Are we seeing the end of cruising?

[HappyInVan]

13 minutes ago, Fat Albert said:

 I am a NEW YORKER. I live in the city.

 

Yet, your signature says that you are from sunny Southern California. Truth is so difficult.

[Roberto256]

On 5/10/2020 at 9:11 AM, Fat Albert said:

The Javits center was designated for COVID 19 and Cuomo did not use it.

 

39 minutes ago, Fat Albert said:

After the first week an ambulance deliverd 2 Positvie COVID 19 patients to the USNS MERCY and it was a mistake. The Javits was designated COVID center. The decsion was then made to use the hospital ship also for COVID 19 Positive cases. The NH industry in NY sent all positve NH patients BACK to the NH they came form BY EXECUTIVE ORDER GOV CUOMO. Todays news reprots Cuomo is reverswing this decsion and all NH positve COVID cases will NOT go back to HN. I am a NEW YORKER. I live in the city.

 

I replied to your earlier post regarding Jacob Javits center, which you incorrectly claimed had not been used.

 

You then follow up with comments about USNS Mercy and nursing homes...

 

How can you expect the gentle readers here to follow your stream of unconsciousness?

 

 

 

[AF-1]

Ok, so let's steer the thread back to main title.  Raise your hand if you think cruising will make a strong or weak comeback next year.  Will all the cruiselines come back or only a few make it back?  Let's see what you think.  Thanks

[voljeep]

Glass half full - ship half full - max - attempt at social distancing - staff at buffet - no utensils on tables - bread and butter brought around by servers

 

there WILL be cruises in 2020 - little Caribbean - maybe just to PC, Amber Cove … St Thomas opening back up - others to follow

 

and west coast cruises to include Encenada (sp)

 

baby steps ...

[Baby_Bear]

Speaking for ourselves- my mom and I were cruising partners. We have done several cruises and enjoyed every one, some more than others. My dad and sibs would laugh at us for liking to cruise and pretty much always compared cruise ships to floating cafeterias. We were trying to convince them to come on a cruise, well, now that the Covid crisis has occurred, they are now dead set against the idea more than ever and are convinced that cruise ships are giant petri dishes of infection! And honestly, can't really blame them with all the news the last few months. My mom has just turned 70 and there's no way any of us will let her on a cruise ship absent a vaccine. And even then, she would be in a higher risk category. What's disturbed me the most is the thought of thousands of people marooned just offshore and not allowed to disembark on land. I'm sure lots of people who aren't high risk will be back and lots of new cruisers will join, but for us, it may be land trips only from now on.

[PrincessLuver]

1 hour ago, Fat Albert said:

After the first week an ambulance deliverd 2 Positvie COVID 19 patients to the USNS MERCY and it was a mistake. The Javits was designated COVID center. The decsion was then made to use the hospital ship also for COVID 19 Positive cases. The NH industry in NY sent all positve NH patients BACK to the NH they came form BY EXECUTIVE ORDER GOV CUOMO. Todays news reprots Cuomo is reverswing this decsion and all NH positve COVID cases will NOT go back to HN. I am a NEW YORKER. I live in the city.

 

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz!!!

Edited May 11, 2020 by PrincessLuver

[PrincessLuver]

8 minutes ago, voljeep said:

Glass half full - ship half full - max - attempt at social distancing - staff at buffet - no utensils on tables - bread and butter brought around by servers

 

there WILL be cruises in 2020 - little Caribbean - maybe just to PC, Amber Cove … St Thomas opening back up - others to follow

baby steps ...

 

FYI....the first things that were shut down in Las Vegas were the buffets.....they considered them just too risky to have in trying to stop the spread COVID-19.  Maybe having servers could help but that is a lot of food to have exposed for someone to cough on or near when walking by.  Of course they would have to spread the tables around in the dining rooms or even take out some for social distancing which could slow down dining.  All contingent upon on not having preventive vaccine.

Edited May 11, 2020 by PrincessLuver

[AF-1]

I see change coming in the way cruise ships serve food; all over the ship things will change.  Change is good;  it will most likely be a safer for passengers.

[voljeep]

3 minutes ago, PrincessLuver said:

a lot of food to have exposed for someone to cough on or near when walking by.

buffet selections will also be cut in half … 

[npcl]

16 minutes ago, AF-1 said:

Ok, so let's steer the thread back to main title.  Raise your hand if you think cruising will make a strong or weak comeback next year.  Will all the cruiselines come back or only a few make it back?  Let's see what you think.  Thanks

I think that the number of FCC's being issued mean that cruises might have a lot of people on them, but I expect the cruiselines to remain under severe economic pressure.

 

With their increased debt load, limited pricing power, lower occupancy I expect the cruise lines to have a pretty hard time.  Especially as their debt holidays for this year by the countries that is providing the loans for their new ships end.

[AF-1]

npcl;  very good points.  Thanks for sharing

[npcl]

When cruising starts back up I expect it will be primarily what I call PR cruises.  They will be cruises made with the intent of generating positive PR to attract future bookings and deposits.  As such I expect them to be very limited occupancy, very short duration (5 days or less due to 5 days being average incubation time), high service.

 

The goal of the cruise lines will be to:

 

1. Indicate that cruise lines will survive

2. Try to get more people to take FCC's instead of refunds

3. Encourage more people to book and make deposits

 

 

 

[AF-1]

Good input.  Thanks;  we shall see what things bring

[Loreni]

I think many people will be reluctant to return to cruising let alone try it for the first time. Freedom is a basic human need and recent events have shown how severely one’s freedom can be denied on a ship.  Imagine being quarantined for weeks, possibly in an inside cabin.  Or being unable to disembark when you can see your country just a few yards away.  The idea of being trapped onboard while a deadly virus spreads and others onboard are dying.  Is there any other form of travel where such situations are even possible?  Look at the level of despair crew are being subjected to, how many are still not home and being held without pay.
 

When it is safe for me to travel again my first trip will be a road trip in my own car (or maybe a camper) in my own country.

Edited May 11, 2020 by Loreni

[AF-1]

Thank you for your answer Loreni.  I appreciate it.

[voljeep]

13 minutes ago, Loreni said:

 Imagine being quarantined for weeks, possibly in an inside cabin.

which is why we just self-upgraded to a deluxe obstructed balcony for our late November cruise ...

[AF-1]

I have never booked an inside cabin.  My children have been in them; but I have not

[voljeep]

1 hour ago, c-boy said:

Propaganda or truth ?

Covid-19 fatigue has set in for many - daily updates - meh - more cases / deaths - collateral damage … 

 

when can I go get a haircut, then go have a sit-down dinner in a nice restaurant ?

[caribill]

8 hours ago, MrBill64 said:

One group of passengers will find it hard to enjoy a cruise with strict social distancing rules. Another group of passengers will not enjoy cruising if strict social distancing is not enforced.

 

  

 

Maybe instead of fixed-time seating and anytime seating we need socially distanced seating and packed together seating options.

[PescadoAmarillo]

9 hours ago, npcl said:

3. Encourage more people to book and make deposits

 

 

 

Who, in their right mind, is actually GIVING Princess cash for deposits right now? They need to restore their trust with me before I trust them with my money, my vacation time, my life. 

[ceilidh1]

22 minutes ago, PescadoAmarillo said:

Who, in their right mind, is actually GIVING Princess cash for deposits right now? They need to restore their trust with me before I trust them with my money, my vacation time, my life. 

NAILED it!

[helencruising]

On 5/8/2020 at 6:09 PM, Coral said:

Through all this - I have realized I am no longer a die-hard cruiser. My thought was if I get on another ship or my next ship, it maybe a river cruise (I loved my last river cruise). 100 people is fine for size for me. I have no desire right now to get on a ship with 4000 other people.

My thoughts too. If I venture to cruising again it will be after a vaccine or when there is strong scientific proof of herd immunity and might be a river cruise. 

[getting older slowly]

Honestly.... I will be happy when one can  go on Spirit of Tasmania to Tassie .........instead of a cruise ship...

 

Also my money lasts longer there  compared to a cruise ship.

 

Cheers Don

[AF-1]

Let's all hope for the best.  The scientists all over the world are working on a vaccine; and they are working nonstop.  I have faith they will have a working vaccine by early next year.  

[Doubt It]

I have been losing interest in cruising for quite a while. The product has been consistently downgraded while prices were rising. Less staff, lesser quality food, reductions in space and service for non suite guests, Celebrities elimination of forward viewing lounge on their Edge class and reduction in size on some of their S class, seemingly increasing reporting of more missed ports, inward focused design by lessening viewing of the ocean, on and on.

 

The virus is simply the icing on the cake for my household and group of friends. We are moving towards high end escorted tours and train/air travel between ports. 

 

It is not about the money, it is about the experience - and getting a real experience, with real local food, seeing the real local geography etc.

 

Cruising is increasingly fake to me.

 

Since travel is funded by after tax income, I would not be purchasing a cruise if it comprises multiple checking on ship, every port, wearing masks etc. Not interested.