RCG sailing from St. Maarten in June

[Milwaukee Eight]

4 minutes ago, Ashland said:

Why isn't that a good thing? I would much rather hear the truth and that is we're moving forward and learning as we go.

I would like to think so. But Dr Flipflop has gone from no mask, to one mask, to two masks. 

[broberts]

Just now, Milwaukee Eight said:

I would like to think so. But Dr Flipflop has gone from no mask, to one mask, to two masks. 

 

One can learn from new data and be labelled a flip-floper or one can ignore new data and end up like the dinosaurs.

[Milwaukee Eight]

1 minute ago, broberts said:

 

One can learn from new data and be labelled a flip-floper or one can ignore new data and end up like the dinosaurs.

What new data?  New data seems to suggest previously infected COVID19 people continue to have a longer immune response than previously thought. Also the vaccines seem to be doing pretty darn good. Data seems to suggest that the viral load of those vaccinated or previously infected, do not rise to the amount necessary to infect others, hence, a mask is not needed. 
 

M8

[Hoopster95]

EVERYONE...

READ THE G D SUBJECT LINE OF THIS THREAD

KEEP YOUR CRAP COVID DISCUSSION ON THE OTHER USELESS THREAD.

 

This is about St Marten as a home port

 

Thank you

[Goodtime Cruizin]

30 minutes ago, broberts said:

 

Actually I do know that. There is no vaccine that is 100% effective. Simple logic.

 

Well hell man... if we're using simplelogic... there is no 100% gaurantee your flight to the ship won't crash... and for that matter, there is no 100% gaurantee that the ship won't sink either. You have to 'live' a bit and instead of being scared to 'die'. 

 

I'm amazed at the psyche of people these days. People are literally scared to live any more.

[Goodtime Cruizin]

34 minutes ago, ECCruise said:

The CDC are modifying their suggestions almost daily.  Last week re: gatherings inside of vaccinated persons.  And unvaccinated persons in the same household.  Today changing the recommendations for spacing in schools.  With progress being made on vaccinations, I expect other reassessments going forward.

 

And if you think everyone on an aircraft is "breathing the same air" you know very little about aircraft filtration systems.  

 

I know enough about aircraft ventilation systems to recognize BS. Still to this day, the CDC's guidelines tells us that airline travel is not good and should only be used for essential travel. Well that is a crock. Either it's bad or it isn't. We can kill ourselves and other if we think flying somewhere is essential. It's BS. The airline industry put pressure on the CDC. It's either bad or it isn't. 

[livingonthebeach]

3 hours ago, Ashland said:

I can't imagine having to use a tour on these islands if that's going to be the only option to get off the ship.

 

It's going to be like that for a while, at least at the beginning.  I prefer my own tours and doing my own thing as well.  If masks are required in addition, then I think I may hold off until these two requirements are lifted.  

[DCGuy64]

4 minutes ago, Goodtime Cruizin said:

People are literally scared to live any more

Well said!

I honestly don't know how some people have lived in society this long. Every time you leave your house there's a possibility that you could a) get sick, b) get hit by a bus, c) have a car accident, d) get robbed or shot, d) get food poisoning, the list goes on and on. And yet, somehow, because of a virus from which nearly 100% of people don't die, the world is turned upside down. It's crazy.

Now as someone else has suggested, the topic of this thread is about Royal sailing from St Maarten.

I think it's a fantastic idea. My wife and I have visited there a couple of times (on cruises), and even considered vacationing there. I would guess, and it's only a guess, that if cruises begin there, more airlines will have flights and maybe, only maybe, prices will come down. Only time and the market will tell. I think it's great that Royal are doing this. If the response is positive, I'd expect to see them do the same in other ports.

 

[twangster]

Celebrity is blocking inside and OV so these will be Verandah and higher, at least to start.  They also confirmed these are their new "Always Included" fares. Antigen tests on board are included.

 

That accounts for some of the apparently higher pricing.  

 

They also said they aren't preventing B2B cruise bookings although they need to figure out the PCR test requirement for the second cruise.  

[Goodtime Cruizin]

41 minutes ago, ECCruise said:

The CDC are modifying their suggestions almost daily.  Last week re: gatherings inside of vaccinated persons.  And unvaccinated persons in the same household.  Today changing the recommendations for spacing in schools.  With progress being made on vaccinations, I expect other reassessments going forward.

 

And if you think everyone on an aircraft is "breathing the same air" you know very little about aircraft filtration systems.  

 

And another thing.... I've heard the schpeel regarding aircraft vent systms before.. And I'll tell you the same thing I've told others... if you are in the middle seat and I'm in the window seat... we're breathing the same damn air friend. Yes, they have a different vent system, I get it... but do not pass along bogus crap to feed into your agenda... we'd be breathing the same air. And you're smart enough to know this too. 

 

I can fly to LA for a very, very, important meeting to close a deal because I think it is essentual, but I shouldn't fly to Ft.L for an enjoyable vacation because vacations are not essential. That's what the politcal bureaucracy called the CDC tells us. 

[Another_Critic]

 

9 minutes ago, DCGuy64 said:

Now as someone else has suggested, the topic of this thread is about Royal sailing from St Maarten.

Actually the topic is about Celebrity (part of RCG), not RCI.  This actually should be discussed in the Celebrity forum. 

 

And there's a lot of speculation (in this thread) that RCI will follow the same process as Celebrity and that's just going to confuse people.  There's already a thread about RCI sailing from Nassau.  

Edited March 19, 2021 by Another_Critic

[DCGuy64]

23 minutes ago, Another_Critic said:

 

Actually the topic is about Celebrity (part of RCG), not RCI.  This actually should be discussed in the Celebrity forum. 

 

And there's a lot of speculation (in this thread) that RCI will follow the same process as Celebrity and that's just going to confuse people.  There's already a thread about RCI sailing from Nassau.  

Thanks, the title of the thread says "RCG sailing from St Maarten, in June" so RCG is what I meant when I just used the word "Royal." 😉 I should have been more clear.

[Another_Critic]

8 minutes ago, DCGuy64 said:

Thanks, the title of the thread says "RCG sailing from St Maarten, in June" so RCG is what I meant when I just used the word "Royal." 😉 I should have been more clear.

No problem.  IMO, it confuses people when people post non-RCI topics in an RCI forum.

 

What I personally think would have been better is to post this thread in the Celebrity forum (if there isn't already one posted) and simply post a link in the "related" RCI in Nassau thread.  That way the threads would hopefully be more on topic rather than full of speculation that one line will follow another line.  But of course, what would CC be without speculation.  😀

 

P.S.  I realize that Ken is just trying to be his usual helpful self.  

 

Edited March 19, 2021 by Another_Critic

[ridge4]

@DCGuy64, @Goodtime Cruizin, I hope we sail with you someday!

 

[Ken at the beach]

3 minutes ago, Another_Critic said:

No problem.  IMO, it confuses people when people post non-RCI topics in an RCI forum.

 

What I personally think would have been better is to post this thread in the Celebrity forum (if there isn't already one posted) and simply post a link in the "related" RCI in Nassau thread.  That way the threads would hopefully be more on topic rather than full of speculation that one line will follow another line.  But of course, what would CC be without speculation.  😀

 

P.S.  I realize that Ken is just trying to be his usual helpful self.  

 

This information broke an hour or so prior to Royal’s announcement and at the time  was good information to post here being under the same company.  It definitely has caused a bit of confusion with Royal’s announcement following shortly after. 
 

Unfortunately both seem to have devolved into discussions by the usual suspects and some new ones over vaccines and masks instead of the positive news that it is.  

[DCGuy64]

2 minutes ago, ridge4 said:

@DCGuy64, @Goodtime Cruizin, I hope we sail with you someday!

 

Ditto!

[cured]

1 hour ago, DCGuy64 said:

 

I think it's a fantastic idea. My wife and I have visited there a couple of times (on cruises), and even considered vacationing there. I would guess, and it's only a guess, that if cruises begin there, more airlines will have flights and maybe, only maybe, prices will come down. Only time and the market will tell. I think it's great that Royal are doing this. If the response is positive, I'd expect to see them do the same in other ports.

 

It is actually my dream vacation. A week vacationing in St. Maarten followed by a cruise.  I hope they are still doing it next year when the rest of my party feels comfortable sailing.

[ECCruise]

1 hour ago, Goodtime Cruizin said:

 

I know enough about aircraft ventilation systems to recognize BS. Still to this day, the CDC's guidelines tells us that airline travel is not good and should only be used for essential travel. Well that is a crock. Either it's bad or it isn't. We can kill ourselves and other if we think flying somewhere is essential. It's BS. The airline industry put pressure on the CDC. It's either bad or it isn't. 

Whose BS?  Engineers?  Scientists?  Aeronautical experts?  

And if the airline industry "put pressure on the CDC" it didn't appear to work if they are, as you say, recommending it only for "essential travel."

[Sunshine3601]

I was playing out with airfare and looks like to fly from PHL to Princess Juliana (SXM) is about $500 pp economy with 1 stop.      Fly non-stop to Nassau for $315.    

I wonder if air2sea will have any deals. 

[ECCruise]

1 hour ago, Goodtime Cruizin said:

 

And another thing.... I've heard the schpeel regarding aircraft vent systms before.. And I'll tell you the same thing I've told others... if you are in the middle seat and I'm in the window seat... we're breathing the same damn air friend. Yes, they have a different vent system, I get it... but do not pass along bogus crap to feed into your agenda... we'd be breathing the same air. And you're smart enough to know this too. 

 

I agree.  If you are not flying Delta and someone is in the middle seat next to you and you are both eating or drinking, you WILL be breathing the same air, mitigated somewhat by the air vent flow. 

But that is not what you said.  You said "all breathing the same air" and that is simply not even close to being true. 

 

I am not the least concerned about flying.  Nor, subject to the parameters (and the price) concerned about cruising.  I also don't have an ax to grind.

[Ken at the beach]

7 minutes ago, Sunshine3601 said:

I was playing out with airfare and looks like to fly from PHL to Princess Juliana (SXM) is about $500 pp economy with 1 stop.      Fly non-stop to Nassau for $315.    

I wonder if air2sea will have any deals. 

Air 2 Sea locked in a lot of rates early so there could be some savings if airlines start raising prices. 

[molsonschooner]

10 hours ago, mo&fran said:

Can you imagine the nightmare of loading 2000 passengers and luggage and provisioning the ship. They did it in Bayonne before the new terminal was built.

I was wondering the same thing. Same thing in Bahamas. And with Adventure cruising from there, I can imagine the mess it could be. 

[Goodtime Cruizin]

5 hours ago, ridge4 said:

@DCGuy64, @Goodtime Cruizin, I hope we sail with you someday!

 

 

What a kind thing to say. It could happen! 

[the more ports the better]

If I were CEO of RCCL for a day, I would buy a few of the high speed ferries that run from Ft Lauderdale to Grand Bahama.  I would run them from Port Everglades to Nassau.  They hold about 600 people and take about 45 min to Grand Bahama so maybe 75 min to Nassau.

 

They would have so much more control over their sailings as opposed to counting on flights.  I think people would be much more willing to sail if the flights were taken out of equation.  Check in could be done on the ride over once in international waters and passengers could be dropped off right at the ship.  Plenty of parking at Port Everglades too.

[broberts]

1 minute ago, the more ports the better said:

If I were CEO of RCCL for a day, I would buy a few of the high speed ferries that run from Ft Lauderdale to Grand Bahama.  I would run them from Port Everglades to Nassau.  They hold about 600 people and take about 45 min to Grand Bahama so maybe 75 min to Nassau.

 

They would have so much more control over their sailings as opposed to counting on flights.  I think people would be much more willing to sail if the flights were taken out of equation.  Check in could be done on the ride over once in international waters and passengers could be dropped off right at the ship.  Plenty of parking at Port Everglades too.

 

Would high speed ferries not run into the same CDC issues as cruise ships?