ONgoing Crew Repatriations - Bad Sign For Cruises in 2020?

[Fly and Sail]

I'm following a couple IG accounts of the various captains including Cpt Kate on Edge and Celebrity is having a full swing operation at Coco Cay spreading their various crew among different ships and then (as I understood it) sailing them home.

 

Call me stupid but that doesn't look like a good sign for the remainder of 2020. How would they even get fresh crew at this point, taking new people onboard when they reach the drop-off points? Is that even allowed by their home countries or would any staff sign contracts right now?

 

Also the ships would be all over the place.

 

One thing I have to say though I'm super impressed how Celebrity is treating their crew (at least on Edge). What you see on these peoples IG daily looks more fun than any actual cruise. They all got regular cabins to enjoy.

[twins_to_alaska]

I think many think there is only slim chance for cruising in 2020.

Edited May 12, 2020 by twins_to_alaska

[Algebralovr]

My guess is they will see how the situation is after July 1 or so.  The ships will be down to 200 or so crew.  

 

There will be plenty of people who will join a ship if the ships are allowed to sail, and if the flights are allowed to go.  All the people who had contracts end early, all the people who were expecting to join ships in April, May, June and are out of work - they will be looking to get back to the ships and earn a living.

 

As for ships being all over - that should not be an issue since they can't exactly start up on a dime.  They will need a solid 2 weeks of planning to get the people and resources where they need to be, and that will allow them to move the ships as well.  

[jelayne]

I don't believe when cruising starts all ships will be sailing.  Keep in mind that when  the suspension hit there were a lot of crew members  at home on  their vacation.   I'm sure that many of them would be ready to go back to work and make money if they can travel to the ships.  

[CILCIANRQTS]

Between airlines, cruise lines and country restrictions, 2020 cruising is dead except for Carnival’s ill-advised attempt to get off a few Caribbean cruises.

[paulh84]

Part of the fleet redeployment when operations do resume will depend on staff availability. That may turn out to be a huge obstacle even on a highly restricted fleet. No one really knows yet how many may refuse to return. 

[cltnccruisers]

43 minutes ago, CILCIANRQTS said:

Between airlines, cruise lines and country restrictions, 2020 cruising is dead except for Carnival’s ill-advised attempt to get off a few Caribbean cruises.

Carnival will serve as a test case.  If they can pull it off the other lines may follow.  It will all be baby steps, though.

[az_tchr]

What will it take to resume cruising.

 

The transport of existing crews home will take approximately 6 weeks if I understand Cptn. Kate's posts.

 

Then you need ports to open

Borders to open

Airlines to resume serving all airports

 

Then you need to get crews to the ships

A couple weeks minimum to get training

 

If cruising from the US you need a vaccine or a plan to return passengers to their home using private transport if CDC doesn't change its rule for the US.

I note two lines announced plans to resume this summer but failed address the CDC requirement.

 

Possible?  Yes.  FWIW I moved my April 2021 cruise to August.  More likely to have a vaccine.

 

Vacation travel by car or air - remember Mexico and Canada are closed - much more possible.

[CHEZMARYLOU]

I saw a post hinting about an announcement re 2020 cruises and itineraries on another site.

[jelayne]

13 minutes ago, CHEZMARYLOU said:

I saw a post hinting about an announcement re 2020 cruises and itineraries on another site.

A site associated with any of RCCL lines?

[debb1952]

4 hours ago, twins_to_alaska said:

I think many think there is only slim chance for cruising in 2020.

As of tonights news in Vancouver, NO Cruises will happen in Washington,Vancouver, & Alaska/Yukon this summer.  Global BC  news.tonight 6:00 pm news

 

 

Edited May 13, 2020 by debb1952

[upwarduk]

One thing I have to say though I'm super impressed how Celebrity is treating their crew (at least on Edge). What you see on these peoples IG daily looks more fun than any actual cruise. They all got regular cabins to enjoy

 

I am sure the crew will have appreciated the treatment that they have had on the ships.

If our ITV news is to be believed, ( from Manila ). they will be shot on sight if they break the Lock Down rules.

[JonnyCT81]

X and RCCL are sending 90 percent of their crew home (or at least are trying to). Anyone who thinks that somehow all of these people are just going to resign contracts, get back on a plane, and start cruising again is wrong. Cruising will not start back up until all of this is under control; I'd suspect we're not going to see.cruiaing start back up until fall/winter at the earliest.

Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk

[cltnccruisers]

11 hours ago, az_tchr said:

 

 

 

If cruising from the US you need a vaccine or a plan to return passengers to their home using private transport if CDC doesn't change its rule for the US.

I note two lines announced plans to resume this summer but failed address the CDC requirement.

 

Where did you see the vaccine requirement?  It is nowhere on the CDC site that I can find.

 

 

[Georgia_Peaches]

Nothing but time will tell us anything for certain.

[jalves]

8 hours ago, JonnyCT81 said:

Anyone who thinks that somehow all of these people are just going to resign contracts, get back on a plane, and start cruising again is wrong. 
 

Anyone who thinks that many of them won't resign contracts is wrong.

[TeeRick]

Cruising in 2020?? I am hoping just to be able to dine in a restaurant in my area by year end.  Or get a haircut.

[Big_G]

Just now, TeeRick said:

Cruising in 2020?? I am hoping just to be able to dine in a restaurant in my area by year end.  Or get a haircut.

 

Mostly the haircut. 🤣

[ECCruise]

21 minutes ago, jalves said:

Anyone who thinks that many of them won't resign contracts is wrong.

Not so sure of that.

Having been on a ship (with almost all ports cancelled so plenty of time to talk to staff) during the time of the pandemic, I would not be so sure that all of the crew will be chomping at the bit to return to ships.

We found some distinct fear in many we talked to.  Fear of disease, fear of being stuck on a ship, fear of decreased pax and thus decreased or no pay.  And this was before a single crew member was stuck on a ship.  Many of the people we spoke with are still on the ship, now 2 months later.  Sitting at a port with no access to outside (meaning off the ship) and no idea when they will be returning home.

Sure, they are able to stay in pax staterooms and eat pax food but not sure that will make up for the situation that about 100,000 crew are in this locked-in situation.  Will this affect every crew member?  Of course not.  But for those who think it will be crew staffing as normal, I would think again.

[Fly and Sail]

My guess is when people and their families start to run out of money they''ll be very willing to go back to work again.

 

It's a sad motivator but I guess most people on this planet don't work for fun but to put food on the table and a roof over their head.

 

I kinda made my peace with the fact that no Alaska or West Coast cruises will be going this year. Waiting to hear about Europe options right now.

[Germancruiser]

The well overdue haircut is done- heureka! The restaurants open up next week- or the following week  depending on region in Germany. The whole country is opening up ever so slowly.

Crusing in 2020- who can say- where is my crystal ball when I need it?!

Without a vacine or medics? Difficult!

[leck57]

Can't see any cruising happening in 2020 and if so, certainly not from the US who seem to have no control over the present from China. Hopefully a vaccine will change things - I hope so.

Edited May 14, 2020 by leck57

[TeeRick]

9 hours ago, Germancruiser said:

The well overdue haircut is done- heureka! The restaurants open up next week- or the following week  depending on region in Germany. The whole country is opening up ever so slowly.

Crusing in 2020- who can say- where is my crystal ball when I need it?!

Without a vacine or medics? Difficult!

I would fly to Germany to get a haircut if my government would let me!😀

[davekathy]

10 hours ago, Germancruiser said:

Crusing in 2020- who can say- where is my crystal ball when I need it?!

My Magic 8 Ball says, "cannot predict now". 🎱

[ROYALBOY]

On 5/12/2020 at 6:45 PM, az_tchr said:

Possible?  Yes.  FWIW I moved my April 2021 cruise to August.  More likely to have a vaccine.

We did the same...our May 2021 Hawaii is now May 2022, and the first cruise we now have booked is British Isles July 2021 with fingers crossed for a vaccine