Will COVID mean that people prefer smaller ships?

[Presto2]

Read an article the other day saying that moving forward airline companies think that people will prefer smaller aeroplanes rather than the large jumbos as there will be fewer people.

It made me wonder if this may affect cruise lines, with people opting for ships with fewer passengers than those huge ones with 6000 that seem to have  become the latest 'in thing'.

 

Just curious re what people think as it may change things dramatically at the moment in terms of what future cruises look like.

[Hols4]

Hols4

A one man canoe would be the safest at the moment.

[zap99]

3 minutes ago, Hols4 said:

Hols4

A one man canoe would be the safest at the moment.

A 2 man may be ok, as long as you don't face each other.

Edited April 25, 2020 by zap99
Wrong

[molecrochip]

Expect to see the bigger, newer ships back first. Thats not to say that they will sail at full capacity.

[AndyMichelle]

It may be that bigger ships with lower capacity will be the initial way forward, giving more chance of some sort of social distancing. 

I don't see the benefits of being crammed in a small aircraft or ship. 

Only time will tell. 

Andy 

[mercury7289]

Just now, AndyMichelle said:

It may be that bigger ships with lower capacity will be the initial way forward, giving more chance of some sort of social distancing. 

I don't see the benefits of being crammed in a small aircraft or ship. 

Only time will tell. 

Andy 

Would be okay on the Serpentine, if you could find 2 oars!

Very difficult with social distancing

[Selbourne]

1 hour ago, Presto2 said:

Read an article the other day saying that moving forward airline companies think that people will prefer smaller aeroplanes rather than the large jumbos as there will be fewer people.

It made me wonder if this may affect cruise lines, with people opting for ships with fewer passengers than those huge ones with 6000 that seem to have  become the latest 'in thing'.

 

Just curious re what people think as it may change things dramatically at the moment in terms of what future cruises look like.

I don’t see any difference whatsoever. Having been on every P&O ship they all feel broadly the same in terms of passenger density and even the smaller ships still have thousands of passengers and crew. The problem is crowded public areas (theatres, bars, restaurants etc) and all the ships feel the same in that regard - crowded! As it only takes one person to board a ship during their incubation phase for hundreds (or more) to end up infected, even the smallest ship has many hundreds of times more people on it than I feel it will be safe to mix with for the next 18 months, especially given how viruses spread on cruise ships. 

[wowzz]

I don't think it makes any difference. The amount of space,  per passenger, remains about the same,  regardless of the size of the ship. You will still have narrow corridors, and the normal pinch points at restaurant and theatre entrances, bars etc.

With regard to aircraft, I would prefer to fly rather than take a coach or a train, given that the scrubbers used on aircraft are much more effective than on other means of transport. 

Having said that, I'm going nowhere in the forseeable future! 

[beaveh]

I think same ships... But with a lower occupancy so more space. ( much higher cruise cost). Things like crowding in the theatre, bars, queue for the tender and in the buffet would need to change. Maybe seated dining only, less crowded areas making a bit of a different experience.

[Presto2]

Hi just read the replies so why are they re thinking large aeroplanes and thinking small is better? Just curious

[niddwalker2]

Adonia   selling Adonia was one of PO big mistakes.!t was a beautiful small ship ,got rid of for bigger profits.  The cruise line Azamara are quite happy to sail these smaller ships,no doubt at higher prices but it works well for them.They can get into smaller ports and not cause pandemonium when dropping off 6000 in a port

[Adawn47]

12 minutes ago, niddwalker2 said:

Adonia   selling Adonia was one of PO big mistakes.!t was a beautiful small ship ,got rid of for bigger profits.  The cruise line Azamara are quite happy to sail these smaller ships,no doubt at higher prices but it works well for them.They can get into smaller ports and not cause pandemonium when dropping off 6000 in a port

We loved Adonia too. We only had the chance to sail on her once, in 2015, just before they sold her. A really friendly ship.

Avril 

[Selbourne]

55 minutes ago, Presto2 said:

Hi just read the replies so why are they re thinking large aeroplanes and thinking small is better? Just curious

I guess because, statistically, the less people on any plane the less people are likely to be infected, but you are only on a plane for hours and even the smallest cruise ship is the equivalent of quite a few jumbo jets. Also, the design, nature, type of activities undertaken and various other factors seem to make cruise ships worse than aircraft for the spread of viruses, hence no cruise ships are sailing but some planes are still flying. 

Edited April 25, 2020 by Selbourne

[terrierjohn]

59 minutes ago, Presto2 said:

Hi just read the replies so why are they re thinking large aeroplanes and thinking small is better? Just curious

There were already moves away from the larger planes, Airbus had already ceased prouction of the A380, and the biggest selling plane was the Boeing 737max until it was grounded, and is now probably the Airbus A320neo.

But cruise lines will need to see social distancing become the long term norm, before they change.

[wowzz]

58 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

There were already moves away from the larger planes, Airbus had already ceased prouction of the A380, and the biggest selling plane was the Boeing 737max until it was grounded, and is now probably the Airbus A320neo.

But cruise lines will need to see social distancing become the long term norm, before they change.

There are so many issues here, that I don't know where to start.

The 380 is a fantastic aircraft, but was built 10 years too late, as in the interim airlines decided to focus on hub and spoke operations. Additionally,  the 380 has limited cargo capacity,  which is of major  importance for profitable operational costs.

The 350 is now the  aircraft of choice for wide bodied operations,  especially as the 777 XL has experienced a few (!)issues. As for the Max  - shows what trying to use Grandfather rights on a 50 year old airframe gets you! In essence, BA is bust, but Trump will probably keep it afloat due to the military component of the company.

I could go on, but this a cruise forum after all!  

[madster66]

Once a vaccine has been developed I'll be looking forward to getting on any size cruise ship 🙃

[the english lady]

To me the first problem on a cruise ship is the muster. Not per se, they shouldn't have one..they must, but I think they will have to come up with another way. Only cruise we have been ill  on, sat in the theater    for muster, all I could hear around me was cough, sniffles, sneezing etc. I sat there and thought oh dear. Lo and behold.  Putting so many people in one place I think is a problem. How could they do it otherwise ..do it outside only, stood on the prom deck. I think the British weather may put paid to that. put it on the TV . Some may watch it , but a lot wouldn't. Unless they closed all bars etc  and said between 4-4.30pm you will be expected to be in your cabin. no ifs or but, and its put through the loudspeak system as well so you couldn't get away from it. Also has to be a serious one. I think i read one of the American ones had a cartoon they put on the TV..well that tells people the  seriousness of it..I know you have people gathering in these places throughout the cruise , but I think at the very beginning especially if you cannot spread out it has always been my thoughts.

[Snow Hill]

2 hours ago, madster66 said:

Once a vaccine has been developed I'll be looking forward to getting on any size cruise ship 🙃

Could be years away, both SARS & MERS both related to Covid19 still have no effective vaccine. 

[wowzz]

2 hours ago, madster66 said:

Once a vaccine has been developed I'll be looking forward to getting on any size cruise ship 🙃

You won't be cruising again then! 

[Roger88]

Certainly the smaller ships will become luxurious and they will have twice less people on board. Overall luxury cruises no matter the size of the cruiser will involve the trips with way lesser people on board. The only thing I hope that will not happen is the obligatory matter to wear masks and gloves on board. Its one of those things I wouldn't appreciate. I want to relax and not to worry about anything. Maybe its safer to wait for a vaccine before start cruising again 

[P&O SUE]

At least we shouldn’t have to suffer those awful tables for “two” in the MDR’s that are so close they might as well be tables for eight!

[Selbourne]

12 minutes ago, the english lady said:

To me the first problem on a cruise ship is the muster. Not per se, they shouldn't have one..they must, but I think they will have to come up with another way. Only cruise we have been ill  on, sat in the theater    for muster, all I could hear around me was cough, sniffles, sneezing etc. I sat there and thought oh dear. Lo and behold.  Putting so many people in one place I think is a problem. How could they do it otherwise ..do it outside only, stood on the prom deck. I think the British weather may put paid to that. put it on the TV . Some may watch it , but a lot wouldn't. Unless they closed all bars etc  and said between 4-4.30pm you will be expected to be in your cabin. no ifs or but, and its put through the loudspeak system as well so you couldn't get away from it. Also has to be a serious one. I think i read one of the American ones had a cartoon they put on the TV..well that tells people the  seriousness of it..I know you have people gathering in these places throughout the cruise , but I think at the very beginning especially if you cannot spread out it has always been my thoughts.

Your point about muster is an excellent one and is yet another example of how it is simply impossible to avoid crowds on cruise ships, however small the ship. We all know about ‘cruise cough’! If we go to the theatre at home (far bigger than the theatre on a cruise ship) you might notice one or two people coughing, yet on a cruise ship it can be a cacophony! I just don’t get the logic of cruise ships suddenly becoming ‘safe’ by reducing passenger numbers. There will still be meal times, entertainment and bar peak times when hundreds of people will herd together and it only takes one infected person....

[Denarius]

RE muster. My first cruise in the mid 1990s was on a Cunard ship carrying about 700 passengers, typical size in those days. We mustered on deck next to our assigned lifeboats, where a rolecall was taken before the officer in charge of that boat led his potential passengers through the formalities.

Edited April 26, 2020 by Denarius

[zap99]

4 hours ago, Snow Hill said:

Could be years away, both SARS & MERS both related to Covid19 still have no effective vaccine. 

How many refused to Cruise because there wasn't a SARS,MERS vaccine. Not many I suspect.

[majortom10]

1 hour ago, Denarius said:

RE muster. My first cruise in the mid 1990s was on a Cunard ship carrying about 700 passengers, typical size in those days. We mustered on deck next to our assigned lifeboats, where a rolecall was taken before the officer in charge of that boat led his potential passengers through the formalities.

Trouble is with that, which we have done in the past on Caronia is that modern ships dont have just lifeboats but also life rafts that inflate on being operated and aalso what happens due to some form of incident such as what happened to Concordia where one side of lifeboats due to listing were unavailable so assigned lifeboats do not work.