Mariner Cruise Cancellations

[Baden]

I noticed on the RSSC website that Mariner cruises (March 19 thru May) have been cancelled. This includes the April 8 cruise out of Abu Dhabi. We are on Voyager on April 16 out of Abu Dhabi and hoping for that cruise to be cancelled. 
 

Any updates from people on the cancelled Mariner cruise. Did you get full refund.

[Belfast Taxman]

Mariner is on the 2020 World cruise at the moment albeit on a very deviated course. When you say cancellation I assume you are referring to potential passengers who had booked the next segment who presumably cannot now board the ship for that segment.

Leaving aside the question of possible political intervention, the ships most immediately in danger of interruption would appear to be Voyager ( the next voyage is scheduled from Abu Dhabi from 16 April but given the likely non-availability of ports in either Egypt and/or Israel and the declining position in the Med then there has to be some doubt with that cruise) and Navigator which was due to be sailing in the Pacific region, another area  with very reduced port options.

 

[cruiseaholic78]

https://vancouverisland.ctvnews.ca/victoria-harbour-authority-to-address-federal-cruise-ship-ban-1.4851940
well thats our Alaska cruise gone, guess we won’t be cruising for a while now there are no more places to go to. Guess this year it might have to be a road trip.

 

[Wendy The Wanderer]

And I was thinking, at least there'll be Alaska.  Oh well, not our biggest concern right now, eh?  I wish all the staff well and hope they make it home safely.

[shuguley]

Hope maybe Regent can shift ports for the June Alaska trips, maybe use Astoria.

[BBWC]

They have to go to a foreign port per US law, thus need Canada.

[Joanandjoe]

21 minutes ago, shuguley said:

Hope maybe Regent can shift ports for the June Alaska trips, maybe use Astoria.

Nope.  Astoria is also closed.  In any event, unless the passenger travel rules requiring a non-US port are waived, Regent can't offer an Alaska cruise.  

[Eager2Travel]

In answer to a prior question, we were scheduled for the Mariner Rome to Miami sailing on April 29 that became an Athens to Miami cruise missing two nice  Med ports.  At that point they offered us 100% FCC to cancel or 25% FCC to continue.  Being in a high risk category we knew we needed to cancel but preferred getting our money back as it is unsure when we will be able to cruise again with the current Coronavirus situation.
 

Yesterday when Regent changed the remainder of the world Cruise and our leg disappeared we heard from Regent that our cruise was cancelled.  We were offered a full refund or 125% in FCC.  We chose the refund and are pleased that this has all been settled.  
 

Regent is certainly facing challenging times and is trying to handle it to the best of their ability.  Our TA didn’t want to tell us what to do but did say things were very fluid.  Regent’s new policy allowing us 48 hours to cancel allowed us to take our time making our decision thus allowing us to wait for the better offer.

Edited March 13, 2020 by Eager2Travel

[Pam]

I have a big family cruise booked to Alaska in June, too.  Holding my breath.

[shuguley]

45 minutes ago, Pam said:

I have a big family cruise booked to Alaska in June, too.  Holding my breath.

We do as well but it isn't looking likely at this time.  I've got some disappointed family members. ☹️

[crooz4fun]

16 minutes ago, shuguley said:

We do as well but it isn't looking likely at this time.  I've got some disappointed family members. ☹️

If you read the article linked unfortunately it looks like Canada won't even re-evaluate the situation until June 30th.  I would say June sailings are gone.

[Pcardad]

They could substitute Seattle for Vancouver...

[DaveFr]

46 minutes ago, Pcardad said:

They could substitute Seattle for Vancouver...

Unfortunately because of the Passenger Vessel Services Act, substituting Seattle for Vancouver would not work. A cruise between two different US ports, such as Seward and Seattle, requires a stop in a distant foreign port. Probably the closest distant foreign port is in Russia which is obviously not practical. A round-trip Alaska cruise from Seattle would also not work because it would require a visit to a nearby foreign port. The only nearby foreign port in the vicinity is a port in Canada which is obviously off-limits. The usual itinerary between Anchorage and Vancouver does not run afoul of the Act because it is a cruise between a US port and a foreign port.

 

hope this helps.

 

Dave

[Art Instructor2]

The 2020 World Cruise has been cancelled.  All guests must leave the ship in Fremantle on March 19th.  You can read my latest world cruise blog post at https://consultm2.blogspot.com/

[JMARINER]

2 hours ago, DaveFr said:

Unfortunately because of the Passenger Vessel Services Act, substituting Seattle for Vancouver would not work. A cruise between two different US ports, such as Seward and Seattle, requires a stop in a distant foreign port. Probably the closest distant foreign port is in Russia which is obviously not practical. A round-trip Alaska cruise from Seattle would also not work because it would require a visit to a nearby foreign port. The only nearby foreign port in the vicinity is a port in Canada which is obviously off-limits. The usual itinerary between Anchorage and Vancouver does not run afoul of the Act because it is a cruise between a US port and a foreign port.

 

hope this helps.

 

Dave

They probably could work something out with Canada to make a 'technical stop" in some out of the way island or port. I remember Regent doing this years ago on a Panama Canal voyage where the stopped for a few outs and some tiny Columbia  island (San Andres?) about  half a days sail north of the Canal. The ship just stopped and sent a boat over to the island and a Govn't official came on for an hour or so, cleared the ship, then we left.

 

J