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

[chrism23]

1 hour ago, brimary said:

I cannot believe your abusive comment on our relationship with SS

I hope you are referring to Beaujolais and not me.  I wouldn't dream of being abusive to you in anyway.  And my previous posts are also there for the looking.  I'll say it again as I have for several years.  I am a Silversea lifer.  I think there is a sense of community among frequent Silversea cruisers and I am proud to be among that community.  I have made many friends on my voyages (especially among trivia players) and I would not disparage SS and its regulars in any way.  He did get one thing right.  I was on the Silver Wind in 2019 and sailing out from the Tower Bridge in the early morning and have the bridge open up just for us was one of the coolest things I have done in my life.  So I really don't get what is going on here.  

[docruth]

On 1/9/2021 at 6:46 AM, chrism23 said:

HI Doc Ruth.  You are a wealth of information and I really appreciate your input, I think we all do.  I partially disagree with one thing.  I recognize that the vaccine may not work with people that are immunocompromised, using Chronic Fatigue Syndrome as an example.  But that does not guarantee that the person receiving the vaccine would have an adverse reaction or that it wouldn't work ...

 

Chrism,

 

Once again, we’re in 100% agreement ... thanks for your kind words ... wish I had gotten it right 1st.

 

The shortcoming was mine. I should have said the issue is with folks taking immunosuppressants. I think I used Enbrel, Humira, and Prednisone as example, but those are just a few. Really any treatment for autoimmune issues. If you’re taking them, they preserve quality of life, you need them, and unfortunately they decimate your immune system.

 

They are the people who will most likely to have their medical professional recommend not taking the vaccine, they won’t form antibodies, and that’s the part that just really stinks. Without that immunity passport, their international travels are probably over and I was just commiserating.

 

Should have done a better job, thanks for keeping me accurate.

 

Doc Ruth

 

 

[brimary]

18 hours ago, chrism23 said:

I hope you are referring to Beaujolais and not me.  I wouldn't dream of being abusive to you in anyway.  And my previous posts are also there for the looking.  I'll say it again as I have for several years.  I am a Silversea lifer.  I think there is a sense of community among frequent Silversea cruisers and I am proud to be among that community.  I have made many friends on my voyages (especially among trivia players) and I would not disparage SS and its regulars in any way.  He did get one thing right.  I was on the Silver Wind in 2019 and sailing out from the Tower Bridge in the early morning and have the bridge open up just for us was one of the coolest things I have done in my life.  So I really don't get what is going on here.  

Correct and like you we are Silversea lifers with a host of happy memories which is why I didn’t understand Beaujolais comments either..Best forgotten and remember the happy twenty two years of cruising with the top rate crew many of whom are friends now on the best luxury line in our opinion.Having sailed in and out of Tower Bridge on 20+ occasions we still get a real buzz doing it again when cruising resumes.

[beaujolais]

5 hours ago, brimary said:

Correct and like you we are Silversea lifers with a host of happy memories which is why I didn’t understand Beaujolais comments either..Best forgotten and remember the happy twenty two years of cruising with the top rate crew many of whom are friends now on the best luxury line in our opinion.Having sailed in and out of Tower Bridge on 20+ occasions we still get a real buzz doing it again when cruising resumes.

 

Sadly this  is why we have retired from Silversea and all cruising after 21 superb years of luxury cruising with Silversea that we have been fortunate to enjoy.

 

Your words, not mine !!

[TLCOhio]

On 12/29/2020 at 3:32 PM, Lois R said:

Hi Terry, nope, I have never been to Lisbon......it was on my "BIG RETIREMENT CRUISE" that got scrapped earlier in the year.........I hope it will come to fruition this time around.

 

Sorry for my delay in responding and posting lately.  For Lois, as that trip/adventure to Portugal and Lisbon gets closer and more certain, I am happy to share much more about the excellent options there and nearby.  

 

Many very good sharing, questions and comments as to vaccines, travel, the future, etc. As a summary, the more we learn, then added questions come up.  So much still to happen before things get back to some form of mostly "normal"??!!

 

From the Wall Street Journal in late December, they had this headline: “Cruise Ships Can’t Sail Away From Covid"  with this sub-headline: "Small luxury operators have tried strict testing requirements and capacity limits, but onboard outbreaks persist.”

 

Here are some of their story highlights: “Authorities around the world halted voyages on large passenger ships in March after Covid-19 tore through scores of vessels, but cruising never really stopped.  Smaller cruise ships exempted from the suspension continued to sail selected routes. To keep the deadly virus off ships, these boutique operators experimented with a variety of new precautions.  The result: They mostly failed.  Coronavirus infections repeatedly pierced so-called safety bubbles promoted by luxury cruise lines. Since June, about 200 people have tested positive for the virus on nearly two dozen cruises, according to a Wall Street Journal tally. At least one person, a crew member, died in his cabin with the virus, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  'Transmission has not been controlled sufficiently,' the CDC said in a September report that cited the virus’s continued spread on smaller cruise ships as one of the agency’s reasons for extending its ban on sailing for large ships.  The recent outbreaks suggest that it will be nearly impossible to prevent the spread of infections in the short term without extreme measures that would drastically increase costs and reduce the entertainment value of a cruise.”

 

Full story at:

https://www.wsj.com/articles/cruise-ships-cant-sail-away-from-covid-11609410601

 

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 89,418 views.

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

 

[mrlevin]

22 hours ago, docruth said:

 

Chrism,

 

Once again, we’re in 100% agreement ... thanks for your kind words ... wish I had gotten it right 1st.

 

The shortcoming was mine. I should have said the issue is with folks taking immunosuppressants. I think I used Enbrel, Humira, and Prednisone as example, but those are just a few. Really any treatment for autoimmune issues. If you’re taking them, they preserve quality of life, you need them, and unfortunately they decimate your immune system.

 

They are the people who will most likely to have their medical professional recommend not taking the vaccine, they won’t form antibodies, and that’s the part that just really stinks. Without that immunity passport, their international travels are probably over and I was just commiserating.

 

Should have done a better job, thanks for keeping me accurate.

 

Doc Ruth

 

 

 

Doc, I am on Remicade and my rheumatologist said to get the COVID vaccine as soon as I can.  Either she is wrong or you are wrong; and I am betting that she is right.

 

edited to add:

 

This may be what you are referring do; that the vaccine may not be as efficacious:

 

[quote]

Can those taking biologic medications get a COVID-19 vaccine?

Our medical experts have said that yes, patients on biologics can get vaccinated for COVID-19. What we need to understand is that biologics may dampen the body’s response to the vaccine – meaning the vaccine may provide lower levels of protection against COVID-19 for those on biologics.

Dr. Winthrop notes that because of this, a person on biologics may experience fewer of the common side-effects of the vaccines, such as fatigue, headache, or injection site achiness. “I would suspect that this group of people are probably going to tolerate the vaccine better and have less of that reactogenicity,” he said.

“Then the question is, are they going to mount as protective an immune response to the virus or not? Most of us would say they probably won’t. The people who have immune systems that aren’t quite as strong or robust, they just don’t have the same response [to vaccines]. We see this same type of phenomenon with most immunosuppressants. It depends on the dose and the type of drug. Most of the drugs that are used with this condition will probably dumb down the immune response to the vaccine.”

Dr. Winthrop said that as further studies are done in the future, we may find out that people taking biologics may need a higher dose of vaccine, or an extra booster dose of the vaccine. “These are things we figure out with time and additional studies,” he said.

Dr. Rosenbaum added, “If anything, someone with spondyloarthritis on biologics is going to have less risk [of vaccine reactions]. The question is, will that same individual have less benefit. You may have fewer symptoms after you get the vaccine, but that probably correlates with making a less robust immune response.”

 

[/quote]

Edited January 12, 2021 by mrlevin

[TLCOhio]

From the Miami Herald in the heart of the cruise industry in South Florida late yesterday afternoon, they had this headline: “Carnival Corp. CEO says company has enough cash to endure 12 more cruise-less months” with these highlights: “Carnival Corporation has enough cash to survive a cruise-less 2021, CEO Arnold Donald told investors Monday.  The company reported a net loss of $2.2 billion during the final quarter of 2020 but ended the year with $9.5 billion in liquidity, enough to endure at least 12 more months without cruises, Donald said. To tighten supply, the company has divested of 15 ships from its pre-pandemic fleet of 105, and plans to bid farewell to four more in the coming weeks.  The company has returned 30 of its ships to U.S. waters since the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lifted its months-long no-sail order in October.  Ships in U.S. waters are required to test crew members for COVID-19 weekly and report results to the CDC. Donald said the company is still awaiting guidelines from the public health agency about when and how it will operate test cruises, one of the next requirements.  While details regarding cruising’s resumption are still unknown, Donald said demand from past cruisers remains strong. Cumulative advanced bookings for the second half of 2021 are within the historical range, according to the company, and the cumulative advanced bookings for the first half of 2022 are ahead of 2019.”

 

It is good that Carnival and the other two major cruise lines have "cash", now.  BUT, how will this upcoming re-start work and how much "cash-flow" will be needed to fund and cover ALL of the costs during a slow, staged recovery?  Over what period of time will it require in order to get back to operating at a 50% level of sailing capacity?

 

Full story at:

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/business/tourism-cruises/article248421205.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 232,060 views.

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

[TLCOhio]

From the Wall Street Journal this afternoon, they had this headline: “Cruises and Covid-19: When U.S. Sailings Could Restart and What Safety Precautions Are Expected" with this sub-headline: "Carnival, other operators are looking to resume trips next year, but health officials say cruises are high risk and require changes first”.

 

Here are some of their story  highlights: “The coronavirus pandemic has halted cruises in much of the world and idled the fleets of Carnival Corp., Royal Caribbean Group and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings. The operators are promising to resume sailing in the U.S. in 2021, but health officials want them to clear certain requirements first. Here is what you need to know:  When will cruise ships sail again in the U.S.?  Major cruise lines keep pushing back their restart dates as coronavirus cases continue rising in the U.S.  Carnival: The biggest operator’s flagship line, Carnival Cruise Line, has paused all cruises through the end of March.  In November, it said it planned to restart sailing first in Miami and Port Canaveral, Fla., to be followed by Galveston, Texas.  Royal Caribbean: It has suspended U.S. and most global sailings through April 30. Certain sailings have been pushed further into 2021. The company operates its namesake line, Celebrity Cruises, Silversea, Azamara, TUI Cruises and Hapag-Lloyd Cruises.  Norwegian: The operator has paused all voyages through Feb. 28 on its namesake line and through March 31 on Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises.  The timing for U.S. voyages ultimately depends on receiving a permit from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which is requiring operators to conduct mock sailings and apply for a certificate at least 60 days before offering passenger cruises.   Is it safe to go on a cruise?  The CDC discourages cruise travel, including river cruises, around the world. In November, the agency raised its assessment of the risk of cruise travel to 'very high' as the U.S. and other parts of the world saw a resurgence in Covid-19 cases.   The risk of contracting the coronavirus on cruise ships remains higher than on other settings—such as airplanes—because of the longer duration, cohabitation and demographics, Martin Cetron, director of the CDC’s division of global migration and quarantine, said in October. Passengers on cruise ships tend to skew older, Dr. Cetron said.”

 

Here are more interesting reporting details from this WSJ story"  "Cruise lines in some cases have raised prices as fewer ships and reduced occupancies mean fighting for fewer spots, said Stewart Chiron, a cruise marketing and sales consultant. 'They’re not being overly aggressive with value-adds and lower pricing,' Mr. Chiron said.  Most of the U.S. cruise customers at Flight Centre Travel Group are people rebooking canceled trips and there are fewer first-time customers, said Brian McLaren, a senior vice president at the global travel agency.  Some overseas cruises have tested the waters since the summer, only to be disrupted by coronavirus concerns, even with precautionary measures such as pre-board testing of passengers and crew.  What will be different when cruises are permitted to and from the U.S.?   Shorter Trips: The CDC said initial itineraries can’t be longer than seven days.   Reduced Capacity: Executives have said early sailings will be at reduced capacity. The Singapore trip in December operated at less than half capacity, Royal Caribbean said. Expect socially distanced seating on pool decks and in restaurants.  Limited Itineraries: Cross-border regulations remain a challenge for cruise operators, whose ships were left stranded at sea throughout the pandemic because ports wouldn’t let passengers and crew disembark. Companies will make the most out of their private islands in the Caribbean, destinations that offer controlled settings.  What new health precautions are the cruise companies taking?  One of the CDC’s goals in setting the path for a restart to cruises is to avoid overburdening local authorities in dealing with the Covid-19 risk on ships. Ahead of sailings, cruise operators must strike agreements with health-care entities to prepare for evacuation to onshore hospitals, shoreside facilities for isolation and quarantine, and ports to decide the number of ships allowed at a single port.  What does the CDC recommend after travel on cruises?  Cruise passengers should get tested three to five days after their trip and stay home seven days after travel, even if they have tested negative for Covid-19, the CDC said. Those who don’t get tested should stay home for 10 days after travel, the agency added."

 

Reactions, comments, questions??  Like?  Dislike?

 

Full story at:

https://www.wsj.com/articles/cruises-and-covid-19-when-u-s-sailings-could-restart-and-what-safety-precautions-are-expected-11607941801

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise from Copenhagen, July 2010, to the top of Europe. Scenic visuals with key tips. Live/blog at 241,114 views.

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

[TLCOhio]

From the New York Times this afternoon, they had this headline: “U.S. to Require Negative Virus Tests From International Air Travelers” with these highlights: “Before boarding their flights, all international passengers headed to the United States will first need to show proof of a negative coronavirus test, according to a new federal policy going into effect on Jan. 26.  'Testing does not eliminate all risk,' Dr. Robert R. Redfield, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said in a statement describing the new policy.  Dr. Redfield is expected to sign the order detailing the new rules on Tuesday.  The new policy requires all air passengers to get a test for current infection within the three days before their flight to the United States departs, and provide written documentation of their test results or proof of having recovered from Covid-19.   Airlines must confirm the negative test result for all passengers or the documentation of recovery before they board. If a passenger does not provide proof of a negative test or recovery, or chooses not to take a test, the airline must deny boarding to the passenger, the agency said. The policy expands on a similar rule, implemented in late December, that required travelers from Britain to show proof of a negative result on a test for the virus.  The C.D.C. currently recommends that all air travelers, including those flying within the United States, get tested one to three days before travel, and again three to five days after the trip is complete.”

 

Full story at:

https://www.nytimes.com/live/2021/01/12/world/covid-19-coronavirus

 

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 252,748 views.

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

[Daveywavey70]

It's good to have you back Terry. Here's hoping you found a good plumber. 

[QueSeraSera]

Seconding DW's post above, yay Terry!  (even through the pain of the Steelers' fate....)

[jpalbny]

This new PCR test requirement before returning home looks like a pain.

 

https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/airline-news/2021/01/13/coronavirus-tests-required-new-cdc-rules-international-flights/6643147002/

 

While I'm fortunate to be vaccinated (second dose any day now), it's a little disappointing that vaccination status does not exempt you from this requirement.

 

My interpretation is that there is not (yet) much confidence that the vaccine prevents asymptomatic carriage. Hopefully that question gets answered sooner rather than later.

[taxatty]

Per USA Today. SS just cancelled all cruises through April 1st.

 

https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/cruises/2021/01/06/carnival-cruise-line-extends-us-sailing-suspension-cancels-cruises/6561583002/?utm_source=usatoday-Travel&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=baseline&utm_term=list_article_thumb

[tosteve1]

21 minutes ago, jpalbny said:

This new PCR test requirement before returning home looks like a pain.

 

https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/airline-news/2021/01/13/coronavirus-tests-required-new-cdc-rules-international-flights/6643147002/

 

While I'm fortunate to be vaccinated (second dose any day now), it's a little disappointing that vaccination status does not exempt you from this requirement.

 

My interpretation is that there is not (yet) much confidence that the vaccine prevents asymptomatic carriage. Hopefully that question gets answered sooner rather than later.

The article says antigen test is acceptable. Haven’t confirmed that.

[Randyk47]

2 hours ago, tosteve1 said:

The article says antigen test is acceptable. Haven’t confirmed that.

I’m surprised they’ll accept the antigen test but the CDC says a viral test.  Both the PRC and antigen are classified as viral tests.   I wonder if that won’t get changed.  ????

[DCCruiser57]

4 hours ago, taxatty said:

Per USA Today. SS just cancelled all cruises through April 1st.

 

https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/cruises/2021/01/06/carnival-cruise-line-extends-us-sailing-suspension-cancels-cruises/6561583002/?utm_source=usatoday-Travel&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=baseline&utm_term=list_article_thumb

The article appears to be misleading as the SS 12/15/20 resumption of itineraries posted on the website showed that the first 2021 cruise would not be until 4/1/21.

[tosteve1]

Read today that Australia and NZ aren’t starting COVID vaccinations for several months yet and don’t expect to finish until late 2021. Any of our Aussie friends confirm? If true, I’m not feeling too good about my February 2022 Australia cruise!

[jillyf]

In the paper today it said Phase 1 in Victoria would begin with Pfizer vaccine around the middle of February.  Phase 2 rollout could be mid March with AstraZeneca vaccine.  Nothing is confirmed with the Federal Government yet though.
Most states are hoping to have vaccination completed by the end of 2021.

I’m not sure how realistic this is but we don’t have the huge population that Uk and America has. 

 

Australians still have to apply for permission to travel overseas and many thousands of Australians are waiting to get the limited number of flights home. There is a 2 week compulsory hotel quarantine once they land.
When there were some positive UK variant COVID cases the numbers coming home were cut back so quarantine could cope. 

The tennis players flying in for the Australian Open have special permits but many people aren’t happy about them arriving, a few apparently COVID positive. 
I'm not counting on cruising till at least mid to late 2022 but no one really knows what the future holds. 

[TLCOhio]

12 hours ago, jillyf said:

Australians still have to apply for permission to travel overseas and many thousands of Australians are waiting to get the limited number of flights home. There is a 2 week compulsory hotel quarantine once they land.  The tennis players flying in for the Australian Open have special permits but many people aren’t happy about them arriving, a few apparently COVID positive. I'm not counting on cruising till at least mid to late 2022 but no one really knows what the future holds. 

 

Appreciate ALL of these various comments, updates and various follow-ups, especially about current conditions in Australia, one of our favorite locations in the world.  

 

From the Reuters news wire this morning, they had this headline: “Tennis-COVID cases on player flights leave Australian Open buildup in disarray” with these highlights: “The build-up to next month’s Australian Open was thrown into disarray on Saturday when 47 players were forced into two weeks of strict hotel quarantine after coronavirus infections were reported on two chartered flights carrying them to Melbourne.  Two dozen players and their staff landed from Los Angeles to go into quarantine after an aircrew member and a passenger, who was not a player, tested positive for COVID-19.  A further 23 players arriving by a chartered flight from Abu Dhabi met a similar fate after another non-player passenger was found positive, the organisers of the year’s first grand slam said in a statement.  The players will 'not be able to leave their hotel rooms for 14 days and until they are medically cleared,' they said.  'They will not be eligible to practise.' ”

 

This situation/story reminds us that in order to do most cruises, you need to fly there.  That involves risks and/or complications that cannot always be carefully planned.  Nor, protected against.  My view and "Crystal Ball" indicates that any type of major cruise  re-start on or around April 1, 2021, is still "WISHING AND HOPING"??!!  Right or wrong?  What am I missing?

 

Full story at:

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-australia/tennis-covid-cases-on-player-flights-leave-australian-open-buildup-in-disarray-idUSKBN29L0HC?edition-redirect=ca

 

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 89,482 views.

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

[TLCOhio]

From the respected Financial Times two days ago, they had this headline: “Health and tech groups aim to create digital Covid ‘vaccination passport’' ” with these highlights: “Health and technology groups are working together to create a digital vaccination passport in the expectation that governments, airlines and other businesses will require proof people have been vaccinated against Covid-19.  The Vaccination Credential Initiative, a coalition of organisations including Microsoft, Oracle and the US healthcare non-profit Mayo Clinic, aims to establish standards to verify whether a person has had their shot and prevent people falsely claiming to be protected against the disease.   The coalition builds on work done by one of its members, The Commons Project, to develop an internationally accepted digital certificate to prove travellers have tested negative for Covid-19. The pass developed by the non-profit, established with support from the Rockefeller Foundation, is now being used by all three major airline alliances. Paul Meyer, chief executive of The Commons Project, said people vaccinated so far were often handed just a piece of paper, reminiscent of the 'old yellow cards'. By working with health IT companies, the new system will be able to draw from electronic medical records to create a digital card.

Mr Meyer said the coalition was in talks with several governments that expected their entry requirements to evolve over the next few months from mandating negative tests to a 'hybrid', accepting either tests or proof of vaccination.”

 

Here is more from their reporting: "Each country can set its own rules such as, for example, which vaccines it will accept. The system will be charged with keeping the data secure and individuals will hold their record in a digital wallet, or on a paper QR code, so they can control who they share it with. Joan Harvey, president of care solutions at Evernorth, the health services arm of insurer Cigna, said she expected some businesses, like events organisers, may require proof of vaccination from their customers, while universities may want it from students, and employers from workers."

 

Full story through our local business publication can be seen at:

https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2021/01/14/health-create-digital-covid-vaccination-passport.html

 

The Financial Times has a fairly tight paywall. 

 

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 67,933 views:

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

 

[TLCOhio]

As noted on another thread on this Silversea board, much is happening regarding Covid and it seems that the re-opening dates keep getting moved back . . . and back . . . AND BACK!!  This afternoon, top US medical expert Dr. Fauci used the term several times about expecting things to start getting back to "normal" by the fall.  That was based on about 85% of the population here getting their vaccine shots, continuing to use masks, be careful, etc.  

 

As I have posted earlier, my crystal ball says that the CDC is not going to be easy, quick, etc., in allowing cruise lines to ramp up too soon.  Clearly, the CDC believes that in March, April, etc., that certain cruise lines were slow and/or dishonest as to how they handled these issues and were safely treating their passengers and staff while sailing at sea.  Agree or disagree?

 

From ABC-TV News here in the US, they had this headline: “UK cruise liner will require all passengers be 'fully vaccinated against COVID-19'” with these highlights: “Saga Cruises, a U.K.-based cruise operator, announced it was requiring all passengers to have received the COVID-19 vaccine before embarking on a trip.  Saga Cruises' vaccine requirement appears to be a first for major cruise operators. The company said it is moving the restart date for its cruises to May to allow time for more people to receive the vaccine. The company said it has already written to customers intending on traveling in 2021 informing them of the new vaccination policy, which requires them to be fully vaccinated against the virus at least 14 days before travel.”

 

Full story at:

https://abcnews.go.com/International/uk-cruise-liner-require-passengers-fully-vaccinated-covid/story?id=75401862

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

AFRICA?!!?: Fun, interesting visuals, plus travel details from this early 2016 live/blog. At 50,792 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

[worldtraveller99]

Saga is an Over-50s only line, and we should all be vaccinated in the UK by Easter (hopefully) ono. So not an impossible request. We do not have the anti-vaxxer etc strength that may still be hanging around in the USA?

[docruth]

Personally, I think Terry has one of the best crystal balls around, and if his is murky, that’s really cause for concern. The real reason that this Covid situation has been fluid from the very beginning, and it’s not likely to stabilize for some time to come, is that our public health measures really have little impact on what the virus does next. We don’t get to choose, even if we obey all the rules. It’s still just completely out of our hands, now that it has spread worldwide, and probably was well before that even happened.

 

For years, we took advantage of a world situation where we could zoom through international borders, climb aboard ships, trains, and planes with very little documentation requirements, and travel deals were everywhere for the taking. We never knew who was sitting right next to us, or what pathogens they might have been exposed to during their travels and we didn’t care.

 

For those of you who’ve read Alvin Toffler, a futurist who describes the effect large discontinuous changes have on the world, we’re getting to live through just such a time. This particular change will most likely alter international travel forever.

 

There’s plenty of room for optimism over the coming months. We’ve got vaccines. We’ve learned how to treat, and even save, victims of the virus. We even starting to get a handle on how to slow the spread, but we still have a ways to go. Now is the time to double down on being safe. It’s going to take some time, but we’ll get there in the end. I hope folks will temper their expectations for this to all be said and done “real soon now”, as that’s not realistic, just be a little more patient.

 

Stay safe,

 

Doc Ruth

[TLCOhio]

On 1/21/2021 at 5:08 PM, docruth said:

Personally, I think Terry has one of the best crystal balls around, and if his is murky, that’s really cause for concern. The real reason that this Covid situation has been fluid from the very beginning, and it’s not likely to stabilize for some time to come.  Stay safe,  Doc Ruth

 

Appreciate this great comment and follow-up by Doc Ruth about my "crystal ball", etc.  Personally, I like to read and share from a number of different, credible news and media sources.  Many unknowns exist now, but, clearly, my best guess (based on what Dr. Fauci said earlier this week and is detailed in the below article) is that it going to take much longer than many hope for any type of return to some form of "NORMAL".   

 

From the Wall Street Journal's respected sister publication of Barron's this morning, they had this headline: “U.S. Cruises Not Likely to Resume Until Fourth Quarter, or Early 2022, Analyst Says” with these highlights: “Cruise operators aren’t likely to resume sailings from U.S. ports until the second half of 2021 under the best of circumstances, and possibly not until early 2022, one industry analyst says. 'The sentiment for 2021 has now changed to ‘It’s possible 2021 will not be a return to (revenue) sailings in North America, or at least not before’ ' the fourth quarter, Truist Securities analyst Patrick Scholes wrote in a note Friday.  He added that while cruise bookings are exceeding cancellations, 'we now see July as the best case for restart,' though the fourth quarter is more likely.  Separately on Friday, Carnival on Friday said that it had extended its suspension of U.S. cruises through April 30. On Tuesday, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings said that it had extended the suspension of its voyages through that date as well. Royal Caribbean Group has also shut down most of its operations through April 30, save for a few cruises out of Singapore.  The summer season is a crucial time of the year for the cruise operators, with the third quarter being when they generate a big chunk of their revenues and profits.”

 

Here is more background from this analysis: "The timetable for a reopening of U.S. ports has shifted. As of last summer and fall, Scholes noted, large travel agencies were looking for a return to cruising in the second quarter of 2021.  A consequence of pushing back the U.S. restart date to late in 2021, Scholes says, would be 'the likely need to raise additional capital to stay afloat, further depressing earnings.'  The resumption of cruising has been complicated by a host of factors, among them a slower-than-expected U.S. rollout of Covid vaccines, a surge in cases, and a demanding conditional order from the Centers for Disease and Prevention to restart sailings."

 

Is that review too negative or just being realistic/honest?

 

Full story at:

https://www.barrons.com/articles/u-s-cruises-not-likely-to-resume-until-fourth-quarter-or-early-2022-analyst-says-51611330470?adobe_mc=MCMID%3D33151612543613868540432315688083254519|MCORGID%3DCB68E4BA55144CAA0A4C98A5%40AdobeOrg|TS%3D1611347099

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Kotor/Montenegro:  Exciting visual samples, tips, details, etc., for this scenic, historic location. Over 48,083 views.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1439193

[brimary]

Thanks Terry for the further information and updates from the States.The general trend is going backwards with reference to Cruiseline resumption forecasts and is totally understandable in the drastic circumstances faced worldwide.The industry is so complex because of its appealing nature to transport its clients in luxury around the World with only a flight at either end of the length of cruise taken.Our chosen preference has been 30/40 day cruises but sadly do not see any possibility of such itineraries being reintroduced until at least 2023 hence a regrettable lack of future bookings for the first year since 1997.Thoughts are with all the wonderful officers and crew on SS who we miss so much and the horrendous effect this Pandemic must be having on each of their personal lives and families.