When Will We Feel Safe to Cruise Again

[DennisNV]

I wish we could go back to complaining about butter!

[Cruise Raider]

29 minutes ago, voljeep said:

#ustoo with a couple of changes - me and my wife - do like to go out on our own in ports if we are just going to walk around the port area - we have no problem with Princess excursions, and yes they are more expensive and generic, but we accept that

 

we are ship people, not cabin people - as we like to people watch as much as anything else

 

it's OB or higher for us now, where before we were happy with an inside

 

stay safe

stay hydrated

 

We usually do go out on our own in ports but, sometimes, we also just stay on the ship or take a Princess excursion.  In Alaska, a balcony is the only excursion we need to really enjoy ourselves.  We just tell our room steward to take the mornings off ... and we to get food or order room service and open a bottle of bubbly, we are set!!  

We usually book Obstructed OV cabins ... may have to reconsider springing for a balcony for our next sailing, though.  While I don't mind OV cabins with a decent view, I don't think my DH would ever step foot back on a cruise if he had to be quarantined without a balcony.  However, not sure they are even quarantining a whole ship of people as they did in the past ... in general, we don't know how it is going to work when cruising resumes.  I just don't think that quarantining a whole group of noninfected people for two weeks or more after the end of a cruise will happen again.  

 

[stoneharborlady]

27 minutes ago, DennisNV said:

I wish we could go back to complaining about butter!

Isnt that the truth!  We didnt know how well off we were.

[ohnonotmeagain]

21 hours ago, Roger88 said:

I keep hearing news that we are getting the vaccine by the end of this year. As soon as the vaccine will be around, there wont be any limitations and this covid thing will be considered as just another type of flue that can be easily curred 

 

Ha ha, very good wind up. Unless, of course you're serious....... 

[Old Coastie]

OK, so a vaccine becomes available.  It will take some time to get wide distribution and then additional time to ensure it’s effectiveness on a worldwide basis.  I would guess that any “normal” cruising will not take place until, at least, 2022.  Regardless of how long it takes to get, some cruising changes will also be necessary, including, verification that each passenger has been inoculated (the good old “shot” card), elimination of the buffet as we know it, much more spacing between tables in dinning rooms, and improved ship and cabin ventilation systems.  Also the mandatory warning of masks, at least when going ashore in some 3rd world countries.  We have a long way to go before cruising is a safe vacation bet, and I really hope the cruise lines will step up and start implementing these changes quickly because, like all of you, I want to get back to cruising as soon as it’s safe.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[voljeep]

20 minutes ago, Old Coastie said:

 I would guess that any “normal” cruising will not take place until, at least, 2022

so what about the 'abnormal' cruises going on now ?  are they OK ?

[Cruise Raider]

34 minutes ago, voljeep said:

so what about the 'abnormal' cruises going on now ?  are they OK ?

 

And ... I kind of love the idea of reduced capacity on a ship, even if it does mean wearing a mask.  If that is abnormal, bring it on!!  

[2wheelin]

3 hours ago, skynight said:

Minus 4 F (-20C) is dry ice shipping. Freezers are available for storage at these temperatures. Minus 94F (-35C) is still in the dry ice range, but probably requires special low temperature freezers for storage.

In both cases the distribution logistic issues are massive.  

Minus 35C is -31F.  I think you meant -70C which is a common lab freezer. Dry ice and liquid N are common transporter mediums.  Minus 20C is just your normal Sears home freezer. Nothing special about that. People tend to read C and think it must be super cold. All pharmacies and laboratories have such freezers and most labs have -60C or -80C freezers. My institution has thousands of them

[phred119s]

like some others have mentioned, I'd have no problems with boarding a ship today if we could!  Also, like others, we aren't "social" cruisers so we don't feel the need to meet new people. We began traveling again in May, and to be honest, I hate we took March and April off.  I haven't felt unsafe, and we haven't gotten sick. Sometimes we fly, sometimes we drive but either way we've encountered no problems. Like @Cruise Raider mentioned we take risks every day some of them are so routine that we don't even consider that it is a risk we are taking.

[abqmommyof4]

6 hours ago, geocruiser said:

I am very sorry to hear about your daughter passing away.  My  sincere condolence. 

Maria 

thank you

[abqmommyof4]

6 hours ago, Ombud said:

I'm sorry for your loss. My son is forever 16

thank you,  you understand  how  I feel

[abqmommyof4]

6 hours ago, memoak said:

I have gotten really tired of the “if I die I die “ attitude. 

 

i don't  live  with  the attitude of if I  die  I die, i'm  just not afraid of  death.  I do  what i need   to  keep myself  and those around me  safe.

[mcrcruiser]

There have been some very intelligent posts  on this thread ,backed up with  current data on the covid 19 vaccine entries coming  for initial distribution  .

 

 We talk to cruise line personnel  quite often /& have yet to hear about any protocols for  health safety as yet . The cruise lines have some ships sailing in the european market but now  the spread of Covid 19 has been increasing in a alarming rate 

 

 We hope that out cruise for Jan 15 ,2022  will be a successful & safe way to travel  once again .I do not see   passenger cruising resuming much before a year or more from now for the general public  . Cruise lines must have a  certain number of pax on board to be profitable  . Thus ,these huge ships  will have to have quite a few people on board to sail  & the health safety protocol must be in place .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Ombud]

1 hour ago, abqmommyof4 said:

i don't  live  with  the attitude of if I  die  I die, i'm  just not afraid of  death.  I do  what i need   to  keep myself  and those around me  safe.

Fortunately they can't understand that not being afraid isn't the same as reckless 

 

But I digress ~~~~~ I'm ready to cruise NOW I state as I'm watching football all day while Sheltering in Place. 

[brisalta]

7 hours ago, DennisNV said:

I wish we could go back to complaining about butter!

 

I prefer sweet butter as opposed to salted butter.

I really dislike it when they put out salted butter with the bread.

 

DennisNV does that complaint make you happy? 😉

[npcl]

8 hours ago, Cruise Raider said:

 

We usually do go out on our own in ports but, sometimes, we also just stay on the ship or take a Princess excursion.  In Alaska, a balcony is the only excursion we need to really enjoy ourselves.  We just tell our room steward to take the mornings off ... and we to get food or order room service and open a bottle of bubbly, we are set!!  

We usually book Obstructed OV cabins ... may have to reconsider springing for a balcony for our next sailing, though.  While I don't mind OV cabins with a decent view, I don't think my DH would ever step foot back on a cruise if he had to be quarantined without a balcony.  However, not sure they are even quarantining a whole ship of people as they did in the past ... in general, we don't know how it is going to work when cruising resumes.  I just don't think that quarantining a whole group of noninfected people for two weeks or more after the end of a cruise will happen again.  

 

hard to tell since the cruiselines have not submitted their plans to the CDC yet.

 

the team rcl and nclh put together has not even completed their work yet.

[ksheehan16]

If you are afraid do not cruise. Let everyone else live like human beings.

[Outerdog]

2 minutes ago, ksheehan16 said:

If you are afraid do not cruise. Let everyone else live like human beings.

 

As has been stated many times in these threads, the consequences of the choices an individual makes with regards to covid are not limited to that individual. In other words, you spread that crap to others upon your return.

 

You are not living like animals by not cruising for a year. Ease up on the drama.

 

[brisalta]

8 hours ago, Cruise Raider said:

 

 In Alaska, a balcony is the only excursion we need to really enjoy ourselves.  We just tell our room steward to take the mornings off ... and we to get food or order room service and open a bottle of bubbly, we are set!!  

 

 

 

I hope you give your room steward written instructions to show their supervisor as the supervisors perform random checks of the staterooms to make sure the work has been done.

[HappyInVan]

Holy Smokes! Israel is first country to lockdown again. For a month.

 

"All schools, hotels and shopping centres are to close; Supermarkets, pharmacies and restaurants can only open for delivery..

 

Israel was initially quick to curb the spread of the virus and sealed the country’s borders early on in the year during its first outbreak. But in an effort to kickstart the economy, schools were invited to reopen in May, which led to a surge in cases."

 

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/israel-coronavirus-lockdown-cases-second-wave-infections-b435513.html

 

 

[Paula_MacFan]

12 hours ago, brisalta said:

 

I hope you give your room steward written instructions to show their supervisor as the supervisors perform random checks of the staterooms to make sure the work has been done.

 

Wouldn't that be the same as leaving the 'do not disturb' sign on the door?  We regularly refuse steward service and leave out the sign.  I've never had to provide 'written instructions'.  That seems a little over the top.

[Cruise Raider]

31 minutes ago, Paula_MacFan said:

 

Wouldn't that be the same as leaving the 'do not disturb' sign on the door?  We regularly refuse steward service and leave out the sign.  I've never had to provide 'written instructions'.  That seems a little over the top.

 

I agree!  We oftentimes just ask them to provide us with fresh towels, TP, Kleenex, etc if we need it.  They are always happy to oblige.  We also keep the do not disturb sign out on the door so, the supervisor will know we did not want to be disturbed.  If we happen to meet with the supervisor in the hallway, we make sure to let him/her know that we appreciate the room steward respects our wishes.  We never reduce the tip, either, in case someone was going to jump to that conclusion.  I really wouldn't even object to reducing the room steward's duties to only once a day.  I think Carnival did that at one time ... maybe it still exists.  I honestly don't know .. I just read about it being reduced to once a day.  People could choose if they wanted morning or evening service.  That would certainly work for me.  However,  I could see how that works out in the long run ... they will just reduce the number of room stewards, increase their number of rooms and then, there will always an entire block of passengers on a particular cruise that are more needy and then the room steward gets slammed.  

[Paula_MacFan]

21 minutes ago, Cruise Raider said:

 

I agree!  We oftentimes just ask them to provide us with fresh towels, TP, Kleenex, etc if we need it.  They are always happy to oblige.  We also keep the do not disturb sign out on the door so, the supervisor will know we did not want to be disturbed.  If we happen to meet with the supervisor in the hallway, we make sure to let him/her know that we appreciate the room steward respects our wishes.  We never reduce the tip, either, in case someone was going to jump to that conclusion.  I really wouldn't even object to reducing the room steward's duties to only once a day.  I think Carnival did that at one time ... maybe it still exists.  I honestly don't know .. I just read about it being reduced to once a day.  People could choose if they wanted morning or evening service.  That would certainly work for me.  However,  I could see how that works out in the long run ... they will just reduce the number of room stewards, increase their number of rooms and then, there will always an entire block of passengers on a particular cruise that are more needy and then the room steward gets slammed.  

 

We do same thing, just ask for things as needed and don't require total service 2x a day. And I didn't mention it in my original post either but obviously we have never reduced tips and leave the auto tips in place regardless.

[Ombud]

52 minutes ago, Paula_MacFan said:

We do same thing, just ask for things as needed and don't require total service 2x a day. And I didn't mention it in my original post either but obviously we have never reduced tips and leave the auto tips in place regardless.

I just have evening service. I make my own bed at home & onboard 

[TheRabbit]

2 hours ago, Ombud said:

I just have evening service. I make my own bed at home & onboard 

My DW informed me it was full service or No Go. Fingers crossed.