Cruise cancellation extended until 17th September 2021

[OzKiwiJJ]

I've been saying that for months. Hopefully the people here who are negotiating with the governments over cruising restarting will be able to use some of the success stories from overseas restarts to help build their case, especially the examples where Covid did get onboard but did not spread on the ship since all passengers and crew were vaccinated.

 

All we can do is hope that soon our governments will see sense and realize that a cruise under Covid-safe protocols is probably as safe, if not safer, than having Australians, vaccinated and unvaccinated, travelling all over the country by other means.

[frantic36]

I have international friends just about to board a cruise in Greece on the 3rd. They just sent a photo of them enjoying breakfast on a rooftop terrace overlooking the Parthenon...I must admit to a twinge of envy 😊.

 

So hoping this cruise goes well so more evidence for ability of fully vaccinated cruises to go ahead. I really hope we can at least open a trans-Tasman cruise bubble by the end of the year with fully vaccinated local passengers.

[getting older slowly]

i am reaching the point... where... just pull the plug.....

 

I am a person who lived for holidays, even more so since retirement....

 

Love the planing and counting the days down ..  the cancelled cruises of 2020 were the first holidays ever cancelled.   Now with lock downs... open and closed borders... a magical date when the masses will be vaccinated....

For now the outlook is just more of what has happen the last year.... no lights in tunnels or pegs in the sand....  everything in is limbo land...

 

Holiday options and planing have been kept local...   and booked only a short time in advance...

 

Right off the soap box before one slips... and puts foot in mouth....lol

 

Definitely time for a G&T.....   Don

[OzKiwiJJ]

I'm the same, Don, regards holidays. Well, mostly cruise holidays. Land trips are such a hassle these days. After the big SA we did I'm not sure I've got the energy to do another. The constant driving was very tiring, so although we had a wonderful trip and enjoyed all the places we visited, we ended up feeling like we needed a holiday to recover from our holiday.

Edited June 29, 2021 by OzKiwiJJ

[gogo65]

Well not surprisingly our Kimberley cruise was cancelled today (I have been watching and expected it yesterday), exactly 60 days out. They hoped and hoped but clearly not enough to get them over the line. Ponant had advised they will give everyone 60 days notice. It’s a shame but expected. Now to decide…1. Swap to same cruise next year no change in price, 2. Book Ross sea Antartica and sub Antartica islands  in January 2022 (considerably more money but may be a once in a lifetime, have previously done Antartica from Ushuaia) utilising the ‘discount’ they’ve offered, but risking yet another cancellation or 3. Taking my money and run fast……

we had planned a 3 week road trip to NZ in August to replace the cruise but now that seems questionable at best, decisions, decisions…

[pully8]

Very challenging to book travel at present given the constant and sudden changes.

Odd reports of staff working in high risk exposure sites like the unvaccinated hospital worker infected with the Delta strain who went on the travel to Townsville and Magnetic island.

Millions locked down to reduce risk of infection. 

Northern territory locked down but open to a flight from India reported today.

We can dream of better days to come somewhere. 

  

[Port Power]

I posted this on another thread but it seems more appropriate here.  

 

Even if and when all the regulations and paperwork are good to go, I understand the problem is constant border closures.  It is the cruise lines that don’t want to take the risks of half their passengers not being able to board, or worse, disembark.

 

Don’s comment resonate with me, as well as gogo65.  I am booked on Ponant in September and October too.  This current round of lockdowns and border closures must have tipped Ponant over the edge.  Now to see if Azamara comes in December?

[Chiliburn]

2 hours ago, Port Power said:

I posted this on another thread but it seems more appropriate here.  

 

Even if and when all the regulations and paperwork are good to go, I understand the problem is constant border closures.  It is the cruise lines that don’t want to take the risks of half their passengers not being able to board, or worse, disembark.

 

Don’s comment resonate with me, as well as gogo65.  I am booked on Ponant in September and October too.  This current round of lockdowns and border closures must have tipped Ponant over the edge.  Now to see if Azamara comes in December?

We just didn’t have the population to fill the ships that usually come here,  even at half capacity .

And even if the boarders are open,it will be slow to pick up.

 I think some of the bigger ships will find new markets.

[OzKiwiJJ]

2 hours ago, Chiliburn said:

We just didn’t have the population to fill the ships that usually come here,  even at half capacity .

And even if the boarders are open,it will be slow to pick up.

 I think some of the bigger ships will find new markets.

I calculated, based on 2018 cruise stats, that we have enough avid cruisers to fill four smaller ships (less than 3000 pax normal capacity) to 50% capacity for the whole season, and the first few cruises of a restart will probably run at less than 50% capacity.

 

So four cruise lines could start up with one ship each and rotate their cruises among the various ports as the season, and cruise confidence, progresses.

[NSWP]

2 hours ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

I calculated, based on 2018 cruise stats, that we have enough avid cruisers to fill four smaller ships (less than 3000 pax normal capacity) to 50% capacity for the whole season, and the first few cruises of a restart will probably run at less than 50% capacity.

 

So four cruise lines could start up with one ship each and rotate their cruises among the various ports as the season, and cruise confidence, progresses.

That will not be cost effective, cruise companies will be losing too much money unless they raise fares and on board costs, i.e. drinks, tours etc considerably.

Edited June 30, 2021 by NSWP

[Aus Traveller]

2 hours ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

I calculated, based on 2018 cruise stats, that we have enough avid cruisers to fill four smaller ships (less than 3000 pax normal capacity) to 50% capacity for the whole season, and the first few cruises of a restart will probably run at less than 50% capacity.

 

So four cruise lines could start up with one ship each and rotate their cruises among the various ports as the season, and cruise confidence, progresses.

Maybe, when a good proportion of Aussies are vaccinated and the government allows cruising to re-start, the companies won't have to limit occupancy to 50%.

[Aus Traveller]

13 minutes ago, NSWP said:

That will not be cost effective, cruise companies will be losing too much money unless they raise fares and on board costs, i.e. drinks, tours etc considerably.

When the cruise companies re-start, maybe they won't make much money on their first cruises. It would be good marketing to reignite interest in cruising. The cruises that have been advertised have prices even lower than normal in some cases.

[NSWP]

26 minutes ago, Aus Traveller said:

When the cruise companies re-start, maybe they won't make much money on their first cruises. It would be good marketing to reignite interest in cruising. The cruises that have been advertised have prices even lower than normal in some cases.

Princess have stopped giving the Elite complimentary wifi minutes as well, if you check Princess Captains Circle new benefits.

Edited June 30, 2021 by NSWP

[Aus Traveller]

4 minutes ago, NSWP said:

Princess have stopped giving the Elite complimentary wifi minutes as well, of you check Princess Captains Circle new benefits.

I read that, but I will wait and see. Losing free internet won't stop me cruising. 🙂 I only use the internet to communicate with family. I can use the free 'postcard' system for outgoing messages but for incoming emails, I would have to buy some internet time.

[Blackduck59]

19 hours ago, heddyjan said:

How about this for an idea. As a Princess cruiser I’d like to see them bring (Maybe 2 or 3 ships) here.

Once here, quarantine FULLY VACCINATED crew, only allow Aus and NZ FULLY VACCINATED pax and then conduct Aus/NZ cruises only. 

No overseas pax. 

No international destinations 

..........and if any state or territory borders slam shut we just sail away.

Im afraid I’ve started to take a harder line with people who can, but won’t get vaccinated, scan before entering premises or wear their face masks with their noses exposed.

if they get sick ....... well, cull another idiot from the herd.

The percentage of serious side effects is soooooooo small as to be statistically irrelevant. Talk to the Doc first to see if you are likely to get an adverse reaction.

if you are and can’t get the AZ then perhaps don’t travel because you are putting yourself (and others) at risk.

The Government should announce an “Opening Date” and then there’ll be a sense of urgency to prepare.

Apologies for venting but this has all gone on far too long. 

Livelihoods are being destroyed and the cruise industry cannot sustain this much longer.

 

 

 

 

Good luck with that. If I'm a big cruise CEO I'm not bringing my ships or crews anywhere near a place with such a low vaccination rate. And the idea that that place will demand the terms for my crew's vaccination status? Really?

Let's get Australia and NZ somewhere close to the vaccination rate of the places where cruises are actually starting to operate again, then maybe there is a proper Business viability. Until then ask your PM where the vaccines are.

[OzKiwiJJ]

1 hour ago, NSWP said:

That will not be cost effective, cruise companies will be losing too much money unless they raise fares and on board costs, i.e. drinks, tours etc considerably.

I imagine the cruise lines will wear the costs for a while to get a restart happening. The overseas cruises that are operating are at reduced capacity. I think I saw 20% for one of the RCI ships.

[OzKiwiJJ]

48 minutes ago, Aus Traveller said:

Maybe, when a good proportion of Aussies are vaccinated and the government allows cruising to re-start, the companies won't have to limit occupancy to 50%.

I think they'll operate for a while at reduced capacity then slowly increase the capacity once they've proved it's safe.

[OzKiwiJJ]

39 minutes ago, NSWP said:

Princess have stopped giving the Elite complimentary wifi minutes as well, if you check Princess Captains Circle new benefits.

They've replaced it with a 50% discount on the MedallionNet package.

 

However if you like a few drinks onboard then booking with the Plus Fare option gives you a full drinks package and a full internet package for around $40pp per day extra, which is cheaper than we spent pp on drinks on the Hawaii/Tahiti cruise.

[Elorac123]

4 hours ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

 

However if you like a few drinks onboard then booking with the Plus Fare option gives you a full drinks package and a full internet package for around $40pp per day extra, which is cheaper than we spent pp on drinks on the Hawaii/Tahiti cruise.

Great value if we ever set sail I have it for my booked cruises.

Cheers Carole

[OzKiwiJJ]

9 minutes ago, Elorac123 said:

Great value if we ever set sail I have it for my booked cruises.

Cheers Carole

Yes, I've booked it for all our cruises. The only possible negative would be if it was difficult to get wine when we wanted it in the MDRs, which happened to us on a couple of cruises a few years ago. However I did notice on the Hawaii/Tahiti cruise we did in 2019 that the waiters were taking drinks orders on a device, and bar waiters were delivering them to the waiter stations. And, of course, with the Medallions it should be even more efficient ... I hope.

[Chiliburn]

22 hours ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

I calculated, based on 2018 cruise stats, that we have enough avid cruisers to fill four smaller ships (less than 3000 pax normal capacity) to 50% capacity for the whole season, and the first few cruises of a restart will probably run at less than 50% capacity.

 

So four cruise lines could start up with one ship each and rotate their cruises among the various ports as the season, and cruise confidence, progresses.

Here’s a screenshot of the airfare for someone booked on our December cruise.

Prices are the next thing to put tourist off.

 

[Fortunatefew]

I think it means there will be no announcements until September which the cruise lines are saying it’s far too late to put  their systems in place. 

[NSWP]

12 minutes ago, Chiliburn said:

Here’s a screenshot of the airfare for someone booked on our December cruise.

Prices are the next thing to put tourist off.

 

Crikey, it was $2000 return 2 years ago.

[Chiliburn]

7 minutes ago, NSWP said:

Crikey, it was $2000 return 2 years ago.

 You could get sydney to Hell A for under $1,000 .
I don’t know if airfares would come down like domestic ones have .

[NSWP]

1 minute ago, Chiliburn said:

 You could get sydney to Hell A for under $1,000 .
I don’t know if airfares would come down like domestic ones have .

Hell A, not heard that one, lol.