon getting an official e-mail, yesterday afternoon, that our cruise and air were cancelled we immediately cancelled our 2 weeks of land reservations in Japan (no penalties).  Within minutes we began looking and assessing other cruise/travel options for April.  We will obviously avoid Asia, but are giving lots of consideration to heading over to Europe.  Bottom line for us is that other then being forced to make adjustments we are not planning to curtail our travel.  Life is too short to sit around home fearing a bug that is still a relatively minor issue outside of Asia.  If the virus were to become a major widespread pandemic we would reassess our future plans.

 

Hank

[Mickb]

It will not put me off cruising although I would avoid Far Eastern ports for the next year. Some amazing offers are beginning to emerge where lines are reposition away from the Far East. For instance ( and I know this a HAL board - sorry ). Cunard QE Sydney to San Francisco including flights and 3 days pre cruise hotel in Sydney Flights - London to London in Princess Grill £3000! An amazing price.

Watch this  space!

[fabuloso]

15 hours ago, JeffElizabeth said:

Leave for a Panama Canal cruise on the Rotterdam this Monday.  I think we received a nice upgrade because others canceled. So if we wind up being quarantined,  at least we will have a balcony! (Bright side?)

 

I leave for Mexico in 3 weeks on the Oosterdam. The only way I'm not going is if the cruise line or government cancels (like Cuba last year 🤨).

 

Bright side for me is I also got a nice/free upgrade, from interior to ocean view. My birthday is a week after I get back and the best mom in the world has offered to upgrade me to a balcony.

 

She's worried I'm going to land up confined to an ocean view cabin for 2 weeks and wants me to have the ability to get some fresh air!🤣  I may just take her up on that offer!

[Wehwalt]

I'm off on the Koningsdam for 55 days soon. I would not consider an Asia cruise for at least a year and possibly two or longer depending on future events.

[Caribbean Chris]

I’m slightly uneasy about our Hawaii cruise in less than a month ever since the Japanese tourists who had visited Oahu and Maui were diagnosed with the virus after returning home. So much is unknown, including the true length after exposure before cases appear. 
 

I should add that I’m not fearful of traveling, but concerned that if we visit Maui, for example, and there’s a CV case, the ship will run into difficulties like the Westerdam did, and end up quarantined on the West Coast.

Edited February 21, 2020 by Caribbean Chris

[shank63]

We are booked on an Eastern Med cruise in mid June, Athens to Venice with ports of call in Turkey and others.  We have no intentions of canceling and final payment is getting close.  We do follow hygienic procedures closely on the ship as well as airplanes and hope for the best.

[*Miss G*]

1 hour ago, fabuloso said:

 

I leave for Mexico in 3 weeks on the Oosterdam. The only way I'm not going is if the cruise line or government cancels (like Cuba last year 🤨).

 

Bright side for me is I also got a nice/free upgrade, from interior to ocean view. My birthday is a week after I get back and the best mom in the world has offered to upgrade me to a balcony.

 

She's worried I'm going to land up confined to an ocean view cabin for 2 weeks and wants me to have the ability to get some fresh air!🤣  I may just take her up on that offer!

 

Congratulations!  (And take the offer.)

[*Miss G*]

1 hour ago, Caribbean Chris said:

I’m slightly uneasy about our Hawaii cruise in less than a month ever since the Japanese tourists who had visited Oahu and Maui were diagnosed with the virus after returning home. So much is unknown, including the true length after exposure before cases appear. 
 

I should add that I’m not fearful of traveling, but concerned that if we visit Maui, for example, and there’s a CV case, the ship will run into difficulties like the Westerdam did, and end up quarantined on the West Coast.

 

Oh. Hadn’t heard about that. I will be in Hawaii on business-then-vacation. That gives me pause.

[Caribbean Chris]

22 minutes ago, *Miss G* said:

 

Oh. Hadn’t heard about that. I will be in Hawaii on business-then-vacation. That gives me pause.

 

The Hawaiian officials believe that the Japanese tourists arrived after already having been exposed to the virus. The question they are now monitoring is whether they gave it to anyone on Oahu or Maui while they were there.

[shudie]

On 2/21/2020 at 2:41 AM, Mike B Landlubber said:

I wouldn’t plan a trip to Asia, and probably not to Australia/NZ this year, though if I already had them booked I wouldn’t cancel yet. 

 

As others have written - why not Australia/NZ? 

 

We don't feel unsafe here re the virus and we are in desperate need of tourism now that the bush fires have ended. 

 

 

[happy2cruise2016]

As others have stated...life is too short to sit around and worry about something that "might" be.  As we get older we realize our years to travel are getting shorter and shorter so we have no thoughts of canceling the two cruises we have booked for June and December this year and are already looking for something for early 2021...probably not to Asia!

 

[CruisingAndDiving]

29 minutes ago, happy2cruise2016 said:

As others have stated...life is too short to sit around and worry about something that "might" be.  As we get older we realize our years to travel are getting shorter and shorter so we have no thoughts of canceling the two cruises we have booked for June and December this year and are already looking for something for early 2021...probably not to Asia!

 

Agreed!   I'm far more concerned with DW tossing me overboard than with a virus!!

[sprockie]

On 2/20/2020 at 7:34 AM, albingirl said:

No changes ahead for us.  However, the day I come home from a cruise without a terrible cold will be a miracle.  No amount of handwashing seems to work.

Exactly.  Our family of 4 are always sick by the time we get off the ship or shortly after.  We sailed before Xmas and I still have a cough.  This despite our stepped up handwashing and hand sanitizer.  Makes you wonder what travels through the air system

 

[Crusinsusan2]

3 hours ago, CruisingAndDiving said:

Agreed!   I'm far more concerned with DW tossing me overboard than with a virus!!

 

Too dang funny, hadn't though of that 🙂!  

 

 

[Viv0828]

we were booked on the westerdam starting feb 15 for 28 days and then a land trip for 3 weeks in china. everything was cancelled and refunded, thank goodness. we are thinking the middle east, turkey, georgia, armenia and azerbajian in april. gonna hold off a bit and see what develops. 

in late june we are doing a cruise in eastern canada with family. then we will visit friends in europe and travel with them around europe but unsure where.

we generally don't book too far in advance. in fact, it wasn't till cruise #3 that we even knew what final payment date was cuz we had booked past that date.

Edited February 22, 2020 by Viv0828

[neuronbob]

Leaving on Nieuw Amsterdam on 3/21, come hell or high water.  As long as COVID-19 stays on the other side of the planet, for the most part, I remain more worried about influenza and Norovirus.  Wash your hands, keep your hands off everybody’s food, we should be OK.

[PamKB]

8 hours ago, Caribbean Chris said:

 

The Hawaiian officials believe that the Japanese tourists arrived after already having been exposed to the virus. The question they are now monitoring is whether they gave it to anyone on Oahu or Maui while they were there.

https://www.hawaiitourismauthority.org/news/alerts/covid-19-novel-coronavirus/

 

[atexsix]

We're still cruising in April, but I am admittedly concerned for my 82 year old Dad than myself.  However I agree with janmcn, I'm always more paranoid of getting noro, which I did get once from a Las Vegas hotel outbreak.

 

We will continue to book future sailings, especially if the prices drop as predicted.  

[JeffElizabeth]

On 2/21/2020 at 8:04 AM, iancal said:

Some of our best trips were those made to destinations, where at the time, some nervous nellies were reading far to much into State dept. advisories and watching far too many CNN and Fox News clips.  Greece, Turkey, London, Thailand, Mexico, etc.  Some more than once.

 

One reason they were so good was because there were fewer tourists.  Accommodation, cruises, air were all less expensive and easier to obtain.  Thank you CNN and Fox!

Japan is advertising that now is the perfect time to visit because crowds are gone. It would be awesome to see many of the great historic sites without thousands of others. Downside? Will they even let you get off the boat? And if your passport has Asia stamps,  will you be allowed to go anywhere else. 

[*Miss G*]

17 minutes ago, JeffElizabeth said:

Japan is advertising that now is the perfect time to visit

 

[SumoCitrus]

No cruising for us until this thing blows over. I can't afford to get stuck on a ship for a month or longer.

[Hlitner]

2 hours ago, JeffElizabeth said:

Japan is advertising that now is the perfect time to visit because crowds are gone. It would be awesome to see many of the great historic sites without thousands of others. Downside? Will they even let you get off the boat? And if your passport has Asia stamps,  will you be allowed to go anywhere else. 

We recently had our 30 day Westy cruise cancelled and we had planned a 2 week pre cruise land trip (on our own) which we quickly cancelled since HAL also cancelled our air without any opportunity to make modifications.  Our immediate thought was to book new air to Japan, extend our visit to 3-4 weeks, purchase a Jr rail pass and have fun.  However, we quickly abandoned that idea and any thought of going to Japan this Spring because of the Japanese government.  The country seems to be in panic mode and this would not bode well for tourists.  Consider that in the past week they have cancelled both the Emperor's Birthday celebration (a very big deal in Japan) and the Tokyo Marathon.  The reason was the government's concern about encouraging large crowds.  DW and I immediately realized that a next step could be the closing of many of the top tourist sites in places like Kyoto and Tokyo!  We could not justify the expense of the land trip against the risk of more panic mode decisions in the country.  If Japan had wanted to boost their tourism a good start would have been to welcome the Westy for her Asian cruises and publicize this fact.    I do not blame Japan for their decision making, but they have made it clear that they are not in the mind set to welcome tourists during the current virus scare.

 

The good thing for us is that it is a big world and many other travel/cruise options still exist.   Perhaps we will put Japan back into our travel plans for next year.  For now we will continue to monitor how Japan handles the current internal crisis.  

 

Hank