Currently on Coral Princess ....

[onboard2005]

7 minutes ago, suzyed said:

Not at present. We still have bars, trivia although less frequently. We are hoping that as we proceed back to Fort Lauderdale that the casino will open, maybe some shows, bingo, shops, etc.

Probably when you're back in open water again things will be available.  

 

 

[frugaltravel]

3 hours ago, Wichard said:

The Captain just informed us that we will leave Montevideo for Fort Lauderdale and is estimated to take 14 days.   Oh happy days...

 

On 3/18/2020 at 3:40 PM, rabin1 said:

Because when the last cruise ship comes into Port Everglades Friday it is closed for cruise liners. I live in Borward County and the mayor just did a press conference on that. They are keeping it open for cargo, gas etc ONLY

Kathy

Well, so much for the "closed for cruise liners."  Obviously exceptions can be made.  Good for Princess!

 

[onboard2005]

Coral will get in. 🙂

[AF-1]

Bless all of you who are still onboard; and bless all of you who made it home safely.  Peace and keep this thread going.  It is a good source of info for those of us at home; and its a good therapy tool.  Cheers

[aimee0715]

3 hours ago, onboard2005 said:

Just curious...

Is everyone in their original cabins or have they moved anyone? Like an inside to a balcony? 

We were on Grand Princess a few years ago  when there was a small fire.  This was a hawaiian cruise that was sailing RT from San Francisco.  We were only able to stop in Honolulu.  Princess offered to fly people home from Honolulu, if they wished to not continue the cruise.  Several hundred passengers got off.  We stayed on.  We knew that our dinner mates had been in a penthouse suite and we knew that they had gotten off the ship.  We inquired at guest services if they would be offering upgrades to people who remained on the ship.  They said several people had inquired about that and they were just keeping a list of names of people who were interested.  They were waiting to hear from corporate.   In the end, they did not move anyone around.  

[onboard2005]

I was just curious wondering if there were several cabins at this time if they had offered to let the remaining passengers have a better cabin for the remaining cruise. Especially since it has been so stressful.  It never hurts to ask!

 

🙂

[Aus Traveller]

4 hours ago, chamima said:

 

Perth and Freemantle are two parts of the same city.

If we want to be more precise, the city of Fremantle (one 'e') is the port for the nearby city of Perth. 🙂

[NSWP]

4 hours ago, Wichard said:

The Captain just informed us that we will leave Montevideo for Fort Lauderdale and is estimated to take 14 days.   Oh happy days...

Enjoy the 14 days and 'Come Back New.'       P&O UK 'Arcadia' has a month at sea from Fremantle to Southampton via Africa, no stop save for Durban - refuel and re supply only, no pax off.  Such is life in these times.

[Aus Traveller]

50 minutes ago, NSWP said:

Enjoy the 14 days and 'Come Back New.'       P&O UK 'Arcadia' has a month at sea from Fremantle to Southampton via Africa, no stop save for Durban - refuel and re supply only, no pax off.  Such is life in these times.

Let's hope they arrange good activities on board. Some people find four or five sea days difficult or boring. I don't, but I don't know about a month at sea.

[pb_uk]

6 hours ago, Wichard said:

The Captain just informed us that we will leave Montevideo for Fort Lauderdale and is estimated to take 14 days.   Oh happy days...

Whilst this is good news all round, there is still work to do for the non US passengers to avoid being trapped in USA. 

[Aus Traveller]

1 minute ago, pb_uk said:

Whilst this is good news all round, there is still work to do for the non US passengers to avoid being trapped in USA. 

Australian citizens and residents are allowed back into Australia (others are not), but from the end of March, QANTAS will cease all international flights. The issue for any Aussies on the Coral Princess will be finding a way to get back home. How is it for UK citizens?

[npcl]

4 hours ago, frugaltravel said:

 

Well, so much for the "closed for cruise liners."  Obviously exceptions can be made.  Good for Princess!

 

WE will not know for sure until the ship gets there.  Based upon timing in two weeks Florida might be looking like NYC does now.

[Host CJSKIDS]

8 hours ago, Wichard said:

Yes it is.  I cannot say enough about how Princess and the Captain and crew have treated us.  These are difficult times but knowing Princess would fulfill their commitments to the passengers comforting.  I know this is costing the financially but every action they have taken has shown their commitment to passenger safety and well-being.  Uncommon in today’s world.  

This is amazing to hear. 
 

wishing you a safe trip to FLL and continued good health. 

[caribill]

2 hours ago, npcl said:

WE will not know for sure until the ship gets there.  Based upon timing in two weeks Florida might be looking like NYC does now.

 

I would not be worried about passengers on the ship being a danger to those living in Fort Lauderdale.

 

I would worry more about people in Fort Lauderdale being a danger to the passengers.

 

The Coral passengers are virus-free. Not necessarily true for port workers, transportation drivers, airport personnel and TSA agents.

[Aus Traveller]

7 minutes ago, caribill said:

I would not be worried about passengers on the ship being a danger to those living in Fort Lauderdale.

I would worry more about people in Fort Lauderdale being a danger to the passengers.

The Coral passengers are virus-free. Not necessarily true for port workers, transportation drivers, airport personnel and TSA agents.

I agree with your comments. I hope the passengers get onto buses and straight to the airport. Even then, they will have to take care will in the cruise terminal and in the airport.

[em-sk]

3 hours ago, Aus Traveller said:

Australian citizens and residents are allowed back into Australia (others are not), but from the end of March, QANTAS will cease all international flights. The issue for any Aussies on the Coral Princess will be finding a way to get back home. How is it for UK citizens?

.

One option (and there are likely others).  Air Canada has announced to ensure the movement of critical cargo they will operate "air bridges" from their hubs to a very limited number of international destinations.   Both Heathrow and Fort Lauderdale are two of those destinations.  Just now International transit passengers are one of the few exemptions to the Canadian boarder closure.  I think we are moving into a state where the cargo is defining the air routes and if the airline can sell any passenger seats that is a bonus. 

[Aus Traveller]

2 minutes ago, em-sk said:

.

One option (and there are likely others).  Air Canada has announced to ensure the movement of critical cargo they will operate "air bridges" from their hubs to a very limited number of international destinations.   Both Heathrow and Fort Lauderdale are two of those destinations.  Just now International transit passengers are one of the few exemptions to the Canadian boarder closure.  I think we are moving into a state where the cargo is defining the air routes and if the airline can sell any passenger seats that is a bonus. 

But Air Canada would probably be using cargo plans to shift the cargo, not passenger planes.

[em-sk]

5 minutes ago, Aus Traveller said:

But Air Canada would probably be using cargo plans to shift the cargo, not passenger planes.

 

Air Canada does not have any cargo planes.   They are using their normal 787 and 777 fleet for the overseas flights.  They have now removed all flights until the end of April with the exception of these and opened them up for passenger booking.  

Edited March 22, 2020 by em-sk

[Aus Traveller]

1 minute ago, em-sk said:

 

Air Canada does not have any cargo planes.   They are using their normal 787 and 777 fleet for the overseas flight.  They have now removed all flights until the end of April with the exception of these and opened them up for passenger booking.  

OK. Thanks for that information. I am accustomed to QANTAS who operate a passenger fleet and also a cargo fleet.

[ramonod]

Why aren't Princess providing an update for the Coral on their website, the last update was  on19 March at 9pm!

[Roberto256]

46 minutes ago, ramonod said:

Why aren't Princess providing an update for the Coral on their website, the last update was  on19 March at 9pm!

 

Maybe they are waiting for approvals for the Port Everglades port call, before making announcement?

 

 

[Reina del Mar]

22 minutes ago, Roberto256 said:

 

Maybe they are waiting for approvals for the Port Everglades port call, before making announcement?

 

 

Things are changing so quickly, I doubt anyone knows for sure. Suppose they could say what they know at the moment, ( if they know anything) stressing everything is subject to change/ confirmation!

 

Appreciate what you’re saying though, as the fear of the unknown causes anxiety!

[pb_uk]

3 hours ago, Roberto256 said:

 

Maybe they are waiting for approvals for the Port Everglades port call, before making announcement?

 

 

Princess will be treading carefully here. Remember there are other nationals on board (from what I gather, other nationals: two thirds; US: one third) so they won’t want a knee jerk reaction from Local Officials that they can’t change.

 

in other news, Captain said we will have an ETA later today.

[frugaltravel]

4 hours ago, ramonod said:

Why aren't Princess providing an update for the Coral on their website, the last update was  on19 March at 9pm!

At least they are updating the passengers on board and that is the most important.

 

[lstone19]

MarineTraffic.com is showing Coral's destination as Bridgetown, Barbados on Mar 30 (Coral's bridge cam just says "At Sea"). Has anything been said onboard about Bridgetown? I wonder if they're working on a plan to take the European passengers off there. I can remember many years ago Princess had an Eastern Caribbean itinerary that embarked North American passengers in Ft. Lauderdale but European passengers in Bridgetown and Barbados is part of the British Commonwealth so it may be an easier port to use for repatriating the UK citizens (and possibly other Europeans) on the ship.