Resumption of Cruising

[Chiliburn]

When I see it I might believe it.

 

https://www.skynews.com.au/australia-news/politics/cruise-ship-ban-likely-to-lift-in-april/video/4c50c8b9c579c4a338b284190ee494bb

[OzKiwiJJ]

8 minutes ago, sewgood said:

My Princess cruise consultant mentioned earlier cruises on the Coral if the cruising ban was lifted but this was about 10 days ago.

I've been expecting Princess to do this, especially as they haven't redeployed Coral anywhere else. She was intended as our replacement for Sea Princess, to do the long itineraries during our winters.

 

Has anyone heard any announcements or rumours from the other regular cruise lines?

[portcbob]

Sounds like the restart is imminent. Hopefully this Wednesday we'll all find out.👍

[OzKiwiJJ]

Imminent isn't quite the term I'd use, especially given the lead time needed to get the ships here. 🤣

 

Still, every step now seems to be heading in the right direction.

[GUT2407]

They just said on 2GB that resumption will be from 14 April.

No idea how that works I guess they mean allowed from then.

[ekka49]

50 minutes ago, GUT2407 said:

They just said on 2GB that resumption will be from 14 April.

No idea how that works I guess they mean allowed from then.

Then at least 2/3 months to get them ready for service.

[OzKiwiJJ]

17 minutes ago, ekka49 said:

Then at least 2/3 months to get them ready for service.

Although if there has been negotiations going on behind the scenes some ships may already be gearing up for our restart. Probably all the P&O ships, and possibly Coral Princess. 

 

Coral Princess has returned from whatever it was doing in Spain and is now stooging around at Princess Cay in the Bahamas.

[ekka49]

4 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

Although if there has been negotiations going on behind the scenes some ships may already be gearing up for our restart. Probably all the P&O ships, and possibly Coral Princess. 

 

Coral Princess has returned from whatever it was doing in Spain and is now stooging around at Princess Cay in the Bahamas.

I agree but all  the ships will still need a crew and provisions.

[gbenjo]

1 hour ago, GUT2407 said:

They just said on 2GB that resumption will be from 14 April.

No idea how that works I guess they mean allowed from then.

Correct, I think it will be May or June before we physically see a ship.  I would say P&O and maybe Carnival, would be here by then . I believe Royal were entertaining the idea of having a ship here over the winter ( earlier in the Pandemic) but can’t  see them having enough time now before the usual October start. Hope I am wrong though ..I wouldn’t mind a couple of early mornings. 😁

Edited March 14, 2022 by gbenjo

[Hogbay]

P&O June, carnival October and royal November. 🤔

[OzKiwiJJ]

1 hour ago, ekka49 said:

I agree but all  the ships will still need a crew and provisions.

Yes but, again, negotiations for those could have been happening behind the scenes. However I don't think we'll see and ships much before June but hopefully we might get some domestic winter cruising. The Queensland Coast could get quite busy!

[SinbadThePorter]

44 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

Yes but, again, negotiations for those could have been happening behind the scenes. However I don't think we'll see and ships much before June but hopefully we might get some domestic winter cruising. The Queensland Coast could get quite busy!

 

I think P&O is the only cruise line that would be motivated to schedule winter cruises this year. Pacific Encounter is likely to be on its lonesome until September or October.

[OzKiwiJJ]

7 minutes ago, SinbadThePorter said:

 

I think P&O is the only cruise line that would be motivated to schedule winter cruises this year. Pacific Encounter is likely to be on its lonesome until September or October.

I think Princess is likely to as well. There are only three Princess ships currently not operating cruises at present: Coral, Diamond and Royal. Diamond is scheduled for the Japan season, and Royal is scheduled for the Alaska season. Coral's first currently scheduled cruise is Hawaii/Tahiti out of Australia in September. My pick is that she will head over here much earlier than that and operate domestic cruises over winter out of Sydney and/or Brisbane. Princess used to regularly do that a few years ago when they had 2-3 ships here all year round.

Edited March 14, 2022 by OzKiwiJJ

[ekka49]

Just now, OzKiwiJJ said:

I think Princess is likely to as well. There are only three Princess ships currently not operating cruises at present: Coral, Diamond and Royal. Diamond is scheduled for the Japan season, and Royal is scheduled forvthe Alaska season. Coral's first currently scheduled cruise is Hawaii/Tahiti out of Australia in September. My pick is that she will head over here much earlier than that and operate domestic cruises over winter out of Sydney and/or Brisbane. Princess used to regularly do that a few years ago when they had 2-3 ships here all year round.

I have six booked on the Coral Princess from November.

I think I could fit in another cruise before November. 😁

[OzKiwiJJ]

9 minutes ago, ekka49 said:

I have six booked on the Coral Princess from November.

I think I could fit in another cruise before November. 😁

If Coral does start cruising over winter we'll definitely be on at least one.

[Cruisers47]

23 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

If Coral does start cruising over winter we'll definitely be on at least one.

Do you think the prices will increase for those not already booked?
 

I have about 5 cruises booked for this year!

 

eileen

[OzKiwiJJ]

12 minutes ago, Cruisers47 said:

Do you think the prices will increase for those not already booked?
 

I have about 5 cruises booked for this year!

 

eileen

They haven't released any itineraries yet for new cruises before September so who knows what the pricing will be. However I don't expect them to be higher than usual. Although a lot of us regulars will happily jump on the first available ship, many people will wait to see what happens, and others may not want to cruise in winter.

[geoff2802]

I only heard Tehan talk about the NSW and Qld governments being ready to resume.  If the other states aren’t ready, to commit yet, do the cruise lines replace all the itineraries that visit those states, or so they retain their current itineraries in hope that those states quickly sign on?  

 

[SinbadThePorter]

4 hours ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

Coral's first currently scheduled cruise is Hawaii/Tahiti out of Australia in September.

 

It will be interesting to see if this one goes ahead. The ports in NZ and Hawaii should be OK by then, but Fiji, American Samoa and French Polynesia are possible problems.

[MicCanberra]

Fiji should be okay, they are welcoming international  guests now.

[Chiliburn]

24 minutes ago, MicCanberra said:

Fiji should be okay, they are welcoming international  guests now.

I think we can count Noumea and the islands out  ,the vaccination rate is still pretty low.

 

 

Edited March 14, 2022 by Chiliburn

[GUT2407]

12 hours ago, Cruisers47 said:

Do you think the prices will increase for those not already booked?
 

I have about 5 cruises booked for this year!

 

eileen

I’m already seeing price rises, eg our cruise March 2024 has jumped near on $400 ea for a midship balcony, 8 nights to Tasmania, I guess they expect a spike in demand now there is some certainty.

[OzKiwiJJ]

25 minutes ago, GUT2407 said:

I’m already seeing price rises, eg our cruise March 2024 has jumped near on $400 ea for a midship balcony, 8 nights to Tasmania, I guess they expect a spike in demand now there is some certainty.

I suspect that's because a promotion has just ended so the fare has gone back to the regular price. That sort of thing has been happening for years.

[GUT2407]

13 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

I suspect that's because a promotion has just ended so the fare has gone back to the regular price. That sort of thing has been happening for years.

Yeah I know prices fluctuate but can’t recall ever seeing such a huge per night jump ($50 pp pn) and we have been booking pretty much the same cruise for many years, even when I booked it was a couple of hundred more than we hade paid in the past, the current prices is about 50% over normal. The real test will be by the time it sails what happens between now and then.

[MicCanberra]

Building in some leverage for fuel prices?