What is your new expected return date to cruising?

[iancal]

It is a moving target.  As will be the public's confidence level in cruising once cruises restart.

[clo]

5 hours ago, iancal said:

It is a moving target.  As will be the public's confidence level in cruising once cruises restart.

I can't give you a or any specific examples but I want any cruise line that I use would act ethically. Tell the truth. Transparency.

[Ashland]

I just booked the Mexican Riviera cruise for Jan 2022 which will sail from my home port so no need to fly...Very optimistic this cruise will sail and we'll be on it.

[davekathy]

13 March 2022. First leg of our B2B cruise. 🍻

[K32682]

The date gets further pushed out for Canada. The government isn't even letting outbound oil tankers sail when a crew member tests positive.

 

[Ashland]

5 hours ago, davekathy said:

13 March 2022. First leg of our B2B cruise. 🍻

March 20 & 27 2022 was to be my first.... but I couldn't not support the return of RCI.

after years and years of hoping they would come back.

[clo]

I just read that rates of infection are going up in 38 states. I see no change - no positive ones anyway - any time soon. Nevada is one of the 38 and we were getting close to restrictions being lifted. I'm sure that's going to be canceled. And honestly? IMO that's what is the right thing to do.

 

[Hlitner]

22 minutes ago, clo said:

I just read that rates of infection are going up in 38 states. I see no change - no positive ones anyway - any time soon. Nevada is one of the 38 and we were getting close to restrictions being lifted. I'm sure that's going to be canceled. And honestly? IMO that's what is the right thing to do.

 

The odds of being struck by lightning is about 1 in 15,000.  The odds of somebody who has been fully vaccinated with the Pfizer Vaccine dying from COVID is about 1 in a million (based on statistics released today) and Moderna is about the same.  When Dr. Fauci was asked today at what level could we get back to normal he could not answer the question.  Dr. Fauci then was asked why a fully vaccinated person needed to wear a mask and after hesitating he said that fully vaccinated folks could still get COVID.  But two weeks ago the Director of the CDC (Dr. Walensky) said that fully vaccinated folks do not get or spread COVID (we now know that about 0.008 % do have a breakthrough and get COVID although nearly all have asymptomatic or mild cases.  About .00005% of fully vaccinated need to be hospitalized with COVID and about 0.0001% die.  That is about 1 in a million.  So a fully vaccinated person is 60 times more likely to be struck by lightening then die of COVID.  Go figure.

 

So here is the bottom line...and I am just using math.  Certain folks in our government now seem to working with a zero risk tolerance level (likely because they do not want to give up any of their new power).    So if some of us are a bit confused by the daily mixed messaging coming out of our "expert's mouths" it is only because we can do the math.

 

Now if you want to have some math fun, using the available statistics try to calculate the odds that 3000 fully vaccinated (and tested) souls on a cruise ship would have a single case of COVID!   I believe, on average, it would be about 2/10 of a single person and that is not even factoring in testing which would make it even less likely.  

 

Hank

[ysolde]

We are currently booked on a transatlantic from Rome to NYC in November 2022.  We usually travel to Europe in the fall on business, so that would work out perfectly.  We couldn't go last year, and don't foresee going this year.  We'll see how it looks in 2022.

[ldubs]

2 hours ago, Hlitner said:

The odds of being struck by lightning is about 1 in 15,000.  The odds of somebody who has been fully vaccinated with the Pfizer Vaccine dying from COVID is about 1 in a million (based on statistics released today) and Moderna is about the same.  When Dr. Fauci was asked today at what level could we get back to normal he could not answer the question.  Dr. Fauci then was asked why a fully vaccinated person needed to wear a mask and after hesitating he said that fully vaccinated folks could still get COVID.  But two weeks ago the Director of the CDC (Dr. Walensky) said that fully vaccinated folks do not get or spread COVID (we now know that about 0.008 % do have a breakthrough and get COVID although nearly all have asymptomatic or mild cases.  About .00005% of fully vaccinated need to be hospitalized with COVID and about 0.0001% die.  That is about 1 in a million.  So a fully vaccinated person is 60 times more likely to be struck by lightening then die of COVID.  Go figure.

 

 

 

You dare to question the new national hero!  😄   I understood his stance but think it is another case of poor communication by our public health officials.   How could he not anticipate this type of question.   

[Honolulu Blue]

On 3/23/2021 at 7:35 AM, Honolulu Blue said:

The TL,DR of this post is that my next scheduled cruise is in Q1 2022 and there's an increasingly slim chance I'll schedule another cruise before then. 

 

I changed my mind as circumstances changed.  I booked a cabin on the NCL Gem in September of this year.  I liked the "good" protocols, decided I could live with the "bad" ones, and appreciate the chance at another adventure and being, to some degree, a trailblazer (or guinea pig, whatever).

 

I still reserve the right to book another cruise even before September if something else interesting comes up.  I don't expect it to, but you never know.

[SelectSys]

16 hours ago, Hlitner said:

So here is the bottom line...and I am just using math.  Certain folks in our government now seem to working with a zero risk tolerance level (likely because they do not want to give up any of their new power).    So if some of us are a bit confused by the daily mixed messaging coming out of our "expert's mouths" it is only because we can do the math.

I think the zero risk tolerance level really pervades government thinking.  The public doesn't understand risk management at all and the easiest thing for the government to do is to accept no risk at all even at the expense of other things.

 

16 hours ago, clo said:

Maybe you should take your bias elsewhere. I think you're beginning to embarrass yourself.

We all have biases.  Your bias is to accept no risk.  That is fine.   Others can have different reasoned opinions (biases?) that you may not to agree with.   I actually thought the post by @Hlitner was pretty good as it makes an attempt to quantify the actual risks associated with a restart of cruising.

 

13 hours ago, ldubs said:

You dare to question the new national hero! 

Humans seem to have an eternal need to create heroes!

https://blog.richmond.edu/heroes/2013/05/17/10-reasons-why-we-need-heroes/

1.  We’re born to have heroes

2.  Heroes nurture us when we’re young

3.  Heroes reveal our missing qualities

4.  Heroes save us when we’re in trouble

5.  Heroes pick us up when we’re down

6.  Heroes give us hope

7.  Heroes validate our preferred moral worldview

8.  Heroes provide dramatic, entertaining stories

9.  Heroes solve problems

10.  Heroes deliver justice

 

Of course one person's hero might be another person's villain! 

[davekathy]

20 hours ago, Ashland said:

March 20 & 27 2022 was to be my first.... but I couldn't not support the return of RCI.

after years and years of hoping they would come back.

Currently we are very confident that our March 2022 RC B2B Caribbean cruise will be a go. 

[SelectSys]

18 hours ago, clo said:

I just read that rates of infection are going up in 38 states. I see no change - no positive ones anyway - any time soon. Nevada is one of the 38 and we were getting close to restrictions being lifted. I'm sure that's going to be canceled. And honestly? IMO that's what is the right thing to do.

 

Look to Israel as a leading indicator when it comes to COVID and vaccines.  Israel experienced some upticks in their case loads as vaccinations progressed.  Now the case rates are quite a bit lower and the serious cases/deaths even lower.  My belief/hope is that the US will follow the Israel pattern as vaccinations continue to move forward.

 

Vaccinations make us about 2 months behind Israel.  Like our CA governor says, my guess is that will likely be running fairly normally by the middle of June.  Time will tell if this really comes to pass.

 

 

[SelectSys]

20 hours ago, Ashland said:

March 20 & 27 2022 was to be my first.... but I couldn't not support the return of RCI.

after years and years of hoping they would come back.

I am almost certain to follow your lead on booking something from LA at some point.

[lenquixote66]

On 4/14/2021 at 4:42 PM, iancal said:

It is a moving target.  As will be the public's confidence level in cruising once cruises restart.

Since posting on CC last evening I spoke to two people who normally cruise a lot and both said they will not return to cruising .Both are elderly with medical issues.

[clo]

2 hours ago, SelectSys said:

Your bias is to accept no risk. 

Absolutely not. As I've said 🙂 I drink tap water all over the world 🙂 But I have enormous respect for the CDC and am going to abide by their recommendations. I've found no one who can prove they're wrong.

[clo]

2 hours ago, SelectSys said:

Of course one person's hero might be another person's villain! 

Or someone's hero may be the one who gives you the answer you want to hear.

[ldubs]

4 hours ago, SelectSys said:

Look to Israel as a leading indicator when it comes to COVID and vaccines.  Israel experienced some upticks in their case loads as vaccinations progressed.  Now the case rates are quite a bit lower and the serious cases/deaths even lower.  My belief/hope is that the US will follow the Israel pattern as vaccinations continue to move forward.

 

Vaccinations make us about 2 months behind Israel.  Like our CA governor says, my guess is that will likely be running fairly normally by the middle of June.  Time will tell if this really comes to pass.

 

 

 

 

 

It was my understanding that the vaccine will reduce hospitalizations and deaths.   Those with the vaccine that tested positive would have an easier time of it.   Good to see that is happening.    A focus on case counts alone is not productive.    

[clo]

45 minutes ago, fyree39 said:

I'm retired, but my husband is a DoD employee. It's not "zero risk tolerance" on base as people have been going in to work for months. Things are nearly back to normal. What's different under the new leadership is employees are given the option to work from home if all of their work can indeed be done remotely. 

 

We have a Havana cabin on the Panorama in December 2021. We really want to go on that cruise, even if it means we hang out in the Havana area for the week. 

 

Covid and an end to cruising for a year has made it possible for us to look at other vacation options: Europe, AIs, an RV purchase next year for exploration of the US. We typically have 4 or more cruises booked up to three years in advance at any one time. Now I'm just looking at getting these last two done and we'll see what we want to do in the years to come. Once we move to the Tampa area in a few years, we may start cruising regularly again. We'll see. We haven't spent any money on travel this past year and that's shown me exactly how much we were sending the way of the cruise lines every single year since we got hooked on cruise ships. Our accounts are flush at present. I think I'm done with one cruise after the next after the next, so onwards and upwards.

I think your final paragraph is really, really important. We have a big, beautiful world and almost countless ways to see it. Maybe some people who got kinda "hooked" on cruises will broaden their horizons.

 

PS: We bought our (used) motorhome in October 2019 and, boy, did that industry go crazy busy. We did Vegas, Malibu, Death Valley, Yosemite, Yellowstone, and bunches of 'stuff' between NorCal and Seattle. I still would like to get on an intl flight - Polaris business class please - and head probably to Europe. But we're content to stay around here probably for another year.

[SelectSys]

On 4/16/2021 at 2:18 PM, clo said:

Or someone's hero may be the one who gives you the answer you want to hear.

This is definitely a strategy that is leveraged by politicians of all stripes these days!  Perhaps it has always been that way.  The only thing that has changed are the specifics of what is said.  

 

On 4/16/2021 at 4:52 PM, ldubs said:

 

It was my understanding that the vaccine will reduce hospitalizations and deaths.   Those with the vaccine that tested positive would have an easier time of it.   Good to see that is happening.    A focus on case counts alone is not productive.    

This is a good point.  Cases have really never been equal in terms of who they impact and now with the most vulnerable getting their vaccines first it should be even more pronounced in terms of medical resources consumed and more tragically, death.  With the 50+ group representing over 90% of COVID deaths, I expect to see deaths and severe cases to fall all  even sooner than cases counts as this group is more highly vaccinated than other groups.

 

BTW - the beach near us was packed this weekend and I didn't see hardly anyone wearing masks.

 

 

2 hours ago, fyree39 said:

I'm retired, but my husband is a DoD employee. It's not "zero risk tolerance" on base as people have been going in to work for months. Things are nearly back to normal. What's different under the new leadership is employees are given the option to work from home if all of their work can indeed be done remotely. 

 

... We haven't spent any money on travel this past year and that's shown me exactly how much we were sending the way of the cruise lines every single year since we got hooked on cruise ships. Our accounts are flush at present. I think I'm done with one cruise after the next after the next, so onwards and upwards.

Our management is looking to start the process of reintegration of onsite work the engineering and support staff in August.  I am not looking forward to going back to the office after being out for more than a year.  It may push me finally into retirement.

 

Your comment regarding no travel and being flush make it seem that prices will be really high once travel gets rolling again.  Many, many people are in the same situation with lots of discretionary income just "sitting on the sidelines."

Edited April 19, 2021 by SelectSys

[crzndeb]

I have a B5B booked for next Mar-May on Royal. My worry is Australia letting us come there. This will be my longest cruise yet (54 days), so I’m definitely making up for the missed time.

I cruise as a solo female, and it’s where I feel safest. I can get from location to location easily, and I always know where my next meal is. And I only have to pack and unpack once. And I find it a more economical way of travel for myself. Some solo’s may feel perfectly fine traveling the world alone, but I prefer to see it with cruising. It’s just my personal choice.

[clo]

2 hours ago, SelectSys said:

Our management is looking to start the process of reintegration of onsite work the engineering and support staff in August.  I am not looking forward to going back to the office after being out for more than a year.  It may push me finally into retirement.

 

I saw that Salesforce is bringing back in limited numbers and it will be discretionary on the part of the employee. I would think if you've been able to WFH in a way that satisfies everybody hopefully you can continue. And maybe if they fear that you'll retire if they force the issue...wel, you get the point 🙂 Good luck.

[SelectSys]

1 hour ago, clo said:

I saw that Salesforce is bringing back in limited numbers and it will be discretionary on the part of the employee. I would think if you've been able to WFH in a way that satisfies everybody hopefully you can continue. And maybe if they fear that you'll retire if they force the issue...wel, you get the point 🙂 Good luck.

My latest departure is 7/1/2022 regardless of working from home or not.  It's not that big a deal.  If COVID had not come along I wouldn't have taken on more work and would probably have already been gone by now.

[clo]

19 minutes ago, SelectSys said:

My latest departure is 7/1/2022 regardless of working from home or not.  It's not that big a deal.  If COVID had not come along I wouldn't have taken on more work and would probably have already been gone by now.

Goody gumdrops!!! I've said scores of times that my favorite part of retirement is getting up in the AM, making a cup of coffee and just sitting down and drinking it.