Should We Stay Or Should We Go...That is the Question

[FNSIII]

We are two weeks out from sailing. Honestly, the shipboard time is not the concern. The concern is the aircraft from DFW to FLL, Cabs, Hotel and surrounding amenities. I would hate for my darlin to get sick because we took a chance.  I know I will attract attention on aircraft because I have chronic asthma and cough a bit because of Allergies. I will make sure that I have a handkerchief but I don't want to deal with a confrontation issue. We have such a great itinerary but worry about being turned away from ports. Also, what happens when the 14 days of heaven are over and travel restrictions have been put in place. Jeez...so many thoughts.😬 

[Tampa Girl]

7 minutes ago, FNSIII said:

We are two weeks out from sailing. Honestly, the shipboard time is not the concern. The concern is the aircraft from DFW to FLL, Cabs, Hotel and surrounding amenities. I would hate for my darlin to get sick because we took a chance.  I know I will attract attention on aircraft because I have chronic asthma and cough a bit because of Allergies. I will make sure that I have a handkerchief but I don't want to deal with a confrontation issue. We have such a great itinerary but worry about being turned away from ports. Also, what happens when the 14 days of heaven are over and travel restrictions have been put in place. Jeez...so many thoughts.😬 

 

You didn't say where you are going or what ship you will be sailing on.  But you have a several strikes against you:  You have asthma and allergies, which makes you a possible candidate for any loose case of corona that is flotating around; two, you will be flying to and from(?) DFW to FLL; three, we have confirmed cases in Florida of corona, resulting in two deaths and you are boarding in Florida, which put the ship at risk of boarding a passenger who has already contracted the disease.  This could result in a quarantine at the conclusion of your "14 days of heaven", as two Princess ships have recently experienced.  Finally, if you are a senior you stand to have a more severe case of the virus.  Is this not stress enough for you?  What kind of a vacation is that?

[FNSIII]

Lots to consider. We are on Volundam and going to southern Caribbean. Thanks for your thoughts.

[woodworker&knitter]

Had a conversation with a friend who is a doctor. He knows that we love to cruise. His advice if you have any respiratory issues then do not travel at this time

[kickboxrca]

We are both in our 50s and are in good health - cruising in three weeks out of Fort Lauderdale.  All of the points made by Tampa Girl are valid - the opposite side of the coin is that if we bought into fear all the time, we would never leave our houses.  The seasonal flu is afoot as well.  That said, we are seriously thinking of staying home - I think we'll wait another week and see what is going on ....

 

I'm beginning to be concerned about the number of ports that will close as well.  A friend of mine is on a ship that was turned away from Jamaica.  From CC news on their board, both Dominican Republic and Grand Turk (on our sailing) have turned away ships this week.  That would only leave us with the Florida Keys and Half Moon Cay as ports if this happened to us as well.  Not nearly the same cruise we signed up for.

[cruisegirl]

We sail out of Ft Lauderdale on March 27.  Right now we are in a wait and see mode. I had not heard about any Caribbean ports closing which is surprising but that is a concern. I’m amazed this hasn’t been all over the news and the internet. Dominican Republic and Turks are two of our ports and I’d hate to miss either. They (the ports) must be very concerned to do this as it will be a huge loss of revenue. 

[FNSIII]

I am going to follow the "wait and see" point. Day of commit is next Monday.

 

[wyobean]

Cruisegirl, I have seen several articles about those ports not allowing ships to dock. Also that if they do dock they are checking passports to see your recent history. 
 

We are scheduled on the Veendam TA 4-22 to 5-23. Not really afraid to go...just not wanting a cruise to nowhere. This would be our first trip to Europe and we really want to see these places. We will wait till the last week of the month to decide. They may even cancel by then...it is anyone’s guess...

[Iris5383]

We were booked on the same Volendam dream cruise and cancelled two days ago. I'm healthy, my DH has COPD and asthma, plus is taking meds that suppress his immunity, so a couple more strikes against him than you. Possibly age as well; we are in our early 60s. It was too much of a risk for him. Your darlin has a better chance of not getting sick or of getting only a mild case, but think of her watching you struggle to get a breath if the virus found you. Last week I had the same thoughts as another poster who said you can't live your life in fear, but the virus is spreading. We cancelled. With HALs "cancel for any reason" insurance, we got 90 percent of our fare refunded, received it today.

[cruisegirl]

7 minutes ago, wyobean said:

Cruisegirl, I have seen several articles about those ports not allowing ships to dock. Also that if they do dock they are checking passports to see your recent history. 
 

We are scheduled on the Veendam TA 4-22 to 5-23. Not really afraid to go...just not wanting a cruise to nowhere. This would be our first trip to Europe and we really want to see these places. We will wait till the last week of the month to decide. They may even cancel by then...it is anyone’s guess...

I need to do some research about the ports closing. If the ones mentioned are closing others will follow suit. We could end up with ten sea days. I don’t have any problem with them checking passports. I’ve not been anywhere since I got this passport so I’m clear on that end. I’m 81 and hubby is 84. However we are in excellent health with no respiratory problems. In some ways I’m more concerned about the DFW to FLL flight than the cruise. I wonder if the airlines will start instigating the same policy as some cruise people lines are doing with temperature checks.  

[Iris5383]

14 minutes ago, cruisegirl said:

I need to do some research about the ports closing. If the ones mentioned are closing others will follow suit. We could end up with ten sea days. I don’t have any problem with them checking passports. I’ve not been anywhere since I got this passport so I’m clear on that end. I’m 81 and hubby is 84. However we are in excellent health with no respiratory problems. In some ways I’m more concerned about the DFW to FLL flight than the cruise. I wonder if the airlines will start instigating the same policy as some cruise people lines are doing with temperature checks.  

The Caribbean ports denied one ship docking because a crew member had the flu. He/She didn't have corona virus.

[cruisegirl]

Thanks for that info. I think everyone is running scared now. But that is understandable. And that includes the ports. 

[SonuvaBeach]

I phoned Holland America at 9AM and was instantly put on hold.. I have been on hold now for 2 hours and 40 minutes...

 

We are also two weeks out from a 28 day Hawaii,Tahiti, Marquesas cruise on the Oosterdam. We booked and have been planning this trip for over a year. I am not afraid of catching the virus..stuff happens...but I AM afraid of TWENTY EIGHT SEA DAYS! Hawaii and the French Polynesian Islands seem to be edging toward denying  the docking of cruise ships. This is an expensive cruise. Spending this kind of money for 28 sea days???? I have seen water before...

 

We have until March 17/18  to cancel for FCC. Unfortunately, there are no real substitutes for this cruise this year or next year....tough, tough decisions... lots of questions for HAL....Still on hold with HAL...

Edited March 7, 2020 by SonuvaBeach

[Iris5383]

14 minutes ago, SonuvaBeach said:

 

We have until March 17/18  to cancel for FCC. Unfortunately, there are no real substitutes for this cruise this year or next year....tough, tough decisions... lots of questions for HAL....Still on hold with HAL...

There is one next year. We've been looking at it. https://www.hollandamerica.com/en_US/find-a-cruise/H0S32A/T116.html

Edited March 7, 2020 by Iris5383

[SonuvaBeach]

5 minutes ago, Iris5383 said:

There is one next year. We've been looking at it. https://www.hollandamerica.com/en_US/find-a-cruise/H0S32A/T116.html

Yes..we saw that. We were on the Rotterdam for 14 days in 2019.  I am not sure I could do 32 days on that ship.We also see the Zaandam for November, 2020...hmmm...need to have some questions answered by HAL...

Edited March 7, 2020 by SonuvaBeach

[Iris5383]

21 minutes ago, SonuvaBeach said:

Yes..we saw that. We were on the Rotterdam for 14 days in 2019.  I am not sure I could do 32 days on that ship.We also see the Zaandam for November, 2020...hmmm...need to have some questions answered by HAL...

Definitely older and smaller, and showing some wear. We were on for 3 weeks in 2018 and had a great cruise.

[SonuvaBeach]

9 minutes ago, Iris5383 said:

Definitely older and smaller, and showing some wear. We were on for 3 weeks in 2018 and had a great cruise.

No aft pool was a big drawback for us. Only one pool with so many sea days from and back to San Diego would be an issue for us, and it is a good deal more than the Oosterdam cruise.

Edited March 7, 2020 by SonuvaBeach

[Iris5383]

16 minutes ago, SonuvaBeach said:

No aft pool was a big drawback for us. Only one pool with so many sea days from and back to San Diego would be an issue for us, and it is a good deal more than the Oosterdam cruise.

Oh, yes, I remember. That's the one with the river-type pool aft. It didn't get a lot of use. We wouldn't book at the price showing now,  $5000 each (way too much!). We probably won't be looking seriously until there is a vaccine for covid19 or it goes away.

[SonuvaBeach]

2 minutes ago, Iris5383 said:

Oh, yes, I remember. That's the one with the river-type pool aft. It didn't get a lot of use. We wouldn't book at the price showing now,  $5000 each (way too much!). We probably won't be looking seriously until there is a vaccine for covid19 or it goes away.

Agreed...that's $5000 pp PLUS portcharges/taxes, PLUS tips,PLUS no shipboard credit...Our Oosterdam cruise  had tips and $1500 shipboard credit included... we are going to be so disappointed to cancel the Oosterdam cruise..

By the way, the lack of aft pool notwithstanding, we really liked the Rotterdam a LOT! 🙂

[kazu]

35 minutes ago, SonuvaBeach said:

By the way, the lack of aft pool notwithstanding, we really liked the Rotterdam a LOT! 🙂

 

We did too but we were on before the last drydock so I’m not sure about the changes on it.

 

The crew were superb though.  One of the best (right up there just behind the Prinsendam) that I have seen in a long time. 🙂 

[Iris5383]

I'm not a swimmer, so I liked the aft "river" to sit in and cool off. I liked that it got very little use!

[SonuvaBeach]

38 minutes ago, Iris5383 said:

I'm not a swimmer, so I liked the aft "river" to sit in and cool off. I liked that it got very little use!

Gotcha...In regular life, my wife and I do 45 minutes to an hour of laps almost every day. On our Caribbean trip on the Rotterdam, it was not that big of a deal as we had very few sea days. We did our "laps" at the beach.

[cbr663]

OP it is a personal decision that only you can make.  There is certainly a heightened risk 

6 hours ago, Iris5383 said:

We were booked on the same Volendam dream cruise and cancelled two days ago. I'm healthy, my DH has COPD and asthma, plus is taking meds that suppress his immunity, so a couple more strikes against him than you. Possibly age as well; we are in our early 60s. It was too much of a risk for him. Your darlin has a better chance of not getting sick or of getting only a mild case, but think of her watching you struggle to get a breath if the virus found you. Last week I had the same thoughts as another poster who said you can't live your life in fear, but the virus is spreading. We cancelled. With HALs "cancel for any reason" insurance, we got 90 percent of our fare refunded, received it today.

 

Great risk assessment.  And that is what all of us need to do.  Do we understand all of the risks of cruising right now and are we willing to assume those risks?  The answer to that question is very personal and is different for all of us.  I keep telling myself that for us, we are voluntarily going on a cruise - no one is forcing us.  It is just a cruise.  It doesn't have to be more than what it is.

[LuAnn]

We cancelled today and will receive 50% back on our credit card and 50% back in a FCC (we were in that time frame with a 4/19 T/A sailing)

 

My DH will be 84 in July and has coronary artery disease. His cardio doc said he didn't want him going...as he would be more likely to have a very poor reaction if he should contract the virus. 

 

We are disappointed but obviously not worth it to take a chance on his health!! We have another cruise booked on Celebrity for October R/T Boston and hope that things will have improved by then!!!