Cunard ignoring solo passengers

[Austcruiser84]

So I am looking at booking a Sept 2022 TA and the current deal offered is very good, including very good OBC.
 

Problem is (and I had this confirmed by phone) that under current rules, as a solo passenger I must eat alone and I cannot socialise with anyone on board at any time. The agent seemed surprised I’d sail solo (disappointing that Cunard isn’t being proactive about us solo travellers - we are a sizeable market). 
 

That’s really putting me off booking. While I hope that that will totally change by then, I just don’t know if it is worth taking the risk. I expect some degree of COVID measures in place on board in 2022 as a lot of the world still won’t be vaccinated. I’m fine with more spacing etc, but to basically isolate solo passengers? I may as well stay home. 

[Cats2010]

This is more than a year and a half to come. By that time it should all be under control. Don't worry, you can always cancel.

[Victoria2]

There's ignoring, and then there's trying to follow protocols in order to be able to actually sail again. If Cunard don't follow any rules or reams of advice of the moment, they won't be sailing so no problem with solo dining.

If they're still sailing in '22,  as Cats said things hopefully, will have changed.

[newjoisey]

"......cannot socialize with anyone on board at anytime...." ? gonna let this one simmer 

[Victoria2]

38 minutes ago, newjoisey said:

"......cannot socialize with anyone on board at anytime...." ? gonna let this one simmer 

Love the way you try and provoke!  😀

 

Don't like the  t&c at the moment? Don't book or do as Austcruiser will probably do. Wait till it changes or book to reserve the cabin or suite and transfer or cancel if it doesn't suit.

 

No simmering involved. 

[newjoisey]

16 minutes ago, Victoria2 said:

Love the way you try and provoke!  😀

 

Don't like the  t&c at the moment? Don't book or do as Austcruiser will probably do. Wait till it changes or book to reserve the cabin or suite and transfer or cancel if it doesn't suit.

 

No simmering involved. 

Already ahead of ya..........booked,canceled,re-booked and might just cancel for dec 2021 

[Victoria2]

20 minutes ago, newjoisey said:

Already ahead of ya..........booked,canceled,re-booked and might just cancel for dec 2021 

Don't think so. ☺️

We had two cruises cancelled last year and and rebooked immediately and we fortuitously re booked another before the hoards and so got a great price and the suite we wanted. We're thinking of transferring another. Our theory being, if we have them booked, we beat any price increase [and boy, have they increased for two cruises] and we get the accommodation we want. If we decide not to go ahead, we might lose a deposit but at the moment Cunard's generous rebooking or cancelling terms helps ease the pain. 

 

Win win! 😁

[newjoisey]

We are holding out hope that the carib xmas qm2 will be "normal" in 21 but the reality is it aint lookin good . We won't float if masks,social distancing and other restrictions are in place on board,ports or excursions. 

[majortom10]

If it is a requirement Cunard have to enforce and adhere too to be allowed to operate their ships then it is a case of either accepting it or not booking. I am sure Cunard like everyone else would love things to be normal but I am afraid it is a sign of the times of this awful situation we are going through worldwide.

[ace2542]

10 hours ago, Austcruiser84 said:

So I am looking at booking a Sept 2022 TA and the current deal offered is very good, including very good OBC.
 

Problem is (and I had this confirmed by phone) that under current rules, as a solo passenger I must eat alone and I cannot socialise with anyone on board at any time. The agent seemed surprised I’d sail solo (disappointing that Cunard isn’t being proactive about us solo travellers - we are a sizeable market). 
 

That’s really putting me off booking. While I hope that that will totally change by then, I just don’t know if it is worth taking the risk. I expect some degree of COVID measures in place on board in 2022 as a lot of the world still won’t be vaccinated. I’m fine with more spacing etc, but to basically isolate solo passengers? I may as well stay home. 

I am sure that will have changed by then.  But if Solo's are to be alone. Does that mean we can assume no solo travellers meetup onboard? So ergo no LGBT, or masonic, friends of Biil W or cruise critic meetups will be allowed onboard either?

[laktex]

11 hours ago, Austcruiser84 said:

So I am looking at booking a Sept 2022 TA and the current deal offered is very good, including very good OBC.
 

Problem is (and I had this confirmed by phone) that under current rules, as a solo passenger I must eat alone and I cannot socialise with anyone on board at any time. The agent seemed surprised I’d sail solo (disappointing that Cunard isn’t being proactive about us solo travellers - we are a sizeable market). 
 

That’s really putting me off booking. While I hope that that will totally change by then, I just don’t know if it is worth taking the risk. I expect some degree of COVID measures in place on board in 2022 as a lot of the world still won’t be vaccinated. I’m fine with more spacing etc, but to basically isolate solo passengers? I may as well stay home. 

Hi Austcruiser 84.  Is it really 5 years ago this week?

 

Totally agree - travelling solo is certainly not about being alone. Certainly I meet, chat, eat with more people when travelling solo than when I am sailing with my wife and/or family.

 

It sure is a problem to travel when one does not know the rules pertaining at that time. Sept 2022 gives you plenty of hopeful opportunity for the rules to change. All my trips to Vancouver in 2020 after February were cancelled. I'm booked for February 2022 in the Pacific but its "a family affair" so my concerns are less than yours.

 

Trust all is well.

 

Trevor

[Windsurfboy]

I hope by 2022, that protocols on board will be near normal.  Realistically 99% of passengers come from rich first world countries.  Everybody in these countries who wants it will be vaccinated by then. So if they make vaccination  a condition of carriage,  all passengers they let on a cruise ship should be vaccinated and we should be able to mingle.

 

It's up to  everyone if they want to go on a cruise before then, with necessary protocols where they can't socialise.  Even as a couple we wouldn't want to keep to ourselves, might as well stay at home.  

 

It will take a while to vaccinate the whole world and I hope that the first world steps up to the plate and helps the rest of the world, then we can all get back to normal.

[ace2542]

4 minutes ago, Windsurfboy said:

I hope by 2022, that protocols on board will be near normal.  Realistically 99% of passengers come from rich first world countries

But vast majority of crew don't.  They come from poorer, possibly slower to vaccinate countries. That might be a problem. Especially since it has been stated that it might not be possible to get vaccine at the corporate level.

[Windsurfboy]

Firstly  how does crew not being vaccinated stop passengers mixing if they can't  catch it from each other.

 

It may stop ships sailing if crew are positive.  But if crew are tested and quarantined for 2 weeks before being let on ship and not allowed off the ship, that should be safe. 

 

Anyway  by  end 2021 when most (rich) countries will have vaccinated almost all population,  vaccinations will open up to corporations 

[ace2542]

6 minutes ago, Windsurfboy said:

Firstly  how does crew not being vaccinated stop passengers mixing if they can't  catch it from each other.

 

It may stop ships sailing if crew are positive.  But if crew are tested and quarantined for 2 weeks before being let on ship and not allowed off the ship, that should be safe. 

 

Anyway  by  end 2021 when most (rich) countries will have vaccinated almost all population,  vaccinations will open up to corporations 

Will crew be allowed to work unvaccinated if vaccine in certain crew sourcing countries is slow?. And quarantined where for 2 weeks before being let on? Hotels? That's a lot of money? Cheaper to quarantine onboard the ships for 2 weeks before letting passengers onboard and use as many cabins as possible to do it?  But wouldn't that approach need more staff to handle them during the quarantine?

[Underwatr]

If Cunard needs to obtain vaccines for crew in order to sail, I believe that Cunard will obtain vaccines for crew. Necessary regulatory changes, etc. will occur. Not now when supply is low, but before the end of 2021 if rollout is at the original rates hoped for (note that vaccine distribution in the US is considerably behind the hoped-for rates)

[BlueRiband]

Yes. One can credit or blame the EU “Healthy Gateways” protocol for the restrictions.  I saw what this meant for solo travelers and decided to take the refunds.  I won’t spend that kind of money until the “old normal” can return to  Cunard .  Nobody is forcing you to  book.  Cancel if the on board restrictions are unacceptable.

Edited January 11, 2021 by BlueRiband

[Cats2010]

 

As a solo traveller, I maintained my booking for November 2021.

[navybankerteacher]

10 hours ago, ace2542 said:

But vast majority of crew don't.  They come from poorer, possibly slower to vaccinate countries. That might be a problem. Especially since it has been stated that it might not be possible to get vaccine at the corporate level.

Don't you think that cruise lines willing to pay air fare from home countries to the ships being served would understand the additional necessity of providing vaccinations ?

 

After all, making them eligible to work is just a necessary corollary to getting them to the ship so they can work.

Edited January 12, 2021 by navybankerteacher

[ace2542]

9 hours ago, navybankerteacher said:

Don't you think that cruise lines willing to pay air fare from home countries to the ships being served would understand the additional necessity of providing vaccinations ?

 

After all, making them eligible to work is just a necessary corollary to getting them to the ship so they can work.

But where will they get vaccine from?. It is my understanding that the 2021 order books are on the country level only unless you know differently?. So 2022 before it gets into so called corporate/profit sector hands then?

[Victoria2]

1 hour ago, ace2542 said:

But where will they get vaccine from?. It is my understanding that the 2021 order books are on the country level only unless you know differently?. So 2022 before it gets into so called corporate/profit sector hands then?

Look up Serum India.

 

Come  Spring, they expect to open up to the private market.

[ace2542]

27 minutes ago, Victoria2 said:

Look up Serum India.

 

Come  Spring, they expect to open up to the private market.

Interesting. Looks like they are pushing/obtaining - though we say pushing in the uk - the Astra. IF Cunard wants full protection for staff you are still looking at 12 week vaccine cycle so far as I am aware on the Astra. So even first shots are done in April for the sake of argument. You are still looking at second shot in July. 

 

Do you think they will obtain others vaccines than the Astra?

 

 

Edited January 12, 2021 by ace2542

[Victoria2]

57 minutes ago, ace2542 said:

Interesting. Looks like they are pushing/obtaining - though we say pushing in the uk - the Astra. IF Cunard wants full protection for staff you are still looking at 12 week vaccine cycle so far as I am aware on the Astra. So even first shots are done in April for the sake of argument. You are still looking at second shot in July. 

 

Do you think they will obtain others vaccines than the Astra?

 

 

Pushing? Obtaining?

 

Serum took a serious punt on the efficacy of this vaccine and has been manufacturing it, under license for months.

 

You really need to get the whole picture before commenting.

 

Edit

As the company is the world's biggest producer of vaccine doses, it manufactures many different types from Polio through to MMR.

Edited January 12, 2021 by Victoria2

[navybankerteacher]

3 hours ago, ace2542 said:

But where will they get vaccine from?. It is my understanding that the 2021 order books are on the country level only unless you know differently?. So 2022 before it gets into so called corporate/profit sector hands then?

Even if order books are on “the country level” , any given country might decide to make vaccine available to groups whose employment might depend upon it before distributing it generally.

[ddgarner1]

On 1/10/2021 at 7:42 PM, Austcruiser84 said:

So I am looking at booking a Sept 2022 TA and the current deal offered is very good, including very good OBC.
 

Problem is (and I had this confirmed by phone) that under current rules, as a solo passenger I must eat alone and I cannot socialise with anyone on board at any time. The agent seemed surprised I’d sail solo (disappointing that Cunard isn’t being proactive about us solo travellers - we are a sizeable market). 
 

That’s really putting me off booking. While I hope that that will totally change by then, I just don’t know if it is worth taking the risk. I expect some degree of COVID measures in place on board in 2022 as a lot of the world still won’t be vaccinated. I’m fine with more spacing etc, but to basically isolate solo passengers? I may as well stay home. 

Lots of interesting, cogent replies above, and I've expressed concerns somewhat similar to those of the OG in the past.   I travel solo across the Atlantic because, whole I love that experience on the QM2, my wife finds the experience boring -- she's a social animal who loves exploring every stop.  She can do Alaska cruise with a friend or two while I enjoy ballroom dancing, the QM2 choir and exploring the bars and lectures.  

We're both planners, so rather that guess that Cunard will do its best to meet my solo interests -- eventually -- we're planning an extended land stay and back-to-back Viking cruises instead for 2021/2022.