The One Question Cruise Lines Can Answer to Bring Back Bookings!

[The Admiral]

There is one question above all you find is not answered on Cruise websites, which if answered would help Cruise lines bring back bookings rocket fast! And that is:

 

what new process have you worked out with US Authorities so the entire ship doesn’t get quarantined upon return to its home port because of COVID-19?

 

A major issue I and many others have is, that very few, if any people can afford to be out of work 14 or more days on top of their vacation time and that is keeping a lot of people from taking a risk and going on a cruise anytime soon. Passengers cannot be stuck in limbo because one person gets sick and then when you return to home port it causes the ship to not be allowed to disembark passengers for days or weeks at a time. The odds of one person out of 5,000 (crew and passengers) getting some type of flu like symptoms COVID-19 or not is an almost certainty and If cruise lines cannot work out a new protocol with CDC and Local US authorities they will not recover anytime soon.

 

If they haven’t ready done so they need to get on this and figure it out before they resume cruising in may or June...passengers need certainty that they can go on cruise without the worry the won’t be able to get back home once the Cruise is over. Thoughts?

[BermudaBound2014]

1 hour ago, The Admiral said:

If they haven’t ready done so they need to get on this and figure it out before they resume cruising in may or June...

 

You do realize that CCL has already hinted at a cold-layup? What they do, others typically follow (since they are the largest). While CCL hasn't given a formal announcement or timeline, most seem to think that the cold-layup indicates the company does not expect to sail again in 2020. All indicators (company announcements, analyst data, market response) point to an prolonged delay. Is that 6 months? one year? Two years?  No one knows, but I would be absolutely flabbergasted if anyone is sailing in May/June.

 

I have a cruise booked in January and feel that may be pushing my luck.  

 

Edited to add this link from the CDC which now makes it the cruise lines responsibility to get any infected passenger home by private transfer or charter plane. Cruise lines aren't going to take that type of risk. Until there is a vaccine or a medication that  eliminates/treats serious sickness,  I'm afraid we're all grounded 😞

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/cruise-ship/what-cdc-is-doing.html

Edited April 6, 2020 by BermudaBound2014

[sidari]

Carnival announced that at least two ships will not sail until October and November, it seems that MSC may be extending their Flexible cruise programme to the end of September!

[Homosassa]

33 minutes ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

 

You do realize that CCL has already hinted at a cold-layup? What they do, others typically follow (since they are the largest). While CCL hasn't given a formal announcement or timeline, most seem to think that the cold-layup indicates the company does not expect to sail again in 2020. All indicators (company announcements, analyst data, market response) point to an prolonged delay. Is that 6 months? one year? Two years?  No one knows, but I would be absolutely flabbergasted if anyone is sailing in May/June.

 

 

Somewhere today, our resident ship chief engineer, Chengkp75, explained that no ship will be on a cold lay up, i.e.; no crew on board, all systems, including engines, completely off; as the ships would be unusable due to mold and other problems.

 

The term that should have been used is either "hot" (full crew and staff with all systems running) or "warm" (partial crew to maintain systems on the ship and the systems are kept running).

 

I wish I could find his post. As usual, it contained everything we might want to know about hot, warm, and cold lay ups.

[BermudaBound2014]

Interesting. Thanks for sharing. Here is one of the articles I've read referring to the term 'cold layup". The points guy is one of the few sources I actually trust, so I'm surprised he got it wrong, but Chengkp is also a trusted source.  It seems the article states a 'cold layup' but then goes on to describe a warm lay up (partial crew, dehumidifies, mattresses stored on sides, all linens in certain areas, etc..). 

https://thepointsguy.com/news/cruise-lines-could-store-ships-months-coronavirus/

 

Regardless whether or not it is officially a 'cold' lay up or a 'warm' lay up, the timing it takes for either leaves us grounded for months, not weeks. Not to mention, most crew are reporting that they are being sent home for 2-3 months. It's all very very sad.

[CruisingFox27]

With so many countries at different stages of the virus cycle and the potential for a second wave, as is happening in some Asian countries due to people returning.  I can't see anyone cruising for many months. In the UK we've just recieved an indefinite travel ban. Given the consequences of ships arriving in countries recently and the publicity of this I can't imagine that ships will be welcomed anytime soon. 

[hamrag]

13 hours ago, The Admiral said:

...resume cruising in may or June...passengers need certainty that they can go on cruise without the worry the won’t be able to get back home once the Cruise is over. Thoughts?

 

A word in your ear, although I sense you already know....no one will be cruising in May or June, unless you mean in 2021....😉

[Homosassa]

8 hours ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

Interesting. Thanks for sharing. Here is one of the articles I've read referring to the term 'cold layup". The points guy is one of the few sources I actually trust, so I'm surprised he got it wrong, but Chengkp is also a trusted source.  It seems the article states a 'cold layup' but then goes on to describe a warm lay up (partial crew, dehumidifies, mattresses stored on sides, all linens in certain areas, etc..). 

https://thepointsguy.com/news/cruise-lines-could-store-ships-months-coronavirus/

 

Regardless whether or not it is officially a 'cold' lay up or a 'warm' lay up, the timing it takes for either leaves us grounded for months, not weeks. Not to mention, most crew are reporting that they are being sent home for 2-3 months. It's all very very sad.

This is the article that prompted Chengkp75's comment.

 

He pointed out that the quote from the Carnival did not say anything about a cold layup.  It was the author's mistake.

[Homosassa]

To get back to the main topic of this thread, I hope that the health prescreening by both the airlines and cruise industry continue.

 

I was impressed by the screening done on my Armonia cruise.  It was the first time in years that I was on a ship without passengers boarding with the flu, URIs, or any other signs of a fever (thermal scanners were set at 99.5 F). Medical staff were by the scanners which we went through one at a time (two scanners) and the staff eyeballed everyone passing through for any signs of an illness.

 

The crew was healthy, the passengers were healthy, and we had no problems with clearance in any of our ports (Ochos Rios, Grand Cayman, Costa Maya, and Ocean Cay). We were cleared early and ashore before our scheduled time in all the ports.

[quattrohead]

MSC on board are a wonderful company, the land based version is....ah well we all know lol

 

[quattrohead]

What I want from a cruise company before I can book again is the ability to have a flexible booking whereby I can change the names and numbers of people coming with me.

Right now I want to book in August for me and my 2 kids, but I am not sure if they will be able to travel down to me or if they may be back in school early to make up for lost time.

[dexddd]

Right, I think there will have to be quite a bit more flexibility on when you can cancel and if they cancel you due to temp, refund due.