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Alaska preparing for cruise season during coronavirus outbreak


jennianne
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Not sure how reassuring this is.  Don't really want to be quarantined on a cruise ship.  Thinking of the Diamond Princess at the moment.  I wonder how many are cancelling or moving Alaska cruises especially if they have to fly through Seattle.  This is the decision I am wrestling with as I write this.

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Edgewater601,

 

As of this morning there are 23 cases of the virus in Washington State, most of which are in one retirement home.  This could change but as of now I would see no reason not to fly through the Seattle Airport.   In fact, we are flying into Vancouver to start our Alaska Cruise in June but  through Seattle on our return.   At this point, I have seen nothing that causes me concern.

 

Dukefan

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1 hour ago, Dukefan said:

Edgewater601,

 

As of this morning there are 23 cases of the virus in Washington State, most of which are in one retirement home.  This could change but as of now I would see no reason not to fly through the Seattle Airport.   In fact, we are flying into Vancouver to start our Alaska Cruise in June but  through Seattle on our return.   At this point, I have seen nothing that causes me concern.

 

Dukefan

Thanks, we are scheduled for July and have a lonnnnnggggg layover in Seattle.  I appreciate your feedback and will be interested in your experiences.

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We are taking a 14-day cruise to Alaska in May.  We will have a connecting flight in Seattle with final destination in Vancouver.  We are not concerned and have no plans to cancel our vacation.  If anything, we are more concerned about Norovirus than the Corona.  We have cruised numerous times and cringe every time we see cruisers fail to wash their hands either after using the bathroom or in the eating areas.  Perhaps people will be more mindful of washing their hands from here on out.

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We also have a cruise to Alaska in May out of Seattle, plan on staying in Seattle for 3 days prior to departure.  Right now, don't plan on going near a nursing home, so hopefully we will be alright.  Let's face it we have to be sort of responsible for our own actions in all of this, and since they know the area of contamination they can get a handle on it.  Just overnight here in Tennessee, tornados ripped through an area killing many people in the middle of the night, whom all probably thought they were save in their own home and bed.  Situations like this show no matter how precautious you try to be sometimes bad things can and will happen.  Prayers to all of those that lost their lives last night as well as the ones falling victim to this terrible illness.

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47 minutes ago, Jnsplace1 said:

A lot has changed in a matter of weeks; two weeks ago, Seattle wasn't a hot spot.  Today it's an area of concern.  Hard to know what/where once the season starts up on May.   Too soon to tell.

So true.  Too bad final payments are due before May and insurance doesn't cover outbreak of coronavirus.  It is a difficult decision with a lot of financial risk while having very little information.  Such is life! 

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China had first case in December and then it took three months for it to run course, of course they imposed draconian measures that most in Western and democracy can't really do unless things really unravel.

 

Now with the bug escaped, as it surely was going to.  China is in flattening and can almost consider restart, maybe by end of March they will start some business as usually.

 

For the rest of the Western world the timeline for take December - Feb and I'd say US March is like China December, w/o the ability to put the lockdown, expect /predict by June US cases will look like Wuhan in end of Feb.     

 

Travel/Tourist will be the last thing on anyone's mind.   

 

UA just cut 10% of domestic capacity, Cathay has what 1/2 of their planes on the ground, this thing is just starting for the rest of the world. 

 

The emergency plan is/should be what China looks like. 

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We were flying out of Vancouver after our Princess Cruise May 23 rd. Our flight was cut. I spent 2.5 hours on the phone today with Delta. They made it right but what a mess. We had o change our outbound city to match the new return flight city. They waved all fees and difference of the flights .

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We have a Seattle cruise booked in late June leaving from Seattle. With all the cases in Seattle, I am wondering now about the possibility of them cancelling cruises out of Seattle. Anybody have any guesses about the likelihood of that happening? Honestly, unless things get really bad, I hope they don’t. We are looking forward to going to Alaska! 

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It’s anyone’s guess at this time but I think it’s unlikely there will be many cancelations if any. There are reports of more ships being sent to Alaska from Asia this season.  For those that are looking at Alaska cruises and haven’t booked yet, prices are dropping!

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We are scheduled (April) to fly into Seattle. Our cruise departs from Vancouver and returns to Seattle. We have plans to spend the night in Seattle before taking the train to Vancouver. Not sure now what we'll do as my dad, who's in his eighties, is sailing with us. I'm waiting to see if the cruise line offers penalty free cancellations before we make a final decision.  

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Guess everyone saw the news this morning about the Grand Princess floating off the coast of San Francisco with 2,500 passengers and 1,000 crew with a small number of virus cases on board.  They are dropping test kits to the ship by helicopter but have not yet announced what action will be taken for those passengers.  After the Diamond Princess in Japan, they have to be very careful with the course of action taken for the Grand Princess.  What a mess on all fronts.  With a husband who has pulmonary issues anyway, I think I am going to try to move my cruise out a year or cancel all together.  The financial cost will be what it is.  Good luck to all!

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3 hours ago, Glaciers said:

It’s anyone’s guess at this time but I think it’s unlikely there will be many cancelations if any. There are reports of more ships being sent to Alaska from Asia this season.  For those that are looking at Alaska cruises and haven’t booked yet, prices are dropping!

My May B2B cruise did drop some but that usually happens to us after we have made our final payment so I am not surprised.  Our August cruise went up in price rather than down. 

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It really isn't just about "avoiding nursing homes." Do you really think everyone at that nursing home who works there has followed full infectious disease protocol for 2+ weeks before this case was identified? Every aide, every nutrition worker in hazmat? Of course not.

 

And they all went home, saw their loved ones, went to the grocery.

 

That's one of the reasons this is so hard to contain. Long incubation.

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On 3/5/2020 at 10:30 AM, dmarie1623 said:

We are scheduled (April) to fly into Seattle. Our cruise departs from Vancouver and returns to Seattle. We have plans to spend the night in Seattle before taking the train to Vancouver. Not sure now what we'll do as my dad, who's in his eighties, is sailing with us. I'm waiting to see if the cruise line offers penalty free cancellations before we make a final decision.  

Celebrity, RCL, and Azamara announced a 48 hours before sailing cancellation policy for cruises departing before July 31, 2020.  They will give you a 100% credit on a future cruise sailing departing before December 31, 2021.  Just making you aware in case it helps you make a decision for your situation.  More information is available on cruiseline websites.

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32 minutes ago, Edgewater601 said:

Celebrity, RCL, and Azamara announced a 48 hours before sailing cancellation policy for cruises departing before July 31, 2020.  They will give you a 100% credit on a future cruise sailing departing before December 31, 2021.  Just making you aware in case it helps you make a decision for your situation.  More information is available on cruiseline websites.

Princess also has a revised cancellation policy due to the Coronavirus.  If you choose to keep your reservation, you will be entitled to OBC --- offer applies to certain cruises --- there is a big thread on the subject on the Princess board.  I am pretty sure other lines with follow with some kind of a revised cancellation policy.

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1 hour ago, Italy52 said:

Princess also has a revised cancellation policy due to the Coronavirus.  If you choose to keep your reservation, you will be entitled to OBC --- offer applies to certain cruises --- there is a big thread on the subject on the Princess board.  I am pretty sure other lines with follow with some kind of a revised cancellation policy.

 

1 hour ago, Italy52 said:

Princess also has a revised cancellation policy due to the Coronavirus.  If you choose to keep your reservation, you will be entitled to OBC --- offer applies to certain cruises --- there is a big thread on the subject on the Princess board.  I am pretty sure other lines with follow with some kind of a revised cancellation policy.

Thank you. We are sailing on Carnival. As of yesterday they've revised their cancellation policy, and they are also offering an OBC.  

 

My dad said still wants to cruise, so we are going. 

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On ‎3‎/‎3‎/‎2020 at 2:55 PM, Edgewater601 said:

Not sure how reassuring this is.  Don't really want to be quarantined on a cruise ship.  Thinking of the Diamond Princess at the moment.  I wonder how many are cancelling or moving Alaska cruises especially if they have to fly through Seattle.  This is the decision I am wrestling with as I write this.

us too!!!  we are flying in and out of Seattle at the end of May for our Alaskan Cruise on Celebrity.  It looks like the governor of Washington is considering "stronger measures"  unsure what that might mean for all of us

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5 hours ago, 3red7s said:

us too!!!  we are flying in and out of Seattle at the end of May for our Alaskan Cruise on Celebrity.  It looks like the governor of Washington is considering "stronger measures"  unsure what that might mean for all of us

I ended up moving my cruise to next year.  Celebrity has the Cruise with Confidence program that allows you to cancel and rebook and applies to sailings between now and July 31.  You would qualify.  Something to think about.  Good luck with whatever you decide.

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I'm thinking of cancelling for now. The full payment is due in April. I think there will plenty of room even if I rebook in May. I already have my flights to Anchorage and return from Vancouver so I really WANT and kind of NEED to go unless I give up the flights too.

 

We have a Neptune aft  suite. Do these book up quickly?

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