Cancel or Go? For sailings between now and July 30, 2020?

[Pushka]

22 minutes ago, Joeghartman said:

We are on the next sailing. I’m still not too concerned. A lot can happen in a short amount of time.

Not really that much time. The ships have to transit from US to the Med in mid April. I wondered if the change to cancellation penalty date to April for cruises up to June had something to do with the timing of the start of the TA’s?

[Denny01]

Funny how things change. I voted not cancelling just a few days ago, but now: my wife had some knee issues and her Dr Just gave her a warning that this isn’t the time to stress it and to take it vey easy. Normally, cruising would be a great way of ‘just taking it easy’, but our cruise in two weeks is a river cruise Bucharest to Budapest with 4 days traveling through Transylvania prior, and river cruises are lots of fun becaue they hit great places every day with lots of walking tours, so this looks like a cancel for us. Then our April cruise is Silverseas out of Rome with lots of Italian ports and Silverseas has said no-go on Italy. So.......

 

Fortunately, Viking Line is allowing cancelling up to 24hrs prior and getting full FCC (future cruise credit) for booking anything within 2 years. And Silveseas is offering 75% FCC and 25% refund. So looks like we will be cruising later in the year and next year or so, and not the next few months. We aren’t cancelling because of COVID-19, but due to personal issue (darn knees aren’t built to las this long I guess!!), and major cruise line changes, such as major changes in departures and itineraries.

 

I think we all have to just be flexible in our plans and standby for such changes. It’ll pretty tough cruising the Med with Italy closed up. And none of us know what will occur in the future as this thing spreads. 

 

Den

[dani negreanu]

36 minutes ago, Denny01 said:

We aren’t cancelling because of COVID-19, but due to personal issue (darn knees aren’t built to las this long I guess!!), and major cruise line changes, such as major changes in departures and itineraries.

 

I wish there was a "sad" button. It would have been "handy" nowdays....

[Denny01]

Just now, dani negreanu said:

 

I wish there was a "sad" button. It would have been "handy" nowdays....

Very thoughtful Dani. Appreciate the nice post. 
 

den

[MEcruzr]

5 hours ago, nws2002 said:

I just booked a 2 day cruise out of Miami for April 4th. Call me crazy, but for $158 for 2 days for a balcony I couldn't resist the short getaway. I work for an airline, so airfare is free. I'll enjoy the few days away and Nassau. I'm not worried about the virus or being quarantined. If I get sick I'm unlikely to suffer any real consequences since I'm younger and healthy.

 

I saw the same cruise today for $129!

[JDClever]

This is not about us getting sick - it's about being stuck on a ship with ports refusing passengers and the paranoia driving quarantines for having taken a trip.    I had my travel agent push on Azamara on their cancellation policy. I am now in a position where I will have to self quarantine 😷after our  trip, per my employer, and I'm not really interested in that if it can be prevented - I'd rather just book a different trip on a future date.   I did find these articles today indicating that cruise lines were starting to modify their penalties:  

 

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/cruise-lines-relax-cancellation-policies-201542859.html

 

https://thepointsguy.com/guide/cruise-line-extreme-measures-coronavirus-spreads/

 

And here was the reply from Azamara to my agent - not holding my breath but sounds optimistic 🤞 :

 

"Hi Sue,

I am going to check on the shore ex cancellations with the team.  Our management team is working as we speak on a cancellation reform for voyages on or before April 5, 2020.  We will have this information confirmed tomorrow.  Please let me know if you have any questions."

 

  

[NMTraveller]

3 hours ago, MEcruzr said:

 

I saw the same cruise today for $129!

There are some great deals to be had.

 

I am thinking about cancelling my next one before the 90 day cancellation and then picking it up again after at a large discount.  The 90 day ticker rates are very low right now.

 

Of course I will have to reevaluate the situation in a month.  It is kind of difficult to predict the spread and the resulting government policies.

 

I voted will sail.  I have one in May and evaluating another in July.

 

 

Edited March 5, 2020 by NMTraveller

[Pushka]

5 hours ago, dani negreanu said:

 

I wish there was a "sad" button. It would have been "handy" nowdays....

I've been thinking that a lot these days. And an "agree" one as well. 

[Cyber Kat]

On 2/29/2020 at 4:26 PM, Baron Barracuda said:

Cancelled an X cruise later this year but just made final payment on a July Viking River Grand European Tour.  Viking offers 100% cfar insurance so don't need to make final decision until embarkation day.

Did get the email from Viking regarding the new temporary cancellation policy?

 

You have up to 24 hours before your cruise to cancel for a 100% return of all money paid to Viking (in the form of an FCC valid for 2 years).  No penalty and I understand it covers the cost of insurance, flights and extensions booked through them.  
 

We have 1 Celebrity cruise in May (Caribbean) which we hope to go on and 3 Viking cruises  - which we hope to go on  - between now and Sep 2021.  We are hoping things settle down and we can go, but it’s nice to know we’re covered. 

[farawayatsea]

On 3/2/2020 at 9:40 PM, CruiserMickey said:

 

For me, it’s the only way to look at it. I have spent five years planning for this trip and will be heartbroken if we have to cancel.

But maybe  you can postpone it. It will be hard to relax on a ship at the moment anyway. Postpone and you will enjoy it even more when it comes around.

[villauk]

27 minutes ago, farawayatsea said:

It will be hard to relax on a ship at the moment anyway

 

 

Even more so with the continued reports as more ships have issues:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-51747782

[Flying is for Planes]

Its time to pressure cruise lines to cease all cruises for 30-60 days until things have settled. I will walk away from $5000 rather than risk it. Things are deteriorating fast

[Pushka]

30 minutes ago, Flying is for Planes said:

Its time to pressure cruise lines to cease all cruises for 30-60 days until things have settled. I will walk away from $5000 rather than risk it. Things are deteriorating fast

I suspect that will likely come from Governments. Sooner rather than later. 

[LMaxwell]

43 minutes ago, Pushka said:

I suspect that will likely come from Governments. Sooner rather than later. 

I agree. And when it happens It will be a shockwave to the industry and suppliers.  Top execs can weather it, but regular workers need steady income, not just aboard the ship, but shoreside.  This will quickly impact suppliers and vendors. For many people, getting sick from the virus isn't the real concern, but disruption to income is.   

[CAicruiser]

Got to make me lough when I read those excuses of cancelling their cruises.

[Sam.Seattle]

13 minutes ago, CAicruiser said:

Got to make me lough when I read those excuses of cancelling their cruises.

When and where is your next paid and booked cruise?

[Cyber Kat]

On 3/1/2020 at 8:28 AM, tomcruiser1234 said:

 

Frankly I am driving my better half crazy because I want to fix things and go on this cruise. Things are out of our hands. 
 

 

I’m glad I’m not the only one!  We have a Celebrity cruise on Equinox in May and I’ve really been looking forward to it.  Neither of us wants to cancel because it holds a lot of firsts for us.  It’s the Caribbean out of FLL so I’m keeping my fingers crossed.

 

I’m driving my DH nuts because I want a return to sanity!  All people are doing is focusing on the death rate, but so many have had it and gotten over it with few ill effects.  Why can’t we for once have the press and all those in charge look at things in a POSITIVE way.  Instead of posting stats like 100,000 have been infected and 2000 died (I think that’s 2%). Why can’t they say 100,000 have contracted COVID-19 and 98,000 have survived it quite well!

 

Stats can be used either way.  Why not make it sound less dire.  
 

The main reason it’s an issue is that it’s so contagious, but most people have no more than a cold. Colds are highly contagious as well.  Look what happens when one person comes to work with one.  In a few days, everyone is coughing and sneezing.  Yes, people are dying but they die from thousands of different things every day.  It’s actually inevitable. 😉. 
 

They need to focus on how to help those with compromised immune systems - period.

 

The Powers That Be need to stop panicking people and calm nerves. They are reacting instead of looking at the big picture and planning.  If they don’t stop soon Coronavirus aka COVID-19 will be the least of our worries.  
 

And that’s how I’m driving my DH nuts! 😁. We have 4 cruises booked. One Celebrity and 3 Viking through the fall of 2021.  I want to go and I want to go without this insanity to worry about.  I’m old and I don’t know how many years I have left.  I don’t want to spend them hold up in my house with no where to go and probably nothing to eat!

 

Right now I’m spending way too much time angry and shouting from the rooftops!

[dani negreanu]

10 hours ago, Pushka said:

I've been thinking that a lot these days. And an "agree" one as well. 

 

I couldn't agree more... as long as there is a "laugh" button ...

 

Meantime, I'm using the "like" button, which for me is a distant cousin to "agree" ....

[luckyinpa]

1 hour ago, Cyber Kat said:

.  Why can’t we for once have the press and all those in charge look at things in a POSITIVE way.  

 

for some reason the media prefers negative. i get RSS feeds with headlines but otherwise avoid the news. things like stock market crashing, people killed in bus crash are what i expect in the news... and then i saw a headline that some famous dude closed the elevator door on his wife. yea. someone closing the door on his wife made the headlines because it was negative.  then you see this person is no longer talking to her sister. that on the same headline as buses crashing killing people. its just nuts. news = negative which is why i think anyone that sits down to watch it at 6 is crazy. id hang myself. sometimes when i turn on the tv the channel is on and until i press the tivo button to watch my recordings the crap i hear is enough to depress anyone. no wonder they put ***** in our water. 

[CruiserMickey]

7 hours ago, farawayatsea said:

But maybe  you can postpone it. It will be hard to relax on a ship at the moment anyway. Postpone and you will enjoy it even more when it comes around.

 

Postponement is possible. I have had to replan this trip four times in five years already. The heartbreak comes in that my chronic pain and back issues are not getting better and I may not be physically able to do this trip whenever we postpone it to.

[Forecheck]

3 hours ago, LMaxwell said:

I agree. And when it happens It will be a shockwave to the industry and suppliers.  Top execs can weather it, but regular workers need steady income, not just aboard the ship, but shoreside.  This will quickly impact suppliers and vendors. For many people, getting sick from the virus isn't the real concern, but disruption to income is.   

 

Better to be out of work a few months than forever - If the Cruise industry doesn't handle this properly they will have a hard time  attracting future customers and risk losing many loyal customers during this busy cruise season.

[Artisticgirl]

I'm booked on the Celebrity Best of Italy and Malta cruise June 12th.  I have booked a hotel in Rome for June 11th.   I paid in full already but the final payment date is March 14th.   I don't know what to do.  I will lose my deposit but can be credited for another cruise.  My TA, who was handed the cruise since I booked it and transferred to her, wants to charge me $500 to cancel.  I will never use her again.  She did absolutely nothing.  I'm torn because this could all disappear with flu season once the weather warms up.   It our 25th Wedding Anniversary so postponing til next summer kind of takes the excitement away.  Not sure what to do.  I will see what transpires within the next week. 

[Hllb]

38 minutes ago, Artisticgirl said:

I'm booked on the Celebrity Best of Italy and Malta cruise June 12th.  I have booked a hotel in Rome for June 11th.   I paid in full already but the final payment date is March 14th.   I don't know what to do.  I will lose my deposit but can be credited for another cruise.  My TA, who was handed the cruise since I booked it and transferred to her, wants to charge me $500 to cancel.  I will never use her again.  She did absolutely nothing.  I'm torn because this could all disappear with flu season once the weather warms up.   It our 25th Wedding Anniversary so postponing til next summer kind of takes the excitement away.  Not sure what to do.  I will see what transpires within the next week. 

Is it an option to pull it from that TA?  I would think you could, but don't know how that works.

[neilrr]

21 hours ago, dani negreanu said:

 

Neil,

This "gap" was there at least last June. I was looking for an Iceland cruise for 2 couples, one who could only get vacation time in July, and one who wanted to cruise beginning of June.

 

There was nothing in between for the Reflection, which I found it weird, but it suited perfectly "my clients".

 

Yesterday, the one in June 5th decided to cancel (undergoing chemmo), and those in your cruise are wavering.... The husband is head of Ob/Gyb in a big hospital here, and cannot afford a quarantine....

 

All in all -- a very sad situation for everyone.

Personally, we have an "taster" on Apex 4 weeks from now .... not sure it it'll be a "go"....

dani negreanu - Interesting that nothing was scheduled in that time period on Reflection... Sorry to hear about the cancellation.  We still have everything set for the July cruise. We are taking a wait and see attitude and we will see if Celebrity cancels.  We have the insurance and everything is booked through them incl. the air and excursions.  The only thing we booked outside of Celebrity are the 4 nights pre-cruise in Dublin.  We will see what happens.  Take care and be well. 

[hcat]

46 minutes ago, Artisticgirl said:

I'm booked on the Celebrity Best of Italy and Malta cruise June 12th.  I have booked a hotel in Rome for June 11th.   I paid in full already but the final payment date is March 14th.   I don't know what to do.  I will lose my deposit but can be credited for another cruise.  My TA, who was handed the cruise since I booked it and transferred to her, wants to charge me $500 to cancel.  I will never use her again.  She did absolutely nothing.  I'm torn because this could all disappear with flu season once the weather warms up.   It our 25th Wedding Anniversary so postponing til next summer kind of takes the excitement away.  Not sure what to do.  I will see what transpires within the next week. 

What happens if X cancels your cruise?  Do you get money back, a new cruise???You still have til June to  see what transpires.

 

What does your TA contract say about cancellation fees.? Seems very out of line. Can you speak to the agency owner?

 

Can you transfer to a later date without paying the fee? ( how much is the deposit you will lose?)  If you  postpone, maybe  pick a far out date and find a way to dump your TA.