Has Anyone Booked for 2021?

[nybumpkin]

On 1/17/2021 at 9:55 PM, MaisonRose said:

June 16. QM2 Eastbound. I think there’s a 50-50 chance she’ll sail and weighted even greater if the vaccines proceed here  in the US as planned. My friends in the U.K. & France have already gotten their first jab, 

so cross fingers!

If that doesn’t go we’ll move to the July 6 sail on QM2.

We're booked on the June 16 EB as well. Our original game plan was to sail over on QM2 then travel to Dover for a British Isles cruise on June 25. The latter has now been cancelled - we figured this would happen, since the ship isn't in Europe. Ideally I would love to book the June 23 WB crossing but I don't think we'll be allowed since it will exceed 7 days. Assuming QM2 sails on June 16, I think we'll plan a couple of days around Winchester, then fly home.

 

I'm not counting on the vaccines, though. Around here (Upstate NY) they can't even take care of the 1A group.

 

Edited January 23, 2021 by nybumpkin

[lindylooellalouise]

Hi we are booked on the round trip transatlantic crossing from Southampton on 9th June and see on the website that it’s been put on hold  this doesn’t really help because we would like to know for sure If it’s going ahead or not so we can make alternative plans 

[ollienbertsmum]

Nobody would be able to give you a ‘for sure or not’ answer.  If the infection rate stays as it is, then it probably won’t go ahead.  If the vaccine has an impact and people start behaving more responsibly then you might be lucky.  

 

If planning is important to you, I would say that you might be better to make your alternative plans.  

 

The need to quarantine when it comes to international travel makes me wonder how cruises are going to work even for the coming summer.    I love cruising but I think that when I can finally take a trip somewhere (anywhere?) it will be in my car.  

 

Oops not sure I can do that because I have not got round to getting an international driving license now needed because of Brexit.  Another couple of months like this and I will be getting excited about a bus trip to Torremolinos.  

[Mrs Harley]

On 1/2/2021 at 10:14 AM, Beckett said:

 

Now, I know most people will think I'm bonkers but I really needed something to look forward to so..........I've just booked for a 7-day British Isles cruise in late June 21 on Queen Elizabeth.

I guess we are in the bonkers club to.  We have June 24th, Gurnsey, Scotland, Belfast Liverpool, on the QE booked ... it was booked way back when they released the revised sailings....something to look forward to but at this stage my expectations of it happening are fading 

 

 

On 1/2/2021 at 10:14 AM, Beckett said:

 

 

 

[NJCruiserBoy]

August 1 Eastbound with thoughts of continuing on after.   Keeping my fingers crossed we can go.

[Rocky of London]

Hi.....interesting thread and good questions and answers.

i was able with a strong core team..... to keep major house building construction sites open around the country and along the way many lessons was learnt.

The cruising industry has been watching and asking all the right questions from other major industries and will use all the data to get cruising going.....later this year.

i think Cunard will mitigate as many of the risks as possible...so the first cruises will be mini cruises and test the way.

 

We live in times that all of us have to adapt and I think this will be the way for awhile and along the way, there will be quick wins and sometimes 2 steps back...But the important thing at present..... as we all know is keep our guards up and hopefully the vaccine will be available to all soon.

 

 

[Gretchendz]

I'm booked on July Hamburg to NYC TA myself.

 

So here is what Cunard has said to TAs. Basically, they are seeking clarification from CDC. Stay tuned!

 

Cunard has extended its pause in operations due to the ongoing travel constraints in place across the world. Voyages departing on board Queen Mary 2 up to and including May 28, 2021 and on board Queen Elizabeth up to and including June 4,2021 are now canceled. Departures on Queen Victoria remain unaffected and are scheduled to resume May 17, 2021. Guests who have had their voyage canceled will automatically receive a Future Cruise Credit (FCC) worth an additional 25% on top of monies paid to date on the booking, to redeem against a future voyage. The 125% Future Cruise Credit can be used on any new booking made by December 31, 2021 and on any voyage on sale at the time of booking -- voyages are currently available through to early 2023. If a guest has made a booking using their FCC from a previously canceled voyage, they will receive the same value of that FCC back. If a guest had paid any extra monies towards that voyage fare, we will turn that amount into a 125% FCC.  Guests preferring a refund should complete the form on Cunard.com.

 

Additionally, Cunard has reviewed the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Framework for Conditional Sailing and is seeking additional clarification to fully understand the requirements. While we await further information, we have (temporarily) stopped selling all cruises eight days and longer which call upon a U.S. port and depart January 1 through November 1, 2021. For your clients who are currently booked on one of these cruises, we ask for your patience to receive further information from Cunard on whether their cruise is impacted.  Please note, the cruises noted above HAVE NOT been cancelled and there is no action required from you or your clients at this time.

 

[Bertie Doe]

Hi, we're booked on QE from 14th June for 10 days out of Southampton. The email stating that final balance is not due till 30 days before sailing, is a positive move by Cunard. The free parking is also a nice touch. This will be our first with Cunard and looking forward to it. Regards Paul.

[kmerlin14]

On 1/24/2021 at 8:56 AM, ollienbertsmum said:

 

 

Oops not sure I can do that because I have not got round to getting an international driving license now needed because of Brexit.  Another couple of months like this and I will be getting excited about a bus trip to Torremolinos.  

Check with your autoleague. I was able to get an international drivers licence in Canada so that I could drive in Ireland and all I had to do was go to the CAA in Canada with my Canadian one and fill out a form and pay about twenty dollars or so. It was done over the counter.

 

Our province just had more cases this month than they did all last year so I don't think we're going anywhere just yet.

 

[koonard]

On 1/2/2021 at 9:00 PM, showingdiva said:

Yes, on QM2 in September.   My optimism waxes and wanes daily.

 

However, aside from that and working for the NHS, I'm a local port guide on board and on shore in my local port, and I really can't wait until the cruise ships to return as I've missed this more than being an actual passenger.

We booked September 2021 .. DOH .. and its our 50th Wedding Anniversary .. Waiting to see if they just cancel or re arrange the ports ? anyone know what will happen ? 

[showingdiva]

5 hours ago, koonard said:

We booked September 2021 .. DOH .. and its our 50th Wedding Anniversary .. Waiting to see if they just cancel or re arrange the ports ? anyone know what will happen ? 

 

I'm still on the fence about cruising in September 2021, even on QM2 - a ship I'm sure Cunard (Carnival) are desperate to get going as soon as possible.   I've drawn up an alternative list for 2022 should it be cancelled.

 

As for the ships due to visit my local port, I'm not expecting to see much, if anything, before July.   I've still got all the Fred Olsen ships laid up at one of our other ports, which have just extended their pause.

 

 

[newjoisey]

2 minutes ago, showingdiva said:

 

I'm still on the fence about cruising in September 2021, even on QM2 - a ship I'm sure Cunard (Carnival) are desperate to get going as soon as possible.   I've drawn up an alternative list for 2022 should it be cancelled.

 

As for the ships due to visit my local port, I'm not expecting to see much, if anything, before July.   I've still got all the Fred Olsen ships laid up at one of our other ports, which have just extended their pause.

 

 

Carnival definitely wants to get cruising again but their mega passenger vehicles are at the top of their list .......the money makers . Cunard will be lucky if it survives this thinning of the herd.  

[navybankerteacher]

4 minutes ago, newjoisey said:

Carnival definitely wants to get cruising again but their mega passenger vehicles are at the top of their list .......the money makers . Cunard will be lucky if it survives this thinning of the herd.  

I am somewhat optimistic —- the “thinning of the herd” is likely to impact the thicker herds.  There is a lot of duplication in the bargain “herd” — Carnival, NCL and Royal Caribbean - perhaps those three will not all continue;  similarly, the somewhat higher tier: HAL, Princess and Celebrity could also be thinned.  Cunard, however is not really part of a herd - so while their three might not survive, it is likely that market demand will help the Cunard approach survive.

[newjoisey]

buy up their stock ...........not me 

[Rocky of London]

So many people try not to fly for one reason or another....when I had conversations with cruise passengers from all round the world on the Queen Mary (Transatlantic ), they said they use the New York to Southampton as a means of travelling on....then going on another cruise ship from Southampton for other destinations....plus from New York to other destinations....

 

Plus there are a large number of passengers who stay on the ship, for the return Transatlantic cruise without leaving the ship ?  That means the people who leave from the port of exit return with out leaving the ship ?

Could that be a way of ..........testing the waters ?

 

so at present Cunard have a massive existing clientele who use this means of travel without flying........Commercially a good money spinner and a service that I feel, will continue with the style and formality of this cruise line.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 7, 2021 by Rocky of London

[oskidunker]

Living in San Francisco this is of no help as Cunard only goes from SF to Australia.I would love to avoid flying. I wish they would do SF to Southampton.

[showingdiva]

10 hours ago, navybankerteacher said:

I am somewhat optimistic —- the “thinning of the herd” is likely to impact the thicker herds.  There is a lot of duplication in the bargain “herd” — Carnival, NCL and Royal Caribbean - perhaps those three will not all continue;  similarly, the somewhat higher tier: HAL, Princess and Celebrity could also be thinned.  Cunard, however is not really part of a herd - so while their three might not survive, it is likely that market demand will help the Cunard approach survive.

 

This ^

 

Of all the companies in the Carnival stable, the ones I've always been  least worried about are Cunard and Seabourn.

[teabear]

On 1/26/2021 at 10:32 PM, Bertie Doe said:

Hi, we're booked on QE from 14th June for 10 days out of Southampton. The email stating that final balance is not due till 30 days before sailing, is a positive move by Cunard. The free parking is also a nice touch. This will be our first with Cunard and looking forward to it. Regards Paul.

Me too - just changed to this cruise as the QV I had is cancelled - Cunard lady was very positive about this one going - she did suggest  that if things were still wobbly in Portugal covid wise, there may be an itinerary change but that its too early for decisions to be made yet = looks  like Cunard is getting serious about finding ways to restart

[Bertie Doe]

2 hours ago, teabear said:

Me too - just changed to this cruise as the QV I had is cancelled - Cunard lady was very positive about this one going - she did suggest  that if things were still wobbly in Portugal covid wise, there may be an itinerary change but that its too early for decisions to be made yet = looks  like Cunard is getting serious about finding ways to restart

Yep just happy to blow away the cobwebs and thrash the buffet. As you say Portugal may be problematic but I'd settle for another visit to say, Barcelona or Gibraltar.

[majortom10]

1 hour ago, Bertie Doe said:

Yep just happy to blow away the cobwebs and thrash the buffet. As you say Portugal may be problematic but I'd settle for another visit to say, Barcelona or Gibraltar.

If Cunard are sailing by that date, which is very doubtful, there will certainly be no buffet as we know it at best it will be, served by staff choice.

[DWhit]

We are booked on the June 24th out of Southampton.  If we both get our vaccine shots by then, and the UK lets us in without quarantine, and the ship is sailing, then its a go for us.   We have friends we want to see in Scotland and North Ireland.  Fingers crossed.

[Bertie Doe]

13 hours ago, majortom10 said:

If Cunard are sailing by that date, which is very doubtful, there will certainly be no buffet as we know it at best it will be, served by staff choice.

I didn't say that it's a self-service buffet. I believe they don't want passengers to touch/share ladles and scoops. It's passenger choice, not staff choice. I guess you ask for "one sausage, one egg, two bacon, hold the hash browns" and the staff will serve it to you. The buffet will continue but not in self-service format, in my humble opinion.

[teabear]

3 hours ago, Bertie Doe said:

I didn't say that it's a self-service buffet. I believe they don't want passengers to touch/share ladles and scoops. It's passenger choice, not staff choice. I guess you ask for "one sausage, one egg, two bacon, hold the hash browns" and the staff will serve it to you. The buffet will continue but not in self-service format, in my humble opinion.

I agree - it will be served to you and perhaps we may even have to book a time and table - dont care - the only bit I will really miss is if they drop the large table for solo travellers in the dining room,  I have met some great people over the years, several of whom keep in touch and matchup cruises with - however will happily sit by myself and read my book if it means I am waddling along on the high seas.

[Colin_Cameron]

On 2/11/2021 at 3:39 AM, DWhit said:

We are booked on the June 24th out of Southampton.  If we both get our vaccine shots by then, and the UK lets us in without quarantine, and the ship is sailing, then its a go for us.   We have friends we want to see in Scotland and North Ireland.  Fingers crossed.

The quarantine rules in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland are not all the same.

 

The recent headlines that international arrivals, from 33 countries, to the UK will have to quarantine is inaccurate in that it only applies to England. In Scotland all international arrivals will have quarantine. I don't know about NI.

 

The rules may have changed by the time you get here (if you get here🤞), just be aware that they may vary across the UK.

[Windsurfboy]

Even though USA is not on the red list, at moment  unless you have a private self contained address where you can quarantine alone (e.g a rented house,  apartment)  you will be forced into managed quarantine.  Whether that will change no one knows. 

 

We are hoping ,but not expecting to go away in May to a non red list country.  We are mentally prepared and expecting to quaratine at home for the 10 days and 2 tests.  Not much different to current life under lockdown.