Are you thinking about cancelling your cruise?

[SusieV]

I'm not feeling great about mine. I'm still anxious about covid since we've managed to avoid it so far. But our FCC expire this year so it is what it is. We will go and hope that things are better in September than they are now.

[TeeRick]

2 minutes ago, angelsil said:

 

That's really the issue for us and why we moved our British Isles cruise to a sailing in the Americas out of Tampa. If we got over to Europe and tested positive before our flight back to the US we'd be unable to come home and need to quarantine in a hurry in Amsterdam. We have limited PTO and additional time off work might compromise our jobs.

 

We're triple (DH) and quadruple (me) vaxxed. I'm not that worried about getting Covid from a health or wellness perspective. I am worried about the impact getting Covid would have on my vacation. Until the US does away with the negative test entry requirement for vaccinated folks, I think we'll be avoiding overseas travel. 

 

If like some here we were retired? I'd have zero issues cruising anywhere.

From what I have been reading, the US entry testing requirement for vaccinated, up to date travelers might be going away soon.  Just like what the UK did.  Let's hope!

[RichYak]

2 hours ago, terrydtx said:

If you think putting off cruising until Covid goes away, you may never be on a cruise again.

I agree that covid isn't going anywhere, it's the draconian quarantine/isolation protocols that are keeping me from booking right now.

[graphicguy]

I've known people who've cancelled and decided to wait a year (or more) before getting back on a ship.  I've known some who will cruise regardless.

 

Both groups are all vaccinated and err on the side of caution.

 

I have no issues with either group.  

 

On occasion, I've been hesitant to take a cruise that I had booked and wanted to cancel.  But, that was mostly upon those first start up cruises last summer.

 

Now, I'm vaccinated, boosted, and have been relatively careful about the conditions I'll go into a crowd, and who will be around me at those events.

 

Now, if I were booked on the Apex next week, I'd probably go ahead and cancel given their recent outbreak.

 

 

[Purplsmurf]

36 minutes ago, TeeRick said:

From what I have been reading, the US entry testing requirement for vaccinated, up to date travelers might be going away soon.  Just like what the UK did.  Let's hope!

Where have you read this? I just recently read that the government doesn’t plan on ending the testing upon entering the US anytime soon.

[as3369]

Next cruise is 10 day on May 3rd and then a TA in November.  We have taken 2 since the restart and no plans on canceling.

[BermudaBound2014]

I am not at all concerned about catching covid onboard (I am fortunate with no comorbidities), but I am very much concerned about being quarantined. Cruising is the only mode of vacationing with these protocols and until they are removed, I will likely choose another land vacation.

 

If you are the type of person that only enjoys cruising, then you are locked into cruising and should know the risk. But if you are, like me, and enjoy the diversity that land vacations allow for then you can easily wait this out. If it's years, so be it. There is a lot of the world to explore that doesn't involve doing so on a cruise ship.

 

It's not just Celebrity. Several significant outbreaks have been reported on ships returning to California (HAL and Princess). The first ship to return to Australia has covid onboard, not to mention the ships returning to Miami. If I had a comorbidity, I would be careful boarding a ship at this time. The situation is still fluid. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 25, 2022 by BermudaBound2014

[billyu]

Cancelled my August 8th Beyond cruise yesterday.  Just dont want to take the chance of being quarantined in an oceanview or inside room in the bowels of the ship.

 

I have now problem traveling. Opting to tour around Italy for three weeks instead.

[Torfamm]

4 hours ago, TeeRick said:

No we will not cancel.  The Covid concern will be with us for many years to come.  You are either comfortable cruising with it around or not.  Next year will not make a difference.  It will be around.  Ships will have cases.  There is no waiting for pre-pandemic normalcy.  Just keep Up To Date with vaccines or don't cruise if you are concerned.  All we can do.

I do think that protocols may change by next year.  The risk of not being able to fly home is significant to me as long as the US requires testing to enter the country

[TeeRick]

28 minutes ago, Purplsmurf said:

Where have you read this? I just recently read that the government doesn’t plan on ending the testing upon entering the US anytime soon.

There is a lot of pressure being applied to the US government from many sources (see link below) to drop entry testing for fully vaccinated (or probably Up To Date) travelers as other countries have done recently (UK, Canada, many EU countries).  IMO just a matter of time for the US to follow these other countries for international travelers. 

 

https://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Airline-News/Travel-groups-push-to-end-Covid-entry-tests

[Jeremiah1212]

Apex would probably give me pause in the next few weeks, but we just secured the May 16 Beyond sailing (partially due to very inexpensive airfare) and will be doing Reflection in September. No plans to alter any plans. 

[Lastdance]

Just purchased my airfare for a b2b/TA on Apex in October; no plans to cancel at all.  I totaly agree that we must learn to live with this in our own personal way.  I canceled my Celebrity Air and booked my own in the category I wanted, along with excellent seats.  

Edited April 25, 2022 by Lastdance

[zitsky]

It would be great if testing went away for boosted people.  But we still need to follow international rules.  I’m getting my second booster this week.  My husband is worried about getting Covid.  I’m not but I want him to be safe and have a good time.

[terrydtx]

9 minutes ago, Lastdance said:

Just purchased my airfare for a b2b/TA on Apex in October; no plans to cancel at all.  I totaly agree that we must learn to live with this in our own personal way.  I canceled my Celebrity Air and booked my own in the category I wanted, along with excellent seats.  

We got great Business class seats to Rome and home from Venice for our two cruises in August for $2346pp with one stop in the US each way on United to Rome and Delta from Venice. No way we cancel and lose that deal on air. With business class we are doing reasonable social distancing and not sitting next to some stranger who is coughing up a lung.

Edited April 25, 2022 by terrydtx

[Tyler414]

2 hours ago, terrydtx said:

We are doing a family land vacation with our two adult kids, their spouses and 3 grandkids to St Thomas, USVI the end of May. To enter the USVI we had to apply online for entry and upload our proof of vaccinations, our condo address and contact phone numbers without vaccinations you have to provide negative test 2 days prior to travel. After acceptance we got QR codes we have to show upon landing. Not once did any of us consider canceling this trip we planned for 2 years ago. So cruising is not the only travel that is being impacted by Covid.

Have fun!!  I went to St. Thomas in March 2021 because of a canceled cruise.   Had a wonderful time and no major issues, other than staffing problems, but that was expected in March 2021.

[Lastdance]

6 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

We got great Business class seats to Rome and home from Venice for our two cruises in August for $2346pp with one stop in the US each way on United to Rome and Delta from Venice. No way we cancel and lose that deal on air

Yes, that's a great price; ours is a little more from the west, but it's Polaris from SF to Zurich, then to Rome.  Two stops for us, as there are not any with just two.  We do not live in SF.

Edited April 25, 2022 by Lastdance

[terrydtx]

2 minutes ago, Tyler414 said:

Have fun!!  I went to St. Thomas in March 2021 because of a canceled cruise.   Had a wonderful time and no major issues, other than staffing problems, but that was expected in March 2021.

We had originally planned on going to Maui, but we got condos on the beach in STT for 1/3 the cost of Maui. Also airfare was 1/2 what Hawaii would cost, RT first class for $1100pp.

[Lastdance]

1 minute ago, terrydtx said:

We had originally planned on going to Maui, but we got condos on the beach in STT for 1/3 the cost of Maui. Also airfare was 1/2 what Hawaii would cost, RT first class for $1100pp.

What search engine are you using, or are you doing just biz class fares through another party?

[terrydtx]

5 minutes ago, Lastdance said:

Yes, that's a great price; ours is a little from the west, but it's Polaris from SF to Zurich, to Rome.  Two stops for us, as there are not any with just two.  We do not live in SF.

United Polaris business is a super nice way to go. We stop in Newark on the way to Rome and Atlanta home from Venice. when we booked, we got Sky Suites on the Reflection for $1500pp less than the current pricing, not giving that deal up either.

Edited April 25, 2022 by terrydtx

[terrydtx]

2 minutes ago, Lastdance said:

What search engine are you using, or are you doing just biz class fares through another party?

I do my own searching and we booked the air last November when the American flights were empty. Today the same FC seats on American are $2700pp. I forgot to mention the Kids and Grandkids are all flying coach. After my wife and I booked our FC tickets the price went immediately up to about $1600pp. We do a lot of traveling and I am very savvy when it comes to finding deals. The secret to good deals on airfare is to book early. My daughter and her family waited until last month to book their air to St Thomas and their economy seats cost $849pp, they were $500pp last November when we booked and when I suggested they do the same.

[mac_tlc]

We have sailed 6 times since the restart, with another leaving this Sunday. Having said that, we have moved a June 2022 Norway cruise to 2023 and cancelled our Nov 2022 TA.  Too many variables for international travel for us. We will stay closer to home and mask up if conditions warrant. 

 

As is usually the case, it's not "sail" or "stay home", and it's not "living in fear" to take proper precautions. 

 

mac_tlc

Edited April 25, 2022 by mac_tlc

[PROCRUISE]

6 hours ago, gordylad said:

As covid is still lurking on ships I'm wondering if people are feeling confident or not about cruising this year? We have two upcoming cruises with one in June and although we have slight reservations about going on the first one [Rome Med Cruise] we feel that we have to get back to normality again.

That doesn't remove the ongoing concerns and as we go on cruises to enjoy ourselves it was sad to hear that shows on the Apex just now are cancelled because of a crew covid breakout. So right now its still not plain sailing [pardon the pun].

 

 

Took a 10 day cruise with HAL in February and a 7 day cruise with X in March. Except for the pain in the rear with the 2 day prior antigen testing, everything was great. HAL has always had staff serve passengers in the buffet so I was really pleased that X was doing the same and I sincerely hope they continue. Masks of course were an option and I always carried one with me but seldom felt the need to wear it for any extended period of time. Did wear masks on the shore excursion buses and were still required boarding and disembarking. The only port that surprised me was in Costa Rica where after leaving the ship for an excursion, we were required to show the authorities our vaccination cards before we were allowed to go any further. We had 997 passengers on the HAL cruise and 1,107 on the X cruise and no reports, at least public, about any COVID onboard. Scheduled for a 7 day cruise in December with HAL and another 10 days cruise with X in February 2023. I can honestly say that with the constant reminders on the ships about hand washing and distancing, I felt safer there than I do now at Walmart or Krogers!!

Edited April 25, 2022 by PROCRUISE

[OT-Miami]

I’m not too confident about sailing at the moment, having read a lot about the increase in positive cases among crew members.  There are posts about the lack of entertainment on Apex due to COVID, but the current Equinox sailing doesn’t have any shows listed in the app, which makes me wonder if Equinox is in a similar situation.  Add all of that to the recent reporting on these board about the quarantine life; if our cruise were next week we would cancel.

 

We have cruised twice since the restart:  September 2021 on Edge, 30% capacity ship, fully vaxed, crew fully masked and no mask requirements onboard, and February 2022 on Freedom of the Seas, vaxed & boosted, masks required indoors at all times.  Both times I told DH that I felt safer on the ship than I do while shopping for groceries.  We have gone on several land vacations, with more planned before the end of the year.  We have flown and will fly again soon.  Traveling is something that we truly enjoy, and now that DH is retired, I must get creative with my time off from work to accommodate all of his travel plans.

 

DH & I got COVID-19 back in December 2020.  We are now fully vaxed & boosted and will probably take the second booster in August for our October cruise.  I’m not worried about contracting COVID onboard.  I am concerned about spending thousands of dollars to be made to quarantine with only DH & TV for entertainment – I do that at home for free.  Final payment is due in July.  We’ll keep monitoring the situation and hope that the positive cases onboard can be brought under control.  But we have agreed to cancel if things continue as they are today.

[Purplsmurf]

1 hour ago, terrydtx said:

I do my own searching and we booked the air last November when the American flights were empty. Today the same FC seats on American are $2700pp. I forgot to mention the Kids and Grandkids are all flying coach. After my wife and I booked our FC tickets the price went immediately up to about $1600pp. We do a lot of traveling and I am very savvy when it comes to finding deals. The secret to good deals on airfare is to book early. My daughter and her family waited until last month to book their air to St Thomas and their economy seats cost $849pp, they were $500pp last November when we booked and when I suggested they do the same.

That’s interesting that you say to book early. We travel a lot as well and I have always found the cheapest flights to be about 60 days out. We only fly United though so maybe other airlines are different.

[terrydtx]

3 minutes ago, Purplsmurf said:

That’s interesting that you say to book early. We travel a lot as well and I have always found the cheapest flights to be about 60 days out. We only fly United though so maybe other airlines are different.

I have found business class and first class tickets are cheaper the farther out and economy the closer to the trip.  We primarily only fly now Business or First class. Our preferred airlines are United and Delta. Won't catch me on Southwest,  Spirit, Frontier or Jet Blue.