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

[villauk]

24 minutes ago, Abovethesod said:

I come at this from a different angle.

We live in Belfast Northern Ireland and to celebrate my early retirement we have already enjoyed some sunshine  last  month in Fuerteventura, looking forward to our trip to Lanzarote mid March, already a quarantined hotel in neighbouring Tenerife, short trip to Copenhagen in April, family 2 weeks in Portugal in  June into July.  This leads up to our trip in October to Vegas, L A, Royal Princess to Mexico and finishing off in S Francisco .So a lot of aeroplane air cons to inhale.

Tonight the first case of the virus was reported in Northern Ireland  with the carrier being an Italian man who flew into Dublin and travelled to Belfast.

My rhetorical question is, do I cancel some, all of my holidays?

We are a fairly healthy couple and the only advice currently being given locally is if "you" believe you have the virus, self isolate. Under no circumstances attend your GP or local hospital for fear of spreading the virus and only if health worsens.

Could I be in as much danger locally as travelling?

While not belittling the seriousness of this virus, more people have died of flu in the same timeframe, would all travel be cancelled if the flu virus worsened?

We will take each holiday as it comes but unless this "pandemic" worsens  I hope to be enjoying some good holidays this year

 

 

 

 

As with many people, it’s not just about catching the virus, it’s about being stranded/quarantined in a foreign country for 14 days+, or being stuck on a ship with nowhere to dock as ports are closed to you. 

[jwattle]

4 hours ago, gottagocit said:

Hi Kathy,

I’m not so sure they will send the ships to Europe this summer season as is typically done. Just looking at the increased number of virus cases, particularly in Italy where so many itineraries include stops, I can imagine Princess may decide not to send ships into the area. That said if outbreaks continue to pop up around the globe I’m not sure where they might chose to send them. 

 

I’m pretty sure they will do whatever can be done to avoid another situation like the one the Diamond went through.
 

Could they even dry dock many of the ships scheduled to have them in the coming year or two and do planned upgrades or maintenance early?  That could make good use of some of this time frame if bookings collapse and they could then be prepared for extended sailing periods once this has passed? Not sure that would be possible but I bet they’re considering it. 

I don't think that bookings will collapse; ports may close off forcing the cruise lines to reconsider, but unless that happens, I think that there will still be enough cruisers interested to keep things happening...

[ALWAYS CRUZIN]

1 minute ago, jwattle said:

I don't think that bookings will collapse; ports may close off forcing the cruise lines to reconsider, but unless that happens, I think that there will still be enough cruisers interested to keep things happening...

Agree. Those that panic are the ones that may cause some concern to the cruise ones. Ports are being cautious and that is understandable. If only one on a ship has the flu. it will cause a lot of concern. If we are in a port of concern to us. We will not get off at that port. That is not to say someone getting off will not get sick as on any cruise. Unless the Captain gets on the PA system and says they have a problem. I will not have a problem with enjoying ourselves.

[stoneharborlady]

Quite honestly, I am quite happy not to have a cruise booked right now.  We have been doing beach vacations the past few years, and that is something I really enjoy too.  I love me a cozy inside cabin, but would not care to be locked up in one for a couple of weeks, unable to leave the cabin at will.  I am not one to panic, but if I did have an upcoming cruise in the next few months, I would likely cancel it.

[sunnysunshine]

So many things to consider... our trip is in June/Europe so we are looking at taking a long haul to UK, boarding a ship that is already currently down a generator and missing ports throughout the Caribbean (Crown), and sailing with a crew who will have just finished a trip around all the hot spots in Italy. I don’t really think there’s a chance we’ll be able to avoid SOMEONE who either has the virus or is carrying it unknown to them by June. Missing ports either by the ship not able to make them or the port not allowing the ship in, being quarantined in Europe or the US on return for an extended time... doesn’t really sound like what I had in mind when I booked it. It is just so hard not to want things immediately and this trip was so perfectly planned. However, it is so important to use logic and patience with this decision. There will be cruises to these ports in the future. Being patient might be our best plan.  I just wish I had more time on this before final payment. 😢 17 days to final decision...

[Pushka]

38 minutes ago, sunnysunshine said:

So many things to consider... our trip is in June/Europe so we are looking at taking a long haul to UK, boarding a ship that is already currently down a generator and missing ports throughout the Caribbean (Crown), and sailing with a crew who will have just finished a trip around all the hot spots in Italy. I don’t really think there’s a chance we’ll be able to avoid SOMEONE who either has the virus or is carrying it unknown to them by June. Missing ports either by the ship not able to make them or the port not allowing the ship in, being quarantined in Europe or the US on return for an extended time... doesn’t really sound like what I had in mind when I booked it. It is just so hard not to want things immediately and this trip was so perfectly planned. However, it is so important to use logic and patience with this decision. There will be cruises to these ports in the future. Being patient might be our best plan.  I just wish I had more time on this before final payment. 😢 17 days to final decision...

In 17 days I think everything will be much clearer. 🤞

[sunnysunshine]

13 minutes ago, Pushka said:

In 17 days I think everything will be much clearer. 🤞

Thanks - I do hope so!

[travellingnana]

48 minutes ago, sunnysunshine said:

So many things to consider... our trip is in June/Europe so we are looking at taking a long haul to UK, boarding a ship that is already currently down a generator and missing ports throughout the Caribbean (Crown), and sailing with a crew who will have just finished a trip around all the hot spots in Italy. I don’t really think there’s a chance we’ll be able to avoid SOMEONE who either has the virus or is carrying it unknown to them by June. Missing ports either by the ship not able to make them or the port not allowing the ship in, being quarantined in Europe or the US on return for an extended time... doesn’t really sound like what I had in mind when I booked it. It is just so hard not to want things immediately and this trip was so perfectly planned. However, it is so important to use logic and patience with this decision. There will be cruises to these ports in the future. Being patient might be our best plan.  I just wish I had more time on this before final payment. 😢 17 days to final decision...

We will be on the Crown for the June 13th sailing.  I looked back at her cruises up to that  date (thank you for that idea).  She will be in the Baltic before my cruise, and Europe before that...but her only stops in Italy are in the south...in fact her last Italian port will be on May 20th.  Nevertheless, I’m still a bit nervous about the whole trip.  At this point I think we will go ahead and make final payment, BUT add on Princess CFAR insurance and just wait it out.  Fingers crossed.

[gottagocit]

1 hour ago, sunnysunshine said:

So many things to consider... Being patient might be our best plan.  I just wish I had more time on this before final payment. 😢 17 days to final decision...

I think you have the right idea. I’d use the entire 17 days before making my decision as well. Hopefully by then it will be easier to make the right choice. 

[movinout]

13 hours ago, rabin1 said:

I do have a question for anyones thoughts. I live in South Florida and most of the cruise ships will be leaving soon for their TA's for their summer cruises. I don;t think their is a possiblity they will cancel those cruises because they need to get the ships there. I think they may miss ports but would not cancel any TA cruises. Your thoughts?

 

I was on one of the TA's leaving the end of March. Thank goodness I had the Platinum insurance and had no trouble cancelling

 

Thanks

Kathy 

 

[JeffandMelissa]

5 hours ago, chickadee1 said:

There are so many unknowns, of course, life is full of them! But, sometimes we have to avoid some of these known unknowns!

 

I owe you royalties!  I love how you said this..."we have to avoid some of these known unknowns"

 

We chose this morning to cancel another cruise line's transatlantic cruise which was set to sail in mid-April,  with an authorized disembarkation at Le Havre.  We had plans to spend a few more days in Normandy, and another 7 days in Paris.  When northern Italy was compromised, it caused us to pause.

 

We chose, especially after 9/11, not to let fear rule our lives. However, with my having a compromised immune system due to recent events last year,  we had to pause and make a decision.  Breaks my heart to cancel as this cruise as we had some bucket list items too.  We had Paris on that list too! Stress over my compromised situation and looking over my shoulder afraid of a cough...not my idea of a bucket list trip. 

 

So, we decided we didn't want to risk it, and decided "to avoid some of these known unknowns"

 

It was a tough decision and know it will be tough for those contemplating it in the near future. Whatever decision you make, it will be the best decision.  Ours was the best one for us.

 

Melissa

[Belmont Babe]

6 hours ago, kiwichick62 said:

Exactly, the situation can change daily so any area can become a hot spot during your trip.

 

The other concern is if one person on the ship develops symptoms, the rest of the ship is confined to cabins until the results come in.  If positive, you are confined for 14 plus days and are sitting ducks for illness.   There is also the issue that any country could deny a ship docking in its port.

 

We have a Baltic cruise April 25th, just getting the departure port could be risky for us with such long haul flights involved.  I also don't want to be the first person who brings the virus in to (so far virus free) New Zealand!

 

I keep wavering between going and wanting to cancel, keeping an eye on developments for now.

You won't be the first. Just announced....."

Prime minister Jacinda Ardern has confirmed that a patient being tested for coronavirus has the illness. It is New Zealand's first confirmed case.

The patient is in their 60s and is in a stable and improving condition in hospital in Auckland, the prime minister said. She said the woman was a citizen of New Zealand who had been to Iran.

She said the pandemic plan is now being fully put into place. "

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/119899280/ministry-of-health-gives-latest-update-on-novel-coronavirus

[villauk]

BA have just announced they are cancelling flights to several places in Italy, including Venice and Milan, together with particular flights to other countries:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-51669434

[Pushka]

2 hours ago, Belmont Babe said:

You won't be the first. Just announced....."

Prime minister Jacinda Ardern has confirmed that a patient being tested for coronavirus has the illness. It is New Zealand's first confirmed case.

The patient is in their 60s and is in a stable and improving condition in hospital in Auckland, the prime minister said. She said the woman was a citizen of New Zealand who had been to Iran.

She said the pandemic plan is now being fully put into place. "

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/119899280/ministry-of-health-gives-latest-update-on-novel-coronavirus

I read in the media that they flew back through Bali. 

[crystalspin]

9 hours ago, chickadee1 said:

Our final day to cancel and not lose money is Sunday for a cruise to Alaska. 

Chickadee.

Beware of the situation where your "final day" is a Sunday making it ACTUALLY the last business day before (FRIDAY, i.e. tomorrow or today as you read this).

 

I bumped into this a few years back when my 'last day' was CHRISTMAS, which happened to be Sunday. I knew that Sunday the office/phonelines would not be open, and even figured on Saturday being off... but bumped into a problem when HAL was observing FRIDAY as their Christmas holiday! (Note, this did turn out OK for me when I left time-stamped voice and email messages for the PCC that had been assigned to me, even though she had not made the reservation!)

[caribill]

If someone is afraid to travel because being on a plane exposes you to the possibility that other passengers might have the virus, then that someone really needs to avoid any location that a number of people gather, even in his/her home city.

 

This would include movie theaters, music performances, parades, athletic events, religious houses of worship, grocery stores, etc.  Just like on an airplane or on a cruise ship, the people around you could have traveled anywhere in the world recently or been in close contact with someone who did.

 

Many seniors can probably remember when polio scares in the USA caused many people to avoid all places a crowd might be.

[gottagocit]

1 hour ago, caribill said:

If someone is afraid to travel because being on a plane exposes you to the possibility that other passengers might have the virus, then that someone really needs to avoid any location that a number of people gather, even in his/her home city.

 

This would include movie theaters, music performances, parades, athletic events, religious houses of worship, grocery stores, etc.  Just like on an airplane or on a cruise ship, the people around you could have traveled anywhere in the world recently or been in close contact with someone who did.

 

Many seniors can probably remember when polio scares in the USA caused many people to avoid all places a crowd might be.

I would have to say not necessarily as traveling, particularly on long flights, exposes you to many other international travelers whose paths are crisscrossing the world and is done within compact planes which are rarely throughly cleaned. 
Going to your local grocery can be done off hours when few are out and those that are doing the same are more likely to be locals. There’s no guarantee but unless there’s a local outbreak the odds are in your favor. Imho. 

[Level six]

26 minutes ago, gottagocit said:

I would have to say not necessarily as traveling, particularly on long flights, exposes you to many other international travelers whose paths are crisscrossing the world and is done within compact planes which are rarely throughly cleaned. 
Going to your local grocery can be done off hours when few are out and those that are doing the same are more likely to be locals. There’s no guarantee but unless there’s a local outbreak the odds are in your favor. Imho. 

 

Agree.  Plus, if you get sick from someone at the super market in your city, at least you will be home.  

[PaperSniper4]

On 2/24/2020 at 9:11 PM, idahospud said:

 

 

.............................The ship isn’t going to keep us healthy - we are going to need to assume that responsibility ourselves now more than ever.

 

Yep. When I was in the Navy, there were little placards on the mirrors in the heads: "This is the person responsible for your safety!". Well said. I believed it then, and I believe it now. I cannot control many of the things to keep my safe, but I am responsible to do what I can to attempt to stay safe.

 

We have a 10 day Mexico cruise scheduled in about 10 months. No plans now to cancel, but I'm glad I have a refundable deposit and that's all I've paid so far. For a variety of reasons when I book this cruise a few months ago I did not get insurance. It's far to late to get CFAR insurance, so if we go we will get the best medical and evac we can get. I do not expect it to be cheap considering what's in the news. Hopefully I will have much more information about the virus before the 'final payment' date.🙄

Edited February 28, 2020 by PaperSniper4

[PaperSniper4]

On 2/25/2020 at 10:35 PM, BoopTennis said:

"......We are planning on buying the princess platinum insurance when we make the final payment....."

 

Can one still buy CFAR insurance from Princess so late? I thought it needed to be within a couple of weeks of when you booked the cruise?

 

 Doug

[gottagocit]

6 minutes ago, PaperSniper4 said:

 

Can one still buy CFAR insurance from Princess so late? I thought it needed to be within a couple of weeks of when you booked the cruise?

 

 Doug

I believe it can be purchased up until final payment. 

[PaperSniper4]

7 minutes ago, gottagocit said:

I believe it can be purchased up until final payment. 

Thanks for that information, I'll check into that for our Jan 2021 cruise.

 Doug

[suzyed]

We're cruising in South America next week!  Are we concerned about the Corona Virus?  Yes.  We're also concerned about Yellow Fever.  Are we concerned enough that we are cancelling our cruise? Nope!  Not unless there is a major shift/change in the next few days and even then, we might expect the cruise line to cancel us! 

[tere247]

On 2/26/2020 at 5:26 AM, Coral said:

It does work that way. You don't have to give a reason. 

Not true. I always get platinum coverage and when I cancelled a cruise last year, I was asked the reason.  I was covered.

[suzyed]

10 hours ago, movinout said:

On 2/27/2020 at 9:21 AM, rabin1 said:

I do have a question for anyones thoughts. I live in South Florida and most of the cruise ships will be leaving soon for their TA's for their summer cruises. I don;t think their is a possiblity they will cancel those cruises because they need to get the ships there. I think they may miss ports but would not cancel any TA cruises. Your thoughts?

 

I was on one of the TA's leaving the end of March. Thank goodness I had the Platinum insurance and had no trouble cancelling

 

Thanks

Kathy 

 

Did you get 100% credit?