Fear of the virus (?)

[Shippy]

   Our cruise leaves this Monday. It has been sold out for months.

All of a sudden.....there are 4 categories available.

I have never known a cruiseline to advertise vacant cabins within a week before sailing.

I would assume that means last minute cancellations.....probably more than currently advertised.

 

 

[carlylecat]

I can not imagine anyone getting on a cruise ship anywhere right now for three reasons:

 

1) watching what happened in Japan

 

2) seeing cases spread to the middle east and europe

 

3) the cdc warning yesterday that it will hit the US, saying it is not a question of if but when 

Edited February 26, 2020 by carlylecat
addition

[Shippy]

10 minutes ago, carlylecat said:

I can not imagine anyone getting on a cruise ship anywhere right now for three reasons:

 

1) watching what happened in Japan

 

2) seeing cases spread to the middle east and europe

 

3) the cdc warning yesterday that it will hit the US, saying it is not a question of if but when 

   Totally get what you are saying.

We are old & going anyway. We have cruises booked for June & October.  I told my husband that we really have to make the best of this one because I have my doubts that the the next 2 will happen.

Pretty scary times.

[Pcardad]

A cruise ship is FAR safer than a plane.

 

Besides, live a little while you can...it beats dying on the couch.

[Hambagahle]

I once heard this - "I am an old man and in my life I have had many worries.  Most of the things I worried about never happened".

 

Of course one should worry about this new virus.  But then one should worry about all illnesses.  One should take precautions so as not to catch whatever it is.  And hope not to!   But stop living just because of it?  No.

 

We sail in precisely two weeks from today.   We fly to the US in 9 days time.  Corona virus has been reported now here in Switzerland.  There are something like 15-20 cases in California (where we cruise from and where we fly to).  Will we cancel ?   No.  We plan to take all precautions - apparently the most important is frequent and correct hand washing - and we also plan to enjoy ourselves on our cruise.   We are both "seniors" - 77 and 82 - but in good health.  No medical problems.  Play golf several times a week in season (practically the entire year around here), walking the course.  (8.5km on average).   There is no reason I can think of to cancel...

 

I just checked our cruise.   It is still sold out.  Just as it has been since early 2018...

Edited February 26, 2020 by Hambagahle

[slidebite]

The virus does not concern me other than hoping my vacation doesn't get cancelled. I'd be far more concerned about virtually any kind of transport before a Regent cruise.

[Mudhen]

We are still going on our TA on the Explorer at the beginning of April. At this second in time, I don't think there's a cleaner place, with a  more diligent cleaning protocol than a cruise ship. We will, of course take all necessary precautions, but I'm more concerned about the plane than the ship/cruise. We're in good health so we're going for it. I think there's probably just as much chance of me having my face slashed with a box cutter, getting knocked out in the supermarket parking lot, or being hit by a hit and run. We will, be careful, but we're not living our lives under a rock. Unless Regent changes course in the meantime, we're going for it.

[mrlevin]

1 hour ago, Shippy said:

   Our cruise leaves this Monday. It has been sold out for months.

All of a sudden.....there are 4 categories available.

I have never known a cruiseline to advertise vacant cabins within a week before sailing.

I would assume that means last minute cancellations.....probably more than currently advertised.

 

 

 

More anecdotal evidence.  Regent has four ships in Europe this summer; do you think they can fill them all?

 

Marc

[carlylecat]

We will have to wait and see, there is a set of cruisers like those above who will equate the risk of going on a cruise right now to past experiences and risks they take daily and assess what they will or should do.

 

If this virus is something very unique and different than what people have experienced before - and there are plenty of indicators it is - then those correlations will be shocked in a way that will fundamentally change those assessments creating a dramatic impact on this industry until a resolution is found 

 

Right now it seems that  anyone but the most "dedicated" cruisers will most likely redirect energies elsewhere until that happens 

 

What will need to happen to shock the "dedicated" ones to create new behavior is not clear - reading the responses above it seems that some think that cleanliness will save them - but unfortunately there is no indication it will or that a lack of cleanliness created any of the challenges Princess cruisers experienced

 

If the Princess Japan experience and the constant and rapid progress of a lethal virus with no known cure or preventative measure does not scare them off, I am not sure what will  -  we can only hope and pray that whatever that is, it never, ever happens -  it will be horrible to watch and even worse to experience firsthand, locked up on a ship with a lethal virus being controlled by a government that is not their own.

[gb58]

2 hours ago, Hambagahle said:

I once heard this - "I am an old man and in my life I have had many worries.  Most of the things I worried about never happened".

 

Of course one should worry about this new virus.  But then one should worry about all illnesses.  One should take precautions so as not to catch whatever it is.  And hope not to!   But stop living just because of it?  No.

 

We sail in precisely two weeks from today.   We fly to the US in 9 days time.  Corona virus has been reported now here in Switzerland.  There are something like 15-20 cases in California (where we cruise from and where we fly to).  Will we cancel ?   No.  We plan to take all precautions - apparently the most important is frequent and correct hand washing - and we also plan to enjoy ourselves on our cruise.   We are both "seniors" - 77 and 82 - but in good health.  No medical problems.  Play golf several times a week in season (practically the entire year around here), walking the course.  (8.5km on average).   There is no reason I can think of to cancel...

 

I just checked our cruise.   It is still sold out.  Just as it has been since early 2018...

Bravo!!! Most sensible/best thing I've seen on here about this whole thing. Have a brilliant cruise, & "noli illegitimi carborundum"...

[Travelcat2]

The Diamond Princess was mishandled in every possible way.  Much was learned from this but it would not be my reason for being overly concerned.  

 

I pretty much disagree that ".....the most 'dedicated' cruisers will most likely redirect energies elsewhere......"  It seems that the most dedicated cruisers are the ones that have continued on with their plans to sail.  We have no intention of cancelling any of our cruises (we are booked through next year).

 

My fears (and they may differ from others) is being on the airplane and being on a bus as they are much more confined spaces.   I have read that, on a plane, if the people in the two rows behind, in front or to the side of you are sick, coughing and sneezing, it makes it more likely that you will catch it (cold, flu and the coronavirus).  

 

My other fears have to do with not being on a ship.  Places are already selling out of things that we need most to help prevent catching any virus.  The N-95 masks are back but the price is more than 7 times what I paid for them last year.  Next people could start hoarding food.  I try not to buy into the hysteria but will admit that I just placed a large order from "Chewy" so that our kitties will have plenty to eat if there is a shortage.  

 

IMHO, fear is contagious.  So, discussing what we are afraid of may make others think about things to be worried about that no one else thought of.  

[Shippy]

Just read on the MSC board...

That currently one of their ships is not being allowed to let passengers off at Ocho Rios Jamaica.

Seems there is a crew member that has the flu. Guess all the ports are going to be overly cautious now.

People should think twice about booking private tours.

[carlylecat]

Thanks Travelcat but if you look at what I said you will see we agree -

 

I said,  "... anyone but the most dedicated cruisers would redirect energies" -

 

my post is wondering what it would take for the dedicated cruiser to stop sailing - and trying to envision how bad that would be and hoping it will never happen. 

[Hambagahle]

29 minutes ago, gb58 said:

Bravo!!! Most sensible/best thing I've seen on here about this whole thing. Have a brilliant cruise, & "noli illegitimi carborundum"...

Indeed I will not !!    And yes I WILL have a brilliant cruise.  It has been a long time coming...

[Shippy]

41 minutes ago, carlylecat said:

Thanks Travelcat but if you look at what I said you will see we agree -

 

I said,  "... anyone but the most dedicated cruisers would redirect energies" -

 

my post is wondering what it would take for the dedicated cruiser to stop sailing - and trying to envision how bad that would be and hoping it will never happen. 

   I think as long as the ships sail, people will be going.

One thing that does cross my mind though.....Between the pre cruise stay & the cruise, we will be gone for 2 weeks.

A lot can happen in 2 weeks.   Just want to be sure there is no plane disruptions because I want to be able to get home !

[ronrick1943]

I think you also have to say, how many ships are there at sea, how many have been quarantined?  So are you going to stop shopping, going to a movie, seeing a play, a ball game, never step foot in a hospital or doctors office---you just need to take care and use common sense.  We just got back from the doctors office, big name hospital -  they are more worried about the flu, they want you to be careful, do the right things and tools us to have a great cruise.

[eby]

I would worry about car accidents .38000 thousand people in the US  and1.3 million in the world die in 2019.

[Travelcat2]

2 hours ago, carlylecat said:

Thanks Travelcat but if you look at what I said you will see we agree -

 

I said,  "... anyone but the most dedicated cruisers would redirect energies" -

 

my post is wondering what it would take for the dedicated cruiser to stop sailing - and trying to envision how bad that would be and hoping it will never happen. 

 

Thank you for the clarification.  I don’t know what it would take for us to stop cruising other than if all cruises Regent were cancelled.  Even if other luxury lines had cruises available, I do not know their sanitation practices and that would be a concern.  We have been on Regent through Code Reds and have seen how thorough they are.  That gives us a feeling of knowing that we are in good hands.

[Brownie54]

Per Shippy’s comments in post #12 about the MSC ship not being allowed to dock in Jamaica; that same ship has not been allowed to dock in Grand Cayman today.

[Travelcat2]

55 minutes ago, Brownie54 said:

Per Shippy’s comments in post #12 about the MSC ship not being allowed to dock in Jamaica; that same ship has not been allowed to dock in Grand Cayman today.

 

Lest we buy into more fear....... there was a fairly good reason why the ship was denied at Grand Cayman (they had 1 case of seasonal virus onboard which is as easy to spread as coronavirus)..  Here is the article https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-health-mexico-idUSKCN20K2S9

Edited February 26, 2020 by Travelcat2

[boblerm]

1 minute ago, Travelcat2 said:

 

Interesting since Splendor plans on visiting Grand Cayman next month!

I believe the Splendor is due to visit Grand Cayman tomorrow.

[Travelcat2]

1 minute ago, boblerm said:

I believe the Splendor is due to visit Grand Cayman tomorrow.

 

We posted at the same time.  See my comment above.

[sierrafloridacruiser]

5 minutes ago, Travelcat2 said:

 

Lest we buy into more fear....... there was a fairly good reason why the ship was denied at Grand Cayman (they had 1 case of seasonal virus onboard which is as easy to spread as coronavirus)..  Here is the article https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-health-mexico-idUSKCN20K2S9

This has not been normal industry protocol, to deny docking based on a case of seasonal flu. Does not give me much confidence that our upcoming April cruises won’t be similarly affected. Ugh. 

[lesliebe]

3 hours ago, Travelcat2 said:

 

Lest we buy into more fear....... there was a fairly good reason why the ship was denied at Grand Cayman (they had 1 case of seasonal virus onboard which is as easy to spread as coronavirus)..  Here is the article https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-health-mexico-idUSKCN20K2S9

So if ONE person has flu/noone allowed off boat?  Not even sure I can express how I would feel if I were on that boat, having spent thousands and thousands of dollars...........   

[rcandkc]

For years there have been colds and flu on cruise ships, just like in schools, work, restaurants, etc.  Not allowing a ship to dock due to one case of flu is overkill in my opinion.