AUGUST 1st target to resume operations

[Milwaukee Eight]

1 minute ago, PhillyFan33579 said:

The point I was conveying is there is no guarantee an effective vaccine will be developed for the current coronavirus. A lot of posters on this forum appear to believe it is a foregone conclusion that a vaccine will be developed for this virus.
 

While all viruses are different to some degree, I used HIV as a comparison because a lot of money, time and very smart people worked on developing a vacccine for HIV in the 1980s without success, although there were a lot of promising early results. Just my personal observation, but the current talk about developing a vaccine reminds me a lot of the talk you heard back in the mid 1980s concerning an HIV vaccine. 

Not a good comparison just the same. One is a blood and contact virus while the other is a SARS airborne virus. 

[John&LaLa]

10 minutes ago, island lady said:

 

John, are you on your balcony with a Cape Codder?  😉 

 

No, packing car for a trip back to Ocala. 

Lots of deliveries in the next two days. 

 

Yesterday was Coke and Cherry Bacardi😁

[boilachicken]

15 minutes ago, PhillyFan33579 said:

The point I was conveying is there is no guarantee an effective vaccine will be developed for the current coronavirus. A lot of posters on this forum appear to believe it is a foregone conclusion that a vaccine will be developed for this virus.
 

While all viruses are different to some degree, I used HIV as a comparison because a lot of money, time and very smart people worked on developing a vacccine for HIV in the 1980s without success, although there were a lot of promising early results. Just my personal observation, but the current talk about developing a vaccine reminds me a lot of the talk you heard back in the mid 1980s concerning an HIV vaccine. 

Based on many vaccines already entering phase 2 of trials already, with differing levels of antibodies in multiple versions of those vaccines, it looks as though a vaccine is eminent. 

 

[island lady]

7 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

 

No, packing car for a trip back to Ocala. 

Lots of deliveries in the next two days. 

 

Yesterday was Coke and Cherry Bacardi😁

 

Ahh...that's the reason your spell check wasn't working.  😄  Laura's relatives in Ocala isn't it?  

 

So which cruises are waiting on the chopping block for you?  August 1st target date is looking a little gloomy.  😮 

Edited May 31, 2020 by island lady

[livingonthebeach]

On 5/26/2020 at 2:38 PM, xxHadleyxx said:

You do realize that RCI has regular sailing from Shanghai and a strong Chinese customer base, regardless of the Olympics, correct?

We sailed from Shanghai in March 2019 and had b2b sailings from Shanghai booked for this March (a trip which was obviously cancelled).  These are sailings geared towards the Chinese market with few westerners  onboard.  

 

In the case of Celebrity's Shanghai to Tokyo sailing that I was on this past October, surprisingly there were not a lot of Chinese people -- there were mostly Westerners and Americans.  Now with the virus, I doubt many Americans would take the risk of flying half way across the world so the cruises will probably have more passengers from Asia.  Royal stated they will be targeting the "drive market" when they resume operation, mainly people who live within a short distance to the cruise port and are able to drive there. 

[John&LaLa]

Just now, island lady said:

 

Ahh...that's the reason your spell check wasn't working.  😄  Laura's relatives in Ocala isn't it?  

 

So which cruises on waiting on the chopping block for you?  August 1st target date is looking a little gloomy.  😮 

 

Laura's brother is in a nursing home up there. Haven't seen him since February. 

 

August 23rd for Laura. A casino comp on Harmony. We're both Prime, but I didn't get the offer. 

 

After that it's Odyssey inaugural.  My TA is telling us it likely won't happen. I appreciate his candor.  After that it's Oasis in mid November.  That one might work out. 

 

Australia,  New Zealand, and Singapore in March. To early to tell on that. 

[John&LaLa]

5 minutes ago, livingonthebeach said:

 

In the case of Celebrity's Shanghai to Tokyo sailing that I was on this past October, surprisingly there were not a lot of Chinese people -- there were mostly Westerners and Americans.  Now with the virus, I doubt many Americans would take the risk of flying half way across the world so the cruises will probably have more passengers from Asia.  Royal stated they will be targeting the "drive market" when they resume operation, mainly people who live within a short distance to the cruise port and are able to drive there. 

 

Im wondering what they consider driving distance now?  If you spent the night pre cruise, 500 miles would be a good limit. But if they don't want you coming in early, its probably 200 miles and the available population drops dramatically 

[island lady]

3 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

 

Laura's brother is in a nursing home up there. Haven't seen him since February. 

 

August 23rd for Laura. A casino comp on Harmony. We're both Prime, but I didn't get the offer. 

 

After that it's Odyssey inaugural.  My TA is telling us it likely won't happen. I appreciate his candor.  After that it's Oasis in mid November.  That one might work out. 

 

Australia,  New Zealand, and Singapore in March. To early to tell on that. 

 

Me too on Australia/NZ but in starting in February. 

 

Still wondering if we will make Presidents cruise (plus the one before it and the TA) out of Barcelona in October.  

 

Waiting on official cancellation of our August Radiance B2B cancellation.  Want to put in for refund ASAP.  

[dani negreanu]

On 5/26/2020 at 8:48 PM, island lady said:

Ironically, now that we are in the position in life that we CAN do these longer trips...we can't ...sigh. 

 

Same here.... same sigh....

[island lady]

Just now, dani negreanu said:

 

Same here.... same sigh....

 

A lot of us indeed.  Hope we can finally get back to the cruising lifestyle we love at some point in the near future.  😮 

[PhillyFan33579]

26 minutes ago, Milwaukee Eight said:

Not a good comparison just the same. One is a blood and contact virus while the other is a SARS airborne virus. 

Maybe a better comparison would be SARS and MERs, which are both coronaviruses with no currently approved vaccine available for either virus. However, even I would make the argument a lot more effort is underway to develop a vaccine for the current coronavirus. 

[sandebeach]

Interesting article from the Miami Herald

 

How should cruise companies protect passengers and crew from COVID-19? We asked doctors
Cruise companies haven’t announced how they will protect passengers and crew from COVID-19 during the pandemic. We asked five doctors what companies should do when cruises resume before a vaccine is available.

Read in Miami Herald: https://apple.news/AYQp3mTkWS6iUskZfcAG5Kw

 

[livingonthebeach]

20 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

 

Im wondering what they consider driving distance now?  If you spent the night pre cruise, 500 miles would be a good limit. But if they don't want you coming in early, its probably 200 miles and the available population drops dramatically 

 

Luckily,  The Port of Miami, Port Everglades, Port Canaveral and the Port of Tampa are all within same day driving for me and probably for you too, if you are close to Port Canaveral.  The Panhandle folks are probably closer to New Orleans.  I think they will have a staggered boarding with specific times for passengers so everyone doesn't show up at 11am as customary.  

[livingonthebeach]

22 minutes ago, sandebeach said:

Interesting article from the Miami Herald

 

How should cruise companies protect passengers and crew from COVID-19? We asked doctors
Cruise companies haven’t announced how they will protect passengers and crew from COVID-19 during the pandemic. We asked five doctors what companies should do when cruises resume before a vaccine is available.

Read in Miami Herald: https://apple.news/AYQp3mTkWS6iUskZfcAG5Kw

 

Yes very interesting -- thanks for posting. I haven't read about this one until now "Cruise ships should aim to stay within 500 nautical miles of land, said Mass General’s Callahan, so that they can always be within 24 hours of helicopter range."  This will probably occur at the beginning of the reopening. 

 

nor had I ever heard of this:
 

 

"No more financial goals for medical staff: A cruise ship doctor who spoke with the Herald on the condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation said his company has financial goals for medical staff during each cruise. If the staff meets the goal for several weeks, they get a bonus. He calls the reward system “unethical.’’ 

“That is not ethical, everything is very expensive on the ship,” he said. “I can do X-ray, everything to increase the bill. If they call me to the cabin, that’s $200; IV fluids, more money. I can manipulate. Sometimes we feel bad...It’s about having $600 one night, not how is the patient? If they take away the goal, you work better.”

Read more here: https://www.miamiherald.com/news/business/tourism-cruises/article242945396.html#storylink=cpy

Edited May 31, 2020 by livingonthebeach

[island lady]

8 minutes ago, livingonthebeach said:

 

Luckily,  The Port of Miami, Port Everglades, Port Canaveral and the Port of Tampa are all within same day driving for me and probably for you too, if you are close to Port Canaveral.  The Panhandle folks are probably closer to New Orleans.  I think they will have a staggered boarding with specific times for passengers so everyone doesn't show up at 11am as customary.  

 

20 minutes to PC for me, 2 hours to Tampa, 3 hours to PE.  All under 500 miles.  Alas...most of my booked cruises involve flights. 😮 

 

If they do allow the local boarding...and my fly to cruises keep getting cancelled...at least that will be a good alternative option for me as well.  

[John&LaLa]

26 minutes ago, livingonthebeach said:

 

Luckily,  The Port of Miami, Port Everglades, Port Canaveral and the Port of Tampa are all within same day driving for me and probably for you too, if you are close to Port Canaveral.  The Panhandle folks are probably closer to New Orleans.  I think they will have a staggered boarding with specific times for passengers so everyone doesn't show up at 11am as customary.  

 

Yep, Tampa and South Florida are easy morning of drives. And I'm certain there will be boarding times enforced. Once you drop the flights and hotel stay, there's not much reason to not arrive when requested

 

If you do 200 miles from the Florida ports you get about 20 million people.  If you go 500 miles, South Florida doesn't increase a whole lot, but PC doubles. 

[Milwaukee Eight]

51 minutes ago, PhillyFan33579 said:

Maybe a better comparison would be SARS and MERs, which are both coronaviruses with no currently approved vaccine available for either virus.

This I agree with. 

[rimmit]

24 minutes ago, livingonthebeach said:

 

Yes very interesting -- thanks for posting. I haven't read about this one until now "Cruise ships should aim to stay within 500 nautical miles of land, said Mass General’s Callahan, so that they can always be within 24 hours of helicopter range."  This will probably occur at the beginning of the reopening. 

 

nor had I ever heard of this:
 

 

"No more financial goals for medical staff: A cruise ship doctor who spoke with the Herald on the condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation said his company has financial goals for medical staff during each cruise. If the staff meets the goal for several weeks, they get a bonus. He calls the reward system “unethical.’’ 

“That is not ethical, everything is very expensive on the ship,” he said. “I can do X-ray, everything to increase the bill. If they call me to the cabin, that’s $200; IV fluids, more money. I can manipulate. Sometimes we feel bad...It’s about having $600 one night, not how is the patient? If they take away the goal, you work better.”

Read more here: https://www.miamiherald.com/news/business/tourism-cruises/article242945396.html#storylink=cpy

Interesting article.  Having to have a port every day would definitely make scheduling difficult.  Obviously would eliminate the TAs.

 

In the short term though, it definitely lends to the 3 night Bahamas routes.  That’s about all you could do and maybe the Mediterranean where everything is super close together.  Possibly some short south East Asian routes, and maybe domestic Australia.  
 

not sure what else you could do if you had to hit a port every day.  Maybe some repeat ports would allow you to go far away and back without sea days.  That way if you went around the caribbean you could double back and hit up the same ports again if needed.

[Lionesss]

I have gone back and re-read the last couple of pages of this thread and I seem to be missing something, and I hope someone will help me understand.

 

What is the significance of "flying" and not needing a hotel before cruising.

Are the cruise lines not accepting this mode of getting to port?  Flying that is?

 

 

I hope I do not have to pack up the car and drive to PC before our Harmony cruise.

It would be  a 20ish hour drive from Ohio.

 

We are flying, masks and all the day ahead.

 

Thanks for explaining what I am not getting.

 

Stay healthy.

 

 

[LXA350]

On 5/30/2020 at 4:19 PM, firefly333 said:

How do you know this when seems like no one else knows for sure ?

 

The article after your post says the caribbean airlines will allow flights in as of June 1st. If it's ok to fly in i dont see the difference with cruising in.

 

Lol if I was as sure as you I'd book one of those carnival august cruises just to get the $600 obc bonus when its cancelled. Carnival is only doing the 3 ports in august, Galveston is one where I'm out of. I wish I knew as you seem to know. 

 

Knowing is to much said, but also from the things Fain or Bayley said some weeks ago that some markets might be launched before others, given the developments of the virus which would be Asia and Europe would also hint that August for the US is not realistic. I am not even to certain if cruises will be launcched in Asia or Europe by RCL in August even if numbers remain low.

[John&LaLa]

11 minutes ago, Lionesss said:

I have gone back and re-read the last couple of pages of this thread and I seem to be missing something, and I hope someone will help me understand.

 

What is the significance of "flying" and not needing a hotel before cruising.

Are the cruise lines not accepting this mode of getting to port?  Flying that is?

 

 

I hope I do not have to pack up the car and drive to PC before our Harmony cruise.

It would be  a 20ish hour drive from Ohio.

 

We are flying, masks and all the day ahead.

 

Thanks for explaining what I am not getting.

 

Stay healthy.

 

 

 

Unsubstantiated rumors that Royal could require the early cruises to be people that are local to cut down on possibility of picking something up on the way to the ship 

[mek]

5 hours ago, PhillyFan33579 said:

What if a vaccine never comes around? There is no guarantee an effective vaccine will be developed. If you are old enough to remember the 1980s, there was a lot of optimism about a vaccine being developed for HIV. There were a lot of similarities to today with lots of efforts focused on developing a vaccine, predictions that a vaccine would be developed within two years, etc. It is now 2020 and there is still no vaccine for HIV. 

But there are very effective therapeutics for HIV and I think developing those for C19 is where we have the best hope for controlling this.

[Lionesss]

3 hours ago, John&LaLa said:

 

Unsubstantiated rumors that Royal could require the early cruises to be people that are local to cut down on possibility of picking something up on the way to the ship 

 

Thank you for explaining.  

 

Stay Healthy.

[xxHadleyxx]

5 hours ago, livingonthebeach said:

 

In the case of Celebrity's Shanghai to Tokyo sailing that I was on this past October, surprisingly there were not a lot of Chinese people -- there were mostly Westerners and Americans.  Now with the virus, I doubt many Americans would take the risk of flying half way across the world so the cruises will probably have more passengers from Asia.  Royal stated they will be targeting the "drive market" when they resume operation, mainly people who live within a short distance to the cruise port and are able to drive there. 

That's not surprising at all. The Celebrity brand is marketed primarily to a western audience regardless of where it sails.  Royal sailings from China are marketed towards the Chinese and many things onboard are changed specifically to appeal to that market.

Edited May 31, 2020 by xxHadleyxx

[Jimbo]

6 hours ago, island lady said:

 

20 minutes to PC for me, 2 hours to Tampa, 3 hours to PE.  All under 500 miles.  Alas...most of my booked cruises involve flights. 😮 

 

If they do allow the local boarding...and my fly to cruises keep getting cancelled...at least that will be a good alternative option for me as well.  

Go on some day trips at a local Marina nearby, I'm sure you could find a local operator there willing to take you out for the day........push comes to shove go on an all day fishing trip to get over your cruise fix.

Edited May 31, 2020 by Jimbo