are you guy booking 2023 cruises or wait for better Covid news/pricing?

[E46M3]

appreciate everyone's input! fares went down to $3450 this morning for a family of 4 with non-refundable deposit of $1000. The way I'm looking at it is like this.. refundable fares are $4250 so $800 more. If bookiing a refundable, I'd lose $800 if I go on this cruise. But on the contrary, I"d lose $1000 if I don't go on this cruise given if RCCL doesn't extend its Covid refund policy. The only reason I might lose more is if fares come down. But looking at this April spring break, fares are very similar... So I guess maybe it's a  good bet to book now... still deciding, I have two more days to lock in this fare. 

[sparks1093]

3 minutes ago, E46M3 said:

appreciate everyone's input! fares went down to $3450 this morning for a family of 4 with non-refundable deposit of $1000. The way I'm looking at it is like this.. refundable fares are $4250 so $800 more. If bookiing a refundable, I'd lose $800 if I go on this cruise. But on the contrary, I"d lose $1000 if I don't go on this cruise given if RCCL doesn't extend its Covid refund policy. The only reason I might lose more is if fares come down. But looking at this April spring break, fares are very similar... So I guess maybe it's a  good bet to book now... still deciding, I have two more days to lock in this fare. 

Is it actually forfeited or is it available as a future credit? If one makes a non-refundable deposit with CCL $50 is non-refundable and the other $200 is held as a credit. (I'm not too familiar with Royal's policy.)

[sfaaa]

I already have 4 cruises booked for 2023. All with refundable or very low deposit. Now waiting for 2024 cruise schedules to come out and book more. 

[Ferry_Watcher]

3 hours ago, cruisingguy007 said:

Not a chance I'm leaving any money tied up right now, or in the near future.

I see that you are not bullish on the survival of the cruise lines.  Can I ask, do you have your money in any type of investments, stocks, money market accounts - like the ones that across the board have done really well despite the pandemic?  Or did you take everything that you have/had and just put it into a safe, but non-interest earning bank account?    

[Ashley321]

I will just be booking last minute cruises at this point. 

[John Bull]

In the UK (and Australia and most of Europe) we don't have the luxury of cancelling and getting refunds - with very few and limited Covid-related exceptions, our deposits are forfeit from the moment they're paid.

We're not aware of any insurance to cancel "for any reason" available in the UK. 

So we have to be much more circumspect about booking.

 

There are bargains for sailings in the next few weeks & months. We considered a January fly-cruise to the Caribbean priced way below pre-Covid levels but research showed so many restrictions that we decided against - mask-wearing airport entrance to airport exit for about 12 hours each-way, mask-wearing on the ship in many public areas (corridors, theatres, etc), no shared dining tables, no self-service, etc. And ashore some ports closed & others requiring testing, some locations closed, some curfews, beaches open only for excercise or swimming, some islands open only for ship-sponsored excursions, etc. And of course the possibility of further restrictions on the ship or on the islands. Restrictions you'd put up with if you had to travel for business, but - for us at least - not something we'd put up with for a vacation, even at a bargain price.

 

Europe - and even domestic vacationing - aren't really worthwhile in the winter, and warmer climes are distant and subject to their own restrictions. New Zealand is ideal at this time of year - even worth mask-wearing for the long flights - but New Zealand is closed to visitors on vacation.

 

So we're just sitting it out until the Spring.

We know that prices will rise as the virus and its restrictions decline. But altho we feel positive about the decline of the virus and restrictions, we don't know when that will be.

 

If we had  refund rights (that's refunds, not future cruise credits) and bargain prices we'd book - no, we'd over-book - cruises for this coming summer & beyond. Especially for 2023 !!! 🙂

 

But for now we'll just stay home & cosy, and consider road-trips for home & overseas for when the weather is more worthy and restrictions are both relaxed & unlikely to be reinstated.

Some Brits are currently vacationing in southern Spain - we just might join them in the Spring and accept some restrictions

 

Sorry for being so negative.🙄

 

JB 🙂

[navybankerteacher]

The cruise lines are in an interesting position right now.  They need to keep fares low to attract as many  as possible to make bookings in today’s chancy environment.  But, once COVID wanes as a threat (as it is sure to) the lines will have to boost revenue significantly - and quickly - to pay down the massive debts incurred over the past two plus years. 
 

At this point, booking 2023 cruises at today’s prices looks very attractive.  Of course there is the chance of insolvency proceedings wiping out your  deposit - but a few hundred dollars put at risk now could bring major savings in a year or two.

[ldubs]

On 2/2/2022 at 6:44 AM, Joebucks said:

What would you be waiting for? COVID to disappear? Perfect economic conditions? I understand some of the timing, concerns, etc out there. Some of you need to move on. We are now 2 years into this. 2 years ago, many of you mistakenly thought the grass would be greener now. Now you think it will be greener in the future. Maybe? Maybe not. The amount of "stress and anxiety" people post about on here is off the charts. I get not wanting to fail the COVID test. It's not the end of the world though.

 

Meanwhile, many people are cruising now. I can assure you. They are overwhelmingly not stressed and anxious.

 

On 2/2/2022 at 8:36 AM, Keksie said:

Waiting for the unenjoyable protocols to go away.  Even if that takes a long time.  The grass is greener other places.

 

I'm with Keksie on this.  I'm waiting until COVID is managed enough to eliminate masking requirements.  Has nothing to do with stress & anxiety.  Has everything to do with my enjoying the cruise.  

 

 

[SPacificbound]

We have a recent booking for August 2022. Final payment time comes we'll make a decision then.

 

 

 

 

[Joebucks]

12 hours ago, ldubs said:

 

 

I'm with Keksie on this.  I'm waiting until COVID is managed enough to eliminate masking requirements.  Has nothing to do with stress & anxiety.  Has everything to do with my enjoying the cruise.  

 

Hopefully, you at least found a different trip to take. 

 

I, too, loathe masks. We still had an absolute blast on our cruise. We didn't let wearing them while walking indoors or sitting in a club ruin it for us.

[Keksie]

21 minutes ago, Joebucks said:

 

Hopefully, you at least found a different trip to take. 

 

I, too, loathe masks. We still had an absolute blast on our cruise. We didn't let wearing them while walking indoors or sitting in a club ruin it for us.

We have several trips planned for this year.  All driving to places that don't require testing or masks.  My only stress is hoping the house sitter works out.  Wearing a mask would have ruined the trip for me.  

[ldubs]

1 hour ago, Joebucks said:

 

Hopefully, you at least found a different trip to take. 

 

I, too, loathe masks. We still had an absolute blast on our cruise. We didn't let wearing them while walking indoors or sitting in a club ruin it for us.

 

We have been spending a lot of time up and down the Northern California coast.  This is one of my favorite areas.  We will likely book a DIY land trip in Europe soon.  

 

I'm happy you and others are enjoying cruises.  I can't wait to get back.