WHAT WILL IT TAKE TO RESTART CRUISE SHIPS???

[begood2me]

They need to address crowd situation first and anyone that has cruised knows there are a few bottlenecks that create situations where people are literally on top of each other.  

 

The first is a check in.  They need to change check in to a remote process that's done by travel agents.  If they need to pay travel agents, so be it.  I cannot see large numbers of people gathering in a terminal for a process that adds little value. 

 

Second, buffets. The touching is an issue but not as great an issue as being in close proximity.  They will need to end this idea quickly and that includes cafeteria style.  Doing it cafeteria style does not end the crowding, it just limits the touching which is not the main culprit. 

 

Large venues with limited exits (i.e. Theatre).  It will be nearly impossible to have people in a theatre setting on a ship.  Not only are the seats on top of each other, but the exit strategy would need to change completely.  I can see these being used sparingly with controlled entrance and exit for 30% occupancy.  

 

Elevators - These are way too crowded most of the time.  They would need to limit occupancy of elevators which will in turn cause crowds waiting for their turn in an elevator.  Stairs are a better solution but we all know this is not reasonable or desired by way too many people.  

 

Disembarkation - The crowds at these are problematic because of the limited exit points.  They would need to stay in ports longer and have controlled exits.  

 

Port Excusions. - Buses are a no go, so I don't see a viable solution to this if people are going to travel any distance from the port.  This will be problematic.  

 

The fact of the matter is that cruise ships are not constructed to allow for adequate social distancing when at high capacity.  With low capacity, they could manage appropriately but with changes that address the situations above.  The biggest challenge to overcome will be in port services.  Transportation is a problem in many ports which require busing of some sort in order to be moderately efficient.  

[Pennstateman]

On 5/10/2020 at 6:39 AM, CGTNORMANDIE said:

Most of you have made plans for future cruises.  The question is...What will it take to make you feel confident enough to get on a ship and enjoy your vacation?  

 

I propose the following:

 

You will not be able to get on a plane or a ship without a 5 minute CV test.  The 5 minute test will prove essential for travel.  Each pax will need to test negative as well as temperature and oxygen tests.  I would not have any problem boarding a plane or a ship if all the other pax have tested negative.  
 

Your thoughts??  

 

 

Ummm no

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

52 minutes ago, begood2me said:

Port Excusions. - Buses are a no go, so I don't see a viable solution to this if people are going to travel any distance from the port.  This will be problematic.  

 

 

Buses and subways are all still running in NYC, DC, Chicago... Masks are required, but they can still run. Perhaps at a lower capacity for excursions, but they CAN still run.

[alley24]

This test would not protect you from people and crew that go ashore and bring the virus back on board the ship.   One person brings it onboard and you have another Grand Princess senario.

[Fouremco]

57 minutes ago, begood2me said:

Port Excusions. - Buses are a no go, so I don't see a viable solution to this if people are going to travel any distance from the port.  This will be problematic.

We frequently rent a car for the day, one of many viable options to a crowded bus. Don't confine your thinking to cruise line shore excursions.

[begood2me]

17 minutes ago, Fouremco said:

We frequently rent a car for the day, one of many viable options to a crowded bus. Don't confine your thinking to cruise line shore excursions.

I haven't taken a cruise line shore excursion in 15 years, but that doesn't mean that a high percentage of people do just that. There are lines of buses in every port.

[begood2me]

31 minutes ago, WrittenOnYourHeart said:

 

Buses and subways are all still running in NYC, DC, Chicago... Masks are required, but they can still run. Perhaps at a lower capacity for excursions, but they CAN still run.

They can still run, but they will be a significant exposure point.  The goals will be to make the risk an acceptable tolerance level.  You cannot eliminate all risk without canceling the cruise. 

[npcl]

19 minutes ago, Fouremco said:

We frequently rent a car for the day, one of many viable options to a crowded bus. Don't confine your thinking to cruise line shore excursions.

Works for some.  But in most ports availability of rental cars is an issue, especially in the Caribbean, Alaska, South Pacific.  Too many people go that route and they run out quickly.

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

11 minutes ago, begood2me said:

They can still run, but they will be a significant exposure point.  The goals will be to make the risk an acceptable tolerance level.  You cannot eliminate all risk without canceling the cruise. 

Agreed. I was not saying that they don’t have risk. I was responding to your statement that they couldn’t happen. They can with spacing and masks required.

[bEwAbG]

41 minutes ago, WrittenOnYourHeart said:

Buses and subways are all still running in NYC, DC, Chicago... Masks are required, but they can still run. Perhaps at a lower capacity for excursions, but they CAN still run.

 

I've seen at least two articles this week talking about the heavy toll the virus is playing on transit workers in the U.S.  Transit is an essential service when it's needed to keep essential personnel moving.  Not so essential to take tourists to a Diamonds International for "shopping" fun.

[Fouremco]

4 minutes ago, npcl said:

Works for some.  But in most ports availability of rental cars is an issue, especially in the Caribbean, Alaska, South Pacific.  Too many people go that route and they run out quickly.

The first time we rented a car in Curaçao, we had to take a taxi to get to the nearest car rental outfit. Now there are rentals available right at the pier, just like Barbados and some other locations. Where there's a demand, someone is sure to step in with larger fleets of cars. Still, I agree that it's not the solution for everyone or everywhere, but it is still a good option for many.

[alley24]

I personally cannot see anyone cruising until this virus has run its course, having to deal with all the health and safety protocols such as wearing masks, social distancing, temp. checks etc. is not my idea of a vacation,  going on a cruise is supposed to be a fun experience. 

[CGTNORMANDIE]

5 hours ago, alley24 said:

This test would not protect you from people and crew that go ashore and bring the virus back on board the ship.   One person brings it onboard and you have another Grand Princess senario.

My point exactly...the ship could not land at a port and allow the pax to wander off.  Once you have an entire ship testing negative you cannot expose them to a general population on an island or port.  If the pax get off the ship they will need to protected from infection.  They will also need to be tested periodically when onboard.  I don’t see the ship making many port stops in the near future.

[NordicPrince]

7 hours ago, alley24 said:

I personally cannot see anyone cruising until this virus has run its course, having to deal with all the health and safety protocols such as wearing masks, social distancing, temp. checks etc. is not my idea of a vacation,  going on a cruise is supposed to be a fun experience. 

Finally a ray of rational thinking. Treatment and/or vaccine helps a lot.

[phoenix_dream]

On 5/19/2020 at 4:20 PM, SeaHunt said:

Here's an article with a CLIA exec about restarting (he mostly talks about what's "on the table" 😉😞

 

https://www.seatrade-cruise.com/news/clia-crafting-curb-curb-framework-safe-cruising-covid-19-era

This is very interesting, and yet disturbing at the same time.  There just are no good solutions until an effective vaccine or excellent treatment is found.  Let's use this scenario - I splurge for a rare change and book a suite.  After a couple days I come down with the virus - sick but not sick enough to be in the medical/hospital area of the ship.  Instead I and my cabinmate are moved to the quarantine area - which is more than likely to be an area of small cabins, with no balconies and perhaps inside.  Now I am stuck there for at the very least the remainder of the cruise and then who knows what happens after that.  Not fun at any time and definitely not fun if I am feeling crummy.  Ugh!  Not a scenario I care to be a part of.

[ECCruise]

18 minutes ago, phoenix_dream said:

This is very interesting, and yet disturbing at the same time.  There just are no good solutions until an effective vaccine or excellent treatment is found.  Let's use this scenario - I splurge for a rare change and book a suite.  After a couple days I come down with the virus - sick but not sick enough to be in the medical/hospital area of the ship.  Instead I and my cabinmate are moved to the quarantine area - which is more than likely to be an area of small cabins, with no balconies and perhaps inside.  Now I am stuck there for at the very least the remainder of the cruise and then who knows what happens after that.  Not fun at any time and definitely not fun if I am feeling crummy.  Ugh!  Not a scenario I care to be a part of.

Bad, but could be worse.

If you are sick with a communicable disease, say COVID-19, the chances of your disembarkation port accepting the ship go down near zero.

Now maybe you are trapped in your quarantine ward (as is the rest of the ship) for another week or two.  Nope, like you said, not a good scenario at all.

[yorky]

Can we rule out cruising until we have a vaccine or no Covid 19 as some are suggesting ? I don’t see it. I’ve seen nothing to suggest this is going to happen with cruise lines actively looking at their options on how to minimise the risks.

[Fouremco]

26 minutes ago, yorky said:

Can we rule out cruising until we have a vaccine or no Covid 19 as some are suggesting ? I don’t see it. I’ve seen nothing to suggest this is going to happen with cruise lines actively looking at their options on how to minimise the risks.

I don't know if anyone is suggesting that the cruise lines won't restart before a vaccine is available or no COVID-19 remains. I think that they are simply saying that they, the posters, won't cruise themselves until that time.

[npcl]

On 5/20/2020 at 8:27 AM, alley24 said:

This test would not protect you from people and crew that go ashore and bring the virus back on board the ship.   One person brings it onboard and you have another Grand Princess senario.

That is probably not an issue pre-vaccine.  The issue is more which ports will be willing to let cruise line passengers get off of the ships.  Not many that are reachable from the US.  I suspect that they will be far more concerned about passenger infecting locals than locals infecting passengers. 

[npcl]

1 hour ago, yorky said:

Can we rule out cruising until we have a vaccine or no Covid 19 as some are suggesting ? I don’t see it. I’ve seen nothing to suggest this is going to happen with cruise lines actively looking at their options on how to minimise the risks.

Oh cruise lines might start up prior to a vaccine.

 

Will be interesting to see where they go and how long the cruises are for.  As well as how long they can go without another major issue arising.

[npcl]

1 hour ago, ECCruise said:

Bad, but could be worse.

If you are sick with a communicable disease, say COVID-19, the chances of your disembarkation port accepting the ship go down near zero.

Now maybe you are trapped in your quarantine ward (as is the rest of the ship) for another week or two.  Nope, like you said, not a good scenario at all.

Probably get moved from the Quarantine ward to a ship designated for medical purposed until considered to be disease free.  Then if you are from the US you get private transportation home.

 

Look at it this way your short cruise 3-5 days gets turned into a 15-30 day cruise.

[yorky]

1 hour ago, Fouremco said:

I don't know if anyone is suggesting that the cruise lines won't restart before a vaccine is available or no COVID-19 remains. I think that they are simply saying that they, the posters, won't cruise themselves until that time.

One or two posters have stated exactly that.

[DYKWIA]

On 5/10/2020 at 11:39 AM, CGTNORMANDIE said:

Most of you have made plans for future cruises.  The question is...What will it take to make you feel confident enough to get on a ship and enjoy your vacation?  

 

I propose the following:

 

You will not be able to get on a plane or a ship without a 5 minute CV test.  The 5 minute test will prove essential for travel.  Each pax will need to test negative as well as temperature and oxygen tests.  I would not have any problem boarding a plane or a ship if all the other pax have tested negative.  
 

Your thoughts??  

 

 

 

I heard this proposed by someone on TV this morning.  The Doctor on the show said it wouldn't work.  The quick tests that are being developed only work if you have symptoms.  If you are asymptomatic these tests (along with temperature checks) will not work

[CGTNORMANDIE]

3 hours ago, DYKWIA said:

 

I heard this proposed by someone on TV this morning.  The Doctor on the show said it wouldn't work.  The quick tests that are being developed only work if you have symptoms.  If you are asymptomatic these tests (along with temperature checks) will not work

Of course the so-called expert claims it won’t work.  They are talking about what is available currently.  What they don’t tell you is that THERE WAS NO 5 MINUTE TEST 2 MONTHS AGO.  Advanced technology will give us a 5 minute test that will show asymptomatic people.  I would guess that would be just months from now.  The world is full of nay-sayers and short on doers.  
 

Those of us who love to cruise are going to have to think creatively.  There will be a level of risk and those who do not want to accept that level of risk can simply stay home and wait.  Those of us who are willing can take a chance and press on.  People who are under 60 will probably start cruising sooner than later.  

 

 

 

 

 

[ECCruise]

23 minutes ago, CGTNORMANDIE said:

Of course the so-called expert claims it won’t work.  They are talking about what is available currently.  What they don’t tell you is that THERE WAS NO 5 MINUTE TEST 2 MONTHS AGO.  Advanced technology will give us a 5 minute test that will show asymptomatic people.  I would guess that would be just months from now.  The world is full of nay-sayers and short on doers.  
 

Those of us who love to cruise are going to have to think creatively.  There will be a level of risk and those who do not want to accept that level of risk can simply stay home and wait.  Those of us who are willing can take a chance and press on.  People who are under 60 will probably start cruising sooner than later.  

 

 

 

 

 

You can accept all the risk you want, I understand that. 

But you are not going to determine that level of risk. The cruise lines are. And I think that risk will be highly mitigated. 

2 reasons:. Liability. And a major outbreak on a ship when they start sailing ends cruising. Virtually forever.