Questioning my confidence in river cruising again

[Bake apple]

Maybe it is the constant negative news and press about rising cases, mutated variants, lack of vaccine and a prolonged Stay At Home mode but I am slowing losing my confidence about river cruising again.  I would need to believe that everyone, passengers, crews, guides etc, will have been vaccinated. Also concerned about the towns, villages and places we would tour. I know it is early days yet and there is light at the end of this tunnel but right now it feels a bit iffy to gather in crowds for a long long time.  I believe that cruise lines will do everything they can to make it safe but still.  Am I suffering Covid fatigue or is the reality that our beloved form of travel may not come back as it was? You?

[jklc123]

I’m feeling much the same way. I was more hopeful until the mutations and the amount of time it seems it will take to get enough people vaccinated.

 

 

[Canal archive]

I’m with you thinking about no more river cruising I’ll give it till next year. We’re on our way to 9 million vaccinations about half a million are second jabs.
There are now more manufacturers vaccines coming on stream thank goodness. At least I had my jab today but my eldest lovely daughter was diagnosed with COVID and now that other nonsense with the EU I could cry but I won’t.

Chin up and go shopping! CA

[Ryan208]

I agree with you, Bake apple. More of the mutated version are surfacing and the vaccination process seems to be moving slowly in our area, so we can’t see ourselves booking a river cruise until next year at the earliest. ☹️

[Bake apple]

24 minutes ago, Canal archive said:

I’m with you thinking about no more river cruising I’ll give it till next year. We’re on our way to 9 million vaccinations about half a million are second jabs.
There are now more manufacturers vaccines coming on stream thank goodness. At least I had my jab today but my eldest lovely daughter was diagnosed with COVID and now that other nonsense with the EU I could cry but I won’t.

Chin up and go shopping! CA

I do hope your daughter recovers quickly and completely. Please let her know that your friends on CC are thinking of her.

[sharkster77]

I have 0% confidence in there being any travel in 2021.  I am hopeful for 2022, but like many others I am becoming less confident.  Now we are hearing that those receiving early vaccines may need a booster later to deal with the new variant strains;  later recipients may receive a re-engineered vaccine.

 

Hoping all of us (nation-wise) can get our acts together and push this thing back before there is a multitude of variants--like trying to kill Hydra (new heads keep popping up!)

[Host Jazzbeau]

I don't happen to have a river cruise booked for this year, but I have two ocean cruises starting in September and if they sail I hope to be on them.  Once DW and I get the vaccine we're ready to travel again!

[Lois R]

2 hours ago, Canal archive said:

I’m with you thinking about no more river cruising I’ll give it till next year. We’re on our way to 9 million vaccinations about half a million are second jabs.
There are now more manufacturers vaccines coming on stream thank goodness. At least I had my jab today but my eldest lovely daughter was diagnosed with COVID and now that other nonsense with the EU I could cry but I won’t.

Chin up and go shopping! CA

Sending your daughter my best wishes.  Hope she recovers quickly.

[Lois R]

29 minutes ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

I don't happen to have a river cruise booked for this year, but I have two ocean cruises starting in September and if they sail I hope to be on them.  Once DW and I get the vaccine we're ready to travel again!

I have a cruise booked for October and feel the same way. 🙂

[Roz]

Last June I booked a river cruise for this coming December.  I was feeling optimistic.  A vaccine was on its way, and we were heading into our 2nd Covid winter.  I figured between the vaccine and the virus running its course, we would be in the clear come spring of 2021.  Instead, the number of cases, hospitalizations and deaths keep going up.  As someone over 65 with a heart condition, it looks like I won't be eligible for the vaccine until late spring or early summer.  Now I'm not sure at all my December cruise will be a go with all the restrictions the EU is placing on US residents.  I was looking forward to retiring at the end of 2022, but the future looks grim.  😥

[JerseyGem]

17 hours ago, Bake apple said:

............. or is the reality that our beloved form of travel may not come back as it was? You?

Bake Apple: You make some interesting points.  I don't think river cruising will "come back as it was" for many years.   However, I do think it will come back (hopefully in 2022), even if  life onboard and daily excursions will be very different.  But I can cope with "different" if it means seeing more of the world.  I just  hope  enough people agree to get the vaccine- and are able to get the vaccine- to reach "herd" immunity world-wide.  

[mnjack]

We booked a cruise for 3/24/2020 and it wasn't officially cancelled by Viking until 2 weeks before that date. We decided we weren't going - and cancelled -  a few hours before Viking officially cancelled the cruise. Several months later we booked a replacement cruise.... for 4/4/2021!  Viking has cancelled all cruises through 3/30/2021. At this point I don't see how our 4/4 date is going to happen. France seems to be going in the wrong direction. We are just going to wait until it is officially cancelled, which could be days before the scheduled embarkation date. It is a little nerve-wracking because we were planning on an extended trip with time before and after the cruise in France and were going to book our own airfare. We haven't booked any air yet, mainly because we don't expect to go.  

Edited February 1, 2021 by mnjack

[Roz]

@mnjack, in times like these I think that safest course of action is book air thru the cruise line and let them cancel.

[Daisi]

31 minutes ago, Roz said:

@mnjack, in times like these I think that safest course of action is book air thru the cruise line and let them cancel.

 

We did this for the cruise we are supposed (not!) to be on in May.  I did it because we knew we could select our airline, seats etc. with no extra costs other than the charge from the airline to book our chosen seats.  They got us a much better cost last time we cruised (we booked with them only after checking what we could get) so figured it would be easier than trying to arrange several flights on our own.  Glad we did, as although I probably wouldn't have booked mine yet, it saved us the headache of having to check flights just in case.

[F19810]

It is only the beginning of February and more vaccines are coming very soon.  I am still holding out hope that my Egypt/Jordan trip in November is a go.  

I take one big vacation, usually international, a year and one smaller week long caribbean cruise or Disney World/year.  I missed both vacations this year.  I am going to Disney in June but will be VERY upset if I can't go to Egypt/Jordan.  I've had both Moderna shots (pays to work in healthcare) and am used to wearing masks for work and if this is what I have to do to go on vacation, I will do it.

Judy

[Lois R]

Hi Judy, congrats on being able to get both of your shots🙂.  I have no clue when I will be

able to get one.  Maybe in the next 3/4 months--hoping sooner but won't hold my breath.

[F19810]

ThanksLois.  Working in a hospital means that I was in one of the first groups.  I just pray that we will be able to travel this fall.  I've been debating moving the Egypt trip to Feb next year.

Judy

[Coral]

3 minutes ago, F19810 said:

ThanksLois.  Working in a hospital means that I was in one of the first groups.  I just pray that we will be able to travel this fall.  I've been debating moving the Egypt trip to Feb next year.

Judy

I would move it.

 

I agree - Congrats!!

[franski]

I took courage in hand and put a deposit down on a Mekong cruise for February 2022.   The deposit is transferrable, so think that it is pretty safe.  

 

I am not going to look at air for a bit of time yet --> I want to see how the vaccination schedule goes.  Our Prime Minister dropped the ball on securing doses, and we now have a shortage - which means my hope for vaccination for DH and myself by the end of the summer (as originally promised by our PM) has pretty much disappeared.  

 

I do like to plan - and like something to look forward to - so decided to book something --> if only as a bright light at the end of the tunnel!!

 

Fran

[Daisi]

We just changed our May cruise to May 2022, but I am going to keep watch for the 2023 cruises to come out and hopefully change it to then.  We can change it no problem as long as there is a travel advisory out, and as Fran says, our vaccines won't be done until at least Sept.  I will be in the last group due to my age, so guess this summers trip to the east coast is out.

[Bake apple]

Well today I actually opened the daily Viking River Cruises email, first one in months that I didn't just delete.  I thought I would take a peek at the 2023 cruises.  That seems such a very long ways out but still.....!  Perhaps it is the extra daylight morning and evening and the sunshine and the ever so slightly less news and grim statistics about Covid but I feel a little more optimistic about travelling again 'sometime in the future'. 😬  So very much looking forward to holding out my arm for the vaccine injection, I'm just waiting my turn!!!  Reminds me of that TV game show from years ago...."come on down, you're the next contestant...."

[franski]

On 2/3/2021 at 4:49 PM, F19810 said:

...will be VERY upset if I can't go to Egypt/Jordan. 

Judy

Judy - we did Egypt/Israel/Jordan a year ago... In fact,  we visited the Baptismal site in Jordan a year ago today!!  Awesome trip...

 

The gentleman that planned (and escorted) our trip is planning to do another one in November.  He is cautiously optimistic that it will proceed as planned.  Keep your fingers crossed!!

 

Fran 

 

 

[ural guy]

We still have our credits with Vantage for the April 2020 Tulip cruise that was canceled.

We're looking at rebooking for Oct/Nov 2022.  That's just based on my comfort level, not really a scientific analysis.  Mentally I'd have the heebie-jeebies being around so many people and don't know if I could relax.

 

We have booked 2 plane tickets to Portugal for Nov 2021, a 21 day trip.  They are point tickets and easily canceled.  Just plotting and planning, getting the map out and rereading saved articles and travel reports improved my mood. 

 

Portugal was picked as I was there in Nov 2019, and the places I like to go were pretty deserted; castles and aqueducts to explore with few other people, restruants in small towns with just a few other customers.  People happy to see you as it is out of season and they have time to breath.  Of course Lisbon and Sintra were pretty full.

 

Compared to our other favorite place, Ireland, Portugal made sense.  In Ireland, pubs and trad music are a big allure for us.  They are always packed, and I would not be able to resist.

 

Light at the end of the tunnel, I hope everyone is able to travel wherever their heart desires soon enough.  

 

[jklc123]

Received this yesterday for a cruise we have booked, embarking May 30 on the Great Lakes. I had first vaccine dose a few days ago, DH will this afternoon. We're still iffy about proceeding with final payment at end of March. No refund offered, just voucher. Watching and waiting!

 

Call a Cruise Specialist 1.800.981.9146 7 days a week

Dear Guest,   Yesterday the Canadian Government extended an interim order that affects many cruise ships operating in Canada. The order allows for the operation of small cruise ships. Your cruise with Pearl Seas is still scheduled to operate. We are excited to have you onboard and we appreciate your patience as we work with Transport Canada to understand this order and its effects.   Pearl Seas Cruises remains committed to offer you options for travel and we are happy to make two new announcements to provide you with additional flexibility for your future travel.   We are now offering our Cruise with Comfort to all guests with existing bookings for cruises departing in 2021. This offer allows guests the ability to cancel their cruise for any reason up to 24 hours prior to the start of their Cruise Package and receive Cruise Vouchers equal to 100% of Amounts Paid. Cruise with Comfort details and terms are available here.    We are particularly excited to announce enhancements to our Cruise Vouchers that now allow them to be used with our affiliate American Cruise Lines. American Cruise Lines offers more than 35 unique itineraries in the U.S.A. aboard the most sophisticated fleet of modern riverboats and small cruise ships in the country. In addition, we are extending the date Cruise Vouchers can be used by one year to 12/31/2022. We will be following up shortly with additional details about the enhancements to our Cruise Vouchers. Details and terms on Cruise Vouchers are available here.   If you have any questions regarding your current reservation, Cruise with Comfort, Cruise Vouchers, or the options available to you at present, our Cruise Specialists will be happy to be of assistance. They may be reached at (800) 981-9146.   Whether you travel on the Pearl Mist or one of the fine ships of American Cruise Lines, we look forward to welcoming you onboard.    Sincerely,

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[Roz]

@jklc123, how much would you lose if you canceled now?