Europe is the newest hotspot, when will Celebrity step up and cancel May 2020?

[Cruiz'nBaers]

Europe is the newest hotspot for the corona/covid-19 virus.  When will Celebrity step up like Princess and cancel May 2020.  We have a cruise scheduled on the Infinity, the first Mediterranean cruise after the Trans Atlantic crossing.  Spain, Gibraltar (UK), France are travel advisory 2, and Italy is currently shut down, it’s an awfully expensive trip for 12 sea days.

[jelayne]

The more sailing the cruise lines have to cancel the greater the risk they won’t survive.  For those like you who want their cruise cancelled there are many others who want to go, yes even to Europe. 

We were booked on a April TA, which hasn’t been cancelled.  We decided that we wouldn’t be comfortable going and cancelled taking advantage of the Cruise with Confidence and are getting a FCC for the cost of our cruise.  We have about $800 in non-refundable air which our travel insurance will not cover as it excludes epidemics and the airline change fee waivers don’t cover the time we are traveling.  

 

This virus is costing everyone money in one way or another.  Jobs starting to be eliminated,  business revenue dropping, non-profits having to cancel fundraising events, schools closings, on and on.  $800 is small in comparison.  We made the decision that was best for us and feel relieved that we no longer have to stress about whether the cruise will be cancelled or not. 

 

I wish you the best.
 

[Ken the cruiser]

We’re also booked on the Infinity for both the TA in late April along with the subsequent 12 day Med cruise. We’re hoping the warm weather starting in April will start to put the CV to bed and cruising will get back to normal. But, if some countries are still having issues like Italy, then we’re pretty confident X will make itinerary changes to avoid those affected ports. Worst case they have to cancel the TA and Med cruise, but hopefully for everyone’s sake as well as for X it won’t come down to that. 

[az_tchr]

17 minutes ago, Ken the cruiser said:

We’re also booked on the Infinity for both the TA in late April along with the subsequent 12 day Med cruise. We’re hoping the warm weather starting in April will start to put the CV to bed and cruising will get back to normal. But, if some countries are still having issues like Italy, then we’re pretty confident X will make itinerary changes to avoid those affected ports. Worst case they have to cancel the TA and Med cruise, but hopefully for everyone’s sake as well as for X it won’t come down to that. 

X needs to sort out the current mess and then deal with Alaska in May. Would think about April 1st we will all have a better idea where the COVID is going.  I stay hopeful, but without significant improvement pretty hard to cruise the Mediterranean with Norway, Russia, France, Egypt, Is real, Malta, Italy and ?? closed.

[takichum]

We pulled out of a b2b2b from Seward to and around Japan via Vancouver in early September. This dreadful disease is just starting to ramp up here and we have our winter to get through. 

We figured it wasn't worth the stress and it would be best to cut our losses now in regards to airline and hotel bookings which are are not wholly refundable and insurance isn't worth the paper it is written on.

I'm not confident there will be a cruise season anywhere in the world for the next year or so and it will be interesting to see if there are any Chapter 11 filings which I sincerely hope not.

[NMTraveller]

I think the issue is what if any European countries will accept cruise ships and for how long?  The cruise cancellations by country are growing and growing.

[villauk]

2 hours ago, NMTraveller said:

I think the issue is what if any European countries will accept cruise ships and for how long?  The cruise cancellations by country are growing and growing.

 

 

Exactly. We are being told that we won’t hit our peak of cases until about four weeks time. No one wants the hassle of having to sort cruise ship issues when they have enough of their own health service problems.

[GastroGnome]

There will come a tipping point where enough people have already caught CV-19 that the risk / cost of having a cruise ship dock is off set by the need for revenue, employment and the tourist euro.  The way cases are escalating in europe (and will in the UK in the next few weeks) predicts peak transmission by mid April.  Although May crusies might still be impacted to some countries June, July and August are far from a write off at this point.

 

The situation is actually eased if non EU passengers don't travel as there is reciprocal health arrangements throughout the EU meaning the cost of treating an EU passenger from a cruise ship is no different to treating your own citizens.  Treating a non EU passgenger requries that you need to be able to reclaim the cost from travel insirance which is not always possible.  (FAD... passengers will always be treated,  But governments need to look at money.)   Once we stop trying to quarentine ships, which has  massive cost to the host country in food supplies, medical aid, security etc and to the country of nationality in arranaging flights and home based quarentine, things will start to ease fairly quickly.

 

There may be an ongoing impact for people with underlying health conditions which might make them more vulnerable or more expensive to treat and they may continue to be barred.  but the industry has to try to normalise as best it can as fast as it can to survive.

 

And lets not forget those who depend on the industry for a livelihood and whose situation at home would be truly desperate should that wage be lost.

Edited March 14, 2020 by GastroGnome

[Dfox15]

4 hours ago, NMTraveller said:

I think the issue is what if any European countries will accept cruise ships and for how long?  The cruise cancellations by country are growing and growing.

 

I live in Denmark. As from midday today March 14 and for 30 days, our borders are closed in or out. No foreign nationals allowed to enter Denmark with very few exceptions (e.g. visiting a dying relative). I suspect the rest of Europe will quickly follow suit (many already have). Denmark has taken a very pre-emptive approach, as we have still have had no deaths and currently only 24 people hospitalized. Just cancelled my 3 May Norway cruise on Apex, as no Schengen nationals allowed onboard. 

[Cruiz'nBaers]

Spain is now going to impose a country wide lockdown like Italy.  While I empathize with the company, crew and staff, Celebrity and the airlines should offer goodwill refunds sooner rather than later.  We will probably cancel within the next several days, we have a call in to our TA and are awaiting a return call.  The summer cruise situation looks bleak.

[dutchclogs]

4 hours ago, Dfox15 said:

 

I live in Denmark. As from midday today March 14 and for 30 days, our borders are closed in or out. No foreign nationals allowed to enter Denmark with very few exceptions (e.g. visiting a dying relative). I suspect the rest of Europe will quickly follow suit (many already have). Denmark has taken a very pre-emptive approach, as we have still have had no deaths and currently only 24 people hospitalized. Just cancelled my 3 May Norway cruise on Apex, as no Schengen nationals allowed onboard. 

When did this come into effect?

[Dfox15]

When did this come into effect?

Announced on the evening of 13 March, effective from 12 noon on 14 March and for 30 days. We have closed our borders now.


Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[dutchclogs]

Thank you. Dfox. I was wondering about no Schengen nationals allowed on board the Apex 3 May sailing?