kira5

Not until all mandates etc. are lifted.

Since we're not vaccinated we are not welcome on cruises at this time and we also won't cruise until all protocols are removed.   I also bring a good supply of medications to cope with almost anything.

We won't cruise until all requirements/mandates are lifted.   Ordinarily, we would go on two longer cruises a year.

It is my understanding that with the regular, annual flu medical experts choose which strain will be the virulent one that year at some point in the fall out of several choices.   

It is also my understanding that the efficacy of the flu vaccine varies from 40 to 60 percent, varying in different years.

Is there reason to believe the covid 19 vaccine, if it is discovered, will be 100% effective?

I'd like to hear from someone more knowledgeable than me.

We have booked  cruises on HAL in the past by various ways from directly with HAL and through different agencies.   One key difference I've noticed is that through HAL, payments are staggered with the final and largest payment due either 60 or 90 days before sailing.   With the online agencies including one booked through Cruise Critic, full payment was taken immediately.   Is that the situation or am I missing something?

On a related topic, we would like to take the HAL South Pacific cruise departing Honolulu on October 4th.   They advertise it on their site.    Is that a lost cause?

After reading the initial post I decided, after some consideration, that the offer of 125% refund plus $250 each guest OBC was sufficient to motivate me to change from the full refund option.    I chose the refund option about 2 weeks ago when first advised that our July 11th cruise was cancelled.   I have been reading of all the refund woes and inadequate service since the cancellation started.   But the pot was sufficiently sweetened with the new offer which you described.

However, when I called HAL at the number you provided,  the offer was not available to us.   The same initial offer of 125% refund only.    I declined and advised I would continue with the refund.    At least the phone was answered promptly although the staff member had to put me on hold for several minutes to check things.    

Perhaps the OBC inclusion was for cruises of a certain price level or suites only.    I do hope all this is resolved satisfactorily.   I really wanted to go on that cruise.

I remember reading how one of the cruise ships (must have been a smaller one) went into a small town on Vancouver Island called Port Alberni.    I think it meant a lot to this town;   the mayor came out to greet them.   I'm not from there but not too far away.

I feel like some of the ports that turned their backs on cruise ships should maybe do without them for awhile.   Try some new ones.    Am I being too harsh?

On 4/20/2020 at 6:47 PM, navybankerteacher said:

The world was a lot less crowded in “old days”  - now, in addition to trash in the ocean, carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, etc. we  also have to deal with what might be seen as human pollution — simply too many places are losing what makes them special because of too many people visiting them.

I'm glad I travelled to different places in Europe in the 80's and 90's.

19 hours ago, navybankerteacher said:

Was the dancing compulsory?

Not at all but it seemed to be the main thing happening for the hour or so.   It took place in the main ballroom, the Queen's Lounge I think it was called.   A little would have been better,  I think.   There were some very talented couples swanning around the large floor space with lots of space to maneuver.   I enjoyed watching them for awhile.    The one evening there was what was called a 'family dance' with Rock and Roll the floor was packed.   The next night was back to ballroom.   

I've been on one Cunard cruise and it was different and more 'special.'   The speakers were excellent;   Jeffrey Archer (the author and politician) was one of them.      We did dress up more but I think it is maybe more fun/less onerous for some women as opposed to men.    The food was better;   our 8 person table had very educated people at it.   Because we booked a month prior (for a Baltic cruise) the price was very reasonable.    The only complaint was too much ballroom dancing.   Every evening and few could do it.   The rest of us watched.

I can't think many would book and pay for a cruise but risk being turned back at the dock based on a test for CV-19.   I also don't think insurance companies would cover that loss nor cruise companies refund fares based on the result.

Grand Canyon and Lake Powell bus tour.

It seems to be too much risk of being left standing on the dock watching the ship sail away because your temperature is elevated for some reason.   A vacation with the smell of lysol wafting about everywhere.    The number of passengers would need to be halved to accommodate the distancing  -- there go all the mid-range passengers.   Not enough rich people for all the

ships now doing cruises.  Will all inclusive resorts and vacation rentals and Bed and Breakfasts be as stringent?   They may see a resurgence in clients.

Okay, it is for July (Canada/New England) but doing so made me feel optimistic that this too (the present situation) shall come to an end.   

I saw We Will Rock You in London, England a few years ago.

I like a 'good deal'.   I consider that $100 a day (CAD) per person for an inside meets that criteria.     I guess I should re-arrange my version of a 'good deal', downward.    But I'm not sure that's the best trend.   The cruise ship companies have to make a profit and $436 for a week for an obstructed verandah stateroom, even U.S. dollars seems too low for that.   Then it becomes a question of where can the money come from.    Fewer staff, lower pay for the staff, poorer quality food, docking at cheaper ports further out of town, marginally qualified speakers/lecturers.    I don't want all that to happen.   

We missed 3 ports on our Japan cruise in August.  There seems to have been a lot of that over the last few months.    But with potential inconsistencies in ports, food, service and accommodation I just couldn't bring myself to pay anywhere near what you did.     I look for a 'good deal' in booking a cruise and hope for the best.    I can then better accept issues here and there.    But our next two vacations will be land based.    Free internet provided everywhere and I find I'm used to having it now.

We've cruised mainly on Holland America and I can look back and see that my reviews have all been four star.   So very good but not perfect.   However, it may be that I'm not overly hard to please.    I've seen that others have given a cruise I took a lower, sometimes much lower, review.   

From time to time I think about splurging a little.   Bearing in mind that we paid the same for a recent Alaska cruise with HAL that we paid 25 years earlier, I wondered what opening the purse strings a little would bring.   There are always some things that you feel could have been improved upon.   Or maybe there are heights of luxury I haven't imagined,   But when I peruse the reviews for lines like Regent and SilverSea I am disappointed, sometimes appalled.   I can't imagine spending $20,000 and not feeling I was in heaven for a week or more.   Some reviews are effusive but some . . . not so much.

Lately, I've been disappointed by cancelled ports due to weather.   Or too short a time in port.   Maybe due to weather or immigration issues.  No one's fault but it makes me lean towards a land based tour.   I would not want to book a cruise to the Galapagos or Easter Island and have weather prevent docking.

How do others feel?

We went on a cruise called 'On the Blue' cruise.   The main featured artist was Justin Hayward of the Moody Blues.   There were other artists that we especially like:   Al Stewart, Alan Parsons, Procol Harum and others.   We heard concerts and went to Q & A sessions.  Photo opportunities with the artists and the downloads were free.    The cruise was only 5 days, too few to travel over 8 hours by air to Miami for us so we added another cruise also leaving from Miami scheduled to depart the day we came back.

I would take a similar cruise but this year's features virtually the same artists although it is 7 days.  We would want to see other performers/artists.  The entire cruise was full of music and you had something to talk about with everyone you came into contact with as everyone had  music of this genre in common.   We barely had time to eat.

The cruise is definitely more expensive than a regular Caribbean cruise, at least double and maybe 3 times a last minute  sale price.   I guess that's to cover the costs of the artists and their crew.

Sorry, I forgot to mention a quartet of tenors who covered a variety of artists.

On the Maasdam in August.   No production shows.   A violinist, a vocalist, a pianist each gave two separate concerts each.  A strings duo played almost each evening.  Trivia twice a day usually.   One or two lectures each day, if you consider that entertainment.

I would be concerned about the open railings on the promenade deck which don't have siding behind them.    We were on Maasdam in August.   There were few children,  especially young children, and I don't think there was much for them to do.

If I was travelling with our grandchildren I would not choose Holland America.   They would be bored.    My sons went on MSC with their family.   I believe the children were free.   There was lots for the kids to do and they loved it.   Another possibility is Royal Caribbean.

Am I correct in assuming you had to eat all your meals in the dining room to avail yourself of the vegan menu?

I find it annoying that the times  in port listed are often not the reality.   Trying to make arrangements around a moving target becomes difficult.

Thanks so much.   We're looking forward to exploring a part of the world we haven't seen before.