March & April 2021 Tulip Cruises - Chance of Sailing?

[Roz]

Lots of Tulip Time cruises scheduled for March and April of next year.  Realistically, what do you think are the changes that these cruises are actually going to sail? 

 

First, the Netherlands and any other countries on the itineraries would have to allow US and Canadian residents to enter.  I'm guessing part of being allowed to enter is going to be some proof of vaccination against Covid.  I'm 68 with a comorbidity, and it will be spring (however you define that) of next year before I'll be eligible to get the shot.  

 

Your thoughts?

[newyorker123]

We are scheduled for the Grand European in March, Amsterdam to Budapest.  I don't think so but we're holding out hope - my husband is.  I don't think so. 

 

[Roz]

@newyorker123, that itinerary is on my short list for a retirement cruise.  I'm leaning your way, it's a no go.  Very disappointing.  Hopefully you can re-book for 2022.

 

With 2020 being a bust for cruising, as well as the first part of 2021, there's a lot of pent up travel demand.  My concern is that it's going to drive up prices.  We shall see.

[notamermaid]

Roz, sorry about your cruise.

it will be a difficult Spring in my opinion and normal life will not be back any time soon. I hope that travel restrictions will be lifted during Spring. I can well imagine river cruise companies looking at April rather than March for a return to sailing. Depending on their hiring policy they may start in April rather than risk uncertain three weeks in March. It will depend, some contracts are seasonal, some may be different, i.e. much longer. I am not familiar with details. IMO tulip time cruises are "standing on wobbly feet". They could well be open to European customers by European companies - and the special arrangements with AmaWaterways for example. But for American continent customers I am skeptical. And there is the question of vaccinations required, as you rightly say. Question is: am I pessimistic or realistic? Time will tell.

 

notamermaid 

 

 

 

 

[cruisr]

I would give it a 5% chance of going.  Lots of talk about the vaccines but nobody knows the true timeline, effacy, population that will or will not get the vaccines etc.  I have a frequent flyer ticket to AMS in May and I really doubt I will be using it.  Luckily it will cost me only 25.00 to redeposit if I don’t use it and I have flexibility,

[Daisi]

cruisr, we are the same.  We have a Danube cruise booked for May, but are just waiting to see if they will sail or if we transfer it to a 2022 cruise.  Right now, there are good deals for 2022 coming out, but they don't have the dates we wish to sail or I would just transfer now.  

 

We want to enjoy our cruise, not have to stress out about Covid.

[Shmoo here]

On 12/4/2020 at 6:57 AM, Roz said:

Your thoughts?

We were originally booked on this cruise for last April.  We were among the first who were canceled in March.  At the beginning we were told we could cancel outright or move the trip to any other trip in 2020.  So we opted for and Oct Ireland land trip.  As final payment for that trip neared, things were not getting any better, and the company had changed the policy about how far out people could move their trip.  So we changed it to April 2022 (same trip - tulips).  As final payment gets closer, I'm having doubts both about whether the trip will actually go, and not really wanting to get in a plane for 10+ hours with hundreds of my new BFFs (who I have no clue as to their health situations).

 

I really wish they'd cancel this cruise, also.  As to whether we'll continue to let the company hold onto our money, I don't know.  Sadly,  every time we've moved to a trip further out, it costs more than the original trip. We paid more for the Ireland trip than the original tulip cruise.  Then when we moved back to a tulip cruise it cost more than it did originally AND more than the Ireland trip.  If we move the current tulip cruise to next year's Ireland trip, it costs more than the original Ireland trip (which we didn't take) as well as more than the current tulip cruise.  And the company has had thousands of dollars of our money all this time.

[Turtles06]

We were originally booked on a tulip time cruise for this past April (on Viking), and of course were incredibly excited about it.  It was an itinerary we'd wanted to do for a long time, and was to be our first European river cruise. Of course, it was a no-go.  In fact, we cancelled before Viking did, and re-booked for April 2021.  But after thinking about it for a short while, we decided that April 2021 could be cutting things too close (especially since we'd typically book air travel and make other pre- and post-cruise arrangements well before next April).   So we re-booked again, this time for April 2022.   I'm very glad we are not now in a position of worrying about a cruise in April 2021.  I really don't see such cruises happening, at least not in any way that I'd want to take one.

 

I hope everyone stays safe and well.

[pully8]

Agree with the others probably too early, albeit would love to do another tulip cruise.

Unfortunately for Australians we are not able to leave the country.

People can apply for exemptions but they are very difficult to get.

Hopefully once the vaccine begins globally things will improve.

 

[Ryan208]

It seems inevitable that spring cruises will be canceled. Our March cruise disappeared from My Viking Journey a couple of days ago. It makes me wonder if cancellations are imminent. 

[sharkster77]

Unfortunately we have to give the vaccine time to both be disseminated and to produce herd immunity.  That won't happen until later in the year, IMHO.  A fall cruise may have better odds of happening.

[Ryan208]

1 hour ago, sharkster77 said:

Unfortunately we have to give the vaccine time to both be disseminated and to produce herd immunity.  That won't happen until later in the year, IMHO.  A fall cruise may have better odds of happening.

I agree. 

[Ryan208]

It’s official. We just got an email from Viking - all cruises canceled through March 31. 

[notamermaid]

Sorry to read that. It is not unexpected. I can well imagine that others that gear to North America and Australia and New Zealand will follow suit.

 

notamermaid

 

 

 

[Daisi]

Sorry to hear that, are Viking still offering the 125% re-booking credit?  They were one of the best for customer service on cancellations, didn't hear to many complaints about how they handled things.  I am waiting to hear what will happen with our May cruise - we will be re-booking for 2022, but I am going to wait to see if it gets cancelled or if I have to do so.  Fortunately, Avalon have a very easy transfer policy.

 

[Ryan208]

44 minutes ago, Daisi said:

Sorry to hear that, are Viking still offering the 125% re-booking credit?  They were one of the best for customer service on cancellations, didn't hear to many complaints about how they handled things.  I am waiting to hear what will happen with our May cruise - we will be re-booking for 2022, but I am going to wait to see if it gets cancelled or if I have to do so.  Fortunately, Avalon have a very easy transfer policy.

 

Yes, they’re still offering the 125% credit. 

[Ryan208]

46 minutes ago, notamermaid said:

Sorry to read that. It is not unexpected. I can well imagine that others that gear to North America and Australia and New Zealand will follow suit.

 

notamermaid

 

 

 

We weren’t surprised at all. Actually, we’re relieved they canceled. Glad they didn’t wait any longer. 

[jimdalva]

Our Viking Danube Waltz was canceled for March 2020, and again March 2021. And now our original payment, which was refundable, is a FCC which is not. The first time they gave me 125% to cover the yearly increase, now with another yearly increase for 2022 , do I get another 125% of the 2021 cruise, or , only 125% of the original payment for 2020, which won't cover 2022.

Edited December 9, 2020 by jimdalva

[ighten]

Im not holding out much faith for our Sagas new boat and thats a late May/June...  My hope in my head is that  its 6mths away and  we should be moving somewhere- - But I was telling myself this when I was booking or moving things 12mths ago and little has changed other than a vaccine announcement last week or two ago  that -lets be honest-  has basically been followed by ineptitude and more farce..  

 

My new policy is refund the lot now as it cancels (thats over 9 now) and then sit and wait till the last minute then just go on the first thing that gets me out of this direness..... I dont care if its on a river or a scenic ocean tbh

 

Other than that merry christmas

Edited December 20, 2020 by ighten

[cruisr]

The proposed Surgeon General for Pres Elect Biden said today that the majority of the US will NOT get the vaccine until summer or fall.  There will be NO cruises going until then.