So sad. Just cancelled Xmas/NYE cruise

[TeaBag]

On 9/20/2020 at 4:58 PM, TeeRick said:

If the vaccine becomes available soon and passengers can get access to it for two doses in the first few months of 2021 then maybe so.  Unfortunately the virus seems to be rebounding in Europe.  I have a cruise in Aug 2021 in Norway.  I am worried about it unless a vaccine soon.  The virus has shown to be very persistent.

We are on that Norway cruise also and I do hope it goes.  If there is no vaccine by then we will not be able to cruise.  We also have one booked for June 2021 and we're worried about that one.  It's our third attempt to see Petra.

[Algebralovr]

We actually made final payment on ours.  NonRF deposit was part of the equation.  The fact they are getting faster on the refunds was another part.   Now we wait to see what happens.

Edited September 24, 2020 by Algebralovr

[excitedofharpenden]

On 9/21/2020 at 12:58 AM, TeeRick said:

If the vaccine becomes available soon and passengers can get access to it for two doses in the first few months of 2021 then maybe so.  Unfortunately the virus seems to be rebounding in Europe.  I have a cruise in Aug 2021 in Norway.  I am worried about it unless a vaccine soon.  The virus has shown to be very persistent.

Totally agree with you, albeit very depressing. My cruise days are over until there's a vaccine or treatment if I get it. I have no desire to put myself through the protocols that will be in place as and when cruising restarts. That's not a relaxing time. I am desperate to cruise again, but not that desperate. 

 

It's going to be at least 2nd quarter of 2021 and even then I am not so sure. We face a long winter ahead here in the UK with continuing and tightening of restrictions as covid numbers grow again.

 

Phil 

[Eli_6]

1 hour ago, LGW59 said:

If Celebrity does not cancel then you will almost surely get a FCC of 100%, if they cancel before you do, they should offer either a full refund or 125% FCC.

Thanks for the info!  I would love to get the refund or the higher FCC, but I have an $8k balance due in 3 days that I don't really want to pay given the current state of affairs of the cruise industry...although, I think that RC/Celebrity are probably in the best place financially of the big 3...at least, according to their stock prices. But I am just going to cancel and take my FCC for my deposit and hopefully book something for summer 2022 when they come out with the Europe sailing itineraries.  

[Oceangoer2]

25 minutes ago, excitedofharpenden said:

Totally agree with you, albeit very depressing. My cruise days are over until there's a vaccine or treatment if I get it. I have no desire to put myself through the protocols that will be in place as and when cruising restarts. That's not a relaxing time. I am desperate to cruise again, but not that desperate. 

 

It's going to be at least 2nd quarter of 2021 and even then I am not so sure. We face a long winter ahead here in the UK with continuing and tightening of restrictions as covid numbers grow again.

 

Phil 

 

1 minute ago, Eli_6 said:

Thanks for the info!  I would love to get the refund or the higher FCC, but I have an $8k balance due in 3 days that I don't really want to pay given the current state of affairs of the cruise industry...although, I think that RC/Celebrity are probably in the best place financially of the big 3...at least, according to their stock prices. But I am just going to cancel and take my FCC for my deposit and hopefully book something for summer 2022 when they come out with the Europe sailing itineraries.  

 

Long winter AND Spring and maybe SUMMER?  Waiting until March final payment date to decide cancel or no.  So if I cancel, I have to take my deposit in FCC.  If they cancel AFTER final payment, they refund me 100% or 125% FCC?  Lines are getting bso blurry on what X if offering day to day.  By March they may be insolvent...LOL....not really, just cynical humour.

[Eli_6]

On 9/20/2020 at 6:58 PM, TeeRick said:

If the vaccine becomes available soon and passengers can get access to it for two doses in the first few months of 2021 then maybe so.  Unfortunately the virus seems to be rebounding in Europe.  I have a cruise in Aug 2021 in Norway.  I am worried about it unless a vaccine soon.  The virus has shown to be very persistent.

Out of curiosity, why do you think it would require two doses?  They are giving two doses in the trials, but many of the doses are not real doses but just placebo. So, basically, some people get 2 real doses, some 1 and some none. But that does not necessarily mean that the final vaccine would require two doses.  Even one dose would likely provide some immunity. 

 

The rumor mill on some of my husband's physician discussion "boards" is that the US government is going to allow essential healthcare workers to get the vaccine even before the trials are done. I have not heard which one (Modern, AZ, pfizer, etc.) they would be giving them...although, it could just be a rumor or, even if it is not a rumor, may not materialize.  

 

Pfizer, Moderna, AZ, etc. are already manufacturing the vaccine in the tens of millions so when/if it is approved, they will have a number ready to go.  I was watching one of my stock market programs the other day and they were interviewing one of the major pharm CEO's (can't recall if Pfizer, Moderna or someone else) that is currently in trials and he was saying they will know by the end of October if the vaccine is effective/safe and from then it will just be a matter of how long the FDA takes to move it through their process.  I suspect that after healthcare workers get the vaccine, over 60 or 65 and pre-existing health conditions (that make you more likely to have a bad outcome) will be next in line.  Our family if 4 is scheduled to go on B2B Barcelona to London and then Norwegian Fjords on CCL in late May and early June. Both my husband and I think it will happen. In fact, we are more worried about CCL canceling for other reasons.  I have already figured out alternative Celebrity and MSC sailings we can take around the same time in case that happens. 

[TeeRick]

As for the vaccine clinical trials, there are multiple candidates.  Many of them are using two doses in the treatment groups and of course no dose in placebo.  There is one company J&J/Janssen that just announced they are testing a one dose vaccine in phase 3.

https://www.cnn.com/2020/09/23/health/johnson--johnson-coronavirus-vaccine-trial-begins/index.html

 

The CDC has publicly disclosed their vaccine distribution plans recently which includes initial doses going to health care workers as one early group.  Here is a passage from it:

 

Final decisions are being made about use of initially available supplies of COVID-19 vaccines. These decisions will be partially informed by the proven efficacy of the vaccines coming out of Phase 3 trials, but populations of focus for initial COVID-19 vaccination may include: (see Section 4: Critical Populations) • Healthcare personnel likely to be exposed to or treat people with COVID-19. • People at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19, including those with underlying medical conditions and people 65 years of age and older • Other essential workers

https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/imz-managers/downloads/COVID-19-Vaccination-Program-Interim_Playbook.pdf

[Northern Aurora]

Like so many others I also share the OP's pain.  We were on the Solstice in Australian waters when cruising ceased for passengers so cut a planned B2B2B2B series very short and headed for home.  Today,  September 25,  we would have boarded the Eclipse in Vancouver for a B2B (trans-Pacific to Yokohama and then on to Singapore).  But we are healthy and safe.  And who knows when we will resume cruising.  A very strange world indeed.

[hcat]

Surprised thread is still active.

Seeing it reminds me of the half dozen or so  Celebrity cruises we cancelled.

 

First one was early on in this Covid  situation,  a dream itin on Summit . It was our choice to cancel so we are still  holding a very large FCC...Others who waited it out had the cruise cancelled by X and got refunds, including their ins costs which we did not receive,

 

The rest of the cancelled cruises took  many  phone calls to arrange and  long waits to receive refunds, and the need to file several credit card disputes,.  Now we have done a   lift and shift  for a remaining cruise and  have another cancellation pending b/c of date conflict with the L &S.

 

Upside is that we used the  travel money for new furniture, other  home improvements!   But we hope cruising resumes safely by 2022!

[Oceangoer2]

57 minutes ago, hcat said:

Surprised thread is still active.

Seeing it reminds me of the half dozen or so  Celebrity cruises we cancelled.

 

First one was early on in this Covid  situation,  a dream itin on Summit . It was our choice to cancel so we are still  holding a very large FCC...Others who waited it out had the cruise cancelled by X and got refunds, including their ins costs which we did not receive,

 

The rest of the cancelled cruises took  many  phone calls to arrange and  long waits to receive refunds, and the need to file several credit card disputes,.  Now we have done a   lift and shift  for a remaining cruise and  have another cancellation pending b/c of date conflict with the L &S.

 

Upside is that we used the  travel money for new furniture, other  home improvements!   But we hope cruising resumes safely by 2022!

 

You cancelled 2021 cruises for L&S 2022?  Not sure if we should pay balance in March '21 and wait for our June '21 cruise to be cancelled by X or just cancel before final payment.  Seems by your experience it's better to make final payment and have all refunded rather than for us to cancel prior to final and have to accept future cruise credits.  You certainly have had a hard time with many cruises...we only have two...hopefully Dec. '21 will be a go but have real doubts about June '21.

Edited September 26, 2020 by AtSeaSoon

[calicakes]

I think we'll be fine for cruising in June 2021.  We have an Iberian Peninsula cruise booked for Sept 2021.  I have high hopes, our TA seems to think we'll be going on our Dec 2020 xmas cruise. 

[TeeRick]

7 minutes ago, calicakes said:

I think we'll be fine for cruising in June 2021.  We have an Iberian Peninsula cruise booked for Sept 2021.  I have high hopes, our TA seems to think we'll be going on our Dec 2020 xmas cruise. 

We are Aug 2021 Norway.  Two concerns currently.  Hoping we can get there traveling from the US.  Also hoping that the Norwegian ports are open for us. 

[MamaFej]

We, too, were supposed to be on the Eclipse yesterday for the B2B2B all the way to Singapore. We planned some on land time in Singapore, then an 18 day Princess cruise from there to Sydney, via Thailand and north and eastern Australia. 

 

We were to fly home for the holidays, then back to Sydney in late January for lots of cruises and land time in AUS/NZ, various South Pacific islands, then 10 days of cruising around Tahiti, then from Tahiti to San Francisco via Hawaii. At that point, we'd have a short one hour flight home in time for our daughter's college graduation. 

 

These trips had been in the works for about two years, and we were so excited to live out our retirement dream, Plan B. PapaFej has now been retired for just over a year, and I'm glad we snagged a last minute Honolulu to Vancouver cruise when he moved his retirement date up. That October 2019 cruise was our most recent one. 

 

Retirement Plan B: lots of international travel before we become grandparents, came about in recent years when we got hooked on it following a last-minute 25th anniversary cruise. Covid sent us back to the Plan A we had since falling in love in the late 1980s: replacing our 20 year-old motorhome and traveling North America. Well, we can't RV internationally for now, but we are enjoying being physically and socially distant from others while getting to see even more of our beautiful country, and getting to do so outside of school break times. 

 

I imagine that nearly everyone who frequents these boards has lost out on cruising and other opportunities, and I'm sorry for all. We've chosen not to try to cruise again until 2022, as we have lots planned in the RV before then. For those ready to get back on a ship, I hope you will be able to soon, and thank you for blazing the trail for the rest of us who will join you aboard in the future.

[LGW59]

36 minutes ago, MamaFej said:

We, too, were supposed to be on the Eclipse yesterday for the B2B2B all the way to Singapore. We planned some on land time in Singapore, then an 18 day Princess cruise from there to Sydney, via Thailand and north and eastern Australia. 

 

We were to fly home for the holidays, then back to Sydney in late January for lots of cruises and land time in AUS/NZ, various South Pacific islands, then 10 days of cruising around Tahiti, then from Tahiti to San Francisco via Hawaii. At that point, we'd have a short one hour flight home in time for our daughter's college graduation. 

 

These trips had been in the works for about two years, and we were so excited to live out our retirement dream, Plan B. PapaFej has now been retired for just over a year, and I'm glad we snagged a last minute Honolulu to Vancouver cruise when he moved his retirement date up. That October 2019 cruise was our most recent one. 

 

Retirement Plan B: lots of international travel before we become grandparents, came about in recent years when we got hooked on it following a last-minute 25th anniversary cruise. Covid sent us back to the Plan A we had since falling in love in the late 1980s: replacing our 20 year-old motorhome and traveling North America. Well, we can't RV internationally for now, but we are enjoying being physically and socially distant from others while getting to see even more of our beautiful country, and getting to do so outside of school break times. 

 

I imagine that nearly everyone who frequents these boards has lost out on cruising and other opportunities, and I'm sorry for all. We've chosen not to try to cruise again until 2022, as we have lots planned in the RV before then. For those ready to get back on a ship, I hope you will be able to soon, and thank you for blazing the trail for the rest of us who will join you aboard in the future.

well we are just 4 days out from CDC announcement on sail/no sail order.  I feel like if they had postive news, would have been announced by now, I hope I am wrong but....

[hcat]

12 hours ago, AtSeaSoon said:

 

You cancelled 2021 cruises for L&S 2022?  Not sure if we should pay balance in March '21 and wait for our June '21 cruise to be cancelled by X or just cancel before final payment.  Seems by your experience it's better to make final payment and have all refunded rather than for us to cancel prior to final and have to accept future cruise credits.  You certainly have had a hard time with many cruises...we only have two...hopefully Dec. '21 will be a go but have real doubts about June '21.

Maybe I was confused or confusing...sorry,

 

We did the lift and shift for Connie cruise Jan 2021 TO Reflection Jan 2022 ( our best option after looking at the L&S chart).   We  then cancelled APEX for Jan 2022 because the dates were too close to the Reflection dates.

 

In our Summit case, we were  quite past final payment  for a May cruise. X was dangling us along ( this was early Covid time)  and we just pulled the plug to  end the stress.  The offer ( with a short deadline)  at the time was for  a  50 % cash refund and a 50%  FCC.   Those who waited  for X got full refunds after Celeb cancelled the cruise.  We should have waited but were  very nervous we would have to take the cruise or lose more money.

 

In your case, if final payment is not paid,  and you can get all your money back, that's what I'd do, unless you will be comfortable cruising in June 2021,  if  the cruise is not cancelled.  Why make final payment and then have to deal with full or partial FCCs if cruise is cancelled,  some folks do that to get an enhanced 120% fcc, but that's not what we'd do,

 

You have time til  Dec 21 cruise...likely a "go",

Edited September 27, 2020 by hcat

[Oceangoer2]

11 hours ago, hcat said:

Maybe I was confused or confusing...sorry,

 

We did the lift and shift for Connie cruise Jan 2021 TO Reflection Jan 2022 ( our best option after looking at the L&S chart).   We  then cancelled APEX for Jan 2022 because the dates were too close to the Reflection dates.

 

In our Summit case, we were  quite past final payment  for a May cruise. X was dangling us along ( this was early Covid time)  and we just pulled the plug to  end the stress.  The offer ( with a short deadline)  at the time was for  a  50 % cash refund and a 50%  FCC.   Those who waited  for X got full refunds after Celeb cancelled the cruise.  We should have waited but were  very nervous we would have to take the cruise or lose more money.

 

In your case, if final payment is not paid,  and you can get all your money back, that's what I'd do, unless you will be comfortable cruising in June 2021,  if  the cruise is not cancelled.  Why make final payment and then have to deal with full or partial FCCs if cruise is cancelled,  some folks do that to get an enhanced 120% fcc, but that's not what we'd do,

 

You have time til  Dec 21 cruise...likely a "go",

 

Thanks for your response......judging by past practice, they seem to offer the cruise until after final payment, keep our $$s, then offer L&S when they cancel.  Our Nov. '20 cruise still isn't cancelled (we opted out early);  I see VERY few cabins occupied, but it's still on the table.

 

We'll most likely cancel June '21 cruise prior to final...virus may still be largely widespread and vaccine may not be an option by early summer.  Hoping everything will be in a better place for the later cruise.

Edited September 27, 2020 by AtSeaSoon

[phoenix_dream]

On 9/20/2020 at 5:05 PM, CharmCity2000 said:

Thanks to all for letting me cry.  I know it’s nothing in the scheme of things.   After this year, we all need a good long vacation.
 

 

Don’t beat yourself up.  It is not nothing. Of course there are more serious issues out there, but it is just being human to feel grief for all we are missing. Vacations are more than just going somewhere. They are experiences and adventures with our families, friends, and wonderful staff we meet onboard. They are memories that last a lifetime.  Missing them is truly just one more loss in a year of many losses.

[cpl100]

On 9/20/2020 at 7:58 PM, TeeRick said:

If the vaccine becomes available soon and passengers can get access to it for two doses in the first few months of 2021 then maybe so.  Unfortunately the virus seems to be rebounding in Europe.  I have a cruise in Aug 2021 in Norway.  I am worried about it unless a vaccine soon.  The virus has shown to be very persistent.

There is no way that the average person desiring leisure travel will be prioritized for the vaccine.   It will take quite some time for enough doses to be manufactured for the worldwide population.   First prioritized will be healthcare workers,  then first responders,  then those in situations like elderly in nursing homes,  then essential workers (including teachers, food processing/manufacturing, retail supermarket workers, etc.), and then elderly and those with high risk pre-existing conditions.   This is as it should be and necessary if we want to maximize the effects on deaths and spread.  [And I believe the industry knows this as evidenced by the fact that the protocols newly published mandate masks and testing rather than vaccine.]

[phoenix_dream]

17 minutes ago, cpl100 said:

There is no way that the average person desiring leisure travel will be prioritized for the vaccine.   It will take quite some time for enough doses to be manufactured for the worldwide population.   First prioritized will be healthcare workers,  then first responders,  then those in situations like elderly in nursing homes,  then essential workers (including teachers, food processing/manufacturing, retail supermarket workers, etc.), and then elderly and those with high risk pre-existing conditions.   This is as it should be and necessary if we want to maximize the effects on deaths and spread.  [And I believe the industry knows this as evidenced by the fact that the protocols newly published mandate masks and testing rather than vaccine.]

We will almost certainly have one or more vaccines by year end. The companies are already betting on approval and producing millions of doses.  I would certainly expect that by next August anyone wanting a vaccine will be able to secure one. No guarantees, but I think that is truly possible, if not likely.  Remember 40% or so of people said they will not take the vaccine for awhile, if ever. That frees up more doses for the rest of us.

[Fouremco]

2 hours ago, cpl100 said:

There is no way that the average person desiring leisure travel will be prioritized for the vaccine.   It will take quite some time for enough doses to be manufactured for the worldwide population.   First prioritized will be healthcare workers,  then first responders,  then those in situations like elderly in nursing homes,  then essential workers (including teachers, food processing/manufacturing, retail supermarket workers, etc.), and then elderly and those with high risk pre-existing conditions.   This is as it should be and necessary if we want to maximize the effects on deaths and spread.  [And I believe the industry knows this as evidenced by the fact that the protocols newly published mandate masks and testing rather than vaccine.]

I disagree with your ranking of elderly and those with high risk pre-existing conditions that low on the list, but I guess we will have to wait and see.

 

Recently published protocols have included masks and testing, but not vaccines, because cruise lines can't very well mandate them when no approved vaccines are available.

[hcat]

Hopefully, once the rollout starts and the vaccine  is a success, it will be available to all like the flu shot.  The governor of our state N,Y.,  believes that the  state gov should be in charge but  i do not think that's how other vaccines like flu, shingles,pneumonia distribution work in the U.S..  We get them at the dr or local pharmacy either covered by ins or self pay.

 

    Medicare,  Medicaid and insurance companies have a list of what is covered.  If the Covid is  no cost, then not sure how it will be distributed???

[Covepointcruiser]

We are eager to get the vaccine.    We work at a food pantry handing out food to those in need five days a week.   We are also over 65 so I hope we would be in one of the first waves to be vaccinated.    We will get the flu vaccine next week.    Cunard has canceled our December cruise and Seabourn cancelled our April transatlantic.   We have not had to contact the cruise lines as our TA took care of everything.    With Florida wide open in Stage 3 we will see how the infection levels increase.   In Maryland, we have been in Stage 3 for a month but masks are still required and bars and restaurants have limited occupancy.   Our county library just opened after Labor Day.   Children can’t attend classes in person but as of 10/1, all sports and extracurricular activities are allowed.  Obviously things don’t have to make sense.

[TeeRick]

16 hours ago, hcat said:

Hopefully, once the rollout starts and the vaccine  is a success, it will be available to all like the flu shot.  The governor of our state N,Y.,  believes that the  state gov should be in charge but  i do not think that's how other vaccines like flu, shingles,pneumonia distribution work in the U.S..  We get them at the dr or local pharmacy either covered by ins or self pay.

 

    Medicare,  Medicaid and insurance companies have a list of what is covered.  If the Covid is  no cost, then not sure how it will be distributed???

hcat the governor of your state- since you brought it up here- is probably making the anti-vaxxers giddy with excitement from some of his latest vaccine comments.  I truly hope we can all get beyond this stuff and offer everybody in every state an effective vaccine asap!  COVID does not care about politics.

[C-Dragons]

On 9/24/2020 at 6:14 PM, Eli_6 said:

Out of curiosity, why do you think it would require two doses?  They are giving two doses in the trials, but many of the doses are not real doses but just placebo. So, basically, some people get 2 real doses, some 1 and some none. But that does not necessarily mean that the final vaccine would require two doses.  Even one dose would likely provide some immunity. 

 

This article in the Miami Herald might help answer your question.

 

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/coronavirus/article245412305.html

[cpl100]

20 hours ago, Fouremco said:

I disagree with your ranking of elderly and those with high risk pre-existing conditions that low on the list, but I guess we will have to wait and see.

 

Recently published protocols have included masks and testing, but not vaccines, because cruise lines can't very well mandate them when no approved vaccines are available.

I understand your feelings as I can be qualified as both elderly and high risk.  However, I have the option to stay out of the public arena.  Those I cited ahead of my own category do not.  In order to gain the greatest effect of vaccination, those who are at a greater risk of contracting and spreading the disease have every reason to be vaccinated before I do, including those who are forced to work with the public daily in essential services such as medical staff and grocery workers.  For example, if all grocery workers are vaccinated, going into stores becomes safer for all who must do so even though they all are not vaccinated.  I do not mean every retail person in every retail store.  I am talking about people in truly essential services; i.e., we must all eat but we WANT to have a haircut.  We will not die without a haircut but we will die without safe access to food.  These days people do seem to have questionable ability to determine a need vs. a want, IMO.