Bit of a long shot, but thinking of booking this October

[sidekick180]

I know the majority of people are saying it's very unlikely cruises will go ahead this year, but I am an optimistic person. At some point, we will all have to take some risks because this virus is not going to suddenly disappear and I don't just mean this year. I have no intention of putting my life on hold forever, so I am considering booing a cruise in October, in the hope that travel restrictions will have been lifted, cruise companies are still in business, new safety systems are working on board and ports will allow ships to dock. If this all happens I will be one of the first on board.

just wondering what cruising across the BOB is like in October?

[jh1809]

Good luck! The Bay of Biscay can be very rough in October, but you may get lucky.

[Son of Anarchy]

 

Good to hear the positivity.

 

Been across the Bay late in late months, and early months.  Had great weather, had bad weather.  Same applies to summer!  Wind conditions aside, think similar temperatures to the UK.

 

Hope you're able to get away.

[SeaJane]

October is our favourite month for a cruise to the Med. As Son of Anarchy says you can get rough weather in the Bay, but we have had more good crossings than bad  - it can be flat as a millpond. Hope your cruise goes ahead and you have a great time.

 

[NoFlyGuy]

I also admire your optimism.

As an aside most cruises don't cross the BOB - they skirt it by 50nm or so. A better question is what's the North Atlantic like in October. Agree with others could be anything - just pot luck.

[terrierjohn]

7 minutes ago, NoFlyGuy said:

I also admire your optimism.

As an aside most cruises don't cross the BOB - they skirt it by 50nm or so. A better question is what's the North Atlantic like in October. Agree with others could be anything - just pot luck.

But that whole sea area is referred to as Biscay.

Edited May 14, 2020 by terrierjohn

[NoFlyGuy]

13 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

But that whole sea area is referred to as Biscay.

 

Most cruises, if you are going to the Med, Canaries or Transatlantic, are in sea area Fitz Roy not Biscay.

La Coruna, you may just enter Biscay but normally you would have to visit ports like Santander, Gijon, Bilbao or La Rochelle to really have done the BOB.

We've often found the sea conditions off the western coasts of Spain and Portugal to be worse than Biscay or Fitz Roy.

[terrierjohn]

15 minutes ago, NoFlyGuy said:

 

Most cruises, if you are going to the Med, Canaries or Transatlantic, are in sea area Fitz Roy not Biscay.

La Coruna, you may just enter Biscay but normally you would have to visit ports like Santander, Gijon, Bilbao or La Rochelle to really have done the BOB.

We've often found the sea conditions off the western coasts of Spain and Portugal to be worse than Biscay or Fitz Roy.

The Captain on Ventura during our behind the scenes tour was asked about this, and he gave the answer that most sailors refer to this whole area as Biscay, even though its name is Fitzroy.

[majortom10]

3 hours ago, jh1809 said:

Good luck! The Bay of Biscay can be very rough in October, but you may get lucky.

Can also be like a duck pond we have been across BoB many times in October with no problems. End of the day the sea can be rough in BoB or as a matter of fact anywhere at anytime of the year.

Edited May 14, 2020 by majortom10

[Roger88]

This will definitely have cruisers operating. I mean they have lost too much money already and governments did not get their taxes. Autumn seems like a perfect start of a season. Moreover, by that time the crisis must be over and even if its not, they will figure something out just to collect your money

[NoFlyGuy]

18 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

The Captain on Ventura during our behind the scenes tour was asked about this, and he gave the answer that most sailors refer to this whole area as Biscay, even though its name is Fitzroy.

 

Perhaps I was being a bit pedantic. My main point was that you are in the North Atlantic ocean in autumn in a temperate maritime climatic zone so the weather and sea conditions can be anything from a flat calm to a nasty storm There's simply no way of knowing 5 months out. I suppose It matters not whether you are in sea area Biscay of FitzRoy.

I always start to look at windy.com a few days before any of our cruises to get an idea of what conditions to expect. Can't do anything about it, but I like to know.

[Adawn47]

We've been across Bob many times and it has been different each time. The best time was on Adonia and it was like a millpond. When we got into the Med the seas were awful. It got so bad it broke a stabiliser. You can't really guarantee what any sea will be like at any given time. It's the luck of the draw.

Avril 

[wowzz]

10 hours ago, Roger88 said:

This will definitely have cruisers operating. I mean they have lost too much money already and governments did not get their taxes. Autumn seems like a perfect start of a season. Moreover, by that time the crisis must be over and even if its not, they will figure something out just to collect your money

There are so many wrong assumptions in this post that it is laughable.

[sidekick180]

On 5/15/2020 at 6:19 AM, wowzz said:

There are so many wrong assumptions in this post that it is laughable.

A bit like making assumptions that cruises will not go ahead at all this year, which is an assumption that many people seem to be making.

The point is, none of us know what the outcome for cruising will be over the next few months, but it is a business and I'm sure, like all businesses, they want to be back up and running as soon as possible.

Yes, there will be risks involved for potentially catching the virus, but everything in life comes with risks, you just have to decide if you want to give up on life and never take any risks, or live life to the full and hope that you are one of the lucky ones!

I certainly don't want to give up my freedom and pleasures, and just sit around doing nothing, hoping the virus doesn't get me anyway.

[AndyMichelle]

57 minutes ago, sidekick180 said:

A bit like making assumptions that cruises will not go ahead at all this year, which is an assumption that many people seem to be making.

The point is, none of us know what the outcome for cruising will be over the next few months, but it is a business and I'm sure, like all businesses, they want to be back up and running as soon as possible.

Yes, there will be risks involved for potentially catching the virus, but everything in life comes with risks, you just have to decide if you want to give up on life and never take any risks, or live life to the full and hope that you are one of the lucky ones!

I certainly don't want to give up my freedom and pleasures, and just sit around doing nothing, hoping the virus doesn't get me anyway.

It's a tricky one as I want to be optimistic but am struggling... 

I relate it to the football, if they start to play and one player dies, there will be hell to pay... 

Everybody will be watching the first ones out and if successful, will follow quickly. 

The ports could be the key, after the terrible times, would you want a ship full of people turning up? 

Yes, tourism is huge, but life is more important... 

Andy 

[grapau27]

6 minutes ago, AndyMichelle said:

It's a tricky one as I want to be optimistic but am struggling... 

I relate it to the football, if they start to play and one player dies, there will be hell to pay... 

Everybody will be watching the first ones out and if successful, will follow quickly. 

The ports could be the key, after the terrible times, would you want a ship full of people turning up? 

Yes, tourism is huge, but life is more important... 

Andy 

I totally agree with you Andy.

We love cruising and I can understand why the cruiselines want to start operations again but we are very unlikely to cruise this year and hope our hotel visit to Orlando in October goes ahead.

If cruising does start in August it will be risky but once a few cruises have happened without incident confidence to cruise might well come back fairly quickly.

[Chrisdriving]

12 hours ago, sidekick180 said:

A bit like making assumptions that cruises will not go ahead at all this year, which is an assumption that many people seem to be making.

The point is, none of us know what the outcome for cruising will be over the next few months, but it is a business and I'm sure, like all businesses, they want to be back up and running as soon as possible.

Yes, there will be risks involved for potentially catching the virus, but everything in life comes with risks, you just have to decide if you want to give up on life and never take any risks, or live life to the full and hope that you are one of the lucky ones!

I certainly don't want to give up my freedom and pleasures, and just sit around doing nothing, hoping the virus doesn't get me anyway.

Trouble is the info the Govt is giving regarding social distancing for a long time to come, the extremely low chance of a workable vaccine until next year in big enough numbers to make a difference, P and O reducing staff hours till November, Princess cancelling rest of 2020 season tells me the assumption that cruising will not be happening in 2020 is more accurate than assuming we will all be onboard cruise ships in the not to distant future enjoying a ‘normal’ holiday..

We have a November cruise booked, 19 night to Med,balance due August the way i see it currently is there is an extremely high chance it wont happen but more worrying for me is if it does by any chance run then how restrictive will life onboard be,how much of a nightmare would disembarking be, how many passengers per tour coach, how about numbers allowed at attractions at once, what if a possible winter outbreak occurs in Spain of Italy just before or even during cruise so you lose half your ports due to not being allowed in/captain not wanting to go in as to risk virus free ship, what if a boarding passenger flying in from another country to board in Southampton unknowingly brings the virus aboard?

 

i know even in normal times things can happen of course and everything involves risk, but for me i dont want to pay out for a holiday that has a higher chance of being disrupted and where life onboard could be very tiresome due to restrictions.

Until someone invents the proverbial crystal ball alas its all anyones guess.

Edited May 17, 2020 by Chrisdriving

[fandash]

Hi there

 

I love your optimism. Keep it going. I would hope the cruise would go ahead for october 2020 - ive got one for July 2020 and i was hoping it would be going but i really dont think that one will go ahead. 😞

As for cruising in BoB - it will be fine. Yes a bit choppy and i can remember being on one cruise there in October/November and i did get feeling of sea sickness (and ive never had it before) and felt quite ill for a short period of time but i got a sea sick tablet from reception and i was fine shortly afterwards. I was dreading the way back after it but it was fine on way back. however i would not let that put me off doing it again .

Hope you manage to go on it

[Adawn47]

4 hours ago, Chrisdriving said:

P and O reducing staff hours till November,

I picked up on that when it was first mentioned. I think we must be on the same cruise as you. Arcadia November 6th. I think P&O  knew the  2020 season will not happen and are cancelling in increments. I was about to say 'to make it easier for them' but they're running around like headless chickens regardless 😊. In March/April? we received an email offering free transfer to another cruise, so I knew then they didn't think they would be sailing. Always the optimist I'm still hoping but I won't be paying the balance in August unless things change.

Avril 

[Chrisdriving]

Yes thats the one we are booked to sail on.

And i agree,i think its too much of a risk to pay the balance when due in August,i just feel a lot can happen in the three months until the ships due to sail if indeed P and O are even in a position to run the cruise,things could improve dramatically and you could get a pretty normal holiday or it could go the other way and be a nightmare.

 

Will just have to see how things are nearer the due date,its a cruise we really have set our hearts on doing,i feel its a bit of a long shot but who knows.

 

Many of us of course face the same dilemma with their own plans,lets just hope it all comes good as soon possible.