Do you have concerns about cruising at this time? Onboard now?

[BrennerM]

5 hours ago, subaru94 said:

In Australia they interviewed 2 people who were evacuated from Diamond Princess and sent to Darwin Quarantine, where they were tested positive for the Covor-19 virus, they didn't even know they had it the woman had a slightly sore throat the man said he did not feel well at all.  At the end of the day it is another flu and I just don't understand the hysteria behind this one, there is a different kind of flu every year, some worse than others this has been the norm for years, we were on a ship a few years ago where a whole family were sent off the ship as they boarded with Influenza A, left on port and told to make their own way home, no quarantining, no ship being refused to dock.  80,000 people in China out of 1.8 billion, have got the coro-19 virus.

This disease could possibly mutate into a very deadly form of the virus and because so little is known about it, there is an abundance of caution happening right now.  The flu is very well known, 100+ years of medical study.

 

China contained the outbreak relatively well because they shut down travel between cities, shut down movie theaters, stores, etc to contain it. Not seeing any of that in the U.S. yet.  Also there could have been a lot more cases that were mild and therefore never tested in China.  We’ll never know for sure.  And it could very well make a comeback in China yet once people start moving around and congregating again.

[GonzoWCS]

10 hours ago, mthomp5 said:

Viking is a class act.  I wish Princess would do the same.  I made the decision last week to cancel our Western Caribbean cruise out of Ft.  Lauderdale.  I had 3rd party insurance so no cancel for any reason.  I took the 50% penalty and feel that I made a good decision.  Would have been nice if Princess came out with something like Viking did with the temporary cancellation policy,  

Concur - Wake Up Princes and take care of your loyal customers!

[Doubt It]

The c virus is the nail in the coffin for cruising in our household.

 

Taking into consideration the degradation of air travel these days, the cutbacks of food, service, loss of ship space for non suite class, increasing elimination of ship spaces like the promenade/sky lounge, the congestion in ports, port restrictions.....

 

Cruising is stale and carries increased risks given the combined high density air travel followed by ship.

 

Fortunately there are other methods of travel, so that is working well for us.

 

[gottagocit]

11 minutes ago, Doubt It said:

The c virus is the nail in the coffin for cruising in our household.

 

Taking into consideration the degradation of air travel these days, the cutbacks of food, service, loss of ship space for non suite class, increasing elimination of ship spaces like the promenade/sky lounge, the congestion in ports, port restrictions.....

 

Cruising is stale and carries increased risks given the combined high density air travel followed by ship.

 

Fortunately there are other methods of travel, so that is working well for us.

 

When I started this thread a few days ago we were keeping a wait and see attitude about future cruise plans but I think we have now seen enough to decide we won’t be cruising anytime soon. We likely won’t be flying for quite some time either. 
 

[PrincessLuver]

10 hours ago, gottagocit said:

 

I think the biggest differences are:

 

1) When someone has the flu the time during which they are contagious is pretty clear. The fever and other typical symptoms are sure signs you are a carrier and likely contagious. With this virus no one knows who is a carry and who is not in many cases as many have few if any symptoms so how can it be contained and how can elderly or others with health problems avoid contact with those who are contagious? Not to mention there is no vaccine.

 

 

Agree and millions of Americans each year decide NOT to get a flu shot which is what really makes the flu deadly in the US....there are options for the flu but not COVID-19 at this time.....

[Eagle_and_hawk]

10 hours ago, John99 said:

We (retirees) cancelled our February 29^thCaribbean cruise on 2/6/2020.

 

Insurance claim filed on 2/6/2020.

 

Claimed received by AON 2/6/2020 for reviewed.

 

Princess Insurance – Elite

 

Reason:  “Cancelled for any reason”.

 

 

 

Two (2) Certificates issued (one for my wife and one for me) by Princess for partial amount on 2/24/2020.   This was approximately half the cruise amount which included all fees, air fare, FCD, etc. Certificates must be used by 12/31/2021.

 

 

 

The balance (less certificate amount) credited to my Visa credit card on 2/24/2020.

 

As expected – the insurance amount not covered ($191.94).

 

 

 

We still plan on taking a cruise later this fall -- Canada/New England.

 

John   

 

This is where I am getting confused, so maybe someone can explain it better as I keep reading, that after final payment, there is some future cruise credit given by princess, and them some credit back to the credit card.

 

Just for an example, our 4/18 cruise has cancellation policy by 2/22 = 50%, 3/21 = 75%, 4/4 = 100%.

 

We have Princess Platinum coverage which we are reading as cancel for any reason = 100% of non - refundable costs.

 

For simplicity, lets say the cruise is a $1000. If we cancel today, we would be in the 50% range as past 2/22, but not 3/21.

 

Would princes give us a credit for 50% ($500) for a future cruise, then we file a claim to get the other 50% back from the insurance company, and if that is correct, they apply it back as a credit to the credit card?

 

If that's the case, it seems like we would be better off to just wait until after 4/4 to cancel, when it's 100%. Princess gives us no future credit, file a claim with insurance and they credit back 100% to the credit card.

 

 

 

[trajan]

Almost booked a last minute cruise for our Florida trip in a couple weeks. So glad now that I didn’t. Given what we know now I would not forgive myself if I took my family on a cruise and we ended up quarantined or infected. Have enjoyed cruising in the past and hope to cruise again in the future but it’s gonna be a while.

[tk2fast]

Soon the c virus will be everywhere and exposure eventually unavoidable. At that time quarantine of a cruise ship will be unnecessary. One can take precautions to avoid it but sooner or later you will be exposed. Staying at home will just prolong the inevitable.

I understand trying to avoid a cruise or air travel if over 70 or in compromised health. Just makes good sense but still just a matter of time. I wish the best of health to all.

 

We are cruising in 4 weeks and by then the virus should be uncontainable and quarantines unnecessary.

[PescadoAmarillo]

1 hour ago, Eagle_and_hawk said:

 

This is where I am getting confused, so maybe someone can explain it better as I keep reading, that after final payment, there is some future cruise credit given by princess, and them some credit back to the credit card.

 

Just for an example, our 4/18 cruise has cancellation policy by 2/22 = 50%, 3/21 = 75%, 4/4 = 100%.

 

We have Princess Platinum coverage which we are reading as cancel for any reason = 100% of non - refundable costs.

 

For simplicity, lets say the cruise is a $1000. If we cancel today, we would be in the 50% range as past 2/22, but not 3/21.

 

Would princes give us a credit for 50% ($500) for a future cruise, then we file a claim to get the other 50% back from the insurance company, and if that is correct, they apply it back as a credit to the credit card?

 

If that's the case, it seems like we would be better off to just wait until after 4/4 to cancel, when it's 100%. Princess gives us no future credit, file a claim with insurance and they credit back 100% to the credit card.

 

 

 

If you are in the 50% cancellation fee timeframe and utilize the CFAR coverage in the Platinum Princess Vacation Plan:

• You will receive 100% of taxes and fees, prepaid shore excursions and gratuities (if any) as a credit back to the credit card used to pay for them;
• You will receive 50% of your base cruise fare as a credit back to the credit card used to pay for it:
• You will receive a Future Cruise Credit (FCC) for the remaining 50% of your base cruise fare.  This must be used to book a cruise by December 31 of next year. If you cancel that cruise after December 31 of next year, you will lose that FCC. 

You will not receive the cost of your PVP back. I am not 100% certain of how Princess EZ Air refunds are handled and so I’m not commenting on that. 

[Eagle_and_hawk]

8 minutes ago, PescadoAmarillo said:

If you are in the 50% cancellation fee timeframe and utilize the CFAR coverage in the Platinum Princess Vacation Plan:

• You will receive 100% of taxes and fees, prepaid shore excursions and gratuities (if any) as a credit back to the credit card used to pay for them;
• You will receive 50% of your base cruise fare as a credit back to the credit card used to pay for it:
• You will receive a Future Cruise Credit (FCC) for the remaining 50% of your base cruise fare.  This must be used to book a cruise by December 31 of next year. If you cancel that cruise after December 31 of next year, you will lose that FCC. 

You will not receive the cost of your PVP back. I am not 100% certain of how Princess EZ Air refunds are handled and so I’m not commenting on that. 

 

Thanks - That is the way I thought I understood it.

 

Luckily, we don't have airfares involved, or pre-paid grats & excusrions.

 

It still seems better to me, to just wait until it's at 100%, after 4/4 and before 4/18 then file a claim to get 100% credit back

to the credit card for the base cruise fare,  instead of sitting on a cruise credit we have to use by the end of next year.

 

Unless I am missing something?

[PescadoAmarillo]

You will not get a 100% credit back to the credit card. If you wait until your booking is in the 100% cancellation timeframe, you’ll receive none of the base cruise fare back to your credit card and 100% of it (100% of the cancellation penalty) as a FCC. 

[hllwdcruiser]

1 hour ago, tk2fast said:

Soon the c virus will be everywhere and exposure eventually unavoidable. At that time quarantine of a cruise ship will be unnecessary. One can take precautions to avoid it but sooner or later you will be exposed. Staying at home will just prolong the inevitable.

I understand trying to avoid a cruise or air travel if over 70 or in compromised health. Just makes good sense but still just a matter of time. I wish the best of health to all.

 

We are cruising in 4 weeks and by then the virus should be uncontainable and quarantines unnecessary.

^^^ This

 

My sister lives in Vermont but is coming down to FL to take care of my 94 year old mother who has dementia while we are on the Sky at the end of this week and next. She also spends 2 months a year in San Francisco (where they lived before retirement) and have tickets to fly there after leaving FL. 

 

We were discussing how we were both scr#*ed - me on the cruise and she in SF. I told her maybe she should just stay in VT because both she and her husband have underlying health issues. Yesterday (the day after our conversation) she and her husband went to Dartmouth to meet with his cardiologist. Then this morning she sent me this:

 

https://www.foxnews.com/health/n-h-man-who-ignored-advice-to-stay-home-before-he-tested-positive-for-coronavirus-prompts-self-quarantine-questions

 

The hospital where the man who ignored the quarantine directive works in the same hospital as the cardiologist's office. The same hospital she was just in yesterday.

 

The moral of the story? No place is safe.

[chipmaster]

13 hours ago, BrennerM said:

This disease could possibly mutate into a very deadly form of the virus and because so little is known about it, there is an abundance of caution happening right now.  The flu is very well known, 100+ years of medical study.

 

China contained the outbreak relatively well because they shut down travel between cities, shut down movie theaters, stores, etc to contain it. Not seeing any of that in the U.S. yet.  Also there could have been a lot more cases that were mild and therefore never tested in China.  We’ll never know for sure.  And it could very well make a comeback in China yet once people start moving around and congregating again.

 

No threat to US, LOL, okay reality distortion for you!

[chipmaster]

FYI, from a recent publication, if you are on the old side, not looking good, especially if you are both chronologically and biologically "old"   

 

Death rate for those that got COVID19

 

Edited March 5, 2020 by chipmaster

[MJSailors]

          Listening to the financial stations on TV, the obvious is being stated- the travel and tourism industry is taking a big hit. Not only are individuals cancelling travel plans, but business travel has been greatly curtailed with video conferencing being utilized instead.

           In our community, one of the local high schools has cancelled the students’ Spring trip which was a twelve day tour of Italy, France and Spain. There has been no definite decision as to a change of itinerary or to scrap the entire trip for this year. Board members are now considering the most reasonable decision.

       Friends recently cancelled a trip to Portugal that was scheduled for the end of the month.

        How the ramifications of this Corona virus plays out in the next several weeks and months should be interesting.

[Whirlybird]

We usually take a spring cruise on princess each year.  In the last few days, princess has offered attractive price drops on several cruises that we would like to sail, including the baltic.  We are not that worried about getting the virus, but have not booked because we are worried about getting stranded on a ship where c virus has been detected.  So waiting to see if the temperature rise later this spring slows the virus down, as of today, too risky.

[JoRoy218]

21 hours ago, Kelownabccan said:

God I must of had a premonition about our cruise....cancelled it late last week and ate a $500 cancel fee from Princess....we were April 7 out of LA....Star Princess....glad I did....this is not what I wanted on a quick cruise up the coast to Canada......

We’re on this booking as well. Strongly leaning towards cancelling. 

[RMMariner]

I think the death rate is presently far overstated. Right now we know about the people who were hospitalized and died. Easy numbers to get. Most of these events far overstate the death rate until after the total number of people who had the disease are counted. I think, in the case of COV -19 there are going to many, many people who have it right now that are not being counted because their symptoms are so mild. I am not trying to minimize the severity to those impacted, just trying to look at the situation realistically.

 

Despite this, if I was older or had a suppressed immune system, I would not be taking a plane or cruising. My father or in-laws will not be coming us in May. They may come to Alaska in August, but we will make that decision in May.

I have two cruises booked for April and May. One of them is on the Grand. I will not be cancelling. I am young and healthy. My only real concerns are passing the disease along to others or being quarantined. If Princess cancels, I will take my money and go on a bike trip. If they don't - I will be going on a 3 day to San Francisco and then a 4 day back. 

 

Each person has to look at the situation in their own light. For healthy, young people this is less than the flu. For older or immune compromised people this is a very serious situation.

 

 

[John99]

Good Question eagle & hawk.

I hope I can give you a good answer.

You must file a claim with AON insurance before Princess will act.

Princess Insurance:  Elite 

The claim covered:  Cruise fare, EZ air, port taxes, government taxes, transfers, etc.

Sale date was 2/29/2020

 

Total USD: $4074.06

Penalty: $2607.26 – 64%

Credit Card: $1466.80 – 36%

For the life of me I do not know how the penalty was calculated.

 

Future cruise credit:

Wife -- $1207.71 (certificate)

Me -- $1207.71 (certificate)

Credit card -- $1466.80

Insurance -- $191.84 (not refunded)

Total USD: $4074.06

Note: The future credit is combinable with any fare and/or discount on your next cruise.

The credit is non-transferable, non-refundable and non-negotiable for cash.

It may not be used as a deposit.

 

[Pushka]

8 hours ago, tk2fast said:

Soon the c virus will be everywhere and exposure eventually unavoidable. At that time quarantine of a cruise ship will be unnecessary. One can take precautions to avoid it but sooner or later you will be exposed. Staying at home will just prolong the inevitable.

I understand trying to avoid a cruise or air travel if over 70 or in compromised health. Just makes good sense but still just a matter of time. I wish the best of health to all.

 

We are cruising in 4 weeks and by then the virus should be uncontainable and quarantines unnecessary.

I'm not sure. It is only really just starting in Australia and we have been testing rigorously. I think we have around 40 cases and several of those were given to us by Princess Diamond. But this week it started to change. We are just at the start. 

[fragilek]

Just announced that it will be room service only, that passengers stay in their state rooms. Menus will be distributed for food choices.

[Colo Cruiser]

1 minute ago, fragilek said:

Just announced that it will be room service only, that passengers stay in their state rooms. Menus will be distributed for food choices.

Were you on for the Mexico cruise prior to Hawaii?

[san diego sue]

1 hour ago, John99 said:

Good Question eagle & hawk.

 

I hope I can give you a good answer.

 

You must file a claim with AON insurance before Princess will act.

 

Princess Insurance:  Elite 

 

The claim covered:  Cruise fare, EZ air, port taxes, government taxes, transfers, etc.

 

Sale date was 2/29/2020

 

 

 

Total USD: $4074.06

 

Penalty: $2607.26 – 64%

 

Credit Card: $1466.80 – 36%

 

For the life of me I do not know how the penalty was calculated.

 

 

 

Future cruise credit:

 

Wife -- $1207.71 (certificate)

 

Me -- $1207.71 (certificate)

 

Credit card -- $1466.80

 

Insurance -- $191.84 (not refunded)

 

Total USD: $4074.06

 

Note: The future credit is combinable with any fare and/or discount on your next cruise.

 

The credit is non-transferable, non-refundable and non-negotiable for cash.

 

It may not be used as a deposit.

 

Can you tell me if the credit card figures when you cancelled came right away or after when the claim was filed and done. I had to cancel today  at 50% penalty and thought the port taxes and the other 50% left would be on my credit card right away.  It isn't right now.We are going to file our claim in the morning so was hoping I would know how much to ask for in the claim.Mine is a family matter not Corona Virus.

 

[fragilek]

13 minutes ago, Colo Cruiser said:

Were you on for the Mexico cruise prior to Hawaii?

No 

[Colo Cruiser]

Just now, fragilek said:

No 

Oh ok just the Hawaii cruise.

Thanks