Down to 7 days

[fox02554]

any thoughts on how HAL will trim 10/11 day cruises down to 7 ???  skipping HMC ? loosing sea days ? shortening port stays ???

[Hlitner]

There are a lot of issues at play.  The CDC Guidelines were released to forestall another NO-Sail order and there are obviously some compromises within the Guidelines.  What some have missed is that, although the Guidelines are to last one year, they are subject to change.    As to ports on a 7 day cruise you need to give consideration to what ports will even be open to HAL and other cruise lines.  Most Caribbean ports are currently closed to all cruise ships and when they open there may be restrictions.  For now it is wait and see as the cruise lines negotiate with the various governments (including the CDC).

 

I do see two scenarios. 1.  Without a safe/effective vaccine the uncertainty will continue with restrictions constantly changing based on the latest COVID news.  So once cruises restart and there are some COVID cases on ships, all bets are off.  This is what is happening in Europe.

 

and 2.  The approval of a safe/effective vaccine that becomes widely available will change everything when it comes to cruising.   There will be a strong push to get cruising back to normal and it will likely involve mandatory vaccine requirements.  It would not surprise me to see cruise lines not only requiring COVID vaccine proof (or a positive antibody test) but also mandate current flu vaccine shots.  COVID has proven just how expensive a pandemic or epidemic can be to the industry so mandatory vaccinations will be a natural step to lower risk and give assurances to ports that are going to be paranoid about cruise ships bringing disease to their port.

 

Hank

[FredT]

1 hour ago, fox02554 said:

any thoughts on how HAL will trim 10/11 day cruises down to 7 ???  skipping HMC ? loosing sea days ? shortening port stays ???

If anything, they would probably cut any port EXCEPT  HMC.   HMC is a perfect port.   No chance for anyone to pick up corona there, no large population that "may" infect someone, and lastly, no where to spend your money that does not come back to the company.  (Not that they care about THAT of course! 😁  )

[KirkNC]

No one really knows but there must be some serious overtime going on in the itinerary planning department right now.

[Horizon chaser 1957]

1 hour ago, FredT said:

If anything, they would probably cut any port EXCEPT  HMC.   HMC is a perfect port.   No chance for anyone to pick up corona there, no large population that "may" infect someone, and lastly, no where to spend your money that does not come back to the company.  (Not that they care about THAT of course! 😁  )

Exactly. Somewhere in that 40 page document they mentioned the private islands as possible allowed stops while regular ports are still off the table. And for the closed loop money circulation reasons you mention, I’m sure the cruise lines would be good with that as a starter.

[DaveOKC]

On our March cruise (10 day) it is followed and preceded by an 11 day to the same general area (S. Carb,), so it would be fairly easy to change these 2 to 3, 7 day cruises, but of course the ports would have to change somewhat.

 

 

[cruisegirl]

We are booked on a back to back cruise departing Ft.Lauderdale on 3/28/2021 with each segment sailing out and back in to Ft. Lauderdale. I am wondering if it will be considered two seven day cruises or one fourteen day cruise. And thoughts on that 

[AtlantaCruiser72]

This is most likely how they will handle the 7 day max length mandate from US ports at start-up.  HAL (like all other cruise lines) will only reintroduce 1 or 2 ships to start and gradually increase over a longer period of time.  They will start ships based on their current schedules and what is allowed to operate (from a duration standpoint).  Creation of all new itineraries is unlikely, though there may be port changes based on what countries will allow them to dock.

 

For the Winter/Spring 2021 Caribbean season I only see HAL trying to reintroduce one or two vessels from Florida both doing 7 day cruises on their current rotations (with some port changes) - Eurodam and/or Nieuw Amsterdam. They most likely will keep Nieuw Statendam and Zuiderdam out of service until they begin their summer seasons.  Same with Zaandam and Volendam.

 

If they reactivate a 3rd vessel before the Summer 2021 Alaska and Canada/New England seasons (which are all already 7 day max voyages), it will be Konigsdam out of San Diego doing 7 night Mexican Riviera Sailings.

 

Asia, Australia and South America Winter/Spring 2021 have zero chance of operating so Oosterdam, Noordam and Westerdam will also remain out of service until at least Summer of 2021. 

[Hlitner]

55 minutes ago, cruisegirl said:

We are booked on a back to back cruise departing Ft.Lauderdale on 3/28/2021 with each segment sailing out and back in to Ft. Lauderdale. I am wondering if it will be considered two seven day cruises or one fourteen day cruise. And thoughts on that 

Assuming that your ship is even cruising by March there might well be another issue.  While I do not recall the Guidelines specifically referring to back to backs, I believe in Europe the cruise lines have not allowed back to back bookings.  Hard to know what will happen by March, April or even July!  Stay tuned.

 

Hank

[KirkNC]

I don’t believe (at least under current guidelines) that back to backs will be allowed so in this example you would have to choose which seven day you would do.

[fox02554]

7 hours ago, AtlantaCruiser72 said:

 

For the Winter/Spring 2021 Caribbean season I only see HAL trying to reintroduce one or twovessels from Florida both doing 7 day cruises on their current rotations (with some port changes) - Eurodam and/or Nieuw Amsterdam. They most likely will keep Nieuw Statendam and Zuiderdam out of service until they begin their summer seasons.  Same with Zaandam and Volendam.

 

 

 

I don't know why my mind didn't take the staged startup into concideration ( we'll blame it on too much coffee , or maybe not enough coffee ?? 😂) I just went to HAL to do fake booking and the Eurodam & the Nieuw Amsterdam are the only ships listed for 7 day cruises in the Caribbean  . Zuiderdam still listed for 10/11 days to Panama , and it let me book all the way through on her , but there seemed to a LOT of open cabins.

 

Edited November 8, 2020 by fox02554

[VMax1700]

Although you won't get a partial Panama Canal cruise in 7 days, I notice that they have listed new 7 day cruises in 2022 that hit Southern Caribbean - Aruba and Curacao on Nieuw Amsterdam and Rotterdam.  

They may rework this itinerary into 2021 so that the 10/11 day cruises become 7/7/7 day cruises with the option of still visiting ABC.

 

[fox02554]

1 hour ago, VMax1700 said:

Although you won't get a partial Panama Canal cruise in 7 days, I notice that they have listed new 7 day cruises in 2022 that hit Southern Caribbean - Aruba and Curacao on Nieuw Amsterdam and Rotterdam.  

They may rework this itinerary into 2021 so that the 10/11 day cruises become 7/7/7 day cruises with the option of still visiting ABC.

 

The canal is a deal breaker for us 🥺 maybe I save my FCC for Cuba 😄

[Crazy For Cats]

34 minutes ago, fox02554 said:

The canal is a deal breaker for us 🥺 maybe I save my FCC for Cuba 😄

I had that thought yesterday about Cuba.  

[cruisegirl]

15 hours ago, Hlitner said:

Assuming that your ship is even cruising by March there might well be another issue.  While I do not recall the Guidelines specifically referring to back to backs, I believe in Europe the cruise lines have not allowed back to back bookings.  Hard to know what will happen by March, April or even July!  Stay tuned.

 

Hank

Thanks for your response about b2b cruises. You are very right in that both segments may well be cancelled. Will have to wait it out. Obviously I am hoping the fact it is b2b might allow us to still do the full 14 days 

[cruisegirl]

12 hours ago, KirkNC said:

I don’t believe (at least under current guidelines) that back to backs will be allowed so in this example you would have to choose which seven day you would do.

It is hard to know whether b2b cruises would be allowed. I don’t think the CDC dealt with that. But sooner or later it will have to be dealt with. I usually avoid seven day cruises so being faced with a choice will be difficult. We have already had two cruises cancelled so HAL has been sitting with our money since March of this year. 

[vicd1969]

Would it be possible to do a 7-day Panama Canal if the ship starts in Aruba or Curacao? That may not be ideal for passengers flying to the ship, but they're both Dutch jurisdictions and all HAL ships are Dutch-flagged. It would also avoid any PVSA issues by starting from one of the ABC islands. Or, Puerto Rico could be an alternative starting port, though it would fall under US rules.

[Cruizer Bill]

I am seeing a lot of the cruises being sold with non-refundable fares.  What's the deal?  How can they do that if HAL has not passed the test cruise protocols yet?  

[KirkNC]

1 hour ago, Cruizer Bill said:

I am seeing a lot of the cruises being sold with non-refundable fares.  What's the deal?  How can they do that if HAL has not passed the test cruise protocols yet?  

You should be able to get a price with a refundable fare, you just have to ask for it.

[AtlantaCruiser72]

5 hours ago, Cruizer Bill said:

I am seeing a lot of the cruises being sold with non-refundable fares.  What's the deal?  How can they do that if HAL has not passed the test cruise protocols yet?  

HAL has their cruise with confidence program that allows you to voluntarily cancel anytime within the penalty period, up to 30 days prior to sailing, and they will issue an FCC for the monies that are in penalty. This applies to non refundable deposits as well. 
 

If HAL cancel your cruise at any time they will offer you either an FCC or full refund regardless of what type of deposit you have, or if the cruise was in penalty or not. 
 

[john2003]

I may just have been asleep but I don't understand the 7 days.  Is it to disembark passengers that catch the virus onboard before they show symptoms?

[RD64]

Vmax - regarding the 7 day cruises to Aruba and Curacao, both Holland America and Princess did these cruises about ten years ago. They included a stop at their respective private islands. I specifically remember doing this cruise on the Westerdam in March 2009.

 

The problem was - I believe - that fuel consumption - to do this itinerary in seven days was quite high - making the overall cruise less protitable. Therefore both lines focused on the more economical standard Caribbean milk runs. 

[KirkNC]

5 hours ago, john2003 said:

I may just have been asleep but I don't understand the 7 days.  Is it to disembark passengers that catch the virus onboard before they show symptoms?

CDC did not explain their rationale but I guess at least two factors.  Seven days means your not too far from your disembarkation port if you get an outbreak.  Second an outbreak may have less chance to spread.  Just guessing.

[VMax1700]

3 hours ago, RD64 said:

Vmax - regarding the 7 day cruises to Aruba and Curacao, both Holland America and Princess did these cruises about ten years ago. They included a stop at their respective private islands. I specifically remember doing this cruise on the Westerdam in March 2009.

 

The problem was - I believe - that fuel consumption - to do this itinerary in seven days was quite high - making the overall cruise less protitable. Therefore both lines focused on the more economical standard Caribbean milk runs. 

Makes sense!  Two days sailing south then two days sailing back home and having to pitch a price not too far from the standard 7 day East/West Caribbean prices. I wonder how profitable it will be if they still also need to limit the number of pax on each sailing?

 

[KirkNC]

Not sure how many people want to fly to Aruba for a seven day cruise.  I think the flight from Miami is three hours.  I can almost fly to Europe from NC as fast since I would have to fly to Miami as well.