The Future of Luxury Cruising (from a Regent-lover's point of view)

[Wendy The Wanderer]

I thought it was time that we might speculate about what cruising, luxury cruising specifically, is going to look like post-covid.  I'm not encouraging speculation about when and if there'll be a vaccine, whether it will be effective or not, but assuming there is an ongoing risk of some kind, and a change in the culture of hygiene and medical safety.

 

What will cruising on a line like Regent look like?  Will there be fewer passengers allowed?  Will there be fewer staff?  What will happen to buffet dining?  How will physical distancing be sorted out?  Will staff wear masks?

 

When it comes to excursions, I think there will be a 'sea change' (pardon the pun), to tourism all over the world.  Will tour buses be a thing of the past, or will they be operated 2/3's empty for physical distancing? What will this do to touring in a port in general?  How about flying?  

 

Will luxury cruising become a true luxury because of increased overhead, and be affordably for only a few?

 

Will mass market cruising go the way of the dodo?  

Edited April 25, 2020 by Wendy The Wanderer

[cruiseluv]

I think cruises , as well as many restaurants, will not be able to sustain  2/3 empty for physical distancing and still be profitable( unless the market accepted a draconian increase in prices, which I doubt would be succesful since Regent is already at the top in term of fares).  And, speaking for myself, being surrounded by people in masks, and even worse, be required to wear one would be a non starter .  

Editing to add, IMO , unless people as well as the cruise line, learn to live with the risk of the virus ( maybe if at least therapies are developed) cruising will not prosper again

Edited April 25, 2020 by cruiseluv

[mrlevin]

10 minutes ago, cruiseluv said:

Editing to add, IMO , unless people as well as the cruise line, learn to live with the risk of the virus ( maybe if at least therapies are developed) cruising will not prosper again

 

I agree with Maria.  I am not going to wear a mask onboard a ship.  A mask onboard an excursion bus allows us to ignore social distancing rules so I could live with that.  But, if a cruise is a luxury experience it has to remain a luxury experience so we need to either get a vaccine or therapeutics and take a chance.  I do believe (just by the law of large numbers) that there will be at least one case onboard a cruise ship after cruising is reopened.  If the response is "c'est la vie" then cruising will still prosper; if they response is "c'est la guerre" then that will be the end of cruising as we know it.  

 

I know Wendy asked that this not discuss vaccine; however, I guess I disagree with most around here in that I think senior citizens will be last in line for the vaccine.  If the choice is between a 35 year old man supporting wife and three kids and an 85 year old retiree, I think the young man will be the (rightful) choice of society.

 

Just my three confederate sense,

 

Marc

[Got2Cruise]

I think Wendy brings up many good points to ponder. That’s why my personal opinion is that it’s going to take awhile to figure everything out and develop protocol. 

 

An added question I have is will there be restrictions to allow tourism in? I’ve read rumors that certain countries won’t allow foreigners in. Will the itineraries need to be adjusted? 

[mrlevin]

34 minutes ago, Got2Cruise said:

 Will the itineraries need to be adjusted? 

 

I think there will be major adjustment of itineraries.  Cruising may only start up in Caribbean and Mexico and Pacific Coast for USA cruisers; maybe Med cruises only for European cruisers.  For Regent I think Splendor west coast and Explorer Caribbean will be all that starts up initially.

 

Marc

[cruiseluv]

42 minutes ago, Got2Cruise said:

I think Wendy brings up many good points to ponder. That’s why my personal opinion is that it’s going to take awhile to figure everything out and develop protocol. 

 

An added question I have is will there be restrictions to allow tourism in? I’ve read rumors that certain countries won’t allow foreigners in. Will the itineraries need to be adjusted? 

I'm probably in the minority, but I think cruising will not resume this year. I see Caribbean , and maybe Transcanal cruises as the first to start. The Med is going to be tricky, maybe Greek island cruises . I just dont see many itineraries that are realistic in the next 6-9 months

[Travelcat2]

I would expect that anyone that touches, is near or serves food will wear a mask and gloves.  IF there is still a buffet (debatable), we will be served rather than serve ourselves.  This is the time that I would like to see people wear masks.  If you think about the Coffee Connection, desserts and breads in La Veranda, we get pretty close to the food.  So, as strange as it may sound, we need to protect the food from all of us.

 

We would wear a mask on Regent if necessary.  It is becoming a regular part of our daily life and is no longer a big deal.  It is amazing what people get used to.  

 

There could be social distancing in the theaters and the way that the tables are set up in dining venues.  There is so much room on most (not all) Regent ships that a small drop in capacity would be helpful if not necessary. 

 

There likely will not be the Captain's Reception and Farewell as well as the Seven Seas Society nights (whether for upper tier or regular) as people line up very closely but the line still blocks the elevators.

 

Elevators are something that I cannot figure out but they cannot have people stuffed into an elevator.  I would dislike wearing a mask in an elevator but would do whatever is necessary to keep other guests safe.

 

Tables and chairs will likely be wiped down between guests (or the tablecloths will be replaced)

 

Salt and Pepper shakers all need to be cleaned between guests.  Maybe ketchup and mustard need to be in packets or, better yet, dispensed into a small cup.  Items like A1 sauce, malt vinegar for fish, etc. can be dispensed by a masked crew member into a small cup as well.  

 

Housekeeping needs to also wear masks and gloves when cleaning your suite and they need to make sure that telephones, remote controls, door handles, etc. are sanitized daily. 

 

Not sure if games like Scrabble can be disinfected but perhaps they can.  Maybe they can be checked out and returned to a specific area for cleaning before being put back (the same for other games).  Also not sure how card games (bridge) could be handled other than wearing masks and gloves. I suppose that would depend upon how much people want to play.  The same would likely be done for puzzles (a passion of some passengers).  

 

The more I write, the more things come to mind.  Unfortunately, I do not see a clear way to do some of these activities without a mask and gloves.  If distancing could be maintained in the theater and restaurants (except at the buffet) it seems as if we would be fairly safe.  For those of you that have been wearing masks and gloves for a while, are you getting used to doing this?  

 

Would love to see Regent provide masks as they no doubt would be very protective as well as being as stylish as is possible.  I have seen some beautiful masks around town (and some funny ones as well).

 

We fully expect to take our Middle East cruise in November (as do the folks on our Roll Call).

 

 

Edited April 25, 2020 by Travelcat2

[Wendy The Wanderer]

In Canada we now call it "physical distancing", because that's what it is, not social distancing.

 

In our condo here in Toronto, 220 units, 20 floors, 3 elevators (so small by our standards), everyone is advised to have only one occupant (or family) per elevator.  That is, if the elevator opens and someone's already in it, we wait for the next.  Sounds like something that might work on a cruise ship, although it would be a pain.

 

Buffets will be a thing of the past, although I can imagine that a buffet could be laid out, and you would point to what you wanted, and your plate could be passed from server to server as it's filled.  I know, sounds like a cafeteria, but I actually like to see the choices.

 

I suspect crowding below decks (staff) will be a real issue  Not sure how to resolve that.

[travelwell]

1 minute ago, cruiseluv said:

I'm probably in the minority, but I think cruising will not resume this year. I see Caribbean , and maybe Transcanal cruises as the first to start. The Med is going to be tricky, maybe Greek island cruises . I just dont see many itineraries that are realistic in the next 6-9 months

I was about to say it will be a long shot to cruise the next 6 months. Covid-19 so highly contagious. It spreads like wildfire. A large percent need hospitalization that requires negative airflow rooms, oxygen, antibiotics and the large number of staff with PPE to care for people.  A much smaller but significant percentage need icu care. Ships would be overwhelmed quickly. In addition there is not a great screening tool yet. Temperature checks unreliable. As we have seen ports are not happy docking a ship with even one Covid patient. This will not only effect cruising but also many aspects of our life this year. But I truly believe a vaccine will come along ( sorry Wendy, have to add a positive spin)down the road and Luxury cruising will return in a way we all know and love.

[Travelcat2]

On a neutral note, no one knows what will transpire between now and even 4 months from now.  The virus may go way down - may or may not return in the fall or winter.  Look at where we were 4 moths ago and where we are now.  A whole lot has changed.  

[fizzy]

I was thinking that even with the guests being willing to follow the strictest of protocols and cut backs in amenities... the staff would be under horrendous pressure. The below deck crew is already working in extreme heat conditions. Commercial kitchens are already boiling....not to mention the heat and humidity generated by the dishwashing equipment and the laundry department. I can't imagine it being viable to be masked up at all times.

[SusieQft]

At least the virus does not survive as well in heat and humidity.

[RJ2002]

One of our favorite activities onboard is having a drink at a bar before dinner.  Sadly, I think sitting on bar stools at the bar would be restricted.   Seating at tables in the bar, spaced properly, would probably still be an option.

[RachelG]

I personally think the virus will go away with the summer.  We will see.  Just my speculation based on other similar viruses.

I am not at all scared of the virus.  Our health system revealed the statistics on all the patients who have died in the health system from Covid 19 yesterday.  100% had an underlying condition, but most had multiple.  Most common were obesity and diabetes, followed by heart disease, COPD, and autoimmune disease.  I have none of these.  The people who do need to take precautions and probably shouldn’t cruise, but they need to let the rest of us go about our business.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

I don't think we need endless speculation here on this thread about whether the virus will be around or not.  Let's assume it will be in some form or other.

 

Then we can speculate about how this will change cruising.  Okay?

[Caroldoll]

3 hours ago, Travelcat2 said:

I would expect that anyone that touches, is near or serves food will wear a mask and gloves.  IF there is still a buffet (debatable), we will be served rather than serve ourselves.  This is the time that I would like to see people wear masks.  If you think about the Coffee Connection, desserts and breads in La Veranda, we get pretty close to the food.  So, as strange as it may sound, we need to protect the food from all of us.

 

We would wear a mask on Regent if necessary.  It is becoming a regular part of our daily life and is no longer a big deal.  It is amazing what people get used to.  

 

There could be social distancing in the theaters and the way that the tables are set up in dining venues.  There is so much room on most (not all) Regent ships that a small drop in capacity would be helpful if not necessary. 

 

There likely will not be the Captain's Reception and Farewell as well as the Seven Seas Society nights (whether for upper tier or regular) as people line up very closely but the line still blocks the elevators.

 

Elevators are something that I cannot figure out but they cannot have people stuffed into an elevator.  I would dislike wearing a mask in an elevator but would do whatever is necessary to keep other guests safe.

 

Tables and chairs will likely be wiped down between guests (or the tablecloths will be replaced)

 

Salt and Pepper shakers all need to be cleaned between guests.  Maybe ketchup and mustard need to be in packets or, better yet, dispensed into a small cup.  Items like A1 sauce, malt vinegar for fish, etc. can be dispensed by a masked crew member into a small cup as well.  

 

Housekeeping needs to also wear masks and gloves when cleaning your suite and they need to make sure that telephones, remote controls, door handles, etc. are sanitized daily. 

 

Not sure if games like Scrabble can be disinfected but perhaps they can.  Maybe they can be checked out and returned to a specific area for cleaning before being put back (the same for other games).  Also not sure how card games (bridge) could be handled other than wearing masks and gloves. I suppose that would depend upon how much people want to play.  The same would likely be done for puzzles (a passion of some passengers).  

 

The more I write, the more things come to mind.  Unfortunately, I do not see a clear way to do some of these activities without a mask and gloves.  If distancing could be maintained in the theater and restaurants (except at the buffet) it seems as if we would be fairly safe.  For those of you that have been wearing masks and gloves for a while, are you getting used to doing this?  

 

Would love to see Regent provide masks as they no doubt would be very protective as well as being as stylish as is possible.  I have seen some beautiful masks around town (and some funny ones as well).

 

We fully expect to take our Middle East cruise in November (as do the folks on our Roll Call).

 

 

I believe a lot of the items you mentioned can be easily sterilized with "lights".  They seem to be using this for phones too.  

 

As far as elevators, we live in a resort type place with elevators.  They have a sign that only one person/couple to an elevator.  A lot of people would have to become physically fit to climb the stairs.

 

 

[Travelcat2]

1 hour ago, RachelG said:

I personally think the virus will go away with the summer.  We will see.  Just my speculation based on other similar viruses.

I am not at all scared of the virus.  Our health system revealed the statistics on all the patients who have died in the health system from Covid 19 yesterday.  100% had an underlying condition, but most had multiple.  Most common were obesity and diabetes, followed by heart disease, COPD, and autoimmune disease.  I have none of these.  The people who do need to take precautions and probably shouldn’t cruise, but they need to let the rest of us go about our business.

 

Rachel - I believe that what you stated is important to hear.  As a physician, your opinion as well as the facts that you stated is helpful to all of us.

 

While this is an enjoyable thread and we can state our opinions until the cows come home, our opinions are just that - opinions.  We all need informed information (or an opinion from someone whose background is based on science as yours are).

 

Thank you so much!

 

Caroldoll - I do have the “phone soap” unit and use it for my iPhone.  According to this article (which may or may not be accurate) https://nymag.com/strategist/article/does-uv-light-kill-germs-best-sterilizer.html, UV light has not been proven to work for Covid-19.

Edited April 26, 2020 by Travelcat2

[SusieQft]

That NY Magazine article is dated April 9.  They have been studying the effect of light on the virus, and sunlight exposure was the item that wiped it out most quickly as reported in that explosive press conference on April 23.  I'm not sure they isolated exactly what frequency light did the job, but the presumption was that it was some part of the UV spectrum.  That study is still unpublished and obviously a little more work needs to be done, but light has been shown to kill Covid-19. 

 

Once they fine tune the details, it might be possible for artificial UV lights to be used to keep surfaces pretty much virus-free.  At the presser, there was a somewhat lengthy discussion of using UV lights just below a high ceiling (i.e. away from the people in the room) in conjunction with ceiling fans to circulate the air up there to keep the virus at a minimum in the room air.

Edited April 26, 2020 by SusieQft

[Roger88]

Future luxury cruising will most likely involve way lesser people present on board and probably will involve smaller ships. Luxury cruising will certainly mean bigger spaces for the passengers to enjoy, private pool or maybe even schedule pool visits. A la carte and prebooking of the tables in the restaurants and cafe and what is more important I think they will not be obliged to use the masks as other regular passengers  

[Foggyzx9r]

2 hours ago, Roger88 said:

Future luxury cruising will most likely involve way lesser people present on board and probably will involve smaller ships. Luxury cruising will certainly mean bigger spaces for the passengers to enjoy, private pool or maybe even schedule pool visits. A la carte and prebooking of the tables in the restaurants and cafe and what is more important I think they will not be obliged to use the masks as other regular passengers  

Very good point regarding pre booking. I suspect open dining for MDR will be curtailed.

 

The crew would be a major concern. Their cabins are certainly not conducive to any form of distancing, unless they hot swap shifts as per submariners, that is tongue in cheek suggestion btw.

UVC is of interest. SusieQft is correct regarding overhead use and is used but I would imagine this would require a refit throughout public spaces including corridors. However I am not an engineer so I can’t speak with any authority. I have worked with engineers installing ventilation and UCV systems for operating theatres and it is not a simple nor cheap as you can imagine.

Some interesting work being looked at 

Syntegra Group

Looking at UVC

The above also looks at sterility of potable water to prevent contamination.

 

The caveat to UVC is that it is harmful to the eyes and skin.

 

So effectively spacing between passengers, crew et al would be key to maintaining prevention.

 

Smaller ships as roger88 pointed out could be more manageable provided there is sufficient space to prevent crowding. That is also conditional for the crew as well.

 

Leaving aside how they would manage tours entering and leaving the ship to visit ashore will be very difficult to manage. I am not sure there is an answer for that other than TA voyages or at sea only for initial restart of cruises.

Evening entertainment: Limited numbers in the shows to allow for spacing that is manageable as it could be pre booked. Maybe increase the number of shows per evening with a shorter duration?
 

Would it be feasible to remove specialty dining to increase available dining room? This allow for a more controlled flow of passengers.

 

Well I suppose the list could go on and on.

 

For a little light relief.

One of our comedians Peter Kay

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMFbSXx7kPA

 

Stay safe

 

 

[boblerm]

While not specific to luxury cruising, here is an interesting article by a cruise ship travel writer.  I am not agreeing or disagreeing with any of his points, only providing for interest.

9 ways cruising will be different when it starts up again  Gene Sloan

[morneau]

10 hours ago, RachelG said:

I personally think the virus will go away with the summer.  We will see.  Just my speculation based on other similar viruses.

I am not at all scared of the virus.  Our health system revealed the statistics on all the patients who have died in the health system from Covid 19 yesterday.  100% had an underlying condition, but most had multiple.  Most common were obesity and diabetes, followed by heart disease, COPD, and autoimmune disease.  I have none of these.  The people who do need to take precautions and probably shouldn’t cruise, but they need to let the rest of us go about our business.

With all due respect to RachelG, the above is simply not true.  My husband and son are physicians on the front lines in NYC and NJ trying to fight this pandemic, and while the great majority of patients do have pre-existing conditions, there are a good number of patients who do not.  This virus is attacking otherwise young and healthy individuals in unpredictable ways, and new data is suggesting that it may be causing an unusual uptick in strokes among otherwise young and healthy individuals.  Suggesting that there is a group i.e., "the rest of us" that is immune to the effects of this virus is, IMHO, a dangerous proposition.  This is no time to be complacent. I do hope your hunch that the virus will go away with summer turns out to be true, despite what the experts are predicting.  Stay safe all.

Edited April 26, 2020 by morneau

[Foggyzx9r]

BTW Wendy thank you for starting the thread, just hope it stays on track🤩

[Wendy The Wanderer]

1 hour ago, Foggyzx9r said:

BTW Wendy thank you for starting the thread, just hope it stays on track🤩

You're welcome and I hope do too.

 

This thread is supposed to be speculative, btw, not factual. And let's not lapse into arguments about what will cure the virus--please keep that discussion in another thread.

 

Yes, all staff will have to have their own cabins. Perhaps the entertainment staff will have to be cut back as well--making shows more cabaret-style. Oh, and eliminate butlers.

Edited April 26, 2020 by Wendy The Wanderer

[RJ2002]

11 minutes ago, Wendy The Wanderer said:

You're welcome and I hope do too.

 

This thread is supposed to be speculative, btw, not factual. And let's not lapse into arguments about what will cure the virus--please keep that discussion in another thread.

 

Yes, all staff will have to have their own cabins. Perhaps the entertainment staff will have to be cut back as well--making shows more cabaret-style. Oh, and eliminate butlers.

 

I also appreciate you starting this thread, as it was something I was thinking about as well.

 

The crew areas will definitely be an area of concern since they frequently are sharing quarters, depending on their position.  The ship will still require a set compliment of crew and staff, and for Regent to maintain its luxury ambiance, I can't see them really cutting back a lot on front facing staff.  Which gets us back to a proposition that has been brought up on various threads...  does cruising remain on hiatus until a vaccine is developed and available?