Who's booked for May 2021?

[kazu]

7 hours ago, iancal said:

I would be very surprised if Canadian ports or our borders are opened before June.  Covid vaccination rollouts do not happen overnight. 

 

  And if they are, I certainly hope that proof of a  covid vaccinations is a requirement for entry.

 

If a vaccine is out, I suspect the borders may open WITH proof of vaccine.  

 

I doubt the borders will be wide open as the vaccine may not be widely distributed yet.  Just my best guess looking a my foggy, fuzzy crystal ball.

 

 

[HappyInVan]

Sorry, guys. Canada's PM is very definite...

 

https://ca.news.yahoo.com/canada-pm-trudeau-indicates-u-153620304.html

 

Looks like Alaska and New England is not possible till summer. Still hoping that Hawaii will open up sooner. Aloha.

 

My best bet is still Europe where the lockdowns are having the right effect. I'm eyeing a June cruise in the Mediterranean.

 

 

[bennybear]

9 hours ago, HappyInVan said:

Sorry, guys. Canada's PM is very definite...

 

https://ca.news.yahoo.com/canada-pm-trudeau-indicates-u-153620304.html

 

Looks like Alaska and New England is not possible till summer. Still hoping that Hawaii will open up sooner. Aloha.

 

My best bet is still Europe where the lockdowns are having the right effect. I'm eyeing a June cruise in the Mediterranean.

 

 

Interesting chart!  

[iancal]

Very interesting.   Italy and UK have seen substantial declines after they having, I understand, an effective lockdown for the two week period preceeding the decline.

[bennybear]

And Sweden’s numbers👀

[HappyInVan]

I'm getting optimistic that Canada will get covid under control by January. Even Alberta's business 'friendly' government has thrown in the towel.

 

“All social gatherings, even outdoor ones, will be banned for at least four weeks starting Sunday and masks will be required in all indoor areas, Premier Jason Kenney said during a press conference Tuesday. Casinos, gyms, nail and hair salons and entertainment facilities will be forced to close; bars and restaurants will be restricted to takeout and delivery orders.”

 

https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/alberta-locks-down-shuts-firms-bans-gatherings-to-quell-virus-outbreak-1.1533741

 

Weeks ago, the doctors were calling for a lockdown...

 

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/tom-sampson-lockdown-1.5802957

 

IMO, cruising can resume in spring from Canada. The question is whether destinations are ready.

 

The vaccinations will help to bring the disease under control by May. But, covid will be endemic for many more months because 10% of the vaccinated are unprotected, and 10-30% of the population won't vaccinate.

 

I would expect distancing/masking to remain in effect for the rest of 2021.

 

 

 

[strickerj]

I'm booked on Noordam Vancouver to Whittier on 5/30, but considering delaying it another year - this is a bucket list trip for us (and especially for my mother in law who will be joining us), so we don't want to go if the experience will be diminished. Anyone have experience with doing this? Can we call in and "shift" our booking a year out (keeping our perks, OBC, etc.)? The itinerary I'd be interested in for 2022 is the same price we paid for our 2021 sailing. 2021 is already paid for using FCC from 2020.

[KAKcruiser]

If you change the date, you would lose your fare and perks and have to start over with whatever promotion is in effect when you book.  

[strickerj]

11 hours ago, KAKcruiser said:

If you change the date, you would lose your fare and perks and have to start over with whatever promotion is in effect when you book.  

Thanks, I was afraid of that... The current fare and promo are the same (free prepaid gratuities, signature dining, and signature beverage packages) but I also have $250 pp OBC from my 2020 cancellation.

[KAKcruiser]

It's a good possibility that you will be able to keep the $250 pp OBC since it is something that HAL owes to you.

[oofroggie]

The Jones act says that cruises have to stop at one foreign country. It does not say passengers have to get off the ship. Perhaps that will be enough for Canada to let a cruise ship in. I have high hopes for my Alaska May 1 trip round trip Seattle.

[sail7seas]

I tried to make a b-to- booking for two seven day cruises and was  told, CDC  is limiting cruiers to  days only and was unable o book my b-to-b, thus, I made no booking..

Forget about  ten day cruises...if  I was Told correctly    

[Crazy For Cats]

2 minutes ago, sail7seas said:

I tried to make a b-to- booking for two seven day cruises and was  told, CDC  is limiting cruiers to  days only and was unable o book my b-to-b, thus, I made no booking..

Forget about  ten day cruises...if  I was Told correctly    

I was told the very same thing a few weeks ago.  Tried to book a Boston to Montreal and back and was told not allowed.

[bcwife76]

22 hours ago, oofroggie said:

The Jones act says that cruises have to stop at one foreign country. It does not say passengers have to get off the ship. Perhaps that will be enough for Canada to let a cruise ship in. I have high hopes for my Alaska May 1 trip round trip Seattle.

It's the PVSA not the Jones Act, that prohibits the cruises from round trip US port trips without a foreign stop. This has been argued ad nauseum. It won't be lifted and even if it were, that would only help cruises out of a US port, not ones that originate in Vancouver.

[bcwife76]

44 minutes ago, Crazy For Cats said:

I was told the very same thing a few weeks ago.  Tried to book a Boston to Montreal and back and was told not allowed.

You were not allowed to book that one, not because it's a back to back but because on paper the cruise begins and ENDS in Boston which is essentially round trip from a US port to a US port and thus violates the PVSA.

[Aquahound]

On 12/14/2020 at 2:23 PM, oofroggie said:

The Jones act says that cruises have to stop at one foreign country. It does not say passengers have to get off the ship. Perhaps that will be enough for Canada to let a cruise ship in. I have high hopes for my Alaska May 1 trip round trip Seattle.

 

bcwife76 is correct in saying its the PVSA.  But additionally, if passengers are not allowed to disembark, it does not satisfy the PVSA.  

[dfish]

3 hours ago, bcwife76 said:

You were not allowed to book that one, not because it's a back to back but because on paper the cruise begins and ENDS in Boston which is essentially round trip from a US port to a US port and thus violates the PVSA.

We have done that many times with no problem.  The b-2-b cruises were often sold as collector's cruises.   They do go to a foreign port, which fulfills the obligation of the PVSA.   Just like Alaskan cruises that are round trip out of Seattle.  They stop in Victoria, which fulfills the PVSA obligation.

[Aquahound]

3 hours ago, bcwife76 said:

You were not allowed to book that one, not because it's a back to back but because on paper the cruise begins and ENDS in Boston which is essentially round trip from a US port to a US port and thus violates the PVSA.

 

B2B starting and ending at the same US port is not PVSA violation.  

[rafinmd]

14 hours ago, bcwife76 said:

You were not allowed to book that one, not because it's a back to back but because on paper the cruise begins and ENDS in Boston which is essentially round trip from a US port to a US port and thus violates the PVSA.

That is definitely NOT the PVSA but sounds like a temporary CDC restriction of cruises over 7 days.

 

Roy

[Crazy For Cats]

16 hours ago, bcwife76 said:

You were not allowed to book that one, not because it's a back to back but because on paper the cruise begins and ENDS in Boston which is essentially round trip from a US port to a US port and thus violates the PVSA.

We’ve done this as a B2B many times.  We can’t book it thanks to cdc rules

[Ichiban Nekko]

On 12/13/2020 at 12:32 PM, strickerj said:

I'm booked on Noordam Vancouver to Whittier on 5/30, but considering delaying it another year - this is a bucket list trip for us (and especially for my mother in law who will be joining us), so we don't want to go if the experience will be diminished. Anyone have experience with doing this? Can we call in and "shift" our booking a year out (keeping our perks, OBC, etc.)? The itinerary I'd be interested in for 2022 is the same price we paid for our 2021 sailing. 2021 is already paid for using FCC from 2020.

Hi,

 

We changed our May 23, 2021 sailing/cruisetour last week to May 22, 2022 with our PCC just last week. And we got an even more appealing (to us) package and our FCCs will roll over in due course.

 

We chose to do this because we just didn't want to be disappointed/let down again if we had to deal with another cancellation. This will give us time for the vaccine to get to us and into our arms. Although we are seniors, there are so many who need it before us. 

 

If you are uncomfortable, it might be worth a call to your TA/PCC/HAL.

[lderochi]

Yeah, just cancelled the May ‘21 booking. Final payment wasn’t due until February but I didn’t see the point of waiting, I needed a psychic break, rather than keep worrying about it. Even if it sails, I’m sure there will still be a number of restrictions in place that we’re not crazy about. We already have the identical sailing booked on the Nieuw Amsterdam in May ‘22 as well as a similar itinerary booked on the Sapphire Princess in May ‘22. That gives me another year to ponder HAL vs. Princess (have sailed on neither)! 

[bennybear]

Waiting on HAL as I have a lot of credits on my next cruise.  

[strickerj]

On 12/16/2020 at 9:05 AM, Ichiban Nekko said:

Hi,

 

We changed our May 23, 2021 sailing/cruisetour last week to May 22, 2022 with our PCC just last week. And we got an even more appealing (to us) package and our FCCs will roll over in due course.

 

We chose to do this because we just didn't want to be disappointed/let down again if we had to deal with another cancellation. This will give us time for the vaccine to get to us and into our arms. Although we are seniors, there are so many who need it before us. 

 

If you are uncomfortable, it might be worth a call to your TA/PCC/HAL.

Thanks, we went ahead and did this. Rebooked for Glacier Discovery Northbound on Noordam departing 2022/05/29.