South Africa season - Journey

[longton]

Journey is due to arrive in Cape Town on 2 December 2020 and then do one or two week cruises from Cape Town around South Africa and neighbouring countries until 19 March 2021.

 

Airports and ports in South Africa have been closed to international visitors since March and there is no sign of them reopening. Some say the earliest they will reopen will be 2021.

 

Covid-19 cases are rising rapidly in South Africa. There is no chance that cruises on Journey will go ahead.

 

Journey is going into 'cold storage' in Glasgow. Yet Azamara is still selling these cruises. To me it feels dishonest but I guess it wants the money.

[MakingUpForLostTime]

28 minutes ago, longton said:

Journey is due to arrive in Cape Town on 2 December 2020 and then do one or two week cruises from Cape Town around South Africa and neighbouring countries until 19 March 2021.

 

Airports and ports in South Africa have been closed to international visitors since March and there is no sign of them reopening. Some say the earliest they will reopen will be 2021.

 

Covid-19 cases are rising rapidly in South Africa. There is no chance that cruises on Journey will go ahead.

 

Journey is going into 'cold storage' in Glasgow. Yet Azamara is still selling these cruises. To me it feels dishonest but I guess it wants the money.

They take your money immediately and when you want a refund you are lucky to see it in 100 days. Interest free money for them to survive.

[snowglobe]

A point will come when any money to be refunded, including deposits, will not be able to paid back in cash. While you are still able to, I’d suggest that you cut your losses - esp. regarding the South Africa / South America sailings.

Add the early 2021 South America sailing season as well to the “not gonna happen” list.

Edited July 12, 2020 by snowglobe

[excitedofharpenden]

The website is notoriously slow to catch up and will reflect the current official line. Azamara will continue to advertise cruises until such time as it officially can't sail the cruise and no such information has been forthcoming.

 

I have to say though. It comes down to common sense. Who in their right mind would book a cruise to South Africa now?  It's not as if information on the pandemic and it's effects aren't widely known. It's everywhere. You would have to be living in a cave not to know. 

 

Phil 

[florisdekort]

11 hours ago, longton said:

Journey is due to arrive in Cape Town on 2 December 2020 and then do one or two week cruises from Cape Town around South Africa and neighbouring countries until 19 March 2021.

 

Airports and ports in South Africa have been closed to international visitors since March and there is no sign of them reopening. Some say the earliest they will reopen will be 2021.

 

Covid-19 cases are rising rapidly in South Africa. There is no chance that cruises on Journey will go ahead.

 

Journey is going into 'cold storage' in Glasgow. Yet Azamara is still selling these cruises. To me it feels dishonest but I guess it wants the money.

 

I fully agree.  Same for cruise lines still selling Australia & New Zealand sailings for November 2020 - April 2021 with both countries very unlikely to re-open their international border before mid 2021 and Qantas already having cancelled all international flights until June 2021... 

[Covepointcruiser]

Is Qantas aware of their international flights being canceled through June 2021?   Strange as they believe they will begin international flights in November 2020 and you can buy tickets, just go to their site.

[Baynanno1]

From the Qantas website :

 

"All Qantas scheduled international flights, except for flights between Australia and New Zealand, are suspended until at least the end of October 2020, due to government restrictions. All Qantas scheduled flights between Australia and New Zealand are suspended until at least mid-August 2020."

 

It is more than likely that the international suspension may well extend well into 2021.

 

[manc]

We booked Cape Town to Lisbon on 19 March 2021 long ago. We don't think we will sail but hope to be able to lift and shift in the future. Having had 2 cruises cancelled already we fully appreciate the chance of sailing is nil. 

[Mercruiser]

There are also reports from Australian news organizations saying Qantas international flights will not happen until March 2021.

https://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-updates/health-safety/qantas-will-cancel-all-international-flights-until-march-2021/news-story/242f13048bc9cc25cbb6330a00e7463d

[excitedofharpenden]

So going back to what I said in my previous post. Why would anyone consider booking a cruise to Australia now? Advertised by Azamara or not. Or using any half decent travel agent, would they tell you to go and book it?  I don't understand...

 

Phil 

[Baynanno1]

9 hours ago, Mercruiser said:

There are also reports from Australian news organizations saying Qantas international flights will not happen until March 2021.

https://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-updates/health-safety/qantas-will-cancel-all-international-flights-until-march-2021/news-story/242f13048bc9cc25cbb6330a00e7463d

 

Thanks for the unsurprising update.

Yesterday's news story . . after my previous post.