What does the future of cruising look like?

[Paulchili]

14 minutes ago, DeanoNorthPerth said:

I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve seen people walk straight out of the toilet without washing their hands.

Ditto

[DeanoNorthPerth]

13 minutes ago, drkitkat123 said:

but is this different to anywhere else and what can you do about it? I have never seen this but I never use the public toilets on the ship. Maybe closing them down is a solution

No, probably no different to those people's normal habits but combined with living so close together and all using the same dining facilities, it must have an effect.

[ORV]

11 hours ago, sailfar said:

It is going to be more difficult to hire crew.    Also the crew is getting less money because the automatic gratuities have meant less money than what they got before these policies went into place.  On top of that, some stingy passengers have figured out they can cancel gratuities, if they wish.  (They should be so very ashamed!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'm a little confused what this has to do with anything here? Pet Peeve perhaps. Just in case you've missed it auto grats have been in place over 10 years now. 

[Petoonya]

I'm the crazy dismissive, cavalier cruiser who was determined to sail on Regatta Tahiti-SF in April. I'm ashamed of my attitude now and freely admit that I was hopelessly entrenched in my own desires. It was not until around March 12 when my state asked us to isolate at home that the depth and scope of Coronavirus finally hit me over the head like a frying pan. And then the horror that is Italy and NY. My adult kids had been jumping up and down for weeks trying to get me to listen to what those smarter than me were trying to impress on the world. I've not left home but twice for groceries since then. I ask those who patiently listened to my rants for forgiveness.

 

Yet.....I have bookings on both Windstar in November 2020 and O April 2021. If cruising is being permitted for a healthy person my age (68) at that time, I'll go. But I won't be disdainful or as arrogant I was prior to my Tahiti cruise- if cruising is questionable or not at all I won't feel deprived not going. I'm not a Fox news person or part of the cult following of you-know-who. Just someone who thought she was smarter than the average bear. But been taught a good lesson in humility.

 

Thanks for your patience.

[Paulchili]

12 minutes ago, Petoonya said:

I'm the crazy dismissive, cavalier cruiser who was determined to sail on Regatta Tahiti-SF in April. I'm ashamed of my attitude now and freely admit that I was hopelessly entrenched in my own desires. It was not until around March 12 when my state asked us to isolate at home that the depth and scope of Coronavirus finally hit me over the head like a frying pan. And then the horror that is Italy and NY. My adult kids had been jumping up and down for weeks trying to get me to listen to what those smarter than me were trying to impress on the world. I've not left home but twice for groceries since then. I ask those who patiently listened to my rants for forgiveness.

 

Yet.....I have bookings on both Windstar in November 2020 and O April 2021. If cruising is being permitted for a healthy person my age (68) at that time, I'll go. But I won't be disdainful or as arrogant I was prior to my Tahiti cruise- if cruising is questionable or not at all I won't feel deprived not going. I'm not a Fox news person or part of the cult following of you-know-who. Just someone who thought she was smarter than the average bear. But been taught a good lesson in humility.

 

Thanks for your patience.

Not many are willing to admit that they might have been wrong - kudos to you.

Just think if your ship was caught in a nightmare like Zaandam is in now.

Stay safe (at home) 🙂

Edited March 28, 2020 by Paulchili

[CintiPam]

29 minutes ago, Petoonya said:

I'm the crazy dismissive, cavalier cruiser who was determined to sail on Regatta Tahiti-SF in April. I'm ashamed of my attitude now and freely admit that I was hopelessly entrenched in my own desires. It was not until around March 12 when my state asked us to isolate at home that the depth and scope of Coronavirus finally hit me over the head like a frying pan. And then the horror that is Italy and NY. My adult kids had been jumping up and down for weeks trying to get me to listen to what those smarter than me were trying to impress on the world. I've not left home but twice for groceries since then. I ask those who patiently listened to my rants for forgiveness.

 

Yet.....I have bookings on both Windstar in November 2020 and O April 2021. If cruising is being permitted for a healthy person my age (68) at that time, I'll go. But I won't be disdainful or as arrogant I was prior to my Tahiti cruise- if cruising is questionable or not at all I won't feel deprived not going. I'm not a Fox news person or part of the cult following of you-know-who. Just someone who thought she was smarter than the average bear. But been taught a good lesson in humility.

 

Thanks for your patience.

Good for you for making this posting; I deeply respect your honesty and humility.  So very rare anywhere but particularly on this board, which I think I probably should stop following, as I normally do once I return from my annual ( on average) Oceania cruise.

 

So many of us, for sure me, get so caught up in our own lives that it only as we absorb this new horrific reality that we fully realize our privilege and shift our focus to what truly matters.  

[Paulchili]

1 minute ago, CintiPam said:

Good for you for making this posting; I deeply respect your honesty and humility.  So very rare anywhere but particularly on this board, which I think I probably should stop following, as I normally do once I return from my annual ( on average) Oceania cruise.

 

So many of us, for sure me, get so caught up in our own lives that it only as we absorb this new horrific reality that we fully realize our privilege and shift our focus to what truly matters.  

Well said.

[LHT28]

PETOONYA

 We have been in self imposed lock down since mid Feb  with short trips  for food

Some people  were not believers in that this Virus was  a real threat

I watched the numbers in Canada rise  from under 1000 cases early last week to over 4700  today

over 600,000 world wide

https://gisanddata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/bda7594740fd40299423467b48e9ecf6

As our health official pointed out  we are fighting an invisible  enemy

Some are still out & about  ordering fast food or in the drive thru 

I am not so confident that those cooking or packing the meals are free of the virus  as some can be asymptomatic  before you KNOW

 

Sadly one of the grocery store workers  was infected ( was a  younger person) & has passed away

no one is safe from this  virus

RANT OVER 😉

 

So I admire you finally seeing the light 😉

I am sure your family is happy that you will  be staying home & safe

 

I hope that we will all be able to cruise again someday  but do not see that happening before  the summer  or even the fall

Be well stay safe indoors & wash those paws  often

Lyn

[OnTheJourney]

16 hours ago, Paulchili said:

We have visited 165 independent countries out of the 193 (or so) recognized by UN. In this I am not counting far away places like FP (French), Reunion (also France) Greenland (Denmark), Easter Island (Chile),  etc.

We have visited every single country in S. America including all 3 Guyanas; all European countries including all former Yugoslavia & all 15 former USSR republics after their independence. Been to Papua New Guinea and Myanmar three times each, Easter Island twice, traveled in India on our own (including Sikkim) and several cruise visits, been to Bhutan - probably one of the nicest places we have visited, China 3 or 4 times, including Tibet.

Should I go on?  🙂

 

Yeah...please do. Might I ask how many years it has taken you to amass this level of travel? Sounds like more than is even capable to do in one lifetime! Was most of this done via cruise or land tours? Any World cruises in there by any chance? You should have it all as part of your signature - it'd be interesting!   Besides, we need a diversion from the virus news. Since none of us can travel right now, at least we can talk about it. Who knows how much we'll get to do going forward. I would love to become a member of the '7 continents' club, but now not sure I'll make it. Have a decent start having already hit parts of Europe, SA, and Antarctica.  China was always fairly high on my list but....we'll see. 

 

I'm suitably impressed (as likely was your intention in listing all this anyway?) so...sure....elaborate. 

Edited March 28, 2020 by OnTheJourney

[osandomir]

17 hours ago, Paulchili said:

, traveled in India on our own (including Sikkim) and several cruise visits, been to Bhutan - probably one of the nicest places we have visited, China 3 or 4 times, including Tibet.

Paul, can I ask you how did you traveled to Bhutan. What tour company did you use if it was a group tour? Our trip to Nepal and Bhutan on April 8Th was canceled. While there’s no way we’ll be going at the moment we’re very upset that our dream tour didn’t materialize. We’re definitely thinking of going there in the future.

 

Olga

[Paulchili]

2 hours ago, OnTheJourney said:

Yeah...please do. Might I ask how many years it has taken you to amass this level of travel?

I would love to become a member of the '7 continents' club, but now not sure I'll make it. Have a decent start having already hit parts of Europe, SA, and Antarctica.  China was always fairly high on my list but....we'll see. 

Don't want to disappoint you but I think I've said enough already - in fact, probably got carried away traveling down memory lane 🙂

It took us about 35 years of traveling to accomplish this. Obviously, we share our passion for travel and are fortunate to have the time and means to follow our dreams. We do not take this for granted and are thankful for our good fortune to be able to do so.

The first 25 years it was mostly DIY or some tours, the last 10+ years a lot more ocean and river cruising with some land travels.

My advice to you - follow your dreams and do as much as you can now as none of us can predict the future.

Happy trails 🙂

 

[Paulchili]

2 hours ago, osandomir said:

Paul, can I ask you how did you traveled to Bhutan. What tour company did you use if it was a group tour? Our trip to Nepal and Bhutan on April 8Th was canceled. While there’s no way we’ll be going at the moment we’re very upset that our dream tour didn’t materialize. We’re definitely thinking of going there in the future.

 

Olga

We visited Nepal and Bhutan in 2009. I know this from my pictures only as I cannot find the itinerary any longer - it's probably somewhere on my old computer 😀

It was a custom tour for just the two of us but I no longer have the company name. I am sure I found them by searching on the NET.

Good luck - it's a most amazing country and people!

[clo]

19 hours ago, Paulchili said:

Hope that makes me less conflicted about my travel & trains.😃

 

I would say that wise people would have some conflicted thoughts these days. That was no way considered a negative. Far from it.

[Paulchili]

43 minutes ago, clo said:

I would say that wise people would have some conflicted thoughts these days. That was no way considered a negative. Far from it.

Then I misunderstood it - sorry.

[clo]

16 minutes ago, Paulchili said:

Then I misunderstood it - sorry.

Me too.

[osandomir]

2 hours ago, Paulchili said:

We visited Nepal and Bhutan in 2009. I know this from my pictures only as I cannot find the itinerary any longer - it's probably somewhere on my old computer 😀

It was a custom tour for just the two of us but I no longer have the company name. I am sure I found them by searching on the NET.

Good luck - it's a most amazing country and people!

Thank you Paul, 

I’m aware of custom tours to Bhutan , but we were booked on a small group tour that we had chosen for the most inclusive itinerary. We’ll consider some other options as well for the future tour. Hope it won’t be that long before we can travel again. I have a feeling we’ll be doing more land tours rather than cruises for some period of time then.

[YoHoHo]

2 hours ago, Paulchili said:

Don't want to disappoint you but I think I've said enough already - in fact, probably got carried away traveling down memory lane 🙂

It took us about 35 years of traveling to accomplish this. Obviously, we share our passion for travel and are fortunate to have the time and means to follow our dreams. We do not take this for granted and are thankful for our good fortune to be able to do so.

The first 25 years it was mostly DIY or some tours, the last 10+ years a lot more ocean and river cruising with some land travels.

Reading of your travels it sounds like you've been to Winnemucca, Mack

 

2 hours ago, Paulchili said:

My advice to you - follow your dreams and do as much as you can now as none of us can predict the future.

Happy trails 🙂

 

Great advice and a timely reminder

[clo]

2 minutes ago, YoHoHo said:

Reading of your travels it sounds like you've been to Winnemucca, Mack

 

Hey, when my friend and I moved from Atlanta to SF in '76 we spent a night in Winnemucca NV. Whoever was driving at the end of the day, the other went in to get a room. I got 'wolf-whistled' just walking to the front desk. LOL. A couple of years ago, beginning an Eastern Oregon road trip we spent a night there for old time's sake. Funny.

[Paulchili]

19 minutes ago, YoHoHo said:

Reading of your travels it sounds like you've been to Winnemucca, Mack

Not yet but it’s on my bucket list 😃

[jeanine]

Driving from San Francisco BY Area, Lafayette on our way to Sun Valley, Idaho we stopped in Winnemucca! That’s where we had a wonderful family style Basque dinner! The Kids loved it!

[OnTheJourney]

13 hours ago, Paulchili said:

do as much as you can now as none of us can predict the future.

Happy trails 🙂

 

 

Good advice! We got a rather late start, having been employed full time as teachers for 34 years - so any travel time we had available to us was during summer break (I hate hot weather to begin with) and then most of our trips were basically by car within the US. Our first international trip was not until '08. It all depends on how much time one wants to devote. For me, personally, any trip beyond 3 weeks just feels a bit too long - hate being away from home for much longer. Not knowing what your situation was, I'd say the only way to accomplish a level of travel such as you've done is to have someone take care of a home and property for long periods of time and, obviously, be willing to travel for extended periods - several weeks to months - a substantial part of the year even. Not being interested in doing that, for us, one lifetime is simply too short to really amass a real lengthy list!  Raising kids certainly enters into the equation as well and significantly determines what is realistically feasible relative to travel. I've always considered that - in order to really travel extensively - one would need to be, shall we say, "independently wealthy" and free of the obligations to the typical working career for several decades. It just consumes such a huge amount of one's lifetime; hence, again, one lifetime being too short  - for many people anyway - to truly check off all the items in a 'bucket list'. 

Edited March 29, 2020 by OnTheJourney

[OnTheJourney]

8 hours ago, jeanine said:

Driving from San Francisco BY Area, Lafayette on our way to Sun Valley, Idaho we stopped in Winnemucca! That’s where we had a wonderful family style Basque dinner! The Kids loved it!

 

Wow! I've actually been there too! Never heard anyone mention that place before - at least on CC. Summer of '86...road trip out west...I recall the rather quaint and uncrowded, laid-back casinos. I believe you could play craps for like 50 cents. Most of the action in the one place was just the sound of the fans running....

Edited March 29, 2020 by OnTheJourney

[OnTheJourney]

10 hours ago, Paulchili said:

Not yet but it’s on my bucket list 😃

 

ummmm...I sort of doubt it actually LOL  

[Paulchili]

9 minutes ago, OnTheJourney said:

 

Good advice! We got a rather late start, having been employed full time as teachers for 34 years - so any travel time we had available to us was during summer break (I hate hot weather to begin with) and then most of our trips were basically by car within the US. Our first international trip was not until '08. It all depends on how much time one wants to devote. For me, personally, any trip beyond 3 weeks just feels a bit too long - hate being away from home for much longer. Not knowing what your situation was, I'd say the only way to accomplish a level of travel such as you've done is to have someone take care of a home and property for long periods of time and, obviously, be willing to travel for extended periods - several weeks to months - a substantial part of the year even. Not being interested in doing that, for us, one lifetime is simply too short to really amass a real lengthy list!  Raising kids certainly enters into the equation as well and significantly determines what is realistically feasible relative to travel. I've always considered that - in order to really travel extensively - one would need to be, shall we say, "independently wealthy" and free of the obligations to the typical working career for several decades. It just consumes such a huge amount of one's lifetime; hence, again, one lifetime being too short  - for many people anyway - to truly check off all the items in a 'bucket list'. 

Well, it's more about quality than quantity - it's not a race. No need or time to see or do everything. Everyone has different interests and priorities.

Just make a list of the places you most want to see and slowly work on that bucket list. The important things is to do it and not postpone as who knows what happens next in our lives.

Good luck 🙂

[OnTheJourney]

13 hours ago, Paulchili said:

We visited Nepal and Bhutan in 2009. I know this from my pictures only as I cannot find the itinerary any longer - it's probably somewhere on my old computer 😀

It was a custom tour for just the two of us but I no longer have the company name. I am sure I found them by searching on the NET.

Good luck - it's a most amazing country and people!

 

Fascinating..just looked this up and actually found that there are tours that do both of these places. I would have never conceived of even traveling there, having never been anywhere on the Asian continent. Actually - never even heard of Bhutan till now!!