Atlas World Navigator Quarantined in Argentina, Jan. 6th cruise cancelled

[keokukjoe]

Just learned from friends that their cruise on Jan. 6, (tomorrow) is cancelled because the ship is being quarantined in Argentina because of a Covid outbreak. They learned this in Orlando after they took their Atlas administered Covid antigen tests while waiting to board the charter flight. They were supposed to board the charter flight to Argentina about 30 minutes after they learned that their cruise was cancelled. Apparently, the expedition staff is affected. Don't know about the passengers and the rest of the crew. Don't know if the Argentinians will allow anyone to disembark the ship. Our friends are staying overnight in Orlando and planning on flying back home tomorrow. I think that they are awaiting new flights from Atlas Air but may just book return flights on their own. So disappointed but better that they learned this while still in the USA. I hope that everyone on the ship is safe. They can't get much info other than this.

[amunhbuu]

Saw that on another site.  Sad for those involved, but I would rather know before making the flight down to Argentina.

[skrink]

Thank you for posting this.  Please let us know if you hear more.

[anonymousegirl]

I was on the December 19th sailing. So sad to hear this news and in particular that it hit the expedition staff. They became like family on our cruise. We got home at late Wednesday night and got covid tests on Friday (luckily, negative)

[vicd1969]

I was on the Jan 6 sailing. It was an emotional roller coaster for me. Atlas tested everyone with PCR on the day of departure. Which was very valuable since I still haven't gotten my original test result from my county health department as I'm writing this post (took the test on Monday Jan 3). But it was stressful being in the waiting room until getting my negative result an hour later. Then it was about an 1.5 hour of elation as we celebrated the impending boarding while being entertained and dined at the hotel ballroom. Only for all of to come crashing down with the bad news about the cancellation. That was beyond Atlas's control and I'm pretty sure if they had known earlier, they wouldn't be spending for the expensive rapid PCR testing for all passengers. The cancellation, while very disappointing, was largely due to the Argentinian authorities.

 

However, lots of passengers have expressed concern about the compensation being offered. As of right now, there is no cash refund and only future cruise credits being offered (100% future credit for next year's Antarctica sailings and 50% for any other 2022 cruise). So if the price of the cruise goes up next year (likely since I got a nice discount when I booked mine this year), or worse yet, Atlas doesn't survive as an entity next year, it would cost me some significant money. I'm either unlikely to be able to sail on any other 2022 summer/fall cruise due to timing or non-interest in the itinerary. We did get some generous meal vouchers and two nights at the airport hotel, along with a day pass to Universal studios. Hopefully, the rest of the 2021-2022 Antarctic sailings will happen, but you're definitely going to have to have a high level of risk tolerance at this time.

[cruiserchuck]

11 hours ago, vicd1969 said:

However, lots of passengers have expressed concern about the compensation being offered. As of right now, there is no cash refund and only future cruise credits being offered (100% future credit for next year's Antarctica sailings and 50% for any other 2022 cruise). So if the price of the cruise goes up next year (likely since I got a nice discount when I booked mine this year), or worse yet, Atlas doesn't survive as an entity next year, it would cost me some significant money. 

 

If this happened to me, I would contact my credit card company and do a chargeback.  You generally have 540 days after the transaction was processed to do a chargeback for a purchase of a future service, such as a cruise, that is cancelled/not provided by the cruise line.  

[deedee1054]

Thanks for these informative posts. We are scheduled to go on the Feb 2 World Navigator sailing, so fingers crossed! I'm especially glad they are doing RT-PCR testing at Orlando since I am likely to be in the same boat as @vicd1969 with PCR test results from CVS or wherever not coming back in a timely fashion.

 

If you don't accept the FCC/can't sail in 2022, do you know if insurance covers the cancellation? This is my first cruise ever, so I have no idea how these things work. 

[skrink]

On 1/7/2022 at 12:15 PM, deedee1054 said:

If you don't accept the FCC/can't sail in 2022, do you know if insurance covers the cancellation? This is my first cruise ever, so I have no idea how these things work. 

 

That would depend on the terms of the policy you bought.  You have to read yours to get your answer. 

Edited January 8, 2022 by skrink

[RMcH]

On 1/5/2022 at 7:19 PM, keokukjoe said:

Just learned from friends that their cruise on Jan. 6, (tomorrow) is cancelled because the ship is being quarantined in Argentina because of a Covid outbreak. They learned this in Orlando after they took their Atlas administered Covid antigen tests while waiting to board the charter flight. They were supposed to board the charter flight to Argentina about 30 minutes after they learned that their cruise was cancelled. Apparently, the expedition staff is affected. Don't know about the passengers and the rest of the crew. Don't know if the Argentinians will allow anyone to disembark the ship. Our friends are staying overnight in Orlando and planning on flying back home tomorrow. I think that they are awaiting new flights from Atlas Air but may just book return flights on their own. So disappointed but better that they learned this while still in the USA. I hope that everyone on the ship is safe. They can't get much info other than this.

Thanks for posting this. Did you hear anything about the outcome? Is the ship quarantined or were people allowed to disembark? I am supposed to be heading to Antarctica via Argentina at the end of the month. Thank you. 

[murray_realtor]

I was on the December 28th sailing.  We were off the ship at 7am and sequestered in a hotel for 12 hours.  We were given an antigen test.  15 people tested positive and were not able to return home.  They need to quarantine in Argentina 7-10 days.

 

[vicd1969]

On 1/7/2022 at 1:07 AM, vicd1969 said:

 

 

However, lots of passengers have expressed concern about the compensation being offered. As of right now, there is no cash refund and only future cruise credits being offered (100% future credit for next year's Antarctica sailings and 50% for any other 2022 cruise). So if the price of the cruise goes up next year (likely since I got a nice discount when I booked mine this year), or worse yet, Atlas doesn't survive as an entity next year, it would cost me some significant money. I'm either unlikely to be able to sail on any other 2022 summer/fall cruise due to timing or non-interest in the itinerary. We did get some generous meal vouchers and two nights at the airport hotel, along with a day pass to Universal studios. Hopefully, the rest of the 2021-2022 Antarctic sailings will happen, but you're definitely going to have to have a high level of risk tolerance at this time.

 

Update on the compensation - Atlas, after hearing from passengers and travel agents, is now allowing a 150% future cruise credit for Antarctica, basically combining the separate 100% and the 50% cruise credit offers. Also a reminder that if you are a veteran or active military, you could get a 20% discount for yourself (not your cabin partner), in addition to the compensation FCCs. 

[harbormaster]

Where is the ship now?

 

[Rockinator20]

I too was on the January 6 cruise that was cancelled.  While cancellation was out of Atlas’ control, their response has been disappointing.  I know they are understaffed but their offer to credit us for another Antarctic cruise doesn’t work for me.  I’m hoping for a full refund, which I am told will not happen, or a full credit or more, for any of their other future cruises.

[Rockinator20]

On 1/7/2022 at 10:15 AM, deedee1054 said:

Thanks for these informative posts. We are scheduled to go on the Feb 2 World Navigator sailing, so fingers crossed! I'm especially glad they are doing RT-PCR testing at Orlando since I am likely to be in the same boat as @vicd1969 with PCR test results from CVS or wherever not coming back in a timely fashion.

 

If you don't accept the FCC/can't sail in 2022, do you know if insurance covers the cancellation? This is my first cruise ever, so I have no idea how these things work. 

I was told by my insurance that if I had Covid they would reimburse but since the trip was cancelled due to  considered that a pandemic and would not cover my loss.  I am still trying to pursue…