Why don't cruise lines consider a "Cruise to Nowhere" option

[shipshape sam]

I could do a 3 day cruise to nowhere or add a private island in and increase to 5 day.  

[phoenix_dream]

20 hours ago, smalltimecruiser100 said:

For me, great idea to begin cruising again but only after a vaccine comes out.  Also how about a test for the norovirus..That would be even better. 

Seriously?  You would care more about a norovirus test than a vaccine for Covid-19??  Norovirus sucks for sure, but it doesn't kill you and doesn't shut down the entire cruise industry for months (perhaps years).   I would love to have a norovirus test, and better yet a vaccine, but feeling miserable for a few days pales by comparison to dying from Covid-19 or being stuck on a quarantined ship for weeks on end.

[smalltimecruiser100]

6 hours ago, phoenix_dream said:

Seriously?  You would care more about a norovirus test than a vaccine for Covid-19??  Norovirus sucks for sure, but it doesn't kill you and doesn't shut down the entire cruise industry for months (perhaps years).   I would love to have a norovirus test, and better yet a vaccine, but feeling miserable for a few days pales by comparison to dying from Covid-19 or being stuck on a quarantined ship for weeks on end.

You  misunderstood me.. I should have spelled it out better. What I meant was a novovirus test would be in "addition" to the Covid-19 vaccine & test ,not in place of. I'm just saying that I would not feel comfortable to cruise until the Covid-19 vaccine comes out. I think cruise to nowhere might be a good place to start cruising again .  BTW,  I do care quite a bit about whats happening with people lives. It's very tragic!!!

[ipeeinthepool]

On 8/20/2020 at 3:34 PM, proshopred said:

I enjoy being at sea & the ship experience....dining, gambling, entertainment...and just relaxing aboard a cruise ship....I do take shore excursions, but I have been to the Caribbean ports so many times that I don't need to get off the ship to enjoy a cruise....Many countries won't allow US passengers to disembark in their ports any time soon.....I don't want to wait for a vaccine.....I know this would not appeal to everyone, but.....Would anyone be interested in a cruise to nowhere if it was offered by Celebrity?

 

I'm ready to sail as long as the pools are open.  Nothing better than relaxing all day in the pool on a sea day.  A great way to make new friends.

[wrk2cruise]

And Mr. Pee doesn't have to worry about people social distancing from him in the pool.

[Charles4515]

And Mr. Pee doesn't have to worry about people social distancing from him in the pool.

I love sitting out by the pool but I won’t get in a cruise ship pool! Yuck.


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[phoenix_dream]

On 8/21/2020 at 12:04 PM, alley24 said:

I guess we could all stay in our rooms as well and enjoy our balconies if we have one, the future of cruising until the pandemic ends looks rather bleak to me,  cruising at this time sounds like serving a week in prison only with better food. 

Nothing I've read indicates you would be stuck in your cabin all day.  Sounds like they would be considering fewer passengers onboard, spaced out dining and entertainment areas,  possibly mask wearing in public.  And for someone who hates cooking as much as I do and has now been doing it regularly since March, being in my cabin and having wonderful meals delivered to me is starting to sound better and better🙂

[budmeister]

I would be very happy with that!

[cruisemom42]

1 hour ago, phoenix_dream said:

And for someone who hates cooking as much as I do and has now been doing it regularly since March, being in my cabin and having wonderful meals delivered to me is starting to sound better and better🙂

 

Couldn't you have quite a few nice meals delivered to you at home for the cost of going on a cruise though?

 

That's what we've been doing. Springing for a nice meal at least once a week (and less expensive take-out more often) helps keep me sane.

[Pinboy]

On 8/21/2020 at 6:35 PM, grandgeezer said:

 

Not us. We go for the ports. The time on the ship is just transportation. Lodging, food and drink are better, and cheaper back home, hence we don't do drink packages or specialty dining.

I assume you have been on many cruises---

How many friggin tshirts , cheap junk jewelry, wood carvings from China, spices , and fake Rolex watches do you need ?  What do you spend your OBC's on ?  Bingo ?  Rain forest tours ?  

Where we live, comparable meals to the Specialty restaurants on board are much more expensive. 

 

[George C]

I agree with original poster, have done 50 or so Caribbean cruises, we stay on the ship for many of them already would be happy with a cruise that maybe just hit a private island. My only issue would be flying to get to the port.

[grandgeezer]

25 minutes ago, Pinboy said:

I assume you have been on many cruises---

How many friggin tshirts , cheap junk jewelry, wood carvings from China, spices , and fake Rolex watches do you need ?  What do you spend your OBC's on ?  Bingo ?  Rain forest tours ?  

Where we live, comparable meals to the Specialty restaurants on board are much more expensive. 

 

 

Since you assumed we've been on many cruises, it's 47, but who's counting. We've bought none of the items you mentioned. We spend our money on local drinks, local food, and some tours.

If we get obc from the cruise line, that money goes to customary trips and ship sponsored tours. The refundable obc we get from our online TA, which is always at least double the amount the cruise line gives, all of it goes back to our credit card.

Where we live, there are places where comparable meals are less than the specialty restaurants are and the food, service, and atmosphere is at least as good if not better, in most cases.

[George C]

I like my friggin shirts , I wear my tank tops daily from about April to October in the daytime at least . My OBC goes to chips for casino play , you buy 50 and get 55 in chips. Might use some for specialty restaurants but really like Luminae.

[ECCruise]

1 hour ago, Pinboy said:

I assume you have been on many cruises---

How many friggin tshirts , cheap junk jewelry, wood carvings from China, spices , and fake Rolex watches do you need ?  What do you spend your OBC's on ?  Bingo ?  Rain forest tours ?  

Where we live, comparable meals to the Specialty restaurants on board are much more expensive. 

 

It all depends on how/where you cruise.

We do not sail in the Caribbean so not as tempted by the type of junk purchases you mention.  Plus, we have probably "shopped" less than 5 times on all of our cruises.  Our OBC is almost always refundable, so we get a credit on our CC at the end of the cruise.

As for Specialty restaurants, as a rule outside dining may be slightly more expensive since onboard they average around $100 per couple, but we don't give up a perfectly acceptable meal in the MDR to eat there.

Edited August 23, 2020 by ECCruise

[Pinboy]

59 minutes ago, ECCruise said:

As for Specialty restaurants, as a rule outside dining may be slightly more expensive since onboard they average around $100 per couple, but we don't give up a perfectly acceptable meal in the MDR to eat there.

We review the daily dinner menu on their app ahead of time and chose the days we want to go to a Specialty restaurant.

While I've read negative comments from time to time on CC about the MDR,  we find the food and service to be very good. 

Because we have non-refundable OBC , we use it for Specialty restaurants. 

[ECCruise]

Just now, Pinboy said:

We review the daily dinner menu on their app ahead of time and chose the days we want to go to a Specialty restaurant.

While I've read negative comments from time to time on CC about the MDR,  we find the food and service to be very good. 

Because we have non-refundable OBC , we use it for Specialty restaurants. 

If we end up with nonrefundable, that's where ours goes to....a good meal. 

[cangelmd]

On 8/22/2020 at 8:51 AM, proshopred said:

The motivation for my original post was not to advocate changes in US laws .... I am simply frustrated that this virus has denied me the opportunity to enjoy the cruising experience which is one of the things we always look forward .....My wife & I have been on over 25 cruises..... We have had to cancel 2 as a result of COVID....We have made reservations for 3 more for 2021 - and likely we will be forced to cancel one or more of these - which makes me sad.....I long resisted my wife's desires to take a Transatlantic cruise....I always feared that I would be "bored" with so many "sea days"....now, I would jump at the chance to be on one...To me, a "Cruise to Nowhere" isn't something that could ever replace an adventure with stops in several ports....but our world may never be "normal" again....and I hope that cruising can return in some fashion....SOON!

To answer your actual original question - yes, heavens yes! I cannot, however, be quarantined for 14 days on return. 
I think some form of limited stop cruising is what the first few cruises from the US will be like. I think there will be a transition period to shakedown and improve the safety procedures. I think these trips will be shorter than what many of us prefer and will have fewer stops, but we enjoy shipboard life and usually are in a suite or Aqua, so have a way to get away from others.

After 6 months of going to the hospital to work, not knowing who has it and who doesn’t - I know how to protect myself, and I’m good with a few days of sort of restaurant meals and no dishes or laundry,

[cruisemom42]

6 hours ago, Pinboy said:

I assume you have been on many cruises---

How many friggin tshirts , cheap junk jewelry, wood carvings from China, spices , and fake Rolex watches do you need ?  What do you spend your OBC's on ?  Bingo ?  Rain forest tours ?  

Where we live, comparable meals to the Specialty restaurants on board are much more expensive. 

 

 

Kind of a strange dig?

 

I don't cruise (or travel) for the shopping or the meals onboard ship. I travel for the experiences. Walking alongside an ancient aqueduct on the beach in Israel. Hiking up Capri and exploring one of Tiberius's villas at the summit. Eating a delicious lunch of fresh grilled fish (some of which went to the cute and persistent cats) and Turkish mezzes in front of the huge temple of Apollo in Didyma. Visiting the ancient Khan-el-Khalili market in Cairo or the even older covered market in Aleppo (since destroyed by the fighting in Syria).

 

These are the things that sustain me in 2020, when such travel is currently impossible. However, if we are patient, we will travel again. Maybe not this year or next, but this isn't forever.  I'm not willing to forego those opportunities for some quick 3- or 5-day getaway with no ports and very little of what I enjoy about travel.

 

[GottaKnowWhen]

I enjoy sea days, have done 3 transatlantic cruises, have three more booked. It is nice to be in port occasionally, particularly in places rich in history or natural beauty. But the primary reason I would totally reject a 3-5-7 day cruise to nowhere (or to an RCL private island which amounts to the same thing) is that the hassle and expense of travel to embarkation and then back home is just too much - it is worth it for a decent length cruise (12 day minimum) but not for a quickie.

Stan

[Charles4515]

I assume you have been on many cruises---

How many friggin tshirts , cheap junk jewelry, wood carvings from China, spices , and fake Rolex watches do you need ?  What do you spend your OBC's on ?  Bingo ?  Rain forest tours ?  

Where we live, comparable meals to the Specialty restaurants on board are much more expensive. 

 

 

Sounds like you have only cruised in the Caribbean. There is a world of cruising out there that is not what you describe. For example Norwegian Fjords, the Baltic’s, Greek Isles, Scandinavia, the eastern and western Mediterranean etc. to name a few.

 

 

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[Germancruiser]

12 minutes ago, GottaKnowWhen said:

I enjoy sea days, have done 3 transatlantic cruises, have three more booked. It is nice to be in port occasionally, particularly in places rich in history or natural beauty. But the primary reason I would totally reject a 3-5-7 day cruise to nowhere (or to an RCL private island which amounts to the same thing) is that the hassle and expense of travel to embarkation and then back home is just too much - it is worth it for a decent length cruise (12 day minimum) but not for a quickie.

Stan

I quite understand- when I took my first 4 nighter out to nowhere- i choose so because I too love sea days- my favorite these past years where the Transatlantics on either QM2 or a X- ship.

I had to travel by train right from the deep south of Germany to Hamburg- the other end of the country so to speak. Germany is not that big- so all it took was a train journey of about 7 hours- very comfortable since i threated myself to first class.

Flying over to the states for a four nigher- I am sure I would not have done.

[Pinboy]

25 minutes ago, Charles4515 said:

Sounds like you have only cruised in the Caribbean.

Yes, mostly in the Caribbean due to weather here in winter and easy access.

However, we have cruised to Alaska , the Mediterranean , and recently had a British Isles cruise in July cancelled.

The way things are right now we don't have anything booked and when things do start up we will wait for feedback regarding the restrictions placed by the Cruise Line , enforcement of same , and passenger behavior.  

 

[cangelmd]

1 hour ago, GottaKnowWhen said:

I enjoy sea days, have done 3 transatlantic cruises, have three more booked. It is nice to be in port occasionally, particularly in places rich in history or natural beauty. But the primary reason I would totally reject a 3-5-7 day cruise to nowhere (or to an RCL private island which amounts to the same thing) is that the hassle and expense of travel to embarkation and then back home is just too much - it is worth it for a decent length cruise (12 day minimum) but not for a quickie.

Stan

Excellent point, we can drive to FLL if we had to. Port Canaveral is close enough to actually debate driving vs flying. We would rather fly to FLL or Miami, but could drive if we didn’t want to fly and really wanted to cruise.

 

Just thought of something - maybe this has been enough time to finish the renovation of the dreadful FLL airport. I bet money the ten has been suspended because of Covid! Does anyone know for sure?

[wolfie11]

18 hours ago, Pinboy said:

I assume you have been on many cruises---

How many friggin tshirts , cheap junk jewelry, wood carvings from China, spices , and fake Rolex watches do you need ?  What do you spend your OBC's on ?  Bingo ?  Rain forest tours ?  

Where we live, comparable meals to the Specialty restaurants on board are much more expensive. 

 

Not everyone goes to the Caribbean.  In well over a hundred cruises, I've been on two to the Caribbean and one of those was free.  I've sailed to dozens of countries on six continents (Antarctica this January if it happens).  I don't shop, don't drink onboard, and don't gamble.  I do a few shore excursions to places that would be hard to get to on my own, but usually I rent a car or wander around with my camera.  I have twenty years of great memories, a few extraordinary experiences, interesting food, thousands of photographs, and a lot of tee shirts.  Everyone cruises for their own reasons...