Ship Capacity question

[SailorPaulH]

Sorry if this has been discussed elsewhere, but when reviewing various itineraries for this year 2022, I have seen them as 'SOLD OUT'. Yet I have seen posts here that are seeing capacities of 70-75%. Is this an indication that 25-30% of customers are cancelling their bookings? Is VOC reducing capacity (from 930 passengers) at the outset, or is it some combination? Is this being seen on other cruise lines in similar category to VOC? 

[duquephart]

Setting aside cabins for quarintine and hence not sold?

[Heidi13]

5 hours ago, SailorPaulH said:

Sorry if this has been discussed elsewhere, but when reviewing various itineraries for this year 2022, I have seen them as 'SOLD OUT'. Yet I have seen posts here that are seeing capacities of 70-75%. Is this an indication that 25-30% of customers are cancelling their bookings? Is VOC reducing capacity (from 930 passengers) at the outset, or is it some combination? Is this being seen on other cruise lines in similar category to VOC? 

 

Best guess is maintaining reduced capacity, for both providing quarantine cabins and enhancing social distancing, although we have never experienced crowding issues, even with the ship at capacity.

 

Can't comment on other premium/luxury cruise line's operational policies, as we haven't cruised with them, so have no previous experience to compare.

 

If you check the 22/23 WC, you'll find the cabin's being cancelled at PIF date, are quickly loaded onto the website for resale.

Edited May 24, 2022 by Heidi13

[Peregrina651]

Andy, I don't think rooms for quarantining and social distancing are the only reasons that Viking has been sailing at reduced capacities.  I think that during the past year there have had a lot of issues with shoreside services not yet up to full capacity, especially in ports where we required to operate in a bubble; in other words, not enough tourguides and bus drivers -- among other needed services. 

 

 

[PasadenaDave]

10 hours ago, Peregrina651 said:

Andy, I don't think rooms for quarantining and social distancing are the only reasons that Viking has been sailing at reduced capacities.  I think that during the past year there have had a lot of issues with shoreside services not yet up to full capacity, especially in ports where we required to operate in a bubble; in other words, not enough tourguides and bus drivers -- among other needed services. 

 

 

From recent experience Istanbul to Venice concluding last Saturday, port capacity in that region is not an issue other than Venice  but that is due to a lack of a cruise terminal for ships.

 

We did have a guide in Rhodes who had been on a medical leave and was pressed into duty last minute and she was taking on a second excursion as well.  We had a guide in Dubrovnik for two tours, but he commutes one hour to the port so that makes sense for him to fill his day.

 

Most all guides towards the end of the tour (in my mind to boost tips) spoke of the economic devastation to the tourist industry for the past two years.

 

I did get the impression that there were guides in training shadowing other guides in some locations.  May is before peak season and I suspect that Viking is a preferred customer to the local guide services.

 

There was no bubble