MSC GRANDIOSA - 8/16/2020 - Anyone Live?

[dolphin1313]

11 minutes ago, StormyMinnieDaisy said:

I am just now finding this thread! When is this sailing over, or is it already over? Is there another one right after this or will they be taking a break before the next one?

Yes, the 1st sailing just ended this morning and the 2nd sailing already departed a while ago.

Edited August 23, 2020 by dolphin1313
typo

[sidari]

59 minutes ago, shipgeeks said:

Can someone post the itinerary for this week, please?

Same as last week and the same for next week.

[Formula280SS]

2 hours ago, Até said:

I think this video is from the sea day, shows a lot of the pool decks.  Video is terrible quality but you can see how crowded the ship is and what percentage are wearing masks on the open decks.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mHj_3KMFlU

 

Thanks.

 

I will admit that this video gives a significantly different perspective on the top and pool decks than we got from the previous video professionally done as to the extent of social distancing, masks/non-masks and in-pool dynamics.

 

Not opining one way or the other, just acknowledging that the video was quite informative.

 

Thanks.

[lienf]

23 hours ago, sfaaa said:

It would be a wash. Recorded as revenue and offset by a corresponding payroll benefit expense or as non revenue cash offset by a liability of the same amount. Either way, it has no effect on EBITDA. 

Thanks for your reply. 

[shipgeeks]

16 minutes ago, sidari said:

Same as last week and the same for next week.

Thanks; I was thinking they were alternating with a Greece itinerary.  I guess that will be the other ship.

[sidari]

13 minutes ago, shipgeeks said:

Thanks; I was thinking they were alternating with a Greece itinerary.  I guess that will be the other ship.

Yes Magnifica on the 29th.

[Nunagoras]

Many thanks for all of you for this possible "live from Grandiosa" maiden post C19 voyage!... Great job!... While difficult, hope to have a CC member doing a review of one of the next weeks cruises!...

 

Have a nice day and a nice week!... 🙂

[Sunshine3601]

9 hours ago, drsel said:

9 hours ago, Sunshine3601 said:

Does anyone know if passengers were allowed to give extra cash tips to the hard working crew?

Nobody would know that, not even the passengers on the ship; because it is always done in private.

My question is were the passengers allowed to give cash tips.  A lot of businesses had stopped accepting cash.  I wondered if their protocol said anything about cash tips.

[little britain]

6 hours ago, Sunshine3601 said:

My question is were the passengers allowed to give cash tips.  A lot of businesses had stopped accepting cash.  I wondered if their protocol said anything about cash tips.

Certainly where I live, everyone takes cash! 

[cruisequeen4ever]

It seems thus far at least that it was a success! 🤞 This marks the beginning of the return of the most fun way to travel (IMO)! 

[sidari]

Magnifica sailings have been postponed until September 26th due to a lack of bookings also due to testing with three port stops being in Greece.

[Issyalex]

On 8/16/2020 at 4:27 PM, BermudaBound2014 said:

 

That is a Virgin ship for sure :). 

 

This is a big day for the cruise industry!!! I'm thrilled. I do expect some bumps, but if MSC can pull this off there is hope.

 

On an entirely different subject, and keeping this NON political, I was watching different Italian web cams last night and didn't see a single person wearing masks. For those of you in Europe, are masks mandated? Again, no politics please. 🙂

In Scotland, unless you have a medical condition, masks are compulsory in shops, Indoor markets, shopping centres, attending hospital, Dr’s or health centres, hairdressers, dentist appts etc. 

[drsel]

Masks should be worn whenever you are out of the house, except when exercising

[drsel]

My question is were the passengers allowed to give cash tips.  A lot of businesses had stopped accepting cash.  I wondered if their protocol said anything about cash tips.

Everybody not only accepts cash tips, but they actually prefer cash for obvious reasons

[drsel]

Also the best way to tip your cabin steward, waiter or anyone else is in cash, because if you increase the gratuities, they will only get a small fraction of it.

 

 

 

 

[hamrag]

29 minutes ago, drsel said:

Masks should be worn whenever you are out of the house, except when exercising

 

Why?

[Formula280SS]

MSC Forced to Delay MSC Magnifica Program

August 24, 2020

 

https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/23417-msc-forced-to-delay-msc-magnifica-program.html

 

"MSC cited the recent introduction of additional testing measures for residents of Italy having traveled to Greece."

 

MSC Magnifica's restart delayed to late September

Anne Kalosh | Aug 24, 2020

 

https://www.seatrade-cruise.com/environmental-health/msc-magnificas-restart-delayed-late-september

 

Edited August 24, 2020 by Formula280SS

[drsel]

 

Why?

They were cases of people who went jogging with masks on and a few collapsed due to insufficient oxygen.

 

 

[cruiser man 60]

38 minutes ago, drsel said:

Masks should be worn whenever you are out of the house, except when exercising

They are not required in Italy during daytime if just walking around ,needed in evenings as they found too many young people gathering in evenings without masks which is cause of increased cases. Other parts of Europe including UK don’t require them outside.

[Até]

24 minutes ago, Formula280SS said:

MSC Forced to Delay MSC Magnifica Program

 

I was wondering why Magnifica hadn't left Genoa yet.  I think the delay has more to do with soft demand rather than getting the additional return test if a person took a shore excursion at a port in Greece.  The requirement for proof of a negative RT-PCR test 72 hours before boarding for the many "high risk" Schengen country residents is probably a factor in the low demand.  Perhaps if Grandiosa can pull off several sailings without incident demand will increase.

[hamrag]

39 minutes ago, drsel said:

They were cases of people who went jogging with masks on and a few collapsed due to insufficient oxygen.

My question was why masks should be worn whenever you are out of the house, except when exercising? You appear to be advocating masks be worn in ALL other situations when you leave the house....that seems insane to me!

[drsel]

It's the law in some countries

[Formula280SS]

33 minutes ago, Até said:

 

I was wondering why Magnifica hadn't left Genoa yet.  I think the delay has more to do with soft demand rather than getting the additional return test if a person took a shore excursion at a port in Greece.  The requirement for proof of a negative RT-PCR test 72 hours before boarding for the many "high risk" Schengen country residents is probably a factor in the low demand.  Perhaps if Grandiosa can pull off several sailings without incident demand will increase.

 

Yep, likely a combination; could be that the new (recent) demands (of further tests) created too many cancellations.

 

"Due to the recent introduction of further tests for Italian citizens who went to Greece, and the fact that the ship's itinerary includes three Greek ports of call, the company is experiencing numerous cancellations and a decline in demand. For these reasons, MSC has taken the decision to postpone the departure of the ship for four weeks."

[Até]

It's the same post cruise test requirement for people who get off Grandiosa in Malta and that ship is still sailing.  Also that extra Malta/Greece test requirement is currently set to expire September 7th so the Magnifica delay until September 26th doesn't make sense in that regard. 

[oteixeira]

1 hour ago, drsel said:

It's the law in some countries

Interesting....Thank God not in mine...The most we have is "recommendations" that the police can't really enforce, as you would need as many of them as their are people around the area to do it...