Silversea just announced easier cancellation policy

[jollyjones]

You believe that monkeys can randomly create the works of Shakespeare?

Wow.

 

I am older than you but am not very bothered about catching the virus, but I am extremely bothered by the possibility of being trapped on a quarantined ship or otherwise tangled in travel restrictions that could mean being far from home without useable plane tickets. 
 

Cruise lines are desperate to get people to cruise, they’re not looking to cancel cruises. The liberal cancellation policies are to get people to book cruises despite the uncertain times. 

[worldtraveller99]

Thank you. The monkeys and Shakespeare connection is an old metaphor, that anything is feasibly possible. I agree, I would hate to be quarantined too. In fact if it became worldwide would they close all shopping malls, all sporting events etc? I hope this targeting of cruise ships will end!

 

[jollyjones]

I think that we will see a steadily increasing number of sporting events and other events being cancelled to add to the ones that have already been.

Although Japan and the IOC are resisting it, if the virus spread doesn't begin to wind down within a couple of months, there's going to be huge pressure to cancel the Olympics.

I'm not sure I'd agree that ships are being 'targeted' unreasonably since it is becoming very clear that virus transmission on a cruise ship happens easily and continues after the ship has been 'quarantined' - I'm not blaming the crew, they have neither the training nor the facilities to properly isolate pax or themselves from exposure - but that does mean that the arrival of thousands of potentially infected people in a port is an extraordinarily difficult problem to deal with safely. It's on a different order of magnitude to people passing by other people at a mall briefly - virus transmission surely can happen (and will) but much more sporadically. I have read, and believe, that those who understand as much as is known about the virus are not trying to stop the spread (probably impossible) but are trying to slow down the arrival at peak incidence in any location so that medical facilities are not totally overwhelmed.

I suspect this is not going to slow down till it's been all around the world and caused an enormous amount of grief and damage ... sigh ... but I live in hope that we'll be able to get back to enjoying our beloved cruising some day. Sadly, in the current situation, I'm cancelling my next cruise, due to board in less than three weeks.

Edited March 7, 2020 by jollyjones

[Stumblefoot]

13 hours ago, worldtraveller99 said:

In fact if it became worldwide would they close all shopping malls, all sporting events etc? I hope this targeting of cruise ships will end!

The city of Austin, TX cancelled SWSX today that was scheduled to begin in the next week.  In recent years, over 160,000 people attended this event.  
 

Keep you eyes trained on the NCAA basketball tournament that is scheduled to begin Mar. 17th in the U.S.  The event takes place in multiple venues that hold thousands of fans across a variety of cities throughout the entire country over a period of roughly three weeks.  Emergency contingency planning is already underway.  Under consideration is holding all of the events as planned,  but without allowing any fans to attend in person.

[BeeMinor]

14 hours ago, worldtraveller99 said:

Thank you. The monkeys and Shakespeare connection is an old metaphor, that anything is feasibly possible. I agree, I would hate to be quarantined too. In fact if it became worldwide would they close all shopping malls, all sporting events etc? I hope this targeting of cruise ships will end!

 

 

With our Cheeto in Chief I'd go with "even a stopped clock is right twice a day." I tend to agree that things will run their course and life will go on although not as smoothly as optimists may hope. The virus has already spread enough that significant containment seems impossible--as the US is conducting more tests of course more confirmed cases are coming in--but that's not exactly the message anyone wants to hear. It's going to be a rough time.

 

On an individual level, we assume by the time of our booked cruise in June one of these scenarios takes place: the virus has spread so greatly containment is acknowledged to be impossible so all regular life is on and we'll cruise; the virus has spread so greatly that all regular life is off and there will be no cruise; or, the virus is contained by seasonality (or whatever the medical way to put that is) and all seems to be improving but look out this fall!

 

My husband and I have discussed the eventuality that we may be quarantined so I guess we'll pack accordingly and be mentally prepared for that possibility. It is much easier to be sanguine about the situation as low-risk people with the luxury of flexibility in our lives and jobs.

[worldtraveller99]

We are flying to Valencia in a few weeks for a break - will report back what extra tests are being taken there - assuming the planes are flying - one of our cheap local airlines has gone out of business as everyone cancelled their trips.

[Stumblefoot]

9 hours ago, worldtraveller99 said:

...one of our cheap local airlines has gone out of business as everyone cancelled their trips.

If this continues into the summer, it’ll be interesting to see whether Norwegian Air survives.  They bleed so much cash in the winter, I don’t see how they will be able to make it if summer travel falls off a cliff.

[les37b]

1 minute ago, Stumblefoot said:

If this continues into the summer, it’ll be interesting to see whether Norwegian Air survives.  They bleed so much cash in the winter, I don’t see how they will be able to make it if summer travel falls off a cliff.

 

Not what I wanted to hear, but do agree. The flight we booked for the Wind is a premium flex on Norwegian which we thought we were being clever by having a free cancellation policy. Not much use if it's the airline that cancels.

 

I genuinely can't see light at the end of the tunnel... But we can hope and I certainly don't see it improving until after the summer at the earliest. 

 

Scary prospects.

[Stumblefoot]

4 hours ago, les37b said:

Scary prospects.

For sure.

[553Makai]

Thanks to the Cruise Critic posts I went back and read Silversea's amended cancellation policy in full on their website.  Our Silver Shadow Italian Cruise was scheduled for April 23 and Silversea's new cancellation policy would allow us to cancel up until two days in advance.  I spoke to Silversea representative Kenny Whetstone and he confirmed we could cancel and get a refund, or book a future cruise with the funds already on deposit.  As far as I am concerned, that is five star customer service!  When Silversea treats its guests this well, they deserve KUDOS and we are rebooking with the funds on deposit for next year.  Thank you Silversea for allowing us at the last minute the option of a refund or using the funds to book a new vacation with you.  You earned my business twenty-five years ago and you just keep getting better.  

Edited March 10, 2020 by 553Makai