Canada bans cruise ships until 10/31

[phoenix_dream]

We expected this.  Officially announced.  So much for my fall colors cruise 😒

[Shiny Things]

Link is at https://www.canada.ca/en/transport-canada/news/2020/05/minister-garneau-announces-updated-measures-for-cruise-ships-and-passenger-vessels-in-canadian-waters-up-to-october-31-2020.html

[TeeRick]

I guess not a real surprise it was extended but Oct 31 seems like a bit far out to make this decision now.

[Life Buoy]

I have a Crystal cruise scheduled to leave Quebec City on October 30, 2020. Guess that will be a no go.

[Prost Seattle]

I wonder how long it will take Celebrity to cancel/reschedule the affected cruises?  I’m on Solstice from Vancouver 9/18/2020 to Hawai’i. and final payment is due 6/20/2020.  

[phoenix_dream]

5 minutes ago, Prost Seattle said:

I wonder how long it will take Celebrity to cancel/reschedule the affected cruises?  I’m on Solstice from Vancouver 9/18/2020 to Hawai’i. and final payment is due 6/20/2020.  

If history serves, not until a month prior.  They want to retain as much $$ as they can, and they also can't administratively handle the volume of cancellations they are getting.

Edited May 29, 2020 by phoenix_dream

[Fouremco]

1 minute ago, phoenix_dream said:

If history serves, not until a month prior.  

So true.

[Fouremco]

15 minutes ago, TeeRick said:

I guess not a real surprise it was extended but Oct 31 seems like a bit far out to make this decision now.

I agree, no surprise at all. On the other hand, I think making and announcing the decision early makes a great deal more sense than waiting another month. This way, everyone from cruise lines to passengers know the ports will be closed and can plan accordingly. While I recognize that Celebrity has other (financial) reasons for doing so, its tactic of delaying cancelation announcements simply serves to frustrate customers.

[TMLAalum]

When I saw 10/31 as the cruise ship ban date from Canada, I misinterpreted the date as 10/2031!

 

Strange date for cruises out of Canada to be possibly permitted. Alaska & New England/Canada cruises that include a Canadian port are done for the season mid-October latest.

 

Hoping both of our cruises out of Canada will be sailing in the fall of next year.

[TeeRick]

Just now, TMLAalum said:

When I saw 10/31 as the cruise ship ban date from Canada, I misinterpreted the date as 10/2031!

 

Strange date for cruises out of Canada to be possibly permitted. Alaska & New England/Canada cruises that include a Canadian port are done for the season mid-October latest.

 

Hoping both of our cruises out of Canada will be sailing in the fall of next year.

Yes this ban in essence shuts down almost all cruising to Canadian ports until the 2021 cruise season.  Both coasts.

[jelayne]

Wonder if the Sept TPS from Vancouver to Tokyo will have departure port changed or be cancelled.  About 25 days from final payment for us.

Edited May 29, 2020 by jelayne
Typo

[C-Dragons]

7 minutes ago, jelayne said:

Wonder if the Sept TPS from Vancouver to Tokyo will have departure port changed or be cancelled.  About 25 days from final payment for us.

Will Japan's borders be open by then is another question.

[phoenix_dream]

15 minutes ago, TeeRick said:

Yes this ban in essence shuts down almost all cruising to Canadian ports until the 2021 cruise season.  Both coasts.

Wondering if they'll try to reconfigure their east coast cruises to something else, stopping at the Bahamas or something to satisfy the maritime laws.  Not taking the chance for mine - didn't pay that much money for a fall colors cruise to end up in Nassau!  We'll be looking to shift to next year.

[npcl]

6 minutes ago, C-Dragons said:

Will Japan's borders be open by then is another question.

For cruise ships?  After the Diamond Princess?  Probably not.

[PEIpair]

20 minutes ago, TMLAalum said:

Strange date for cruises out of Canada to be possibly permitted. Alaska & New England/Canada cruises that include a Canadian port are done for the season mid-October latest.

Actually, in 2019,  Charlottetown, PEI,  had 10 cruises scheduled to call between 

Oct. 15 - Nov. 04

[PEIpair]

 
For 2020, Charlottetown had 11 cruises booked to call between Oct. 16  - 31. 

[TMLAalum]

4 minutes ago, PEIpair said:

 
For 2020, Charlottetown had 11 cruises booked to call between Oct. 16  - 31. 

 

Oh, didn't know. 

Two summers ago we visited PEI, but not Charlottetown. We traveled with DD, DSiL and 3 DGS. DSiL did lots of research to make sure our day on the island was unique. We visited the Potato Museum and the Glass Bottle Houses! Unfortunately that's all we had time to see as we were based over the bridge in N.B.

[Lady Arwen]

To be honest, I’m happy that we won’t be allowing cruises up to October 31, or beyond. Canada doesn’t need the potential further spread of Covid 19.  I doubt if our borders will open up in the near future, either.  

[ECCruise]

41 minutes ago, npcl said:

For cruise ships?  After the Diamond Princess?  Probably not.

We have a crossing from Vancouver to Yokohama (2 Japanese ports) and from Yokohama to SIN (6 Japanese ports) and that alone will be enough to cancel those 2 legs.

Japan is a bear for health screening in good times.  A lot of times when we've sailed in Japan there has been some kind of health questionnaire, lineup for temperature check.  Can't even imagine what it will be like now.

[Langley Cruisers]

1 hour ago, TeeRick said:

I guess not a real surprise it was extended but Oct 31 seems like a bit far out to make this decision now.

 

With respect, this pandemic is nowhere near contained. I, for one, am pleased with the pro-active decision even though it hugely affects our British Columbia ports. 😥

[Lady Arwen]

2 minutes ago, Langley Cruisers said:

 

With respect, this pandemic is nowhere near contained. I, for one, am pleased with the pro-active decision even though it hugely affects our British Columbia ports. 😥

Well said, thank you.

[PEIpair]

23 minutes ago, Langley Cruisers said:

 

With respect, this pandemic is nowhere near contained. I, for one, am pleased with the pro-active decision even though it hugely affects our British Columbia ports. 😥

I agree.  But the pain is real for our little Island as well.

[PEIpair]

55 minutes ago, TMLAalum said:

 

Oh, didn't know. 

Two summers ago we visited PEI, but not Charlottetown. We traveled with DD, DSiL and 3 DGS. DSiL did lots of research to make sure our day on the island was unique. We visited the Potato Museum and the Glass Bottle Houses! Unfortunately that's all we had time to see as we were based over the bridge in N.B.

   
I hope you will get back here again. Lots more to our particular slice of heaven.  But I really recommend that if you are cruising, you DO come Before the middle of October (IMHO). 
I’ve only ever sailed in Alaska, Caribbean and Europe.

Would dearly love to sail into our own small and pretty harbour someday.

 

[poffles]

2 hours ago, TeeRick said:

I guess not a real surprise it was extended but Oct 31 seems like a bit far out to make this decision now.

 

I disagree ... I think this is the more intelligent decision to make instead of doing it week by week, month by month.  So much planning goes into ship itineraries anyway that I think this at least clears up uncertainty.

 

They are also still advising that Canadians do not cruise.  Depending how long this travel advisement continues, any Canadian cruising would risk being insured if something should happen.

Edited May 29, 2020 by poffles

[harkinmr]

2 hours ago, TeeRick said:

I guess not a real surprise it was extended but Oct 31 seems like a bit far out to make this decision now.

It certainly wasn't a surprise to a number of other lines like Princess, HAL and Carnival.  They cancelled their Canada/New England sailings at the beginning of May.  Why did they see the writing on the wall and Royal Caribbean/Celebrity did not?  Can anyone say "cash flow"?