When do you think SB will resume cruising and when will you feel safe cruising?

[MaggyCan1]

I've been reading this thread with a great deal of interest, as I have been looking at a Caribbean cruise on Sojourn from November 29-December 10, 2021; round-trip Miami.   My last cruise with SB (Sydney to Bali in Feb/Mar 2020) was cancelled and like everyone else I have been staying home ever since.   Due to my (ahem!) relatively "young" age (61), and lack of any pre-existing conditions, it looks like I may get vaccinated here in Canada by the summer, or perhaps September.   

It is looking like everyone in Canada and the U.S. will be vaccinated by the end of November, but I wonder about the vaccination levels in the Caribbean ports by that point.   

 

• I would expect SB to push to get the skeleton crews vaccinated who are currently staffing the ships floating around the world, by the country the ship is closest and who is making the greatest progress in vaccinating citizens of their country.   
• I wonder however about vaccinations for crew members who were sent home (many to under-developed countries) and whether enough of them will be vaccinated by the end of November to allow the SB Caribbean cruise season to get underway.   
• On a personal note, because I travel solo, if I were required to keep to myself for dining, having a drink in a lounge, a coffee in SB Square, etc. it would ruin much of my cruising pleasure which is to socialize with other passengers on board.

I'd be interested to hear other people's thoughts specifically surrounding the likelihood of the SB Caribbean season getting underway in November/December of 2021, and any other thoughts that arise.

 

Cheers!

 

Margaret

[johng75370]

23 minutes ago, MaggyCan1 said:

I'd be interested to hear other people's thoughts specifically surrounding the likelihood of the SB Caribbean season getting underway in November/December of 2021, and any other thoughts that arise.

I’m optimistic; we’re booked on the transatlantic crossing from Lisbon to Miami in November, and I expect Portugal to be open for vaccinated tourists by then.  If CDC rules still limit docking in Miami, I would hope Barbados or similar could be used instead (most Caribbean countries are open).  Then onto the World Cruise, where the main issue would be if South Pacific countries are open to tourists by February/March.  I think it’s a likely restart scenario.

[zelker]

1 hour ago, MaggyCan1 said:

I've been reading this thread with a great deal of interest, as I have been looking at a Caribbean cruise on Sojourn from November 29-December 10, 2021; round-trip Miami.  I'd be interested to hear other people's thoughts specifically surrounding the likelihood of the SB Caribbean season getting underway in November/December of 2021, and any other thoughts that arise.

 

Hi, Margaret -

 

We're currently booked to board Sojourn the day you'd disembark in December for a 32 day holiday cruise (Collector Voyage, Miami roundtrip into the Caribbean, then Miami through the Canal to LAX, disembarking January 11th).  We're cautiously optimistic that it will sail but we've also booked a couple of other options on Holland America for late January into February as backups.  We had considered doing the first leg of the World Cruise (39 day, LA-SYD which sails January 11th) but after chatting with several Aussie friends, for the moment anyway they believe it's highly unlikely that OZ or NZ will be open to tourists by then.

 

So for now, we've got deposits on 4 different cruises (December, January, and February), will keep a close watch on how things look and cancel if need be before penalty phases start.  That's about all I can suggest you do unless you wait to book until much closer to sailing to see how things look by then.

 

Good luck to us all!  🤗

 

Barb

[Covepointcruiser]

We are fully vaccinated as of today and our immunity to COVID will be present in two weeks.   We are ready to cruise as soon as Seabourn sails.

[rl787]

Everyone has made some good points, the problem that comes to my mind is that we all travel to the departure port from all over the world, this means being with strangers at Airport check in, lounges, cabin crew, fellow passengers, arrivals halls, customs, taxis, pre cruise hotels and the list goes on. This increases the chance of catching Covid. Of course the same goes for the crew who also come from around the world. I am just nervous that even if we are all vaccinated, an then the question may be which vaccine, as hundreds of new people board any cruise ship there is a chance that someone if not more takes ill. By definition there are large numbers on board so this is likely to spread. I do know that the procedures for Norovirus mean that if a certain percentage of people have it, and I think the percentage is well below 10%, then we are all isolated in our cabins, I would think for Covid there will have to be some similar procedure. I just can't see how in the short term cruising even on smaller ships will be possible without quite a few scares on board. I may be being a bit pessimistic but as much as I would like to cruise and I fall in the category of "I will go and take my chance" I just think it will be quite a while till cruising resumes. Sadly I think we will be lucky if we can cruise Internationally by early 2022. 

I really do hope I am wrong.............

[MaggyCan1]

Your points are well taken, rl787.    Lots of opportunities for the virus to be caught even before boarding the vessel, and the cruise lines will be understandably extremely cautious about locking everything down if there is even a hint of someone sick with COVID.   It would make for a cruise fraught with anxiety and uncertainty, wondering if the next day would bring a lockdown.   Does not sound fun at all!   Or indeed something that anyone would want to spend a bunch of their hard-earned money on.   <sigh>     Perhaps the more realistic notion would be sometime into 2022.m    Time will tell...

[wesport]

The reality is that the virus will never go away completely.  There is always a chance someone gets the virus in 2022 and beyond. I think cruise lines have to take baby steps to get back to sailing with protocols. I don't think the old way of cruising will ever come back completely. 

Only vaccinated guests on board along with crew. Testing daily. Masks. Social distancing etc. Just my opinion of coarse. My partner and I have both been vaccinated, but intend to follow the safety protocols when we start sailing again. Just to prevent catching anything else that might be out there. 

[rols]

12 hours ago, wesport said:

I don't think the old way of cruising will ever come back completely. 

..... Testing daily. Masks. Social distancing etc. 

In that case we have taken our last ever cruise. 

[brittany12]

The health story and necessary precautions for passengers and crew  are not  pretty pictures for any of us used to the old, care free ways of cruising we all loved. I' m equally concerned about how Seabourn returns. Do we all assume it's the same luxury status we left a year ago and have enjoyed for a decade or more previous. The product for all cruise lines will be stale. Budgeting will be tight. Seabourn  will be no different. Many among crew that used to be there may not want to return. How they  managed to survive on their own for themselves and their families, most probably cut off from all pay except for the skeletal crews, would be quite the heartbreaking story. For me it was the Seabourn edge in crewing that made the difference.  At all levels - senior officers as well as DR, behind the walls and those we never see in the engine room. I assume it will be will be largely a new bunch of semi-trained individuals in the most visible DR, bars and cabin attendant service slots. Hastily cobbled together when the time finally comes. it would be great if Seabourn management  shared with us how they intend to come back and give us the same quality crew and luxury  product we once enjoyed and still will be be paying for. 

[wingit]

19 hours ago, rols said:

In that case we have taken our last ever cruise. 

Same here.  The very idea of paying thousands of dollars to wear a mask and be anti social, and being subjected to repeated testing, is contrary to our idea of a vacation or holiday.   

[SLSD]

I've been reading all the  comments and share your concerns--on all levels.  For now, we are just beginning to discuss domestic travel within the United States.  We're considering Santa Fe and its wonderful semi-outdoor opera for this summer.  We are just now going to outdoor restaurant patios and some cautious indoor dining.  We're considering having vaccinated friends over for dinner parties.  I think that cruises for us are far in the future.  This makes us really sad.  I do understand how having to wear a mask would greatly change our cruising experience.  I also worry about budget constraints significantly changing our Seabourn cruising experience.  I think all of us will be following what Seabourn does with close attention.  And I know I will be following the posts here of those who are on the first Seabourn cruises after reopening.  

[robertmartha]

Interesting news today from Royal and Celebrity that they are restarting in June in the Caribbean and  St Martin. Wondering since the Odyssey is currently positioned in the Caribbean......if that could be an option for a restart for her down the road.... start her Caribbean season much earlier then normal and start off small in terms of capacity ....

 

time will tell 

[wesport]

Crystal is also sailing over the summer out of Nassau.

[sfvoyage]

2 hours ago, robertmartha said:

Interesting news today from Royal and Celebrity that they are restarting in June in the Caribbean and  St Martin....

 

The announcements for both also stated that vaccination is required for both passengers and crew.  (I will update the other thread as well.)

[Mahogany]

19 hours ago, sfvoyage said:

 

The announcements for both also stated that vaccination is required for both passengers and crew.  (I will update the other thread as well.)

Vaccination or negative test?

[jjs217]

In answer to your post topic:

1)  Not soon enough.

2)  Yesterday.

[SLSD]

7 hours ago, Mahogany said:

Vaccination or negative test?

I don't think vaccination and negative test are quite the same.  A negative test is just a snapshot of one moment in tie.  A vaccination does not mean you cannot get the virus, but rather that you likely will have a severe case requiring hospitalization.  From what I have read, it is still unknown if a vaccinated person can spread the virus.  I have read of vaccinated people getting the virus.  I would not object to a requirement for both--a negative test AND vaccination.  Also perhaps a quick test at boarding with a refund for anyone testing positive at that point.  These are not easy times.  

[SLSD]

Just now, SLSD said:

I don't think vaccination and negative test are quite the same.  A negative test is just a snapshot of one moment in tie.  A vaccination does not mean you cannot get the virus, but rather that you likely will have a severe case requiring hospitalization.  From what I have read, it is still unknown if a vaccinated person can spread the virus.  I have read of vaccinated people getting the virus.  I would not object to a requirement for both--a negative test AND vaccination.  Also perhaps a quick test at boarding with a refund for anyone testing positive at that point.  These are not easy times.  

 

[SLSD]

Just now, SLSD said:

 

Typos above with no immediate way to edit.  I meant to say that a negative test is just a snapshot of one moment in TIME.  And that a vaccination only makes it likely that you will NOT have a severe case requiring hospitalization.  

[cruiserchuck]

1 hour ago, SLSD said:

Typos above with no immediate way to edit.  I meant to say that a negative test is just a snapshot of one moment in TIME.  And that a vaccination only makes it likely that you will NOT have a severe case requiring hospitalization.  

 

There have been reports from Hawaii of fully vaccinated health care professionals getting the virus.  They apparently did not have symptoms, but had to take a test prior to returning from Las Vegas to Hawaii, and tested positive.   I suspect this is happening all over, but not being caught due to a lack of symptoms and testing not being required for most travel.   

[robertmartha]

2 hours ago, SLSD said:

Typos above with no immediate way to edit.  I meant to say that a negative test is just a snapshot of one moment in TIME.  And that a vaccination only makes it likely that you will NOT have a severe case requiring hospitalization.  

Totally agree with you SLSD

My wife and healthcare field daughter keep telling me...just because you are vaccinated does not mean everything goes back to the way it was....

My daughter who works in a NYC hospital said she expects to be wearing PPE well into 2022...and she is not on a covid floor/unit

I was not happy to hear that ☹️

[frantic36]

2 hours ago, cruiserchuck said:

 

There have been reports from Hawaii of fully vaccinated health care professionals getting the virus.  They apparently did not have symptoms, but had to take a test prior to returning from Las Vegas to Hawaii, and tested positive.   I suspect this is happening all over, but not being caught due to a lack of symptoms and testing not being required for most travel.   

 

 

I checked from a few news sources and the comment was that it does not appear that the positive cases infected anyone else. So the good news might be that the vaccination prevents transmission. The reason it was picked up was on returning from the mainland to Hawaii they had a routine test and those results came back positive not because they had symptoms.

 

https://www.news10.com/top-stories/fully-vaccinated-hawaii-health-care-worker-contracts-covid-19/

 

https://www.mercurynews.com/2021/03/16/3-hawaii-residents-fully-vaccinated-against-covid-19-are-infected-with-the-coronavirus/

 

It was also pointed out that though Pfizer and Moderna have a high efficacy  it is not 100% so some may return a positive result. Hopefully there will be more studies now more are vaccinated to check on whether transmission is a problem.

[cruisr]

Crystal will require that guests be fully vaccinated at least two weeks prior to embarking.  They will also have a testing facility onboard.  In order to arrive in Nassau one needs to provide a negative covid test from no later than 5 days prior to arrival (seems a big long to me) and you will have a rabid test before you are allowed to board.

[marazul]

1 hour ago, cruisr said:

Crystal will require that guests be fully vaccinated at least two weeks prior to embarking.  They will also have a testing facility onboard.  In order to arrive in Nassau one needs to provide a negative covid test from no later than 5 days prior to arrival (seems a big long to me) and you will have a rabid test before you are allowed to board.

We will all be rabid before this is over...😉

[crusinbanjo]

22 hours ago, cruisr said:

Crystal will require that guests be fully vaccinated at least two weeks prior to embarking.  They will also have a testing facility onboard.  In order to arrive in Nassau one needs to provide a negative covid test from no later than 5 days prior to arrival (seems a big long to me) and you will have a rabid test before you are allowed to board.

Now this is all getting to be too tedious, sounds like Nassau will be a a no passengers allowed off the ship cruise port.