ports open

[StormySeas]

does anybody know if any of the caribbean ports are open to cruisers? we are booked in December 2021 but I am not sure I want to go if we can't visit any of the ports.

[bigrednole]

You won't be able to cruise out of the US unless at least one foreign port is visited. My opinion is private islands will open first and possibly Cozumel. The rest will be a wait and see approach. 

[Cru1s1ng2009]

you aren't sailing in over a year. what is closed today will likely be different in a year.

[StormySeas]

my next cruise is December 6th this year. 

[orville99]

9 minutes ago, StormySeas said:

my next cruise is December 6th this year. 

Highly doubtful that you will even board a ship in December 2020, let alone visit any ports of call

Edited September 23, 2020 by orville99

[livingonthebeach]

The Bahamas ports are set to open in Phase 4.  They will be in Phase 3 on Oct 15, 2020 and haven't said when Phase 4 will start only that it will depend on how well Phase 3 goes.   PortMiami is functional for cargo ships not sure if date has been set for cruises but all will depend on the CDC as far as cruise ships sailing out of US ports. 

 

 

[StormySeas]

I am thinking that we will probably be cancelled anyway but I was just checking to see if anybody knows anything. I know lots of decisions are still in the air. I am on pins and needles....I guess I just want somebody to make a firm decision!

[BND]

9 minutes ago, StormySeas said:

I am thinking that we will probably be cancelled anyway but I was just checking to see if anybody knows anything. I know lots of decisions are still in the air. I am on pins and needles....I guess I just want somebody to make a firm decision!

No one here knows anymore than anyone else.  But, a lot of us have the same feeling which is that there will be no cruising on RCI this year.  

[StormySeas]

I think no more cruising for the rest of this year would be prudent. I am just awaiting the "powers that be" to be logical. Is that more of a dream than cruising??

Edited September 23, 2020 by StormySeas
error

[bigrednole]

You post said Dec 2021. If you are going this December, the only hope in my opinion is Labadee and/or CocoCay are open. If they are not, it is unlikely to sail. Cozumel is being bombarded to open. I think those are the only true 2020 options available and they may not even be options anyway. 

 

Labadee: Very risky to the country if 1,000s are there daily. I know it is separated by a fence, but there are locals that work there and take everything back to where they go.

 

CocoCay (and other cruise line islands there): Most likely available to RCL. However, the Bahamas will want tourist money and I can see them not opening CocoCay alone. They may make it a requirement to stop in Nassau as well.

 

Cozumel: If they open, they cannot accommodate the number of ships cruise lines are going to want to send. They may also require the cruise lines to open more shore excursions to the local businesses or include more in RCL's planner.

[StormySeas]

3 minutes ago, bigrednole said:

You post said Dec 2021. If you are going this December, the only hope in my opinion is Labadee and/or CocoCay are open. If they are not, it is unlikely to sail. Cozumel is being bombarded to open. I think those are the only true 2020 options available and they may not even be options anyway. 

 

Labadee: Very risky to the country if 1,000s are there daily. I know it is separated by a fence, but there are locals that work there and take everything back to where they go.

 

CocoCay (and other cruise line islands there): Most likely available to RCL. However, the Bahamas will want tourist money and I can see them not opening CocoCay alone. They may make it a requirement to stop in Nassau as well.

 

Cozumel: If they open, they cannot accommodate the number of ships cruise lines are going to want to send. They may also require the cruise lines to open more shore excursions to the local businesses or include more in RCL's planner.

you are correct, my original post says 2021....typo! my cruise is booked December 6, 2020

nice prospective on ports. thank you

[StormySeas]

55 minutes ago, StormySeas said:

does anybody know if any of the caribbean ports are open to cruisers? we are booked in December 2021 but I am not sure I want to go if we can't visit any of the ports.

sorry!!! typo

December 6 2020!!!

[livingonthebeach]

Barbados is very cruise friendly and will probably be on the list of the first ports to open.  SeaDream (a small Norwegian cruise line with small ships) plans a 7 day cruise from Barbados to St Vincent and Grenada.  

 

"The line said starting Nov. 7 it will offer 22 sailings from Bridgetown that call in St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada. All three countries are open to Americans."

https://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/SeaDream-to-resume-Caribbean-cruises-in-November

 

https://seadream.com/voyages/12043A

[Joseph2017China]

So, today is Sept 23, and the no sail order ends Sept 30.  In the past, the extensions happened well before the last week.  Many things are happening right now, including plans being set in, reports completed, and many items under review.  With all things happening, I personally believe cruises will begin in November.  Things have never been this close in the past, so sit back, wait, and ask again after Sept 30. 

[yogimax]

26 minutes ago, Joseph2017China said:

So, today is Sept 23, and the no sail order ends Sept 30.  In the past, the extensions happened well before the last week.  Many things are happening right now, including plans being set in, reports completed, and many items under review.  With all things happening, I personally believe cruises will begin in November.  Things have never been this close in the past, so sit back, wait, and ask again after Sept 30. 

Remember that Fauci has predicted a spike in the virus this Fall.  Many states are already seeing fairly large increases.  

 

November is indeed likely, but I fear it's November 2021.

[Mapleleafforever]

30 minutes ago, yogimax said:

Remember that Fauci has predicted a spike in the virus this Fall.  Many states are already seeing fairly large increases.  

 

November is indeed likely, but I fear it's November 2021.

My Province (Ontario) is already seeing massive spikes, and we were doing so well. I can't even imagine what the numbers will be in your Country a few weeks after November 3 (that is when your election is right?). 

[HaveWeMetYet]

7 minutes ago, Mapleleafforever said:

My Province (Ontario) is already seeing massive spikes, and we were doing so well. I can't even imagine what the numbers will be in your Country a few weeks after November 3 (that is when your election is right?). 

What do you think is causing this spike?

I thought Ontario had pretty strick lockdowns and mask wearing going on.

[flyguyjake]

Spain is spiking. Italy is spiking. UK is spiking. 30 states in the US are seeing sharp rises in cases. The 3rd wave is starting. Every time we ease restrictions the cases rise. I don't know how many times we must go through this before our leaders will wake up and actually lead. A nationwide mask mandate is needed immediately! When did it become okay that we accept 800+ Americans dying daily? What have we become as a nation? I don't think there will be any normalcy until a vaccine is widely distributed. Major vaccine company said that won't happen until 2024 globally, end of 2021 for US.

 

It would be devastating for the cruise industry to start up prematurely and have another Diamond Princess fiasco.

[Milwaukee Eight]

38 minutes ago, yogimax said:

Remember that Fauci has predicted a spike in the virus this Fall.  Many states are already seeing fairly large increases.  

 

November is indeed likely, but I fear it's November 2021.

Yep. Still waiting for that predicted spike from Labor Day here in Florida. Florida numbers continue to drop. 
 

M8

[Mapleleafforever]

26 minutes ago, HaveWeMetYet said:

What do you think is causing this spike?

I thought Ontario had pretty strick lockdowns and mask wearing going on.

Looks like a combination of we most likely went to Phase 3 too soon, schools reopened, had a few big weddings and parties that made the news, Covid fatigue etc etc. 

 

 

[Milwaukee Eight]

5 minutes ago, flyguyjake said:

Spain is spiking. Italy is spiking. UK is spiking. 30 states in the US are seeing sharp rises in cases. The 3rd wave is starting. Every time we ease restrictions the cases rise. I don't know how many times we must go through this before our leaders will wake up and actually lead. A nationwide mask mandate is needed immediately! When did it become okay that we accept 800+ Americans dying daily? What have we become as a nation? I don't think there will be any normalcy until a vaccine is widely distributed. Major vaccine company said that won't happen until 2024 globally, end of 2021 for US.

 

It would be devastating for the cruise industry to start up prematurely and have another Diamond Princess fiasco.

Who would enforce a Nationwide Mask Mandate?  What would the penalty be?

 

M8

[Mapleleafforever]

5 minutes ago, flyguyjake said:

Spain is spiking. Italy is spiking. UK is spiking. 30 states in the US are seeing sharp rises in cases. The 3rd wave is starting. Every time we ease restrictions the cases rise. I don't know how many times we must go through this before our leaders will wake up and actually lead. A nationwide mask mandate is needed immediately! When did it become okay that we accept 800+ Americans dying daily? What have we become as a nation? I don't think there will be any normalcy until a vaccine is widely distributed. Major vaccine company said that won't happen until 2024 globally, end of 2021 for US.

 

It would be devastating for the cruise industry to start up prematurely and have another Diamond Princess fiasco.

If ever. 

 

If there is another big outbreak on a cruise ship (and there will be if they start up too soon) it will be the end of the major cruise lines as we know them.

[orville99]

3 minutes ago, Milwaukee Eight said:

Yep. Still waiting for that predicted spike from Labor Day here in Florida. Florida numbers continue to drop. 
 

M8

The major issue with Florida, at least as it relates to cruising, is that there are still four counties that remain hot spots for the virus - and they all are counties with cruise ports. Miami-Dade, Broward (Port Everglades), Hillsborough (Port of Tampa), and Duval (Jacksonville). The only port county that hasn't been a hot spot (yet) is Brevard (Port Canaveral). Even if the CDC lifts its No Sail order, it remains doubtful that either the Governor, those five Port Authorities, or the Coast Guard will go along.

[yogimax]

12 minutes ago, flyguyjake said:

When did it become okay that we accept 800+ Americans dying daily? What have we become as a nation?

Well said!  What does it say about us as a nation that we now have largely closed our eyes to this tragedy?  When some simply say, "It is what it is," that is a slap in the face to the families who have lost loved ones.

[BND]

10 minutes ago, Milwaukee Eight said:

Who would enforce a Nationwide Mask Mandate?  What would the penalty be?

 

M8

This.  It's much better handled at the local level. There are very rural areas that have little to no cases.  We follow our state (and county) mandates.  For a while some counties had different rules due to case level (and how rural/urban they were).  It's one thing for countries that are the size of a US state to have a country-wide mandate and quite another for a country as large at the US to do so.  I rarely see anyone without a mask unless they are driving or doing something outside (or eating) and not around a lot of people.