Cruiseline shutdowns

[The_Big_M]

8 hours ago, lyndarra said:

Sir Richard no longer owns Virgin Australia. It's mostly owned by Delta and Air France/KLM.

I hope it doesn't affect my Velocity points. I have almost 700,000 that I've been saving for a UK flight (hopefully, for next year now that the COVID has hit the fan).

 

No, Delta and AF don't own VA at all. I think you're confusing it with Virgin Atlantic.

[The_Big_M]

8 hours ago, NSWP said:

John, don't worry Sir Richard Branson is not short of a quid, he will bolster up Virgin Straya. All the best with it.

 

Unlikely. He only owns a small share, and also has a history of not investing further if there's a need, rather letting them fail and moving on.

[Kiwi Kruzer]

16 hours ago, lyndarra said:

Sir Richard no longer owns Virgin Australia. It's mostly owned by Delta and Air France/KLM.

I hope it doesn't affect my Velocity points. I have almost 700,000 that I've been saving for a UK flight (hopefully, for next year now that the COVID has hit the fan).

I would not be counting on any air points .

If they are not cancelled , they will undergo dramatic change .

 

 

Edited April 1, 2020 by Kiwi Kruzer

[Aus Traveller]

2 hours ago, Kiwi Kruzer said:

I would not be counting on any air points .

If they are not cancelled , they will undergo dramatic change .

I don't trust FF points. I have a lot that were earned on Lufthansa, but when Ansett went bust, I lost them because they were part of the same group. I couldn't see the logic of this and wrote to Lufthansa appealing the decision, but "no go".

[The_Big_M]

2 hours ago, Aus Traveller said:

I don't trust FF points. I have a lot that were earned on Lufthansa, but when Ansett went bust, I lost them because they were part of the same group. I couldn't see the logic of this and wrote to Lufthansa appealing the decision, but "no go".

 

It doesn't matter where they are credited from, just who holds the account. When you flew Lufthansa they pay Ansett to credit the points and then it's in Ansett's account. No further involvement with whoever credited.

 

The same as if you currently earn points with an X bank card, or hotel or car or other partner who credit them to a Qantas account. Once they have credited to Qantas the supplier you bought them from has no further involvement. They're just in your Qantas account who is the owner.

[lyndarra]

14 hours ago, The_Big_M said:

 

No, Delta and AF don't own VA at all. I think you're confusing it with Virgin Atlantic.

You're correct. Sorry, my mistake. Virgin Australia is partly owned by Virgin Group (10%). Etihad,  Singapore Airlines and others are also part owners. Is there any reason Sir Richard would prop it up except for maybe sentimental reasons?

[The_Big_M]

2 hours ago, lyndarra said:

You're correct. Sorry, my mistake. Virgin Australia is partly owned by Virgin Group (10%). Etihad,  Singapore Airlines and others are also part owners. Is there any reason Sir Richard would prop it up except for maybe sentimental reasons?

 

Unlikely. He's a good business/marketing man and is willing to let things go if they're not doing well. Unless he actually saw a good return from investing further, based on past actions he'd just let it run down/sell to someone else who wanted it.

[lyndarra]

1 minute ago, The_Big_M said:

 

Unlikely. He's a good business/marketing man and is willing to let things go if they're not doing well. Unless he actually saw a good return from investing further, based on past actions he'd just let it run down/sell to someone else who wanted it.

Or he could wait and buy back in at a bargain basement price.

[Kiwi_cruiser]

On 3/28/2020 at 7:36 PM, subaru94 said:

Yes definitely we booked the 25th May Sapphire Princess, Western Australia cruise it was such a good deal, and also 25th June to Fiji, as they had such good deals when Sapphire Princess opened up Australian bookings, not sure what to do with the 25th June as I don't think that will go ahead especially if Fiji still does not allow cruise ships there?

 

We are also booked on the Sapphire Princess cruise to Fiji 🙂

[Roger88]

11 minutes ago, Kiwi_cruiser said:

 

We are also booked on the Sapphire Princess cruise to Fiji 🙂

Fiji closed itslef like a week or two ago. Its understandable. I cant imagine how devastating the pandemic would be there if it every occurs. It should be protected by any means. If it means closing it for awhile so be it. I dont understand people who are behaving themselves as if they are in control of the situation. Cancel your cruises and travel somewhere else after getting a refund. The only problem I have with Fiji is that people who already there probably cannot leave the island.. I mean the tourists. This problem should be solved somehow as soon as possible

[Aus Traveller]

40 minutes ago, Kiwi_cruiser said:

 

We are also booked on the Sapphire Princess cruise to Fiji 🙂

We were on the Sea Princess when the Sapphire Princess deals came out. Friends on board rushed to book. We decided not to because of the coronavirus. We felt it was too risky, but I wasn't really thinking about a shut-down of the cruise industry. If someone had suggested that at the end of February, I would probably have laughed. I am not laughing now.☹️

[Aus Traveller]

29 minutes ago, Roger88 said:

Fiji closed itslef like a week or two ago. Its understandable. I cant imagine how devastating the pandemic would be there if it every occurs. It should be protected by any means. If it means closing it for awhile so be it. I dont understand people who are behaving themselves as if they are in control of the situation. Cancel your cruises and travel somewhere else after getting a refund. The only problem I have with Fiji is that people who already there probably cannot leave the island.. I mean the tourists. This problem should be solved somehow as soon as possible

The tourists have had time to leave.

[subaru94]

2 hours ago, Aus Traveller said:

We were on the Sea Princess when the Sapphire Princess deals came out. Friends on board rushed to book. We decided not to because of the coronavirus. We felt it was too risky, but I wasn't really thinking about a shut-down of the cruise industry. If someone had suggested that at the end of February, I would probably have laughed. I am not laughing now.☹️

Agree with you, had no idea it would come to this either.

[MicCanberra]

No cruises in Australia until 15 June at least.

[megsie]

There was an interesting article I read yesterday from the director/professor, of the Hunter Medical Research and other medical experts. They expected if our positive cases could get down around zero in June/July but we would be still living with some restrictions until around Christmas. All contacts of cases would have to be traceable and the contacts tested.

And comment was made that our border may be expected to be closed until a vaccine would become available globally, possibly  in 12 to 18 months. Not politicians’ views but that of medical researchers involved in research with Covid-19. 

Our 50th anniversary is next week, no cruise, no family dinner, no catchup with grandchildren so I guess it’s a virtual party for us.

 

[Aus Traveller]

4 minutes ago, megsie said:

Our 50th anniversary is next week, no cruise, no family dinner, no catchup with grandchildren so I guess it’s a virtual party for us.

 

Congratulations on your coming 50th. Why not plan a family celebration for 12 months' time?

[megsie]

12 minutes ago, Aus Traveller said:

Congratulations on your coming 50th. Why not plan a family celebration for 12 months' time?

 

Thanks for that Aus Traveller. We had plans for a family cruise this year on Pacific Explorer, daughter’s 20th anniversary, SIL 40th Birthday etc.  But still  there will be birthdays, anniversaries etc to celebrate again next year. 

[Aus Traveller]

48 minutes ago, megsie said:

 

Thanks for that Aus Traveller. We had plans for a family cruise this year on Pacific Explorer, daughter’s 20th anniversary, SIL 40th Birthday etc.  But still  there will be birthdays, anniversaries etc to celebrate again next year. 

Keep well and plan ahead. Something to look forward to.

[ilikeanswers]

3 hours ago, megsie said:

Our 50th anniversary is next week, no cruise, no family dinner, no catchup with grandchildren so I guess it’s a virtual party for us.

 

Last year there was a little doco about young people in Seoul South Korea who having no family nearby would get together virtually. Eating is suppose to be a social event in Korean culture so eating alone is considered to be strange but young people who had moved to Seoul for study or work had no social connections so a website was set up so that people could Web cam themselves all eating dinner together. Last year I thought how strange that was now it seems they might have been ahead of their time😂

[MicCanberra]

No cruises in Australia until 15 June at least.

[Aus Traveller]

1 hour ago, MicCanberra said:

No cruises in Australia until 15 June at least.

Mic, I am an optimist, but not that much. Unless you mean 15 June 2021 😁.

[possum52]

9 hours ago, megsie said:

There was an interesting article I read yesterday from the director/professor, of the Hunter Medical Research and other medical experts. They expected if our positive cases could get down around zero in June/July but we would be still living with some restrictions until around Christmas. All contacts of cases would have to be traceable and the contacts tested.

And comment was made that our border may be expected to be closed until a vaccine would become available globally, possibly  in 12 to 18 months. Not politicians’ views but that of medical researchers involved in research with Covid-19. 

Our 50th anniversary is next week, no cruise, no family dinner, no catchup with grandchildren so I guess it’s a virtual party for us.

 

Congratulations! Enjoy your virtual anniversary party! 
 

Leigh

[SeaDog-46]

CCL already thinking of laying-up vessels to reduce cost of idle ships.

After that sale or scrap?

[Aus Traveller]

11 minutes ago, SeaDog-46 said:

CCL already thinking of laying-up vessels to reduce cost of idle ships.

After that sale or scrap?

Yes, but they are talking about 'warm lay-up' where the ship has minimal crew to keep the systems running.

[SeaDog-46]

Initially yes but warm lay-up can turn into cold lay-up.