Oceania's Action Plan for Coronavirus

[Desert_Boomer]

The Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security morning update included the following disturbing data about asymptomatic carriers (e.g. those that would not be screened out by Oceania's embarkation testing but still able to spread the virus - these would only be detected by serological/swab testing which is not a point of use test):

 

The Japanese Ministry of Health reports that the total number of confirmed cases tied to the Diamond Princess cruise ship has increased to 542 out of 2,404 patients tested, and that 254 (47%) of positive cases were asymptomatic carriers. For those passengers preparing to disembark, those with no symptoms over the 14 days and that test negative for the virus will not be kept under further health observation after leaving the ship. 

[chelseabelsea]

Wow! We just received an update from our travel agent sent to her from Oceania...all O Asia cruises through June 2020 are cancelled. Full refunds, 25% FCC for cruises in 2020...

[Hawaiidan]

1 hour ago, Desert_Boomer said:

The Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security morning update included the following disturbing data about asymptomatic carriers (e.g. those that would not be screened out by Oceania's embarkation testing but still able to spread the virus - these would only be detected by serological/swab testing which is not a point of use test):

 

The Japanese Ministry of Health reports that the total number of confirmed cases tied to the Diamond Princess cruise ship has increased to 542 out of 2,404 patients tested, and that 254 (47%) of positive cases were asymptomatic carriers. For those passengers preparing to disembark, those with no symptoms over the 14 days and that test negative for the virus will not be kept under further health observation after leaving the ship. 

However, the US government  will NOt allow them to return to the US for another 14 days..... !!!  It was announced today.

[corpkid]

Anyone know how to get Singapore Air to cancel your $5k business class tickets?  I could use some advice before I call.

 

And having never been to SE Asia, I'm sad.  BUT - we just regrouped and planned a family trip to the Swiss Alps this August.

 

Lemon ---> Lemonade - it's what you make of it.

Edited February 20, 2020 by corpkid

[corpkid]

18 minutes ago, Hawaiidan said:

However, the US government  will NOt allow them to return to the US for another 14 days..... !!!  It was announced today.

This is *exactly* what my neighbor (the "CDC guy") was talking about.  Food for thought.

[Hawaiidan]

10 minutes ago, corpkid said:

Anyone know how to get Singapore Air to cancel your $5k business class tickets?  I could use some advice before I call.

 

And having never been to SE Asia, I'm sad.  BUT - we just regrouped and planned a family trip to the Swiss Alps this August.

 

Lemon ---> Lemonade - it's what you make of it.

Well considering the world situation  I would just politely ask.    Worst case  you have 1 year to use that fare from date of purchase and or your credit card company might refund you as well if the airline wont. 

 

 Do you have "status with Singapore airline"   that won't hurt  if you do.

Bottom line  your healthy.... you can always get more money... but money can not buy you out of poor health....  Just ask any of  the folks with the  virus !!!!

[Paulchili]

15 minutes ago, corpkid said:

Anyone know how to get Singapore Air to cancel your $5k business class tickets?  I could use some advice before I call.

I doubt that this applies to you, but:

 

Waiver Policy for Customers unable to travel due to Entry or Transit Restrictions
We will waive all cancellation and change fees for customers with tickets issued on or before 8 February 2020 for travel on any Singapore Airlines or SilkAir operated flights from 1 February 2020 to 31 March 2020. The new travel date must commence on or before 31 August 2020.

Customers who booked their tickets through travel agencies are advised to contact their travel agents for assistance. Customers who booked their tickets directly through Singapore Airlines, and will be travelling within seven business days, may contact our reservations team in Singapore at +65 6223 8888.

Customers may also email their request to sq_support@singaporeair.com.sg and we will respond  within seven business days. Due to the high volume of incoming requests, we seek your understanding that it may take longer than usual for our customer service agents to respond to you. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.

 

You could wait a bit and see if this policy will be extended to cover your time frame. Or ask about a change rather than cancellation - flying to or returning from Europe via Singapore (using the $5K as credit rather than refund)?

Lastly go to Singapore forum on FlyerTalk and see what others are doing:

https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/singapore-airlines-krisflyer-500/

[creativegirl]

30 minutes ago, corpkid said:

Anyone know how to get Singapore Air to cancel your $5k business class tickets?  I could use some advice before I call.

 

And having never been to SE Asia, I'm sad.  BUT - we just regrouped and planned a family trip to the Swiss Alps this August.

 

Lemon ---> Lemonade - it's what you make of it.

We had one way Singapore Air Hong Kong -Singapore and they refunded no questions...they are a good airline. I would call. At least to use for a future date...

[Paulchili]

13 minutes ago, creativegirl said:

they are a good airline

In fact, they are the BEST airline 😊

[DeanoNorthPerth]

https://www.seatrade-cruise.com/news/oceania-cruises-cancels-all-asia-voyages-through-june

[Paulchili]

On 2/18/2020 at 4:50 PM, Flatbush Flyer said:

Just checked the Singapore Cruise Centre website schedule search engine: Nautica is at berth CC01:

https://www.singaporecruise.com.sg/index.php/?page_id=110&action=cruise

Is it true that your cruise will now end in Dubai instead of Singapore?

https://www.seatrade-cruise.com/news/oceania-cruises-cancels-all-asia-voyages-through-june

[corpkid]

38 minutes ago, Paulchili said:

In fact, they are the BEST airline 😊

I can't wait to find out.

 

Damnit.

[Desert_Boomer]

Just received a written notice from Oceania that our March 18 cruise has been cancelled - note they are refunding everything!

 

All guests will receive a 100% refund of their cruise fare paid along with any other ancillary items purchased from Oceania Cruises such as air, transfers, pre- or post-cruise packages, visas and shore excursions.  To thank you for your understanding, you will also receive a 25% Future Cruise Credit of the cruise fare paid, good for any Oceania Cruises voyage embarking by December 31, 2020. 

 

Oceania Cruises will also reimburse change fees for independent air arrangements up to US$300 per guest, upon receipt of documentation for the charges. Any other travel related expenses that you may have incurred should be submitted as a claim to your travel insurance carrier. Please email SpecialServices@oceaniacruises.com with any questions or back-up documents for refund of airline change fees.

[corpkid]

From my “TA” that I had to call, (and had to call Oceania) but was super helpful. He said more info tomorrow or day after.  On hold with Singapore airlines. 

[Neliska]

On 2/19/2020 at 1:18 PM, Flatbush Flyer said:

I checked again today and was told CC01. I will check again in the morning. Nautica will also be there overnight on March 3.

In any case, the March 4 cruise is going (from/to Singapore) with or without the handful of couples (on the various virus related CC threads) who, though it means tossing thousands of dollars down the drain, honestly think/fear/whatever that they will directly be exposed to the virus. As 'I've posted earlier: way too much viewing of zombie apocalypse movies and/or gullibility when it comes to the biased/selective data analysis being peddled by a particular couple of CC naysayers.

There are 6 million people in Singapore who do not have Coronavirus and all sorts of increasingly restrictive policies designed to keep it that way.

Folks here on CC need to maintain a sense of perspective before deciding what to do.

 

On 2/19/2020 at 1:18 PM, Flatbush Flyer said:

I checked again today and was told CC01. I will check again in the morning. Nautica will also be there overnight on March 3.

In any case, the March 4 cruise is going (from/to Singapore) with or without the handful of couples (on the various virus related CC threads) who, though it means tossing thousands of dollars down the drain, honestly think/fear/whatever that they will directly be exposed to the virus. As 'I've posted earlier: way too much viewing of zombie apocalypse movies and/or gullibility when it comes to the biased/selective data analysis being peddled by a particular couple of CC naysayers.

There are 6 million people in Singapore who do not have Coronavirus and all sorts of increasingly restrictive policies designed to keep it that way.

Folks here on CC need to maintain a sense of perspective before deciding what to do.

My travel agent mentioned this morning your cruise will now finish in Dubai !

I felt you were a little too critical to some on this board .

Although not thrilled at being in Asian ports we would have gone on this cruise as it had cost us a lot of $ but it was more the worry of being quarantined on the ship or elsewhere or on a cruise to nowhere or worse coming back to NZ (which is Coronavirus free at present) & possibly passing it to family & friends in our community.

This virus is already having an impact here in NZ in our tourism sector.

 

 

[LHT28]

2 hours ago, corpkid said:

Anyone know how to get Singapore Air to cancel your $5k business class tickets?  I could use some advice before I call.

 

 

It may not apply in the current situation with the virus problem  but

was the ticket full fare or discounted BUS class??

Usually the terms for cancellation is on your ticket receipt

[corpkid]

1 minute ago, LHT28 said:

It may not apply in the current situation with the virus problem  but

was the ticket full fare or discounted BUS class??

Usually the terms for cancellation is on your ticket receipt

 

Unfortunately (?) the ticket was the lowest fare business class.  I've been on hold for almost 90 minutes.

[LHT28]

4 minutes ago, corpkid said:

 

Unfortunately (?) the ticket was the lowest fare business class.  I've been on hold for almost 90 minutes.

Hopefully under the current situation they will refund you  or at least  give you a credit to use for  a future flight  (usually 1 yr)

Hang in there   they are probably swamped with calls  😉

[corpkid]

1 minute ago, LHT28 said:

Hopefully under the current situation they will refund you  or at least  give you a credit to use for  a future flight  (usually 1 yr)

Hang in there   they are probably swamped with calls  😉

Thanks - first world problems for sure.

 

One thing I have learned is to "call three times" if need be.  A lot of this stuff is dependent on getting the right associate on the phone.

[LHT28]

what an ordeal for the Princess pax

https://www.cnn.com/2020/02/17/health/diamond-princess-american-evacuees-flight/index.html

[corpkid]

OK - so after almost 2 hours Singapore Air picked up and what I got after 20 minutes of nicely probing is "you should call back in April Mr. Dominic".  We can book another flight, but we have to book by July and travel by September.  So no. Usually I'd call right back, but this one needs a week or two to bake.  What an unfortunate situation.  

 

Call #1. 

Edited February 20, 2020 by corpkid

[corpkid]

PS - this is now a tweet. Love it or hate it (they do) it works for us.  @singaporeair 

[corpkid]

Call 1.1:  Trying Twitter.  Maybe 2.0.  Either way they are answering me within 5 mins on Twitter.

Edited February 20, 2020 by corpkid

[Tansy Mews]

Just home from Sydney to Auckland cruise. The noro outbreak on the previous cruise was a mixed blessing. They delayed boarding by a couple of hours for extra cleaning, did all their code red protocols (new menus for each, cleaning, free medical assessment in your room, etc.) for a specific time period without any new cases. But it meant everyone was being scrupulous about hygiene. Also for our New Zealand ports, our temperatures were scanned before we got onto the ship. (It could be argued that this is not effective, that only the "healthy" ones went ashore...but still!)

 

Great trip. Great food, but super slow in the GDR, mainly due to the cleaning between guests and no prior table setups.

 

Frances

 

 

[corpkid]

4 minutes ago, Tansy Mews said:

Just home from Sydney to Auckland cruise. The noro outbreak on the previous cruise was a mixed blessing. They delayed boarding by a couple of hours for extra cleaning, did all their code red protocols (new menus for each, cleaning, free medical assessment in your room, etc.) for a specific time period without any new cases. But it meant everyone was being scrupulous about hygiene. Also for our New Zealand ports, our temperatures were scanned before we got onto the ship. (It could be argued that this is not effective, that only the "healthy" ones went ashore...but still!)

 

Great trip. Great food, but super slow in the GDR, mainly due to the cleaning between guests and no prior table setups.

 

Frances

 

 

Sydney to Auckland on Marina way back in 2016 is still to this day my favorite cruise of all time. Good to hear things are going well. Have a drink for us.