Predict when cruising will start again post-Coronavirus

[megsie]

I can’t see that cruising here in Australia will be at the number of cruises offered this season for many, many years if ever.

We are keen cruisers, Elite on Princess and D+ on RC, and we doubt that we will ever cruise again. The age restrictions will affect us and at the moment our confidence has gone. Probably our version of how cabin (house isolation) fever has affected us ! 

And it saddens us as we have enjoyed cruising so much.

 

[Pushka]

22 minutes ago, megsie said:

I can’t see that cruising here in Australia will be at the number of cruises offered this season for many, many years if ever.

We are keen cruisers, Elite on Princess and D+ on RC, and we doubt that we will ever cruise again. The age restrictions will affect us and at the moment our confidence has gone. Probably our version of how cabin (house isolation) fever has affected us ! 

And it saddens us as we have enjoyed cruising so much.

 

That is exactly where we are at megsie. Age wise we are fine but I realise I'm a little angry with cruiselines right now. 

 

Here is why. And this is not just Princess but also Celebrity. 
 

1. faux reassurances that they have this under control - they never did;

2. their absolute reluctance in most cases (yay Viking) to cancel cruises at a time when pax can potentially retrieve cancellation costs from other non-cruise providers. Let alone the stress at wondering what was going to happen. The TAs that start in 3 weeks only were told officially last week it had been cancelled. 
3. Their changing of embarkation ports last minute - not just a slightly different location but in a couple of cases, different countries thousands of miles apart; with pathetic reimbursement to those pax who did not book air with them (from Singapore to Dubai)

4. They blithely say that anyone even just in transit through HK would not be allowed to board. Our flights to Europe were through Cathay. We lost award flights and had to pay several thousand dollars to rebook flights just a couple of months ago. No compensation, they couldn't care less.  

5. Being directly caught up in the deaths and distress of so many people

6. They banned the usual suspects - China, HK, Italy etc and never once, looked at the possibility that the majority of their passengers - Americans - were the reason why later cruises went down the toilet

7.  In some cases their refund policies. Simply put, once cancelled, they can no longer provide the service for which we paid. That means we can dispute the charge with the credit card. Cruiselines are mitigating that cost by offering vouchers. And they hope that's what passengers are doing. 
8. Celebrity is not cancelling cruises until after final payment date. We know July in Europe wont happen. But with final payment not until mid May, it won't get cancelled until after then. Could be wrong. Wait and see. Needless to say we won't be making final payment. 

 

Of course the Covid is not the cruiselines fault. But it's how a business treats its customers that counts in the reckoning. Viking has won me over. 

 

[cheznandy]

37 minutes ago, megsie said:

I can’t see that cruising here in Australia will be at the number of cruises offered this season for many, many years if ever.

We are keen cruisers, Elite on Princess and D+ on RC, and we doubt that we will ever cruise again. The age restrictions will affect us and at the moment our confidence has gone. Probably our version of how cabin (house isolation) fever has affected us ! 

And it saddens us as we have enjoyed cruising so much.

 

Great post Megsie, we feel the same.

We won't be affected by the age restrictions, but cannot take a chance to get stuck on a cruise ship and be floating around for an unknown time.

All our cruises are cancelled for this year, still have one for next June but hubby is determined he is not going, has no interest.

Going to spend a couple of years seeing our beautiful country and spending our money in our towns.

I hope things change......alot, less cruise ships, more health security, both ports and airports, more hygiene, more personal space. 

I can't see any cruise ships for the rest of this year, I just read on CC that someone from overseas just booked for July  for a cruise from Australia......are they serious??  

 

[Blackduck59]

Well said Pushka, I agree with most of your points. I am also disappointed in the way the cruise companies failed there patrons. And things won't get better, I've commented on other threads about future cruise credits and refunds, no need to rehash that. I've also been vocal about passengers stuck at sea (haven't changed my views on that) but many of those passengers were forced to get on the cruise or lose thousands of dollars. Now it looked like Celebrity got it right with Eclipse and the run to San Diego, well not so much. Confirmed 1 passenger and 3 crew for covid. Of course most passengers are disembarked. I'm not sure if they were isolated or not, details are sketchy. 

[OzKiwiJJ]

Pushka, hearing how the various cruise lines have handled cancellations, changes, refunds, and reimbursement of other costs incurred by cruise line changes, has been an eye-opener. I think Princess have been very fair to their passengers but some other cruise lines are shocking, especially the luxury lines (Viking must be an exception to this). Some people have short memories and in two years time will have forgotten how they were treated by their cruise line. Not me, I have a very long memory. I still avoid buying one brand of frozen produce because an ad they had on TV over 40 years ago really annoyed me! 😄

[Pushka]

1 hour ago, Blackduck59 said:

Well said Pushka, I agree with most of your points. I am also disappointed in the way the cruise companies failed there patrons. And things won't get better, I've commented on other threads about future cruise credits and refunds, no need to rehash that. I've also been vocal about passengers stuck at sea (haven't changed my views on that) but many of those passengers were forced to get on the cruise or lose thousands of dollars. Now it looked like Celebrity got it right with Eclipse and the run to San Diego, well not so much. Confirmed 1 passenger and 3 crew for covid. Of course most passengers are disembarked. I'm not sure if they were isolated or not, details are sketchy. 

The Eclipse seems to be another evolving story and some evidence of respiratory issues not being reported correctly. I guess we will know more as things unfold. The crew are taking a heavy toll as well in all of this. 

[lyndarra]

4 hours ago, LittleFish1976 said:

 

Just to be clear, my comments, above regarding from whence it came, were made in response to ruminations on the question of 'Why Princess ships in particular?'.

 

There's blame, which is a futile exercise, and then there's looking for evidence and reasons which can be put to good use in tracing infection routes and possibly avoiding similar mistakes or oversights by authorities in the future.

 

The local media now has its sights fixed on backpackers. Perhaps with some justification but that still remains to be seen.

[lyndarra]

1 hour ago, cheznandy said:

Great post Megsie, we feel the same.

We won't be affected by the age restrictions, but cannot take a chance to get stuck on a cruise ship and be floating around for an unknown time.

All our cruises are cancelled for this year, still have one for next June but hubby is determined he is not going, has no interest.

Going to spend a couple of years seeing our beautiful country and spending our money in our towns.

I hope things change......alot, less cruise ships, more health security, both ports and airports, more hygiene, more personal space. 

I can't see any cruise ships for the rest of this year, I just read on CC that someone from overseas just booked for July  for a cruise from Australia......are they serious??  

 

That is sad for the many who enjoy cruising. For me it it wont make much difference in the future as I cruise for ports and destinations and I've pretty much done all those reachable from OZ. With the exception of perhaps cruising Scandinavia/Iceland, I'll be looking at land tours. The dealer in trips has $5000 of mine held over to next year for my cancelled Azerbaijan/Georgia/Armenia 26 day tour that was due to start in a few days. It will be my last tour with them for reasons too lengthy to detail here but there's a lot "not happy Janes" on Google.

[DiamondFour]

1 hour ago, Pushka said:

That is exactly where we are at megsie. Age wise we are fine but I realise I'm a little angry with cruiselines right now. 

 

Here is why. And this is not just Princess but also Celebrity. 
 

1. faux reassurances that they have this under control - they never did;

China lied about the extent and allowed countless citizens and tourists to leave wuhan spreading this monster around the world. Complacency of certain world leaders contributed to this.

2. their absolute reluctance in most cases (yay Viking) to cancel cruises at a time when pax can potentially retrieve cancellation costs from other non-cruise providers. Let alone the stress at wondering what was going to happen. The TAs that start in 3 weeks only were told officially last week it had been cancelled. 
3. Their changing of embarkation ports last minute - not just a slightly different location but in a couple of cases, different countries thousands of miles apart; with pathetic reimbursement to those pax who did not book air with them (from Singapore to Dubai)

Was a necessary measure to protect passengers on longer voyages as well as future guests.

4. They blithely say that anyone even just in transit through HK would not be allowed to board. Our flights to Europe were through Cathay. We lost award flights and had to pay several thousand dollars to rebook flights just a couple of months ago. No compensation, they couldn't care less.  

As above this was all China's fault due to lies and deceit. Hong Kong was a hot spot for the virus and it was best to avoid passengers who transited these airports. Had you booked Qantas and given Australians a job then you could have avoided this altogether. I note that flightradar24 still has Cathay Pacific flying to Australia while Qantas is at a stand down. I hope you boycott Cathay Pacific and Chinese airlines in the future and stick to Qantas or another more reputable airline.

5. Being directly caught up in the deaths and distress of so many people

100% blame for the deaths can be attributed the the government of China.

6. They banned the usual suspects - China, HK, Italy etc and never once, looked at the possibility that the majority of their passengers - Americans - were the reason why later cruises went down the toilet

Was a wise decision considering that the best knowledge at the time indicated those countries had a high risk of infection. It was unknown that Americans were infected with the virus. Hindsight is good.

7.  In some cases their refund policies. Simply put, once cancelled, they can no longer provide the service for which we paid. That means we can dispute the charge with the credit card. Cruiselines are mitigating that cost by offering vouchers. And they hope that's what passengers are doing. 
8. Celebrity is not cancelling cruises until after final payment date. We know July in Europe wont happen. But with final payment not until mid May, it won't get cancelled until after then. Could be wrong. Wait and see. Needless to say we won't be making final payment. 

 

Of course the Covid is not the cruiselines fault. But it's how a business treats its customers that counts in the reckoning. Viking has won me over. 

 

 

[Pushka]

@DiamondFour - I won't requote as its a bit too long. To some extent I share your sentiments about the complete void of information from China, but likewise that claim can also be made about USA and Indonesia. That denial has not done either latter country any good at all. They are in a sad sad mess. 
 

Yes I understand port changes needed to be made. What the cruiseline did was to make the passengers themselves wear that penalty with little consideration. In one case it was just two days before the cruise. In another case, people did rebook to match the new embarkation port then days before - that cruise got cancelled.  So many people left out of pocket and their reimbursement did not match their first charges let alone the subsequent cancellation. 
 

Cathay and my patronage. That booking was made through my Qantas Platinum membership courtesy of the alliance that Qantas has with this airline so in reality it is Qantas who reaps any benefit as per the One World program. 😉. Qantas does not and hasn't for years, flown internationally from Adelaide.  I only found out about Celebrities change through Cruise Critic. Celebrity has not sent me any advice that their policy has changed. They continue to send me marketing emails. 
 

I have loved Celebrity but as a passenger their only care is their bottom line. Not unreasonable. Viking on the other hand has put passenger safety way ahead of the $. Impressive. 
 

I see you were on Princess Diamond. I understand your angst. Best wishes. 

Edited April 1, 2020 by Pushka

[valantine80]

Also think our cruising days may be over now. We had been interested in the Regal Princess cruise coming to Australia later in the year but that clashed with my mother's 100th birthday so probably fortunate  with the way the world is now.

Had been thinking might head off around Australia next year in motorhome but think a lot will be looking at that option so might be busy on the road.

 

Pam

[OzKiwiJJ]

1 hour ago, Pushka said:

 

Yes I understand port changes needed to be made. What the cruiseline did was to make the passengers themselves wear that penalty with little consideration. In one case it was just two days before the cruise. In another case, people did rebook to match the new embarkation port then days before - that cruise got cancelled.  So many people left out of pocket and their reimbursement did not match their first charges let alone the subsequent cancellation. 
 

That sounds like Crystal, unless there was another cruise line that did exactly the same as Crystal did.

 

 

 

 

Edited April 1, 2020 by OzKiwiJJ

[Pushka]

11 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

That sounds like Crystal, unless there was another cruise line that did exactly the same as Crystal did.

Celebrity too then. On the Millenium. Many cruiselines have not covered themselves in customer fandom. 

[Chiliburn]

6 hours ago, in rod we trust said:

you would be lucky to get on a cruise ship in the next 2 years . that's if they can remain afloat and don't go bust .

 

if our gov took this serious in early feb  closed all borders and cruise ships to all non citizens , put all incoming returning citizens in Christmas island or Darwin or in some hotels under security, went hard on the population quarantined all those who had it under guard we would of been thru this by now ..  the way we are going about it now it will take at least 12 -18 months unless a vaccine comes out.  considering its a unknown virus and the lies from china from all the other viruses they have had, they should of known better ..  right now the only way to contain it now is a full lockdown needed for 6 to 8 weeks  only the very essentials allowed and some exemptions .  other wise its just going to keep spreading .  there is no proof or testing on herd immunity , nobody yet knows if you build a immune to it or if you cannot catch it twice..   so on that note I doubt there will be any cruising for at least 2 yrs or until a vaccine is out .. they way the gov is going about it now is wrong as it will just keep on going around and around , they were better of shutting down loose a bit now but would of come out better in all ways .. if we go for 12-18 months the country will be broke , people will loose there homes, .. as they say the storm is upon us but the tornado is coming 

 

and this will be my last post in the aus and nz section .   the cruise industry has done the damage to themselves and I see no way the terminal will go ahead with all the hatred they have against them now im still going to lay the boot it while there down tho.   .. so you may all better come to terms that cruising in Australia will not happen for at least min 2ys 

 Hey Rod baby 

I see with the new botany cruise terminal ,they are going to duplicate the rail line and have a passager  service .

Any updates ?

 

[DiamondFour]

I am just watching Greg Hunt speak on A Current Affair. He said a 6 month planned lock down so to speak. If he is correct then that would mean domestic restrictions are lifted around the 6 month mark. Does anyone want to take a guess when the 6 month mark is that they are referring to and from which start date?

[Chiliburn]

5 minutes ago, DiamondFour said:

I am just watching Greg Hunt speak on A Current Affair. He said a 6 month planned lock down so to speak. If he is correct then that would mean domestic restrictions are lifted around the 6 month mark. Does anyone want to take a guess when the 6 month mark is that they are referring to and from which start date?

By the prices around for next season , I think cruise lines are confident with October-November.

 

[MicCanberra]

12 minutes ago, DiamondFour said:

I am just watching Greg Hunt speak on A Current Affair. He said a 6 month planned lock down so to speak. If he is correct then that would mean domestic restrictions are lifted around the 6 month mark. Does anyone want to take a guess when the 6 month mark is that they are referring to and from which start date?

6 months makes it October 1st.

[VK3DQ]

Hi Folks

 

Well I was just talking to the VIP'er and we agree its going to be a long time before we will be able to cruise again , our thoughts are that when we are allowed we will slowly drive up the hume  Gold and Sunshine coasts then a quick call in on the grandkids at Hervey bay and then toddle north till we get sick of it.

 

I have a nice car Kia Sportage GT Line with all that opens and shuts , and less than 20k on the clock in three years so its time it did some work 

So for the first time in years our thoughts are not on cruising ... and I recon countless ozzies will have similar thoughts

 

Regards

John

[ilikeanswers]

2 hours ago, DiamondFour said:

100% blame for the deaths can be attributed the the government of China.

 

China did a lot of things wrong but the same can be said of the response of nearly every country afterwards. Taiwan's low infection rate wasn't luck, it was because they had good plans and protocols in place. Singapore it took one infection for them to enact emergency measures and South Korea used literally everything they had even surveillance cameras to contact trace all the infected and flattend their curve in record time. Countries around the world could have done better and cruise lines could have also done better. When ports around the world started to refuse them entry that really should have been the signal to cruiselines that the season is over and yet we still have cruise ships out in the ocean trying to disembark their passengers. They have been pretty irresponsible in their response to COVID 19 and I don't think people will forget that quickly.

[DiamondFour]

Our Spring seems reasonable. Being optimistic if as some coronavirus experts are correct that this virus will not survive the northern hemispheres summer and turns out to be a nightmare until then it may be subdued to the point that all things resume by September and October onward. By then our summer should be approaching and if the heat theory is correct then our lucky country will have survived better than others with our insurance policy of extreme heat.

[ilikeanswers]

1 minute ago, DiamondFour said:

Our Spring seems reasonable. Being optimistic if as some coronavirus experts are correct that this virus will not survive the northern hemispheres summer and turns out to be a nightmare until then it may be subdued to the point that all things resume by September and October onward. By then our summer should be approaching and if the heat theory is correct then our lucky country will have survived better than others with our insurance policy of extreme heat.

 

From what I have read the theory is up in the air. The fact that it has spread through some countries that are in the 30 degrees celcius already does seem to throw that theory in doubt unless it requires a really hot summer in which case only a few countries would qualify unless there is some unusual heatwave🤔. How hot does it get your part of the world?

[in rod we trust]

the deputy chief medical officer said he doesn't think this virus will end until there is a vaccine .   so looks like it will be a very very very long time before anybody see's a deck chair on the cruise ships..   if worse comes to worse bring one out to botany bay  off the coast  we can sink it and use it as a artificial reef .  perfect for us. 

 

[Chiliburn]

6 hours ago, in rod we trust said:

the deputy chief medical officer said he doesn't think this virus will end until there is a vaccine .   so looks like it will be a very very very long time before anybody see's a deck chair on the cruise ships..   if worse comes to worse bring one out to botany bay  off the coast  we can sink it and use it as a artificial reef .  perfect for us. 

 

Rod what’s the latest on your cruise terminal,come on spill the beans.

 

 I have heard a passager train service and 2 wharfs that will be capable of taking 2 of those big royal Caribbean ships.

They have the first ship 3/4 built ,wonder of the seas and the next one is named virtual of the seas. But I think that maybe delayed (someone mentioned a virus)

 

 

[MicCanberra]

27 degrees (washing in water) is supposed to kill the virus but I don't think that includes air temperature as that doesn't seem to have any affect in warmer climates like the Philippines or Indonesia, let alone the NT.. 

[Chiliburn]

25 minutes ago, MicCanberra said:

27 degrees (washing in water) is supposed to kill the virus but I don't think that includes air temperature as that doesn't seem to have any affect in warmer climates like the Philippines or Indonesia, let alone the NT.. 

the Russians say a bottle of vodka in the Sauna

heat and alcohol and lots of it.