Celebrity Just Announced Third Ship to Sail This Summer . . .

[mrlevin]

. . . where oh where is Oceania?  St Maarten, Piraeus, and now Southhampton for Celebrity.  Nowhere for Oceania (and rest of NCLH lines).  Weren't both RCG and NCLH backers of the Healthy Sail Panel?  Why is one sailing and not the other?

[pinotlover]

1 hour ago, mrlevin said:

. . . where oh where is Oceania?  St Maarten, Piraeus, and now Southhampton for Celebrity.  Nowhere for Oceania (and rest of NCLH lines).  Weren't both RCG and NCLH backers of the Healthy Sail Panel?  Why is one sailing and not the other?

A cruise line must cancel non sailing cruise; return deposits and other payments; operationally plan new cruises; market and sell new cruises. NCLH so far isn’t interested in the first and second steps.

[Flatbush Flyer]

34 minutes ago, pinotlover said:

A cruise line must cancel non sailing cruise; return deposits and other payments; operationally plan new cruises; market and sell new cruises. NCLH so far isn’t interested in the first and second steps.

FWIW:

From very early in this mess (January 2020), Oceania has taken a very conservative stance regarding Covid restrictions.

I will always remember our early February Nautica embarkation in Cape Town and the prohibition of anyone (passengers/crew) who had been in mainland China during the previous six months. And, during the cruise, the already significant food safety/public health policies/procedures were increased in a most proactive way.
In turn - O’s full compliance with all Covid-related government dictates worldwide since then as well as the introduction of what has proved to be an efficacious model of scheduled (e.g., monthly) review of itineraries (for cancellation) viv-a-vis international Covid related transportation/tourism decisions AND O’s resource management - particularly as it relates to exemplary handling of refund, FCCs etc.

And now, step back and look at the bigger picture of the cruise industry restart. First and foremost, is the constant uncertainty of Covid’s future impact on humanity. “Open today” can easily be “closed tomorrow.” And, if nothing else, letting other companies be the “guinea pigs” is a wise decision all around.

 

From past and current O decisions, what we come away with is a very studied approach to maintaining the company’s viability while protecting its passengers interests.

[mrlevin]

2 minutes ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

From past and current O decisions, what we come away with is a very studied approach to maintaining the company’s viability while protecting its passengers interests.

 

To summarise, FdR is scared of screwing up.

[LHT28]

7 minutes ago, mrlevin said:

 

To summarise, FdR is scared of screwing up.

Or maybe just cautious  🤔

Either way someone will  never be happy with  other peoples decisions

[Flatbush Flyer]

18 minutes ago, mrlevin said:

 

To summarise, FdR is scared of screwing up.

You would be too if the future of your (FDR and cofounder Bob Binder) “baby” (Oceania) was on the line.

[Tranquility Base]

The vaccination situation regarding summer cruising is becoming clearer.

 

Celebrity have said passengers under 18 will be permitted onboard, only a negative PCR test required.

 

For all cruise lines, getting vaccinated crew onboard specific ships in various locations  is going to be an interesting logistics problem with these announced target dates.

[Aloha 1]

On 3/29/2021 at 1:23 PM, Tranquility Base said:

The vaccination situation regarding summer cruising is becoming clearer.

 

Celebrity have said passengers under 18 will be permitted onboard, only a negative PCR test required.

 

For all cruise lines, getting vaccinated crew onboard specific ships in various locations  is going to be an interesting logistics problem with these announced target dates.

One which you should assume they already thought out and planned for. Otherwise why even announce?

[Hlitner]

23 hours ago, Aloha 1 said:

One which you should assume they already thought out and planned for. Otherwise why even announce?

Darned if I know but it does not make much sense.  Europe is experiencing another COVID surge, vaccination programs are not going well (except in the UK) and the EU is completely closed to Americans with no indication when things will open up.  So Celebrity is now marketing and selling cruises to Americans that embark from places not accessible to any Americans.  So you tell me how that is "thought out!"   Perhaps they are counting on selling all the berths to Europeans which might work.  But marketing to Americans is truly deceptive unless there is some indication that Americans will be able to enter the UK and EU.

 

I do like having a cruise out of St Maarten although Americans are now prohibited from going to the French side of the island.   The French have taken a very tough position on entry to any territory controlled by their country.

 

Hank

[Host Jazzbeau]

2 hours ago, Hlitner said:

Darned if I know but it does not make much sense.  Europe is experiencing another COVID surge, vaccination programs are not going well (except in the UK) and the EU is completely closed to Americans with no indication when things will open up.  So Celebrity is now marketing and selling cruises to Americans that embark from places not accessible to any Americans.  So you tell me how that is "thought out!"   Perhaps they are counting on selling all the berths to Europeans which might work.  But marketing to Americans is truly deceptive unless there is some indication that Americans will be able to enter the UK and EU.

 

I do like having a cruise out of St Maarten although Americans are now prohibited from going to the French side of the island.   The French have taken a very tough position on entry to any territory controlled by their country.

 

Hank

So much for the Saint-Pierre et Miquelon workaround to the Canadian cruise ban!

[Hlitner]

6 minutes ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

So much for the Saint-Pierre et Miquelon workaround to the Canadian cruise ban!

ROFL.   That is brilliant! :).  Had never heard that idea but love Great post which will keep me laughing for some time.

 

Hank  

[Cruise Wonderland]

On 3/29/2021 at 10:59 PM, pinotlover said:

A cruise line must cancel non sailing cruise; return deposits and other payments; operationally plan new cruises; market and sell new cruises. NCLH so far isn’t interested in the first and second steps.

 

In the past two weeks Norwegian Cruise Line has already cancelled the cruises departing up to October 2021 for several ships. Perhaps some new itineraries (and new homeports) for these ships will be launched very soon just like other cruise lines.

 

But for Oceania and Regent, they only cancelled the cruises departing up to June 2021.

[Aloha 1]

18 hours ago, Hlitner said:

Darned if I know but it does not make much sense.  Europe is experiencing another COVID surge, vaccination programs are not going well (except in the UK) and the EU is completely closed to Americans with no indication when things will open up.  So Celebrity is now marketing and selling cruises to Americans that embark from places not accessible to any Americans.  So you tell me how that is "thought out!"   Perhaps they are counting on selling all the berths to Europeans which might work.  But marketing to Americans is truly deceptive unless there is some indication that Americans will be able to enter the UK and EU.

 

I do like having a cruise out of St Maarten although Americans are now prohibited from going to the French side of the island.   The French have taken a very tough position on entry to any territory controlled by their country.

 

Hank

The celebrity cruises are going out of Athens. Both Greece and Israel are welcoming vacinnated  passengers as of June. Not going to UK or other EU countries.

[Hlitner]

18 minutes ago, Aloha 1 said:

The celebrity cruises are going out of Athens. Both Greece and Israel are welcoming vacinnated  passengers as of June. Not going to UK or other EU countries.

That is not true when it comes to Greece (not sure what will happen with Israel).  The Greek Minister of Tourism has expressed the desire to open up Greece, to vaccinated folks, by the end of May.  But the Greek Minister of Tourism has also previously expressed the desire to open up Greece during the summer of 2020 :(.   The problem is the Minister of Tourism is just one person and he must deal with his own government and the European Union (of which Greece is a member).  There is no way most of the EU will open by the summer (if at all in 2021) and they will not be supportive of Greece to go it alone (which creates problems at the land borders).   Just this week a CC poster who lives in Athens also expressed his doubts of Greece opening and pointed out that as of now, Greece is locked down with most restaurants and facilities in Athens closed.  Will this change in the next couple of months?  Perhaps...but more likely perhaps not.   Unfortunately, the vaccination efforts in both Greece and most of the EU are not going well and are far behind original estimates.  

 

Personally we do hope that Greece opens this summer because we will then fly over there and spend a few weeks on some of our favorite Greek Islands.  

 

Hank

[Redtravel]

I was curious about where Celebrity and RCL would sail on their upcoming cruises.  Their itineraries are not great.  Celebrity sailing out of St. Maarten will stop at Caribbean islands.  RCL will sail from Bermuda to their own island and back.  Also, some cruises will stop in Bahamas. Not the best time of year to sail there. RCL itinerary should be safe, but dull.  It seems like it is a way to get the crews adjusted to new protocols.  The ships may be safe.  The regulations to fly into Bermuda and St. Maarten are strict and can be expensive. Oceania hasn’t announced restart dates.  I am sure they would like to start up when they feel it is safe.  Many places that Oceania visits are not safe and will not welcome Americans or Canadians.  

[Flatbush Flyer]

1 minute ago, Redtravel said:

....Oceania hasn’t announced restart dates.  I am sure they would like to start up when they feel it is safe.  Many places that Oceania visits are not safe and will not welcome Americans or Canadians.  

Read post #3

[mrlevin]

5 hours ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

Read post #3

and post #4

[Flatbush Flyer]

5 minutes ago, mrlevin said:

and post #4

FWIW: FDR isn’t really “scared.” He’s just the smartest in the bunch when it comes to the cruise industry execs (and Binder is right there next to him).