May 7 Ovation of the Seas Sailing (Hawaii to Vancouver)?

[Canuck8519]

All,

 

I was wondering if anyone has received any update from RCI or their travel agent regarding this particular sailing. 
 

Our family of four is booked on this cruise, and given that Canada is now shuttering its ports to the cruise ship industry till July, I was wondering if this cruise would still go on or be modified; it would be hard to imagine how it could be modified to fit within the rules that require at least one non-US port unless it stops in Mexico!

 

Obviously we have the option to get the FCC but I think we’d just prefer to have the trip cancelled by RCI so we can get travel insurance coverage on our flights to Hawaii and from Vancouver as well, and rebook at a future time when we feel comfortable travelling.

 

Anyone else aboard this sailing with any scoop on what will happen?

[Biker19]

4 hours ago, Canuck8519 said:

Anyone else aboard this sailing with any scoop on what will happen?

Welcome to CC.

 

The roll call for this sailing will likely discuss this.

[Wine-O]

Here's a link to your Roll Call, where everyone on your sailing can talk with each other.  https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2601812-ovation-may-7-2020-hawaii-to-vancouver/  🍷

 

[Hoopster95]

Unless the Canadian Gov changes it's mind and declares ports open, you're not sailing.

Unless the PVSA can be ignored over the course of this crisis, then you're not sailing.

Even if PVSA becomes exempt during this crisis, where does Alaska cruises start from? Seattle is closed until June 1 as well.

Unless most other cruise lines other than CCL and RCL are wrong for cancelling up to end of May, you're not sailing as CCL and RCL will have to follow suit on April 13.

Unless COVID-19 changes it's studied course, Canada and US will peak in confirmed cases over the next 4-6 weeks, and won't be "over" for 8-9 weeks, the 8-9 weeks tied into the "flattening of the spike". What if the spike is not "flattened"? Also note the 4-6 week spike is right around April 13'ish.

 

Does anyone know if Vegas has odds on whether cruises will be sailing in May? This bet just might be less risk than any bond and equity fund on the Dow!

 

 

 

Edited March 16, 2020 by Hoopster95

[JeffT237]

7 minutes ago, Hoopster95 said:

Seattle is closed until June 1 as well.

 

I keep hearing the port of Seattle is closed until June 1st and some have reported into July but I can't find any source.  Do you have a link?  I'm fully anticipating our Alaska cruise being cancelled from Seattle at the end of May, just waiting for royal to notify me so I can get either the refund or 125% FCC rather than cancel myself under the Cruise with Confidence program to get the 100% FCC.  Actually received the Royal Up Offer yesterday but I think they must still be working on the first wave of cancellations.

[Hoopster95]

https://crosscut.com/2020/03/coronavirus-pauses-seattles-cruise-season

 

I would love to hear from someone who actually works in some kind of "position" of knowledge in Seattle with regard to this, just to confirm it.

 

https://www.cruise.blog/2020/03/canada-will-not-permit-cruise-ships-dock-their-ports-until-july-1

 

 

Edited March 16, 2020 by Hoopster95

[JeffT237]

 

14 minutes ago, Hoopster95 said:

https://crosscut.com/2020/03/coronavirus-pauses-seattles-cruise-season

 

Thanks, read that one as well.  I took that as due to the Canadian ports being closed until July 1 that would impact or cancel the Seattle cruises even though the port of Seattle will or could be open.  Again I think it's inevitable our cruise gets cancelled due to the PVSA or Royal's suspension gets extended, I'm just anxious for Royal to initiate the cancellation so I'll just have to wait and see.

[Hoopster95]

Hardly anyone has any patience... for those of us booked in late April and May, we all just have to sit back, relax, and wait for April 13'ish... when Corona is peaking in the next 4-6 weeks in North America, RCL will have no choice but to follow the lead of almost every other cruise line so far by cancelling into May anyways.

 

Btw, the Seattle port website still only shows only the first two calls into Seattle April 1 and 4 being cancelled, and mentions the issues with the PVSA for the Alaska sailings. There's nothing on the Port of Seattle website saying the port is closed to cruise ships in May.

[rj42]

The Ovation can't go to the Northwest without a foreign stop, and since they can't go to Canada, their only option would be to go to Ensenada, which some California r/t cruises do. But if the Ovation can't cruise the Northwest or Alaska until July 1, there might not be any sense in sending it there for the current schedule, and it could just stay in New Zealand and wait until June to come to the US, presuming that there's any prospect of an Alaska cruise season by then. If companies send their empty ships to Washington, there's really no place to berth all of them, especially since they will effectively be out of action until at least July 1. The only plausible spot for them to cruise would be California to Mexico, since Mexico seems more open to cruise ships now than other places, and Carnival already has 3 ships that sail year-round to Mexico from Long Beach.

 

Things are also complicated by getting to Hawaii...there's a thread on the NCL boards that the Jewel, currently doing a Polynesian cruise, is stuck at sea because none of the islands want to let it dock and let the passengers off. Hawaii also is unlikely to be receptive to cruises after the Grand Princess visited it with infected crew and passengers.

 

Washington State is also closing all restaurants, bars, and other gatherings of over 50 people, so for now there's no chance of the port allowing a cruise ship to dock. I'm booked on the Ovation for a 3-day from Vancouver to Seattle, and I'll just wait for them to officially cancel the cruise and issue a refund. 

[Biker19]

3 hours ago, rj42 said:

The Ovation can't go to the Northwest without a foreign stop, and since they can't go to Canada, their only option would be to go to Ensenada, which some California r/t cruises do.

She could go directly from Sydney to Seattle and make Hawaii (if allowed) just be a port stop - Explorer used to do that.