SAGA announces mandatory vacancies

[island lady]

7 minutes ago, Mapleleafforever said:

I really wish we were though, I really do. 

 

Me too.  Last year at this time I was on a B2B2B on Vision out of PR.  Right now, I was supposed to be on B2B on Freedom out of PR.  Sigh...the good old days...before Covid ever reared it's ugly head.  

[cloud_nine]

59 minutes ago, Mapleleafforever said:

You're not comparing equal terms. It is not Royal Cruises or Royal Cruise lines but rather Royal Caribbean Cruise lines (former name  and since Royal Caribbean Int.). Google Royal Caribbean, or Carnival, or Norwegian, or Celebrity, or Costa, or Princess, I could go on and on.......first results are for the Cruise lines. SAGA on it's own......nada. Details matter. 

I literally just typed in Saga on Google and the second thing to come up on page 1 was Saga Holidays - Cruises for over 50s. The first thing on page 1 was Saga insurance which is the same company as Saga Holidays as you can get cruise insurance through them.  So I honestly don't know where you're looking! 🙍‍♀️

[Mapleleafforever]

1 minute ago, cloud_nine said:

I literally just typed in Saga on Google and the second thing to come up on page 1 was Saga Holidays - Cruises for over 50s. The first thing on page 1 was Saga insurance which is the same company as Saga Holidays as you can get cruise insurance through them.  So I honestly don't know where you're looking! 🙍‍♀️

What's with you Brits?? lol. It may work for you because it's based in your Country. Over here where we drive on the right side of the road we don't see it. 

[Ourusualbeach]

7 minutes ago, cloud_nine said:

I literally just typed in Saga on Google and the second thing to come up on page 1 was Saga Holidays - Cruises for over 50s. The first thing on page 1 was Saga insurance which is the same company as Saga Holidays as you can get cruise insurance through them.  So I honestly don't know where you're looking! 🙍‍♀️

A lot of what shows up has to do with where in the world you are located

[Iamcruzin]

4 hours ago, molly361 said:

Good luck.  My sister in NY was just told that it might not be until April for my 90 year old mother to get one.  Sad  

That's basically what the VA told my 88 yr old father.

[Mapleleafforever]

25 minutes ago, island lady said:

 

Me too.  Last year at this time I was on a B2B2B on Vision out of PR.  Right now, I was supposed to be on B2B on Freedom out of PR.  Sigh...the good old days...before Covid ever reared it's ugly head.  

Been on Freedom twice, once was our honeymoon. That ship will always be special for us. 

[cloud_nine]

12 minutes ago, Mapleleafforever said:

What's with you Brits?? lol. It may work for you because it's based in your Country. Over here where we drive on the right side of the road we don't see it. 

Ah I see. So we come to the crux of it. When you mean "niche" what you really mean is "British" or "not North American". Do you also think P&O is a "niche" cruise line? Perhaps the Italian cruise lines MSC and Costa are also niche then. Just because you have never heard of something, it doesn't make it niche. There are many American and Canadian things that I have "never heard of" and probably wouldn't show up on the first page of "British" Google but I would never think to call it "niche". 

[not-enough-cruising]

45 minutes ago, Ocean Boy said:

Believe me, I totally understand your perspective and I am not a huge fan of general vaccine mandates. I believe in personal choice as one size does not fit all. But the cruise lines have a need to keep their ships safe. So they are going to mandate something be it masks, vaccines or whatever. In the long run I think vaccines provide a safer, more comfortable environment, and a much more normal cruise experience than a mask and social distancing policy ever would. I would also speculate that vaccines allow a higher booking capacity for the ships than masks and distancing could.

To add, I postulate that a ship (even at high capacity) with 100% of souls on board vaccinated, would never run into a "whole ship quarantine" situation, or even th need to cut short an itinerary, nor have any concern about being offloaded back in the USA.

[Mapleleafforever]

1 minute ago, cloud_nine said:

Ah I see. So we come to the crux of it. When you mean "niche" what you really mean is "British" or "not North American". Do you also think P&O is a "niche" cruise line? Perhaps the Italian cruise lines MSC and Costa are also niche then. Just because you have never heard of something, it doesn't make it niche. There are many American and Canadian things that I have "never heard of" and probably wouldn't show up on the first page of "British" Google but I would never think to call it "niche". 

When I google P&O the cruise line is the first result and it is a family friendly line. For MSC it's the second after their shipping company and is a family friendly line. For Costa it was first result and it is also a family friendly line. Saga is a small cruise line for people over 50, that is the very definition of niche is it not?

 

Here, I'll google the definition of niche when used as an adjective for you. "denoting products, services, or interests that appeal to a small, specialized section of the population". 

[Mapleleafforever]

55 minutes ago, molly361 said:

I just hope if vaccines are required they will be required for ALL passengers not just adults.  If there are no vaccines for children then they should not be allowed to cruise.  If someone does not want to get vaccinated then they should not be allowed to cruise.

Lets just wait and see if it will in fact be a requirement in order to cruise. Don't forget that Royal is currently cruising in Singapore with no vaccine and they're doing just fine (I think). 

[easyqueasy]

50 minutes ago, molly361 said:

I just hope if vaccines are required they will be required for ALL passengers not just adults.  If there are no vaccines for children then they should not be allowed to cruise.  If someone does not want to get vaccinated then they should not be allowed to cruise.

I disagree. How about we just make sure the children (under 18?) wear masks in place of vaccination? But sounds like it’s an absolute for you. Between your vaccination and washy washy, I think you’ll be safe, though there is no 100% guarantee. Are you staying home and sheltered until the entire world is vaccinated or is it just cruising you’re staying away from until everyone’s vaccinated? Ultimately the rule is up to the cruise lines. 

[smokeybandit]

47 minutes ago, not-enough-cruising said:

To add, I postulate that a ship (even at high capacity) with 100% of souls on board vaccinated, would never run into a "whole ship quarantine" situation, or even th need to cut short an itinerary, nor have any concern about being offloaded back in the USA.

In theory yes, but you never know how overreaction to the first ship covid case will truly be handled.

Look at all the panic for a single case in Singapore which ended up being a false positive.

[island lady]

1 hour ago, Mapleleafforever said:

Been on Freedom twice, once was our honeymoon. That ship will always be special for us. 

 

I still miss her dearly here near PC.  We were lucky to have her as our home port ship for many years.  🥰

[not-enough-cruising]

31 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

In theory yes, but you never know how overreaction to the first ship covid case will truly be handled.

Look at all the panic for a single case in Singapore which ended up being a false positive.

Yes, but that one "positive" case was pre vaccine, i believe if everyone on the ship had been vaccinated the reaction would have been different.  The reaction, as it was, was appropriate for the time and place.

[broberts]

2 hours ago, molly361 said:

I just hope if vaccines are required they will be required for ALL passengers not just adults.  If there are no vaccines for children then they should not be allowed to cruise.  If someone does not want to get vaccinated then they should not be allowed to cruise.

 

Since it will be another year or so before vaccines will be approved for young children that would push cruise resumption back to mid  to late 2022.

[Ocean Boy]

3 hours ago, island lady said:

 

Me too.  Last year at this time I was on a B2B2B on Vision out of PR.  Right now, I was supposed to be on B2B on Freedom out of PR.  Sigh...the good old days...before Covid ever reared it's ugly head.  

And I should be packing to board Oasis this Sunday.

[Ourusualbeach]

33 minutes ago, broberts said:

 

Since it will be another year or so before vaccines will be approved for young children that would push cruise resumption back to mid  to late 2022.

It will only push it back for those that are cruising with their kids.   If a vaccine is required to cruise then those that don’t have it won’t be allowed to cruise.  No reason to think a cruise line would not start cruising just as soon as they could just because kids or any other group can’t have the vaccine.   As soon as the cruise line thinks there is enough of the population vaccinated and they can sail at an acceptable occupancy level they will sail.

[molly361]

35 minutes ago, broberts said:

 

Since it will be another year or so before vaccines will be approved for young children that would push cruise resumption back to mid  to late 2022.

Or they sail with only those that were able to get vaccinated. It's going to be reduced capacity at first 

[Ocean Boy]

2 hours ago, Mapleleafforever said:

Lets just wait and see if it will in fact be a requirement in order to cruise. Don't forget that Royal is currently cruising in Singapore with no vaccine and they're doing just fine (I think). 

The control that Singapore has over multiple aspects of the country, its population,  and cruising is not anything that can be replicated in the U.S. You can't look at how things are going there and extrapolate that to a Florida-Caribbean cruise.

[Ocean Boy]

3 hours ago, Mapleleafforever said:

When I google P&O the cruise line is the first result and it is a family friendly line. For MSC it's the second after their shipping company and is a family friendly line. For Costa it was first result and it is also a family friendly line. Saga is a small cruise line for people over 50, that is the very definition of niche is it not?

 

Here, I'll google the definition of niche when used as an adjective for you. "denoting products, services, or interests that appeal to a small, specialized section of the population". 

It is rather odd that a Canadian has to teach English to a Brit.😄😇

[Iamcruzin]

1 hour ago, broberts said:

 

Since it will be another year or so before vaccines will be approved for young children that would push cruise resumption back to mid  to late 2022.

At the rate the vaccines are happening it may be 2022 before those under 65 will be fully vaccinated.

[sandebeach]

4 hours ago, island lady said:

 

They won't be able to do that now.  Florida has gotten wise to the obvious abuse.  Now you will need proof of Florida residency.  

 

Vaccines numbers were sent to Florida from the Feds (yes...U.S. government) according to Florida resident numbers.  Each non resident getting the vaccine, draws from those allocated vaccine numbers ..which is one more resident that doesn't have a chance to get one.  

Yes I just read the new ruling. I totally agree with ruling. 

[Iamcruzin]

31 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

It will only push it back for those that are cruising with their kids.   If a vaccine is required to cruise then those that don’t have it won’t be allowed to cruise.  No reason to think a cruise line would not start cruising just as soon as they could just because kids or any other group can’t have the vaccine.   As soon as the cruise line thinks there is enough of the population vaccinated and they can sail at an acceptable occupancy level they will sail.

I don't envy you if you have to call your clients with kids to tell them they can't sail. Not to mention all of the refunds. You may have to advise them to take the cash instead of the FCC.

[Ourusualbeach]

1 minute ago, Iamcruzin said:

I don't envy you if you have to call your clients with kids to tell them they can't sail. Not to mention all of the refunds. You may have to advise them to take the cash instead of the FCC.

I’m just hoping that there are more options than just an FCC for those that don’t have a vaccine for whatever reason and have to cancel if a vaccine is required. 

[Iamcruzin]

Just now, Ourusualbeach said:

I’m just hoping that there are more options than just an FCC for those that don’t have a vaccine for whatever reason and have to cancel if a vaccine is required. 

I hope so too and I hope they pay out commission because it isn't anyone's fault if the cruise lines require the vaccine after someone booked before the vaccine condition was in place.