Another possible CDC no-sail extension?

[Hoopster95]

This answer is so blatantly obvious I'm surprised no one has picked up on it...

it's already happening...

 

Redeploy the ship, change the itinerary, cancel the cruise. Every single booked passenger starts from scratch.

Do not offer L&S, perhaps offer a measly $100 or $200 obc, and you have to make your decision within 5days else you receive an automatic refund.

 

Voila! Problem solved

[Baron Barracuda]

37 minutes ago, Hoopster95 said:

This answer is so blatantly obvious I'm surprised no one has picked up on it...

it's already happening...

 

Redeploy the ship, change the itinerary, cancel the cruise. Every single booked passenger starts from scratch.

Do not offer L&S, perhaps offer a measly $100 or $200 obc, and you have to make your decision within 5days else you receive an automatic refund.

 

Voila! Problem solved

Yes, plans likely being drawn up.  Cruise lines have said they will re-start with shorter sailings.  Cancel all the 7 night cruises from Mia & PE and replace with 3-4-5 night ones to Coco Cay and back.

[twangster]

I don't think capacity is going to be an issue for most ships during a restart.

 

Based on C&A numbers announced at Top Tier events typically 50% or more are new to cruise.  The vast majority of this category isn't going to cruise during the restart.  Some will.  

 

The other 50% are loyal or returning cruisers of some degree.  Within this category some will cruise but some will not due to personal reasons or underlying conditions. Many will.

 

Many that fly to cruise have already said they are waiting to 2022.

 

This resonates with Royal has been saying... strong bookings from loyal cruisers in the drive market.  

 

Put it all together and they have the 50% capacity if they are lucky.

 

Having to fight off or decide which cruiser to boot from the ship would be a nice problem to have but I don't see this happening during the restart for most sailings.

 

[firefly333]

34 minutes ago, Baron Barracuda said:

Yes, plans likely being drawn up.  Cruise lines have said they will re-start with shorter sailings.  Cancel all the 7 night cruises from Mia & PE and replace with 3-4-5 night ones to Coco Cay and back.

I thought someone posted 10 days is their idea of a longer cruise, anything under is ok.

 

I still have no clarity on my feb b2b 

[Hoopster95]

29 minutes ago, twangster said:

Put it all together and they have the 50% capacity if they are lucky.

 

These are all good points Twang 👍

 

I suspect the worst of it will be like that Adventure Aug 5th sailing that was being talked about on the other thread... bunch of CC'ers saw the super cheap price on suites and fully sold out the GS's and above. Two days later Adventure is being redeployed and Jewel is taking place, with less suites. Who out of those suites will no longer get a suite and have to accept a lesser JS or regular balcony? Will be interesting to see.

[twangster]

5 minutes ago, Hoopster95 said:

 

These are all good points Twang 👍

 

I suspect the worst of it will be like that Adventure Aug 5th sailing that was being talked about on the other thread... bunch of CC'ers saw the super cheap price on suites and fully sold out the GS's and above. Two days later Adventure is being redeployed and Jewel is taking place, with less suites. Who out of those suites will no longer get a suite and have to accept a lesser JS or regular balcony? Will be interesting to see.

 

I think there will be some natural attrition that occurs with this ship swap.  Some, like families may not welcome this change and they'll pursue something else.  As we have discussed in other threads Radiance class has the fewest suites in the fleet so a cabin downgrade will not likely be embraced.  

 

Suites on Radiance class are often pricey due to limited supply so Royal doesn't stand to lose much if a guest moves to a different ship and Royal is left to sell the suite or balcony on the open market.  That's not the end of the world for them.

[Pratique]

1 hour ago, twangster said:

Put it all together and they have the 50% capacity if they are lucky.

There is another dimension to this analysis, which is how many "loyal" will want to take these short cruises - depends on when, where, duration, and ship. It's not worth the cost of traveling to Florida for a three-night cruise even if we wanted to go. Four nights would be pushing the low end limit. Maybe if they allowed a 3/4 B2B, I would consider it for middle of next year. Maybe. I presume the calculus is similar for anyone not within driving distance of the port.

[molly361]

14 minutes ago, Pratique said:

There is another dimension to this analysis, which is how many "loyal" will want to take these short cruises - depends on when, where, duration, and ship. It's not worth the cost of traveling to Florida for a three-night cruise even if we wanted to go. Four nights would be pushing the low end limit. Maybe if they allowed a 3/4 B2B, I would consider it for middle of next year. Maybe. I presume the calculus is similar for anyone not within driving distance of the port.

I live an hour from the port and am not sure I am ready to get a COVID test if it will be required before sailing just for a short trip

[Pratique]

18 minutes ago, molly361 said:

I live an hour from the port and am not sure I am ready to get a COVID test if it will be required before sailing just for a short trip

Is that because the tests are inconvenient to get or too expensive?

 

I have been getting weekly tests for work. The swabbing takes 30 seconds max, 15 seconds per nostril. Now we are self-swabbing using take-home kits and dropping the samples in a drop box with next day results posted online. The tests are not conclusive but if its negative we are cleared to enter the building for a week. Of course there is no cost to me. Would you do it if it worked like this and was no cost or low cost?

[molly361]

1 minute ago, Pratique said:

Is that because the tests are inconvenient to get or too expensive?

 

I have been getting weekly tests for work. The swabbing takes 30 seconds max, 15 seconds per nostril. Now we are self-swabbing using take-home kits and dropping the samples in a drop box with next day results posted online. The tests are not conclusive but if its negative we are cleared to enter the building for a week. Of course there is no cost to me. Would you do it if it worked like this and was no cost or low cost?

Inconvenient  don't have a clue as to cost as we have never been tested.  Not sure how readily available testing sites are.  Folks here recommend CVS (free) and for the heck of it I just looked online, answered some questions and it told me that I didn't qualify.

[Pratique]

1 minute ago, molly361 said:

Inconvenient  don't have a clue as to cost as we have never been tested.  Not sure how readily available testing sites are.  Folks here recommend CVS (free) and for the heck of it I just looked online, answered some questions and it told me that I didn't qualify.

I am hoping that the testing becomes more widely available soon. I'd bet that if testing is required for cruise travel someone enterprising will find a way to make it easy and cheap or free. FedEx the samples overnight to a local lab or something like that. I'm told the samples can be tested up to 24 hours after they are taken.

[Ocean Boy]

I also wonder how many people that have reservations will actually end up taking the cruise they booked even if the ship sails. With the CWC policy I think many folks may pay off their cruises and simply take an FCC if they don't like the way things are shaking out as the cruise draws near. There could be many less people on the ships than RCI anticipates just planning from the number of paid off reservations. I haven't decided yet if I will pay off my 2021 cruise or cancel before final payment.  I also booked for 2022 already to get the booking in under the CWC policy. Flexibility is key right now. 

 

If early 2021 cruises sail and people find that they still have to go through some sort of quarantine on returning home there may be plenty of them backing out at the last minute. If I took a cruise today I wouldn't be able to go back into the hospital for 14 days after my return. If it is still like that when my next cruise comes up I won't be on the ship whether it sails or not.

[Goodtime Cruizin]

4 hours ago, grandgeezer said:

If they have to cut travelers because of capacity limits. Priority to sail should be the passengers who have paid in full, not the ones who paid the most. If they have to cut fully paid passengers, it should prioritized by the who paid the earliest sail.  That's the fairest way. My mistake, I forgot who is going to have to make the decision, the answer is who paid the most.

 

If I'm RCL, and I'm hurting financially, I have a respsonsibility to the share holders. I cancel out all inside cabins and go up based on the most paid. Several things happen when I do this... I empty inside cabins, I empty living spaces that depend on ventilation for air. I maximize the gross dollars per living (rental space), all the while I'm making room for social distancing. For temporary purposes brand loyaltists and early birders won't matter during a pandemic that is creating a a hemoraging financial disaster. 

 

But that's me. 

[Baron Barracuda]

3 hours ago, twangster said:

I don't think capacity is going to be an issue for most ships during a restart.

 

Based on C&A numbers announced at Top Tier events typically 50% or more are new to cruise.  The vast majority of this category isn't going to cruise during the restart.  Some will.  

 

The other 50% are loyal or returning cruisers of some degree.  Within this category some will cruise but some will not due to personal reasons or underlying conditions. Many will.

 

Many that fly to cruise have already said they are waiting to 2022.

 

This resonates with Royal has been saying... strong bookings from loyal cruisers in the drive market.  

 

Put it all together and they have the 50% capacity if they are lucky.

 

Having to fight off or decide which cruiser to boot from the ship would be a nice problem to have but I don't see this happening during the restart for most sailings.

 

Take that returning 50% and  knock out their many European customers and anyone else unwilling to fly.  Then remove a good chunk of the older and at-risk.  Then knock out many cautious families with children and anyone unwilling to risk a Diamond Princess - like lengthy quarantine.  Pretty much leaves you with the few (but very vocal) cc diehards.  Expect Lift and Shift to create lots of availability on those early sailings.

Edited September 24, 2020 by Baron Barracuda

[John&LaLa]

6 hours ago, Ocean Boy said:

That is pretty much as I thought. So the idea that cruise lines can call guests with reservations and tells them they can still sail if they agree to a higher price sounds to me like a feeding frenzy for lawyers.

 

It is just like when you begin the process of making a reservation and you are informed that the price is not guarenteed until the deposit is made.

 

I'm not sure Big Red said they would raise the price, I thought he said the higher spenders would be first on the 1st of guaranteed slot

[John&LaLa]

5 hours ago, Hoopster95 said:

This answer is so blatantly obvious I'm surprised no one has picked up on it...

it's already happening...

 

Redeploy the ship, change the itinerary, cancel the cruise. Every single booked passenger starts from scratch.

Do not offer L&S, perhaps offer a measly $100 or $200 obc, and you have to make your decision within 5days else you receive an automatic refund.

 

Voila! Problem solved

 

I brought that up weeks ago, got shot down as a logistical nightmare, and it might be, but who knows.

 

My context was using the big 7 day ships for short cruises

Edited September 24, 2020 by John&LaLa

[John&LaLa]

3 hours ago, Hoopster95 said:

 

These are all good points Twang 👍

 

I suspect the worst of it will be like that Adventure Aug 5th sailing that was being talked about on the other thread... bunch of CC'ers saw the super cheap price on suites and fully sold out the GS's and above. Two days later Adventure is being redeployed and Jewel is taking place, with less suites. Who out of those suites will no longer get a suite and have to accept a lesser JS or regular balcony? Will be interesting to see.

 

near and dear to my heart

[John&LaLa]

2 hours ago, molly361 said:

I live an hour from the port and am not sure I am ready to get a COVID test if it will be required before sailing just for a short trip

 

I guess it depends on how the test is administered. I get one next week to see my brother in law in nursing home

[Hoopster95]

2 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

 

I brought that up weeks ago, got shot down as a logistical nightmare, and it might be, but who knows.

 

My context was using the big 7 day ships for short cruises

 

100% agree....

 

And on another note of redployment, uncertainty, logistical nightmares, etc.... Several here on CC have mentioned Vision to SJ.

Who's to say Vision Class will even exist next summer? No one is convincing me of this at this time.... my opinion  Vision is a place holder for those itineraries until RCG figures things out so that they can at least reserve the port space.

[Hoopster95]

3 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

near and dear to my heart

 

Truth be told, for the first time since January I spent over an hour looking at cabins, specifically the leftover JS's, after reading all the posts on that thread. I had Air Canada website up, Air Transat, google earth, hotels in Stockholm, rental car options (so that I can drive to Copenhagen over the bridge pre cruise), etc etc .... 

 

Then I woke up to my own advice. Who's to say non-cruise excursions will be allowed even next June? Who's to say anything will be the same with Royal at all? Who's to say airfare won't quadruple in the next upcoming months? Who's to say the airline I book airfare with will not go bankrupt with no more aid? I can add another 100 what ifs.... so I closed my RCL cabin assignment browser and took a big sigh.

 

Low and behold next morning I wake up to see a bunch of posts about Adventure being redeployed.

I really hope you all are price protected and have a great cruise on Jewel if she still goes.

[torpeedo]

3 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

 

I guess it depends on how the test is administered. I get one next week to see my brother in law in nursing home

I'm sorry to hear about your brother in law in a nursing home. God protect him. We haven't had  aTest since we've gone no place but have a dental visit and MD visit in the next few weeks.  I'm going to ask for a test to see if we have immunity after our Feb cruise ,but we were never sick and never exposed as far as we know..BUT let's see.!

[zalusky]

9 hours ago, bigrednole said:

Do you really think they would tell this to a passenger in that way? No. It will be done behind the scenes and the obvious choices for reduced capacity is the lowest fares. If people do not realize that, then they need a little wake up call to reality. Take the cruise lines out of the picture. Look at it another way. You are selling your car. You have it listed for $10,000. A person contacts you and says they can only pay $5,000, you agree on the phone and he can't be there for a month. The next day someone is looking at it and offers you $10,000 with cash in hand. The car has not sold yet because you haven't signed over the title. Do you tell the guy, sorry I can't sell it to you for $10,000 because another guy will be here in a month to buy it for $5,000. That's right. Everyone would sell it to the guy with $10,000 in cash on the spot.

 

Actually a variation of that happened to me.  I had somebody come test drive a car I was selling and we essentially had a deal but the guy had to get the money.  A second couple came by just as the first guy was leaving and offered me more money on the spot.  I felt I had made a PROMISE and stayed with the first guy and said I would let the couple know if the deal fell through.

[Ocean Boy]

10 hours ago, bigrednole said:

All RCL has to do is list everyone that is booked on the cruise, sort by highest price paid, when the count of people is reached, the line is drawn. They email those "above the line" to confirm their spot. If they choose not to, then next in line is offered that spot at the rate the other people were at. 

 

 

22 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

 

I'm not sure Big Red said they would raise the price, I thought he said the higher spenders would be first on the 1st of guaranteed slot

I think the last sentence of that post covers it, John.

[Vacationdreamer<><]

On 9/23/2020 at 8:55 AM, ZoeyVictoria said:

Would you feel comfortable going to a water park if you participated only in the lazy river, river rapids, or wave pool (nothing that requires standing in a line, such as slides)?

 

Absolutely yes.

I'd also do the slides.

[grandgeezer]

39 minutes ago, Goodtime Cruizin said:

 

If I'm RCL, and I'm hurting financially, I have a respsonsibility to the share holders. I cancel out all inside cabins and go up based on the most paid. Several things happen when I do this... I empty inside cabins, I empty living spaces that depend on ventilation for air. I maximize the gross dollars per living (rental space), all the while I'm making room for social distancing. For temporary purposes brand loyaltists and early birders won't matter during a pandemic that is creating a a hemoraging financial disaster. 

 

But that's me. 

a business also has a responsibility to be ethical and stand behind the done deal you agreed to when you accepted final payment. Believe it or not, that is a binding contract. If you have to cancel do to circumstances that makes it unavailable is one thing, to do it to make more money is probably illegal. They get away with it now, they set a precedence and what’s to stop them from doing it every cruise? As the ships fill up, why not just cancel the people who booked at a lower price and resell it at a higher price?

I don’t think the loyalists and early birders would stand for it, at least in this “me” attitude which seams to reared it’s ugly head during this pandemic.