Been calm but now

[golfer1903]

Ok Hal. It’s been two weeks now since all broke loose 

your emails state Alaska cruises in May stay tuned while we work on current cruises don’t call us n

 

cant wait till last min to find out we been canceled have to make other plans for different type of vacation

 

Do the right thing already and send info on if Alaska’s or Seattle or what’s doing on with Canada and the laws  around there closure 

 

I see glacier bay is closed till July ?  Does that include cruise ships or just land type tours

 

i understand the let’s be kind and wait but a lot of us suffer from anxiety and need some type of info or update or final decision so we can carry on

 

 

 

[lisakoivu]

Ports in Canada are closed until July 1st for one thing.

[Djptcp]

What kind of other vacation do you think you'll actually be able to take? Airlines are talking about cancelling all/most flights, many of us are sheltered in place or practicing social distancing. Why would you want to even chance going anywhere over the next few months with the pandemic spreading as quickly as it is in the US? I hope you are talking about an alternative vacation in the fall or winter and not sooner.  We are still hopeful our Holland cruise in Dec. will still go.

 

I spoke with a HAL agent the other day and she said it would be at least 4-6 weeks before I receive an email with FCC instructions. Give Holland a break while they continue to work through the tens of thousands of cancelled cruises and while there are still several Holland ships out there with passengers, sick passengers/crew on the Zaandam.

[golfer1903]

Sorry but I’m not on the scared to live my life train as u must be.  Life hours on. THis is media blown  up

 

many past viruses were way worse and we went on with our lives. Even the president is talking about stopping this lockdown madness by easter

 

you are untitled to your opinion as I am also. 
 

just asking for an update. And yes planning a vacation for May somewhere else maybe even in the national parks in a cabin if I have to. But can’t lose more money while they hold on to my current money 

[LMaxwell]

Chill out, wait for the cancelation (it is coming) and refund.  National parks are closing.  I doubt any "vacations" will be on for May.  They are still selling deposits so they can afford the next wave of refunds

[wyobean]

I am certainly not scared to live, but people like you scare me. I live in an area that has no virus. I am not going anywhere. What if I am a carrier? I could have been exposed a month ago and not know it.  I do not want to infect any family or friends. This will not be calmed down by Easter and I doubt by May. Please don’t be irresponsible with your life and the lives of others. This is a time to think about everyone. 

[golfer1903]

Yet you don’t worry ever year when so many more die from the flu every single year and even more get it and just get Ill and don’t get a flu shot?  
 

if your healthy it’s just like the flu. Everyone has there opinions and will not agree so maybe we leave it at that as this forum is not for this purpose I guess 

[VMax1700]

1 minute ago, golfer1903 said:

Yet you don’t worry ever year when so many more die from the flu every single year and even more get it and just get Ill and don’t get a flu shot?  
 

if your healthy it’s just like the flu. Everyone has there opinions and will not agree so maybe we leave it at that as this forum is not for this purpose I guess 

You really should get with the program and stop this.

there/their and your/you're are not your strong points, and your posts are difficult to read and understand.

[3rdGenCunarder]

9 minutes ago, wyobean said:

I am certainly not scared to live, but people like you scare me. I live in an area that has no virus. I am not going anywhere. What if I am a carrier? I could have been exposed a month ago and not know it.  I do not want to infect any family or friends. This will not be calmed down by Easter and I doubt by May. Please don’t be irresponsible with your life and the lives of others. This is a time to think about everyone. 

 

AMEN! And thank you for your responsible attitude. I live in an area that does have the virus, and I'm being VERY careful. 

 

I already cancelled my May trip to England and the TA on QM2 at the end of it. Still waiting to see money on my credit card and the FCC instructions, but I know things are crazy and I'll wait. I would like to see more definitive answers from the cruise lines and ports, but the way this situation changes, that just isn't possible. Cunard hasn't cancelled my crossing, but I expect they will. And even if they don't, I don't want to be stranded in an overseas quarantine, or be scrambling to buy a $20,000 plane ticket home from Heathrow, as happened when people panicked over the border closing. I love to travel, but it isn't worth it at a time like this. 

 

[thyme2go]

WHY Covid-19 IS NOT "LIKE THE FLU"................read and repeat until it's understood!

 

This is from an immunologist at Johns Hopkins University:

Feeling confused as to why Coronavirus is a bigger deal than Seasonal flu? Here it is in a nutshell. I hope this helps. Feel free to share this to others who don’t understand...

It has to do with RNA sequencing.... I.e. genetics.

Seasonal flu is an “all human virus”. The DNA/RNA chains that make up the virus are recognized by the human immune system. This means that your body has some immunity to it before it comes around each year... you get immunity two ways...through exposure to a virus, or by getting a flu shot.

Novel viruses, come from animals.... the WHO tracks novel viruses in animals, (sometimes for years watching for mutations). Usually these viruses only transfer from animal to animal (pigs in the case of H1N1) (birds in the case of the Spanish flu). But once, one of these animal viruses mutates, and starts to transfer from animals to humans... then it’s a problem, Why? Because we have no natural or acquired immunity.. the RNA sequencing of the genes inside the virus isn’t human, and the human immune system doesn’t recognize it so, we can’t fight it off.

Now.... sometimes, the mutation only allows transfer from animal to human, for years it’s only transmission is from an infected animal to a human before it finally mutates so that it can now transfer human to human... once that happens..we have a new contagion phase. And depending on the fashion of this new mutation, thats what decides how contagious, or how deadly it’s gonna be..

H1N1 was deadly....but it did not mutate in a way that was as deadly as the Spanish flu. It’s RNA was slower to mutate and it attacked its host differently, too.

Fast forward.

Now, here comes this Coronavirus... it existed in animals only, for nobody knows how long...but one day, at an animal market, in Wuhan China, in December 2019, it mutated and made the jump from animal to people. At first, only animals could give it to a person... But here is the scary part.... in just TWO WEEKS it mutated again and gained the ability to jump from human to human. Scientists call this quick ability, “slippery”

This Coronavirus, not being in any form a “human” virus (whereas we would all have some natural or acquired immunity). Took off like a rocket. And this was because, Humans have no known immunity...doctors have no known medicines for it.

And it just so happens that this particular mutated animal virus, changed itself in such a way the way that it causes great damage to human lungs..

That’s why Coronavirus is different from seasonal flu, or H1N1 or any other type of influenza.... this one is slippery! And it’s a lung eater...And, it’s already mutated AGAIN, so that we now have two strains to deal with, strain s, and strain L....which makes it twice as hard to develop a vaccine.

We really have no tools in our shed, with this. History has shown that fast and immediate closings of public places has helped in the past pandemics. Philadelphia and Baltimore were reluctant to close events in 1918 and they were the hardest hit in the US during the Spanish Flu.

Factoid: Henry VIII stayed in his room and allowed no one near him, till the Black Plague passed...(honestly...I understand him so much better now). Just like us, he had no tools in his shed, except social isolation...

And let me end by saying....right now it’s hitting older folks harder... but this genome is so slippery...if it mutates again (and it will). Who is to say, what it will do next.

Be smart folks... acting like you’re unafraid is so not sexy right now.

[bouhunter]

39 minutes ago, golfer1903 said:

 

 

And yes planning a vacation for May somewhere else maybe even in the national parks in a cabin if I have to. 

"vacation" this May doesn't sound too fun right now.  And you might want to scratch the "cabin in a national park".  They likely won't be open.

[SumoCitrus]

@thyme2go

 

But see:

 

https://www.wsj.com/articles/is-the-coronavirus-as-deadly-as-they-say-11585088464

 

 

Edited March 25, 2020 by SumoCitrus

[CruiserBruce]

43 minutes ago, golfer1903 said:

Even the president is talking about stopping this lockdown madness by easter

 

And he has received just about zero support from doctors and scientists for this proposal. 

[Krazy Kruizers]

OP

 

You act like you are the only one who may not get a vacation this year.  

 

Come on over to PA to vacation -- we have lots of Covid-19 to share.

[cruisemom42]

1 hour ago, golfer1903 said:

Ok Hal. It’s been two weeks now since all broke loose 

your emails state Alaska cruises in May stay tuned while we work on current cruises don’t call us n

 

cant wait till last min to find out we been canceled have to make other plans for different type of vacation

 

Do the right thing already and send info on if Alaska’s or Seattle or what’s doing on with Canada and the laws  around there closure 

 

I see glacier bay is closed till July ?  Does that include cruise ships or just land type tours

 

i understand the let’s be kind and wait but a lot of us suffer from anxiety and need some type of info or update or final decision so we can carry on

 

 

 

 

I understand anxiety about a long-planned trip or vacation. 

 

Why not just go ahead and cancel it yourself, given the cancellation policy changes. You could then stop fretting about it -- I think you know it is extremely unlikely to move forward anyway. And then you can move on to planning another trip sometime later in the year.

 

 

[VennDiagram]

1 hour ago, golfer1903 said:

Do the right thing already and send info on if Alaska’s or Seattle or what’s doing on with Canada and the laws  around there closure 

 

 

Alaska is planning on quarantining all visitors for 14 days.  So there's that ....

 

[golfer1903]

Because I’m still willing to go on the cruise if they set sail

 

since they are not saying anything yet. I assume it’s still a possibility

[cruisemom42]

13 minutes ago, SumoCitrus said:

@thyme2go

 

But see:

 

https://www.wsj.com/articles/is-the-coronavirus-as-deadly-as-they-say-11585088464

 

 

 

Can't read this as it's behind a paywall, but if you look at what's happened in Italy, it is clear that we should be very concerned. 

 

We don't know enough about this virus yet to determine its true mortality rate, but estimates seem to be inching upward rather than downward as we gain more experience in various countries. Populations with a high number of the elderly are particularly at risk.

 

I am not a doomsayer -- some estimates of how long it will take to play out seem farfetched to me. But it's not going to end by next Tuesday either....

[thyme2go]

   Of course, everyone wishes we were not fighting this battle........it's not "fun", it's not normal, it requires us all to dig deeper than many have been challenged in their entire lifetime.    To believe things would be better if we were not fighting this and just let people die.............is a sad commentary on the author.   I disagree.........there are no guarantee's this virus will bow down.   Holding our breath and hoping all will pass is not an option.    You can die that way too..............

 

Edited March 25, 2020 by thyme2go
wording

[cruisemom42]

1 minute ago, golfer1903 said:

Because I’m still willing to go on the cruise if they set sail

 

since they are not saying anything yet. I assume it’s still a possibility

 

With ports in Canada closed to cruise ships with more than 500 passengers, borders between the US and Canada closed, and Alaska looking at possible quarantine, what do you hope for from this cruise, assuming it's NOT cancelled?  An unending number of sea days followed by quarantine on your return?

 

The Glacier Bay information is not clear regarding cruise ships -- you could contact them for info. I suppose there is the possibility of beautiful scenic cruising....but given all the logistics, clearances, red-tape, and especially the bad will toward cruise ships and concerns over their passengers facilitating spread of COVID infection, I think the scales are very heavily weighted AGAINST your cruise taking place in May as planned.

[golfer1903]

If I cancel before they cancel it won’t I lose my money as I do not have any info about a even credit. As I am way past final payment 

[cruisemom42]

2 minutes ago, golfer1903 said:

If I cancel before they cancel it won’t I lose my money as I do not have any info about a even credit. As I am way past final payment 

 

From HAL blog:

 

In order to give travelers greater peace of mind surrounding their upcoming vacation plans, Holland America Line is announcing new programs to offer greater flexibility and choice during these uncertain times.

 

For guests currently booked on upcoming cruises, Holland America Line is temporarily changing its cancellation policy and allowing guests to cancel their cruise or Alaska Land+Sea Journey departing through May 31, 2020.

 

Any cancellation will receive a Future Cruise Credit (FCC) for the amount of the paid fare which can be used for another cruise in 2020 or 2021. The FCC must be booked by Dec. 31, 2020, and the cancellation must be made with a minimum of 72 hours in advance of departure date but no later than March 31, 2020. However, guests booked between now and March 9, 2020 may also cancel under this new policy despite being within 72 hours.

 

For those who choose to keep their cruise plans on departures through May 31, 2020, an Onboard Spending Credit of US$200 per stateroom/US$100 per person for voyages longer than 7 days and US$100 per stateroom/US$50 per person for voyages less than 6 days will be automatically applied to their shipboard account as a thank you.

 

There is more, but this is the gist of it.

 

Link:  https://www.hollandamerica.com/blog/topics/news/holland-america-line-makes-short-term-changes-to-cancellation-policy/

[bouhunter]

49 minutes ago, golfer1903 said:

 I assume it’s still a possibility

Too funny.

[sppunk]

You aren’t going to Alaska in May. And you aren’t taking an alternative vacation either. 
 

Sign up for Netflix. Stay home. Save  lives.

[whitford]

Yellowstone Park is closed until further notice.