Predict when cruising will start again post-Coronavirus

[VK3DQ]

5 minutes ago, lyndarra said:

Thanks for the link. I'll put an add up when people can travel again as it's a heavy beast and will need picking up. I'll pass it on rather than sell it.

Good .. you should find a few folks that will be happy to give it a new home .....

[Blackduck59]

1 minute ago, VK3DQ said:

 

Do you think your airline will operate your flights in Feb 2021??  I would not bank on it ,,,but I hope you have good luck and say hello to the little penguins at phillip island

 

 

I have noticed you are such a ray of sunshine. Actually I do believe that Air New Zealand will be operating by then and I'm also optimistic that New Zealand and Australia will let a couple of stray Canadians in. If one runs out of hope then why do I bother to go to work every day? Go to work do 8 to 9 hours a day 5 days a week then straight home, maybe stop for food or gas and back to work, repeat. If I couldn't look forward to something I guess I would just sit at home and be angry about what used to be. Compared to you I may be a spring chicken but have seen lots of changes in my 60 years, not all of them good.

[Aus Traveller]

6 minutes ago, Blackduck59 said:

I have noticed you are such a ray of sunshine. Actually I do believe that Air New Zealand will be operating by then and I'm also optimistic that New Zealand and Australia will let a couple of stray Canadians in. If one runs out of hope then why do I bother to go to work every day? Go to work do 8 to 9 hours a day 5 days a week then straight home, maybe stop for food or gas and back to work, repeat. If I couldn't look forward to something I guess I would just sit at home and be angry about what used to be. Compared to you I may be a spring chicken but have seen lots of changes in my 60 years, not all of them good.

Keep planning your trip and, in the worst-case scenario, maybe you can postpone it a year. I had to cancel my European land + cruise trip this year but the same cruise isn't offered in 2021. I have a replacement trip in mind, but it is more expensive.☹️

[VK3DQ]

32 minutes ago, Blackduck59 said:

I have noticed you are such a ray of sunshine. Actually I do believe that Air New Zealand will be operating by then and I'm also optimistic that New Zealand and Australia will let a couple of stray Canadians in. If one runs out of hope then why do I bother to go to work every day? Go to work do 8 to 9 hours a day 5 days a week then straight home, maybe stop for food or gas and back to work, repeat. If I couldn't look forward to something I guess I would just sit at home and be angry about what used to be. Compared to you I may be a spring chicken but have seen lots of changes in my 60 years, not all of them good.

Darn lost what I wrote ,,, but was showing you Phillip Island with the Wife VIPer flying the Cesna 182  with me in the back  circling the Nobbies at about 1000feet 

 

will find them regards

John 

[VK3DQ]

36 minutes ago, Blackduck59 said:

I have noticed you are such a ray of sunshine. Actually I do believe that Air New Zealand will be operating by then and I'm also optimistic that New Zealand and Australia will let a couple of stray Canadians in. If one runs out of hope then why do I bother to go to work every day? Go to work do 8 to 9 hours a day 5 days a week then straight home, maybe stop for food or gas and back to work, repeat. If I couldn't look forward to something I guess I would just sit at home and be angry about what used to be. Compared to you I may be a spring chicken but have seen lots of changes in my 60 years, not all of them good.

My position is an adopted point of view ... I'm not that bad >> 

[MMDown Under]

If cruises aren't available when you wish to cruise, consider cruising on a ferry = Hurtigruten in Norway, Alaskan Marine Highway in Alaska, Ferry to Marqueses, Tahiti, ferry from Cairns to Thursday Island return, ferries in the Greek Islands, ferry from Sweden to Finland to Russia.etc. One of the advantages of cruising on ferries is you meet the nicest local people, who are happy to tell you about their country.

[Ondine]

51 minutes ago, Blackduck59 said:

We are in Oz from the 6th to 18th of Feb 2021. Melbourne 3 nts, Ballarat 1 nt, Port Campbell 2 nts, Wallington 1 nt and Phillip Island 2 nts then fly Melbourne to Sydney where we will spend 3 nights before flying home

 

I had never heard of Wallington so googled it.  You learn something everyday.  Lived in Melbourne 60 odd years.

Hope your trip goes ahead.  We should be on Sapphire Princess to NZ departing 6th Feb.  Time will tell.

[VK3DQ]

1 minute ago, MMDown Under said:

If cruises aren't available when you wish to cruise, consider cruising on a ferry = Hurtigruten in Norway, Alaskan Marine Highway in Alaska, Ferry to Marqueses, Tahiti, ferry from Cairns to Thursday Island return, ferries in the Greek Islands, ferry from Sweden to Finland to Russia.etc. One of the advantages of cruising on ferries is you meet the nicest local people, who are happy to tell you about their country.

GOOD POINT  the ferries will be the first to start up

[Blackduck59]

4 minutes ago, Ondine said:

 

I had never heard of Wallington so googled it.  You learn something everyday.  Lived in Melbourne 60 odd years.

Hope your trip goes ahead.  We should be on Sapphire Princess to NZ departing 6th Feb.  Time will tell.

We'll be pulling into Melbourne on the 6th of Feb 2021.

[VK3DQ]

16 minutes ago, Blackduck59 said:

We'll be pulling into Melbourne on the 6th of Feb 2021.

Its going to take a lot to overcome the cruise ship hatred that is current here..but if you make it I feel a beer coming on !!

[Ondine]

Oops it is the 9th Feb we are supposed to sail.  Paid with FCD's nearly 12 months ago and hope to use FCC's from cancelled March 23rd cruise to pay final - if I ever get the FCCs.  4 weeks and still waiting.

 

I think the hatred will eventually die down except for the die hards.  You will never change some people's opinions.  At the moment I feel guilty for even liking cruising.

[Pushka]

I think our first foray will be on a smaller ship, maybe Viking. We are booked for an Egypt Israel Jordan trip with Viking for December 2021 booked ages ago. We had to cancel our small cruise (35 passenger) Greek Island cruise that is in July, and another Celebrity Edge Med Cruise where we got a stunning deal 😫 the next week. Flights already cancelled. It will take a couple of years before we embrace the larger cruise ships I think. 

[Roger88]

Not sure whether it was this thread or another but as I said previously, I predict cruising to be back to its normal schedule next year. Here and there cruising will start  operating starting this summer but if you want to be completly sure, I would wait for the next year. In any case, they will keep posting their best deals all year round, so, just monitor the situation and pick the one you like for the next year

[possum52]

1 hour ago, Ondine said:

 

I had never heard of Wallington so googled it.  You learn something everyday.  Lived in Melbourne 60 odd years.

Hope your trip goes ahead.  We should be on Sapphire Princess to NZ departing 6th Feb.  Time will tell.

Right in the middle of the Bellerine Peninsula! On the road from Geelong to Queenscliff. Lovely area.

 

Leigh

[ilikeanswers]

1 hour ago, MMDown Under said:

If cruises aren't available when you wish to cruise, consider cruising on a ferry = Hurtigruten in Norway, Alaskan Marine Highway in Alaska, Ferry to Marqueses, Tahiti, ferry from Cairns to Thursday Island return, ferries in the Greek Islands, ferry from Sweden to Finland to Russia.etc. One of the advantages of cruising on ferries is you meet the nicest local people, who are happy to tell you about their country.

 

The only ferry left in French Polynesia is Tahiti to Mo'orea, the rest no longer operate. The Alaskan Government is looking to close a whole set of routes on AMH which is really sad. Maybe COVID19 will make them think twice. 

[possum52]

2 hours ago, Blackduck59 said:

We are in Oz from the 6th to 18th of Feb 2021. Melbourne 3 nts, Ballarat 1 nt, Port Campbell 2 nts, Wallington 1 nt and Phillip Island 2 nts then fly Melbourne to Sydney where we will spend 3 nights before flying home

Lyle, it looks like you have been researching your trip. I am intrigued at your plans for your visit to Victoria. May I ask why you are visiting Ballarat? I love Ballarat but it appears you are heading for the Great Ocean Road and going through Ballarat is the long way. Do you intend to visit Warrnambool which is my home town? Will you take the ferry from Queenscliff when you leave Wallington across to Sorrento and then on to Phillip Island?  If you have any questions ask away, there are a few Victorians on this board who will be willing to help. 

 

Hopefully we will have opened our borders by then but at this stage who knows. Good luck!

 

Leigh

[Aus Traveller]

16 minutes ago, Roger88 said:

Not sure whether it was this thread or another but as I said previously, I predict cruising to be back to its normal schedule next year. Here and there cruising will start  operating starting this summer but if you want to be completly sure, I would wait for the next year. In any case, they will keep posting their best deals all year round, so, just monitor the situation and pick the one you like for the next year

If you mean the Northern summer - no way!! In the words of a famous Aussie film, "Tell him he's dreaming." I see the Southern summer as a possibility, but then only for cruises in the Aust/NZ area.

[palks]

Been reading this thread with interest, and I suppose some hope, we have a cruise planned around NZ in Jan 21. I just don’t see it returning to anything like normal for a long time....

Obviously most of us on here are cruise fans, we don’t make up the majority on a sailing...and that will be problem, convincing the public it is ‘safe’ to do so. Second...international travel is going to be a long time away from restarting...again a significant number of people on a cruise out of Aus/NZ are international travellers.

I see some small ship cruising between NZ and Australia starting before anything else, but due to what will be ongoing restrictions on mass travel...don’t see many big ships here for a long time.


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[Chiliburn]

5 minutes ago, palks said:

Been reading this thread with interest, and I suppose some hope, we have a cruise planned around NZ in Jan 21. I just don’t see it returning to anything like normal for a long time....

Obviously most of us on here are cruise fans, we don’t make up the majority on a sailing...and that will be problem, convincing the public it is ‘safe’ to do so. Second...international travel is going to be a long time away from restarting...again a significant number of people on a cruise out of Aus/NZ are international travellers.

I see some small ship cruising between NZ and Australia starting before anything else, but due to what will be ongoing restrictions on mass travel...don’t see many big ships here for a long time.


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I think everyone has cabin fever and when we can go we will go big time.

And let the party begin.

[lyndarra]

4 hours ago, Pushka said:

I think our first foray will be on a smaller ship, maybe Viking. We are booked for an Egypt Israel Jordan trip with Viking for December 2021 booked ages ago. We had to cancel our small cruise (35 passenger) Greek Island cruise that is in July, and another Celebrity Edge Med Cruise where we got a stunning deal 😫 the next week. Flights already cancelled. It will take a couple of years before we embrace the larger cruise ships I think. 

Egypt, Israel and Jordan are great places to visit but I would highly recommend doing them as land tours to do them justice (apart for 4 or 5 days on the Nile. Or maybe as pre or post tours. Just a suggestion as I've recently been to those places as well as Turkey (twice).

[LittleFish1976]

7 hours ago, Blackduck59 said:

 That's not quite it. Cruises booked in Australia and New Zealand don't have gratuities but probably cost more. If for instance you booked the same Eclipse cruise I'm booked on (she will be home ported in Melbourne for the season) you would not pay "gratuities" but probably pay more for your fare. If I was to book the same cabin on the same cruise in Canada I would probably pay less but will be charged gratuities. They're going to get our money either way.

Depends on your cruise line. Any cruise I've taken from Australia has gratuities as an additional charge.

[OzKiwiJJ]

2 minutes ago, LittleFish1976 said:

Depends on your cruise line. Any cruise I've taken from Australia has gratuities as an additional charge.

Princess, P&O Australia, and Carnival haven't had additional gratuities on Australian based cruises for quite some time, when booked in Australia or NZ. Celebrity and Royal Caribbean started also doing that about 2-3 years ago. I think all the others still have daily grats.

[LittleFish1976]

Just now, OzKiwiJJ said:

Princess, P&O Australia, and Carnival haven't had additional gratuities on Australian based cruises for quite some time, when booked in Australia or NZ. Celebrity and Royal Caribbean started also doing that about 2-3 years ago. I think all the others still have daily grats.

Yes, as I said, depends on your cruise line. Cunard still charge separate gratuities when booked from Australia (and elsewhere).

[VK3DQ]

5 minutes ago, LittleFish1976 said:

Yes, as I said, depends on your cruise line. Cunard still charge separate gratuities when booked from Australia (and elsewhere).

AS Does HAL>>>>>

[Pushka]

48 minutes ago, lyndarra said:

Egypt, Israel and Jordan are great places to visit but I would highly recommend doing them as land tours to do them justice (apart for 4 or 5 days on the Nile. Or maybe as pre or post tours. Just a suggestion as I've recently been to those places as well as Turkey (twice).

Thanks for the info. Yes we are doing both Jordan and Israel as five day land trips then Cairo then a 7 day Nile cruise. It may be our last significant journey overseas.