When are you booked to cruise? Do you think it will happen?

[FlaMariner]

Booked on the Rotterdam October 2021.......We have been diagnosed with a severe case of cruise ship withdrawal syndrome (CSWS) and not sure we can wait that long....Can one go this long without a dive in burger, hydro suite pool or a 12 noon update from the captain?  We shall see. 

[Dismomx5]

February 23 2021. I plan on pushing it to 2022. I don't think that it will go, but, even if it does, I don't want to be cruising in the first couple of months of restart.

[mame42]

January 2022 GWV;  maybe 25% hopeful that it will go.  Unlike many others, I feel like I may be safer on a ship that I am a mile from one of the premiere party schools in the nation.  If nothing else, the booking at least gives me something else to think about rather than the hordes of inebriated, unmasked students I see massing on the street beneath my condo window.

[floridacruisers]

1 hour ago, FlaMariner said:

Booked on the Rotterdam October 2021.......We have been diagnosed with a severe case of cruise ship withdrawal syndrome (CSWS) and not sure we can wait that long....Can one go this long without a dive in burger, hydro suite pool or a 12 noon update from the captain?  We shall see. 

 We are booked on the Rotterdam for Oct 10-24, 2021 on the trans Atlantic. Is that the one you are on? The only concern we have is it is still in hurricane season here in FL. We'll chance it to go on the new Rotterdam. Were originally booked on a canal cruise on Zuiderdam in March 2021, but since that could be questionable moved to the Rotterdam. There's only one cure for CSWS!

 

  Phil.......floridacruisers

. 

[lcand1923]

I have four cruises booked.  The earliest is an ocean cruise in July 2021.  I don't think that one will happen unless there is a vaccine and six months for the vaccine roll out.  The next is a river cruise in September 2021.  That one MIGHT happen, but it will hinge on the vaccine and six month roll out.  There is an ocean cruise booked for September 2021.  Again, it hinges on the vaccine and roll out period.  The one that I feel pretty confident about is a river cruise for September 2023.  All should be good by then!

[idiebabe]

We're booked for mid-February, 2021 and also October, 2021 on Rotterdam TA.  More hopeful  for Rotterdam than February on Nieuw Statendam.  It's a Wait and See!

[iancal]

We are not booking anything until we are certain that we can go.   We do not want to be in refund or FCC land or have a vendor leave us holding the bag if the firm slips into bankruptcy.   The only possible exception will be arrangements that do no include a deposit/firm commitment.   For us that means two week or so prior to departure.

 

We are somewhat accustomed to last minute decisions and late booking offers so this is not much of a departure for us.

[kangforpres]

Just moved our Feb. 29, 7 day Mexico to a Mid Sept. 7 Day Alaska, same ship, same cabin. If we can't go on that one then the pandemic is gonna win the game, it's winning right now.

 

We do have a 7 day on Princess on April 17th California Coastal sailing from across the Bay in SF.  Going on that one if there is an effective vaccine by early 2021. 

 

Come on Science!

 

-Paul

[BJzink]

I am booked on the 2nd part of the Grand South America, Feb 2021 -   last day to cancel & get full refund is Oct. 15. But I'm assuming they will cancel the entire cruise if it has to be.  Will be so sad if it cancels.  Then in July 2021, I am booked for the Voyage of the Vikings, and Sept 2021 7 day Alaska.  Might get at least one of them.

[drowelf]

• Asia B2B 2/27/2021 - 3/27/2021 - 25% chance it will go, but we are about 100% sure we are going to cancel before final payment, as we won't feel comfortable travelling 24+ hours each to get/from embarkation/disembarkation ports. 
• Greenland 8/2021 - 75% chance it will go, about 75% that we will feel comfortable going. It will all depend on the Covid status (Vaccine status, containment level, etc.) 
• South America 2/2022 - 100% chance it will go and if it does we will be on it, as long we get an effective vaccine by 1st QTR 2021 as the later half of 2021 shows wide spread abatement of Covid. 

[Rowsby]

Two in our family have said....the only way they would cruise again (considering the situation).....is if there is at least two good "Plan B" ways to get home (in case they get dumped somewhere)......no one is willing to get on a plane......

 

That pretty much means another cruise to Alaska (which we still love)............with "Plan B" taking a ferry back to Seattle....or "Plan B" renting a car for a VERY long drive home...........:)

[saltshell]

April 18th transatlantic.   God,I hope so.

[FlaMariner]

22 hours ago, floridacruisers said:

 We are booked on the Rotterdam for Oct 10-24, 2021 on the trans Atlantic. Is that the one you are on? The only concern we have is it is still in hurricane season here in FL. We'll chance it to go on the new Rotterdam. Were originally booked on a canal cruise on Zuiderdam in March 2021, but since that could be questionable moved to the Rotterdam. There's only one cure for CSWS!

 

  Phil.......floridacruisers

. 

 

Yep!  That's us.....Check out the roll call if you have not already....It's already several pages long and we have 14 months to go/plan!  Not worried about a Hurricane.....if one passes close, we get to see how well they built the new Rotterdam on it's maiden crossing!

[FredT]

"JUST" booked a Sept 2021 cruise on Star Clippers....     It's far enough off I am hopeful of a vaccine by then, but close enough on so that I have scratched my "GOTTA have a cruise booked" itch.   (Plus, with only 270 passengers   I feel more comfortable on board.)    

[Horizon chaser 1957]

We’re booked on the Grand Africa in October, 2021. I hope it’s a go.

I’m also concerned about any of the lines ability to survive financially if they go a full year without cruising. I wouldn’t be surprised to see day cruises or floating restaurant ventures at some point, just to get a little cash flowing.

 

[NapTown Jim]

mid-march 2021.  I get less optimistic and more depressed with every new delay in operations.  

 

If it appears masks will be required, I'll pull the plug myself.

[AncientWanderer]

We are still booked for January 10 Antarctica.  For some reason, I just can't seem to get on the phone and cancel -- even though I'm sure we won't go and probably nobody else will either.  Sentimental, I guess.

😢

 

[lazey1]

Booked for late April 21 just hoping that one will go; also Thanksgiving 21 fairly sure that one will go.

 

[idiebabe]

3 hours ago, AncientWanderer said:

We are still booked for January 10 Antarctica.  For some reason, I just can't seem to get on the phone and cancel -- even though I'm sure we won't go and probably nobody else will either.  Sentimental, I guess.

😢

 

 

We were on that Cruise, too, and cancelled a week ago. 😢  It was a tough decision but we knew for awhile we weren’t going to go because of flying.  We have one in the Carib for February and if it doesn’t get cancelled, we can  drive to Florida.  

Edited August 20, 2020 by idiebabe

[DeeniEncinitas]

Third time is a charm!

After our 3 cruises were cancelled as we were on The Rotterdam 3/11 and continuing on to Europe then our Koningsdam 1/9/21 cancelled we now have 

Volendam 1/9/22 10 day Sea of Cortez

Oceania Riviera 2/19 /22 17 day Caribbean 

👍👍👍👍YES

Denise😊

[Hlitner]

It is interesting how are thinking has changed.  When we first heard of COVID, it was mid January and we were happily at our winter home in Puerto Vallarta.  At the time we had cruises in April (from Yokohama), August, Oct and Dec.  Initially it never occurred to us that we would have our travel plans changed.  By mid-February we were pretty certain our April cruise (Westy out of Yokohama) would be cancelled and HAL finally pulled the plug at the end of February.  HAL refunded all of our money within 2 days and we quickly cancelled nearly 2 weeks of hotel reservations in Japan.  At the time we never considered that our August cruise (NYC to Southampton on Princess) would be cancelled.  And it just goes on and on.   Our October cruise was eventually cancelled and we recently cancelled our December cruise since we are near certain that it will also be cancelled by the cruise line.

 

So now we look at 2021 with our first cruise in April (Noordam from Yokohama) and additional cruises in Oct and Dec.  We want to believe these cruises will happen but we are starting to accept that the Zombie Apocalypse has struck the cruise industry.  I would not take any bets that the April Noordam cruise will happen.  One thing is for sure.  We need to book nearly 2 weeks of pre-cruise hotels in Japan and I will make sure that each booking is 100% refundable :(.   

 

Like many HAL cruisers we are in our 70s and are still pretty healthy and continue to do a lot of independent travel.  But I cannot help but wonder if travel and cruising will ever recover in what remains of my lifetime.  I think we have all moved beyond the "hope everything will be normal in the next few months" to wondering "how many years until things return to normal."  

 

Hank

[Caribbean Chris]

1 hour ago, Hlitner said:

Like many HAL cruisers we are in our 70s and are still pretty healthy and continue to do a lot of independent travel.  But I cannot help but wonder if travel and cruising will ever recover in what remains of my lifetime.  I think we have all moved beyond the "hope everything will be normal in the next few months" to wondering "how many years until things return to normal."  

 

Hank

We are in the same scenario, and I wonder the same question daily.

 

We ultimately moved two pending cruises into 2022 with HAL & X. I feel good about the decision - less anxiety. With each passing month, it seems less likely such a complex operation can be reassembled any time soon.

 

[FredT]

On 8/20/2020 at 2:28 PM, FredT said:

"JUST" booked a Sept 2021 cruise on Star Clippers....     It's far enough off I am hopeful of a vaccine by then, but close enough on so that I have scratched my "GOTTA have a cruise booked" itch.   (Plus, with only 270 passengers   I feel more comfortable on board.)    

Update on my above post.   I have just tried FOUR different itineraries in the Med in September of next year...  Every one "sold out"  In speaking to the company they said that bookings for NEXT summer and fall are "through the roof", and "far better  than normal"   Now admittedly this is a "niche" cruise line with limited capacity, but it does tyell me that a LOT of people are putting down money on cruises in 2021.....  So maybe cash flows for the cruise lines are not as dire as many have thought.

[Hlitner]

47 minutes ago, FredT said:

Update on my above post.   I have just tried FOUR different itineraries in the Med in September of next year...  Every one "sold out"  In speaking to the company they said that bookings for NEXT summer and fall are "through the roof", and "far better  than normal"   Now admittedly this is a "niche" cruise line with limited capacity, but it does tyell me that a LOT of people are putting down money on cruises in 2021.....  So maybe cash flows for the cruise lines are not as dire as many have thought.

I think there are a couple of dynamics to next year's booking volume.  Many cruises were cancelled this year and the cruise lines did their best to encourage the cancelled passengers to accept future cruise credits.  Folks that got those credits had a limited time to use them and many of those folks quickly booked cruises for next year (using their FCCs).   Add to that the usual demand for new bookings and the overall market is saturated.  We have seen this on MSC where their Yacht Club (upscale ship within a ship) bookings for next year are also through the roof.  In many cases those who had their MSC cruises cancelled in the last few months received very generous FCCs.  So not only did you have the regular Yacht Club passengers doing their normal bookings but you now also had folks who had been in slightly lower categories on their cancelled cruises who now found themselves with extra FCCs.  So these folks wanted to move up to the Yacht Club and now the demand exceeds the supply.

 

This may become a real mess if cruises continue to be cancelled well into next year.  We have already seen some evidence of cruise lines increasing their prices for 2021-22 which in a sense waters down the generous FCCs.  So a person who gets a 125% FCC suddenly finds that its not even enough FCC to book the same cabin on a cruise in the future (because of price increases).  

 

Hank

[BermudaBound2014]

CDC is no longer recommending a quarantine....

 

https://www.travelpulse.com/news/impacting-travel/cdc-quietly-drops-recommendation-for-14-day-quarantine-after-traveling.html?fbclid=IwAR0GSVNqHRp2Dx1rLeTM2seKTwK9FtngguGAndbTNOTC9vGCXYz1ywjN5d0#.X0BnWXmU98W.facebook