The Way Forward

[ew101]

Whatever has happened in the recent past is behind us, but the US CDC is pretty cranky.  The latest memo is strongly worded and the steps needed are well defined.  https://www.cdc.gov/quarantine/pdf/No-Sail-Order-Cruise-Ships_Extension_4-9-20-encrypted.pdf

 

There is a new article in the Guardian which has good and simple insights on the illness.  https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/12/five-months-on-what-scientists-now-know-about-the-coronavirus

 

The key message is this:  "Virus-ridden particles are inhaled by others and come into contact with cells lining the throat and larynx. These cells have large numbers of receptors – known as Ace-2 receptors – on their surfaces."  This is pretty unrelated to Noro - tummy vs lungs- which we have pretty well figured out.  

 

So the primary laws of modern cruise industry economics and operations (larger, tightly packed ships) have to be tossed out, modified or put on the shelf.  The only 100% proven mitigation strategy at the moment is social distancing.  

 

And the quaint idea of calling the US Coast Guard "Uh somehow 21 people aboard are suddenly infected and contagious - can you risk your lives and contaminate your equipment and rescue them?" is gone.  

 

So new and bold measures need to be taken if there is to be cruising:

 

Online check in - no packed departure terminals - those video kiosks/carts work fine for US Customs

Voice or phone or ? operated elevators 

Extra Washy Washy

Social distancing in the buffet- good luck :)

Every other small table at dinner

Expanded medical areas - like part of a lower deck + ventilators 

More medical staff 

Interestingly the CDC has adopted the brave and clever idea of using another ship to rescue a stricken ship from HAL.   The much maligned older ships can be used for this.  

Test kits and temperature checkers and PPE  (which comes from where I wonder) 

Crew spread out i.e. no room mates - this will reduce guest capacity - which is needed anyhow 

No packed crew galley

Masks - yep

Spacing of loungers

Pre arranged infected ship docking - when there an outbreak.  If no port will take an infected ship- you don't go.   This is not an IF question but a WHEN question.  

Pre arranged upgraded shoreside hospital facilities - can this be done at various ports- yes probably.  The lines have cash now but won't by November .  The idea is to incent ($$) places like the Bahamas to upgrade a hospital floor to handle COVID-19 cases.  

Rent some vacant resorts for quarantine 

Pre arranged private buses /rigs/ planes ashore 

Positive ventilation in common areas- we already have it in cabins per ChengKP - guest cabins do not share air with other cabins 

Etc.

 

Many people will complain and raise a fuss- but what are the choices?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[dogo88]

While I don't totally disagree, these changes will in-effect kill the cruise industry. No one will go and no ship line could afford all of them.

Clearly there will be some major changes in the cruise industry. Not entirely clear if many will survive. 

[DFD1]

The Party Is Over......at least as we know it.

[Lido deck main]

1 hour ago, ew101 said:

Whatever has happened in the recent past is behind us, but the US CDC is pretty cranky.  The latest memo is strongly worded and the steps needed are well defined.  https://www.cdc.gov/quarantine/pdf/No-Sail-Order-Cruise-Ships_Extension_4-9-20-encrypted.pdf

 

There is a new article in the Guardian which has good and simple insights on the illness.  https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/12/five-months-on-what-scientists-now-know-about-the-coronavirus

 

The key message is this:  "Virus-ridden particles are inhaled by others and come into contact with cells lining the throat and larynx. These cells have large numbers of receptors – known as Ace-2 receptors – on their surfaces."  This is pretty unrelated to Noro - tummy vs lungs- which we have pretty well figured out.  

 

So the primary laws of modern cruise industry economics and operations (larger, tightly packed ships) have to be tossed out, modified or put on the shelf.  The only 100% proven mitigation strategy at the moment is social distancing.  

 

And the quaint idea of calling the US Coast Guard "Uh somehow 21 people aboard are suddenly infected and contagious - can you risk your lives and contaminate your equipment and rescue them?" is gone.  

 

So new and bold measures need to be taken if there is to be cruising:

 

Online check in - no packed departure terminals - those video kiosks/carts work fine for US Customs

Voice or phone or ? operated elevators 

Extra Washy Washy

Social distancing in the buffet- good luck 🙂

Every other small table at dinner

Expanded medical areas - like part of a lower deck + ventilators 

More medical staff 

Interestingly the CDC has adopted the brave and clever idea of using another ship to rescue a stricken ship from HAL.   The much maligned older ships can be used for this.  

Test kits and temperature checkers and PPE  (which comes from where I wonder) 

Crew spread out i.e. no room mates - this will reduce guest capacity - which is needed anyhow 

No packed crew galley

Masks - yep

Spacing of loungers

Pre arranged infected ship docking - when there an outbreak.  If no port will take an infected ship- you don't go.   This is not an IF question but a WHEN question.  

Pre arranged upgraded shoreside hospital facilities - can this be done at various ports- yes probably.  The lines have cash now but won't by November .  The idea is to incent ($$) places like the Bahamas to upgrade a hospital floor to handle COVID-19 cases.  

Rent some vacant resorts for quarantine 

Pre arranged private buses /rigs/ planes ashore 

Positive ventilation in common areas- we already have it in cabins per ChengKP - guest cabins do not share air with other cabins 

Etc.

 

Many people will complain and raise a fuss- but what are the choices?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This doesn’t sound like a Vacation to me at all.  Not going until a vaccine is available.

[taxmantoo]

31 minutes ago, Lido deck main said:

This doesn’t sound like a Vacation to me at all.  Not going until a vaccine is available.

Totally agree with your vaccine requirement.  Will definitely get one as soon as available and would only go on cruise if the cruise line required evidence of vaccination for all guests prior to boarding.  There are just too many people out there who would not get the vaccine for a variety of reasons (maybe some would even bring their own bottle of Hydoxychloroquine 😉).  If the cruise line did not require proof of vaccination you could end up on a ship with 50% of the passengers still not immune to the virus and, even though you were immune and safe, end up on a ship just floating in the middle of the ocean going nowhere for a few days or weeks.  I would hate to be quarantined to my room, totally safe and healthy, because of some idiots who refused to get the vaccine.

[bouhunter]

2 hours ago, ew101 said:

 

 

So new and bold measures need to be taken if there is to be cruising:

 

Online check in - no packed departure terminals - those video kiosks/carts work fine for US Customs

Voice or phone or ? operated elevators 

Extra Washy Washy

Social distancing in the buffet- good luck 🙂

Every other small table at dinner

Expanded medical areas - like part of a lower deck + ventilators 

More medical staff 

Interestingly the CDC has adopted the brave and clever idea of using another ship to rescue a stricken ship from HAL.   The much maligned older ships can be used for this.  

Test kits and temperature checkers and PPE  (which comes from where I wonder) 

Crew spread out i.e. no room mates - this will reduce guest capacity - which is needed anyhow 

No packed crew galley

Masks - yep

Spacing of loungers

Pre arranged infected ship docking - when there an outbreak.  If no port will take an infected ship- you don't go.   This is not an IF question but a WHEN question.  

Pre arranged upgraded shoreside hospital facilities - can this be done at various ports- yes probably.  The lines have cash now but won't by November .  The idea is to incent ($$) places like the Bahamas to upgrade a hospital floor to handle COVID-19 cases.  

Rent some vacant resorts for quarantine 

Pre arranged private buses /rigs/ planes ashore 

Positive ventilation in common areas- we already have it in cabins per ChengKP - guest cabins do not share air with other cabins 

Etc.

 

Many people will complain and raise a fuss- but what are the choices?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gee that sounds like a great vacation...…..   And one that would cost a fortune once the lines built all that into it.

[bajakiter]

Having had lots of time to read the forum lately, there appears to be two groups.

Those who think we will be cruising again in a few weeks or months with some changes and those who think it will be months or perhaps years with no resemblance of what cruising was just a short while ago.

It will be interesting to look back a year from now.

In the meantime, the ghost ships keep sailing around off Florida burning up untold dollars.

That cannot last.

Fortunately, for most of us we have precious moments of memories of cruises past.

 

[Krazy Kruizers]

I don't see cruising happening in a long time.

 

Sure glad we have memories of all those wonderful times.

[BJzink]

Pretty stringent guidelines - wonder if other travel destinations will have to comply with similar rules?  Like - hotels, restaurants, all-inclusives, and airplanes?

[Lido deck main]

6 minutes ago, bajakiter said:

Having had lots of time to read the forum lately, there appears to be two groups.

Those who think we will be cruising again in a few weeks or months with some changes and those who think it will be months or perhaps years with no resemblance of what cruising was just a short while ago.

It will be interesting to look back a year from now.

In the meantime, the ghost ships keep sailing around off Florida burning up untold dollars.

That cannot last.

Fortunately, for most of us we have precious moments of memories of cruises past.

 

I am from Vancouver, B.C.  We get status updates on a mostly daily basis from our provincial chief medical officer as well as our prime minister.  We in Canada are taking this seriously.  The virus is coming up to two million worldwide, it was just one million a week ago.  We are just in the beginning stages of the growth potential. There is no way Canada will reopen their ports beginning July 1st, public safety is the number one concern.  I think that the people who think that they are cruising this year are either not following the news or are not receiving accurate information from either their leaders and or the news they are receiving is not accurate.  The only way this is going to stop is with a vaccine and once their is a vaccine available we should all have to prove we have had the vaccine before we are allowed on a ship.

[jimdalva]

In 1 year we will have forgotten all about this.

Edited April 13, 2020 by jimdalva
o

[catl331]

But no vaccine is 100% effective. And who knows how this one will mutate by the time a first vaccine is produced.

[taxmantoo]

3 minutes ago, jimdalva said:

In 1 year we will have forgotten all about this.

 

[Tampa Girl]

1 hour ago, Lido deck main said:

I am from Vancouver, B.C.  We get status updates on a mostly daily basis from our provincial chief medical officer as well as our prime minister.  We in Canada are taking this seriously.  The virus is coming up to two million worldwide, it was just one million a week ago.  We are just in the beginning stages of the growth potential. There is no way Canada will reopen their ports beginning July 1st, public safety is the number one concern.  I think that the people who think that they are cruising this year are either not following the news or are not receiving accurate information from either their leaders and or the news they are receiving is not accurate.  The only way this is going to stop is with a vaccine and once their is a vaccine available we should all have to prove we have had the vaccine before we are allowed on a ship.

 

I am with you on the vaccine.  That would be the simpler solution if, indeed, the COVID does not turn out to be a seasonal illness.  If a person doesn't believe in or can't be vaccinated, no cruise.

[npcl]

4 hours ago, ew101 said:

Whatever has happened in the recent past is behind us, but the US CDC is pretty cranky.  The latest memo is strongly worded and the steps needed are well defined.  https://www.cdc.gov/quarantine/pdf/No-Sail-Order-Cruise-Ships_Extension_4-9-20-encrypted.pdf

 

There is a new article in the Guardian which has good and simple insights on the illness.  https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/12/five-months-on-what-scientists-now-know-about-the-coronavirus

 

The key message is this:  "Virus-ridden particles are inhaled by others and come into contact with cells lining the throat and larynx. These cells have large numbers of receptors – known as Ace-2 receptors – on their surfaces."  This is pretty unrelated to Noro - tummy vs lungs- which we have pretty well figured out.  

 

So the primary laws of modern cruise industry economics and operations (larger, tightly packed ships) have to be tossed out, modified or put on the shelf.  The only 100% proven mitigation strategy at the moment is social distancing.  

 

And the quaint idea of calling the US Coast Guard "Uh somehow 21 people aboard are suddenly infected and contagious - can you risk your lives and contaminate your equipment and rescue them?" is gone.  

 

So new and bold measures need to be taken if there is to be cruising:

 

Online check in - no packed departure terminals - those video kiosks/carts work fine for US Customs

Voice or phone or ? operated elevators 

Extra Washy Washy

Social distancing in the buffet- good luck 🙂

Every other small table at dinner

Expanded medical areas - like part of a lower deck + ventilators 

More medical staff 

Interestingly the CDC has adopted the brave and clever idea of using another ship to rescue a stricken ship from HAL.   The much maligned older ships can be used for this.  

Test kits and temperature checkers and PPE  (which comes from where I wonder) 

Crew spread out i.e. no room mates - this will reduce guest capacity - which is needed anyhow 

No packed crew galley

Masks - yep

Spacing of loungers

Pre arranged infected ship docking - when there an outbreak.  If no port will take an infected ship- you don't go.   This is not an IF question but a WHEN question.  

Pre arranged upgraded shoreside hospital facilities - can this be done at various ports- yes probably.  The lines have cash now but won't by November .  The idea is to incent ($$) places like the Bahamas to upgrade a hospital floor to handle COVID-19 cases.  

Rent some vacant resorts for quarantine 

Pre arranged private buses /rigs/ planes ashore 

Positive ventilation in common areas- we already have it in cabins per ChengKP - guest cabins do not share air with other cabins 

Etc.

 

Many people will complain and raise a fuss- but what are the choices?

 

The funny thing is that the CLIA included some of these things in the plan they presented to the CDC back in March, including providing 5 ships for use to hold passengers, pre-arranged medical, etc.

 

The problem it appears is they never followed through on their plan. Read page four of the recent CDC document.  It defines some of the things that the CLIA said they would do, but apparently did not.

[EscapeFromConnecticut]

5 hours ago, ew101 said:

Whatever has happened in the recent past is behind us, but the US CDC is pretty cranky.  The latest memo is strongly worded and the steps needed are well defined.  https://www.cdc.gov/quarantine/pdf/No-Sail-Order-Cruise-Ships_Extension_4-9-20-encrypted.pdf

 

There is a new article in the Guardian which has good and simple insights on the illness.  https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/12/five-months-on-what-scientists-now-know-about-the-coronavirus

 

The key message is this:  "Virus-ridden particles are inhaled by others and come into contact with cells lining the throat and larynx. These cells have large numbers of receptors – known as Ace-2 receptors – on their surfaces."  This is pretty unrelated to Noro - tummy vs lungs- which we have pretty well figured out.  

 

So the primary laws of modern cruise industry economics and operations (larger, tightly packed ships) have to be tossed out, modified or put on the shelf.  The only 100% proven mitigation strategy at the moment is social distancing.  

 

And the quaint idea of calling the US Coast Guard "Uh somehow 21 people aboard are suddenly infected and contagious - can you risk your lives and contaminate your equipment and rescue them?" is gone.  

 

So new and bold measures need to be taken if there is to be cruising:

 

Online check in - no packed departure terminals - those video kiosks/carts work fine for US Customs

Voice or phone or ? operated elevators 

Extra Washy Washy

Social distancing in the buffet- good luck 🙂

Every other small table at dinner

Expanded medical areas - like part of a lower deck + ventilators 

More medical staff 

Interestingly the CDC has adopted the brave and clever idea of using another ship to rescue a stricken ship from HAL.   The much maligned older ships can be used for this.  

Test kits and temperature checkers and PPE  (which comes from where I wonder) 

Crew spread out i.e. no room mates - this will reduce guest capacity - which is needed anyhow 

No packed crew galley

Masks - yep

Spacing of loungers

Pre arranged infected ship docking - when there an outbreak.  If no port will take an infected ship- you don't go.   This is not an IF question but a WHEN question.  

Pre arranged upgraded shoreside hospital facilities - can this be done at various ports- yes probably.  The lines have cash now but won't by November .  The idea is to incent ($$) places like the Bahamas to upgrade a hospital floor to handle COVID-19 cases.  

Rent some vacant resorts for quarantine 

Pre arranged private buses /rigs/ planes ashore 

Positive ventilation in common areas- we already have it in cabins per ChengKP - guest cabins do not share air with other cabins 

Etc.

 

Many people will complain and raise a fuss- but what are the choices?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   This might be the smartest post I've seen on Cruise Critic. Ever. 

   (Yes, we know that most folks won't like it ... but as COVID-19 has proven, our preferences have zero impact on the outside world. Absolute zero. The "optimists" here keep trying to deny that fact. It doesn't work).

    Too many people have been replying to this kind of thread with "Those improvements can't happen, they'd be too expensive and kill the industry." 
 

   That's simply not an answer, folks. We know you don't want the changes, but science and reality do not care. Also, the cruise industry has no guaranteed place in the world; if it can't overhaul all of its deficient operations to be safe in a coronavirus world, then it's dead - throw it in the fireplace and move on.
 
    My guess is that the most upscale lines will be back eventually with whatever adaptations are necessary. Their customers will afford whatever it takes.

   The days of $299 for a 6-day cruise to the Bahamas are over. Could they be back in 5 or 10 years? Can't rule that out. But there's nothing whatsoever on the horizon that's optimistic for the short- or medium-term :

   - We have no SCIENTIFIC reason to be certain there's a  vaccine in 12 to 18 months
   - We have no SCIENTIFIC reason to believe it would be so fully effective as to make COVID-19 a minor consideration
   - We have not SCIENTIFIC reason to believe there'll be no ensuing form of virus with lethal capabilities (they've been coming at us pretty hot & heavy in the past 10 to 15 years, and nothing promises that the next ebola or SARS won't be more communicable than the originals)
   - Even if the coronavirus vanished fully and forever in September, the globe would still be in an utterly massive recession. Nothing is bouncing back from this "like it never happened." And with massive unemployment and even more widespread pay cuts and benefit rollbacks, the mass market for cruising has dried up. Sure, some folks will still go - and certainly some ships will still be around in 2021. But the world will no longer support all of the cruise lines with ever-expanding fleets of ever-larger ships. Look for a LOT of ships to be scrapped in the next two years.

[npcl]

2 hours ago, BJzink said:

Pretty stringent guidelines - wonder if other travel destinations will have to comply with similar rules?  Like - hotels, restaurants, all-inclusives, and airplanes?

The difference is that restaurants can do a  number of things for distancing.  Spacing out tables, partitions between table areas (korea is doing that) going to a reservations only system, masks for wait staff, cleaning tables between each party, staff hand washing between each service.  Separate person picking up dishes, following a red area green area protocol. etc.

 

Hotels can do the same.  Restricting common access areas. On line check.  Set up elevators not to stop at intervening floors. (one group, same room) per elevator, no common dining area, room service only with no contact delivery. etc.

 

A number of businesses can put substantial distancing measures in place.  Will impact their capacity and profits, but they can operate.

 

The best airlines could do is require masks for all passengers, no food or drink service, reduce capacity and increase passenger spacing, no greeting passengers at door. Potentially clear plastic shields ( hanging from storage area above each seat) above the back of each seat to minimize air flow between each row.  Lock air vents on maximum.  Not as good as you good do with Restaurants, and hotels but better than now.

 

Far more difficult on cruise ships.

[Tampa Girl]

6 hours ago, ew101 said:

 

There is a new article in the Guardian which has good and simple insights on the illness.  https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/12/five-months-on-what-scientists-now-know-about-the-coronavirus

 

 

 

Very good article.  Thank you for the site.  

 

My only exception to your points is your description of cruise passengers being "tightly packed in", with the exception of muster calls, of course.  I have never felt "packed in" on any of the HAL ships or on the Cunard.  Yes, the theater can get crowded, but even the seating there is more comfortable than in many theaters. 

 

I also think that should a vaccine be developed for this virus (remember, the common cold still has no vaccine), I think a number of the CDC's "must have's) may not be necessary.  I also believe that should even a hint of another pandemic occur in the future, the cruise lines may be more aggressive in terminating their cruises before it gets to the point of at least the second ship being refused permission to dock.  How that would work, I have not the faintest.  It may not be possible.  Speculation, only speculation.  I would actually prefer to think that we are all overthinking what the future will be.  At least, I hope so.

[BJzink]

4 hours ago, npcl said:

The difference is that restaurants can do a  number of things for distancing.  Spacing out tables, partitions between table areas (korea is doing that) going to a reservations only system, masks for wait staff, cleaning tables between each party, staff hand washing between each service.  Separate person picking up dishes, following a red area green area protocol. etc.

 

Hotels can do the same.  Restricting common access areas. On line check.  Set up elevators not to stop at intervening floors. (one group, same room) per elevator, no common dining area, room service only with no contact delivery. etc.

 

A number of businesses can put substantial distancing measures in place.  Will impact their capacity and profits, but they can operate.

 

The best airlines could do is require masks for all passengers, no food or drink service, reduce capacity and increase passenger spacing, no greeting passengers at door. Potentially clear plastic shields ( hanging from storage area above each seat) above the back of each seat to minimize air flow between each row.  Lock air vents on maximum.  Not as good as you good do with Restaurants, and hotels but better than now.

 

Far more difficult on cruise ships.

?? All-inclusive resorts?

[DFD1]

There will be plenty of innovation as the country tries to get going again. It will be especially hard where airlines and cruise ships are concerned where space is at such a premium.

 

We may do a couple of road trips in the fall after school reopens (if it does), perhaps visit a National Park or two, if they are open.

 

 

[PROCRUISE]

9 hours ago, taxmantoo said:

Totally agree with your vaccine requirement.  Will definitely get one as soon as available and would only go on cruise if the cruise line required evidence of vaccination for all guests prior to boarding.  There are just too many people out there who would not get the vaccine for a variety of reasons (maybe some would even bring their own bottle of Hydoxychloroquine 😉).  If the cruise line did not require proof of vaccination you could end up on a ship with 50% of the passengers still not immune to the virus and, even though you were immune and safe, end up on a ship just floating in the middle of the ocean going nowhere for a few days or weeks.  I would hate to be quarantined to my room, totally safe and healthy, because of some idiots who refused to get the vaccine.

 

No objection to your desire however, will you also expect proof of vaccination for: Cholera, Diphtheria, Hepatitis A & B, Measles, Meningococcal, Mumps, Pertusis, Polio, Rubella, Shingles, Smallpox (making a come back), Tuberculosis, Typhoid Fever, Varicella, Yellow Fever?

[ottahand7]

I am so grateful for all of the cruises that I have taken.     We have a cruise booked with many friends from Canada in September.  I called my friend and said I wouldn't be going and she was confused and wondering why I was so negative.  Until there is a vaccine I can't cruise (or fly on a plane, or hang out in a restaurant or go shopping, or go use my Raven's tickets).    It is a hard decision we will all have to make going forward how much we are comfortable being amongst others based on our health and degree of risk we want to take for ourselves and those around us.   I hope cruising can adapt and a vaccine comes soon.   Many of our problems are miniscule compared to the crews and the Bahamians on HMC.    

[Germancruiser]

7 hours ago, EscapeFromConnecticut said:

 The days of $299 for a 6-day cruise to the Bahamas are over. Could they be back in 5 or 10 years? Can't rule that out. But there's nothing whatsoever on the horizon that's optimistic for the short- or medium-term :

Exactly my thoughts- those cruises should not have happend in the first place!

For all other ( cruise or not) scenarios - all remains to be seen. The pendlum can go in either direction!

Cruise lines have overexpanded - all these new built´s to come in the next two years...!

 

[Fredric22]

I think a lot of you are way too pessimistic about the future.  This is 2020 and literally the entire world is working on both treatments and vaccines for COVID-19.  A vaccine is not our best hope to get our economy back up and running in the short term.  The best bet we have to do this are proven treatments that work for those who become ill.  Once you have treatments in place, COVID-19 becomes another flu or common viral illness that does not spell death for those who are high-risk.  While it will take some months to get these treatments (drugs) to market, they will most likely arrive before a vaccine.  Hopefully we can have some of these treatments in place by the summer or very early Fall.  

 

Now, with that said, cruise lines will need to make some changes.  As testing technology improves and becomes more accurate and cheaper, cruise lines (in my opinion) should test for COVID-19 as a pre-boarding procedure.  Crew would be tested on a rotating basis every 7 days and of course ships would have the testing capabilities to do the rapid 5-minute test.  Any crew who test positive would immediately be isolated.  That doesn't take the risk of getting COVID-19 on the ship away completely, but it certainly does a lot more than just doing temperature checks (and they will do those too, of course).  There is also some technology being tested in the UAE at airports that asses someone's overall general health (looks at temp, heart rate, vitals, etc.) and can apparently tell if someone is sick.  These types of technological solutions will only get more important in the future.  I also think that cruise lines will continue to ask for doctor's approval from those over a certain age.  While I think 70 may be a bit young, I have certainly seen some guests who were clearly either too frail or sick to be on a cruise (or outside of a medical environment to be honest).  It really is unfair to put the burden on the cruise line to have to take care of these guests if they fall ill.  Of course, emergencies would still happen but the point would be to mitigate risk. 

 

As for on-board the ship, you can certainly count on more hand sanitizing, general cleaning, and a full-service buffet.  However, any more than that, I don't think would actually work.  Face masks, social distancing, and other invasive measures simply don't work in a leisure environment.  If things are truly that severe, then cruises will continue to pause operations until the experience can get back to at least 80% of what it once was.  Behind the scenes, there should probably be a few cabins dedicated to medical isolation if crew or guests become ill with either COVID-19 or any other contagious illness. 

 

For me, I would rather go through an extra hour or so of screening at the pier than to have my on-board experience be a shadow of what it once was.  I do think cruise lines should wait to continue cruises until the Fall 2020 season.  This will allow society to catch a bit of a break from cruising psychologically and allow the cruise lines to really come up with, implement, and market these new strategies.  I think the worst thing they could do would be to open up prematurely, and then get an outbreak on board, and then have to shut down again.  They will lose all credibility if they force it and start too soon not to mention have another PR mess to contend with.  

 

Eventually COVID-19 will subside in one way or another, and the industry will move on.  Some changes that take place this year will be lasting and others will probably not last.   During the 1918 Spanish Flu pandemic, I am sure many people thought shaking hands would be a thing of the past.  Social distancing became the norm for almost 10 months. People wore masks, avoided physical contact, and didn't attend gatherings (sound familiar?).  What happened?  Well, we all know that shaking hands came back.  Our society has short memories, even after a pandemic like that, which killed 600,000+ Americans.  

 

 

[Germancruiser]

Good post Fredric- I agree- completely. I hope NY will be soon out of their dire straits- all the world of course- but NY especialy- since it is hit so bad.

Edited April 16, 2020 by Germancruiser