Mandatory paid excursions......no thanks

[sverigecruiser]

15 hours ago, Jonny Rotten said:

I just called Norwegian to ask about our summer Europe cruise.  

They said as per there CDC guidelines ALL ports would need to be on an excursion. I asked if it was free due to it being mandatory and not by choice. They said we would need to pay full price just like normal. First off we don't like excursions and to add insult to injury they are  forcing us to pay for something we don't want.....looks like we're cancelling our cruise. Not to mention I'm thinking this would double our cruise price. No FREAKIN way. What a disaster 

 

Are other cruise lines forcing this rule?

I can't imagine anyone going along with this

Cruising is dead this summer

 

The reason why I didn't just assumed that you meant that ship excursions were mandatory in all ports only for thoose wishing to leave the ship was that you wrote ALL ports and this is not a new thing. Ship excursions have been mandatory when leaving the ship for some months so that information is really not surprising for me. I just couldn't assume that you hadn't heared that before.

Edited February 23, 2021 by sverigecruiser

[donaldsc]

20 hours ago, Jonny Rotten said:

The rep said said it was their agreement with the CDC they made last fall 

 

 

My experiences w cruise company reps and the comments that others on CC have made about reps is that most of them have never been on a ship and they know absolutely nothing about the cruises that they are selling.  That is why I use a TA.  BTW - the topic of the new port touring rules has been beaten to death on CC. 

 

DON

[Donald]

On 2/23/2021 at 4:16 PM, crazyank said:

 

The "rep" has it wrong, the CDC has no authority over European cruises. However, it's a pretty safe bet that excursions will be paid only (no DIY) for at least 2021 in Europe.

Uh, not quite correct,

The CDC claims jurisdiction over any ship that calls at a US port. The ship that you might be sailing in Europe might not be calling at a USC port right now, but it probably did - or will. If that is not enough. the CDC also claims jurisdiction over ships whose sister ships call at US Ports. That covers just about all mass market cruise ships. 

[Hangman115]

Mandated group shore excursions are even more a hardship for those that are fluffy" or are mobility impaired. Many cruise lines offer one or no group excursion for those in a wheelchair or are two "fluffy" to fit in those coach tour buses.

And now, it looks like, those that are already booked are being told, NO MORE walking or rolling off a ship, unless you are able to find and pay the extra for a cruise ship group tour. NO MORE just walking off the ship and walk around the port. No more visiting the stores. Buying gifts and trinkets on the pier, unless you cough up a $100 or more per person, for a guided tour in a group

[crazyank]

19 hours ago, Donald said:

Uh, not quite correct,

The CDC claims jurisdiction over any ship that calls at a US port. The ship that you might be sailing in Europe might not be calling at a USC port right now, but it probably did - or will. If that is not enough. the CDC also claims jurisdiction over ships whose sister ships call at US Ports. That covers just about all mass market cruise ships. 

Nope,  I don't know where you got your info.  The CDC has jurisdiction over any ship coming into a US port, period.  They have NO jurisdiction over ships in Europe.  

[sparks1093]

For our first COVID cruise I could see this not affecting our decision because we miss cruising so much. But if this were to become the "new normal" then it probably would affect our decision. The same thing could be said of mask wearing. Whether we get an excursion or not depends on many factors and we would have no problem staying on the ship if we didn't want to take one.

[ldubs]

On 2/22/2021 at 10:41 PM, getting older slowly said:

 

 

So taking a ship organise on shore tour is really the only way keeping people contained.....

 

and if you don't like it... don't go on the cruise....

 

 

That is really the bottom line.  It would not be my preference, but all other things being equal, I think we would accept ship only excursions.  

 

 

On 2/22/2021 at 10:41 PM, getting older slowly said:

 

The OP  Jonny Rotten...is a newbie and sometime searching does not bring up what one wants....

 

Good thing too because just about everything has been covered and there would be no new posts!  😀

[lenquixote66]

On 2/23/2021 at 1:41 AM, getting older slowly said:

 

 

So taking a ship organise on shore tour is really the only way keeping people contained.....

 

and if you don't like it... don't go on the cruise....

 

I think a lot of things will change in the coming years per cruising as we knew it

 

The OP  Jonny Rotten...is a newbie and sometime searching does not bring up what one wants....

However,he was a good singer😀

[Donald]

On 2/25/2021 at 4:31 PM, crazyank said:

Nope,  I don't know where you got your info.  The CDC has jurisdiction over any ship coming into a US port, period.  They have NO jurisdiction over ships in Europe.  

I work for the CDC when not working onboard a ship.

The CDC makes “very strong recommendations” about what and how ships in European ports do things. If those ships do not comply, they or their sister ships suffer on inspections in US ports. 

[Jonny Rotten]

20 minutes ago, Donald said:

I work for the CDC when not working onboard a ship.

The CDC makes “very strong recommendations” about what and how ships in European ports do things. If those ships do not comply, they or their sister ships suffer on inspections in US ports. 

So maybe the rep was correct....Not by law, but if you don't conform we'll make your life a living hell....sounds about right these days....conform or pay the price. SMH

[Hangman115]

CDC is part of the US Federal Government. They own the cruise lines at this time. The CDC holds all the cards. At least until the cruise lines get that paper they need to sail from the US ports.

Some say the CDC is acting like a character in the movie The Godfather

 

 

Edited February 27, 2021 by Hangman115

[sverigecruiser]

7 hours ago, Hangman115 said:

CDC is part of the US Federal Government. They own the cruise lines at this time. The CDC holds all the cards. At least until the cruise lines get that paper they need to sail from the US ports.

 

The cruiselines hold the most important card, they can just skip the US and sail in other places. Maybe not possible for Carnival because they are very American, right? (I don't know that for sure because I have never cruised with them but I know that they are extremely small in Europe.) I know that MSC can survive without US cruises and I think that NCL and RCI can do it too because they sell many cruises to Europeans. 

[ontheweb]

10 hours ago, Hangman115 said:

CDC is part of the US Federal Government. They own the cruise lines at this time. The CDC holds all the cards. At least until the cruise lines get that paper they need to sail from the US ports.

Some say the CDC is acting like a character in the movie The Godfather

 

 

The CDC may be part of the US federal government, but that does not mean that they are all powerful. They are answerable to the courts. For instance, a ruling just came down from a federal judge about a CDC policy saying it was unconstitutional.

 

Texas federal judge rules CDC's pandemic eviction moratorium unconstitutional (msn.com)

 

[wowzz]

4 hours ago, sverigecruiser said:

Maybe not possible for Carnival because they are very American

Carnival the cruise line may be very American, but Carnival Corporation obviously has a major European presence.

[capriccio]

5 hours ago, sverigecruiser said:

 

The cruiselines hold the most important card, they can just skip the US and sail in other places. Maybe not possible for Carnival because they are very American, right?

Carnival Corporation brands are:  Carnival, Princess, Holland America, Seabourn, Cunard, AIDA, Costa, P&O (UK), and P&O (Australia).

[CruiserBruce]

5 hours ago, sverigecruiser said:

 

The cruiselines hold the most important card, they can just skip the US and sail in other places. Maybe not possible for Carnival because they are very American, right? (I don't know that for sure because I have never cruised with them but I know that they are extremely small in Europe.) I know that MSC can survive without US cruises and I think that NCL and RCI can do it too because they sell many cruises to Europeans. 

Carnival Cruise Lines doesn't have a large presence outside of the the US, but the other members of the Carnival Corporation have pretty significant,  even large, operations outside of the US. There is a Princess Australia operation, with 3 ships, last I heard, for example. Costa is Italian. Aida is German. Holland America sails all over the world,  at least pre Covid.

[ontheweb]

36 minutes ago, CruiserBruce said:

Carnival Cruise Lines doesn't have a large presence outside of the the US, but the other members of the Carnival Corporation have pretty significant,  even large, operations outside of the US. There is a Princess Australia operation, with 3 ships, last I heard, for example. Costa is Italian. Aida is German. Holland America sails all over the world,  at least pre Covid.

Add Princess to Holland America as ships that sail all over the world.

[Essiesmom]

54 minutes ago, CruiserBruce said:

Carnival Cruise Lines doesn't have a large presence outside of the the US, but the other members of the Carnival Corporation have pretty significant,  even large, operations outside of the US. There is a Princess Australia operation, with 3 ships, last I heard, for example. Costa is Italian. Aida is German. Holland America sails all over the world,  at least pre Covid.

Carnival has two ships in Australia.  Seabourn sails worldwide.  P&O has ships nearly everywhere...  EM

[wowzz]

20 minutes ago, Essiesmom said:

 P&O has ships nearly everywhere...  EM

And does a world cruise as well, (in normal years!)

[sverigecruiser]

3 hours ago, wowzz said:

Carnival the cruise line may be very American, but Carnival Corporation obviously has a major European presence.

 

When I say Carnival i mean Carnival the cruise line but I understand that Carnival Corporation is different.

[sverigecruiser]

2 hours ago, capriccio said:

Carnival Corporation brands are:  Carnival, Princess, Holland America, Seabourn, Cunard, AIDA, Costa, P&O (UK), and P&O (Australia).

 

See post #45.

 

My point is that the cruiselines have the most important card.

[sverigecruiser]

1 hour ago, CruiserBruce said:

Carnival Cruise Lines doesn't have a large presence outside of the the US, but the other members of the Carnival Corporation have pretty significant,  even large, operations outside of the US. There is a Princess Australia operation, with 3 ships, last I heard, for example. Costa is Italian. Aida is German. Holland America sails all over the world,  at least pre Covid.

 

See post #45.

 

My point is that the cruiselines have the most important card.

[Hangman115]

I agree the cruise lines hold the biggest card when it comes to money in the USA, They pay port fees. Hire hundreds of locals. Buy many products from the port in the USA.

Cut the CDC, at this time holds the ACE. Or the JOKER if you will. The cruise lines need one piece of paper from the CDC. The paper that allows them to take on passengars and to sail from the US ports.

 

So yes the cruise lines hold the card for money and thousands of jobs. But the CDC can, at anytime, drag their feet and hold up the certification.

[Ride-The-Waves]

On 2/23/2021 at 2:16 AM, crazyank said:

 

The "rep" has it wrong, the CDC has no authority over European cruises. However, it's a pretty safe bet that excursions will be paid only (no DIY) for at least 2021 in Europe.

Maybe no authority "over" European cruises.  However, if cruise lines want to keep sailing out of US ports, they will comply.

[Ride-The-Waves]

This is actually really good news with many cling they won't cruise do to required tours.  Less people, more space for the rest of us who do what to still visit ports.  😀