Will Brexit affect UK cruise ports

[OlsSalt]

With lots of close friends and relatives in the UK, I share their concern. Still, most thinking people had rational doubts about the way the EU was operating. Masses of Eurocrats on the payroll tinkering with strictly internal matters, allowing irresponsible spendthrifts like Greece to undermine the common currency; cobbling together a union of such disparate national attitudes as those of Italy and Germany was, to use a comment from a different scene, a bridge too far.

 

The influx of energetic Eastern Europeans willing to work hard was shattering to the union-coddled native labor force. Adding the unknown element arising from hundreds of thousands of displaced Middle East refugees on the other side of the channel gave the majority of voters reason to be unreasonable.

 

 

That pretty much sums up the feedback I was also getting from our UK friends. Sussex country folk.

[Fouremco]

"roves"? weren't they toves?

Definitely toves. :)

 

[kazu]

Keep in mind that the actual exit is two years away. The vote triggers the start of the negotiations for exit.

 

By the speech I heard today, it seems the EU wants the departure done quickly and smoothly.

 

Some Impacts already! - Franch is now considering a vote to leave and has called an emergency cabinet meeting. Netherlands as well according to reports.

 

Sprain wants to co-govern Gibralter.

[visagrunt]

Keep in mind that the actual exit is two years away. The vote triggers the start of the negotiations for exit.

 

The vote doesn't trigger anything. A referendum is of no legal force or effect in the United Kingdom, decisions rest with Parliament and with Ministers.

 

What triggers the start of negotiations is the Prime Minister's invocation of Article 50 by letter to the Council of Europe. Given that the Prime Minister has stated his intention to resign, he will not likely do so, since the Westminster convention is for an outgoing Prime Minister not to take actions that the succeeding Prime Minister cannot readily change.

 

So it be be left to Boris (?) or Michael (?) to invoke Article 50, most likely in the autumn.

 

Then the negotiations begin. Except the the United Kingdom doesn't actually have any trade negotiators. They all work in Brussels. So the FCO is going to have to create an International Trade Bureau and then staff it up.

 

Meanwhile Europe is likely to offer up EFTA membership as the best option, except that will still oblige the UK to pay dues, and accept the free movement of people (see Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein). So how likely is that to fly among the Euroskeptics? So if Britain is going to propose a new arrangement out of whole cloth, she might very well find herself living under WTO rules.

[OlsSalt]

EU is actually an untested short-term experiment. Don't see its realignment as a crisis in world order. It was intended to be just the other way around. Its construct by mutually agreed fiat was supposed to be the change in world order; not its reasonable dissolution back to the fairly recent status quo.

 

And it is obviously a frayed, albeit noble, experiment. Much as our own original Continental Congress was post Revolutionary War in the US before the evolution into the shared compact of US Constitution and what America has become today. The EU is an artificial construct - some parts of it worked, others have not.

 

Giving up national autonomy was a high price to pay for "unity" among disparates. Which we are also learning and reacting against in the US, as we speak. And in the US at least in contrast to the EU, we share the same language - kind of. PC has now made far too many commonly used English language words now weaponized, since disparate groups hear the same words so differently, with different intent.

Edited June 24, 2016 by OlsSalt

[peaches from georgia]

I'm hoping the financial turmoil here in the U.S. will quickly stabilize. This is a real issue for me as I'm retired and counting on my investments to see me through my remaining days. Significant drops will affect my ability to travel/cruise. If things don't rebound quickly, I may have to go out into the forest and live off the grid!

My thoughts exactly. I think what is happening in the markets today will impact cruising and perhaps HAL more than some other lines. Retirees especially depend on investment income and this is going to shake up a lot of people to be more conservative with their disposal income and hold on to it until financial stability returns. Making up losses will take even longer. With November only 4 months away more financial trouble on the way.

[RDC1]

The vote doesn't trigger anything. A referendum is of no legal force or effect in the United Kingdom, decisions rest with Parliament and with Ministers.

 

What triggers the start of negotiations is the Prime Minister's invocation of Article 50 by letter to the Council of Europe. Given that the Prime Minister has stated his intention to resign, he will not likely do so, since the Westminster convention is for an outgoing Prime Minister not to take actions that the succeeding Prime Minister cannot readily change.

 

So it be be left to Boris (?) or Michael (?) to invoke Article 50, most likely in the autumn.

 

Then the negotiations begin. Except the the United Kingdom doesn't actually have any trade negotiators. They all work in Brussels. So the FCO is going to have to create an International Trade Bureau and then staff it up.

 

Meanwhile Europe is likely to offer up EFTA membership as the best option, except that will still oblige the UK to pay dues, and accept the free movement of people (see Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein). So how likely is that to fly among the Euroskeptics? So if Britain is going to propose a new arrangement out of whole cloth, she might very well find herself living under WTO rules.

 

While the vote is a referendum, it has started the actions that will lead to the letter being generated under article 50. So it is the triggering action that is starting the chain of events.

[OlsSalt]

My thoughts exactly. I think what is happening in the markets today will impact cruising and perhaps HAL more than some other lines. Retirees especially depend on investment income and this is going to shake up a lot of people to be more conservative with their disposal income and hold on to it until financial stability returns. Making up losses will take even longer. With November only 4 months away more financial trouble on the way.

 

A growing numbers of US retirees today are public employment workers with guaranteed pensions, and quite attractive ones, which actually qualify them now as members of the "upper middle class".

 

This temporary Brexit market instability will not affect them. In many states, their defined-benefit pensions are back-filled by local taxpayers should their pension fund investments fall short. There are enough government defined-benefit pension recipients to fill many a cruise ship if this is how they choose to spend their retirement years.

 

Far more ruinous to other non-government pension retirees is the long stretch of virtually zero fixed income interest rates used to mask the full impact of growing and massive public debt in the US.

 

This is where many come up short when they might have planned a safe and secure 4% income stream generated by their retirement savings. And need to save their principal for potential long-term health care expenses.

[sail7seas]

In erms of port calls.............. no. Don't plan to use Euros there

[Sir PMP]

I actually sat in the Dutch cafe on the koningsdam and cried this morning ... I'm ashamed at the small minded xenophobic stupidly of the country I live in ... I voted remain for the good of the country and the European region as a whole, in my opinion a vote to leave was a selfish vote ... Rant over :mad:::confused:(:confused::(

 

Sorry it's the will of the people, they had enough of following the garbage in Brussels... France, Finland to follow, hip, hip, hooray

[kazu]

Sorry it's the will of the people, they had enough of following the garbage in Brussels... France, Finland to follow, hip, hip, hooray

 

Really? You want to back to the days of needing Francs, Lira, etc. While you travel through Europe and try to "guess" how much of each currency you need?

 

I remember that and far prefer being able to use the euro in many ports of call. It takes a lot of guessing out of the game.

 

guess I have "missed the boat" again :)

Edited June 24, 2016 by kazu

[chrispb]

Sorry it's the will of the people, they had enough of following the garbage in Brussels... France, Finland to follow, hip, hip, hooray

 

Well said, Sir. Methinks Netherland will be next.

[sail7seas]

I'm hoping the financial turmoil here in the U.S. will quickly stabilize. This is a real issue for me as I'm retired and counting on my investments to see me through my remaining days. Significant drops will affect my ability to travel/cruise. If things don't rebound quickly, I may have to go out into the forest and live off the grid!

 

 

 

Jim,there are a great many ofcert us her who are retired and understandyour con Would be goodf if Yellin would raise interest rates. lIlittle chance of that

[sail7seas]

I'm hoping the financial turmoil here in the U.S. will quickly stabilize. This is a real issue for me as I'm retired and counting on my investments to see me through my remaining days. Significant drops will affect my ability to travel/cruise. If things don't rebound quickly, I may have to go out into the forest and live off the grid!

 

 

 

Jim,there are a great many of us here who are retired and understandyour concern Toda y is a good day to get some b argains in the market Lots of buyers.

Would be goodYifyellin would raise interest rates. lIlittle chance of that

Edited June 24, 2016 by sail7seas

[durangoscots]

In erms of port calls.............. no. Don't plan to use Euros there

 

Actually, I remember about 4 years ago being in Dover and seeing the signs on the shops "no euros accepted". Ports of call will be the same.

 

Susan

[Topsham]

Actually, I remember about 4 years ago being in Dover and seeing the signs on the shops "no euros accepted". Ports of call will be the same.

 

Susan

 

 

 

In Belfast.... Pounds AND Euros accepted in lots of shops, restaurants etc.

[Fouremco]

In Belfast.... Pounds AND Euros accepted in lots of shops, restaurants etc.

Yes, and Northern Ireland also voted to remain. Like Scotland, they have a greater affinity for the EU than for England.

[kevingastreich]

If you are planning a trip to the UK, its probably a good day to buy some currency!

 

Absolutely! People, this is a buying opportunity! Might as well work these events to your advantage. The US stock market just went on sale. European cruises are coming down in price. Let's celebrate!

[Oceans&Rivers]

A growing numbers of US retirees today are public employment workers with guaranteed pensions, and quite attractive ones, which actually qualify them now as members of the "upper middle class".

 

This temporary Brexit market instability will not affect them. In many states, their defined-benefit pensions are back-filled by local taxpayers should their pension fund investments fall short.

 

Market instability, especially if it is longer term will most certainly impact retirees—including those on public pensions—because the foundation of the pension funds are financial investments in the stock market as well as contributions from the employees themselves, not just public taxes. The majority of public employees that I know also have retirement accounts in the stock market, whether they are Roth IRA's or 457 accounts, as well as taxable accounts.

 

Kindly do not add fuel to or start an anti-public employee rant. Let's get back to the topic at hand.

 

The topic of this thread is "Will Brexit affect UK cruise ports?"

 

My own opinion is that if the pound continues to drop it might mean that UK citizens will travel less; however, it will also be an incentive for other countries, especially from the U.S., to travel more to the UK. We will do so not only because of the financial advantage related to the dollar vs. pound, but because most Americans love the U.K. and will want to travel to U.K. ports specifically to help our favorite ally.

Edited June 24, 2016 by Oceans&Rivers

[Sir PMP]

Really? You want to back to the days of needing Francs, Lira, etc. While you travel through Europe and try to "guess" how much of each currency you need?

 

I remember that and far prefer being able to use the euro in many ports of call. It takes a lot of guessing out of the game.

 

guess I have "missed the boat" again :)

 

Being from over there (Holland) I'd love to see the old currency back, another thing that was pushed upon the people by the garbage in Brussels, the exchange was easy, and you got a lot more for the buck, the Euro was set way too high from the onset and therefore a rip of.

[serendipity1499]

I actually sat in the Dutch cafe on the koningsdam and cried this morning ... I'm ashamed at the small minded xenophobic stupidly of the country I live in ... I voted remain for the good of the country and the European region as a whole, in my opinion a vote to leave was a selfish vote ... Rant over :mad:::confused:(:confused::(

 

So sorry Lovelyother.. I feel your pain.. It was such a close call.. The stock market is taking quite a hit..

 

My DH was not a public employee but still gets a guaranteed pension, so that's protected, but I don't get a pension as I'm retired from a foreign carrier & they did not give their U.S. employees a pension...However my company, got us to join their thrift & savings plan early & matched us dollar for dollar from the very beginning.. When I retired I turned most of that into an IRA..DH also has a similar IRA....We try to live on his pension & our Social Security, & only use the monies from our IRA's for special things like a new car or our travels/cruises..

 

 

I'm hoping the financial turmoil here in the U.S. will quickly stabilize. This is a real issue for me as I'm retired and counting on my investments to see me through my remaining days. Significant drops will affect my ability to travel/cruise. If things don't rebound quickly, I may have to go out into the forest and live off the grid!

 

Fortunately we sold our house for a nice profit several years ago, bought a condo & invested the rest.. But we also are hoping that those investments will see us live to a ripe old age comfortably.. If we are lucky, the stock market will rebound, we will not have any major illnesses & also will not have to go out into the forest.. And if we're really lucky, maybe there will be something left for our heirs except a condo & some old furniture...

Edited June 24, 2016 by serendipity1499

[OlsSalt]

Really? You want to back to the days of needing Francs, Lira, etc. While you travel through Europe and try to "guess" how much of each currency you need?

 

I remember that and far prefer being able to use the euro in many ports of call. It takes a lot of guessing out of the game.

 

guess I have "missed the boat" again :)

 

I love the romance of the old currencies. Lived in Italy and we got thousands and thousands of lira in our dollar exchanges. It was part of the fun, opulence and eccentricities of things Italian. Each country got to showcase their own heritage, instead of this neutered, bullet proof EU currency we get now.

 

I'd love even to return to "Europe on Five Dollars a Day". :eek: Hard to believe that was real at one time, but it was real back in the 1960's. Two people equaled $10 a day - $4 for a hotel room and a few bucks for food and it was enough for dream trips for the "rico Americano" to enjoy for a lifetime.

 

Not so good for the Europeans but what a way to pull out all the stops for us, and slowly rehabilitate this poor war torn continent at the time. Then Europe started eating us for lunch - sometime after we got off the gold standard, currencies floated and the EU was part of the recent European economic miracle.

 

It has long been speculated Greece would do better with a Grexit too and make Greece a cheap vacation destination again. Hey, it was a great experiment and should have been tried. Now they tried it and it has its fatal flaws, but all is not lost by a long shot. Just a mid-course correction. There really should be no place for all this gloom and doom talk - but rather time for tweaking and re-inventing trade relationships.

Edited June 24, 2016 by OlsSalt

[maxie99]

T'was brillig and the slithy roves did gyre and gimble in the wave and the momeraths outgrabe ........

 

I guess things will be all sixes and sevens for a while - but gloom and doom, I don't think so. Think autonomy and partnering with the go it alone economies of Scandinavia ....... cream always rises to the top and the UK has always been the cream of Europe. Keep calm and carry on. (!)

- wow- you have just made me tear up,, of course, it is in our DNA--:D

[hrhdhd]

Interesting that some would have people cast their votes based on the potential inconvenience to travelers.

[RDC1]

With credit cards or other electronic methods being pretty universal in Europe these days the problems of dealing with individual currencies in each country would not be a major problem. Just use a credit card with zero exchange rate for purchases. I have used very little cash on trips to Europe the last few years. Most of that was to make sure that I used up the little that I pulled from an ATM.

 

One change I expect will be a change in airline routes with far fewer routes to Europe going via Heathrow. Which would not necessarily be a bad thing.

 

I expect that the UK's economic growth in 5 years to be better then if they had stayed, though it will be a rough ride in the short term.