What is your expected return date to cruising?

[navybankerteacher]

Back on topic -- I hope to get back to cruising about 270+ days from now.  A moving target - given that minimum range because I think it will be at least nine months before things (including conditions on ships) reach an acceptable level.

[ColeThornton]

NCL had three ships scheduled for Mar '21.   Today they cancelled those also.

[bigrednole]

I am thinking June at the earliest. From a US perspective, states are being given their own choice on who to vaccinate first. FL is vaccinating prisoners before front line workers. That tells you where port workers fall in the category to get the vaccine. I would back the CDC in requiring Covid vaccines to cruise. That includes all port workers, terminal personnel, all onboard crew, and all passengers. If that is the case, June is a best case scenario.

[George C]

I now think it will start about June, currently have a April cruise that I will cancel in next week or so, but have a November cruise scheduled.

[cruisingguy007]

As soon as vaccines are widely available. It really depends on how efficient production and distribution take place. It isn't looking great thus far but lets all pray that these are just initial hiccups and wrinkles that will soon be worked out as "the machine" gets going. When we start seeing mass drive-through and walk-in inoculations all over then I would say the countdown will officially begin. Should be about 30 days after that time IMO. Hopefully the ships are ready when that occurs.       

Edited December 31, 2020 by cruisingguy007

[sparks1093]

21 hours ago, George C said:

I now think it will start about June, currently have a April cruise that I will cancel in next week or so, but have a November cruise scheduled.

We just dropped the hammer on a November cruise, so we shall see.

[ighten]

I think we will see scenic/local cruising in the UK around June - Europe may start this up again before (mid May) us with Aida Costa MSC and Mein .. I expect them to be ltd to only the residents of the country which means smaller ships and some lines not taken part.. (I can see Fred Olsen and Cunard being definates - not sure about anyone else).. I also suspect these will still be  run as they were in Europe in October  with masks in public areas, bubble tours only (if any) - and no buffet self service (not a bad thing IMO and well overdue)

 

Wouldnt book though till I knew they were going

 

Personally not sure we will see anything in the US for quite a while but its too soon to tell until the new admin gets involved and we see how it pans out...  

 

I do suspect another year is just too long for the market to support a few of the cruise lines any longer though..

[LynnTTT]

Hve an Alaskan cruise/tour booked for mid-July and then a Transatlantic for November. All depends on when my state can get it's act together on vaccinations.  Being South Carolina, who knows

[Ride-The-Waves]

Back to the Thread...

 

We have booked a Transatlantic eastbound for March 2022 which stops in Casablanca (for Marrakech) a port we haven't visited. Refundable and insured, of course.  Have no issue with a requirement to wear a mask and social distance, or if required to take "bubble" ships tours.  Looking at options within Europe post-cruise, such as a train (Chunnel) to Paris from London, several days in Paris, train to Switzerland of Rome...

 

Also looking at options for a westbound TA late Fall 2022...  No cruising or travel prior to then...

[sverigecruiser]

7 hours ago, Ride-The-Waves said:

Back to the Thread...

 

 

My expected return date to cruising was July 2021 but now I'm not sure about that anymore. 

 

We will not make our final payment for that cruise if MSC can't promise that they won't require masks onboard and I feel that they probably can't promise that before our deadline. We will then cancel our cruise even if we loose the around $1500 we have already paid. Hopefully they will let us move our reservation to July 2022 instead. 

[ighten]

I think the real ? is more how than when; as I cant really see any cruising till late 21 other than UK only  - EU only - US/Carib only - or Scenic Nordic/Scotland etc from one port and back again.. HAlf capacity/residents only/ with masks still in place in public areas..

 

I'll be jumping on the first and I am hopeful for June - if its sooner then all the better but I think by March we may see a lot more cancellations of normal port cruises that are listed for the spring summer season and start seeing more new  scenic/one area only types listed..

 

I think some lines wont be interested as it will be more cost effective to stay cold and sit empty.. I expect Cunard/Fred/Saga/ and possibly NCL if the JAde sized ships are in position or possibly Celeb  will run UK - Nordic Scenics... I think MSC/Aida/Costa/MEin will continue the EU type they have been doinf with success (though by now they will have worked out the balance of cost effectiveness which will be interesting) and scenics.... Not sure about the US the situation there seems more confused than before.

 

Other than that it looks like RIver cruising in EU may be the way to go - but with so much rain this year the risk of that being on a stationary floating hotel and mainly bus increases... Spring on Canal's may be the best bet.

[George C]

Just canceled our April 2021 but still feel good about our November cruise.

[Joebucks]

I think we will see cruising resume in limited capacity in May or June. Between the warmer weather and many months of vaccine distribution it will become "now or never".

Edited January 6, 2021 by Joebucks

[cruisemom42]

Getting back to the original topic, Holland America has just announced a further delay to starting up operations.  All cruises canceled through April 2021, and after that some Alaska departures in May and June are canceled. Mediterranean canceled through early June.  And some Canada/New England itineraries canceled through August.

 

[navybankerteacher]

9 hours ago, Joebucks said:

I think we will see cruising resume in limited capacity in May or June. Between the warmer weather and many months of vaccine distribution it will become "now or never".

With recent reports of general  availability of vaccine unlikely to start before March, I do not think there will have been "...many months of vaccine distribution..." much before September or October at best.

 

We really have to shoot for at least 75 -80% immunization to get a hold on contagion -- and as long as the vaccine refusers stand at about 35%, we seem to have a problem.  The sad fact is that the longer it takes to control the contagion, the more likely it will be for the virus to exist long enough to develop periodic mutation (much like the flu has) meaning that it (in seasonal versions) may be with us forever.

Edited January 7, 2021 by navybankerteacher

[iancal]

14 hours ago, navybankerteacher said:

With recent reports of general  availability of vaccine unlikely to start before March, I do not think there will have been "...many months of vaccine distribution..." much before September or October at best.

 

We really have to shoot for at least 75 -80% immunization to get a hold on contagion -- and as long as the vaccine refusers stand at about 35%, we seem to have a problem.  The sad fact is that the longer it takes to control the contagion, the more likely it will be for the virus to exist long enough to develop periodic mutation (much like the flu has) meaning that it (in seasonal versions) may be with us forever.

Agree completely.  I believe that for some the desire to cruise has overtaken their sense of reality.

Edited January 7, 2021 by iancal

[latserrof]

1 hour ago, iancal said:

Agree completely.  I believe that for some the desire to cruise has overtaken their sense of reality.

Or have they always been so unrealistic? In any case, they are not the folks I 'd want to be cruising with any time soon.

[clo]

7 minutes ago, latserrof said:

Or have they always been so unrealistic? In any case, they are not the folks I 'd want to be cruising with any time soon.

Yep. Back in the beginning there were those who said they would cruise immediately if they were allowed.

[lenquixote66]

13 minutes ago, clo said:

Yep. Back in the beginning there were those who said they would cruise immediately if they were allowed.

Do you recall when they laughed at us who differed in opinion ?😀

[latserrof]

8 minutes ago, lenquixote66 said:

Do you recall when they laughed at us who differed in opinion ?😀

 

"Doom and gloom."  When will they realize that no matter what they think of the virus or vaccine, the world won't be opening up until this thing is under control?  And the more that people disregard the appropriate precautions, the longer it will take?

[lenquixote66]

1 hour ago, latserrof said:

 

"Doom and gloom."  When will they realize that no matter what they think of the virus or vaccine, the world won't be opening up until this thing is under control?  And the more that people disregard the appropriate precautions, the longer it will take?

The last sentence is the motto for all those who believe that the virus is a hoax or that they will not get sick.

[sverigecruiser]

2 hours ago, clo said:

Yep. Back in the beginning there were those who said they would cruise immediately if they were allowed.

 

I can still say that but it depends on what will happen if there is a Covid case onboard.

 

Why can't I cruise if I can go to work? I'm close to more people at work than on a normal cruiseday. This doesn't mean that I don't take this serious but why can't I cruise if I can go to work?

 

I'm in no hurry to cruise and can wait because:

 

1. I will not enjoy the cruise if I must wear a mask

 

and

 

2. I don't know what will happen if there is a covidcase onboard. I can sit on my balcony and read for a few days if I'm quarantined in my cabin but I don't want the cruise to be cancelled after the first day. 

[d9704011]

42 minutes ago, sverigecruiser said:

Why can't I cruise if I can go to work?

Do you view cruising as being equivalent to going to work as far as COVID-19, exposure risk and treatment options in the event of an outbreak?

Edited January 7, 2021 by d9704011

[latserrof]

51 minutes ago, sverigecruiser said:

 

 

Why can't I cruise if I can go to work?

I don't know what will happen if there is a covidcase onboard.

You've given one of the many answers to your own question.

[SelectSys]

20 hours ago, navybankerteacher said:

With recent reports of general  availability of vaccine unlikely to start before March, I do not think there will have been "...many months of vaccine distribution..." much before September or October at best.

 

Our cruise critic members estimate of the most like return to cruising being towards year end continues to hold up. 

 

I was at a meeting yesterday where a local hospital's Chief Medical Officer was talking about US Labor Day as when things are likely ready to open up assuming the vaccination process goes reasonably.  We, at least in California, have a long way to go.

Edited January 7, 2021 by SelectSys