Australian domestic Ovation cruise's Dec 2021

[Hogbay]

This is the best news since Quantum was the first to start. 👍Hopefully our hard core lock down has been successful. AUS Cruises passenger have the story if link doesn't work 🙃🇭🇲

https://cruisepassenger.com.au/royal-caribbean-backs-vaccine-program-by-deploying-ovation-to-sydney-in-december/

[Ashland]

Good for you all...but that dashed our hopes Ovation would come to the west coast.

[Chiliburn]

2 hours ago, Hogbay said:

This is the best news since Quantum was the first to start. 👍Hopefully our hard core lock down has been successful. AUS Cruises passenger have the story if link doesn't work 🙃🇭🇲

https://cruisepassenger.com.au/royal-caribbean-backs-vaccine-program-by-deploying-ovation-to-sydney-in-december/

I can’t see it happening,the virus in Sydney is here to stay.

Sydney will be quarantined from the rest of the country and if the ships do sail,where to?

[Rassa]

1 hour ago, Chiliburn said:

I can’t see it happening,the virus in Sydney is here to stay.

Sydney will be quarantined from the rest of the country and if the ships do sail,where to?

I don't agree with you.   There is a big push to open up now, everyone is totally sick of the lockdowns and want the economy to open up, if just internally, by Christmas.   With the big push on vaccinations now, I'm hopeful this will happen, which will allow coastal cruising in Australian waters to begin with in the new year.   It's hard to believe 16M little vegemites are in lockdown.   Don't care where they go but I would prefer the Barrier Reef.

[Chiliburn]

3 hours ago, Rassa said:

I don't agree with you.   There is a big push to open up now, everyone is totally sick of the lockdowns and want the economy to open up, if just internally, by Christmas.   With the big push on vaccinations now, I'm hopeful this will happen, which will allow coastal cruising in Australian waters to begin with in the new year.   It's hard to believe 16M little vegemites are in lockdown.   Don't care where they go but I would prefer the Barrier Reef.

Just listen to the BBC radio and in Britain,there strategy seems to be working. Apparently the daily case rate is falling.

But we are a long way behind them with vaccines and opening up.

[Hogbay]

12 hours ago, Chiliburn said:

I can’t see it happening,the virus in Sydney is here to stay.

Sydney will be quarantined from the rest of the country and if the ships do sail,where to?

Covid is everywhere on the planet.  My Ta can see the ovation sailings. Same places that all the domestic ones have been .🙂

[aussie cruzer]

Can’t see the Ovation sailing from Alaska to Sydney with no passengers.

[Ashland]

21 minutes ago, aussie cruzer said:

Can’t see the Ovation sailing from Alaska to Sydney with no passengers.

Why ? Navigator is sailing all the way to the west coast with out passengers.

[Chiliburn]

46 minutes ago, Hogbay said:

Covid is everywhere on the planet.  My Ta can see the ovation sailings. Same places that all the domestic ones have been .🙂

It’s possible but I wouldn’t believe what any agent says.

But you have to give Royal credit for trying.

[aussie cruzer]

49 minutes ago, Ashland said:

Why ? Navigator is sailing all the way to the west coast with out passengers.

There is zero chance the Ovation will be in Sydney this year....won’t happen.

It’s breaking news on tv here in Australia if there is one case of Covid,I know it’s stupid.but mass hysteria and lack of vaccines have put us in this position.

[Hogbay]

1 hour ago, aussie cruzer said:

Can’t see the Ovation sailing from Alaska to Sydney with no passengers.

Royal has moved ships many times without paying passengers. 

[Chiliburn]

1 hour ago, aussie cruzer said:

There is zero chance the Ovation will be in Sydney this year....won’t happen.

It’s breaking news on tv here in Australia if there is one case of Covid,I know it’s stupid.but mass hysteria and lack of vaccines have put us in this position.

I also think Royal are putting their eggs in the wrong basket but the have to give it a go.

I think I will use some credit and book a short cruise I February.

Prices are pretty rude but you have to have to look forward to.

[taglovestocruise]

2 hours ago, Ashland said:

Why ? Navigator is sailing all the way to the west coast with out passengers.

You dashed my hopes of a around the horn sailing.  We do have two cabins booked for January 2022

[Hogbay]

35 minutes ago, Chiliburn said:

I also think Royal are putting their eggs in the wrong basket but the have to give it a go.

I think I will use some credit and book a short cruise I February.

Prices are pretty rude but you have to have to look forward to.

Didn't take long for a change of mind 🙂 so we're are you sailing. 

[Ashland]

1 hour ago, taglovestocruise said:

You dashed my hopes of a around the horn sailing.  We do have two cabins booked for January 2022

Sorry...uncertain times to have passengers on these long sails right now.

[Chiliburn]

1 hour ago, Hogbay said:

Didn't take long for a change of mind 🙂 so we're are you sailing. 

No change of mind, there’s a four night cruise from Sydney to Eden in the start of February.

Ive got enough credit to book 2 cruises , so I may as well book something.
I think that would be a possibility,anything interstate would be touchy.

[Chiliburn]

1 hour ago, Hogbay said:

Didn't take long for a change of mind 🙂 so we're are you sailing. 

I just heard the minister for health say Sydney has 40% with full vaccination and 70% have had the first shot.

Thats coming along well.

[Rassa]

2 hours ago, Chiliburn said:

I just heard the minister for health say Sydney has 40% with full vaccination and 70% have had the first shot.

Thats coming along well.

Good to seeing you being positive Chili.  It seems its doable to get to 70% soon fully vaccinated.   But I look at covid live au and NSW only has 20% fully vaccinated (same as Victoria).   Anyway I really think we are getting there.   There is light at the end of the long tunnel.   We can plan.

 

I was looking at the prices you put up for the coastal cruises and the internal cabins were dear but if you looked at balcony costs, it was only an extra $200ish, so not completely expensive.

[Chiliburn]

47 minutes ago, Rassa said:

Good to seeing you being positive Chili.  It seems its doable to get to 70% soon fully vaccinated.   But I look at covid live au and NSW only has 20% fully vaccinated (same as Victoria).   Anyway I really think we are getting there.   There is light at the end of the long tunnel.   We can plan.

 

I was looking at the prices you put up for the coastal cruises and the internal cabins were dear but if you looked at balcony costs, it was only an extra $200ish, so not completely expensive.

After checking it was 20% fully vaccinated but it’s coming along.

Thursday they vaccinated 80,000 

we are looking at booking something in February, Got to do something with the credit.

[Trixie21]

I'm talking here as a UK citizen.

We have certainly made mistakes in the handling of this pandemic , but every government has been in entirely uncharted waters .

However , largely through vaccination ,  we have got to the point where we are more or less co-existing with covid. It is foolish to work on the assumption it is going to disappear- it clearly isn't. 

Even though we have pretty much opened up society completely again , case rates are still falling - this is the first time this has happened without a lock down.

Cruising , like every other facet of life,  has to find a way to live with covid and move on. Anthem of the Seas has been doing domestic cruises around the UK since the beginning of July and has been so successful,  they have just extended the UK season to the end of October.I should add that to date there hasn't been a single case of covid on Anthem.

We are booked in middle of August for 8 nights and looking forward to it more than any other cruise we have previously been on- its our first holiday since the pandemic began.

Protocols include - PCR test 3 days before we go for everyone over 2 years old. Kids between 2 and 17 must also have a lateral flow test at the port before boarding. Everyone over 18 must be fully vaccinated with at least 14 days since the 2nd dose.

Masks must be worn in public areas of the ship while moving about.

Royal say that the guest satisfaction ratings from these UK cruises are the highest they have ever achieved.

My long-winded point is that with the correct set of protocols it is perfectly possible to have a safe ,  enjoyable cruise and there is no reason at all why Ovation should not be able to begin domestic cruises around Australia , and be very successful at it.

[aussie cruzer]

3 hours ago, Trixie21 said:

I'm talking here as a UK citizen.

We have certainly made mistakes in the handling of this pandemic , but every government has been in entirely uncharted waters .

However , largely through vaccination ,  we have got to the point where we are more or less co-existing with covid. It is foolish to work on the assumption it is going to disappear- it clearly isn't. 

Even though we have pretty much opened up society completely again , case rates are still falling - this is the first time this has happened without a lock down.

Cruising , like every other facet of life,  has to find a way to live with covid and move on. Anthem of the Seas has been doing domestic cruises around the UK since the beginning of July and has been so successful,  they have just extended the UK season to the end of October.I should add that to date there hasn't been a single case of covid on Anthem.

We are booked in middle of August for 8 nights and looking forward to it more than any other cruise we have previously been on- its our first holiday since the pandemic began.

Protocols include - PCR test 3 days before we go for everyone over 2 years old. Kids between 2 and 17 must also have a lateral flow test at the port before boarding. Everyone over 18 must be fully vaccinated with at least 14 days since the 2nd dose.

Masks must be worn in public areas of the ship while moving about.

Royal say that the guest satisfaction ratings from these UK cruises are the highest they have ever achieved.

My long-winded point is that with the correct set of protocols it is perfectly possible to have a safe ,  enjoyable cruise and there is no reason at all why Ovation should not be able to begin domestic cruises around Australia , and be very successful at it.

Unfortunately Australiia is not like the UK.

 

you guys can live with thousands of cases per day....Australian  Hass mass hysteria over one per day.

 

FYI as of day

60% of the Australian population is in lockdown 

Edited August 7, 2021 by aussie cruzer
T

[Trixie21]

2 hours ago, aussie cruzer said:

Unfortunately Australiia is not like the UK.

 

you guys can live with thousands of cases per day....Australian  Hass mass hysteria over one per day.

 

FYI as of day

60% of the Australian population is in lockdown 

I didn't realise so much of Australia was in lockdown.

If you don't mind me saying so , they are going to have to change their long-term strategy for covid - they cannot remain sealed off from the rest of the world forever.

A successful vaccination campaign is the key.

Is their much anti-vaccine sentiment in Australia?

[rtazz17]

On 8/6/2021 at 4:11 AM, Chiliburn said:

I can’t see it happening,the virus in Sydney is here to stay.

Sydney will be quarantined from the rest of the country and if the ships do sail,where to?

Wow you have really been drinking the kool aide? 

[The_Big_M]

1 hour ago, Trixie21 said:

I didn't realise so much of Australia was in lockdown.

If you don't mind me saying so , they are going to have to change their long-term strategy for covid - they cannot remain sealed off from the rest of the world forever.

A successful vaccination campaign is the key.

Is their much anti-vaccine sentiment in Australia?

You'd think so, but that hasn't been the approach to date. They've had political success when they lock down from the rest of the world, to the extent Australians haven't been able to get home since it all began, so that's what the pollies are going with.

 

Agree on a successful vaccination campaign, but driven by the above, there hasn't been much motivation by the populace for it since it began. Only now in some cities where there have been outbreaks has there been a rise - but once the virus gets under control again, the motivation will certainly drop again. And where there hasn't been an outbreak vaccination rates remain low. It's the old story of 'from necessity comes desire.'

 

It's not anti-vaccine sentiment, just apathy and things had been fairly normal for those who don't want to travel, so people just see no need to, so don't.

[The_Big_M]

As with many scheduled cruises, these won't be going ahead in December. The government gave a 'high level guide' for recovery from covid. Cruises don't restart til phase 3, which requires 80% vaccination of 16+ year olds fully vaccinated, in every state as well as nationally.

 

Given the vaccine 'hesitancy' above and lack of incentives, there's no way that will happen by December.

 

For info, we're currently at 17% fully vaccinated overall. The best in the world, afaik, is Iceland at 75%.

Edited August 7, 2021 by The_Big_M