Has the pandemic made you rethink how you cruise?

[ilikeanswers]

When you return to cruising do think you will modify the way you cruise? Would you change how you book or what you book? Would you pack differently? Are there activities you would no longer partake in or would start doing? Any behaviours or routines on the ship or at ports that you would change?

Edited April 29, 2020 by ilikeanswers

[ColeThornton]

Take a read through the forum.  There are several threads that cover these questions , for example:

 

 

[iancal]

The question for us is not how.  Our first question is IF.  The second is When.  How comes further down our list however we wold not change how we have cruised, traveled in the past.  Carry on only, skip the production shows, avoid the buffets, always have a plan B, truly understand the nature of the ports and the countries we will be visiting vis a vis any existing health and mobility issues.

[ldubs]

I think my decision to go on future cruises is going to be more dependent on changes the cruise lines make as opposed to what I would do differently.   I guess there are things a passenger can change, like:  isolating in the cabin, wearing masks/gloves, and bringing tons of disinfectant. Avoiding activities is an option but really doesn't change that you are heavily exposed to others. Anyway,  If any of those things are thought to be needed, I don't think I will join a cruise.   Health concern aside, I just wouldn't enjoy it.   And, I have this peculiar habit of not doing things I don't enjoy!  😃

Edited April 29, 2020 by ldubs

[iancal]

We really do not understand this big push for some folks to get back to cruising.  Why not wait until it is safe or at least until you will be able to truly enjoy the ship and enjoy unfettered access to all the port cities on the itinerary.

 

Is this rush an ego thing, macho, pride of some sort, or desire to be the first?  Don't understand why anyone would put their health or well being at risk simply to cruise early and have their enjoyment curtailed.

[clo]

1 hour ago, iancal said:

The question for us is not how.  Our first question is IF. 

We have one cruise remaining, Sept. 2021. I'll be canceling it this AM. I don't think the questions I would need answering before May (deadline to get deposit back) will be there. And everything I'm reading about the business ethics of cruise line companies leaves a bad taste in my mouth. We have a FCC on Hurtigruten and I can see us taking that for six days up the Norwegian coast in conjunction with some other travel. Maybe.

[clo]

52 minutes ago, iancal said:

We really do not understand this big push for some folks to get back to cruising.  Why not wait until it is safe or at least until you will be able to truly enjoy the ship and enjoy unfettered access to all the port cities on the itinerary.

 

Is this rush an ego thing, macho, pride of some sort, or desire to be the first?  Don't understand why anyone would put their health or well being at risk simply to cruise early and have their enjoyment curtailed.

WOW! Great thought. It's got to be something. If I catch this 'bug' I sure as hell don't want to be trapped at sea for weeks, looking for a port that will allow us. So, yeah, what is this "big push for some"? Well asked.

 

I just thought of my late mother-in-law who hated all change. Like pathologically. So she would have fit the profile.

Edited April 29, 2020 by clo

[George C]

We have one booked for this November and February next year as long as we are able we will be sailing on them.

[navybankerteacher]

1 hour ago, iancal said:

We really do not understand this big push for some folks to get back to cruising.  Why not wait until it is safe or at least until you will be able to truly enjoy the ship and enjoy unfettered access to all the port cities on the itinerary.

 

Is this rush an ego thing, macho, pride of some sort, or desire to be the first?  Don't understand why anyone would put their health or well being at risk simply to cruise early and have their enjoyment curtailed.

Good points.  Of course, people on these boards are cruise-oriented, so (at least when posting here) they are hot to go again.

 

But, practically thinking: just being on a ship is not what it is all about;  if you have to wear face masks while paying double or triple fares to allow space for distancing, are you sure it is worth rushing back to?

 

  Sadly,  without elimination of the COVID threat, either by mutation to something minor or by development of effective vaccine, cruising will not make sense to us.

[Aquahound]

Maybe I misunderstood the question because I'm not relating if I'd do anything different to a rush to get back to it.  Did I miss something?

 

Anyways, if I understood the question right, no, I will not do anything different when I return to cruising. 

[lenquixote66]

2 hours ago, ilikeanswers said:

When you return to cruising do think you will modify the way you cruise? Would you change how you book or what you book? Would you pack differently? Are there activities you would no longer partake in or would start doing? Any behaviours or routines on the ship or at ports that you would change?

The head of the WHO is predicting a stronger strain of Covid-19 for the Fall and Winter.

These past few days I have been reaching out to “lost friends” all over the US.Every one of these people normally cruise a lot.Everyone said they may never cruise again. A friend of mine who posts on CC normally does back to back to back cruises.He too has reservations about ever cruising again.

[Warm Breezes]

First, I doubt I will ever book and inside or oceanview room again.  It will be at least a balcony with an Aft Balcony being preferred.  If I am going to be stuck on a ship I want to be able to get some fresh air and see the ocean.

 

Second, I will start carrying my prescriptions in their bottles with at least 2-3 more weeks more than my vacation plans.

 

Third, not any different, but we will continue to dine with just our cruising companions.

 

Fourth, when going to public events we will be more diligent in finding areas to sit that away from the crowds or we will skip them if we can't find a place.  We pretty much kept to ourselves to begin with but will do more so now.  

 

We don't cruise to socialize.  We cruise to relax and spend time with each other in a place where we are pampered and taken care of.  All I need is a place to sit and enjoy the ocean.  

 

 

 

[Roger88]

No, there is nothing really that I would like to change concerning my future cruise. The only thing that might be different is the way I will prepare for the cruise. Take a few masks with me and antiseptics. I will also try not to book in advance. I will also try to catch a hot deal and most importantly I will make sure that there are no celebrations during the time of my cruise 

[lenquixote66]

30 minutes ago, Roger88 said:

No, there is nothing really that I would like to change concerning my future cruise. The only thing that might be different is the way I will prepare for the cruise. Take a few masks with me and antiseptics. I will also try not to book in advance. I will also try to catch a hot deal and most importantly I will make sure that there are no celebrations during the time of my cruise 

I would never board a ship if I had to wear a mask.

[clo]

1 hour ago, Warm Breezes said:

All I need is a place to sit and enjoy the ocean.

So could you equally enjoy a really nice AI, oceanfront?

[jeremyosborne81]

2 hours ago, clo said:

So could you equally enjoy a really nice AI, oceanfront?

Not who you quoted, but that would have to be one advanced AI with "smellovision," a good warm mist, and blowing wind synced with the visuals.

Edited April 29, 2020 by jeremyosborne81

[clo]

4 minutes ago, jeremyosborne81 said:

Not who you quoted, but that would have to be one advanced AI with "smellovision," a good warm mist, and blowing wind synced with the visuals.

What is it you want to smell that wouldn't be by the ocean, along with wind, maybe mist.

[jeremyosborne81]

1 minute ago, clo said:

What is it you want to smell that wouldn't be by the ocean, along with wind, maybe mist.

Salty ocean air, for one.

Growing up in San Diego and Virginia Beach, my father being a Marine, the smell of ocean air is quite comforting to me.

[Essiesmom]

I did not vote, because neither of the choices reflect me.  the question is, as an over 70 with diabetes, will I be allowed to cruise?  If so, then no, I won't change anything except cruise less ofte, so we can afford  a balcony.

[clo]

1 minute ago, jeremyosborne81 said:

Salty ocean air, for one.

Growing up in San Diego and Virginia Beach, my father being a Marine, the smell of ocean air is quite comforting to me.

This little pretend AI is oceanfront!

[Warm Breezes]

2 hours ago, clo said:

So could you equally enjoy a really nice AI, oceanfront?

First, to get to a really nice affordable AI I would probably need to fly there.  Flying is definitely not appealing to me any time soon.  We can drive, which we don’t mind doing, to many different cruise ports.

 

Second, an AI could never rock me to sleep like a cruise ship can.  An important part of being on the ocean.

 

For me, my favorite place to enjoy the ocean is on a cruise ship with a large balcony room.  My favorite place to enjoy land would be to head to the canyons and mountains out west in a motor home.  Those are my 2 favorite places to be.  I’m not a beach person (I burn easily, don’t like swimming with creatures, and hate sand getting into everything), nor do I like the snow (can’t wait until we can leave Michigan behind), nor am I fan of big cities.  To each his own.

[Cruzaholic41]

1 hour ago, clo said:

What is it you want to smell that wouldn't be by the ocean, along with wind, maybe mist.

Here we go with the second guessing of others opinions again. Please, let it go already. 🙄

[jeremyosborne81]

2 minutes ago, Cruzaholic41 said:

Here we go with the second guessing of others opinions again. Please, let it go already. 🙄

I honestly have no idea what she's getting at. Her replies are a bit disjointed.

[ilikeanswers]

8 hours ago, ColeThornton said:

Take a read through the forum.  There are several threads that cover these questions

 

Thanks for the suggestion. I have seen the questions about what cruise lines should regulate but I was curious if individual cruisers would change anything in the way they cruise because of the COVID19 situation🤗. 

[NantahalaCruiser]

I would not change anything in how I cruise. It is the when I cruise that is important to me - and that is when there is an effective vaccine so that I will not have to change anything.

 

Luckily there are several vaccine programs well underway; and the one by Oxford University is already in clinical human testing - which is astounding since their development in just four months usually takes a few years. It is entirely possible that an effective vaccine could be in mass production in the latter part of 2020.

 

Of course it many not be effective; we can only hope.

Edited April 30, 2020 by NantahalaCruiser