Predict when cruising will start again post-Coronavirus

[OzKiwiJJ]

On 1/16/2021 at 2:43 PM, SinbadThePorter said:

 

Which means no cruising at all in 2021. 😢

 

There is no way that the cruise lines could put out new Australia only schedules even if the various governments gave the OK. It would be a chaos of cancellations and rebookings.

I don't see why cruise lines can't offer Australia-only itineraries. A smart cruise line would take a leaf out of MSC's Med cruising restart and offer cruise loops with embarkations at major ports in the itinerary. 

 

For example: Sydney - Sea Day - Hobart - Sea Day - Melbourne - Sea Day - Sydney would give a nice six night loop. Add in, say, Eden and Burnie for an eight night loop where all four ports would be embarkation ports. Longer loops could include Adelaide and Kangaroo Island with Adelaide an embarkation port.

 

Going north there could be a Sydney Queensland loop with Sydney, Brisbane and Cairns as embarkation ports. 

 

Perth would probably only be able to offer loops out of Fremantle with no other embarkation ports, but there could be Bottom End runs Perth to Sydney and back during summer, and Top End runs during winter (which were very popular when Princess used to do them).

 

Plus complete circumnavigation cruises in spring and autumn.

 

I'd be more than happy doing a mix of those cruises until overseas cruising is viable again.

[NSWP]

It would be worth their while for the cruise lines to move a few of their big ships here to do coastals, they would be well patronised.  The difficult issue is one of the state borders opening and closing. These Covid flare ups are going to happen some time and they will cause border closures, thus the ships will be unable to call at the ports in those states, that in itself may be too much of a risk factor for the cruiselines.

 

I did the Australian circumnavigation on Sun Princess in 2009, it was great and would do it again, but it would only take a border closure or two to cancel that kind of cruise.

 

The Coral Princess is due here late this year for the season and for the 2022 Worldie, I do hope she turns up, many on here have booked various cruises on her. She is a great vessel, having been on her for the Alaska Inside passage cruise ex Vancouver. If for some reason the 2022 Worldie was cancelled because of foreign ports still being closed, then Coral would be ideal for circumnavigation and coastal work.

Edited January 18, 2021 by NSWP

[OzKiwiJJ]

Coral will be great and I'm hoping she will be our ship for a few years, replacing Sea. She'd be good for a Queensland loop as she might be small enough to dock at Cairns.

 

Sapphire would also be good for local runs, perhaps the southern route.

 

I wouldn't like to go on any of the Royal class ships though, the interior bars are too small for safe social distancing, and the theatres are very small also. Even with half the regular number of passengers they would be crowded in the public areas. Ditto the Grand Class ships like Ruby with the extra deck of cabins.

 

[Docker123]

quoted from news.com.au:
 

 

Health Department chief Brendan Murphy told ABC TV yesterday he didn't believe international travel would restart this year.

“I think that that is a big question. I think that the answer is probably no,” he told ABC News Breakfast on Monday.

“I think that we’ll go most of this year with still substantial border restrictions – even if we have a lot of the population vaccinated, we don’t know whether that will prevent transmission of the virus.

“And it’s likely that quarantine will continue for some time. One of the things about this virus is that the rule book has been made up as we go.”

Edited January 18, 2021 by Docker123

[By The Bay]

1 hour ago, Docker123 said:

quoted from news.com.au:
 

 

Health Department chief Brendan Murphy told ABC TV yesterday he didn't believe international travel would restart this year.

“I think that that is a big question. I think that the answer is probably no,” he told ABC News Breakfast on Monday.

“I think that we’ll go most of this year with still substantial border restrictions – even if we have a lot of the population vaccinated, we don’t know whether that will prevent transmission of the virus.

“And it’s likely that quarantine will continue for some time. One of the things about this virus is that the rule book has been made up as we go.”

Yes I saw him yesterday talking about no overseas travel during 2021. Very disappointing. ☹️

[possum52]

1 hour ago, Docker123 said:

quoted from news.com.au:
 

 

Health Department chief Brendan Murphy told ABC TV yesterday he didn't believe international travel would restart this year.

“I think that that is a big question. I think that the answer is probably no,” he told ABC News Breakfast on Monday.

“I think that we’ll go most of this year with still substantial border restrictions – even if we have a lot of the population vaccinated, we don’t know whether that will prevent transmission of the virus.

“And it’s likely that quarantine will continue for some time. One of the things about this virus is that the rule book has been made up as we go.”

We were just talking about this. Disappointing but not surprising.

 

Leigh

[NSWP]

2 hours ago, possum52 said:

We were just talking about this. Disappointing but not surprising.

 

Leigh

That would probably mean no cruise ships arriving in Australia to be deployed. That is a worry.  I am sure the cruise lines are monitoring developments.

Edited January 19, 2021 by NSWP

[OzKiwiJJ]

3 minutes ago, NSWP said:

That would probably mean no cruise ships arriving in Australia to be deployed. That is a worry.  I am sure the cruise lines are monitoring developments.

 It doesn't necessarily no ships arriving. Special arrangements could be made for cruise ship crews, just as they were in NZ for the Russian crew of the ship Lissie went on recently but on a larger scale. The crews would probably need to be vaccinated then undergo a quarantine period at the overseas port where they join the ship, and the ship would reposition to Australia without passengers thus providing extra isolation time. The ships would only be allowed to cruise around Australia unless bubbles open up with NZ or South Pacific countries. I doubt we'll see any before October though, but by then the vaccination program should be well underway. I suspect having the vaccine will be a prerequisite to embarkation. 

[getting older slowly]

Really was hoping for some coastal cruises

 

Have a great one planned for Oct 2020   B2B 13 nights Melbourne Adelaide, Port Lincoln, Kangaroo Island , Melbourne Burnie, Hobart, Sydney Melbourne .....

 

We can have Cricket and Tennis.... why not a cruise ship

 

One day......  Don

[OzKiwiJJ]

I certainly wouldn't want to travel anywhere overseas, other than NZ, until the virus is seriously under control, which might take until 2023 in some parts of the world.

[possum52]

39 minutes ago, NSWP said:

That would probably mean no cruise ships arriving in Australia to be deployed. That is a worry.  I am sure the cruise lines are monitoring developments.

You would hope they are monitoring what is happening all around the world Les.

[Chiliburn]

I’m still hopeful about next season,Singapore would have been going for a year by then.
Coastal domestic short cruises only .

But one thing to consider is if the cruise lines have only a couple of ships running at 50% capacity around the world for the next couple of years.

It won’t balance the books.

[Aus Traveller]

9 minutes ago, Chiliburn said:

I’m still hopeful about next season,Singapore would have been going for a year by then.
Coastal domestic short cruises only .

But one thing to consider is if the cruise lines have only a couple of ships running at 50% capacity around the world for the next couple of years.

It won’t balance the books.

Carnival Corp's official accounts show/claim that they have enough liquidity to operate for all of 2021 without any revenue. They have a couple of ships operating limited cruises.

 

I hope that by the last quarter of 2021, Australian domestic cruises might be operating.

[pully8]

It is indeed disappointing for individuals and the industry in general.

To be locked in and denied overseas travel for what will be two years at least.

Resent that people cannot make their own decisions around travel depending  on their needs or personal circumstances.

Not a fan of Murphy from the beginning.

Who can forget his no masks please remarks, which had zero medical/scientific basis but was purely because the so called national stockpile was not adequate to supply emergency PPE.

Or his whispering uninvited presence at the aged care royal commission to coach public servants that there was a plan for the sector, despite evidence to the contrary. 

Goodness only knows how the vaccine rollout will progress under his leadership.

States will be blamed of course for any problems.

Wonder which state will do it better?

 

[SinbadThePorter]

15 minutes ago, pully8 said:

Resent that people cannot make their own decisions around travel depending  on their needs or personal circumstances.

 

The trouble is that a lot of people will always weigh their personal needs above those of the community and abuse any system of self-regulation.

[Ondine]

Just of interest.  Sapphire Princess has now left dry dock after a 19 days stay and is now in wet dock.  Star Princess/Pacific Encounter has now entered a different dry dock. 

Carnival must have some sort of timetable to work to otherwise they would not be spending dollars on dry-docking ships.

[pully8]

Yes and that has occurred through out the pandemic in terms of travel.

People who can do as they please where as the rest of us cannot with no end in view. 

[OzKiwiJJ]

I'm more than happy to have no international travel for quite a bit longer, given the high incidences of the virus in many countries around the world. For a start we don't have sufficient quaratine facilities to cope with unrestricted travel and there is no way that people from the US, UK, Europe and some Asian countries could be permitted in to Australia without quarantine. And anybody who wants to travel to those parts of the world at the moment needs their head read.

 

I'd like to see the state borders open again. I think most of them are overreacting given that outbreaks in the last month or so have had very low numbers.

[pully8]

Probably not a concern for people with decades ahead of them to travel.

Government mandated indefinite no outward bound travel is severe.  

 

However those with a time limited horizon, it is not an attractive position.

Think it would be helpful to know what criteria is required for decision makers to allow outbound travel.

That would allow people and industry to plan. 

Vaccines will not be enough  according to reports today. 

Meanwhile travel plans are on hold or completely out of the question. 

[getting older slowly]

2 minutes ago, pully8 said:

However those with a time limited horizon, it is not an attractive position.

Think it would be helpful to know what criteria is required for decision makers to allow outbound travel.

That would allow people and industry to plan. 

 

Meanwhile travel plans are on hold or completely out of the question. 

Very good point  Pully..... I think that is what people would like....... so they can plan

 

a glimmer of hope...... We have a cruise in Nov 2021.... but it is looking less and less likely..

 

and I am very iffy about going to Tassie at the end of March for BH's birthday....

 

Don

[pully8]

Yes it is difficult.

We have a Tassie trip planned too which should be ok.

Hope your trip goes ok.

Time will tell how this all pans out. 

 

[NSWP]

4 hours ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

 It doesn't necessarily no ships arriving. Special arrangements could be made for cruise ship crews, just as they were in NZ for the Russian crew of the ship Lissie went on recently but on a larger scale. The crews would probably need to be vaccinated then undergo a quarantine period at the overseas port where they join the ship, and the ship would reposition to Australia without passengers thus providing extra isolation time. The ships would only be allowed to cruise around Australia unless bubbles open up with NZ or South Pacific countries. I doubt we'll see any before October though, but by then the vaccination program should be well underway. I suspect having the vaccine will be a prerequisite to embarkation. 

Glad you bring that up, my son, mr. Chimu has been conferring with Tasmania govt and Federal govt re  operating expediti9n cruises south from Hobart, Say 7 to 10 days, Aussies only, similar to what Lissie did on Heritage expeditions from nz, kiwis only. Suffice to say he is not optimistic. He has taken over as Director of Mawsons Hut Foundation, their great museum in Hobart town. Chimu is major sponsor.

Fingers crossed I might get a good deal, i could always work my passage as bar tender and sing a few elvis numbers, lol.

,

 

[OzKiwiJJ]

26 minutes ago, pully8 said:

Probably not a concern for people with decades ahead of them to travel.

Government mandated indefinite no outward bound travel is severe.  

 

However those with a time limited horizon, it is not an attractive position.

Think it would be helpful to know what criteria is required for decision makers to allow outbound travel.

That would allow people and industry to plan. 

Vaccines will not be enough  according to reports today. 

Meanwhile travel plans are on hold or completely out of the question. 

Well I guess the government's crystal ball must be out of action! 

 

How the hell do you expect anyone to be able to predict with any certainty what this blasted virus is going to do next. There are already new strains that are more virulent and who knows how it will mutate next. 

 

Yes, it's frustrating. My brother in NZ turns 80 next month. I would love to be able to fly over there and surprise him for his birthday but I can't. And that's to a country that is doing even better than Australia at suppressing the virus. Think back to mid last year when it looked like many countries were getting it under control, only to have it rebound back much, much worse. I certainly wouldn't like to go overseas then find I'm in the middle of a new outbreak.

 

When overseas travel recommences it won't be open slather, it will be country by country based on how each country has dealt with the virus. 

[NSWP]

5 hours ago, possum52 said:

You would hope they are monitoring what is happening all around the world Les.

I hope so Young Leigh, i would like one more cruise before i go to the big cruise terminal in the sky. How good is the test match, 10 to win, 25 balls remaining.

[NSWP]

13 minutes ago, NSWP said:

I hope so Young Leigh, i would like one more cruise before i go to the big cruise terminal in the sky. How good is the test match, 10 to win, 25 balls remaining.

We can only hope the ships will arrive here.

Edited January 19, 2021 by NSWP