Let's speculate: Europe 2021 Cruises

[FlorenceItaly]

2 minutes ago, GeorgesGal said:

Priority for 75 and above?  Here in FL it's 65 which makes it infinitely more difficult for we over 75 to get on a queue.  I'll have to give thought for visiting nephew and niece in Mount Pleasant to get a better chance of being inoculated!

On January 15th, they lowered the age to 70.

[tjcox9]

59 minutes ago, GeorgesGal said:

Priority for 75 and above?  Here in FL it's 65 which makes it infinitely more difficult for we over 75 to get on a queue.  I'll have to give thought for visiting nephew and niece in Mount Pleasant to get a better chance of being inoculated!

For some reason, SC has received less doses per 100,000 population that any other state..........perhaps that has something to do with it. I was fortunate enough to get my first dose on Thursday.

[iancal]

Our best guess...no cruising in Europe during 2021.   

 

We doubt very much whether our tentative Europe land plans for Sept/Oct are realistic.

[NCTribeFan]

I was booked on the final Med and TA on Legend for October.  That was a rebooking of the 2020 Med/TA.  I've now rebooked the rebooked cruise for Oct 2022.  Third times a charm, right?

 

I'm rather annoyed that MSC hasn't canceled my April B2B.  Yes, this April.  Final payment due today.  They'll probably cancel it on Monday.  Oh well.  I'll take the FCC and roll it to something else, as I've done with my 8 or 10 cancellations so far.

 

That would mean the next booking I have is on NA in December (rebooked from January which was a rebooking after Zaandam this past April was cancelled).

 

Then the trip I'm really hoping happens - a semi B2B on Carnival Spirit & Splendor from OZ; one to South Pacific islands, then a few days later to NZ in Feb 2022.  I'll be crushed if those don't happen.

 

If I don't sail until NA in December, that will make it 2 years without a cruise.  Good news is I'm scheduled for my first vaccination on Tuesday! 

[NIkkiGR]

On 1/4/2021 at 6:21 PM, ontheweb said:

Are there enough of us who see ship only excursions are a deal breaker? Or are we just a small vocal minority?

We are booked for a 24 day Mediterranean cruise in September 2021. This cruise was rebooked as our cruise with the same itinerary was cancelled in Sept 2020. For us not doing our own land excursions will be a deal breaker. I spent months mapping  out our own walking tours of several of the ports as we choose to be able to explore the our own pace. 

[Mickb]

Given how things are at the present time with European countries attitudes to non nationals accessing their countries, combined with the delays in the vaccination 

programmes, I think it is extremely unlikely that there will be any cruising in Europe in 2021. Another unknown is whether vaccinated people can infect others. Until this is resolved, I cannot believe that countries will allow large numbers of cruise ships to discharge passengers.

sad - but too many unknowns.

[bennybear]

The thing is there HAS been cruising in even 2020 in Europe.  So no doubt will be in 2021.  But maybe not lines for North Americans.

[Mary229]

56 minutes ago, bennybear said:

The thing is there HAS been cruising in even 2020 in Europe.  So no doubt will be in 2021.  But maybe not lines for North Americans.

What the Europeans have allowed is tests and experiments and that is key to getting it right and allows the cruise companies to survive.  

[iancal]

Apart from whether the cruise lines operate in Europe in 2021 I believe that one needs to consider what the last day to cancel a cruise without a penalty is and co-ordinate that with when people expect to get their covid vaccine administered.   

 

IF I had a Med cruise scheduled for mid Sept I would want to ensure that I had my vaccination by mid July at the very latest.  Earlier if my cancellation time frame was greater than 60 days.   I believe that mid July is very 'iffy' for many people.  In our late 60's we do not anticipate getting the vaccine until August...maybe even September.

 

If the vaccination date had not occurred or even committed by that day I would be tempted to cancel my cruise.

Edited January 24, 2021 by iancal

[drowelf]

10 hours ago, VMax1700 said:

A little pain for a lot of gain!

Congrats on your first shot. 

We have been told it will be March (for that read April/May) before we get our first shots.

Also congrats. 

 

And its the same for us. We don't except to be able to get a vaccine until sometime in the 2nd Quarter.

[xLibLabLady]

DH Jerry and I have been eligible according to Washington State's  guidelines since mid-January.   Should have been able to get shots this month, next month, or early in March.  Because of horrible distribution, numbers of people, not enough doses etc, we will be lucky to get shots in March.   Thousands of people had their shots cancelled or postponed until who knows when.   Others in Washington State got their shots this week.  

 

[Cruising-along]

7 minutes ago, xLibLabLady said:

DH Jerry and I have been eligible according to Washington State's  guidelines since mid-January.   Should have been able to get shots this month, next month, or early in March.  Because of horrible distribution, numbers of people, not enough doses etc, we will be lucky to get shots in March.   Thousands of people had their shots cancelled or postponed until who knows when.   Others in Washington State got their shots this week.  

 

Susan, Henry and I will be getting our first shots on Tuesday in Seattle through Swedish Hospital.  My sister and BIL, in Lynden, got theirs yesterday in Lynden.  Until they heard about the pharmacy 1/2 mile from their home that would be vaccinating first come first serve, they had appointments in your town next month (sorry, I don't know where in your town).  More and more sites are opening up, I don't think you'll have to wait until March.  🙂  

[bennybear]

7 hours ago, Mary229 said:

What the Europeans have allowed is tests and experiments and that is key to getting it right and allows the cruise companies to survive.  

We have European friends that did a week long cruise in Greece this past fall.  They had to test prior to flights to Greece,  but enjoyed their cruise safely.  
 

You may not be aware of them, but there were posts on Mein Schiff 6, a beautiful ship I would love to sail on. 

Edited January 24, 2021 by bennybear

[izmeeh]

I wonder if cruise lines are waiting until after final payment to cancel cruises.  

[xLibLabLady]

9 minutes ago, izmeeh said:

I wonder if cruise lines are waiting until after final payment to cancel cruises.  

Maybe not.   Our Spring and Summer cruises were cancelled before the final payment was due, but not too long before.  Just 2 or 3 weeks ahead of time.

[izmeeh]

47 minutes ago, xLibLabLady said:

Maybe not.   Our Spring and Summer cruises were cancelled before the final payment was due, but not too long before.  Just 2 or 3 weeks ahead of time.

Thanks.  I'm waiting to know my cruise status before I book anything else.  6/20.

[xLibLabLady]

5 minutes ago, izmeeh said:

Thanks.  I'm waiting to know my cruise status before I book anything else.  6/20.

June 20.....  hmmmm.  Good luck.  Do let us know what happens.

 

Our cruise departing May 26 RT Venice,  and our cruise from Venice to have departed June 7 were canceled at the same time, earlier this month.

 

We booked for September 12, 2021 RT Venice, so hope springing ever eternal. We are using FCC from previous cruises to mostly pay.

[izmeeh]

16 minutes ago, xLibLabLady said:

 

 

I was to be on the Ryndam on 6/27 but it wouldn't be done by then so they switched me.  If they are to cancel, I'd rather that they cancel before final payment so I don't have to go through payment and cancelling other bookings.  

[xLibLabLady]

2 hours ago, izmeeh said:

 

I was to be on the Ryndam on 6/27 but it wouldn't be done by then so they switched me.  If they are to cancel, I'd rather that they cancel before final payment so I don't have to go through payment and cancelling other bookings.  

Totally agree it is much better if they cancel before the final payment.    It is a better deal if THEY cancel as opposed to you/us cancelling.   if they hadn't canceled, we would have.

[kristapb]

19 hours ago, xLibLabLady said:

 

We booked for September 12, 2021 RT Venice, so hope springing ever eternal. We are using FCC from previous cruises to mostly pay.

I think we are booked on the same September cruise, but not feeling terribly optimistic.  I booked a similar but not identical itinerary on  Westerdam going in June of 2022 as a back-up reservation.  I would have preferred May but no Istanbul on the May sailings.

[DeeDee Groff]

6 hours ago, kristapb said:

I think we are booked on the same September cruise, but not feeling terribly optimistic.  I booked a similar but not identical itinerary on  Westerdam going in June of 2022 as a back-up reservation.  I would have preferred May but no Istanbul on the May sailings.

 

Are you on our rollcall?

[kristapb]

11 hours ago, DeeDee Groff said:

 

Are you on our rollcall?

Nope - I'll take a look and sign up.  Thanks for reminding me!

[xLibLabLady]

Just now, kristapb said:

Nope - I'll take a look and sign up.  Thanks for reminding me!

Yes, Kristin, please do take a look and sign up!   

[papadave]

With more hope than good sense, I booked a combination of cruise and flights for the HAL Statendam, which leaves from Amsterdam on July 18.   If the cruise is cancelled, as is likely, everything is fully refundable.   If not, we have a great cruise planned on a newer mid-size vessel, going to places we have not yet visited, with the cabin of our choice.   Of course, the odds of the cruise going as scheduled are not impressive, but I'm not really putting money on the table if HAL cancels this cruise.  As we have not been on vacation since 2019, it is fun to plan one even if it does not take place.   I saw some interesting options for the pre-cruise days in Amsterdam on Airbnb, including houseboats on the canal and a yurt.   I'm not even sure what a yurt is, but now I'm curious about staying in one for two nights.   

[KirkNC]

Hope springs eternal.