Summer Cruises in Med?

[laurelguy]

How are you all feeling about cruises happening June-Sept in the Med? We canceled last summer (or they did) and now we have August hopefully Rome-Monte Carlo. I wish they'd do another webinar but since no one knows if Europe will be allowing tourists....maybe there's no point. We're holding New Year's in the Caribbean which we feel confident about. Would love to hear how folks are planning. I'm seeing a lot of activity for 2022 and beyond. Cheers.

[TrapperZimmy]

I hope you are able to do the cruise in August, but I'm not optimistic about Europe yet.  France, for all intents and purposes, is closed.  They aren't even giving vaccines.  I don't know if Italy is doing any better.  We, too, are booked for New Years, and I'm fairly confident about that trip.  We have a trip to Scotland in October, and we are now encouraged that the airlines are looking to create a travel corridor between the US and the UK where you don't have to quarantine.  But now the question is whether we will need a second round of vaccine before we go since it will be more than 6 months.  And if so, do we have to do the "Hunger Games" thing again?  A lot depends upon how responsible people are going to be.  Did there really need to be 38,000 people in a ballpark?

[laurelguy]

Agreed! Thanks for your words. Really looking forward to the December trip. I'm hearing from my TA that cruise companies are re-arranging their summer itineraries to include countries (Croatia, Greece, Iceland) rather than Italy, France, etc. I'm hoping we find out soon about SD! 

[JES4845]

I alternate between cautious optimism one day and cynical pessimism the next day.  We don’t have an SD trip until October but it is supposed to end in Venice which is touch and go at best (rest of the stops are in Croatia so I’m anticipating a change in the final port).

 

Based on hearing from friends who live in Europe, I’m not too optimistic for the summer. We in the USA who have been vaccinated are on the leading edge of getting back to normal.  Most of the rest of the world is way, way behind us - and we have a long way to go to get to herd immunity here in the USA ourselves.

 

One of the issues is whether the crew can get an acceptable vaccine or whether SD is in a position to acquire one of the major ones for crew.  Many in the Philippines are getting the Sinovax one  made in China if they can access a vaccine at all.  That may not fly with the US CDC and the European health authorities for crew to work on cruise ships.

 

Finally, I have (sadly) given up on many people being responsible - living here in Florida and not leaving the county (except one night) much less the state for over a year has made me quite cynical about our fellow humans/citizens.  Selfishness abounds.  I’m on the COVID Committee for our condo and it has been a struggle at times.  You can just sense - with some justification but not enough - that as people get vaccinated they think they are in the clear.  Meanwhile the spring breakers and other tourists to Florida in recent weeks have caused another spike in cases and deaths especially from the variants.  Agree the Caribbean is much more likely than Europe to pan out in 2021 (so we have booked more voyages in 2022 which as you may have noticed are filling up).

 

[knotheadusc]

I am in Germany and the vaccination campaign is painfully slow.  We are able to get the shot on the local Army post and some vaccines are supposedly coming... maybe by June, I'll get my shots.  I'm just glad I don't have to wait for the German economy.  The vaccines are in very short supply and we've been on partial lockdown since November.

 

It sucks... I am so ready for a trip.

[JES4845]

Looks like the start of the Med season for SD has been delayed again?  Website now shows the first SD2 voyage departing June 16 (had been June 2 right?) and the first SD1 voyage departing June 26.  Anyone here on the affected earlier June voyages who can comment/confirm?  Assuming this is because of the situation in the scheduled ports of call and their countries as it relates to COVID.

[Jim Avery]

What about charters? I wonder what rules, if any, charters have to hop to?  Always wanted to charter SD.  Bet I would find a bunch of new best friends if I managed to put one together.  🍸😎

[cabosal1]

Put one together for the Caribbean, Jim.  We'll sign up.

[JES4845]

Doubt charters can get in to these ports either - except for countries that are otherwise open to vaccinated passengers - e.g., Croatia and Greece, OK plus Iceland.

[Jim Avery]

40 minutes ago, JES4845 said:

Doubt charters can get in to these ports either - except for countries that are otherwise open to vaccinated passengers - e.g., Croatia and Greece, OK plus Iceland.

You can have those ports, I dream of Jost van Dyke, Anguilla, etc....😎

[Ragnar Danneskjold]

We thought seriously about b2b SD cruises in late June, but just feel there is still too much uncertainty.  Not sure if SD has the resources to pull off all the PCR testing,  bubble excursions, contact tracing, etc. that will be required.

 

So we have opted for the Viking “cruise to almost nowhere” around Bermuda on 6/15 instead.  They seem to have the resources to pull this off.  Plus Jim has been caterwauling for me to try Viking for ever 🙂

 

[Jim Avery]

2 minutes ago, Ragnar Danneskjold said:

We thought seriously about b2b SD cruises in late June, but just feel there is still too much uncertainty.  Not sure if SD has the resources to pull off all the PCR testing,  bubble excursions, contact tracing, etc. that will be required.

 

So we have opted for the Viking “cruise to almost nowhere” around Bermuda on 6/15 instead.  They seem to have the resources to pull this off.  Plus Jim has been caterwauling for me to try Viking for ever 🙂

 

Not true. I wanted you to go Carnival. Viking might ban me for admitting I know you after you have been on board and demonstrated Ragnarism.😱🍸😎

[Ragnar Danneskjold]

Tried Carnival, got stuck in the opening of the waterslide.  They had to get a large helicopter with a hoist...

[Jim Avery]

Did you win the bellyflop contest?😳

[sunswimsail]

Uhh SD says 25% cancel fee if we don’t cancel by Sunday.  Really sucks.  They canceled initial and we stuck by then and let them keep our money for over a year.  Worried Italy won’t be fully open for August so I guess we need to cancel now. Will be last time we give SD our funds.  Very disappointed. Really want to go but don’t have full confidence.  Anyone have any insights?  Thanks 

[Zimmy]

i think that is absolutely awful. While we're constantly getting emails from SD offering "cancel for any reason" deals for new bookings, the loyal Seadreamers who let our deposits ride are not treated as well. At a time when every month is like a year in time regarding how the Covid world changes, it is very difficult to make travel decisions months in advance. If it were I in this situation, I would cancel rather than risk a significant amount of money. 

[JDF]

We're in the same 'boat'.  Final is due in a few weeks and SD can't confirm itinerary nor vaccination policy.  Refuse to enter a penalty phase until the itinerary is confirmed as well as their vax policies.

[laurelguy]

I'm feeling everybody! We're in the same "boat" for August Med and final due this week. We opted out after having had to cancel LAST summer and LAST Xmas on SD which we love. We're still loyal and got our deposit back in a week! Last time it was over a month. Now we are set for Xmas in the Caribbean...or bust..hang in there folks....

[sunswimsail]

19 hours ago, Zimmy said:

i think that is absolutely awful. While we're constantly getting emails from SD offering "cancel for any reason" deals for new bookings, the loyal Seadreamers who let our deposits ride are not treated as well. At a time when every month is like a year in time regarding how the Covid world changes, it is very difficult to make travel decisions months in advance. If it were I in this situation, I would cancel rather than risk a significant amount of money. 

Exactly.  I’m trying to get an extension? 

[JES4845]

FYI - we were advised by SD in writing this past week that all crew and passengers will be required to be vaccinated (we have bookings in October and December).

 

While we booked these voyages after Dec. 2020, so the “book with confidence” applies, I agree with those of you above who said it is unfair to treat those who booked prior to December 2020 less favorably.  If there is a logical and persuasive reason for this differential in treatment I haven’t heard it.  Clearly it isn’t fair and it also doesn’t make long term business sense for SD.  If there is a rationale someone can provide please do!

[BeignetBoy]

15 hours ago, JES4845 said:

FYI - we were advised by SD in writing this past week that all crew and passengers will be required to be vaccinated (we have bookings in October and December).

 

While we booked these voyages after Dec. 2020, so the “book with confidence” applies, I agree with those of you above who said it is unfair to treat those who booked prior to December 2020 less favorably.  If there is a logical and persuasive reason for this differential in treatment I haven’t heard it.  Clearly it isn’t fair and it also doesn’t make long term business sense for SD.  If there is a rationale someone can provide please do!

Jes, thanks for posting this.  It is comforting that they are only allowing vaccinated passengers and crew on board. We have a booking upcoming in November, and the final payment date is rapidly approaching.  If this is the case, (and I presume that it is) they should proudly post it on their website and stop existing customers from worrying about it..  If it is now on their site, I am not seeing it.

 

And as for the "book with confidence" program, I am in 100% agreement that the program ignores the loyal customers who have let their deposits ride and not cancelled them.  At this time, we have three voyages scheduled, and am feeling unsure about taking them.  I understand that the program helps to get new bookings, but more is needed to gain the needed confidence with our existing bookings.  For example, we bought our air for our upcoming voyage a few months ago, but if SeaDream were to change the voyage due to a country being closed, and if the new air was difficult to purchase, we would like for the program to cover us.  Or if they somehow fall back to allowing only tested passengers to board, that would make us very uncomfortable and we would have to consider cancelling.  

[sunswimsail]

We had to cancel.  Travel agent tried to reach upper management to give us more time to decide, but no reply and deadline was looming.  Very disappointed. 

[laurelguy]

Sorry to hear you cancelled...Was that for this summer or next winter? We cancelled August in the Med but are keeping New Year's....We didn't try for an extension for the Med but feel, as others, that France and Italy are dicey....cheers!

[BeignetBoy]

13 hours ago, sunswimsail said:

We had to cancel.  Travel agent tried to reach upper management to give us more time to decide, but no reply and deadline was looming.  Very disappointed. 

It is sad that you cancelled, but equally as sad that SD couldn't (or didn't) respond to your request for more time to decide. It would be one thing if they said "no", no extension on time, but I have a hard time understanding and accepting a lack of a reply from them.   

 

I presume that this was for the Italy trip that you mentioned earlier, and your concern that Italy wouldn't be open then.  If Italy weren't open then, I guess that SeaDream would change the voyage, but that could significantly impact your air and other issues involved.  Hopefully someone from SeaDream will read your comments, reach out to you and offer you an extension.  

 

Please keep  us posted.

[BeignetBoy]

On 5/8/2021 at 4:30 PM, JES4845 said:

FYI - we were advised by SD in writing this past week that all crew and passengers will be required to be vaccinated

Jes4845... Just wondering, did SD say anything about requiring a negative PCR test 72 hours in advance of boarding?  It seems that it wouldn't be necessary if they are requiring vaccines for everyone?  

 

Thanks again for the posting.