Final payment due next week for Aug Med cruise - Pay or Cancel?

[pmd98052]

So we are booked on a mid august Med cruise ($4k approx, paid $200 deposit) - Final payment is due on Tuesday. We've booked flights from London to Barcelona but could re-use that for a land trip. Thoughts on paying or cancelling? My largest concern is NCL isn't operating anymore come August given their cash flow.

[megansdad1]

23 minutes ago, pmd98052 said:

So we are booked on a mid august Med cruise ($4k approx, paid $200 deposit) - Final payment is due on Tuesday. We've booked flights from London to Barcelona but could re-use that for a land trip. Thoughts on paying or cancelling? My largest concern is NCL isn't operating anymore come August given their cash flow.

IMHO, if you have concerns, I would cancel. 

[ziggyuk]

34 minutes ago, pmd98052 said:

So we are booked on a mid august Med cruise ($4k approx, paid $200 deposit) - Final payment is due on Tuesday. We've booked flights from London to Barcelona but could re-use that for a land trip. Thoughts on paying or cancelling? My largest concern is NCL isn't operating anymore come August given their cash flow.

 

It's such a hard choice, I wish NCL would relax the final payment dates, I'm sure they would see less cancellations if they did.

 

Spain is at a peak at the moment and could well be in a better position by then but the US has just started moving up the curve, it's not just a case of Spain's situation but also who they allow into the country. China has no home grown cases now, all new cases are from people travelling into the country, on that basis I can see a lot of countries keeping travel restrictions even when this starts to come under control.

[momofmab]

I would cancel.  Everyone with expertise in infectious diseases is urging social distancing and travel restrictions continue to stay in place even after the peak of the virus, in order to prevent a resurgence.  I don't see cruising making a comeback until next spring at the earliest - and that's only if they are able to recover from the financial blow.

[puppycanducruise]

I'd cancel.

Stay home, stay healthy.

[luv2kroooz]

I would cancel.

[bedfordmom]

Cancel 

[tallnthensome]

Cancelled my August sailing .....was paid in full and did so before final payment cut off . Crossing my fingers to even get my refund .

[BirdTravels]

5 hours ago, pmd98052 said:

So we are booked on a mid august Med cruise ($4k approx, paid $200 deposit) - Final payment is due on Tuesday. We've booked flights from London to Barcelona but could re-use that for a land trip. Thoughts on paying or cancelling? My largest concern is NCL isn't operating anymore come August given their cash flow.

If you are concerned enough to post, then cancel for now. Minimize your financial exposure. If the cruise actually sails, then rebook last minute (hoping for a deal). 

[tgloersen]

One more for the cancellation vote, as crappy as that has to be.

[IrishComet]

Cancel, and if the cruise does go ahead, just book again. Will probably cost a lot less .

[Waquoit]

20 minutes ago, IrishComet said:

Cancel, and if the cruise does go ahead, just book again. Will probably cost a lot less .

Exactly. I just looked up no-brainer in the dictionary. It used this as an example.

[Laszlo]

Cancel...... Their is no magic pill to take to, a vaccine is 16-18 months away. Maybe I would take the cruise IF I already had the virus, even then they have no idea when you could get it again

[Named-Tawny]

I don't think that they're going to go bankrupt by August, so I wouldn't worry about that - if that's your only concern

Much more likely though is the chances that there won't be cruising in August, so your trip would get canceled.

I guess, how important is the cruise for you?  Do you want to go?

Edited March 27, 2020 by Named-Tawny

[FranknBeans]

We canceled  our Sept cruise. And reboked another cruise for Sept. 20121 to South America. New cruise was cheaper and 17 days vereses 7

Edited March 27, 2020 by FranknBeans

[Kauaijim]

Cancel 

[Sailing Smooth]

We cancelled our early August Alaska cruise yesterday--before final payment was due.  We are keeping an eye on the news and outlook.  Since the airfare isn't fee free to change yet, we are hoping for the best, but planning for the worst.  I still would like to go...but if we have to we will go next summer.

Edited March 27, 2020 by Sailing Smooth

[tallnthensome]

Holland has 4 dead people on their ship right now ..... anyone who isn’t cancelling faster than a jackrabbit is crazy. Maybe not as crazy as those who are actually foolish enough to be booking new cruises on the forums right now as well. 

[seaman11]

1 hour ago, tallnthensome said:

Holland has 4 dead people on their ship right now ..... anyone who isn’t cancelling faster than a jackrabbit is crazy. Maybe not as crazy as those who are actually foolish enough to be booking new cruises on the forums right now as well. 

yes but the avg age on that ship is 85 

[tallnthensome]

Just now, seaman11 said:

yes but the avg age on that ship is 85 

Probably and I’ve done Holland two times but you and I know this virus doesn’t care who you are. Young, old, rich, poor, black, white, man or woman, etc. 

[seaman11]

1 minute ago, tallnthensome said:

Probably and I’ve done Holland two times but you and I know this virus doesn’t care who you are. Young, old, rich, poor, black, white, man or woman, etc. 

my  approach is beware use precautions but dont panic. Almost  every Holland cruise has people that pass sadly. it is a elderly crowd mostly.  im still hoping my cruise on the 21st of april goes. 

[seaman11]

4 hours ago, FranknBeans said:

We canceled  our Sept cruise. And reboked another cruise for Sept. 20121 to South America. New cruise was cheaper and 17 days vereses 7

i dont want to wait that long if i cant go in april ill try may or june. 

[MaryZ]

I would not pay final payment. 

You can always re-book if things look better by August.

[Tacu]

Difficult to say, part of me would hope that things are getting back to normal by August and that NCL are still solvent.  A lot of me would just take the money and run though.

 

I reluctantly cancelled my June sailing because final payment was due and there were other factors meaning I didn't want to wait to see if NCL would cancel it of their own accord.  Still devastated about it though.  Didn't want to keep it and possibly take FCC because of the possibility that NCL will fold & also I don't know when I'd be able to fit in another cruise as I'm still in full time employment.

 

Think about what could happen though even if the cruise weren't cancelled. Maybe the trip would go ahead but some of the ports would still be closed, how would you feel if that happened?  Only you can make the decision but I think a lot of things will be changing in the next couple of years and maybe it's better to play safe if you have the option of recouping most of your money.

[trex-de]

Cancel and rebook if the situation is clear. 
 

I would bet the novice cruiser will not be lining up right away when this is over.  You will probably have the pick of the ship and probably a last minute deal IF the cruise still goes. 
 

At least then you will have piece of mind.