Would you go on a "socially distance" cruise

[Bramcruiser]

No. Although the destination and the ship life are the main reasons to go I feel if we need to stay away from people and wear masks then it must be too early to really allow cruising and maybe we shouldn't. After having this summer's cruise cancelled I decided to take the refund and not a future cruise credit. I'm stuck with FCCs with the airlines and hate the idea that a leisure trip being a laboratory instead of an exciting way to go to a new exotic destination - especially if you are paying big bucks in business class. So except for having to use up airline credits before they expire I am holding off on any further travel until there is more assurance that its safe but still fun without any social stigma. So my 2020 ruined vacation has become my 2020 new blinds and window treatments for the condo.

[RocketMan275]

37 minutes ago, Mary229 said:

I think they are going to be cruising at less than 100% capacity until there is resolution.  Some cruise lines are suggesting 50% capacity

They will suffer very heavily financially.  That won't last long.  Several articles in the Wall Street Journal on the effects of 50% seating on restaurants.  Not good.

 

Social distancing will collapse from the financial pressures in a few weeks.  

Edited May 29, 2020 by RocketMan275

[HamOp]

The old adage of "use it or loose it" seems very apt here. 

If people don't cruise (in sufficient numbers) the cruise lines will cease to exist.

[1ANGELCAT]

No I’ve had enough of the mask . Would you want to wear it when you’re in the hot and humid Caribbean 😱
 

[Randyk47]

No.   It sounds totally unappealing.  We’ve talked and I can’t see us cruising until 2022 at the earliest.  We’ve actually talked to our best friends and cruising partners, by the way whom we met on a cruise several years ago, and sadly discussed that our cruise this past January might indeed have been our last.   

Edited May 29, 2020 by Randyk47

[Doubt It]

Not interested in a socially distancing cruise with a mask.

 

Can spend my after tax $ on other more rewarding experiences.

[Himself]

13 hours ago, DFD1 said:

Doubt it would be much fun. I don't think I would

 

By the way, I wonder if the writer of the article realizes that his open balcony doors usually compromise the air conditioning of several surrounding staterooms.

I think long term social distancing and masks would kill the cruise industry.  I think this is a fad we are going through right now.  I do not see it as long term.  Masks are not even healthy.  

[DFD1]

58 minutes ago, RocketMan275 said:

They will suffer very heavily financially.  That won't last long.  Several articles in the Wall Street Journal on the effects of 50% seating on restaurants.  Not good.

 

Social distancing will collapse from the financial pressures in a few weeks.  

 

I agree. I don't see any reasonable way out for the cruise lines in the short run. I think the next two to five years are going to be very, very difficult for many of them to even survive.

 

I respect those passengers who have committed to cruise again as soon as possible, but if there is another spike of infections on board one or more cruise ships, things could get very bad indeed...again.

[taxmantoo]

2 hours ago, RocketMan275 said:

Actually, think about the impact on the MDR.  No tables of more than two, maybe four, people.  Tables spaced six feet apart.  The capacity of the MDR would be one/third of the current capacity.   Perhaps mandatory room service might work.

So the first seating for early dining would be at 2 pm ???  People would probably complain that it interferes with their tea time 🙄

[daisy-mae]

2 hours ago, kazu said:

 

It’s certainly happened here.  Physical distancing is taken seriously as are masks when you cannot physical distance.  

 

 

Indeed. I was just reprimanded in a retail store for not following the arrows...

If I have to constantly look over my shoulder and check my behaviour then I would rather spend my leisure time in my back yard.

[prescottbob]

12 hours ago, CineGraphic said:

 

The quickest/easiest way to deal with it, is to not stop at ports requiring a tender.

It looks like it's time to start building piers on all of those private islands like MSC has done.

 

Indeed, but that would require quite a bit of expenditures for cash strapped government entities. 

List of HAL tender port link:

 

https://www.hollandamerica.com/en_US/accessibility/port-tender-list.html

 

Be well.

Bob

[CineGraphic]

7 minutes ago, prescottbob said:

 

Indeed, but that would require quite a bit of expenditures for cash strapped government entities. 

List of HAL tender port link:

 

https://www.hollandamerica.com/en_US/accessibility/port-tender-list.html

 

Be well.

Bob

 

I only mentioned private islands, owned by the cruise lines. If any of the other ports listed want to continue getting tourism dollars, they will have to build their own piers. Adapt or perish. Build piers, or find another way to make up for the lost tourism.

 

[daisy-mae]

8 minutes ago, CineGraphic said:

 

If any of the other ports listed want to continue getting tourism dollars, they will have to build their own piers. Adapt or perish. Build piers, or find another way to make up for the lost tourism.

 

 

I don't think it's that simple. I'm no expert, but I believe it is the water depth and other conditions near the shoreline that dictate whether or not a large ship can approach safely, not the presence/absence of a pier.

[Lazz]

2 hours ago, RocketMan275 said:

They will suffer very heavily financially.  That won't last long.  Several articles in the Wall Street Journal on the effects of 50% seating on restaurants.  Not good.

 

Social distancing will collapse from the financial pressures in a few weeks.  

A recent article suggests that large ships can break even at 30% capacity:

"For our newer ships, you need about 30 percent load factors to kind of break even. And then they skew to about 50 percent load factor on onto our older ships."

https://www.*****.com/2020/05/21/royal-caribbeans-newer-ships-break-even-quicker-older-ships

 

 

 

[KirkNC]

1 minute ago, daisy-mae said:

 

I don't think it's that simple. I'm no expert, but I believe it is the water depth and other conditions near the shoreline that dictate whether or not a large ship can approach safely, not the presence/absence of a pier.

Your right, it’s a combination of both.

[KirkNC]

Just now, Lazz said:

A recent article suggests that large ships can break even at 30% capacity:

"For our newer ships, you need about 30 percent load factors to kind of break even. And then they skew to about 50 percent load factor on onto our older ships."

https://www.*****.com/2020/05/21/royal-caribbeans-newer-ships-break-even-quicker-older-ships

 

 

 

Unfortunately that’s on the mega ships where 50% means 3,000 passengers.

[CineGraphic]

1 minute ago, daisy-mae said:

 

I don't think it's that simple. I'm no expert, but I believe it is the water depth and other conditions near the shoreline that dictate whether or not a large ship can approach safely, not the presence/absence of a pier.

It's very simple, no pier, no cruise ships. If they can't accommodate the ships, the ships will go elsewhere, if tendering is not an option.

[KirkNC]

I think the assumption that cruise ships are financial windfalls for a port is often incorrect.  Sure in the Carribean that maybe true but for many ports not so much.  You dump off a bunch of people, many go on excursions.  The rest buy a few trinkets and a few buy lunch.  Outside of being a guide, I don’t see how the ship actually leaves that much money when it leaves.  

[RocketMan275]

26 minutes ago, Lazz said:

A recent article suggests that large ships can break even at 30% capacity:

"For our newer ships, you need about 30 percent load factors to kind of break even. And then they skew to about 50 percent load factor on onto our older ships."

https://www.*****.com/2020/05/21/royal-caribbeans-newer-ships-break-even-quicker-older-ships

So, we can look forward to booking cruises on OasisoftheSeasdam? 

You'll also notice that RCCI indicated they might be forced to sell their older (smaller) ships.  That doesn't look good for HAL. 

[Infi]

If I were a cruise line CEO reading this thread, I would be very concerned. CC represents a faction of some of the most die-hard cruisers out there. If many self-described cruise fans even are unwilling to cruise with masks, social distancing, etc., what does that say about the more casual or even first time cruiser and their likelihood of sailing in the near future? It doesn't look very good at all...

[daisy-mae]

I suspect that many of us have re-evaluated our priorities.

 

Although I am not a fan of standing in a long line or timing my shopping to avoid same, I have come to accept the new normal because I need groceries or a can of paint from the local hardware store. Anything non-essential that is too great a hassle has quickly dropped to the bottom of my list of activities. Sadly, for the time being, that position will be occupied by cruising and long distance travel.

[Crusinsusan2]

No desire whatsoever. I am having a hard enough time with the mask in our now 100+ weather just out for essentials as is my husband and his crew that work outside in construction. Can't imagine spending our vacation dollars and time on a cruise until we can see cruising start to resemble a vacation and not what we are currently experiencing at home with a lot less restrictions.          

[rafinmd]

35 minutes ago, RocketMan275 said:

So, we can look forward to booking cruises on OasisoftheSeasdam? 

You'll also notice that RCCI indicated they might be forced to sell their older (smaller) ships.  That doesn't look good for HAL. 

I wonder about that.  I don't see much of a market for used cruise ships for a while.

 

Roy

[CineGraphic]

1 hour ago, KirkNC said:

I think the assumption that cruise ships are financial windfalls for a port is often incorrect.  Sure in the Carribean that maybe true but for many ports not so much.  You dump off a bunch of people, many go on excursions.  The rest buy a few trinkets and a few buy lunch.  Outside of being a guide, I don’t see how the ship actually leaves that much money when it leaves.  

Think of the port fees the governments collect whether you get off of the ship or not. Any idea how much money Cozumel collects from 19,000 people daily?

[mame42]

4 hours ago, fyree39 said:

I would absolutely love a social distancing cruise. Maybe it means the ship would sail at 25% capacity. It'd almost feel like a private yacht.

 

I travel solo and tend to be a hermit anyway, so I don't think it would make much difference to me.