Back to HAL.... Hopes it goes...!

[NavyCruiser]

We took our first & only wonderful HAL cruise 25 years ago.  Now after 30+ cruises, mostly on mainline cruise lines, we're back to HAL, as just booked 7 night cruise to the Norwegian Fjords in Aug 2021.  Got great pricing for flights, drinks, wifi, etc... so we went for it.

After 3 ocean & 2 river cruises cancelled in 2020, we still have lot$ invested with them.

But with half of our family, all of those 65+ all vaccinated, & have appt at VA for one-shot J&J vaccine in early March, things are looking up.

So hopefully the Aug cruise goes...!!!

[Ombud]

My # came up for the 2 shot vaccine Feb 1st but wanting to wait for J&J. How did you get the appt? 

[KirkNC]

I would not hold my breath.

[oakridger]

Hello Ombud, you are lucky to have an appointment so soon!  I have not been given the option yet and am waiting anxiously!  I would take the first one available to you. 

 

Per ABC news yesterday regarding the J&J:   "The full data package will be made publicly available and will be evaluated by the FDA's advisory committee sometime in mid- to late February." 

Johnson & Johnson single-shot vaccine 85% effective against severe COVID-19 disease - ABC News (go.com)

 

Take care....I live not far from you!

~Nancy

 

[AllureOfVacation]

1 hour ago, NavyCruiser said:

We took our first & only wonderful HAL cruise 25 years ago.  Now after 30+ cruises, mostly on mainline cruise lines, we're back to HAL, as just booked 7 night cruise to the Norwegian Fjords in Aug 2021.  Got great pricing for flights, drinks, wifi, etc... so we went for it.

After 3 ocean & 2 river cruises cancelled in 2020, we still have lot$ invested with them.

But with half of our family, all of those 65+ all vaccinated, & have appt at VA for one-shot J&J vaccine in early March, things are looking up.

So hopefully the Aug cruise goes...!!!

 

We booked on of these for July. Fingers crossed. We also got an amazing deal with drinks, prepaid gratuities and so on.
 

We saw that promotion the last day it was valid and we had to act quickly: an inside room for free with any balcony booking (only port fees and such). My husbands' mother wanted to join anyway, so we paid less than 100€ for her inside room with single occupancy. No perks like drinks for that extra cabin, but best promotion ever.

Edited January 31, 2021 by AllureOfVacation

[NavyCruiser]

1 hour ago, Ombud said:

How did you get the appt? 

 

I was already on the volunteer list for the Pfizer & Moderna vaccine trials.  Never got called since I'm under 65.  So they'll merge my annual reg check up exam in late Feb to then or early March since they'll predict the one-shot J&J will be out by then.

 

Anyways, this will our 2nd cruise with HAL after 25 years.  We loved the first one, so hopefully there's lots of improvements by now...

 

Our daughter flew into London & spent 3 weeks in the UK over the new year.  She tested negative both coming & going, so only had to quarantine in her Fiance's house there for 5 days.  No issues.

So would love to just fly to Amsterdam & We don't mind if the cruise ship doesn't even dock in any of ports, even cruising in & around the Norwegian fjords for 7 days is good enough for us...

 

Edited January 31, 2021 by NavyCruiser

[Mary229]

I certainly hope you are able to go!   Every week my county and state send a newsletter and every week the amount of vaccine being distributed is greatly increased, so your odds for a vaccine are looking good.  

[rodndonna]

3 hours ago, NavyCruiser said:

We took our first & only wonderful HAL cruise 25 years ago.  Now after 30+ cruises, mostly on mainline cruise lines, we're back to HAL, as just booked 7 night cruise to the Norwegian Fjords in Aug 2021.  Got great pricing for flights, drinks, wifi, etc... so we went for it.

After 3 ocean & 2 river cruises cancelled in 2020, we still have lot$ invested with them.

But with half of our family, all of those 65+ all vaccinated, & have appt at VA for one-shot J&J vaccine in early March, things are looking up.

So hopefully the Aug cruise goes...!!!

 

Quite optimistic but I am definitely rooting for you!

 

We have that cruise 'bookmarked' for 2022.

 

[wesport]

We have to be hopeful at this stage. I believe once J and J and  other vaccine come on line, we will be able to go to CVS or Walgreens like we do for the flu shot. 

[KirkNC]

So my question is if you are on a cruise where passengers have been vaccinated with the J&J vaccine, what happens when someone get Covid?  On a ship of 1,500 passengers, 35% or 525 passengers can contract the virus and 15% or 225 can have severe virus.  And that doesn’t count crew.    How does cruising work with those numbers?  Does the ship quarantine everyone and go back to port?  I don’t see how they can keep sailing.

[Mary229]

2 hours ago, wesport said:

We have to be hopeful at this stage. I believe once J and J and  other vaccine come on line, we will be able to go to CVS or Walgreens like we do for the flu shot. 

CVS is already offering Moderna here in North Texas, first dose only so far.  

[Ombud]

@oakridger I passed on it. There are other 65+ planning to travel before me. Right now I only go to the dog park, grocers, kids. I don't even drive out of the county. J&J is supposed to be 100% effective against hospitalization when tested on that new South African variant, 88% against old variant, 66% total which is why I want it. They won't even say how effective Pfizer & Moderna are against the new variants

3 hours ago, KirkNC said:

So my question is if you are on a cruise where passengers have been vaccinated with the J&J vaccine, what happens when someone get Covid?  On a ship of 1,500 passengers, 35% or 525 passengers can contract the virus and 15% or 225 can have severe virus.  And that doesn’t count crew.    How does cruising work with those numbers?  Does the ship quarantine everyone and go back to port?  I don’t see how they can keep sailing.

We have to mask up (per CDC) so I doubt those #s as they are when unmasked

[KirkNC]

35 minutes ago, Ombud said:

 

We have to mask up (per CDC) so I doubt those #s as they are when unmasked

Not sure that is true as the trials were done last fall into the winter when everyone was supposed to be masked up pretty much world wide.  

[Ombud]

They weren't masked in South Africa .... if that's why then I really want J&J

 

Last summer:

https://theconversation.com/south-africans-arent-wearing-masks-or-keeping-their-distance-this-needs-to-change-143108

 

Finally in December:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/africa/south-africa-coronavirus-surge/2020/12/28/b4c8e17a-492c-11eb-97b6-4eb9f72ff46b_story.html

Edited January 31, 2021 by Ombud

[KirkNC]

6 minutes ago, Ombud said:

They weren't masked in South Africa .... if that's why then I really want J&J

 

Last summer:

https://theconversation.com/south-africans-arent-wearing-masks-or-keeping-their-distance-this-needs-to-change-143108

 

Finally in December:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/africa/south-africa-coronavirus-surge/2020/12/28/b4c8e17a-492c-11eb-97b6-4eb9f72ff46b_story.html

But the vast majority of those in the trials were in the UK & US where mask wearing was more common.  Either way, I don't think mask wearing, in and of itself, will prevent the spread.  It will mitigate it but not prevent it.

Edited January 31, 2021 by KirkNC

[iancal]

The question is not when one person or one family gets vaccinated but rather when the majority of people get vaccinated.  That is when cruising will become a reality.

 

Until then all bets are off.  

[NavyCruiser]

OK, let's shift this conversation away from covid & vaccinations. 

 

Let's say it's a go by late summer,

Would like to hear your comments, inputs & suggs for Holland America cruise line, Nieuw Statendam, & Norwegian Fjords...

Esp the changes over the past 25 yrs...

Thanks,

[kazu]

10 hours ago, NavyCruiser said:

Would like to hear your comments, inputs & suggs for Holland America cruise line, Nieuw Statendam, & Norwegian Fjords...

Esp the changes over the past 25 yrs

 

The last 25 years?  That’s asking a lot IMO.  There have been lots of changes over the past decade and recent years, but to pin point to 25 years ago is a toughie.

 

One thing for sure, There is no “informal” night now compared to 25 years ago. 😉   I’m pretty sure that was in place 25 years ago.  I’ve been on HAL longer than that so I could be wrong.  (That’s why it’s tough to pin point 25 years 😉 )

 

You might find the sticky - the thread “New to Holland America” helpful.

Here is the link - 

 

 

I know you are technically not “new” but with the time since you’ve been gone you might find some helpful information in it.