Should we postpone Med cruises or wait for MSC to cancel?

[HappyInVan]

1 hour ago, 9876 said:

I know there was an analysis, I think by RCCL, that said the large ships can break even with a 30% occupancy.  I am sure there are variables for each line but that is a good gauge. 

 

IMO, the 30% mark represents the variable cost operating the ship. So, MSC is still bleeding more cash when operating below 30%. And, they also need to pay overheads and Repayment + Interest. 

 

Sad fact is that they are not deploying the entire 19-ship fleet? So, there's more drag there.

 

What about all those new ships they have ordered and are taking delivery of?

 

Fortunately, MSC is backed by a large shipping fortune. Nonetheless, they must be worried about the cash flow situation.

 

[marielco]

2 hours ago, Beamafar said:

That sounds very positive!   Pity that the MSC agent couldn’t tell me that on the phone a couple of days ago!   Any word on your tickets?  I know that TAs here are a little slower than when you book direct.

 

Anyway, we’re boarding the Epic on Sunday week out of Barcelona so it’ll take the focus off the Seashore cruise for now.  It feels weird booking something so close to sailing date. 

Agent said my tickets would be ready 7 days out i.e 3rd September. So I wait and see. Enjoy you Epic cruise. 

[Beamafar]

1 minute ago, marielco said:

Agent said my tickets would be ready 7 days out i.e 3rd September. So I wait and see. Enjoy you Epic cruise. 

Cheers - hope you do, too!

[drsel]

7 hours ago, marielco said:

@Beamafar I just had a call from my travel agent.  They said they had checked with MSC and assured me travellers from Ireland are not affected by the restriction on non-Shengen countries. She told me we need PCR test  within 72 hours of embarkation and our EU Covid vaccination cert.  She could not explain why Ireland being an exception is not on the MSC website but was very sure we could cruise.  This is the most definite response I have had. Ringing MSC has been different answers from different call staff. 

I don't think you can trust what your travel agent said, when MSC has clearly excluded Ireland from the list of European countries allowed to board.

What were the different answers from different MSc call staff?

[marielco]

14 minutes ago, drsel said:

I don't think you can trust what your travel agent said, when MSC has clearly excluded Ireland from the list of European countries allowed to board.

What were the different answers from different MSc call staff?

Different MSC answers were: “we don’t know but you will be advised” - “the regulations are changing all the time” - “we don’t think your cruise will be affected” and the best one was the assurance by e mail “the ship will be sailing” ! When my question was not if the ship was sailing but whether I was or not. None seemed to have any idea what was stated on their websites 
 

Anyway I am not taking anything for granted.  I will wait and see if my tickets arrive or if a notice I am cancelled arrives.  Thankfully the flights are part of the MSC package so don’t need to worry about losing them.

 

I’m happy to take the agents reassurance (they had checked with MSC) and wait and see if they are correct. They are usually very reliable. 

[black forest]

Due to this uncertainty we have just rebooked our cruise out of Miami in February. It is still quite a long time till then but so far (at least till December so the information provided here and in another forum) no Europeans are allowed to enter  the USA.  So we decided to cruise out of Dubai instead. Anticipation is part of the trip….

 

All the best to you all!

[Beamafar]

We have one booked for early March from Miami.  I’m hoping the US restrictions will be lifted early enough to book flights.  The closer to the date we need them the more expensive they’ll be. I’d normally have them booked by now. 

[MarkusToe]

I've booked C, full flex for Feb. 22..….

Hope we will go, but if not, I do don't care....

Edited August 28, 2021 by MarkusToe

[sidari]

Italy to eliminate COVID-19 quarantine for vaccinated and negative UK travellers | Reuters

[Beamafar]

Well, that should sort out MSC’s policy of not allowing European (ie Ireland & UK) non-Schengen passengers onboard. 

[sidari]

You would hope so Bea.

[Number34]

22 minutes ago, sidari said:

Italy to eliminate COVID-19 quarantine for vaccinated and negative UK travellers | Reuters

So will they reinstate my cancelled 25 September sailing?

[sidari]

15 minutes ago, Number34 said:

So will they reinstate my cancelled 25 September sailing?

Only MSC could tell you that.

[drsel]

53 minutes ago, Number34 said:

So will they reinstate my cancelled 25 September sailing?

I doubt that.

MSC has never reinstated cancelled bookings. It would make them look stupid

[drsel]

1 hour ago, sidari said:

Italy to eliminate COVID-19 quarantine for vaccinated and negative UK travellers | Reuters

Quarantine may be eliminated, but an upto 48 hour prior Covid negative test result  may be still mandatory for some passengers, before entering each and every port in Italy .

 

Because Italy, Portugal and Malta still don't recognise 1 particular  vaccine, unlike France, Germany, Switzerland and 15 other European countries (which do).

 

So those fully vaccinated with that particular vaccine will be treated the same as the unvaccinated.

 

They will still require a 48 hours prior RT PCR or antigen test for each and every port in Italy, (costing 80 euros per person per test) even though fully vaccinated with the unaccepted vaccine.

Edited August 28, 2021 by drsel

[Beamafar]

1 hour ago, Number34 said:

So will they reinstate my cancelled 25 September sailing?

Since they extended the restrictions to Sept 30th (prematurely now by the looks of it 🙄) it’s unlikely they’ll rescind it. 

[drsel]

Check which countries accept/recognise your vaccine for entry -

 

https://visaguide.world/news/vaccine-checker-proof-of-immunity-for-travel/

Edited August 28, 2021 by drsel

[KeepSailing]

2 hours ago, Beamafar said:

Well, that should sort out MSC’s policy of not allowing European (ie Ireland & UK) non-Schengen passengers onboard.

Hope MSC has upped their game on web-programming skills so that they will be able to differentiate between those who are both <vaxed and negative> and thus not quarantined vs. <unvaxed and negative> who will not be so lucky?

[sidari]

NCL have been taking passengers on Med cruises and likely some will be usual MSC customers while MSC have been turning those passengers away.

 

[drsel]

https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/news/eu-to-reimpose-entry-ban-on-travellers-from-us-5-other-third-countries-on-monday-sources-say/

 

According to Reuters, the decision on reimposing the entry ban on US travellers has been taken on Friday, August 27, but it will be officially announced only on Monday, August 30. The complete list of the countries affected goes as follows:

• Israel
• Kosovo
• Lebanon
• Montenegro
• North Macedonia
• United States

All six have recently reported an increasing number of Coronavirus cases detected within their territory.

In the US, which is home to 328.2 million residents, a total of 38,158,495 cases have been detected since the beginning of the pandemic, 169,512 of which within the last 24 hours, data by the World Health Organization reveals.

Edited August 29, 2021 by drsel

[8420PR]

9 hours ago, drsel said:

Quarantine may be eliminated, but an upto 48 hour prior Covid negative test result  may be still mandatory for some passengers, before entering each and every port in Italy .

 

Because Italy, Portugal and Malta still don't recognise 1 particular  vaccine, unlike France, Germany, Switzerland and 15 other European countries (which do).

 

So those fully vaccinated with that particular vaccine will be treated the same as the unvaccinated.

 

They will still require a 48 hours prior RT PCR or antigen test for each and every port in Italy, (costing 80 euros per person per test) even though fully vaccinated with the unaccepted vaccine.

MSC is already testing on embarkation, during the cruise and before disembarkation depending on each countries regulations, so the test requirement is not a problem.  If a test is required passengers will get a letter in their cabin with a time period (e.g. 0730 to 1030 was mine) when they need to go to the med centre.  The tests were all free.

[drsel]

21 minutes ago, 8420PR said:

MSC is already testing on embarkation, during the cruise and before disembarkation depending on each countries regulations, so the test requirement is not a problem.  If a test is required passengers will get a letter in their cabin with a time period (e.g. 0730 to 1030 was mine) when they need to go to the med centre.  The tests were all free.

Thanks, its nice to know the test is free, but MSc has extended the ban on residents of 150 countries up to 30 September 2021.

Already some folks with Med cruises in September 2021 have just received notices (end August) that their specific bookings have been cancelled, although the Cruises will sail as usual.

 

My Cruises are in October and November and I doubt that the ban will be lifted,  in which case we will not be allowed to board.

I expect that MSC will email cancellation notices for October Cruises by the end of September.

Edited August 29, 2021 by drsel

[ellie96]

Confirmed with MSC this morning, resident of Ireland can go on board after 7th September. 

[sidari]

1 minute ago, ellie96 said:

Confirmed with MSC this morning, resident of Ireland can go on board after 7th September. 

Meanwhile another poster Markus from Germany has had his cruise cancelled while on his way to Italy! Unless I had what you say in writing I would not believe a word of it.

[ellie96]

OMG this is unbelievable to Markus.

 

Hopefully my 22nd Sept MSC Virtuosa go smooth. 

 

If they cancel while I am on my way to Genoa, what can I do in Genoa? Nothing to do for 1 week.