More cancellations just in...

[iMarco46]

25 minutes ago, TLCOhio said:

Yes, noticed this little "detail" with the Silver Galapagos ship removed from their listing of ship options.  BUT, how likely will this new Silver Origin will be able to sail on July 18?  My bet?  Slim and none!! 

 

No disagreement from moi...  

While sad and disappointed that we won’t see Galapagos this year, it’s truly heartbreaking to read of the plight of Ecuadorians, especially those who inhabit the islands. 😥

 

https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2020-05-11/pandemic-upends-life-on-isolated-idyllic-galapagos-islands

[NJ Cruiserman]

36 minutes ago, TLCOhio said:

 

Yes, noticed this little "detail" with the Silver Galapagos ship removed from their listing of ship options.  BUT, how likely will this new Silver Origin will be able to sail on July 18?  My bet?  Slim and none!!  In my view, Seabourn has been much more realistic and honest in saying now that they do not expect to start sailing any of their five luxury ship until the period of mid-October and early November.  Clearly, Silversea and other cruise line are not even close to having . . . the needed testing tools, good airline connections, countries being open, etc., etc., in order to resume a reasonable and safe level of customer offerings.  Plus, having its key audience of those age 60+ being reasonably confident that the health risks will be minimal during airline flights and on these ships with hundreds of passengers and staff grouped together. 

 

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 239,355

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

...not to mention the logistical nightmare of getting crews under contract and in place by July departure dates. And it’s unclear whether Americans (and maybe other nationalities) will be permitted to enter continental European countries without going through quarantine. 

[TLCOhio]

2 hours ago, iMarco46 said:

While sad and disappointed that we won’t see Galapagos this year, it’s truly heartbreaking to read of the plight of Ecuadorians, especially those who inhabit the islands.  

 

Appreciate your smart comments and the follow-up of posting this story on the current situation for those in the Galapagos.  Wow!  Great insights about the impacts there for the people and creatures at this location.  

 

From this LA Times story written by the AP/Associated Press on May 11, here were some of the highlights that I found most of interest: “How soon the Galapagos Islands might be able to reopen is unclear. Ecuador’s government is allowing for a gradual opening in three stages. But the final stage is not a full return to normal and does not call for resuming national or international flights.  The islands have a rich history of scientific investigation and discovery since Darwin arrived aboard the Beagle in 1835, noting that species on the relatively new volcanic islands bore key differences from those in continental South America.  Humans have caused the islands irreparable harm, wiping out thousands of whales and tortoises, introducing invasive species such as insects, wild pigs and goats, and damaging the delicate vegetation.”

 

Full story at:

https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2020-05-11/pandemic-upends-life-on-isolated-idyllic-galapagos-islands

 

Sounds like it will be a decent period of time before things return to "normal" at this unique location. 

 

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 251,255 views.

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

[cruiseej]

19 hours ago, cruiseej said:

I'm curious why Silversea is still cancelling a month at a time, just now canceling trips in June and listing planned resumptions in mid-July, while Seabourn a week ago cancelled all trips until mid-October, and most through mid-November. Are the planners at these companies really coming to such different conclusions about when they can resume?

16 hours ago, philipb said:

No, its simply to try and smooth out the burden of administration for cancelled bookings.

13 hours ago, mrlevin said:

And to delay giving out refunds.

 

So that's saying that Silversea is worse at administration, and/or shorter on cash, and/or cares less about its customers than Seabourn?

 

[NJ Cruiserman]

1 minute ago, cruiseej said:

 

So that's saying that Silversea is worse at administration, and/or shorter on cash, and/or cares less about its customers than Seabourn?

 

Is there evidence that Seabourn is processing refunds more rapidly than Silversea?

[cruiseej]

I don't know, but they aren't stressing their customers by saying they're cruising in July.

[crusinbanjo]

15 hours ago, NJ Cruiserman said:

Is there evidence that Seabourn is processing refunds more rapidly than Silversea?

No People on the HAL and Seabourn boards seem very frustrated by the No Refunds and the lack of communication from the offices about their refund requests.  Looks like the CCL brands are in a serious cash crunch, IMHO.  

I don't really know about SS, but Mrs Banjo and I have to make a decision about our January SS cruise before September 8.  We will be very cautious about making a final payment if refunds are still going poorly.  We won't be likely to go forward with the cruise if we are uncertain that it will go as planned or if the cruise line is having financial troubles.  The last thing we want is to be in the middle of the pacific when a company declares Bankruptcy and be left stranded at the next port.  I'm not suggesting that that will happen, but given where we are now, it would not be surprising   

[Silver Spectre]

15 hours ago, NJ Cruiserman said:

Is there evidence that Seabourn is processing refunds more rapidly than Silversea?

Absolutely not, and they appear to be taking more like 90 days at the moment.

[hubofhockey]

On 5/14/2020 at 9:51 AM, iMarco46 said:

 

No disagreement from moi...  

While sad and disappointed that we won’t see Galapagos this year, it’s truly heartbreaking to read of the plight of Ecuadorians, especially those who inhabit the islands. 😥

 

https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2020-05-11/pandemic-upends-life-on-isolated-idyllic-galapagos-islands

 

Thank you for posting that article.  The Ecuadorians in the Galapagos are dependent on tourism, so hopefully, by the fall,  it will be safer for expedition ships to go out.  Looking forward to next May on the Origin.

 

There is no chance the Silver Origin has the inauguration cruise in July, probably not in August either.

Edited May 15, 2020 by hubofhockey

[spinnaker2]

The Origin looks quite beautiful in her sea trials

 

[HotRoot]

19 hours ago, Silver Spectre said:

Absolutely not, and they appear to be taking more like 90 days at the moment.

Tomorrow is day 90 for us waiting for our SS refund.  Are people actually getting refunds in less than 90 days?  Are people actually getting refunds?

[spinnaker2]

18 minutes ago, HotRoot said:

Tomorrow is day 90 for us waiting for our SS refund.  Are people actually getting refunds in less than 90 days?  Are people actually getting refunds?

We did get the refund. Keep the faith.

[Stumblefoot]

5 hours ago, HotRoot said:

Are people actually getting refunds?

Lots and lots of folks have reported getting their refunds.

[DCPIV]

On 5/14/2020 at 8:35 PM, cruiseej said:

I don't know, but they aren't stressing their customers by saying they're cruising in July.

 

We aren't stressed about it at all.  It's not like the money has gone hard, since we can cancel for a cash refund up to 30 days before sailing and for 100% credit 2 days before sailing.  It's not like we have another cruise lined up!

 

We are booked on the Origin's inaugural cruise and are fairly certain it will be cancelled by the time we have to decide whether to cancel it, ourselves, and get a cash refund.  

[Jacko]

On 5/12/2020 at 1:28 PM, mrlevin said:

Given that Northwest Passage and Baffin Island are closed to cruise ships this summer, Silver Cloud will need to greatly modify its schedule to get to Antarctica for next winter season; she will either have to go through Canal or just head down east coast of South America.

 

Lots more cancellations to come.

 

Marc

Marc, we are booked to join the Cloud in Nome.  What is the source of your information that the NW Passage is closed to cruise ships this summer?

Jack

[WesW]

Jacko, not Marc--however, the Managing Director for US (Mark Conroy) let me know a few weeks ago that due to the restrictions the Canadian Government put on traffic in the Canadian Arctic, "it is highly likely we will be forced to cancel the NW Passage this year, tho we r still in conversation with the government."

 

Mark also let me know SS will operate the NW passage in 2021.   Further, he said,  if we're interested there is space this year on the Silver Explorer's NorthEast passage if we wanted to book. 

 

Further, about the same time, the SVP of Expedition itinerary development, Conrad Combrink let me know SS will offer either on the Wind or the Cloud the NWP in 2022.

[jland]

2 hours ago, WesW said:

Jacko, not Marc--however, the Managing Director for US (Mark Conroy) let me know a few weeks ago that due to the restrictions the Canadian Government put on traffic in the Canadian Arctic, "it is highly likely we will be forced to cancel the NW Passage this year, tho we r still in conversation with the government."

 

Mark also let me know SS will operate the NW passage in 2021.   Further, he said,  if we're interested there is space this year on the Silver Explorer's NorthEast passage if we wanted to book. 

 

Further, about the same time, the SVP of Expedition itinerary development, Conrad Combrink let me know SS will offer either on the Wind or the Cloud the NWP in 2022.

WesW, would you be kind enough to inform us if you get any further news from Mark Conroy re the north west passage, I would really appreciate it. We are booked with Ponant to cruise the nwp this August. Ponant are refusing to give us any information, so I am grateful for any news I can glean. My concern is I think it would be criminal for this cruise (Ponant) to go ahead, it visits such tiny Inuit communities if just one of them catches the virus it could wipe the community out. We have done nearly all our cruising with Silversea but choose Ponant for the nwp on cost only, we regret that decision now.

[crusinbanjo]

8 hours ago, jland said:

WesW, would you be kind enough to inform us if you get any further news from Mark Conroy re the north west passage, I would really appreciate it. We are booked with Ponant to cruise the nwp this August. Ponant are refusing to give us any information, so I am grateful for any news I can glean. My concern is I think it would be criminal for this cruise (Ponant) to go ahead, it visits such tiny Inuit communities if just one of them catches the virus it could wipe the community out. We have done nearly all our cruising with Silversea but choose Ponant for the nwp on cost only, we regret that decision now.

This, I believe is the most current info.

 

https://www.cruisehive.com/canada-announces-new-measures-for-cruise-ships-to-reduce-covid-19-risk/38936

[jland]

9 minutes ago, crusinbanjo said:

This, I believe is the most current info.

 

https://www.cruisehive.com/canada-announces-new-measures-for-cruise-ships-to-reduce-covid-19-risk/38936

Thanks crusinbanjo. If they are current rules I wonder why Mark Conroy is in discussions with the Canadian government. Time will tell I suppose.

[NJ Cruiserman]

16 hours ago, DCPIV said:

 

We aren't stressed about it at all.  It's not like the money has gone hard, since we can cancel for a cash refund up to 30 days before sailing and for 100% credit 2 days before sailing.  It's not like we have another cruise lined up!

 

We are booked on the Origin's inaugural cruise and are fairly certain it will be cancelled by the time we have to decide whether to cancel it, ourselves, and get a cash refund.  

If I remember correctly the up to 30 day prior to cruise cash refund option was revoked and replaced on April 8. Please see the attached. 1655033992_SilverseaCruisewithConfidenceProgram20200408.pdf

[NJ Cruiserman]

2 hours ago, NJ Cruiserman said:

If I remember correctly the up to 30 day prior to cruise cash refund option was revoked and replaced on April 8. Please see the attached. 

I also should have added that IMHO the Origin’s inaugural cruise will be cancelled by SS and you will receive a cash refund if you desire. 

Edited May 17, 2020 by NJ Cruiserman
Attempted to delete.

[raschueller]

NCL just cancelled our July 24 cruise

 

[NJ Cruiserman]

7 hours ago, raschueller said:

NCL just cancelled our July 24 cruise

 

This is Silversea. 

[G2G]

On 5/16/2020 at 1:23 PM, HotRoot said:

Tomorrow is day 90 for us waiting for our SS refund.  Are people actually getting refunds in less than 90 days?  Are people actually getting refunds?

 

Have you received your refund yet ??

If not, I would go over to the Silversea facebook page and raise the issue with Barbara Muckermann, you will find her email address there.

[swindy]

Is it bmuckermann@silversea.com

I couldn't see it on FB