FIFE1 Posted April 17, 2020 #1 Share Posted April 17, 2020 Firstly I hope all the Marella team are all safe and well. Keep safe. Who knows when Marella will recommence operation Any thoughts (outwith what they have posted) I can't see how they can now make it work to run all ships for whatever the summer season looks like. Anyone have any thoughts or comments Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pensioncruiser Posted April 17, 2020 #2 Share Posted April 17, 2020 I feel it will not be upto the cruise companies when they restart it will be the port's that decide who and when, which I don't think will be until we have a vaccine and/or a certificate to prove passengers are clear. Do hope I am wrong but I don't think we will be cruising until later next year. 😒 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marylizcat Posted April 17, 2020 #3 Share Posted April 17, 2020 As they seem to be ‘parking’ most of the ships in Sandown Bay for the duration, I should think there will be a number of repositioning cruises ex Southampton to start with! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare dronnygirl Posted April 17, 2020 #4 Share Posted April 17, 2020 3 hours ago, Pensioncruiser said: I feel it will not be upto the cruise companies when they restart it will be the port's that decide who and when, which I don't think will be until we have a vaccine and/or a certificate to prove passengers are clear. Do hope I am wrong but I don't think we will be cruising until later next year. 😒 Totally agree, personally I won't consider going on a plane until there is a vaccine and other countries are clear of the virus. Would be nice if Marella started with a couple of cruises around the UK and Ireland, it would be a nice change. I can't see them keeping all the ships, it will take a while for people to gain confidence in travel and also many could be left unable to afford holidays. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WeeCountyMan Posted April 17, 2020 #5 Share Posted April 17, 2020 28 minutes ago, marylizcat said: As they seem to be ‘parking’ most of the ships in Sandown Bay for the duration, I should think there will be a number of repositioning cruises ex Southampton to start with! Fred's four are off the mouth of the Forth I believe. Maybe temporary of course. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marylizcat Posted April 17, 2020 #6 Share Posted April 17, 2020 20 minutes ago, WeeCountyMan said: Fred's four are off the mouth of the Forth I believe. Maybe temporary of course. Yes, I only meant Marella ships, not all cruise ships! Fred has indeed used the Firth of Forth as its parking area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pensioncruiser Posted April 17, 2020 #7 Share Posted April 17, 2020 7 minutes ago, dronnygirl said: it will take a while for people to gain confidence in travel and also many could be left unable to afford holidays. As you probably know we have only ever cruised with Thomson /Marella, well over fifty cruises now, and are totally disappointed how they are treating customers at the moment, UK operations have never been good but the onboard experience was excellent so we could put up with that side of the business. As pensioners we are fortunate that we have a regular income unaffected, at the moment, by the situation so we can be very selective which company we go with. We have written promises of refunds but no communications why its not that difficult to put out an email explaining the situation, surely they should be looking to the future and looking after their customers. 🙄 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
solostar Posted April 17, 2020 #8 Share Posted April 17, 2020 Have you seen Tui update earlier today. ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Jim The Scot Posted April 17, 2020 #9 Share Posted April 17, 2020 Being discussed on the Marella Cancellation thread solostar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Jim The Scot Posted April 17, 2020 #10 Share Posted April 17, 2020 11 minutes ago, Pensioncruiser said: As you probably know we have only ever cruised with Thomson /Marella, well over fifty cruises now, and are totally disappointed how they are treating customers at the moment, UK operations have never been good but the onboard experience was excellent so we could put up with that side of the business. As pensioners we are fortunate that we have a regular income unaffected, at the moment, by the situation so we can be very selective which company we go with. We have written promises of refunds but no communications why its not that difficult to put out an email explaining the situation, surely they should be looking to the future and looking after their customers. 🙄 P. Maybe be better hot footing it to TUI website regards refunds or the Marella Cancellation thread Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
solostar Posted April 17, 2020 #11 Share Posted April 17, 2020 13 minutes ago, Jim The Scot said: Being discussed on the Marella Cancellation thread solostar Yes , I had seen it, I wasn,t sure if Pensioncruiser had. 🙂 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pensioncruiser Posted April 17, 2020 #12 Share Posted April 17, 2020 3 minutes ago, Jim The Scot said: P. Maybe be better hot footing it to TUI website regards refunds or the Marella Cancellation thread Sorry Jim don't you think we have done that with all our experience, not really worried about the lose we may have just concerned about it affecting some of the cruisers in a less fortunate position than us. Just trying to help and not be to negative about other cruisers posts. Stay safe everyone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Jim The Scot Posted April 17, 2020 #13 Share Posted April 17, 2020 P Had to log off kinda midstream as grandson face timed Noticed those that have already requested a cash refund will receive it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FIFE1 Posted April 19, 2020 Author #14 Share Posted April 19, 2020 Interesting one of the crew who are currently safely back home has posted earlier he has a new position on disc 2,no start date shown. Who knows. But I guess if they can salvage something you would think they would go with perhaps three ships. But how they achieve that or indeed anything given countries allowing access, social distancing etc is unknown. We are meant to be on explorer ex corfu in October who knows. Just as long as all the staff are safe and well and cruise critic members keep safe, cruises far less important at this time 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pensioncruiser Posted April 19, 2020 #15 Share Posted April 19, 2020 3 minutes ago, FIFE1 said: Just as long as all the staff are safe and well and cruise critic members keep safe, cruises far less important at this time I will second that, well said👍 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FIFE1 Posted April 26, 2020 Author #16 Share Posted April 26, 2020 Good news and well done Marella. Staff we know safely arrived back in manilla. They transferred at sea from dream to explorer, then back to near UK. They were flown home by TUI aircraft. Know Marella getting lots of negative comments. But I'm sure we are glad many of the staff we know have been looked after and are almost home. Hopefully we will see them onboard again soon. Keep safe everyone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pensioncruiser Posted April 26, 2020 #17 Share Posted April 26, 2020 Just hope that info is correct it would be great to know all are safe. 🤗 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marylizcat Posted April 26, 2020 #18 Share Posted April 26, 2020 I saw elsewhere that there were two Tui charter flights to Manila yesterday to get the crew back from the four ships currently anchored in Sandown Bay, having dropped off in Southampton. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FIFE1 Posted April 27, 2020 Author #19 Share Posted April 27, 2020 Yes we had a message from our friend when she arrived in Manila. Interesting that today Norwegian cruises is now stating the earliest they will recommence is the 1st July. Give the lack of information from Marella who knows when they will update. Interesting the Discovery 1 now heading south as though it was going to take the long way home to Europe and not thru' the Suez Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WeeCountyMan Posted April 28, 2020 #20 Share Posted April 28, 2020 I clocked a media report yesterday that TUI were now offering significantly discounted late deal package holidays starting from 15th May, the date that their present cancellation period ends. There's next to zero chance of these bookings in the immediate to near future going ahead - then it's straight into the TUI refund bodyswerve scenario for anybody who made an error of judgement (being diplomatic) by making such a reservaation. This just heaps more criticism and ridicule on TUI. I haven't checked cruise deals yet - knowing TUI's track record I suspect they'll be playing this game with Marella deals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edinburgher Posted April 28, 2020 #21 Share Posted April 28, 2020 (edited) it would be great to know all are safe. Sad to report that not all crew made it safely back to their homes and families. CrewCenter website has a number of obituaries for crew from different ships and lines who died. I do not know how accurate the list is, but one death reported from Dream and two from E2. I have kept off the threads as we didn't have any current or future bookings (were at the planning stage) so have no issues with customer services and/or refunds, but I thought the above might be of interest and nobody else posted it. Edited April 28, 2020 by edinburgher Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
okavango Posted April 28, 2020 #22 Share Posted April 28, 2020 6 hours ago, edinburgher said: it would be great to know all are safe. Sad to report that not all crew made it safely back to their homes and families. CrewCenter website has a number of obituaries for crew from different ships and lines who died. I do not know how accurate the list is, but one death reported from Dream and two from E2. I have kept off the threads as we didn't have any current or future bookings (were at the planning stage) so have no issues with customer services and/or refunds, but I thought the above might be of interest and nobody else posted it. The Dream one was not Covid related Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edinburgher Posted April 28, 2020 #23 Share Posted April 28, 2020 Thank you for clarification. As I posted above: I do not know how accurate the list is The Dream crew member was included in the CrewCenter "In Memorium: Cruise ship crew members lost in Covid-19 pandemic" feature so I mentioned it in my post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FIFE1 Posted April 29, 2020 Author #24 Share Posted April 29, 2020 Given that Germany is now looking at re imposing some restrictions again, BA will sadly be making many people redundant and advising that air travel will take years to recover. You have to wonder what the whole cruise industry will look like, especially Marella surely 6 ships doesn't work in the short to medium term given the age of say the Celebration etc. What will they even run this year, if at all. Will there be a re jig or home ports. I am also very worried about the very loyal crew members we see year after year who may no longer have jobs. Very sad Keep safe everyone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colbrit Posted April 29, 2020 #25 Share Posted April 29, 2020 The restart will be without Celebration which has been announced as being retired from the fleet from now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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