where do you think Marina will sail this winter?

[Jockocruiser]

I was looking at air flights to Chile Jan2022. Discovered they are currently still on 10 day quarantine with possibility of 7 day effective 01Sep. Not good.
https://cl.usembassy.gov/covid-19-information/

With Princess and Celebrity canceling their SAmer plans, should we expect to hear from O soon? 

[pinotlover]

11 minutes ago, Jockocruiser said:

I was looking at air flights to Chile Jan2022. Discovered they are currently still on 10 day quarantine with possibility of 7 day effective 01Sep. Not good.
https://cl.usembassy.gov/covid-19-information/

With Princess and Celebrity canceling their SAmer plans, should we expect to hear from O soon? 

Final payment for the 12/1 cruise isn’t until 10/2. For our 1/28 cruise it’s late November. I see no current reason to rush into cancellation of the cruises until that 10/2 date. Watch to see what materializes over the next 5 weeks.

 

S.A. is in the heart of their winter season with much higher in door activities. Things may well change as the weather does. Or not. I can wait another 5 weeks for a decision. It’s not like we’ll book a Carribean cruise in its place if they’re cancelled.

[PaulMCO]

32 minutes ago, Jockocruiser said:

I was looking at air flights to Chile Jan2022. Discovered they are currently still on 10 day quarantine with possibility of 7 day effective 01Sep. Not good.
https://cl.usembassy.gov/covid-19-information/

With Princess and Celebrity canceling their SAmer plans, should we expect to hear from O soon? 

actually Chile is on a quarantine for those that can get in.  It is CLOSED to non residents.

[Homerody]

1 hour ago, pinotlover said:

Final payment for the 12/1 cruise isn’t until 10/2. For our 1/28 cruise it’s late November. I see no current reason to rush into cancellation of the cruises until that 10/2 date. Watch to see what materializes over the next 5 weeks.

 

S.A. is in the heart of their winter season with much higher in door activities. Things may well change as the weather does. Or not. I can wait another 5 weeks for a decision. It’s not like we’ll book a Carribean cruise in its place if they’re cancelled.

The wait and see approach seems to be a prudent one to take.

 

I am particularly encouraged by the progress Chile and Uruguay are making with vax (and boosters) and the covid numbers in Chile in particular.   Argentina is making good progress in vax and they have the lowest covid numbers in 11 weeks.

 

Very encouraging, but none of the progress may have any influence on O or local government decisions on tourists and cruising.  I'll go Rumsfeldian and say I don't know what I don't know.  But if January cruise is cancelled, I'll take my deposit money and wait it out as multiple cancellations and rebookings with several lines has sapped my energy and desire to deal with the cascading effect of cruise cancellations on related hotel, airline etc bookings.

 

And I will be looking for another TA in the meantime.

[Flatbush Flyer]

4 hours ago, PhD-iva said:

Where/How does one find the email for the CEO of any major company?

Contact www.elliott.org with your reasons for needing contact info for senior exec(s) of travel/hospitality companies. It’s founder, Chris Elliott (not the actor), is a syndicated travel ombudsman/writer whose non-profit organization has expanded its scope of companies monitored in recent years. There’s no cost for the service though donations are encouraged. 
FWIW, by supplying the right Exec contact info, they’ve helped me get a quicker insurance payout, and no-cost post-warranty service on an expensive product.

Alternatively, most major media market cities have consumer advocacy units associated with one or more local TV stations. In this situation, they tend to do any negotiation after your attempts at reasonable solution have failed.

[GeorgesGal]

19 hours ago, clo said:

Haven't the airlines been very cooperative with refunds of points. With $$$ is it refunds or credits for future travel?

I cancelled two Delta flights last week, one paid with an e-ticket and small amount of cash, the other with $$$.  My e-ticket was re-issued with the same exp. date and additional value,and the other they refunded to my CC.  All in all, I was happy with the outcome.  The transaction was completed the same day.

Donna

[clo]

11 hours ago, PhD-iva said:

Where/How does one find the email for the CEO of any major company?

Google is my best friend. And these were Norwegian firms.

[basor]

Argentina Ministry announced  that they are reopening for the resumption of Antarctica and oceanic cruises beginning the 20OCT 2021.

 

HE CHIEF OF CABINET OF MINISTERS

DECIDES:

ARTICLE 1.- Establish from October 20, 2021 the resumption of the activity of bioceanic and Antarctic cruise ships, in a progressive and safe manner within the framework of the provisions of this administrative decision, of the sanitary measures in force at the time of its implementation and subject to the recommendations established for this purpose by the national health authority.

[Homerody]

2 hours ago, basor said:

Argentina Ministry announced  that they are reopening for the resumption of Antarctica and oceanic cruises beginning the 20OCT 2021.

 

HE CHIEF OF CABINET OF MINISTERS

DECIDES:

ARTICLE 1.- Establish from October 20, 2021 the resumption of the activity of bioceanic and Antarctic cruise ships, in a progressive and safe manner within the framework of the provisions of this administrative decision, of the sanitary measures in force at the time of its implementation and subject to the recommendations established for this purpose by the national health authority.

This is certainly good news.  And given that officials from Urugway, Chile and Argentina have been working on coordinated effort for cruise resumption, this bodes well.

 

It is my understanding that Argentina may open its borders to tourists on 1 October.  And they are considering allowing spectators (30% capacity) at the upcoming Argentina v. Brazil quarter finals soccer  (I mean football) match.

 

This is good news to see that they are making progress in battling COVID.  And that is most important.

 

Secondarily, and not as important - a bonus for tourists and cruisers.

[pinotlover]

I hate possibly missing Falklands, but that anchorage is never a given with only a bit over 50% success rate anyway. 
 

So hoping our January cruise goes. With all the other lines panicking and canceling, we won’t be fighting the large ships and all their passengers! 😃

[Homerody]

4 hours ago, pinotlover said:

I hate possibly missing Falklands, but that anchorage is never a given with only a bit over 50% success rate anyway. 
 

So hoping our January cruise goes. With all the other lines panicking and canceling, we won’t be fighting the large ships and all their passengers! 😃

Pardon the ignorant newbie question about Falklands.  Is the success rate due to wind and sea conditions and tenders - or related to cruiseliner?

 

I guess not seeing Falklands means another sea day.  not a bad thing, either.

[njhorseman]

1 hour ago, Homerody said:

Pardon the ignorant newbie question about Falklands.  Is the success rate due to wind and sea conditions and tenders - or related to cruiseliner?

 

I guess not seeing Falklands means another sea day.  not a bad thing, either.

Wind and sea conditions making it unsafe to tender. We missed the Falklands on the one South America  cruise we took.

[Paulchili]

1 hour ago, Homerody said:

I guess not seeing Falklands means another sea day.  not a bad thing, either

Depends on the wind and sea conditions that made you miss the Falklands in the first place 😀

[Queen of DaNile]

3 hours ago, Homerody said:

Pardon the ignorant newbie question about Falklands.  Is the success rate due to wind and sea conditions and tenders - or related to cruiseliner?

 

I guess not seeing Falklands means another sea day.  not a bad thing, either.

If the ship is not able to safely tender in the Falklands, chances are you're going to have a pretty rough sea day as well. I'm 2 for 2 for making it to Stanley but the seas down there can be brutal. Both times leaving there, on Insignia and and then on an adventure ship, were the only times I experienced serious mal de mer.

[Homerody]

2 hours ago, Paulchili said:

Depends on the wind and sea conditions that made you miss the Falklands in the first place 😀

Good point!

[clo]

2 hours ago, njhorseman said:

Wind and sea conditions making it unsafe to tender. We missed the Falklands on the one South America  cruise we took.

I was thinking "huh" but then I remembered we were on a small ship so didn't have to tender. The thing I most remember honestly is that after all that time of seeing nothing "green" to get there was pretty wild.

 

[Homerody]

37 minutes ago, Queen of DaNile said:

If the ship is not able to safely tender in the Falklands, chances are you're going to have a pretty rough sea day as well. I'm 2 for 2 for making it to Stanley but the seas down there can be brutal. Both times leaving there, on Insignia and and then on an adventure ship, were the only times I experienced serious mal de mer.

And here I am worrying about the Drake Shake!  🤢

[PaulMCO]

0 for 2 with Oceania and 1 for 1 with Silversea.   Depends on tides, wind, sea state, and ability to anchor and maintain the ships position.   You need all of these to make it.   Can be calm seas, but if the ship cannot keep a steady position there will be no tendering.

 

Right now Falklands has a 14 day quarantine in place.  So no ships except maybe an Antarctic cruise whose last stop is Port Stanley.

[Kate-AHF]

22 hours ago, PaulMCO said:

0 for 2 with Oceania and 1 for 1 with Silversea.   Depends on tides, wind, sea state, and ability to anchor and maintain the ships position.   You need all of these to make it.   Can be calm seas, but if the ship cannot keep a steady position there will be no tendering.

 

Right now Falklands has a 14 day quarantine in place.  So no ships except maybe an Antarctic cruise whose last stop is Port Stanley.

 

We are 1 for 1 with Oceania.  On Christmas day no less.  I did want to add that it's not just the sea state of when you arrive that comes into play, it's the sea state that's projected for when you leave.  Because what tenders out, needs to be able to tender back.

[pinotlover]

I’ve noticed that Viking is still planning their S.A. Cruises for this coming season.  Some lines pulled out early, but definitely not all. Hopefully we’ll do this cruise.

[Homerody]

1 hour ago, pinotlover said:

I’ve noticed that Viking is still planning their S.A. Cruises for this coming season.  Some lines pulled out early, but definitely not all. Hopefully we’ll do this cruise.

Hurtigruten as well.

[basor]

5 minutes ago, Homerody said:

Hurtigruten as well.

Seabourne and Quark Antarctica cruises are still going for 2022