For those set on going.. is there any breaking point?

[shutterbug63]

Our breaking point will be July 1.  We sail July 5.  I have no intentions at this point in time of cancelling. It's too soon to make the call for me.

 

But our cruise is a ways out. I'm not sure what I would do if I was sailing soon. My decision might be different.

[GetToLivin]

For us, we have a small business and the threat of a quarantine is why we're probably cancelling March 28 and trying for the same cruise at the end of April when our schedule isn't as full... "just in case". We don't exactly have two extra weeks to go hang at some military base! We're deciding later tonight - I'm bummed but who isn't in these situations. DH was at the airport this evening (DFW) and he got through security in 3 minutes and said the terminal was a ghost town - things are definitely changing. 

Edited March 11, 2020 by GetToLivin

[irun5k]

3 hours ago, sgerth said:

We also have a cruise leaving on 4/3 out of FLL.  Still going but will wait and see if there any reported problems with Caribbean cruises going our of Florida in the next 2 weeks then we may cancel.

 

That sort of already happened and was what caused us to finally cancel next week's cruise.  Port Everglades had 3 workers test positive.  I'm less concerned about that part to be fair, but more concerned about the  external consequences.  This time they recommended everyone going though the port self-quarantine.  Next time it might not be a request.  The way things are going it is only a matter of time before the cruise ships are all stopped and I don't want to be on one once stopped.  Also recent cruisers are already being treated differently by some employers- not being allowed to return to work.

 

We are pretty seasoned cruisers, been a member here since 2001... have sailed though a hurricane.  Everyone has their breaking point.

Edited March 11, 2020 by irun5k

[irun5k]

4 minutes ago, GetToLivin said:

For us, we have a small business and the threat of a quarantine is why we're probably cancelling March and trying for the same cruise at the end of April when our schedule isn't as full... "just in case". We don't exactly have two extra weeks to go hang at some military base! We're deciding later tonight - I'm bummed but who isn't in these situations. DH was at the airport this evening (DFW) and he got through security in 3 minutes and said the terminal was a ghost town - things are definitely changing. 

In the same "boat" here, cancelled next week's cruise after events this week which including a couple flights where like you guys I noticed that travel was probably down almost 50% already.  I hope you are right about April but I am concerned you many need to wait many more months.

[GetToLivin]

Just now, irun5k said:

In the same "boat" here, cancelled next week's cruise after events this week which including a couple flights where like you guys I noticed that travel was probably down almost 50% already.  I hope you are right about April but I am concerned you many need to wait many more months.

 

I actually tend to agree with you - I am hopeful that things might change in 6 weeks but maybe that's naive. At least at this point, everything I purchased (down to airfare) can be rescheduled without penalty so all I'll be out is my travel insurance 😜

[lovetotravel1977]

My next scheduled cruise is Mariner on 5/18.  I am not making any decisions on cancelling until I see where things are at the beginning of May.  For now, I am planning as if the trip is on, but will make the decision once the cruise is closer.  If my cruise was within the next week or two, I probably would cancel as I have family members with health issues and there is not a handle on the situation at this time.

 

My breaking point will  be determined by if there is any containment of the spread by then.

[cello56]

We are scheduled to do a back to back on Brilliance out of Tampa starting on April 13th. The breaking point came today when my school Principal decided that anyone who travels internationally or goes on a cruise will be subject to a 14 day quarantine upon return. We are a small private school for special needs students - many of whom are medically fragile, so she felt that this was the safest decision. I am not going to cancel until three days ahead just in case things turn around. 

[goldfish65]

Honest question, if I cancel my cruise, are the chances of catching the virus that much less? I'll still be working with the public in my job, I could contract and unknowingly pass the virus to someone the same as someone who takes their cruise.

Edited March 12, 2020 by goldfish65

[heziggy]

1 hour ago, Ukigirl said:

Unfortunately my breaking point came today when I had to go see my doctor, my mild asthma flares up every couple years and of course it happened now so I’m on steroids and inhaler. I’ll be on the phone with Royal tomorrow, half my stuff is packed for next week’s cruise but now I don’t want to take any unnecessary risks.  
 

Do you have cruise insurance to get a refund or will you be doing FCC?  I go to the Drs. On the 30th and just wondered that if the doc says no go if insurance covers it.  I would much rather have my money back then the credit

[jknc]

1. If virus shows up on Oasis.

2. If government says don’t travel to NYC.

3. If my wife says, we’re not going.

 

cheers!

[Ukigirl]

No insurance so we will apply credit towards an October cruise that we booked previously. That’s a great question, I know travel insurance doesn’t cover pandemic but if there’s a medical reason it might. This is all so surreal and new, no one knows....

[davekathy]

6 minutes ago, jknc said:

1. If virus shows up on Oasis.

2. If government says don’t travel to NYC.

3. If my wife says, we’re not going.

 

cheers!

I'd ignore number two. 

[jeremyosborne81]

Since our cruise is over 300 days away, I know this doesn't really pertain to us because this whole mess will be over by then.

We are still planning to cruise, unless Royal Caribbean cancels our cruise or changes the itinerary away from Phuket.

[firefly333]

I'm still 90 days out, so idk. I have no plans to cancel and if I feel its warranted I'll do a semi stay away from my elderly parents if I feel worried when I return

 

I have  no underlying health issues, but my parents do and I run errands for them.

 

I'm hoping higher temps will temper this virus like a normal virus. It was near 90 here today and will be hot tomorrow and I'm heading south to hotter climates out of texas.

 

Idk... there is a breaking pt I'll know when I hit it.

[Waycoolrob]

Not Cruising until April 18th, our would pretty much be the same as everyone else, virus shows up on Symphony or at the pier. I am concerned about flying, we live in AZ and have a long flight to Miami, so that could possibly shake thing up. But we have a few weeks I hope we will have a better idea of what is happening by then. I am however looking at Hawaii, tickets are the cheapest I have ever seen them!!

[Laurba99]

25 minutes ago, jknc said:

1. If virus shows up on Oasis.

2. If government says don’t travel to NYC.

3. If my wife says, we’re not going.

 

cheers!

Love it! Yeah I’m seriously wondering if cruises will be sailing still in three weeks..

[Madsofa]

My employer announced today that a mandatory 14 day self quarantine for anyone returning from personal travel on a cruise ship or coming back from one of the high risk countries. I’m not cruising until next year but this would have been my breaking point.

Edited March 12, 2020 by Madsofa

[awestover89]

For me the only major things that can change my decision are if there is a travel ban in place (which just happened for Europe), or if my job forces me to cancel (which is starting to look like a very real possibility)

[OnTheJourney]

Some great replies and thoughts. We're also still debating on canceling. It does truly seem a tad irresponsible to cruise when there is so much talk about avoiding social situations if possible and/or self quarantining. Everyone has to sacrifice and undergo some hardships if we are to start containing this. 

[bambam2972]

Earlier tonight my husband asked what if they ban entry from cruise ships, even if there's no one positive on board. Then the travel ban from Europe was announced a little bit ago.

 

This sucks. A year ago we booked our first back to back which leaves next Sunday. It's our 10 year anniversary too. But, since we have 2 little ones who we're leaving home with my parents it's probably best to cancel. Siiiiiigh.

[nah31]

We are scheduled to depart 4/12/20 on Freedom out of San Juan. We are scheduled to fly down there on 4/8. As of now, we have not cancelled, although we are well aware that we might need to. At this point , it looks like my son's high school will be closing and moving towards online instruction for at least a month. My employer has granted 2 weeks of paid leave for anyone forced to quarantine. Those 2 factors definitely swayed us away from canceling. To be honest, the way this is spreading ,  we can catch it anywhere. If there were any differences in cancellation/change fees , then I would make a decision sooner. But since there isnt, I will wait to see how things pan out and make a final decision by April 1st or so.

[PTAngel]

I hate the idea of anyone or anything running my life.  Everyone seems to tell me to cancel.  I am 74 & cruising May 11 to Bermuda. So far, I haven't heard of any issues in Bermuda.  I will cancel when the cruise is cancelled, I'm not allowed to get on the ship, or Bermuda won't let us dock.  I'm sailing out of Bayonne so no flight.  I got a great deal on this cruise so I know the FCC may not cover another cruise.  I did not purchase insurance.  I think it's too late for that now.

[HalfHand]

4 hours ago, goldfish65 said:

Honest question, if I cancel my cruise, are the chances of catching the virus that much less? I'll still be working with the public in my job, I could contract and unknowingly pass the virus to someone the same as someone who takes their cruise.

 

This is a graph shows infection during the 1918 pandemic, Philadelphia held a parade, St. Louis canceled public events.

 

The dark line is if you go, the dotted line is if you stay. Not meaning to imply YOU are the tipping point. The point is you may still get sick, but by canceling you are helping to flatten the curve. It is that surge, that large spike that is devastating to a community and the health care system. There is no way to predict who any of us will pass this on to if we get infected. Maybe if you cancel your cruise you don't infect the clerk at the Flying J, who then doesn't infect a truck driver, who then can't spread it to hundreds of others. Or maybe you go on your cruise and come home and everyone you know is already infected and you don't spread the virus at all.

 

Not going, puts you in the dotted line column, you have done everything in your power not to create more sick people.

[Grandma Petania]

My son and his spouse surprised me last year, offering to treat my younger daughter and me to sailing with them on a seven day Caribbean cruise.  DD and I have tickets to fly to FL in 9 days from VA.  Son & spouse will fly in from California to meet us at the hotel the night before the cruise.  We held a 4-way conference call last Friday, discussed what we considered at that time to be the best pros and cons, and decided to keep planning for the cruise.

 

This cruise is supposed to celebrate my 80th birthday, which occurred this past November.  Today, my older daughter and son-in-law, (who were previously okay with me not cancelling) are heavily pushing for cancellation.  They say that I am taking an unnecessary risk by not postponing.  They certainly have a point to their opinion, since I live with them, and my disabled SIL has a compromised immune system.

 

 I don't want to put the worry on their shoulders, and would be willing to self quarantine at my younger daughter's house after returning from the cruise, but I am stressing out about which decision is the "right" one.  
 

The main "con" is my age, and the fact that I have type II diabetes (though it is well-controlled).  Those factors are also a "pro", because there's no guarantee that I will still be healthy and mobile enough for cruising in the months until we could arrange it again.  Another "pro" for cruising now is the fact that we don't have travel insurance to cover the flights that we purchased months ago.

 

 I know that no one on this board can decide for me.  Maybe I'm just trying to vent about my frustration.  To receive FCC, we will have to cancel in a little less than a week.  Hopefully we can make up our minds before this weekend is over.  
 

P.S.  I just read the post above by HalfHand.  Good points!

Edited March 12, 2020 by Grandma Petania

[epanchenko]

5 hours ago, goldfish65 said:

Honest question, if I cancel my cruise, are the chances of catching the virus that much less? I'll still be working with the public in my job, I could contract and unknowingly pass the virus to someone the same as someone who takes their cruise.

 

On Joe Rogan's podcast, an infectious disease expert said he believes that the recycled air in cruise ship cabins contributed to the infections on the cruise ships.  His opinion was that the novel coronavirus passes through the air.

 

There are now tests that indicate that it can exist in the air for up to three hours, so just washing your hands is not enough...

 

https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/487110-tests-indicate-coronavirus-can-survive-in-the-air

 

Is it less safer than working with the public? I don't know.  It may depend on the air filtration system where you work.

 

I have a cruise booked for end of April, I am sad I will not go.  Even though I bought travel insurance, it won't cover my missed flights (NY State does not let me buy cancel for any reason insurance, at least that I know of).

Edited March 12, 2020 by epanchenko