3 in 10 cruisers won’t cruise again

[Manx buoy]

On 4/15/2020 at 1:00 PM, terrierjohn said:

Dai, thank you for your usual put down, even if as usual you are totally wrong   In fact P&O even backdated this procedure to anyone who had cancelled a cruise days before these new terms came into effect. I benefitted from this myself, I transferred my April Ventura cruise to a replacement Iona booking in Feb 21, after cancelling the original booking, and expecting to lose that deposit. I have only this last week discovered that this deposit had been converted to a FCC and credited against the new booking, when I finally received the confirmation booking documents from my TA.

You’re right John I don’t know what Dai is reading but it’s complete rubbish most of the time only confusing other people

[daiB]

39 minutes ago, Manx buoy said:

You’re right John I don’t know what Dai is reading but it’s complete rubbish most of the time only confusing other people

Thankyou for your incisive reading of the situation. The first time this was mentioned was many days ago and was a simple suggestion to help someone.

If you dont like it thats your problem. 

[Son of Anarchy]

17 hours ago, AndyMichelle said:

Just heard locally that terminal staff have been told to expect to return to work on 4th July? 

I suppose that is subject to change as a lot would need to be done beforehand... 

Seems doubtful to me, but here is hoping...

Andy 

 

Currently, according to VTS there's four ships in that day, with a total of 13 ships (Iona twice) in the week commencing 4th July.  All of PandO's fleet that week, apart from Azura, who is due in on 12th July.

[AndyMichelle]

29 minutes ago, Son of Anarchy said:

 

Currently, according to VTS there's four ships in that day, with a total of 13 ships (Iona twice) in the week commencing 4th July.  All of PandO's fleet that week, apart from Azura, who is due in on 12th July.

Just realised 4th July was meant to be Iona fest... 

Can't see any of it happening, but wondered why that specific date has been given to terminal staff as a probable return date? 

Andy 

[Josy1953]

20 minutes ago, Son of Anarchy said:

 

Currently, according to VTS there's four ships in that day, with a total of 13 ships (Iona twice) in the week commencing 4th July.  All of PandO's fleet that week, apart from Azura, who is due in on 12th July.

VTS is set for the year and is being updated as we get nearer to the planned sail time. It currently looks as if  planned cruises from 22nd April are still going as originally planned ( MSC Preziosa and Allure of the Seas both arriving and leaving 22nd ) even though everyone knows that no cruises will be leaving in the next few weeks.

[Snow Hill]

37 minutes ago, Josy1953 said:

VTS is set for the year and is being updated as we get nearer to the planned sail time. It currently looks as if  planned cruises from 22nd April are still going as originally planned ( MSC Preziosa and Allure of the Seas both arriving and leaving 22nd ) even though everyone knows that no cruises will be leaving in the next few weeks.

Allure of the Seas currently going around in circles off the south of Ireland.

Royal Caribbean cancelled all cruises yesterday until 11 June, so no cruise going ahead on 22 April.

 

https://travelweekly.co.uk/articles/368044/royal-caribbean-cruises-stretches-sailings-suspension-until-june

 

 

 

[Selbourne]

48 minutes ago, AndyMichelle said:

Just realised 4th July was meant to be Iona fest... 

Can't see any of it happening, but wondered why that specific date has been given to terminal staff as a probable return date? 

Andy 

As it is absolutely impossible for any company to second guess when restrictions will be lifted, I wonder if having a date to work to, even if it keeps moving, might be about encouraging staff retention? As most of us realise, cruising will probably be one of the very last things to return to normal and those on the lower paid jobs could find themselves tempted to take up vacancies in distribution / supermarket deliveries etc where there is still demand. Just a thought.

[emam]

Ships in Singapore might end up working, but not for cruises. What a about the poor crew.

 

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/world/singapore-mulls-placing-workers-who-recover-from-covid-19-on-cruise-ships/ar-BB12LlII?ocid=spartanntp

[Roger88]

I think that bigger companies will swallow the smaller ones and the smaller ones will continue to operate. I mean its not like they will dissapear or smth. These giant cruisers are not like to be sold by parts or smth. They will continue to operate but under a different brand/company name. The only thing I hope for is for them to be taken by some nice companies 

[AndyMichelle]

27 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

As it is absolutely impossible for any company to second guess when restrictions will be lifted, I wonder if having a date to work to, even if it keeps moving, might be about encouraging staff retention? As most of us realise, cruising will probably be one of the very last things to return to normal and those on the lower paid jobs could find themselves tempted to take up vacancies in distribution / supermarket deliveries etc where there is still demand. Just a thought.

Makes sense. 

Andy 

[Adawn47]

1 hour ago, AndyMichelle said:

Just realised 4th July was meant to be Iona fest... 

Can't see any of it happening, but wondered why that specific date has been given to terminal staff as a probable return date? 

Andy 

Do you suppose it could be for the same reason that Dominic Raab is giving us the lockdown extensions in weeks at a time? It makes the light at the end if the tunnel easier to see than if he'd told us in March that we'd be in lockdown for 3 to 4 months. 

Avril 

[AndyMichelle]

2 minutes ago, Roger88 said:

I think that bigger companies will swallow the smaller ones and the smaller ones will continue to operate. I mean its not like they will dissapear or smth. These giant cruisers are not like to be sold by parts or smth. They will continue to operate but under a different brand/company name. The only thing I hope for is for them to be taken by some nice companies 

Who are these, big, nice cruise companies that can afford to take on extra capacity in very uncertain times? 

Everybody will tighten their belts for a while, they won't have a choice... 

Andy 

[AndyMichelle]

2 minutes ago, Adawn47 said:

Do you suppose it could be for the same reason that Dominic Raab is giving us the lockdown extensions in weeks at a time? It makes the light at the end if the tunnel easier to see than if he'd told us in March that we'd be in lockdown for 3 to 4 months. 

Avril 

Then wouldn't they be doing the same rather than a specific date? 

Andy 

[jake 26]

1 hour ago, AndyMichelle said:

Just realised 4th July was meant to be Iona fest... 

Can't see any of it happening, but wondered why that specific date has been given to terminal staff as a probable return date? 

Andy 

 

I wonder if it's to coincide with the end of the current furlough period which was to run from the beginning of April for 3 months.

[Harry Peterson]

5 minutes ago, Adawn47 said:

Do you suppose it could be for the same reason that Dominic Raab is giving us the lockdown extensions in weeks at a time? It makes the light at the end if the tunnel easier to see than if he'd told us in March that we'd be in lockdown for 3 to 4 months. 

Avril 

Precisely, Avril.  A bit at a time makes it an easier pill to swallow.  That, plus of course there is no known exit route, but they can’t admit that.  Which is why they refuse point blank to discuss it.

[AndyMichelle]

4 minutes ago, Harry Peterson said:

Precisely, Avril.  A bit at a time makes it an easier pill to swallow.  That, plus of course there is no known exit route, but they can’t admit that.  Which is why they refuse point blank to discuss it.

What's your thoughts on the specific date Harry? 

I think Jake could be right with the end of the furlough period? 

Andy 

[Adawn47]

Just now, AndyMichelle said:

Then wouldn't they be doing the same rather than a specific date? 

Andy 

That just it Andy, if you have a specific date it gives you  something to aim for. Obviously P&O have no idea when they will be able to resume cruising again but I would have thought that setting a tentative date would give the staff a focus even if the  dates have to be changed later . It works for me with the lockdown.

Do you think P&O were meaning the 4th of July to be their Independence Day? 😆

Avril 

 

[Harry Peterson]

11 minutes ago, AndyMichelle said:

What's your thoughts on the specific date Harry? 

I think Jake could be right with the end of the furlough period? 

Andy 

No idea, Andy.  Impossible to predict, because the situation changes all the time.  I doubt it will be after three weeks, though, and it may well be phased across different parts of the country. 

 

Social distancing looks like having to continue for months, and it’s difficult to see how that can easily be achieved.

[Selbourne]

20 minutes ago, Roger88 said:

I think that bigger companies will swallow the smaller ones and the smaller ones will continue to operate. I mean its not like they will dissapear or smth. These giant cruisers are not like to be sold by parts or smth. They will continue to operate but under a different brand/company name. The only thing I hope for is for them to be taken by some nice companies 

I’d love to share your optimism but, as Andy says, I doubt that many cruise companies will be looking to expand over the next few years. Yes, there might be some rationalisation, but my fear is that this crisis will see off a number of the smaller cruise ships that tend to have older passenger profiles. We have done quite a few cruises on Aurora and the average age of passenger has been mid 70’s. Other than the die hard cruisers (unfortunate choice of words perhaps) and those who have been oblivious to all the news about virus spread on cruise ships, I can see a big drop in the number of over 70’s cruising for the next year or two, not least because they may struggle to get insurance cover.

 

If I was the CEO of a large cruise line such as Carnival, I would be thinking now about ways to combat this likely structural change. In the case of P&O, although their brand repositioning towards the ‘Saturday Night ITV’ market has been deeply unpopular with those of us who might be described as ‘traditional cruisers’, it will undoubtedly be the saviour of them over the coming years. They are targeting the younger, family type audience and whilst many will be deterred from cruising by all the recent bad press that cruising has received, there are still more than enough of them to go after in order to fill their newer resort style ships. 
 

The problem will be filling two adult only ships, as they don’t have the facilities that this new breed of cruiser demands. In my role as ‘fantasy CEO’ I would create a sub brand targeting a more upmarket cruise experience and convert one of the two adult only ships to this format. Not quite Silverseas standard but a lot more upmarket than P&O. The improvements would need to result in a big overhaul of cabin quality (currently 3 star hotel standard) and entertainment (currently holiday camp style). I find the food and service on P&O ships to be consistently good, but there would also need to be a step up on the former to justify the higher prices that would be charged. The premium price that would be charged to provide this premium cruise experience could also possibly include travel insurance (a la Saga) if the over 70’s were still going to make up a reasonable proportion of the passengers. This approach would certainly encourage us to book more cruises (we are well under 70 BTW) and I know that many others on this forum have also stated that they would pay more for a more upmarket experience. 

[Britboys]

1 hour ago, Roger88 said:

I think that bigger companies will swallow the smaller ones and the smaller ones will continue to operate. I mean its not like they will dissapear or smth. These giant cruisers are not like to be sold by parts or smth. They will continue to operate but under a different brand/company name. The only thing I hope for is for them to be taken by some nice companies 

I'm not sure that the bigger companies will have enough financial resources to buy additional cruise lines.  If the pause goes on for much longer, the bigger lines will probably look to streamline the number of ships they have to ensure maximum occupancy of the maximum number of vessels.

[bee-ess]

1 hour ago, jake 26 said:

 

I wonder if it's to coincide with the end of the current furlough period which was to run from the beginning of April for 3 months.

I think that the current furlough period is from March 1st for 3 months. You had to be on the payroll at the end of Feb to qualify.

[Son of Anarchy]

2 hours ago, Adawn47 said:

Do you think P&O were meaning the 4th of July to be their Independence Day? 😆

Avril 

 

 

Like it Avril!

[bobupandown]

 Another three weeks of lockdown, then the Government  might start opening up slowly. It all depends on the medical people. They are looking to see how Germany etc will go on, when they open up, and see how the virus goes from there.

WE have been listening to the British Government, if you can't see now every time they make a statement, it is all put down to the medical evidence.

So when there is an enquiry after it's all finished,  they have got a scapegoat  to be able to say "it's not our fault, We followed what the medical advice was".

On the news today's, there might be another three weeks Lockdown after this.

But has Avril say's"It makes light at the end of the tunnel easier "

 

Bob

[Harry Peterson]

Grant Shapps (Transport Secretary) on Radio 4's Today programme today (much to the fury of the travel industry):

 

 

"On the travel advice – should you book your holidays?  I won't be booking a summer holiday at this point, let's put it that way."

 

https://www.politicshome.com/news/article/coronavirus-grant-shapps-branded-thoughtless-for-admitting-he-will-not-be-booking-a-summer-holiday-during-outbreak

[Selbourne]

1 hour ago, Harry Peterson said:

Grant Shapps (Transport Secretary) on Radio 4's Today programme today (much to the fury of the travel industry):

 

 

"On the travel advice – should you book your holidays?  I won't be booking a summer holiday at this point, let's put it that way."

 

https://www.politicshome.com/news/article/coronavirus-grant-shapps-branded-thoughtless-for-admitting-he-will-not-be-booking-a-summer-holiday-during-outbreak

Good on him. An honest politician! Given the way that many travel companies are behaving, refusing to give people refunds and insisting on credit notes or deferred bookings (encouraged by ABTA, even though they are now backtracking due to the adverse PR that it has generated) I‘m afraid that I have very little sympathy for them. Great shame for those whose jobs may be at risk, but I am sure that I am not alone in noting which companies deal with the current crisis well and those who consider that they can ignore UK law and use their customers money to shore up their cash flow. Besides, anyone booking a holiday anywhere for this summer surely needs their heads examining. We aren’t going to go from where we are now to normal summer holidays in just a few months.