Anyone cancelling cruises for late 2020 out of uncertainty?

[LuCruise]

4 hours ago, luckybecky said:

 

The thing I am not OK with is losing the roughly 3K that we have spent on related travel expenses: $2000 on air. Several hundred on trip insurance (not "cancel for any reason") and a few hundred for a few days in a B&B in Rome pre-cruise. None of which is refundable. I'm not sure if there is anything at all that we can do about that. 

 

Another thing that bothers me is that half of our B2B is in an inside cabin. I don't think I could tolerate a quarantine under those conditions. I could live with it in a balcony cabin where at least I could open the door, see outside and get some fresh air. So even if RC says we can cruise, should we take the chance that a flare-up could put us into quarantine floating around the Med?

 

 

There are two very good points and something that comes to our minds.

 

When our Anthem cruise was cancelled in March, we we had 2 connecting interior rooms. Anthem is out of NY and can still have winter weather.  Plus the cruise is with out kids and so we didn't feel it worth it to spend the extra $$$ on a balcony.

Having said that, our thoughts changed with the current situation.  We re-booked our cancelled Anthem cruise for Dec.  Originally we booked 2 interior rooms, but I was thinking about it....what if things aren't back 100% and we get quarantined?  So we ended up paying more for 2 connecting balcony rooms.  I doubt we will use the balcony much in Dec (at least for the first 2 days and last 2 days), but it's a whole new mentality.  In the worst case, at least we can see (the true) outside (vs a screen to the outside) , get some natural light and get fresh air if needed.

 

And for your second point...that's often the issue if waiting.  Royal has been great in issuing FCC, and/or refunds if you wait and they cancel.  But there is still airline that you lose, which can be thousands of dollars.  So waiting it out isn't always the best solution and makes the "what do we do?" question that much harder.

[depplep]

This is exactly what we're debating now. I haven't purchased air to/from Barcelona yet for our October cruise. Final payment is July 22 so I need to know if I'm buying air before then. Right now the air portion is still about $1173 pp. non refundable.

[bouhunter]

16 minutes ago, LuCruise said:

 In the worst case, at least we can see (the true) outside (vs a screen to the outside) , get some natural light and get fresh air if needed.

 

 

No, in the worst case you get stuck on a ship that can't dock and spend a lot more time imprisoned in your room.  Or get the virus......

 

Another person on this thread posted a similar thought, get a balcony in case we're quarantined.  This line of thinking just boggles my mind.  But when they start sailing, whenever that is, I'm sure RCCL will be happy there are people who think being locked in their cabin is a vacation, as long as they have a balcony.

[NancyIL]

6 hours ago, luckybecky said:

We are booked on a B2B Eastern/Western Mediterranean July 2020 on the Explorer. Our final payment is due in about a week. 

 

For the past several weeks, we have been in "wait and see" mode. I have been leaning toward making our final payment and then let RC cancel us if necessary, and we would take the FCC. But at the same time I was hoping we would still be able to cruise and the FCC was just a backup plan.

 

As this thing has dragged on, I think it is becoming less and less possible that we will be able to sail, in no small part because we are flying to and sailing from Rome.  Italy has been hit so hard, I think it may be a very long time before their travel industry gets back up and running. 

 

I get the impression from this and other threads that very few people here believe cruises will be back to normal as early as this summer. 

 

So now we have the dilemma -- cancel before final payment in order to cut our losses, or just pay and then wait and see what happens. We have a total of $1000 in deposits, but $500 of that is refundable if we cancel now. The remaining $500 would be a FCC. I'm OK with that. But if there is truly no chance at all that we will sail, then I don't want to lock up several thousand dollars in an FCC that we may or not be able to use. 

 

The thing I am not OK with is losing the roughly 3K that we have spent on related travel expenses: $2000 on air. Several hundred on trip insurance (not "cancel for any reason") and a few hundred for a few days in a B&B in Rome pre-cruise. None of which is refundable. I'm not sure if there is anything at all that we can do about that. 

 

Another thing that bothers me is that half of our B2B is in an inside cabin. I don't think I could tolerate a quarantine under those conditions. I could live with it in a balcony cabin where at least I could open the door, see outside and get some fresh air. So even if RC says we can cruise, should we take the chance that a flare-up could put us into quarantine floating around the Med?

 

Sorry for the long post. Just thinking out loud, so to speak. Still so unsure what to do, like everyone else. Would welcome your thoughts.

 

But our problems pale in comparison to people who have the disease and especially those who have lost loved ones.  My thoughts are with all of you. I am a respiratory therapist so I am a front line responder, but thankfully my city has not been hit hard -- yet. 

 

We are also on b2b Explorer cruises out of Rome, but in October/November.  We are  also debating cancelling before the first final payment date in July, as the October cruise has a fully-refundable deposit.

 

Regarding your airfare - check your flights, as they might have had a schedule change since you bought your tickets, or might not be flying into Rome at all. I  just cancelled our American reservation  home from Paris in May  (after the cancelled Brilliance TA) - with the return leg being flights to Rome in October. I waited for American's web site to display the schedule change, as our nonstop flight from Paris  had been changed to a connecting flight, and our nonstop  flight to Rome wasn't rescheduled at all. Due to the cancelled and changed flights - AA will refund our plane tickets.  Right now they are waiving all change fees for flights through the end of May, but eventually they'll extend that to the summer months, so be patient.

 

One more thing: If I had b2b cruises booked from Rome in July -  I'd be willing to bet that RCI will cancel them. (I'd request a refund, too.)

Edited April 5, 2020 by NancyIL

[lovemylab]

7 hours ago, luckybecky said:

The thing I am not OK with is losing the roughly 3K that we have spent on related travel expenses: $2000 on air. Several hundred on trip insurance (not "cancel for any reason") and a few hundred for a few days in a B&B in Rome pre-cruise. None of which is refundable. I'm not sure if there is anything at all that we can do about that. 

 

Contact your travel insurance company to see what is covered.  

 

My credit card insurance would cover those expenses.  I am in Canada and our government has an advisory in place for all non-essential travel.  As a result, my insurance is currently accepting claims for travel up to Sept 1, 2020.  

[nbsjcruiser]

3 hours ago, LuCruise said:

There are two very good points and something that comes to our minds.

 

When our Anthem cruise was cancelled in March, we we had 2 connecting interior rooms. Anthem is out of NY and can still have winter weather.  Plus the cruise is with out kids and so we didn't feel it worth it to spend the extra $$$ on a balcony.

Having said that, our thoughts changed with the current situation.  We re-booked our cancelled Anthem cruise for Dec.  Originally we booked 2 interior rooms, but I was thinking about it....what if things aren't back 100% and we get quarantined?  So we ended up paying more for 2 connecting balcony rooms.  I doubt we will use the balcony much in Dec (at least for the first 2 days and last 2 days), but it's a whole new mentality.  In the worst case, at least we can see (the true) outside (vs a screen to the outside) , get some natural light and get fresh air if needed.

Worst case if things dont get back to 100% (I'm assuming you mean people are still getting sick)  would be you and your kids get sick, get stuck on the ship for weeks on end and someone in your party gets seriously ill and dies. That's worse case.

 

 If there is a second wave like most experts seem to think is likely, it will come in the fall. As a Canadian, like you,  I fully expect that the Canadian Government will not allow travel outside the country to anywhere, let alone the US for many months. The US looks like they are going to suffer greatly for a number of different reasons. Why anyone would take the risk you are proposing when they dont have to boggles my mind.

[LuCruise]

3 hours ago, bouhunter said:

No, in the worst case you get stuck on a ship that can't dock and spend a lot more time imprisoned in your room.  Or get the virus......

 

Another person on this thread posted a similar thought, get a balcony in case we're quarantined.  This line of thinking just boggles my mind.  But when they start sailing, whenever that is, I'm sure RCCL will be happy there are people who think being locked in their cabin is a vacation, as long as they have a balcony.

 

8 minutes ago, nbsjcruiser said:

Worst case if things dont get back to 100% (I'm assuming you mean people are still getting sick)  would be you and your kids get sick, get stuck on the ship for weeks on end and someone in your party gets seriously ill and dies. That's worse case.

...

Why anyone would take the risk you are proposing when they dont have to boggles my mind.

 

 

Man...I hate these snarky remarks.  Yes of course the virus itself is the worst case and your family gets sick or worse.  That was the obvious.  I was simply stating if cruising returns to some normal, it's just a new mentality.  

Will we cruise in Dec?  No idea.  It's day by day. And how someone can cruise "boggles the mind"?  It's a judgement that we will make when the time comes.  I hardly think we are not the only ones that have dismissed cruising for life.

Edited April 5, 2020 by LuCruise

[nbsjcruiser]

9 minutes ago, LuCruise said:

 

 

Man...I hate these snarky remarks.  Yes of course the virus itself is the worst case and your family gets sick or worse.  That was the obvious.  I was simply stating if cruising returns to some normal, it's just a new mentality.  

Will we cruise in Dec?  No idea.  It's day by day. And how someone can cruise "boggles the mind"?  It's a judgement that we will make when the time comes.  I hardly think we are not the only ones that have dismissed cruising for life.

You didn't say "if cruising returns to normal". What you said was " if things aren't back 100%".  What did you expect you'd get for a response?

[parrotfeathers]

15 hours ago, sfaaa said:

 They will have to lock me up to stop me from cruising. 

 

It just doesn't mean that much to me!  But it is good for the industry there are people that think like you.

[TYMAN]

When my 14 hour shifts are over at the hospital I WILL be taking a cruise. Not sure if it will be July, November, Feb '21 or later, but I will be cruising. I understand it's a personal decision each and everyone of us have to make, so, I won't try to talk anybody into cruising or against cruising. But, I personally can't wait to get out to Sea. 

 

Be safe and stay home. 

[LuCruise]

50 minutes ago, nbsjcruiser said:

You didn't say "if cruising returns to normal". What you said was " if things aren't back 100%".  What did you expect you'd get for a response?

I apologize if I didn't use the right words for your liking.  "worst case" and "if things aren't back 100%" weren't the correct words to have used. Wow...i was just adding to someone's comment about room type selection going forward...and not about the situation as a whole and where things will be. What will be "normal"?  We don't know. But I don't comment on cc to be barked at for wrong selection of words.

[Crazy planning mom]

1 hour ago, nbsjcruiser said:

Worst case if things dont get back to 100% (I'm assuming you mean people are still getting sick)  would be you and your kids get sick, get stuck on the ship for weeks on end and someone in your party gets seriously ill and dies. That's worse case.

 

 If there is a second wave like most experts seem to think is likely, it will come in the fall. As a Canadian, like you,  I fully expect that the Canadian Government will not allow travel outside the country to anywhere, let alone the US for many months. The US looks like they are going to suffer greatly for a number of different reasons. Why anyone would take the risk you are proposing when they dont have to boggles my mind.

Are you planning to spend the next year at home?  Will you work from home until there is a vaccine?  Will you not see your extended family and friends until there is a vaccine?

Are you willing to keep all restaurants closed until there is a vaccine?  The overwhelming majority of people did NOT contract the virus on a cruise ship but at Walmart, at work/school, the doctor's office, etc.  so just stop judging others!

Edited April 5, 2020 by Crazy planning mom

[fredflint]

we have booked our first inside cabin for the November Rhapsody TA, we are looking at cancelling.  August is when final payment is due and we will hold off until then.   We have looked at upgrading our room but the prices are pretty high.  We can get our airfare back as a credit until final payment.  

 

We are just going to wait but for now we are leaning towards canceling, about  60/40 right now.

[nbsjcruiser]

4 minutes ago, Crazy planning mom said:

Are you planning to spend the next year at home?  Will you work from home until there is a vaccine?  Will you not see your extended family and friends until there is a vaccine?

Are you willing to keep all restaurants closed until there is a vaccine?  The overwhelming majority of people did NOT contract vaccine on a cruise ship but at Walmart, at work/school, the doctor's office, etc.  so just stop judging others!

 

Work from home for the next year at least - yes, precisely what I'll do

 

I'll leave my home when I'm told its safe to leave for anything other than necessities, that includes visiting friends and relatives and restaurants. When I'm told its safe to do that I will, with the proper precautions. By doing what we need to do now we can limit our exposure and hasten the time to when we can reunite with family and friends. 

 

You're exactly right, the majority of people did pick it up in places other than cruise ships but guess what? Many of those people cruise too. Given the infection rate of this virus , if there is no vaccine this you can take to the bank - there will be more outbreaks on cruise ships and just like this time, we'll hear and see harrowing stories of people getting sick with nowhere to go to get help while ports play hot potato with sick ships. Added to this complexity, if a large populous country like the US cant get a handle on this nation wide, sick people will continue to fly into these ports to cruise and they'll keep it going.

 

The mathematical model of this virus is scary in its certainty and if a vaccine is not soon developed, its going to take time  to stop it. Think Spanish Flu that circulated and re-circulated and killed for almost 3 years. If this stretches out past 18 months, into 2 years, more outbreaks on cruise ships, hotels, resorts and so on are an inevitability. I'd be tempted to say that if a person wants to gamble with that, that's their choice but it goes beyond that. You cant yell fire in a movie theatre and then say you take no responsibility for the outcome.

 

Knowing what we know now, anyone who gets stuck on a cruise ship during a Covid outbreak before there is a vaccine available was reckless. They will have rolled the dice and lost. 

 

[Crazy planning mom]

33 minutes ago, nbsjcruiser said:

 

Work from home for the next year at least - yes, precisely what I'll do

 

I'll leave my home when I'm told its safe to leave for anything other than necessities, that includes visiting friends and relatives and restaurants. When I'm told its safe to do that I will, with the proper precautions. By doing what we need to do now we can limit our exposure and hasten the time to when we can reunite with family and friends. 

 

You're exactly right, the majority of people did pick it up in places other than cruise ships but guess what? Many of those people cruise too. Given the infection rate of this virus , if there is no vaccine this you can take to the bank - there will be more outbreaks on cruise ships and just like this time, we'll hear and see harrowing stories of people getting sick with nowhere to go to get help while ports play hot potato with sick ships. Added to this complexity, if a large populous country like the US cant get a handle on this nation wide, sick people will continue to fly into these ports to cruise and they'll keep it going.

 

The mathematical model of this virus is scary in its certainty and if a vaccine is not soon developed, its going to take time  to stop it. Think Spanish Flu that circulated and re-circulated and killed for almost 3 years. If this stretches out past 18 months, into 2 years, more outbreaks on cruise ships, hotels, resorts and so on are an inevitability. I'd be tempted to say that if a person wants to gamble with that, that's their choice but it goes beyond that. You cant yell fire in a movie theatre and then say you take no responsibility for the outcome.

 

Knowing what we know now, anyone who gets stuck on a cruise ship during a Covid outbreak before there is a vaccine available was reckless. They will have rolled the dice and lost. 

 

If you can guarantee there will be an outbreak on a cruise ship, then that means there will also be an outbreak at a school, workplace, church, etc.  You said you would go back to everyday life when the government says it's safe.  Do you really think the government is waiting for a vaccine to reopen?  No.

Governor Cuomo said things will reopen when a fast response test is widely available.  Good chance, cruise lines will reopen shortly thereafter with that testing required to board.   I will be putting you on ignore going forward as I have heard enough arrogance.

[franncos]

As much as I love cruising and traveling, not in a million years would I got anywhere for at least 6 months minimum.

[bouhunter]

1 hour ago, Crazy planning mom said:

If you can guarantee there will be an outbreak on a cruise ship, then that means there will also be an outbreak at a school, workplace, church, etc.  You said you would go back to everyday life when the government says it's safe.  Do you really think the government is waiting for a vaccine to reopen?  No.

Governor Cuomo said things will reopen when a fast response test is widely available.  Good chance, cruise lines will reopen shortly thereafter with that testing required to board.   I will be putting you on ignore going forward as I have heard enough arrogance.

Obviously we'll all risk getting the virus at the grocery and dozens of other places as time goes on.  If one does so on land at least they can hopefully recover at home, or have access to decent medical care if needed.  It's an ENTIRELY different issue taking the risk of being confined to a small cabin on a ship for days or weeks far from real medical care.  Anyone who choses to take that risk, go for it.

 

Making a "virus test" necessary to board???   Hahahaha!

 

 

 

 

Edited April 5, 2020 by bouhunter

[island lady]

20 hours ago, TYMAN said:

When my 14 hour shifts are over at the hospital I WILL be taking a cruise. Not sure if it will be July, November, Feb '21 or later, but I will be cruising. I understand it's a personal decision each and everyone of us have to make, so, I won't try to talk anybody into cruising or against cruising. But, I personally can't wait to get out to Sea. 

 

Be safe and stay home. 

 

Good to hear from you Bill...and thanks for your service at the hospital.  My sister is an ID doctor...obviously very busy as well.  Her clinic is staying open and she is busy with being on staff at two hospitals as well.  

 

Hope you stay well, and definitely hope to sail with you again.  All we have is hope that things will get better ...and we can go back to the cruising lifestyle we love.  

[mpk]

On 4/2/2020 at 8:21 PM, Hoopster95 said:

For me the change would need to be this....

How do I know if any on of the hundred people rubbing shoulders at check-in have this virus or not? What if I'm asymptomatic, and I haven't been tested but I'm a carrier.... and I'm standing right beside you? And we're talking... and we shake hands... and....

 

Some things will have to change.  Hand shakes have been around forever, we'll have to accept that a simple wave or smile is good enough.

 

Of course to prevent spreading Covid19.  But even for minimizing the spread of cold, flu, or noro- any of which is not fun on a cruise.

[Luv2Crus40]

Dr. Fauci warned there may be another virus outbreak next winter.  If we're prepared, hopefully it won't spread like this time.  They may also have a vaccine by then.  Our cruise is in December - hoping outbreak, like the flu, will not be bad at that time.

[island lady]

3 hours ago, mpk said:

 

Some things will have to change.  Hand shakes have been around forever, we'll have to accept that a simple wave or smile is good enough.

 

Of course to prevent spreading Covid19.  But even for minimizing the spread of cold, flu, or noro- any of which is not fun on a cruise.

 

DH has been doing the "knuckle bump" for years now...though now it's a six feet apart wave the last few weeks.  😉  Me ....I stopped shaking hands when I retired over 10 years ago.  A smile/nod and hello is all I have been doing.  

Edited April 6, 2020 by island lady

[cruiselvr04]

If the world shuts down until a vaccine then the economy will be damaged perhaps beyond repair or at least for a decade or more.  Let’s just get thru another month or 2 and see where we are.  I think that there will be another wave but perhaps we can get back to life in the meantime.  I don’t want to live life in fear.  

 

Cruising may may be too risky until a vaccine comes out but I’m hopeful that I’m wrong.  I don’t think the cruise lines will survive that.  

 

I LOVE the ocean and cruises and can’t wait to get back out there.  I’m not canceling my October cruise or next years yet.  I’m still sad I can’t go on the Serenade later this month.

 

And about hand shaking.  As a nurse this has creeped me out for years.  I cringe inside anytime someone offers their hand to me.  And as soon as possible and as discretely as possible I wipe out the hand sanitizer.  

 

Edited April 6, 2020 by cruiselvr04

[soccernut1984]

On 4/4/2020 at 8:06 AM, nbsjcruiser said:

For your own sake, make sure you educate yourself with what RCI will do in the case where there's an outbreak on your ship. Do they have plans in place to be able to dock the ship quickly if there are sick people on board? What guarantees do they have that will allow you to get off the ship ASAP if you're sick or even if you're well. Also, what have they put in place to ensure someone doesn't get on the ship with it or doesn't pick it up in a non-US port and bring it on the ship? What guarantees can they give you to ensure their crew doesn't have it? What are they going to do if you show up with a harmless cold and they deny you boarding?

 

My cruising days and flying days are over until there is a vaccine. This virus is just too virulent and easily spread to ignore and the last thing I want to happen to me or a loved one is to see them float around the ocean with 30% of the ship sick, begging for help.

 

Have a safe cruise if you do manage to go.

 

 

I feel very safe that Royal will have plans in place. Cruise lines have always been held to a higher standard with illness outbreaks. You don't see hotels and restaurants reporting when there is an illness outbreak at their facility, only cruise lines do. The ships will probably have better cleaning practices now than they ever have. 

 

I am a frontliner in a hospital now, and both my husband and I feel very safe sailing in November.

[nbsjcruiser]

16 hours ago, soccernut1984 said:

I feel very safe that Royal will have plans in place. Cruise lines have always been held to a higher standard with illness outbreaks. You don't see hotels and restaurants reporting when there is an illness outbreak at their facility, only cruise lines do. The ships will probably have better cleaning practices now than they ever have. 

 

I am a frontliner in a hospital now, and both my husband and I feel very safe sailing in November.

 

You have my gratitude for your unselfish work in your hospital. I hope you can get to enjoy a cruise in November. We'll be jealous. Our's has been cancelled. 

Edited May 4, 2020 by nbsjcruiser

[Jackie68]

I just cancelled our cruise for Nov 2020 - Just in case. Even if it still sails, I don’t think I’m comfortable enough yet to get on a cruise ship. We do have one booked for June 2021 so hopefully everything will be settled by then.