CDC: "Defer All Cruise Travel"

[mightycruisequeen]

I don't like the sound of this:         

https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/23757-cdc-defer-all-cruise-travel.html

[KirkNC]

So will they also extend the ban in the next few days or is this a way to get around the political pressures that caused them to only do the ban through October versus February like they wanted.

[mightycruisequeen]

Guess we'll have to wait & see.  

Nothing like suspense. 😕

[iancal]

This is hardly a surprise.  When cruising resumes from the US and when the majority of cruises feel that it is comfortable and safe to do so are two very different things.

 

We want to cruise again.  But we have zero intention of even shopping for a cruise in Q1, let alone buying one.

[Tampa Girl]

This is hardly a surprise.  Anyone who thought that cruising is about to return is an optimist extraordinaire.

[Mary229]

I think it is only their recommendation.  I don't think they have the political clout, anymore, to enforce a further ban.  I guess we will know Monday!  

 

There are lots of young people who are willing to go. People in the southern US are and have been traveling to Mexico and some of the islands for quite a while now.      I say let them, they will get all of the kinks out of the system.   There is no better way to create compliance than hearing news reports of travelers being kicked off a cruise for non-compliance.  

 

My February trade shows were canceled and I would cruise if they were sailing anywhere I wanted to go but they are not.

[Tampa Girl]

1 hour ago, Mary229 said:

I think it is only their recommendation.  I don't think they have the political clout, anymore, to enforce a further ban.  I guess we will know Monday!  

 

There are lots of young people who are willing to go. People in the southern US are and have been traveling to Mexico and some of the islands for quite a while now.      I say let them, they will get all of the kinks out of the system.   There is no better way to create compliance than hearing news reports of travelers being kicked off a cruise for non-compliance.  

 

My February trade shows were canceled and I would cruise if they were sailing anywhere I wanted to go but they are not.

 

That is not the only consideration, however.  How would you feel if your ship were not allowed in any port because it had Covid cases?  The only way DeSantis allowed the Zaandam  to disembark in FLL was because Trump told DeSantis to let them in.  

 

[Horizon chaser 1957]

30 minutes ago, Tampa Girl said:

 

That is not the only consideration, however.  How would you feel if your ship were not allowed in any port because it had Covid cases?  The only way DeSantis allowed the Zaandam  to disembark in FLL was because Trump told DeSantis to let them in.  

 

And you’ve put your finger on the REAL stumbling block to safe cruising. For cruising to resume safely, there has to be responsibility on the port of origin. Tiny ports of call can’t be expected to take on a full shipload of potential Covid cases, they don’t have the infrastructure. However, major ports do. Any port that makes its bread and butter off cruise passengers coming and going needs to be responsible for the people they load onto ships to start with, if not for any ship in distress.

[Mary229]

49 minutes ago, Tampa Girl said:

 

That is not the only consideration, however.  How would you feel if your ship were not allowed in any port because it had Covid cases?  The only way DeSantis allowed the Zaandam  to disembark in FLL was because Trump told DeSantis to let them in.  

 

I am not sure your point. If they are going to sail I assume they have a berth at any port they are visiting.  I think many of the first cruises out are going to limited destinations, to nowhere or to private islands.  I don't have any interest in those but those that want to go are welcome.  

[rkacruiser]

1 hour ago, Tampa Girl said:

The only way DeSantis allowed the Zaandam  to disembark in FLL was because Trump told DeSantis to let them in.  

 

I am curious as to how you know this.  I don't recall reading anything about the President and the Governor being involved.

[DFD1]

2 hours ago, Tampa Girl said:

 

That is not the only consideration, however.  How would you feel if your ship were not allowed in any port because it had Covid cases?  The only way DeSantis allowed the Zaandam  to disembark in FLL was because Trump told DeSantis to let them in.  

 

Please check your politics at the door. Our lives are saturated with politics right now. We don't need them here.

[kangforpres]

So I guess these means RCI and Carnival will start up again from the US in mid Nov. And HAL & Princess in Mid Dec? Although it is not recommended you cruise on any ship anywhere in the world. It's a compromise, the current Administration wants everything to appear as normal as possible in the middle of a global pandemic.

 

-Paul

[cruisemom42]

10 hours ago, mightycruisequeen said:

I don't like the sound of this:         

https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/23757-cdc-defer-all-cruise-travel.html

 

Well, Your Majesty, the Queen's own government has had such a recommendation in place since March:

 

"The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office advises against cruise ship travel at this time. This is due to the ongoing pandemic and is based on medical advice from Public Health England."

 

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/cruise-ship-travel

 

And in the UK, this actually has some teeth as apparently you cannot obtain insurance as cruising is contrary to Foreign Office advice, and insurance is required for cruise passengers from UK....

 

[LocoLoco1]

November 1st CDC announcement Re:  Cruiseships sailing from US Ports will be HUGE either way. 

[CHUCKIE50]

https://www.marinelink.com/news/trump-urges-florida-welcome-477176

U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday urged Florida officials to open an Atlantic Coast port to a Dutch cruise ship stuck at sea with a deadly coronavirus outbreak onboard, urging the governor to drop his opposition.

Weighing in on the fate of Holland America Line’s MS Zaandam during a White House briefing, Trump said he would call Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who has declared the vessel unwelcome to prevent its sick passengers from being “dumped” on his state.

“They’re dying on the ship,” Trump said, adding, “I’m going to do what’s right, not only for us but for humanity.”

 

Politics and facts and not necessarily  the same thing except when they are

[KirkNC]

And to show how the rest of the world views travel to the US, Quantas has said it will probably resume flights to the US at the end of 2021.

 

https://apple.news/ArZY0lGJCRiKlBucfS-oWDg

[CruiserBruce]

14 minutes ago, KirkNC said:

And to show how the rest of the world views travel to the US, Quantas has said it will probably resume flights to the US at the end of 2021.

 

https://apple.news/ArZY0lGJCRiKlBucfS-oWDg

On the other hand, Japan will resume travel to Hawaii Nov 6.

[KirkNC]

17 minutes ago, CruiserBruce said:

On the other hand, Japan will resume travel to Hawaii Nov 6.

I think Hawaii is viewed a little differently then the continental US.

[CruiserBruce]

1 hour ago, KirkNC said:

I think Hawaii is viewed a little differently then the continental US.

But Qantas is not resuming travel to Hawaii yet...although I sense that could change. Hawaii is getting pretty serious about opening up.

[bizeesheri]

Decisions on sailings post Dec should be made soon I'm thinking.  My final payment for Jan 2021 is due Nov 1st.  Will it go?  I doubt it. 

Do I want to lay out 7K just for them to hold and refund for an unknown time?  no.     

Will I pay and take a rebook for 2022 with no increase (the 2022 increases by 2K),  yes.   

 

On pins and needles.   🤔 

[Mary229]

35 minutes ago, bizeesheri said:

Decisions on sailings post Dec should be made soon I'm thinking.  My final payment for Jan 2021 is due Nov 1st.  Will it go?  I doubt it. 

Do I want to lay out 7K just for them to hold and refund for an unknown time?  no.     

Will I pay and take a rebook for 2022 with no increase (the 2022 increases by 2K),  yes.   

 

On pins and needles.   🤔 

Wait until the very last moment!  If they cancel your money is returned, if you cancel expect bureaucratic delays and only the offer of a FCC.  That is how I have played mine.  Let them make the first move

[bizeesheri]

6 minutes ago, Mary229 said:

Wait until the very last moment!  If they cancel your money is returned, if you cancel expect bureaucratic delays and only the offer of a FCC.  That is how I have played mine.  Let them make the first move

I have 2 days  LOL.    When I called 2 weeks ago inquiring if the final payment might be delayed, it was something they were considering.   

[Mary229]

4 minutes ago, bizeesheri said:

I have 2 days  LOL.    When I called 2 weeks ago inquiring if the final payment might be delayed, it was something they were considering.   

It all comes down to you.  If it were me and they were sailing I would be on the ship!  (Assuming the destination is still available to entry)

[Hlitner]

3 hours ago, CruiserBruce said:

On the other hand, Japan will resume travel to Hawaii Nov 6.

But tourists will not be able to go to Japan on Nov 6 so who knows what this means.  Japan has been gradually easing some of their restrictions on business travel but still bans nearly all tourism.  The Japanese government has talked about a plan to gradually (very slowly) open up to some tourism by next Spring but even this would involve some tough restrictions and compliance measures (i.e. daily health updates from each tourist to the Japanese government via an app).   There has been  nothing published, by the Japanese government that gives any hint about if and when they will reopen to cruise ships.  Yet some cruise lines (such as HAL) have cruises scheduled to Japan as early as Feb 2021.  IMHO those cruises will not happen, but the cruise lines still resist making the hard decision to cancel.  Is this part of a strategy to push folks into making final payments (which enhances cash flow for the cruise lines) with the idea of holding the cruiser's payments for many many months?

 

When HAL first started cancelling cruises last February (this started with some Asian itineraries) they quickly (within a few days) refunded customer's money.  Gradually, the refunds took longer and longer.  Was this due to administrative overload or was it part of a deliberate cash flow strategy...or perhaps some of both?

 

Hank

[bizeesheri]

Just now, Mary229 said:

It all comes down to you.  If it were me and they were sailing I would be on the ship!  (Assuming the destination is still available to entry)

 

7 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

Yet some cruise lines (such as HAL) have cruises scheduled to Japan as early as Feb 2021.  IMHO those cruises will not happen, but the cruise lines still resist making the hard decision to cancel.  Is this part of a strategy to push folks into making final payments (which enhances cash flow for the cruise lines) with the idea of holding the cruiser's payments for many many months?

 

When HAL first started cancelling cruises last February (this started with some Asian itineraries) they quickly (within a few days) refunded customer's money.  Gradually, the refunds took longer and longer.  Was this due to administrative overload or was it part of a deliberate cash flow strategy...or perhaps some of both?

 

Hank

They still have a cruise not cancelled to Australia and I've heard its likely closed through 2021.