Arcadia world cruise - more possible itinerary changes.

[Ukulele girl]

Arcadia is docking at Fremantle tonight (day time for them) and they are there for two days. They don't know where they will go next but I should get an email from my sister by tomorrow (Tuesday) morning. It will be interesting to see how many people are joining at this point. I'll message once I hear more.

[tring]

12 minutes ago, Ukulele girl said:

Arcadia is docking at Fremantle tonight (day time for them) and they are there for two days. They don't know where they will go next but I should get an email from my sister by tomorrow (Tuesday) morning. It will be interesting to see how many people are joining at this point. I'll message once I hear more.

 

Thanks, the whole situation is pretty worrying.

 

Seems two passengers who disembarked Braemar recently have tested positive for you know what - the ship was looking OK, but situation will change now.

[NSWP]

9 hours ago, Ukulele girl said:

Arcadia is docking at Fremantle tonight (day time for them) and they are there for two days. They don't know where they will go next but I should get an email from my sister by tomorrow (Tuesday) morning. It will be interesting to see how many people are joining at this point. I'll message once I hear more.

Will be interesting, Fremantle direct to Southampton, with a stop or two for fuel and Gordons Gin & Schweppes Tonic Water? 

 

On another note, is P&O UK to frightened to put up their bridgecam, stating out of range? Don't believe that, we have modern communications in OZ, even colour tv and mobile phones.🤣

Edited March 10, 2020 by NSWP

[trinity126]

Mil is on this cruise they have now been told that they will not be allowed off at any other port but they will travel for 5 weeks back to Southampton Docking but not allowed to disembark.  No alternative to fly home instead, no comp offered as yet.  i think I would book my own flight home, 5 weeks at sea 💤 

[jeanlyon]

That is just awful.  I think I would go mad, but then I wouldn't want to cruise for more than 20 days anyway.  I feel for them.

[Hampshire Steve]

I really fancied doing the world cruise. It was difficult enough to convince my wife to 6 days at sea last year without a stop. Its going to be a definite NO now. 5 weeks without a stop, that sounds like work rather than leisure to me. They all have my sympathies.

[daiB]

51 minutes ago, Hampshire Steve said:

I really fancied doing the world cruise. It was difficult enough to convince my wife to 6 days at sea last year without a stop. Its going to be a definite NO now. 5 weeks without a stop, that sounds like work rather than leisure to me. They all have my sympathies.

Sounds just my street, as others will know on here. 5 weeks sea, spot on.

[jeanlyon]

Dai, what on earth do you do every day for 5 weeks.  I can't think of anything worse.

[AndyMichelle]

1 hour ago, trinity126 said:

Mil is on this cruise they have now been told that they will not be allowed off at any other port but they will travel for 5 weeks back to Southampton Docking but not allowed to disembark.  No alternative to fly home instead, no comp offered as yet.  i think I would book my own flight home, 5 weeks at sea 💤 

Oh dear, I feel for them. 

Andy 

[Eddie99]

It’ll test the mettle of the catering & entertainment staff 🙄

 

I’d suggest a couple of ‘egg & chip nights’ in the MDR between now and disembarkation.  Something very plain and ordinary as a complete change from usual cruise fare.

 

Hopefully they’ll be able to embark different guest entertainers and there’s surely an opportunity for a couple of lecturers to fill gaps?  Movies every day?  The port presenter can certainly put their feet up

[Blodwyn]

5 weeks-learn a new language,read every book in the library and win in the casino!

[terrierjohn]

12 minutes ago, Eddie99 said:

It’ll test the mettle of the catering & entertainment staff 🙄

 

I’d suggest a couple of ‘egg & chip nights’ in the MDR between now and disembarkation.  Something very plain and ordinary as a complete change from usual cruise fare.

 

Hopefully they’ll be able to embark different guest entertainers and there’s surely an opportunity for a couple of lecturers to fill gaps?  Movies every day?  The port presenter can certainly put their feet up

The guest entertainers will need to be good swimmers, if there are no port stops.

[Eddie99]

I read that there will be port calls for fuelling/reprovisioning/offloading the dead etc but that pax will not be allowed off

 

Surely it’s not possible to cruise half the world on one tankful?

[wowzz]

Somewhere else (!) a passenger on board is reporting that they may be allowed off in Dubai. Personally, I'd rather stay on board than get off there!

[Son of Anarchy]

Well that certainly sounds a unique cruise to be on.

 

I can imagine it in the MDR in the future: "And when we where on Arcadia's worldie in 2020...……"

[wowzz]

6 minutes ago, Son of Anarchy said:

Well that certainly sounds a unique cruise to be on.

 

I can imagine it in the MDR in the future: "And when we where on Arcadia's worldie in 2020...……"

Yes,  I can imagine that as well - it would force us onto a table for two !

[Hampshire Steve]

If I had 5 weeks at sea I would watch Waterworld movie all the way through. It would be a first for me and most likely more interesting than the view out of the window.

 

Think of the terrible things that Arcadia has to look forward to - 

No sliced lemon in the Crows Nest.

Less toilet rolls than Tescos this week.

No mint for the Mojitos

No cucumber for your Pimms

No lime wedge in the Cuba Libre

(Guess where we normally hang out!)

 

and finally 

 

If you are in a suite, having to admit that you are looking forward to those canapes made of card and squeezy cheese.

 

 

[Ukulele girl]

trinity126 - thank you for that information. My sister sent an email overnight where she says she doesn't know the full plans for the future. Below is a quote from her email. Perhaps your information was given out while she was off the ship. Perhaps she will tell me more tomorrow.

 

'When we leave here tomorrow evening we're heading for Colombo, Sri Lanka but not getting off there. It's just for refuelling. Currently we're supposed to be docking in Dubai on 24/25 March and Muscat on 26 March but who knows. I can honestly see this being the last port of call where we're allowed to disembark.'

 

I would hope that if they are not getting off again they are given some free internet access so they can communicate with family over the next five weeks. We have a very poorly relative and news needs to be shared.

 

What a sad end to the big adventure they were all on but perhaps better than being quarantined somewhere. I assume no-one is joining in Fremantle now.

[jeanlyon]

2 hours ago, wowzz said:

Somewhere else (!) a passenger on board is reporting that they may be allowed off in Dubai. Personally, I'd rather stay on board than get off there!

Nothing wrong with Dubai, except they are not accepting any cruise ships on todays news.

[tring]

Oh no - I feel for them all.

 

Colombo will apparently allow calls just to re fuel and re stock but no pax on or off.  Dubai (along with the rest of the UAE) also closed ports to cruise ships.  Arcadia is currently in Freemantle and there for two days as I understand it (post 26 by Ukulele girl), so I am wondering if new people have already embarked and if any people will be able to disembark - I would be finding a hotel and arrange flights later.

 

https://www.cruisecritic.co.uk/news/5097/?fbclid=IwAR22jYbmlicQFosNpbWuz7tozTe7x5J7qfNloJNefkJe60hheMxhiYBHuE4

 

I am wondering what will happen with medical emergencies - or if they pick up a Coronavirus infection.  I am assuming Arcadia is germ free at present - am I correct.

Edited March 10, 2020 by tring

[Tommart]

Is this all confirmed, or are we just speculating again? Five weeks without a port call seems extraodinary - surely P&O must have offered something to soften the blow?

 

Just wait for the claims under the Package Travel Regulations - difficult to imagine this isn't a significant change, with a proportional refund.  I wonder how the original port schedule will compare with the actual port schedule.

[Eglesbrech]

5 minutes ago, Tommart said:

Is this all confirmed, or are we just speculating again? Five weeks without a port call seems extraodinary - surely P&O must have offered something to soften the blow?

 

Just wait for the claims under the Package Travel Regulations - difficult to imagine this isn't a significant change, with a proportional refund.  I wonder how the original port schedule will compare with the actual port schedule.

“Some destinations on your itinerary may restrict or deny entry to ships carrying any person with symptoms of influenza and illness even if symptoms do not meet the criteria set by world health experts including CDC and WHO – and would therefore not even be required to be evaluated or tested for Coronavirus (COVID-19) in most places around the world. While we will work to minimise these incidents, we do not have control over these decisions. P&O Cruises will comply with all required guidelines that may be implemented by individual destinations that may require itinerary changes. We will make every effort to inform you of any new local policies as soon as the information is made available to us. In some cases, we may choose to replace a port until we can get clear policy guidelines, rather than risk a situation where we could be turned away without cause.”

 

The above is now the statement on the P&O web. No specific mention of the world cruise anymore. 

[Ukulele girl]

I expect to hear again from my sister in the morning. She is on Arcadia currently and will email me during the night. She should have some confirmed news about their onward travel plans but of course P&O may not be able to say for sure where will accept them as things are changing by the hour. Arcadia is clear of all infection at present but if passengers have joined the ship in Fremantle then that may change too.

 

If they travel back without any further port calls it will be a long five weeks for them all.

[Eglesbrech]

8 minutes ago, Ukulele girl said:

I expect to hear again from my sister in the morning. She is on Arcadia currently and will email me during the night. She should have some confirmed news about their onward travel plans but of course P&O may not be able to say for sure where will accept them as things are changing by the hour. Arcadia is clear of all infection at present but if passengers have joined the ship in Fremantle then that may change too.

 

If they travel back without any further port calls it will be a long five weeks for them all.

I have to say that 5 weeks without a port would be horrendous, for me anyway. Let’s hope they get at least some stops along the way.

[Son of Anarchy]

1 minute ago, Eglesbrech said:

I have to say that 5 weeks without a port would be horrendous, for me anyway. Let’s hope they get at least some stops along the way.

 

They're going to have to stop if only to re-stock for those pax on the alcoholic drinks package 🍻🥂🍷🍸