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SS Future Re-Open Plan: Timing, Testing Needs??!!


TLCOhio
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Hi folks,  you can be critical of Florida all you want......I live here (so does Spins)....it has been handled HORRIBLY...........

They don't even supply how many people have been hospitalized and yesterday there was even a moment where

the state and Dade County don't even know who is handling contact tracing down there.........(the Mayor said one

thing and the Governor something else👎) It seems now there are too many cases for the tracing to even be helpful.

 

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My friends down under told me this morning that New South Whales, Australia closed its borders with Victoria again because of rapidly expanding new cases in that state.  I fear this thing is far from over everywhere, not just the USA.

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10 hours ago, Randyk47 said:

All that has resulted in fewer vacationers, cancelled conferences, etc.


Traveling extensively throughout our state the past 2-weeks and still out on the road, I can tell you where all the Texas vacationers are; Colorado.  It’s as if ya’ll just decided since our restrictions are pretty minor up here and we’ve had good success (generally speaking) managing the virus, that you’d come pay us a visit.  What I can’t figure out for the life of me though, is why Texans won’t wear masks when vacationing here?

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7 hours ago, crusinbanjo said:

My friends down under told me this morning that New South Whales, Australia closed its borders with Victoria again because of rapidly expanding new cases in that state.  I fear this thing is far from over everywhere, not just the USA.

Whales !!  No   it's  = New South Wales

Yes Victoria has recorded record numbers of new cases. 

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Bar Harbor, Maine bans cruise ships for the rest of the year. There is a negative perception that all cruise lines will need to overcome, warranted or not.   
 

https://www.pressherald.com/2020/07/08/bar-harbor-cancels-cruise-ship-visits-through-end-of-year/


https://bangordailynews.com/2020/07/08/news/hancock/bar-harbor-tells-small-cruise-ship-firm-it-cannot-resume-visits-this-year/
 

Quoting from the first link...

But Councilor Gary Friedmann said councilors heard from many residents who opposed allowing any cruise ship visits this year.

 

“There’s a sense that they’re Petri dishes for COVID,” Friedmann said. “Our citizens are on edge.”
 

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1 minute ago, CruiserFromMaine said:

Bar Harbor, Maine bans cruise ships for the rest of the year. There is a negative perception that all cruise lines will need to overcome, warranted or not.   

https://www.pressherald.com/2020/07/08/bar-harbor-cancels-cruise-ship-visits-through-end-of-year/
https://bangordailynews.com/2020/07/08/news/hancock/bar-harbor-tells-small-cruise-ship-firm-it-cannot-resume-visits-this-year/

Quoting from the first link...

But Councilor Gary Friedmann said councilors heard from many residents who opposed allowing any cruise ship visits this year.

“There’s a sense that they’re Petri dishes for COVID,” Friedmann said. “Our citizens are on edge.”

 

2 hours ago, Fletcher said:

Thanks Davey for posting that.  The official link is here -

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/cruise-ship-travel

It's basically saying do not book a cruise and no insurance policy will cover you in any circumstances.

 

Appreciate these various great comments, links, postings and follow-ups from Randy, Lois, crusinbanjo, Stumblefoot, rojaan19, Mocamps, Tothesunset, CruiserFromMaine, etc.  Much is happening (and not) these days.  Keep up the great sharing.    

 

The links immediately above from Maine and the UK illustrate that things continue to be in the "SHUT-DOWN" phase, not in a path for a quick or coming-soon re-opening.  

 

Noticed yesterday that Silversea moved back their potential first use of their new Silver Origin ship in the Galapagos Island to be happening not in August, but in September.  Maybe, if and if??!!

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

 

Dubrovnik!  Nice visual samples, tips, details, etc., for this super scenic location. Over 47,369 views.    

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1439227

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9 hours ago, TLCOhio said:

 

 

Appreciate these various great comments, links, postings and follow-ups from Randy, Lois, crusinbanjo, Stumblefoot, rojaan19, Mocamps, Tothesunset, CruiserFromMaine, etc.  Much is happening (and not) these days.  Keep up the great sharing.    

 

The links immediately above from Maine and the UK illustrate that things continue to be in the "SHUT-DOWN" phase, not in a path for a quick or coming-soon re-opening.  

 

Noticed yesterday that Silversea moved back their potential first use of their new Silver Origin ship in the Galapagos Island to be happening not in August, but in September.  Maybe, if and if??!!

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

 

Dubrovnik!  Nice visual samples, tips, details, etc., for this super scenic location. Over 47,369 views.    

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1439227


Thanks Terry.

i always appreciate your calm insightful posts

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14 hours ago, crusinbanjo said:

Thanks Terry. i always appreciate your calm insightful posts

 

Kindly appreciate this nice comment and follow-up from our New England friend.  

 

From the Wall Street Journal this morning, they had this headline: Cruise Ships Still Have Their Fans, Even After Coronavirus” with this sub-head: "The pandemic has thrown a sizable iceberg at the cruise industry, but long-term customer demand won’t crash".  

 

Here are some of the story highlights: “Landlubbers who wrote this industry off for dead just don’t get it.  Cruise lines have navigated their share of hardships over the last several decades, but now they face what some see as a true existential threat from a mix of canceled business, heightened regulations, lawsuits and cleanup costs amid the pandemic. Fortunately for them, it seems hard-core cruise goers can’t wait to climb back aboard. Their loyalty should eventually resuscitate battered shares of major operators Carnival, Royal Caribbean Cruises and Norwegian Cruise Line —as long as they can stay afloat financially.  Research by the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) shows the number of cruise passengers has grown each year for the past decade, with a cumulative 30% growth in passengers over the past five years. This growth has come even in the wake of recent disasters like the 2012 capsizing of the Costa Concordia, which killed 32 people, a 2013 engine room fire-turned-sewage flood and frequent instances of mass illness onboard.  While that streak will be broken in 2020, cruise goers are like Moby-Dick’s Ishmael: drawn to the sea, no matter how it throws them. Analysts estimate about 30% are repeat customers.”

 

Interesting reporting and analysis.  Here is some more background and specifics as cited in this article: "Carnival says the majority of its guests are, with many taking at least one cruise every year and some taking two or more. As with casino patrons, status in loyalty programs is a big draw, earning repeat cruisers anything from a lapel pin to a private dinner with their ship’s captain. The market has been expanding, too. UBS analyst Robin Farley notes that, while cruises are historically known to attract an older cohort, millennials are actually the fastest-growing segment of the market in absolute and percentage terms.  Cruise executives say they expect re-entry to be staged a few ships at a time rather than all at once. Analysts say an easy start will be shorter trips to private islands, which alleviate cross-border regulation risks and allow companies to control who comes and goes, all while enabling enhanced social distancing once onshore. Carnival owns two private islands and Royal Caribbean recently made a major splash in the industry, investing $250 million to turn a Bahamian beach into a theme park featuring the tallest waterslide in North America and the largest wave pool in the Caribbean."

 

Full story at:

https://www.wsj.com/articles/cruise-ships-still-have-their-fans-even-after-coronavirus-11594373404?mod=hp_lista_pos5

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Athens & Greece: Many visuals, details from two visits in a city with great history, culture and architecture.  Now at 35,615 views.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1101008

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Have a couple of articles today where this reporting reflects some of the issues and question affecting when and how cruise ship sailing might resume.  

 

From Barron's, the respected business publication connected with the Wall Street Journal, they had today this headline: Carnival Stock Is Popping Today. Here’s Why.” with these highlights: “Carnival reported a second-quarter loss of $6.07 a share, down from per-share profit of 65 cents a year earlier.  Shares of Carnival were at around $16, up more than 9% after being down earlier Friday morning. Its quarterly revenue totaled $740 million, versus $4.8 billion in the corresponding period a year ago.  One piece of good news: The company said Thursday that it plans to resume sailings out of Germany in early August for its Aida Cruises. It’s the first of those to announce plans to resume sailings.  'We expect demand to be more than adequate to fill ships in a staggered restart,' CEO Arnold Donald told analysts Friday morning.  He said that the Aida ships can have less than 50% passenger capacity and still generate substantial positive cash flow.  Those German-based cruises will sail with reduced passenger capacity and won’t visit any other ports.  Donald said that 'Italy seems to be closest to resuming cruises at this time' after Germany.”

 

Interesting details from Carnival about a "staggered restart" and their ability to operate successfully with less than 50% passenger capacity.  Will that be what other cruise lines are able to do and how they aim?

 

From Yahoo News this morning, they had this headline: “Miami is a new coronavirus hot spot, internal CDC document says.” with these highlights: “With Florida adding coronavirus infections at the rate of about 10,000 per day, many of Florida’s new infections have been in three South Florida counties: Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach. A document circulated throughout the federal government by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday, based on data from the previous two weeks, lists Miami-Dade as an 'area of concern.'  Concerns about Miami-Dade appear in a July 9 document compiled by the CDC and distributed to other agencies in the federal government involved in response to the coronavirus pandemic.”

 

With the three major cruise lines all based in South Florida and so many cruises sailing out of their ports, these high Covid-19 rates in South Florida do not help move forward, quickly, the sailing re-opening image and process. 

 

Full stories at:

https://www.barrons.com/articles/carnival-stock-is-popping-today-heres-why-51594395651?adobe_mc=MCMID%3D03431264583380117570537219259612360323|MCORGID%3DCB68E4BA55144CAA0A4C98A5%40AdobeOrg|TS%3D1594402661

https://news.yahoo.com/miami-is-a-new-coronavirus-hotspot-internal-cdc-document-says-162804209.html

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Lisbon, NWSpain, Bordeaux/Brittany: Live/blog, June 2017 from Portugal to France along scenic Atlantic Coast.  Now at 30,781 views.  Many interesting pictures, details for history, food, culture, etc.:

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2511358

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From the Miami Herald a few minutes ago this afternoon, they had this headline: “Carnival Corp. to sell 13 ships, resume cruises in Germany” with these highlights: “After record-breaking second quarter losses, Carnival Corporation will begin cruising again in August and shed 13 of its ships by the end of the year.  While U.S. health authorizes remain focused on curbing COVID-19 outbreaks among crews on cruise ships in U.S. waters, the cities of Hamburg, Kiel and Rostock, Germany, have given the industry the go-ahead to start cruises again next month. Carnival Corp.’s AIDA Cruises brand will begin cruises from those ports at around 50% capacity starting Aug. 5, CEO Arnold Donald announced Friday. The passengers will stay on the ships during the entire cruise.”

 

Here are more details for their future plans: "Outside of the AIDA 14-ship fleet, 53 of the company’s ships are anchored with just a skeleton crew on board, and the 35 others are expected to reach that status in the next month. Still, the company is burning through around $650 million per month on operations and capital commitments. In an effort to lower its cash-burn rate, Carnival is offloading 13 of its ships this year — nine more than previously planned."

 

Additionally, here was interesting background item in this reporting in this story by the major newspaper in the heart of the cruise industry: "The Miami Herald interviewed five doctors, three of whom treated COVID-19 patients on cruise ships, about what cruise companies can do to keep passengers and crew safe if companies resume operations before a vaccine is available. They recommend cruises operate at 50% capacity and stay within 500 miles of land. They said cruise companies should test passengers for COVID-19 before boarding, provide flexible cancellation and refund policies, and arm ships with more medical staff and ventilators, among other things."

 

Full story at:

https://www.miamiherald.com/article244127877.html

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Panama Canal? Early 2017, Fort Lauderdale to San Francisco adventure through Panama Canal.  Our first stops in Colombia, Central America and Mexico, plus added time in the great Golden Gate City. Now at 29,932 views.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2465580

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Nothing major this am as to the main cruise lines getting closer to any type of re-opening.  BUT, there are other stories out there reflecting the challenges and changing times.  On CBS Sunday morning, their reporter was in Rome documenting the dramatic drop in tourism for Italy and in other parts of Europe.  The good news was that Rome was not very crowded or congested.  However for those in the tourism trade, their business has dropped dramatically.  The link to this full TV news story is connected below.

 

From Cruise Industry News this morning, they had this headline: “Key West Could Ban Big Cruise Ships” with these highlights: “Megaships could be a distant memory in Key West, Florida, come 2021 as a referendum has been added to the November ballot that would limit the size of ships calling. Three proposed amendments on the ballot would restrict the size of ship, limit the number of guests disembarking on a daily basis, and prioritize ships with 'better' environmental and public health records.  The new rules would limit the number of guests coming off ships to 1,500 a day.”

 

 

From USA Today this morning, they had this headline: “Opening day at Disney World: Small crowds, short lines, social distancing and COVID-19 merch” with these highlights reflecting how tourism might change/adapt for the future: “Walt Disney World reopened to the public Saturday morning nearly four months after closing due to the widening coronavirus pandemic.  While the park's reopening may imply that the worst of the pandemic has passed, the opposite appears to be true. Its reopening coincided with a sharp increase in new infections in the Sunshine State. What Disney-lovers returned to wasn't what they left in March: there are many more safety precautions in place. It's a totally different world for park visitors, who are required to have their temperature taken when they arrive. Face masks are mandatory, except when eating or swimming and hand-sanitizing stations are sprinkled throughout the park. 'While 'safe' is subjective term, I felt more comfortable at Walt Disney World than I do in my local supermarket,' said Seth Kubersky, a travel journalist who covered opening day for USA TODAY. The additional safety did come at a price, though. 'The walls of plexiglass shields constant health safety reminders are reassuring, but also somewhat pulled me out of the 'fantasy,' ' he noted. 'However, the ability to experience all of the park’s headliners with little-to-no waiting mostly makes up for the eerie atmosphere.' ”

 

All of this raises questions as to when and how various ports and locations we would want to visit during a cruise would be operating.  AND, would that "experience" be worth it?  Would it still be as much "FUN!" and excitement without either the crowds/people and/or the added protections being so much of a distraction to what we would have enjoyed in the past, normal times?

 

Full stories at:

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/romes-empty-streets-reveal-a-tourism-industry-in-crisis/

https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/23213-key-west-could-ban-big-cruise-ships.html

https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/experience/america/theme-parks/2020/07/11/walt-disney-world-reopens-after-4-month-covid-19-shutdown/5412790002/

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

From late 2018, see “Holy Lands, Egypt, Jordan, Oman, Dubai, Greece, etc.”, with many visuals, details and ideas for the historic and scenic Middle East. Now at 18,518 views.  Connect at:

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2607054-livenautica-greece-holy-lands-egypt-dubai-terrypix’s/

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To offer some added perspective, especially from the UK, here is an experienced cruise writer (Sue Bryant) who is strong in her views to cheer for this industry return and recovery.  

 

From the Travel Section of the London/UK Sunday Times this morning, they had this headline: “FCO cruise advisory sucks the remaining wind from industry’s sails” with these highlights: “The blanket advice from the Foreign Office issued yesterday against all cruise ship travel is a cruel blow to a sector that has been relentlessly stigmatised during the Covid-19 crisis.  Like the hotel industry, cruising covers a vast spectrum of styles and destinations. A small riverboat on the Rhine is completely different from a 6,000-passenger floating resort. And yet the Foreign Office, following the advice of Public Health England, appears to characterise the entire industry as a homogeneous, potentially disease-ridden threat to British holidaymakers.  Cruise operators and insiders lined up to criticise the ban, which comes less than a week after two contradictory lists, released by the Foreign Office and the Department of Transport, sparked confusion over where British holidaymakers were free to visit. The odd thing is that the Foreign Office advice is largely academic because very few cruises are operating anyway: a handful of river lines in Europe, a few small ships in France, Greece and Iceland. Pretty well all the big lines, including Carnival, Royal Caribbean and NCL, have cancelled all cruises till late autumn as they try to reach consensus with regulators about health protocols.

 

It is not just the CDC in the U.S. that has strong views and powers to shape and decide many of the details for when and how cruising can resume. Here are more of her views/comments: "But as a symbolic gesture, the advice sucks all the remaining wind from cruising’s sails. Anyone eyeing up a future booking might now hesitate.  Given the self-contained, highly regulated nature of cruising, you could argue that it offered the safest form of travel in the short term.  This week had brought hope for the UK market when Hurtigruten announced a series of expedition voyages around Britain and Ireland for September. By then the Norway-based line will have 10 ships back in action, all sailing with reduced capacity, and stringent health protocols that have been tried and tested since operations started up again in June."

 

Full story at:

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/travel/fco-cruise-advisory-sucks-the-remaining-wind-from-industrys-sails-mv6507n78

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Completed last summer Calgary, Jasper/Banff National Parks, Western Canada Rocky Mountaineer rail adventure, Vancouver, sailing up to Alaska, post-cruise excursion to Denali, etc.  Many visuals and details from our first in these scenic areas!  Live/blog at: 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2682584-live-terryohio-silver-muse-alaska-canadarockies-pix’s/

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On 7/9/2020 at 1:57 PM, crusinbanjo said:

Sorry, fat finger syndrome 

 

 

Looked more like fat mammal syndrome! lol - Just teasing

 

On Florida, our friends who emigrated to the US approx 20 years ago (to Jupiter near West Palm Beach) sent me a text yesterday saying the recorded infections in Florida was 15300 yesterday for one day (so assume that's for the previous day.) That is a very scary statistic if it is true. (Seems to be verified online too - see image)

 

image.png.8ba8304da3ed1a715e74fb1f9f8e54d0.png

 

Having seen video clips sent to me from a court in a Palm Beach Commission meeting via WhatsApp where dozens of "protesters" were stating that wearing masks were killing them were against God and that they were not obeying these communist laws. I don't necessarily take these little snippets to represent the collective, but from Stumbles observations and our friends comments previously, there seem to be a rather large contingency who are refusing because "it's against their constitutional rights". It's almost like they have been coerced by someone irresponsible to put their lives and others lives needlessly at risk.

 

Our friends have got so worried (they have medical cover, but she is a type 1 diabetic), they are seriously thinking about "coming home" because they are so worried for the future. 

 

If I'd not seen these rants and people in supermarkets throwing tantrums (as well as products) for being asked to wear a mask in the store, I'd think I was having my leg pulled. If it didn't affect others who are doing the right thing, I'd say, let them get on with it, if their lives and health are so unimportant, but these actions affect all and signal a never ending supply for the virus to be replicated.

 

I can now say with nigh certainty, my 23 Nov 2020 and 15 March 21 cruises out of Fort Lauderdale have zero chance of sailing without a serious downturn or vaccine. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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4 hours ago, les37b said:

 

Looked more like fat mammal syndrome! lol - Just teasing

 

I can now say with nigh certainty, my 23 Nov 2020 and 15 March 21 cruises out of Fort Lauderdale have zero chance of sailing without a serious downturn or vaccine. 

First of all. Haha, good one.

 

Second, I think you might be right.  Our Jan 7 2021 departure from Ft Lauderdale is looking worse by the day.

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Hi Les, the numbers are correct. ☹️...it was the most cases in one day EVER........more than any other state going back to the start of this thing.......

 

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6 hours ago, les37b said:

I can now say with nigh certainty, my 23 Nov 2020 and 15 March 21 cruises out of Fort Lauderdale have zero chance of sailing without a serious downturn or vaccine. 

 

Agree that the Florida numbers now look really bad and that some form of "normal" cruising resuming later this fall looks highly doubtful.  Not sure that saying a March 2021 cruise is gone would be as certain.  A vaccine is another interesting "roll of the dice" as to when it will be perfected, trusted and used at a wide-enough level to provide provable protection, world-wide, etc.  Sadly, a certain number of people have spun artificial fears on vaccines.  That adds to the complications and challenges. Many good questions and too much uncertainty right now.  

 

From the Travel Section of the Washington Post, they had this headline: “The future of travel, according to guidebook writer Rick Steves” with these highlights: “Steves is adjusting to the next major development in travel: the coronavirus pandemic.”

 

From their comprehensive interview, Steves shared some of his thoughts and observations: "Nobody knows what’s going to happen next. There’s a certain 'Rick Steves' kind of Europe, and it’s not social distancing.  I don’t want to take people to Amsterdam and have them eat in little bubbles. You go to Italy to do the passeggiando, you know, when everybody’s out strolling together and licking their ice cream cones.  I think that’s going to come back, but it’s going to be a while. For me personally, the future of people staying six feet apart and wearing masks is not my idea of travel.  If the airlines can only put half as many people on the plane, it’s going to cost us all double. Then travel becomes an activity just for wealthy people. And I’ve always wanted travel to be affordable and accessible to people who just, you know, are reasonably employed but not necessarily wealthy.  This virus can put our dreams on hold. It can delay our dreams, but it can’t crush our dreams.  Travel is the best way to get to know your neighbor.  When you travel, you celebrate diversity. When you travel, you’re not afraid.  The flip side of fear is understanding, and we gain understanding when we travel. "

 

Full story at:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/travel/2020/06/22/future-travel-according-guidebook-writer-rick-steves/

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Barcelona/Med: June 2011, with stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Great visuals with key highlights, tips, etc. Live/blog now at 251,756 views.

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

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21 hours ago, iMarco46 said:

How to Lay-up Your Cruise Ship.

https://issuu.com/lr_marine/docs/lay-up_guide_26_october_2015

Full screen mode makes the guidance easy to read albeit not easy to digest.

 

Appreciate this above link and follow-up.  Very interesting (and costly) process that is involved with shutting down these ships. Then, there would be the finances and steps to reactivate these large ships.  Not as quick and easy as flipping a switch and/or pushing a button on a computer.   

 

From the Barron's business publications associated with the Wall Street Journal this morning, they had this headline: “Carnival Could Emerge From the Pandemic Stronger, Stifel Says” with these highlights: “For Carnival, the largest cruise company, the pandemic 'could prove to be a net long-term positive' despite a monthslong shutdown of indeterminate end.  That’s the contrarian take Stifel makes in a research note on a company whose shares have lost nearly 70% of their value this year. 'No, we aren’t crazy or suffering from some sort of home lockdown psychological disorder,' the research note assures readers.  The note observes that the pandemic has the potential to help Carnival 'accelerate the rate of change in several areas that have served has overhangs on' the stock. Positive steps, they note, include cost cutting, accelerating the sale of older ships, and slowing down the addition of new vessels.  During the company’s second-quarter earnings call last week, CEO Arnold Donald said Carnival is cutting $7 billion of costs on an annualized basis and more than $5 billion of capital expenditures over the next 18 months, among other steps. There are 13 ships scheduled to exit the fleet, according to Stifel. 'All told, [Carnival’s] fleet will emerge from the crisis considerably more efficient,' the analysts wrote.”

 

Full story at:

https://www.barrons.com/articles/carnival-could-emerge-from-the-pandemic-stronger-stifel-says-51594649692

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise from Copenhagen, July 2010, to the top of Europe. Wonderful scenic visuals with key tips. Live/blog at 239,885

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

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23 hours ago, TLCOhio said:

 

Agree that the Florida numbers now look really bad and that some form of "normal" cruising resuming later this fall looks highly doubtful.  Not sure that saying a March 2021 cruise is gone would be as certain.  A vaccine is another interesting "roll of the dice" as to when it will be perfected, trusted and used at a wide-enough level to provide provable protection, world-wide, etc.  

 

Even if the US had reopened its borders by then, for that cruise to sail, it would effectively need all the preceding South American cruises to also sail. All cruiselines I would think, will be looking at the best options to start up and continue and I dont see South America being the best they could pick!

 

So..... assuming the Moon is completed and the US opens, I suspect the start date / ports of call will be very different. Luckily on a TA, there are not many of those to worry about! (Which maybe why the outwards could happen - but the very next is FLL to Lima.... and there is no way (much to my sorrow) is ever happening. Plus the logistics here. US citizens coming to Europe face a 14 day quarantine. Europeans can't even come to the US so who would be the passengers?

 

 

 

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On 7/14/2020 at 9:43 AM, les37b said:

Even if the US had reopened its borders by then, for that cruise to sail, it would effectively need all the preceding South American cruises to also sail. All cruiselines I would think, will be looking at the best options to start up and continue and I dont see South America being the best they could pick!

 

Great above "reality check" above from our savvy UK friend.  Yes, it is a challenge for the cruise lines getting many of the South American ports opened.  

 

BUT, tonight, the latest "THUD" hit the cruise lines right between their blood-shot eyes.   From the New York Times one hour ago this evening, they had this headline: Extending Cruise Ban, C.D.C. Says Ships Helped Spread Coronavirus with this sub-head: "In a scathing order extending the current 'no sail' order on U.S. cruise lines, the agency said it spent 38,000 hours managing the outbreaks on ships."

 

Here are some of their story highlights: “As the coronavirus pandemic raged around the world, cruise ship companies continued to allow their crews to attend social gatherings, work out at gyms and share buffet-style meals, violating basic protocols designed to stop the spread of the highly transmissible virus, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a scathing 20-page order, released Thursday, that extended the suspension of cruise operations until Sept. 30.  In a rebuke of the cruise ship companies, Robert R. Redfield, the director of the C.D.C., blamed them for widespread transmission of the virus. The C.D.C. said there were 99 outbreaks aboard 123 cruise ships in United States waters alone. From March 1 until July 10, 80 percent of the ships in the C.D.C.’s jurisdiction were affected by the coronavirus. The agency said there had been nearly 3,000 suspected and confirmed cases and 34 deaths on ships in U.S. waters.  One ship arrived in Fort Lauderdale with four dead passengers on board.  Many of those passengers who were allowed to disembark from contaminated ships 'traversed international airports, boarded planes and returned to their homes,' the C.D.C. said, potentially spreading the virus further.

 

WOW!!  Not exactly good or positive news for the cruise companies.  Here is more from this CDC report: "Cruise ship companies submitted plans on how to safely evacuate crews, but nearly all the companies failed to meet the basic requirements necessary to stop the spread of the coronavirus, the C.D.C. said. If unrestricted cruise-ship passenger operations were permitted to resume, it would put 'substantial unnecessary risk' on communities, health care workers, port personnel and federal employees, the order said, as well as placing passengers and crew members at increased risk.  The agency’s previous no-sail order was set to expire July 24."

 

This kind of report and news coverage will not inspire confidence and/or be able to be spun into a positive, attractive picture.  Here is more from their story: "Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line, whose failures were specifically cited in the C.D.C. document, released statements in response to the order that did not specifically address the allegations."

 

Full story at:

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/16/travel/coronavirus-cruise-ban-extended.html

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Sydney to NZ/Auckland Adventure, live/blog 2014 sampling/details with many exciting visuals and key highlights.  On page 23, post #571, see a complete index for all of the pictures, postings.  Now at 230,617 views.

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1974139

Edited by TLCOhio
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Just to be clear that the previously-posted New York Times story was not too slanted or negative, here is how USA Today tonight summarized with this headline: “Cruises will not sail in US waters until October after CDC extends its 'no-sail' order” with these highlights: “The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have announced an additional extension to their "no-sail order" which is now set to expire on Sept. 30. The order will remain in effect until the end of September unless the CDC director rescinds or modifies the order or the secretary of Health and Human Services declares that COVID-19 is no longer a public health emergency, according to the CDC's announcement.  The trade organization's member lines carry 95% of the world's ocean-going cruisers. Like the CDC order, it applies to vessels that can carry 250 or more passengers. 'Although we had hoped that cruise activity in the U.S. could resume as soon as possible after that date, it is increasingly clear that more time will be needed to resolve barriers to resumption in the United States," Bari Golin-Blaugrund, senior director for strategic communications, told USA TODAY, noting the organization informed the CDC of its continued voluntary suspension.  'We want the traveling public to know in no uncertain terms that when we do resume operations in the U.S., it will be with the confidence that we have the necessary protocols and systems in place, and that we have done so with the input of the CDC,' she added.”

 

From CNN tonight, they had this headline: "CDC extends No Sail Order for cruise ships through September" with this story lead: "Cruises from US ports aren't embarking anytime soon. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced an extension of its No Sail Order for cruise ships on Thursday."

 

Full stories at:

https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/cruises/2020/07/16/cruise-ships-not-sail-u-s-until-oct-1-cdc-says/5452308002/

https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/cdc-cruise-ship-no-sail-order/index.html

https://thepointsguy.com/news/cdc-again-extends-no-sail-order/

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Venice: Loving It & Why??!!  Is one of your future desires or past favorites? See these many visual samples for its great history and architecture.  This posting is now at 88,099 views.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1278226

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Terry - Thanks for the informative posts. I really wonder if we’ll see any cruising in or out of the US for a lot longer than until just October.   A recent comment by the CDC director is ominous. https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/health-news/cdc-director-warns-second-wave-of-coronavirus-might-be-more-difficult/ar-BB13019d 

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Just now, Randyk47 said:

Terry - Thanks for the informative posts. I really wonder if we’ll see any cruising in or out of the US for a lot longer than until just October.   A recent comment by the CDC director is ominous. https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/health-news/cdc-director-warns-second-wave-of-coronavirus-might-be-more-difficult/ar-BB13019d 

 

Appreciate this helpful link and the wise comments from savvy Randy.  Agree that this "situation" is not going away quickly.  What happened on these cruise ships after the March shut-down must have been much, much worse than what has been previously reported and known.  October to resume sailing might be very optimistic.  Then, if you have your cash tied up with a cruise line as "credit", it could become "AT RISK" if this condition continues into 2021.  "Cash flow" cannot last indefinitely into the future.  

 

From the key Miami Herald in the center of cruise line operations last night, they had this headline: CDC bans cruises in U.S. waters until October citing ongoing COVID-19 outbreaks on ships with these highlights: “Cruising is banned in U.S. waters until Oct. 1 or until the COVID-19 pandemic is declared over, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Thursday.  The health agency extended its no-sail order for cruises, previously in place through July 24, for the second time during the COVID-19 pandemic amid continued disease outbreaks on cruise ships. The extension comes as the number of COVID-19 infections on land in the U.S. is surging.  'Cruise ship travel exacerbates the global spread of COVID-19.... The scope of this pandemic is inherently and necessarily a problem that is international and interstate in nature, and such transmission has not been controlled sufficiently by the cruise ship industry or individual State or local health authorities,'  the order said.  The latest setback for the industry did not come as a surprise, as dozens of states are experiencing spikes in COVID-19 cases, including Florida, home of PortMiami — the world’s busiest cruise port — and headquarter offices for all of the major cruise companies. Florida’s Department of Health on Thursday confirmed 13,965 new cases of COVID-19, the second highest single-day total recorded in the state since the pandemic began in March.”

 

Full story at:

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/business/tourism-cruises/article244269937.html

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Amazon River-Caribbean 2015 adventure live/blog starting in Barbados. Many visuals from this amazing river and Caribbean Islands (Dutch ABC's, St. Barts, Dominica, Grenada, San Juan, etc.).  Now at 66,853 views:

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2157696

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For the cruise lines, the opinions, concerns and orders from the CDC and other top governmental bodies are very important.  BUT, as originally posted back in early May, the airlines are also a very vital part of making this future "PUZZLE" picture work.  All of the "parts" need to fit together and become effect in order to insure consumer confidence and moving to some form of "normal".   Right?? 

 

From the Wall Street Journal this morning, they had this headline: “ ‘Let’s Go Fly, for God’s Sake.’ Behind American Airlines Chief’s All-In Strategy” with this sub-head: "CEO Doug Parker is adding flights back quickly despite a gathering coronavirus storm that will determine whether his bet is judicious or reckless."

 

Here are some of their story highlights: “Airline leaders have two choices today, neither good: Spend scarce cash to get back in the air despite Covid-19 health perils or hunker down and risk surrendering market share later.  Doug Parker, American Airlines.’s chief executive, decided to go all in this summer.  Travel demand is languishing at about a quarter of last year’s levels. Covid-infection rates are skyrocketing in much of the U.S., and some cities and states are imposing new travel restrictions.  American told employees Wednesday that demand hadn’t rebounded as quickly as executives had once hoped, as new Covid-19 cases rose in some places American had been betting on. The airline said it anticipated being overstaffed by more than 20,000 people when federal aid runs out Oct. 1 and is starting to send notifications of potential furloughs to nearly 30% of its front-line employees. Passenger revenue in June fell 80% from a year earlier.”

 

Full story at:

https://www.wsj.com/articles/american-airlines-ceo-doug-parker-united-delta-covid-coronavirus-airplane-flying-11594944808?mod=hp_lead_pos5

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

AFRICA?!!?: Fun, interesting visuals, plus travel details from this early 2016 live/blog. At 49,793 views. Featuring Cape Town, South Africa’s coast, Mozambique, Victoria Falls/Zambia and Botswana's famed Okavango Delta.

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2310337

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