Predict when cruising will start again post-Coronavirus

[NSWP]

52 minutes ago, Aus Traveller said:

I am booked on the segments of the WC that interest me most - Dubai to UK, then UK to NYC. I am travelling solo because my husband doesn't want to go. The cost (solo) is $26,200 for 50 nights. I don't want to spend the amount required for a balcony cabin. Although I would enjoy a balcony, I wouldn't sit out there a lot when I will be travelling alone. A lot of the time on sea days, will be spent in other parts of the ship taking part in activities or in the dining room.

Makes sense, the Coral is a great ship with plenty of open space, aft viewing areas and a real promenade deck.  We  did Panama Canal on her, a few years ago.  You must have a very benevolent hubby, travelling solo.

 

Uncle Les shut your mouth before you get in trouble again.🤐

Edited October 20, 2020 by NSWP

[Aus Traveller]

16 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

My best bargain was a suite on Carnival Legend for $152.18 pp pn.😊

 

No, I doubt you'll ever see a price like that on the Hawaii/Tahiti cruise again. That was an excellent deal. 

Yes. We can't compare a 'special' with the brochure prices. Great if you can get a special, but they are only available occasionally.

[NSWP]

2 minutes ago, Aus Traveller said:

Yes. We can't compare a 'special' with the brochure prices. Great if you can get a special, but they are only available occasionally.

Then you have to jump in, we got our 2012 Arcadia 'Special', 4 weeks before sailing, Sydney to Southampton, 4 weeks in UK. Then another Arcadia cruise, 'The Med' for 14 days then fly home on the aluminium tube, which I hate. Just a short little 13 week adventure.

[OzKiwiJJ]

16 minutes ago, Aus Traveller said:

Yes. We can't compare a 'special' with the brochure prices. Great if you can get a special, but they are only available occasionally.

It will be interesting to see what happens to fares when cruising recommences.

 

Will people who have already booked back out at the last minute because of restrictions thus opening up some last minute bargains?

 

Will fares stay at the current highs? Or drop? Or increase? 

 

Will bookings slow down because the fares are too high?  Because people are financial more restricted because of how they have been affected by the virus?

[Aus Traveller]

50 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

It will be interesting to see what happens to fares when cruising recommences.

 

Will people who have already booked back out at the last minute because of restrictions thus opening up some last minute bargains?

 

Will fares stay at the current highs? Or drop? Or increase? 

 

Will bookings slow down because the fares are too high?  Because people are financial more restricted because of how they have been affected by the virus?

My guess is that prices will start off at a reasonable price and maybe come with OBC, to get people back to cruising. Then I suspect that prices will rise as the companies try to become profitable again.

[Kiwi Kruzer]

2 hours ago, Aus Traveller said:

My guess is that prices will start off at a reasonable price and maybe come with OBC, to get people back to cruising. Then I suspect that prices will rise as the companies try to become profitable again.

I am sure you are right. They will want to fill the ships and will offer very tempting prices .

[OzKiwiJJ]

26 minutes ago, Kiwi Kruzer said:

I am sure you are right. They will want to fill the ships and will offer very tempting prices .

Princess 21/22 season prices were higher than in the past and popular cruises were rapidly snapped up. 

[Roger88]

Due to the such a high demand, it doesnt really matter what will happen, because cruising will remain popular and desirable way of having a vacation. No matter what restrictions are, people are still booking for 21-22. It might sound crazy but even if there were no restrictions what so ever, people would still be booking 

[OzKiwiJJ]

If the prices go too high a lot of people who found it was an affordable holiday might no longer be able to afford it or decide it's no longer value for money. Also I imagine quite a few people who used to happily cruise in inside cabins may be reluctant to do so now and balcony cabin prices might be out of their reach.

Edited October 20, 2020 by OzKiwiJJ

[getting older slowly]

21 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

Princess 21/22 season prices were higher than in the past and popular cruises were rapidly snapped up. 

 

We had a cruise booked  Nov 2020 on Sapphire to NZ  booked jan 2020

 

Then booked Nov 2021  ( about a week ago )  on Sapphire to NZ  same cabin   

 

Price was  $562 dearer for nov 2021.. 

but saved $2284 off that with bonus credit

 

(Forget to add that with from 3 cancelled cruises

NZ  and B2B Aussie only)

 

Cheers Don

Edited October 20, 2020 by getting older slowly
added about 3 cruises

[MMDown Under]

3 hours ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

If the prices go too high a lot of people who found it was an affordable holiday might no longer be able to afford it or decide it's no longer value for money. Also I imagine quite a few people who used to happily cruise in inside cabins may be reluctant to do so now and balcony cabin prices might be out of their reach.

I am someone who will no longer cruise in an inside cabin.  I'm afraid the increased demand for balcony cabins may make prices unaffordable for solo travellers. 

[OzKiwiJJ]

37 minutes ago, MMDown Under said:

I am someone who will no longer cruise in an inside cabin.  I'm afraid the increased demand for balcony cabins may make prices unaffordable for solo travellers. 

We're not booking inside cabins for the next couple of years at least. I'm not even keen on the idea of oceanview cabins, I want the ability to go out in the fresh air if, for any reason, we are confined to our cabin. We might just have to cruise less often if the balcony prices keep going up.

[pully8]

Wonder what capacity will be in terms of number of passengers and staff?

Will there be mega ships or scaled down?

The largest ship we have travelled on was a Cunard Queen Vic.

which was fine in terms of space and crowds.

Mainly we have done European river cruising which we loved.

Also wonder how port stops will be managed in terms of crowding?

Guess we will discover in time.

Reports about flights locally people are saying flights are packed? If so that is a concern.

If we want to travel suppose the choices and risks will be ours to make.

Meanwhile we are locked in which none of us would have imagined.

 

[NSWP]

15 hours ago, pully8 said:

Wonder what capacity will be in terms of number of passengers and staff?

Will there be mega ships or scaled down?

The largest ship we have travelled on was a Cunard Queen Vic.

which was fine in terms of space and crowds.

Mainly we have done European river cruising which we loved.

Also wonder how port stops will be managed in terms of crowding?

Guess we will discover in time.

Reports about flights locally people are saying flights are packed? If so that is a concern.

If we want to travel suppose the choices and risks will be ours to make.

Meanwhile we are locked in which none of us would have imagined.

 

Some important points to consider in your list. I think one of the biggest issues facing the uncertain future world of cruising is if the cruiselines make pax purchase ship's shore excursions at ports if they want to leave the ship. i.e. no private tours or doing the ho ho bus etc. The recent MSC cruises implemented that policy and it could well be the rule in future cruising. Would make for a very expensive cruise for those on longer cruises with multiple ports. I mean who wants to go on a cruise and not see the destinations? I would not want that.

 

As for mega ships, there are many in the water now and several more being built for the likes of Princess, RCI etc. They will have to use them.

Edited October 21, 2020 by NSWP

[NSWP]

On 10/19/2020 at 12:02 PM, MMDown Under said:

Do you think there might be room for a small foreign adventure cruise ship to sail within Aust./NZ waters like the Russian ship about to recommence cruising from NZ?

I know we already have the Australian cruise out of Cairns which has commenced cruising on the Great Barrier Reef.  

 

I have been speaking to my son today, who as you know is in the industry. They are considering chartering one of the Ponant luxury expedition ships, i.e. Le Boreal and operating it from Hobart, Aussies and Kiwis only on board and going down south in Australian waters, getting into the Australian Antarctic areas. I think there will be quite a bit of interest in such cruises for those who can afford them.  Similar setup to the NZ ones.

Edited October 21, 2020 by NSWP

[Ondine]

14 minutes ago, NSWP said:

I have been speaking to my son today, who as you know is in the industry. They are considering chartering one of the Ponant luxury expedition ships, i.e. Le Boreal and operating it from Hobart, Aussies and Kiwis only on board and going down south in Australian waters, getting into the Australian Antarctic areas. I think there will be quite a bit of interest in such cruises for those who can afford them.  Similar setup to the NZ ones.

Be nice if he could sail from Melbourne so as to pick up Vics and South Australians.  Also easier for other Aussies and NZ's to fly in.

[NSWP]

40 minutes ago, Ondine said:

Be nice if he could sail from Melbourne so as to pick up Vics and South Australians.  Also easier for other Aussies and NZ's to fly in.

There's a thought, I will pass it on to Mr Chimu. Thanks.

[OzKiwiJJ]

1 hour ago, NSWP said:

Some important points to consider in your list. I think one of the biggest issues facing the uncertain future world of cruising is if the cruiselines make pax purchase ship's shore excursions at ports if they want to leave the ship. i.e. no private tours or doing the ho ho bus etc. The recent MSC cruises implemented that policy and it could well be the rule in future cruising. Would make for a very expensive cruise for those on longer cruises with multiple ports. I mean who wants to go on a cruise and not see the destinations? I would not want that.

For some cruises that wouldn't bother me as the ports are secondary to the actual cruising because we've been to those ports before. For other cruises we'd just pick the most important ports to do the excursions. It would be a real pain for NZ cruises though as we do those to catch up with friends and family there.

 

There are some ports where excursions probably wouldn't be feasible though, as those ports are very small and passengers don't mingle with many locals ie Mystery Island, Lifou, Isle of Pines, Mare, Champagne Bay. 

[OzKiwiJJ]

6 minutes ago, NSWP said:

There's a thought, I will pass it on to Mr Chimu. Thanks.

Also suggest running some itineraries from Sydney. Timewise there isn't much difference - one sea day either way.

[NSWP]

6 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

Also suggest running some itineraries from Sydney. Timewise there isn't much difference - one sea day either way.

Now if we had Botany Cruise Terminal up and running, 🤣 Will pass it on.  He said the biggest battle would be for the Government(s) agencies to let the ship in, given the number of covid infected ships crew, lately.

 

 

Edited October 21, 2020 by NSWP

[bazshirl2]

It would be interesting to know the impact expiring FCCs have on Princess 2022 prices. Ours expire 5/22 and we have booked cruises early that year as am hesitant about cruising occurring earlier.

Prices for 2021 are generally less expensive reflecting uncertainty as to departure as generally evidenced by bookings.

Potential scaling of occupancy limits plus FCC usage and pent up demand is likely to inflate 2022 prices IMHO.

[Cruisegroover]

1 hour ago, NSWP said:

I have been speaking to my son today, who as you know is in the industry. They are considering chartering one of the Ponant luxury expedition ships, i.e. Le Boreal and operating it from Hobart, Aussies and Kiwis only on board and going down south in Australian waters, getting into the Australian Antarctic areas. I think there will be quite a bit of interest in such cruises for those who can afford them.  Similar setup to the NZ ones.

I like the idea of that given I was looking at a business class airfare to South America so I get an economy fare to Hobart and I put the difference towards the cruise.

[By The Bay]

They are unlikely to extend the FCC, as they will be under financial pressure if cruising hasn't restarted by 2022. 🤔

[NSWP]

9 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

For some cruises that wouldn't bother me as the ports are secondary to the actual cruising because we've been to those ports before. For other cruises we'd just pick the most important ports to do the excursions. It would be a real pain for NZ cruises though as we do those to catch up with friends and family there.

 

There are some ports where excursions probably wouldn't be feasible though, as those ports are very small and passengers don't mingle with many locals ie Mystery Island, Lifou, Isle of Pines, Mare, Champagne Bay. 

And the shorex issue would be a horror story for World Cruisers.

[ilikeanswers]

1 hour ago, NSWP said:

I have been speaking to my son today, who as you know is in the industry. They are considering chartering one of the Ponant luxury expedition ships, i.e. Le Boreal and operating it from Hobart, Aussies and Kiwis only on board and going down south in Australian waters, getting into the Australian Antarctic areas. I think there will be quite a bit of interest in such cruises for those who can afford them.  Similar setup to the NZ ones.

 

I have seen some itineraries that take you along the Ross Sea. I have always thought that would be fascinating to visit. Perhaps a stop at Macquarie Island could be done 🤔