October repositioning cruise

[gramwold]

Has anyone booked  the Marella Discovery  repositioning cruise 19 nights in October 2021.  We would love to book it but we cant find out from tui  the cost of all the tests needed for 11 different ports.  Its not clear if you would need tests in all as things change almost daily.    I do see that you are able to go ashore on your own now.     like a lot of people  if the cost is excessive  or its a lot of hassle,  we will leave it  until next year.

 

many thanks 

 

Graham

[Riocca]

38 minutes ago, gramwold said:

Has anyone booked  the Marella Discovery  repositioning cruise 19 nights in October 2021.  We would love to book it but we cant find out from tui  the cost of all the tests needed for 11 different ports.  Its not clear if you would need tests in all as things change almost daily.    I do see that you are able to go ashore on your own now.     like a lot of people  if the cost is excessive  or its a lot of hassle,  we will leave it  until next year.

 

many thanks 

 

Graham

With more Caribbean islands being added to the red list and Marella now allowing fee free changes on the whole of the Caribbean season these cruises have to be in doubt. 
If they do go ahead, personally I think the level of complications regarding testing and entry requirements would make it more of an obstacle race than a holiday. We are booked on Explorer 2 for January and have already given up any thoughts of going, just waiting to see if Marella cancel or if we have to move to something in 2023.

[gramwold]

thanks Riocca for the info, it looks very unlikely that we will book this. Very sad really we are  doubtful  that the cruise industry  can survive if this thing drags on and on.

[Riocca]

35 minutes ago, gramwold said:

thanks Riocca for the info, it looks very unlikely that we will book this. Very sad really we are  doubtful  that the cruise industry  can survive if this thing drags on and on.

Sad really, I think it’s going to take a different mind set from both cruise companies and passengers to come through this. As tempting as the Caribbean is I think the Canaries might be the best we can do for winter sunshine for a couple of years. Way things are going it might be 2024 or 2025 before we venture further than European itineraries.

[gramwold]

all you say may very well be true, but i hope you are way off the mark.  I doubt the cruise  industry could survive  in that kind of  future.

[Pensioncruiser]

We are really missing our cruises, four a year minimum, but think at the moment far too many hoops for us, as oldies, to jump through hope it will come back but it may be a bit late for us. We may be booking something for 2023 with our vouchers but flying is a definite no no. Good luck to everyone who are booked. 

[Tizzy-Jo]

2 hours ago, Pensioncruiser said:

We are really missing our cruises, four a year minimum, but think at the moment far too many hoops for us, as oldies, to jump through hope it will come back but it may be a bit late for us. We may be booking something for 2023 with our vouchers but flying is a definite no no. Good luck to everyone who are booked. 

Hear hear. Absolutely  agree. I so miss my cruises. As a solo cruiser I enjoyed meeting others, and of course, the wonderful crew. Hopefully, in the next year or so, I will feel comfortable enough to make a booking.

[howmuch!]

Hopefully, Marella will do more cruises from the UK next year, as flying/airports are an added risk.

 

We have avoided most 'normal' things in the last 18 months apart from essential food shopping, but as things are likely to deteriorate in the coming winter months, and you can't put life on hold indefinitely, we took a risk, and booked the 7 day UK cruise from Southampton up the west coast, at the last minute as it was my wife's 70th birthday, and our Golden wedding anniversary in October. We have just returned, and I have to say, we felt very safe with all the precautions taken by Marella. Passengers were very compliant with the rules imposed.

 

We have just done two lateral flow tests since returning, thankfully both clear, and will be repeating the tests in a few days time to double check.

Edited August 29, 2021 by howmuch!