FCO advises against all cruise travel, today

[mickrory]

May as well leave the ship moored in Southampton rather than sailing to nowhere.

You could disembark if you got fed up and go to Andy's local for a raucous night out.

[ovccruiser]

7 hours ago, FamilyCruiserUK said:

So how would cruising start again and would you go.

 

1, 50-60% OCCUPANCY.

2, No ports of call.

3, 7 days only cruising.

4, Covid test before boarding. (Not sure on turn around time for tests)

5, Longer boarding for above.

6, Longer time post cruise to next cruise to allow testing of staff and cleaning of ships

7, Enhanced hand washing and cleaning on board.

 

Just some very quick ideas of how to start cruising. After all you can sit on a plane full of unknown infected people..!!!!!!

Put number 4 first, and the rest become superfluous 😄

[jeanlyon]

Definitely not!

[Denarius]

2 hours ago, jeanlyon said:

Definitely not!

Me neither. For me ports of call are the main attraction of cruising. A cruise to nowhere holds no attraction whatsoever.

[happy v]

It's probably a good idea for them to do something to get started again and I think some people will go. It would be no good for us though. Too far to travel for 7 days.

[wowzz]

12 hours ago, FamilyCruiserUK said:

, Covid test before boarding. (Not sure on turn around time for tests)

We have a drive in centre near us. Tests come back in 24 hours, but of course, you can still be infected within that 24 hour window. 

So basically,  pre boarding tests are just a complete waste of time.

[wowzz]

37 minutes ago, happy v said:

It's probably a good idea for them to do something to get started again and I think some people will go. It would be no good for us though. Too far to travel for 7 days.

We are the same,  and to be honest,  7 days bouncing around in the BoB in the autumn is not exactly appealing.

[Chrisdriving]

Trouble is this is all just pie in the sky probably, my sister is a senior theatre nurse for the NHS and they are very much expecting a second wave in the winter with a higher death toll than we have seen so far and lockdowns in place.

 

She thinks the miracle vaccine has not got a chance of being available and fully effective for everyone anyway if it was.

 

Of course this is not given that this will happen but people in the know are very much expecting it to and our time of cautious easing is grabbing the opportunity while its summer.

i think there was a piece on Sky News that actually said similar.

Edited July 15, 2020 by Chrisdriving

[Harry Peterson]

10 minutes ago, Chrisdriving said:

Trouble is this is all just pie in the sky probably, my sister is a senior theatre nurse for the NHS and they are very much expecting a second wave in the winter with a higher death toll than we have seen so far and lockdowns in place.

 

She thinks the miracle vaccine has not got a chance of being available and fully effective for everyone anyway if it was.

 

Of course this is not given that this will happen but people in the know are very much expecting it to and our time of cautious easing is grabbing the opportunity while its summer.

i think there was a piece on Sky News that actually said similar.

That's the line across all the NHS Trusts - they're all planning for a second wave which could be far worse than the first, because the first wave coincided with a drop in the usual influenza rate and didn't start until March.

 

Let's hope it doesn't happen, but the signs aren't good. 

[Chrisdriving]

Yes true, very much agree with that .

A situation we absolutely do not want to be in again, but i struggle to see how cruising and holidays etc will be expected to function in what is obviously going to be a dodgy time of year.

[molecrochip]

I think its important to note that the advice regarding travel only changed in the 48 hours leading to the 'air-bridges' becoming active. That was despite them having been announced a week or two earlier. Airlines were selling flights and Tui were selling holidays earlier on the insider knowledge they had been given from the Government.

 

There is no reason to suggest that the Government will not offer similar advance warning to the cruise industry but only actually change the public advice days before hand. In the Carnival analysts call on Friday, Arnold Donald stated that it was 30 days from decision to restart to sailing a passenger cruise. That means that P&O would only need to make a decision by 16 September to restart cruises as currently listed. That's two months from now.

[Son of Anarchy]

2 hours ago, Harry Peterson said:

That's the line across all the NHS Trusts - they're all planning for a second wave which could be far worse than the first, because the first wave coincided with a drop in the usual influenza rate and didn't start until March.

 

 

Fail to plan - Plan to fail.

 

Far better to be ready for a second wave and it not happen, than the other way round.

[terrierjohn]

2 hours ago, Harry Peterson said:

That's the line across all the NHS Trusts - they're all planning for a second wave which could be far worse than the first, because the first wave coincided with a drop in the usual influenza rate and didn't start until March.

 

Let's hope it doesn't happen, but the signs aren't good. 

That is the worst case scenario line though, so there could possibly be far fewer deaths.  Then you have to factor in the fact that, presumably, the 46,000+ deaths were mainly those elderly patients, with very weak immune systems and serious underlying health issues, so not as big a pool for the virus to attack next time round.  Plus, we now know far more about treatment, and we have several drugs that can be used to improve outcomes. There is also the massive difference in death rates between various areas and trusts, that need to be examined to determine why.

All these factors need to be taken into account, and as we learn more about treating patients, hopefully we will improve the outcome for those who have the most serious symptoms.

[Harry Peterson]

17 minutes ago, Son of Anarchy said:

Fail to plan - Plan to fail.

 

Far better to be ready for a second wave and it not happen, than the other way round.

Absolutely. At least there’s some planning going on now, whereas when it first hit there was no effective plan in place - despite the warnings a couple of years earlier.

[Adawn47]

1 hour ago, molecrochip said:

That means that P&O would only need to make a decision by 16 September to restart cruises as currently listed. That's two months from now.

Unfortunately that's no use to those of us who have to decide whether pay our balances well before then😕

Avril 

[molecrochip]

5 minutes ago, Adawn47 said:

Unfortunately that's no use to those of us who have to decide whether pay our balances well before then😕

Avril 

I think we are getting to the point of the process where if its not cancelled, the honest hope is that it will go ahead. Especially following the CMA letter last week, long refund delays are not longer acceptable.

[No pager thank you]

10 minutes ago, molecrochip said:

I think we are getting to the point of the process where if its not cancelled, the honest hope is that it will go ahead. Especially following the CMA letter last week, long refund delays are not longer acceptable.

What will be going ahead feels up in the air still, but the principle of booking a holiday which you have an opportunity to take feels closer now I would agree.

 

I understand that you are following the cruise refund thread but I feel that I should point out that there are many examples of refunds outstanding from the start of the initial suspension with P&O, so the company does not start the current restart discussion with a "blank scorecard."

 

This will continue to affect confidence in the company and the willingness of passengers to part with large sums of money in these still uncertain times. 

 

I do feel that P&O are going to have to budge on the 90 days, unless this is part of a subtle plan to reduce capacity on the initial restart cruises (which do intend to depart).  They are also going to have to make a concerted effort to return back to compliance with the package tour regulations, in common with other companies in the sector. 

 

Show evidence of this and I would also agree that many of those who have yet to cancel will be prepared to consider proceeding with a cruise holiday.

[Denarius]

1 hour ago, Son of Anarchy said:

Fail to plan - Plan to fail.

 

Far better to be ready for a second wave and it not happen, than the other way round.

Exactly.

When I was in business I was involved with business continuity planning. Creating plans as to how we would react to future events which could severely affect our ability to do business. That did not mean that we thought that those events would occur: only that they could and that we needed to have a plan of action ready in case they did. So it should be with the NHS, and the fact that those plans exist is reassuring; even if we hope that they are not needed.

[grapau27]

14 hours ago, Denarius said:

Me neither. For me ports of call are the main attraction of cruising. A cruise to nowhere holds no attraction whatsoever.

Absolutely agree.

[Adawn47]

34 minutes ago, molecrochip said:

I think we are getting to the point of the process where if its not cancelled, the honest hope is that it will go ahead. Especially following the CMA letter last week, long refund delays are not longer acceptable.

What the CMA say and P&O do are two entirely different things. There are many still waiting for refunds  from March. I contacted P&O yesterday to politely ask them if they would defer our August 8th balance to September 30th because of the FCO statement, our ages 73/75, and being unable to purchase travel insurance because of said FCO advice. Very nice young lady but non-committal. If they are so sure cruises will go ahead from 16th September what is the problem with my request?  I am becoming a very confused, disappointed and increasingly annoyed loyal P&O cruiser.

Avril 

Edited July 15, 2020 by Adawn47
Silly spelling

[jeanlyon]

You mean 16th October Avril, but I get the drift.  My TA has confirmed my cancellation of Arcadia 18th October now, so nothing to worry about until January when my balance for April Aurora will be due.  Can't see it happening somehow.

 

With all the rules and regs that will be in place, I can't see it being enjoyable so will probably cancel that one as well.  Only £50 deposit.

[Roger Ackroyd]

1 hour ago, Adawn47 said:

What the CMA say and P&O do are two entirely different things. There are many still waiting for refunds  from March. I contacted P&O yesterday to politely ask them if they would defer our August 8th balance to September 30th because of the FCO statement, our ages 73/75, and being unable to purchase travel insurance because of said FCO advice. Very nice young lady but non-committal. If they are so sure cruises will go ahead from 16th September what is the problem with my request?  I am becoming a very confused, disappointed and increasingly annoyed loyal P&O cruiser.

Avril 

 

Quite. It's a Catch-22 thing.

FCO tells us that no-one should cruise - therefore you can't get insurance.

P & O still expect balance of payments despite not confirming that the cruise will actually go ahead  or what conditions will be like once on board (i.e. unlikely to be able to offer anything like what appears in the brochure or on-line).

You don't pay the balance - lost deposit

You pay the balance - P & O eventually cancel the cruise. You wait months for refund.

And even if the FCO restriction is lifted what price insurance now for over 70's?

[Adawn47]

40 minutes ago, jeanlyon said:

You mean 16th October Avril, but I get the drift.  My TA has confirmed my cancellation of Arcadia 18th October now, so nothing to worry about until January when my balance for April Aurora will be due.  Can't see it happening somehow.

 

With all the rules and regs that will be in place, I can't see it being enjoyable so will probably cancel that one as well.  Only £50 deposit.

No Jean, I did mean September 16th.  I was referring to the last bit of moley's post # 61, but after reading his post on another thread regarding his take on the resumption of cruising , (and let's be honest, he's usually correct ) I don't think I'll bother😕

Avril 

[PRINCESSTHE BEST]

I think the FCO have got it spot on. There is no way in the foreseeable future that cruising will be safe. My biggest worry is the air conditioning systems on board. Any virus that is present will be pushed around the ship and passengers will have no choice but to breath the air. We have all seen illnesses on board and tried to protect ourselves, from Arcadia cough to norovirus. Compared to coronavirus these illnesses are insignificant. 
 

I honestly don’t think enough is known about this virus to feel safe in stepping on board, leaving our fantastic NHS behind and sailing into the great unknown.

[yorkshirephil]

20 minutes ago, PRINCESSTHE BEST said:

I think the FCO have got it spot on. There is no way in the foreseeable future that cruising will be safe. My biggest worry is the air conditioning systems on board. Any virus that is present will be pushed around the ship and passengers will have no choice but to breath the air. We have all seen illnesses on board and tried to protect ourselves, from Arcadia cough to norovirus. Compared to coronavirus these illnesses are insignificant. 
 

I honestly don’t think enough is known about this virus to feel safe in stepping on board, leaving our fantastic NHS behind and sailing into the great unknown.

I don't think life in general is going to be particularly safe in the foreseeable future, especially for the more vunerable amongst us. Hope for the best but plan for the worst is probably the best we can hope for.