Celebrity will start sailing with only 50-60% capacity

[baldilocks]

If our January 2022 cruise is cancelled, we will just take a refund and go on a land vacation. However, we feel that the COVID procedures would have been worked out by then.

[paulh84]

I do not think it will be difficult to eschew a good number of passengers at the beginning.

 

1. Rigid COVID restrictions

2. Testing will be a given

3. Vaccine may be required

4. Limited port stops and significantly reduced excursion opportunities

5. Restrictive onboard experience requiring reservations, limited restaurant availability, etc.

6. Many people still will avoid travel in general

 

Then push comes to shove, add some sort of incentive to rebook at a later date or switch weeks or switch ships. 

 

 

 

 

 

[Arizona Wildcat]

3 hours ago, stromer said:

I have a cruise from New Jersey to South Hampton on Aug 1 which includes Iceland on the Summit.  

If the ship sales at low capacity will they upgrade people to a higher category- probably not to keep the cabins socially distanced.  In Iceland I want to rent a car for my excursion - will they allow that?

Too many things can change over the next 6 months to predict what wil, happen. 

 

Stromer - we are booked on your cruise.  Greenland is pretty much not allowing travel into the country.  Cannot imagine a port agreement to accept any infected passengers would be possible as they only have a clinic.

Renting a car in Iceland?  Maybe in 2022, but again many restrictions and the likelihood of anything besides ship's excursions is not likely. 

The killer is the 7 day cruise rule.  Like the others on the roll call we are simply waiting for our cruise to be cancelled.

Sadly this cruise is not regularly scheduled.  2022 is NY to Iceland and return.

[jonthomas]

Just wishful thinking on Celebs part and to keep you booking.

 

Many countries will not have reached vaccination potentials till well into the end of 2021. That is what will decide when and if , cruise lines will restart. 

[81Zoomie]

As an interesting comparison, NCL is now repatriating crews they brought back in the late fall in preparation for the “test” sailings.  I wonder which cruise line has the better crystal ball?
 

https://crew-center.com/all-ncl-non-essential-crew-be-repatriated-home-april-2021

 

 

[Germancruiser]

I only can speak of my own two mid- pandemic cruises - one in July ( 4 nights) and the other in October ( 7 nights)  2020. Both ships were the size of X´s Solstice Class ships. Both sailed at max. of 50% capacity. In reality it was more like 20 to 30 %. All in keeping with social distancing.

Wearing masks was mandatory,  when walking around or even up on the open decks- when distancing was no longer a given.

Even though both have been very different experiences then cruising was pre pandemic. I loved both cruies to nowhere ( " The Blue Voyages" as they where called)  anyway. Of course nobody got on board without beeing tested.

If X does cruises out of Europe at a reduced capacity I would not hestitate to book. I suppose they restart out of the US first- so if you have the chance to sail on a ship at half capacity and are okay with supposingly no shore excursions at all or on your own- GO FOR IT! Wonderful to escape for a week or so- even when it is just looking out over the waves - such a relaxing experience!

Edited January 29, 2021 by Germancruiser

[Steve H]

7 hours ago, koolZip said:

Who says masking and social distancing don't work? Anti-maskers and poor leadership is why the U.S. has failed to control the virus, but see how Australia and New Zealand are doing.

 

And as far as Dr. Bonnie Henry is concerned: "A viral list of COVID-19 pandemic advice  attributed to British Columbia chief medical officer Dr. Bonnie Henry is not only fake, it’s dangerously inaccurate."

How would someone from Tennessee have any first hand knowledge of what Dr. Henry is saying or doing to get B.C. through the pandemic. Everyone would be doing a lot better if they had someone like her.

Edited January 29, 2021 by Steve H

[koolZip]

1 hour ago, Steve H said:

How would someone from Tennessee have any first hand knowledge of what Dr. Henry is saying or doing to get B.C. through the pandemic. Everyone would be doing a lot better if they had someone like her.

How would someone from Victoria, BC not know how to use Google?

[LGW59]

1 minute ago, koolZip said:

How would someone from Victoria, BC not know how to use Google?

And TN gave us our national treasure, Dolly Parton, COVID hero, full stop!!!

[BEAV]

Just finished reading this thread up to this point.

 

Thanks for all the smiles, giggles, laughs and entertainment. 

 

And now, back to Netflix.

[Steve H]

3 hours ago, koolZip said:

How would someone from Victoria, BC not know how to use Google?

You don’t need Google to see how things are going in other parts of the world, I’ll take my chances with Dr. Henry! Stay safe!

Edited January 29, 2021 by Steve H

[ipeeinthepool]

17 hours ago, jelayne said:

...

We all know that just because someone is in a Suite, Aqua or CC doesn’t mean that they actually paid more than someone who is in a veranda.

 

 

 

I guess I don't know this...  Other than being a gambler, how do I sail in a suite for less than a veranda?

 

Eventually the gamblers will pay a lot more their cabins.

[laslomas]

If it was necessary to reduce the bookings on a cruise I hope that Celebrity would consider a new Lift & Shift option for 'bumped' passengers.

 

Previously, if your cruise was cancelled, it meant just that, and refunds and offers are made of OBC etc. But in this case it would be - your cruise is not cancelled, but you are. That is a different scenario altogether, so the compensation needs to reflect that. Also, it would be heart breaking to choose a replacement cruise and the same thing happen again.

[koolZip]

5 hours ago, Steve H said:

You don’t need Google to see how things are going in other parts of the world, I’ll take my chances with Dr. Henry! Stay safe!

Translation: My mind is made up. Don't confuse me with facts.

Ignorance in action is exactly why we can't stay safe. Let's just go with "have a nice day." 🙂

[Fouremco]

Just to be clear, the list purporting to be "Wisdom from Dr. Bonnie Henry" making the rounds again online was never authored by this very well respected BC Public Health Official. 

 

This is one of many reports debunking this false attribution:

 

https://www.vancouverisawesome.com/bc-news/fake-list-covid-19-wisdom-dr-bonnie-henry-social-media-2566818

 

 

[Pinboy]

Who's to say the ships will be booked to 50-60% anyway ?

Perhaps it's just a Marketing tool ?

I hope that 24yr old Marketing " Expert " from Western Canada contributes to this thread.

In the meantime , for the 10th time (?? ) , the Pinboy's are staying home , no bookings , and holding $$$ in FCC's . 

[davekathy]

6 minutes ago, Pinboy said:

Who's to say the ships will be booked to 50-60% anyway ?

Perhaps it's just a Marketing tool ?

I hope that 24yr old Marketing " Expert " from Western Canada contributes to this thread.

In the meantime , for the 10th time (?? ) , the Pinboy's are staying home , no bookings , and holding $$$ in FCC's . 

We heard ya the first time.🙄

[terrydtx]

10 minutes ago, Pinboy said:

, for the 10th time (?? ) , the Pinboy's are staying home , no bookings , and holding $$$ in FCC's . 

That is your choice and I doubt any cruise line will miss you. My wife and I are booked on 3 cruises in the next 18 months, and if they sail we will be on them. 

[Pinboy]

1 hour ago, davekathy said:

We heard ya the first time.🙄

Great memory !!  Are you " hinting " that you would like the FCC's that I would be happy to give to you , if it were permissible ??  

[sydbarrett]

9 minutes ago, Pinboy said:

Great memory !!  Are you " hinting " that you would like the FCC's that I would be happy to give to you , if it were permissible ??  

You can do a one-time transfer of FCC to another guest! If you're offering.... 😁

[Pinboy]

4 minutes ago, sydbarrett said:

You can do a one-time transfer of FCC to another guest! If you're offering.... 😁

Not a joke--- I asked about that awhile ago and the answer was no.

I'll bet you are a Toronto Maple Leaf fan ??

 

[davekathy]

32 minutes ago, Pinboy said:

Great memory !!  Are you " hinting " that you would like the FCC's that I would be happy to give to you , if it were permissible ??  

Not hinting, expressing, implying, asking or suggesting. 🤔

Edited January 29, 2021 by davekathy

[sydbarrett]

5 minutes ago, Pinboy said:

Not a joke--- I asked about that awhile ago and the answer was no.

I'll bet you are a Toronto Maple Leaf fan ??

 

Shockingly, not a hockey fan but if I have to choose, Canadiens!!

[TeeRick]

21 hours ago, verizon said:

Why not sailing just for passengers with vaccine only.

The ship can easily filled with those seniors have vaccinations by May.

That peaked my interest.  So in thinking about this let's play it out for Florida local residents and cruising. As of today the state of FL has administered 1.7 million doses of vaccine(s) on the CDC tracker.  And according to the state they are at about 65% for seniors 65+.  So maybe 1.1M seniors vaccinated and assume half (?) have had 2 doses.  Possibly 500,000 seniors in the state are vaccine-ready now.  Let's say 5% are actually cruiseaholics.  So 25,000 people ready to go on a few ships at full capacity.  Assuming full capacity since everybody aboard is vaccinated. Even if this number quadruples by May to 100,000 it is still not enough people to support profitable weekly sustained cruising by local seniors cruising out of FL in my opinion. Anybody else have thoughts on this?

 

https://www.flgov.com/2021/01/20/florida-leads-the-nation-in-vaccines-for-ages-65-with-seniors-first-approach/

[cruisemom42]

5 minutes ago, TeeRick said:

That peaked my interest.  So in thinking about this let's play it out for Florida local residents and cruising. As of today the state of FL has administered 1.7 million doses of vaccine(s) on the CDC tracker.  And according to the state they are at about 65% for seniors 65+.  So maybe 1.1M seniors vaccinated and assume half (?) have had 2 doses.  Possibly 500,000 seniors in the state are vaccine-ready now.  Let's say 5% are actually cruiseaholics.  So 25,000 people ready to go on a few ships at full capacity.  Assuming full capacity since everybody aboard is vaccinated. Even if this number quadruples by May to 100,000 it is still not enough people to support profitable weekly sustained cruising by local seniors cruising out of FL in my opinion. Anybody else have thoughts on this?

 

https://www.flgov.com/2021/01/20/florida-leads-the-nation-in-vaccines-for-ages-65-with-seniors-first-approach/

 

I think you would also need to take into consideration the fact that:

 

• Numbers of vaccinated will likely ramp up faster now that workable processes are pretty much in place, and also now the first responders are vaccinated -- so more vaccines will go to the 65+ population.
• Some folks from neighboring states (GA, AL, SC) may be willing to drive to the ports, or some are even willing to fly.
• The CDC framework for restarting cruises has already specified that the initial voyages WILL be at a reduced capacity. So I would definitely assume not more than 50-60% occupancy on initial cruises, even assuming vaccination due to a) requirements, b) need for crew to get up to speed with new requirements.  Also, remember that crew themselves may NOT have had opportunity to be vaccinated.